As thrilling because the motion will likely be, that includes such bonafide European stars as Economics and Charyn , QIPCO British Champions day at Ascot Oct. 19 must be considered from these horses extra realistically because the anti-Breeders’ Cup. That is very true when Champions sits simply two weeks previous to the North American showcase, because it does this 12 months. Solely probably the most daring or determined run their prime horses again so rapidly any longer.
Apart from Aidan O’Brien. Likelihood is the Irish coach will deliver a few runners straight from deep and damp Ascot this weekend to agency and dry Del Mar, retaining with a current apply that has meant for little success, however nice sportsmanship.
In recent times, such O’Brien runners as Broome , Cliffs of Moher , Seventh Heaven , and Fairly Good have come out of Champions races and did not win any of the three main Breeders’ Cup occasions on grass, though Stone Age and Magical (twice) did run bang-ups seconds, and Highland Reel a detailed third.
Nonetheless, there was a sprinkling of success for a Champions-Breeders’ Cup turnaround. Discovered completed second within the 2015 Champion Stakes (G1) and two weeks later received the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1T) at Keeneland. Fashionable Video games completed second within the 2022 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1) on the Champions card, then three weeks later received the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1T).
“Champions would not actually match with the Breeders’ Cup,” mentioned John Gosden, who has achieved properly at each. “It is actually one or the opposite. In the event you’ve obtained the correct of horse you are able to do it, however it’s actually the Arc weekend that matches very properly with the Breeders’ Cup.”
The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) and its supporting options normally happen on a weekend 4 weeks earlier than any Breeders’ Cup, together with this 12 months’s celebration at Longchamp Oct. 5-6. And as a lot because the Champions day timing works towards prime Europeans, the bottom doesn’t assist a lot, both. Most of the time, Ascot this time of 12 months could be an exhausting slog, leaving runners with their tongues hanging. Gosden predicted it could be no totally different this time round.
“It will likely be comfortable, lifeless, sticky previous floor,” Gosden mentioned Friday night, on his technique to a London shindig offered by the sponsors of the day.
Nonetheless, the cash is superb: $1.32 million to the winner of the Champion Stakes, $1.17 million for taking the Queen Elizabeth II, and about half one million to the winners of the British Champions Lengthy Distance Cup (G2), the British Champions Dash Stakes (G1), and the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (G1). The primary of the options begins at 8:20 a.m., Japanese Daylight Time.
This time final 12 months, the coaching workforce of John and son Thady Gosden have been crusing alongside comfortably in entrance of O’Brien within the race for the British title. In 2024, nonetheless, O’Brien’s raids from Eire have reaped a bounty of prizes, placing him far forward of second-place Andrew Balding. The Gosdens are in a cluster of stables preventing for the bronze medal.
“It has been a strong season,” Gosden mentioned. “Not thrilling, however strong. You want the grade 1 horses for the massive cash races, and we have been a little bit mild there.”
The Gosdens will attempt to finish the British season with a bang Saturday with 5 runners in 4 of the Ascot options. Queen of The Satisfaction is a longshot within the Fillies & Mares, however they’ve an opportunity in a wide-open Dash with the gelding Viewers , winner of the Lockinge Stakes (G1) earlier this 12 months. And Nashwa , their 2022 winner of the Prix de Diane (G1), has had a tough street since and will likely be up towards it within the Champion Stakes going through the 3-year-old monsters Calandagan , Los Angeles , and Economics.
However first comes the Lengthy Distance Cup, an everlasting journey of 1 15/16 miles over Ascot hill and dale wherein the steady will likely be represented by longshot Candy William and defending champ Trawlerman .
The 2023 Cup offered an unforgettable duel between Trawlerman and the O’Brien-trained Kyprios , who seized the lead late within the race from the Gosden horse however then was run down within the last yards. Since then, Kyprios has been on dizzying streak of six straight victories, amongst them an thrilling rematch towards Trawlerman within the Gold Cup (G1) at Ascot June 20. This will likely be Trawlerman’s first race since that day.
“He was fairly shook up after that and obtained a little bit bit sick, so he wanted a vacation,” Gosden mentioned. “We’ll actually want a plot to deal with Kyprios, however I do not know fairly what we’ll do. Generally our man would not put his greatest foot ahead, so we’ll attempt to encourage him not to do this.”
The Gosdens took the Breeders’ Cup by storm final 12 months at Santa Anita Park, successful the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) with European champion older mare Inspiral that led to an Eclipse Award for the division. This 12 months, it is going to be fillies once more on the Breeders’ Cup assault, however not with one of the best of the barn. That will be Pleasant Soul , a daughter of Kingman who capped a three-race win streak with a victory on Arc weekend within the Prix de l’Opera (G1). Gosden, a diehard opera buff, noticed the delicate irony.
“That was a humorous level, particularly since we might been second within the race six occasions,” Gosden mentioned. “I did tease Thady a bit that it took so lengthy.”
Whereas the timing is true, Pleasant Soul’s proprietor, George Strawbridge, should wait till subsequent 12 months to get pleasure from Pleasant Soul in a Breeders’ Cup race.
“She’s s 3-year-old and has achieved a good bit of racing this 12 months,” Gosden mentioned. “So she’ll simply clean up for subsequent 12 months. We thought in regards to the Filly & Mare Turf, however she’s not an enormous, sturdy filly, and you already know what occurs when you draw large on the grass at Del Mar.”
Normally, nothing good, though the Gosdens will likely be coming into a pair of fillies come Breeders’ Cup pre-entries Oct. 23. One in all them would be the towering Emily Upjohn , who was not embarrassed by Arc winner Bluestocking of their September encounter within the Prix Vermeille (G1) at Longchamp nor when second to her within the Fairly Polly Stakes (G1) on the Curragh. The opposite is Working Lion , second to Pleasant Soul final out.
Emily Upjohn (left) finishes second to Bluestocking within the Fairly Polly Stakes on the Curragh
As one in every of solely two European trainers to have received the Breeders’ Cup Traditional (G1), completed in 2008 on Santa Anita’s artificial floor with Queen Elizabeth II winner Raven’s Go —Gosden will likely be among the many many watching this 12 months’s model with particular curiosity, as O’Brien tries for the prize with Epsom Derby (G1) hero Metropolis of Troy .
Gosden is aware of American grime surfaces properly, from a decade of coaching in North America. He final tried the Traditional in 2018 with Roaring Lion, the sire of Working Lion and a Cartier Horse of the 12 months. The colt refused to take care of the Churchill Downs grime that day and was introduced residence final of 14.
Metropolis of Troy is a distinct form of animal, although. Arriving on the Champions occasion, Gosden offered a phrase of warning for skeptics.
“He is a horse that may preserve a really excessive cruising pace,” the coach mentioned. “If he will get a draw that helps him to keep away from kickback going into the primary flip, he will likely be very harmful.”
Metropolis of Troy trains at Southwell upfront of his journey to the Breeders’ Cup
