BIG RACE PREVIEW: The highlight of this weekend’s racing is the Group 1 Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot on Saturday where Mishriff and Adayar will go head-to-head.
As befits the name of the race, a stellar field turns out for the Qipco Champions Stakes at Ascot on Saturday and right at the head of affairs is hugely impressive Juddmonte International Stakes winner Mishriff. This horse has registered career earnings of more than £11m because quite simply he is right up there with the best horses in the world.
He already had a number of outstanding performances on his CV however his performance in the International at York just under seven weeks ago was arguably his best yet. He pulverised a field of top class horses by six lengths and more in a time that was extremely impressive too. Following a couple of defeats in the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown and the King George here at Ascot, he looked like a horse at York that had been brought to the boil at just the right time and he has been saved for this race ever since. He is the one to beat.
His King George conqueror Adayar turns out here too. It is a surprise to many that he does run given that it is just thirteen days since he ran in near bottomless ground in the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp. He finished fourth there after making much of the running as a result of being quite free in the early stages of the race. Although it seems a big ask to run again so soon here, there is a reasoned argument to suggest that his run in the Arc could actually bring him on as he had not run since beating Mishriff in the King George in July. He is a fascinating contender and he is right in the mix.
The William Haggas pair of Addeybb and Dubai Honour both turn up and both merit huge respect. Addeybb hasn’t run since the Eclipse Stakes where he split St Mark’s Basilica and Mishriff. It was a very good effort against two top class opponents however the time was slow in that race and one just wonders if he and Mishriff were quite at their best on the day. The current ease in the ground won’t harm his chances and he is an obvious big player albeit he has a sizeable lay-off to overcome. As for Dubai Honour, then he was contesting a handicap at Royal Ascot in June but he has earned a crack at this following his win the Group 2 Prix Dollar at Longchamp two weeks ago. He is improving rapidly and he will need to improve again if he is to take this.
Of the rest, the French trained Sealiway comes here on the back of a fifth placed finish in the Arc and before that a second placed finish behind St Mark’s Basilica in the Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) and he merits plenty of respect. He could be one for each-way players. As could the other William Haggas trained runner Al Aasy who has long been a favourite of his master trainer.
However one horse stands out as having been trained with this race in mind and that is Mishriff. There is no certainty in a race of this nature but given his profile he looks the one to beat in a top class renewal of this great race.
Suggestion: Mishriff
Alternatives: Adayar, Addeybb (each-way)
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