Tag Archive for: British Champions Day

Sprint contests unlikely for Kinross going forwards

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Kinross looks set to stick to longer trips next season after coming up short in his bid for a second victory in the Qipco British Champions Sprint at Ascot on Saturday.

Ralph Beckett’s stable stalwart has enjoyed another fine campaign, wrestling back his crown in the Park Stakes at Doncaster before finding only Ramatuelle too strong when aiming to do the same in the Prix de la Foret on Arc weekend at ParisLongchamp.

The seven-year-old was a 7-2 favourite to successfully drop back down to six furlongs on Champions Day, but was beaten just under four lengths into seventh place and connections feel that while he may have lost some of his old dash, his enthusiasm remains undimmed.

“We were pleased with his run, six furlongs is just probably too sharp for him now and maybe next year we’ll stretch him out to a mile,” said Jamie McCalmont, racing manager to owner Marc Chan.

“Like always, we’ll take each race as it comes, but he’s fine after the race and he can have a good holiday and you’ll probably see him start off somewhere in June next year.

“We’re at the stage of his career where every race is a bonus. He’s got the enthusiasm for it for sure, but he hasn’t got the legs for that six furlongs any more, that was the problem on Saturday.

“He wasn’t distressed afterwards and was happy, so all is good.”



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Anmaat team dreaming of more glory in 2025

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Anmaat is likely to carry for the flag for his owners Shadwell next season and with that in mind, he appears unlikely to race again this year.

While international options could be on the table in early 2025, the fact he has proved himself still capable of mixing it at the highest level, despite his advancing years, has connections dreaming of all the major 10-furlong events next season.

Racing manager Angus Gold paid tribute to the teams at Shadwell Stud and trainer Owen Burrows’ Lambourn yard for nursing him back to full health, but he still needed a brave ride from Jim Crowley to win the Champion Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

“Until his last run he’d never been out of the first three in five years of racing and had he not run in Paris (finished fifth in Prix Dollar) and gone straight to Ascot from Haydock, then he probably would have been a 12-1 chance and not 40-1,” said Gold.

“He fluffed his lines in France, but at the same time he did run the fastest furlong of any of them between the two and the one. It was just unlike him not to finish off his race as he’s such a tough horse.

“I don’t think people realised what such a serious issue this horse had. He was in his box at Shadwell with his foot injury for months, he had almost a year out of training, so just to get him back at all was an achievement.

“To get him back to win was fantastic, but to win at the highest level is huge credit to an awful lot of people at Shadwell and Owen’s yard – and massive credit to the horse himself. An awful lot wouldn’t have come back from that.”

Crowley had to wait for a run at Ascot, finally getting a gap inside the final furlong, with Anmaat responding in style to win by half a length from Calandagan.

“The plan was to not be far from the leaders and not many had been coming from the rear on that ground,” said Gold.

“But as the race progressed, he just got shuffled further and further back. When I got home I watched the coverage from behind, which showed what Jim could see in front of him and at that stage I was thinking it wasn’t to be.

“But the way he quickened, in those last two furlongs – and in that ground – was very impressive. Like Jim said, the fact he couldn’t get out earlier meant he was just filling up and filling up.

“The more I watched it, to me it proves he’s a proper Group One horse, he was really impressive, it must have been some feeling for Jim.”

While the Breeders’ Cup in a fortnight comes quick enough, there are options in Hong Kong and Japan that Anmaat could have been in the mix for.

Gold said: “To me, the position we are now in with the majority of our older horses likely to be retired, he could be our only flag bearer.

“Now he’s proved he’s a Group One horse here – I know he’s about to turn seven but he hasn’t got a lot of mileage – he’s a very important horse for us next year. If Sheikha Hissa wants to keep him in training, I haven’t had that conversation yet, but I can’t see any reason why not as he’s a gelding.

“She may want him to go to Dubai or Saudi, who knows, but from my point of view we want to be trying to win some big races in Europe and he’s our number one. It’s not like we’ve five or six three-year-olds next year to take over the mantle, he’s the number one now and we’ve got to treat him accordingly.”



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Monday Musings: UK Prizemoney has a mountain to climb

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Eighty-six horses, many of whose connections feared that heavy ground at Ascot would render their task hopeless, gathered on Saturday aiming to take a slice of the – for the UK anyway – lavish prizemoney on offer, writes Tony Stafford. It was British Champions Day, for four Group 1 races, a Group 2 and a one-mile handicap making up what from the stands seemed a motley six-race card and, in the end, the ground wasn’t too bad looking at the race times.

The UK administrators have clearly been beaten to the punch though by the Irish, and by their two-day feast at Leopardstown and the Curragh in September. Obviously, the French could never be budged from their also two-day sacrosanct Arc extravaganza over the first weekend of October.

So here we were again, switched from the outside flat track to the inner hurdles circuit. As I approached in the late morning, the sun finally having broken through, I passed the one-mile round start. The grass looked lush and verdant green, almost waiting for a herd of cows to come along and start munching.

Apart from Kyprios in the opener, there was no other established superstar on show although Roger Varian’s Charyn deserves to be elevated to the elite level after snaffling the day’s second biggest prize, the one-mile Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, with authority.

Saturday’s top pot, money-wise, the Champion Stakes, had been expected to be a match between the smart French-trained Calandagan and William Haggas’s improving Irish Champion Stakes winner, Economics. But in a rough race, Economics had a dreadful passage (and also reportedly bled), and it looked as though his fellow three-year-old Calandagan was home and dry, having squeezed through a gap at the rail.

But Jim Crowley on the lightly raced six-year-old Anmaat, at 40/1, also managed to thread a passage through in the dying strides to deny the younger horse and give trainer Owen Burrows a massive boost. Most of the crowd were scratching their heads, apart from my mate Steve Howard who fluked a tenner each-way and paid (with help of two of his friends) for a superb Chinese meal for nine of us on the proceeds.

To my mind, the Champion Stakes has never been the same, not benefiting at all from the switch in 2011 from Newmarket and its far less weather-susceptible surface, even conceding Frankel on his career finale the following year.

Saturday’s racing was eventful, Kyprios making it seven from seven on the season with one of his most commanding performances when collecting the G2 Long Distance Cup by an untroubled couple of lengths. What do the boys do now, we thought? Keep on collecting the same half dozen races as in 2022 and this year – 2023 was an injury-marred aberration – or retire him to stud? Not a bit of it, Aidan O’Brien said after the race, he’ll be having the winter off, coming back in the spring for the customary Navan then Leopardstown path to, hopefully, a third Gold Cup – and the rest.

The Stayers are given short shrift by the powers that be, the winner’s cheque £255,000 good enough for a non-elite race but below the other treasures on offer. £283k was the main prize for the sprinters and fillies and mares, while more than double that goes to the milers and ten-furlong stars. Takeaways for the two top prizes were respectively £737k for Anmaat and £655 grand for Charyn. Second home in the Champion Stakes was worth £279k for Calandagan while another French horse, Facteur Cheval, received £248k for his second to Charyn, both uncomfortably close to Kyprios’s take-home pay.

Calandagan had already earned eleven grand more than Saturday on his previous trip to the UK, following home City of Troy in the £703k to the winner Juddmonte International at York.  When Ambiente Friendly ran on into second behind City Of Troy in the Derby two and a half months previously, he collected £334k for the Gredley family and James Fanshawe against the winner’s prize of £882,000, best in the entire UK programme.

Thus, the top reward for a runner-up spot in UK racing in 2024 has been Ambiente Friendly’s £334,000. So what? you may ask. So what, indeed. On the other side of the world, at Randwick racecourse in Sydney, Australia earlier the same day, a horse called I Wish I Win collected £337,331 for finishing last of 11! That’s 43 thousand more than Ambiente Friendly’s best second prize of the entire UK race programme and, as near as damn it, £100k more than Calandagan picked up in the Champion Stakes later that day.

The six-year-old was competing in the Everest Stakes over six furlongs. If he had finished seventh, the money would have been just the same for this six-year-old who had previously won six of his 18 races. His total earnings to date have been a touch short of £7 million.

The year-older mare Bella Nipotina won the race, and her earnings leapfrogged Saturday’s tail-ender by dint of the £3.74 million to the winner – up to £8.78 million. She has won seven of 52 career starts and is trained by Ciaron Maher. Kyprios, with 15 wins from 19 starts and only a year younger than Bella Nicolina, has earnings of £2,635,000.

Until recently, Maher shared the training billing with Englishman David Eustace, son of James and brother to Harry, who has quickly built up a strong stable in their hometown of Newmarket. David has now moved to Hong Kong, another place where the prizemoney levels must burn into the hearts of those David has left behind in his native land.

Not content with knocking off the big one, Maher also collected more than a million for third and, for good measure, added another £1.5 million for the victory of Duke De Sessa in the Caulfield Cup. Caulfield, near Geelong in Victoria, is a mere 886 kilometres south, and a nine-hour drive, from Randwick. The race is usually a stepping stone to the Melbourne Cup, run at Flemington on Tuesday, November 5.

A nice touch on the last race of the Randwick card was the £1.58 million-to-the-winner King Charles III Stakes as the King and Queen embark on their tour of Australia. Maher was second here, threequarters of a length behind winner Ceolwulf, with the favourite Pride Of Jenni.

Reverting to the Everest, and its 20 million Australian dollar (just over £10 million) total prize fund, it threw up some other amazing facts. The 11 competitors after the race had each won more than £1 million in their careers to date, several of them from only a handful of runs, especially a trio of three-year-olds. Among these was a Justify colt owned by Coolmore called Storm Boy, who finished eighth behind the winner yet beaten only two lengths.

The total career earnings for the eleven, stands at a notch over £40 million from a total of 180 runs, which I make more than £22,000 per run. When Duke De Sessa was trained in Ireland by Dermot Weld, he won around €100k for two Group 3 wins and one Listed victory.

The clue? The title name Everest is preceded by the letters TAB, the off-course near monopoly system which fuels the astonishing power of the prize money in that country. No wonder owners here beseech their horses to win nice races as three-year-olds and await the calls of the top trainers, of which Maher is no exception.

We’ve been saying it for half a century. Maybe the Prime Minister’s wife, who likes racing, might get her hubby and his party to rush through a bill to effect an off-course pool monopoly here. Actually, no rush, you have five years to do it!  We’d still have one or two bookmakers on the course for colour, although when it happens, don’t try to get a hefty bet on when you go racing, having paid all the excessive costs – for everything!

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Last week at Newmarket, Book 2 of Tattersalls sales in Newmarket was also operating at more than 100,000 guineas per horse over the first two days – of course nothing like the drama of Book 1. Maybe if the buyers had been sending their precious acquisitions of the previous week straight to Australia you could start to understand how it could happen.  It won’t be the case; the Aussies are mostly too canny for that and wait to see what they can do on the track before biting.

At the other end of the scale, Book 4, starting late on Friday when most people had gone home, originally catalogued 81 yearlings. Of those, 20, probably wisely, didn’t show and of the remainder that did, 28 didn’t make their reserve prices.

In the event, 33 were sold through the ring, although others, probably out of desperation by their vendors will have found new owners later. The total official aggregate of the 33 that did change hands was £111k, for an average of just over three grand and a median of two thousand, both figures around one per cent of the Book 1 figures.

Ten found new buyers at the minimum bid of 1,000 guineas including a strong-looking Rumble Inthejungle colt bought by Henry Candy. Henry, one of the most-admired veterans of his profession, has been saying that he has no wish to retire, and that he has worked hard all his life and intends to continue to do so. I’d love that colt to win a race or two for him.

As for the hapless vendors who have nurtured their young stock with the same care as the posh studs who made all the big money, you must be totally sympathetic. To be in Book 4 is like a leper’s curse. Surely Tattersalls can either include them in a slightly enlarged Book 3 where they could have a chance as buyers are still around, or be more stringent on which horses they accept for the sale.

- TS

 



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Graffard proud but rueful as Calandagan is pipped to Champion Stakes post

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Francis-Henri Graffard was left wondering what could have been after Calandagan narrowly failed to add to his Royal Ascot victory in the Qipco Champion Stakes.

The French raider thrived at the Berkshire track on summer ground when dazzling in the King Edward VII Stakes and then put up an almighty performance in defeat when second to City Of Troy in the Juddmonte International Stakes at York.

He was sent off the 6-4 favourite for this mouthwatering clash with Irish Champion Stakes hero Economics, but with soft ground and an unhelpful draw to contend with, Stephane Pasquier had to cutely weave his way to the front with half a furlong to run.

Calandagan was a taking winner at Royal Ascot
Calandagan was a taking winner at Royal Ascot (John Walton/PA)

However, connections were soon left disappointed and could only watch on as – with what appeared the hard work done – glory was snatched away by Jim Crowley aboard Owen Burrows’ 40-1 scorer Anmaat in the dying strides.

Calandagan’s trainer was proud of his charge’s performance, but was left rueing not only the troubled passage through the race, but also the testing conditions on British Champions Day.

Graffard said: “It was a very good effort and he was stumbling a few times on that ground and as Stephane said, he had to keep asking him to keep going in that ground and it didn’t suit him much.

“Second again – I am so upset. We had a very difficult draw, and in that ground this horse puts in too much effort.

“But we had a very good race, he quickened clear and I thought the race was for us. Then he got caught on the line, so that’s it.

“We didn’t see the winner coming and he met some trouble in running. He probably prefers a mile and a half and being in his own bubble where he can quicken very strongly. Today it was out of his pace and he then had trouble when starting to come with a run and then made his effort, it’s tough.

“He’s a very good horse and this year he has been winning or second all the time, I think he’s a very talented horse. We will give him a nice break now over the winter and hopefully we see him again next year. He deserves a nice break now.”

For William Haggas it is a case of back to the drawing board with Economics after the 2-1 second favourite failed to recreate his Irish Champion Stakes heroics.

Economics failed to fire in the Qipco Champion Stakes
Economics failed to fire in the Qipco Champion Stakes (Mike Egerton/PA)

Prior to the race Haggas conceded testing conditions were both an unknown and a worry, but refused to use the ground as an excuse. It was reported by the veterinary officer that the colt – who finished sixth – had bled from the nose during the race.

Haggas said: “He was a bit disappointing obviously, Tom (Marquand, jockey) felt the ground was a bit soft for him but I said I wasn’t going to use that as an excuse, so I’m not going to.

“He seems fine. There was a little bit of blood in his nose so we will sort that out and regroup.”

Marquand was in agreement that his mount was unsuited by the underfoot conditions, but hopes this is just a minor blip in the horse’s career.

The Economics team will have to regroup
The Economics team will have to regroup (Healy Racing/PA Wire)

He said: “It was obviously not the result we wanted it to be, but when you are contending with an unknown like the ground, it is tough. He’s been very good on good to firm ground, but today it just didn’t work out for us.

“Obviously the blood in the nose is a concern, but William and (wife) Maureen are the ones who see the horse every day and I just get on him at the races.

“They know him better than anyone and if there is a problem, they will be fixing it. Hopefully it is nothing serious that is going to impede him being the best horse he can be.”

He went on: “As a jockey you want Group One horses to stay with you and he is top horse, he showed that in the Irish Champion and I’m praying he stays around.”



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Soumillon steers Carrytheone to Balmoral prize

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Carrytheone shone at Ascot to the take Balmoral Handicap as Qipco British Champions Day came to a close.

Michael Bell’s 14-1 shot was ridden by Christophe Soumillon and came into the race with a good record in handicaps at the track, including finishing third in the Buckingham Palace Stakes in June.

From stall five, the gelding was kept out of trouble as the race developed and two furlongs from home he began to progress to take up the lead.

After hitting the front he was not for catching and secured a two-length victory over Julie Camacho’s 18-1 chance Lattam.

Nick Bell, the trainer’s son and assistant, said: “He’s been threatening to win a big pot all year.

“He was unlucky at the Royal meeting, he’s obviously a horse who needs riding like that and today it unfolded beautifully.

“Christophe gave him a great ride, he produced him last. The horse is dead genuine, he just hasn’t had the breaks all year – that might be a bit harsh considering he’s won twice.

“He’s been a fantastic horse to have around all year and that is a lovely way to end the year.”

Soumillon added: “He didn’t jump so good so I was last in the first part of the race and I wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to be unlucky in the race again. So I brought him out, coming to the stands’ side.

“He made a great effort because it’s not easy to come out so early and when I hit the front, he kept going until the end, so he is a very generous horse. I was just hoping he didn’t give up in the last furlong because the ground is very deep today.

“The good thing was I had him really relaxed in the first part of the race. It is always very difficult to win this kind of race and I finished with a good win on a big day.”



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Anmaat offers Champion redemption for Crowley

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Two years on from what Jim Crowley described as “probably the hardest defeat” of his career on Baaeed in the Qipco Champion Stakes, he gained some form of redemption when delivering Anmaat with a blistering turn of foot.

The William Haggas-trained Baaeed was supposed to simply turn up and win, such was his superiority.

Unbeaten through the first 10 races of his career, Baaeed was sent off the 1-4 favourite but on testing ground could finish only fourth.

While Crowley was sporting the same blue and white Shadwell colours, Anmaat hails from the Owen Burrows yard – a trainer who might not have the strength in numbers of some of his contemporaries but has proven time and again that given the ammunition, he is as good as anyone.

Anmaat is now six but injury has restricted him to just 15 races, and his most recent in France was the first time he had finished outside the first three.

Because of that he was sent off an unconsidered 40-1 shot and when Crowley had nowhere to go with just over a furlong to run, his chance looked all but gone.

However, he found a gap and Anmaat quickened up incredibly well given the testing ground to beat the 6-4 favourite Calandagan by half a length.

Jim Crowley punches the air as Anmaat crosses the line
Jim Crowley punches the air as Anmaat crosses the line (Nigel French/PA)

“I don’t think any horse in the race could have done what he has done,” enthused Crowley.

“I’m not being biased, but the only horse I have had do that with me before is Mohaather in the Sussex Stakes. It was the same sort of feeling and to pick up on that ground was unreal.

“It’s a small bit of redemption for Baaeed and that is probably the hardest defeat I have ever had in my life, it really hit me. To come back and win the Champion Stakes on this horse is fantastic.

“We had a great position throughout and through no one’s fault, the horses in front of me just stopped and I was just stuck. He would have been a very unlucky loser and it was an extraordinary performance.

“I don’t think it was anyone’s fault where we were, he had taken me well into the race. It was extraordinary to get that gap at that late stage of the race and it was great.”



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Reynier thrilled as Facteur Cheval goes close again in QEII

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Jerome Reynier was immensely proud of Facteur Chevel having watched his globetrotter go close in a thrilling renewal of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

Reynier’s five-year-old was finishing second in his third Group One in the UK having filled the same spot in this race last year behind Big Rock and in the 2023 Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.

In that race on the Downs, won by Paddington, QEII victor Charyn was behind Facteur Cheval, but Roger Varian’s grey is a different proposition these days.

His victory at Ascot cemented his position as the standout miler in Europe and he was winning for the fifth time this season, a third at the highest level.

The pair pulled clear of David Menuisier’s filly Tamfana and had a ding-dong battle inside the final furlong, but Charyn was not to be denied.

Facteur Cheval put it up to Charyn
Facteur Cheval put it up to Charyn (Nigel French/PA)

“You can’t really be frustrated after a run like that – he’s been beaten by a champion in Charyn,” said a magnanimous Reynier.

“He’s the best miler in Europe, without doubt now. We beat him last year in the Sussex and on this interesting ground we were hoping to do it again, but obviously he has just been improving and improving all year.

“Charyn is just unbeatable but it’s like a victory to be second. Our horse never lets us down, he is a dream horse.

“We can take him all over the world and he behaves perfectly. He adapted to Dubai very well (when winning the Dubai Turf), so maybe we can start thinking about going back there.

“A furlong out I thought we were going to win as he came alongside, I thought if we got in front maybe Charyn would stop, but he’s a pure champion.

“I’m happy for his owner Nurlan Bizakov and all the connections and I just hope I can repeat this for them on November 2 in Sydney when Lazzat runs in the Golden Eagle!”

Maxime Guyon rode Facteur Cheval
Maxime Guyon rode Facteur Cheval (PA)

Maxime Guyon was the man on board and said: “We had a really good race, he followed the winner and when we went with him, I thought I could win – but he went on again.

“My horse ran really well, he did the same last year when he also finished second. He loved the ground. He has a really good turn of foot on this ground and on good ground also, it’s amazing.”

Menuisier was also a proud man as Tamfana finished third against the boys.

He said: “She’s run a great race. She was coming off the bridle at halfway and probably at this level that is not her favourite ground, she’s probably better when it is quicker.

“But look, I’m not going to make excuses, she’s been beaten by two absolute superstars and she’s only a three-year-old.

“We can really look forward to her next year. I still don’t know what is going to be her best trip. She’s won a Group One over a mile, we know she stays a mile and two furlongs and she might get further.

“We still haven’t figured out her ideal trip but all I know is she’s a massive filly and she will win some big races next year.”



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Outsider Anmaat stuns Champion Stakes field

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Anmaat stunned the field to sweep to a surprise victory in the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot.

A 40-1 chance for Owen Burrows and Jim Crowley, the bay was overlooked in the build-up to the contest as it was presumed to be a clash between Economics and Calandagan.

The latter horse was making progress on the inside up the straight, but picking his way through the field behind him was Anmaat.

Crowley was forced to wait for a gap to launch his challenge, but when the space came, Anmaat showed a fine turn of pace to seize the opportunity.

He then swept past 6-4 favourite Calandagan in the dying strides to win by half a length, with 25-1 shot Royal Rhyme back in third.

Anmaat (right) challenged wide at Ascot
Anmaat (right) challenged wide at Ascot (Nigel French/PA)

Anmaat previously tasted Group One glory in last year’s Prix d’Ispahan at ParisLongchamp but subsequently suffered an injury that kept him on the sidelines for 439 days.

The six-year-old was restored to full health by the Shadwell team and Burrows, prevailing in a Haydock Group Three on his return before disappointing in the Prix Dollar back in Paris earlier this month.

Burrows said: “We’ve always thought a lot of this horse and I know it’s easy for me to say it now, but I quite fancied him for the Eclipse last year after he won in France.

“Of course, he picked up that complex foot injury which kept him off for the rest of last season and the first part of this.

“He disappointed in France two weeks ago but I felt it was a muddling race, Jim said he could have ridden him a bit better so as long as he was OK, which he was, Sheikha Hissa (of Shadwell) very kindly said we could roll the dice again and she’s been vindicated.”

Ascot has been a happy hunting ground for Burrows, with the Shadwell-owned Hukum winning last year’s King George, and the trainer felt the market had underestimated his contender.

He said: “That was a massive performance, I felt. It’s up there with Hukum winning the King George as my best ever day – Ascot’s quite a lucky place for me!

“There were a few people who rang me this morning who couldn’t believe what sort of price he was – it was the first time he’d ever been out of the first three and I felt he had excuses.

“I’m not a betting man, but I thought 33-1 was a solid each-way price.

“He was locked away and I’ll be honest halfway up the straight I put my binoculars down, I thought he had no chance.

Winning connections at Ascot
Winning connections at Ascot (Nigel French/PA)

“Then it looked like he’d got a bit of room and he’d be placed but to pick up like he did in the ground. Like Jim said, all the time he was locked away he was actually filling him up because he couldn’t do anything so it sometimes works in your favour.

“Of course you still need the luck then to get the gap and it worked out well.”

Burrows is unsure what the plan will be with Anmaat now, given he only started his season in August.

He added: “He’s taken some big scalps today, it’s that time of year I suppose and we are a fresh horse, it’s only his third run.

“It’s massive to have winners on a day like today. Whether he goes abroad or not, we’ll have to see.”



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Charyn too good for Facteur Cheval in thrilling QEII finish

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Charyn claimed a third Group One win in a thrilling finish to the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot.

Roger Varian’s grey has been a revelation this year, taking two Group One events including the Queen Anne over course and distance in June.

He was therefore the 13-8 favourite under Silvestre de Sousa and he travelled supremely well before taking the lead with a couple of furlongs to run.

Last year’s runner-up Facteur Cheval put him to the test though, with the French raider briefly looking like he could go on to victory.

However, Charyn found a little extra in closing stages to ultimately assert his superiority and win by two lengths.

Charyn had been beaten twice in six starts this term, failing to reel in a front-running winner on both occasions.

De Sousa said: “It was a relief but I was never concerned and he’s a horse who has always been improving – he should never have got beat.

“It was a thrill and from fast ground to bottomless ground, he has just shown he is a true champion who deserves to be here on a day like this.

“He saw the French horse off and he is a dream horse. I always thought I would find one one day and he has been great.”

Varian added of the victory: “He’s a super horse and that was fantastic.

“Everything went very smooth and it was a lovely race to watch. Silvestre got me a little bit nervous when he was just sat comfortable and you could just see the second coming and just giving him a bit of temptation. Charyn then had to get to work and that’s when he showed his battling qualities, he’s just got everything that horse, he’s very special.

Charyn on his way to Ascot victory
Charyn on his way to Ascot victory (Nigel French/PA)

“He’s just straightforward and I promise you, he has the most amazing constitution. Every time I have run him I have always thought he was too heavy as he holds his condition so well. He’s a wonderful horse, touch wood he’s been very sound and he loves his work and loves his racing. He’s got such a good mentality for the game and the engine to go with it.

“His constitution is really like no other, he takes everything so well and doesn’t waste any energy at home. He may have had a long year, but he doesn’t stress about life at home. He doesn’t waste any energy doing barnstorming pieces of work and he’s super cool – almost to the point you think ‘come on mate!’.

“With a horse like this, he is very special to us and he’s done an awful lot for us. You get special horses and they are all special in their own way, but this one is special with an engine.”

Charyn will retire at the end of the season, but could be set for one more outing overseas depending on how he recovers from his Ascot exertions, with Varian nominating a trip to Japan in mid-November as the preferred option.

He added: “I think it’s already been announced that he will retire at the end of this season to be a stallion for Nurlan Bizakov’s stud operation in France. I, of course, would love him to stay in training but I think that’s not going to be the case.

“We’ll see and I just need to speak with Nurlan and the team. It (another run) could be on the radar but most important is how he is over the next 10 days.

“We would all love to go to Japan. I think if he goes abroad it would be to Japan for the Mile Championship. It’s not cemented, it’s a nice idea but his condition over the next 10 days will be key.”

Charyn has been the star of a somewhat turbulent year for the Carlburg Stables handler that has seen key owner Amo Racing and long-time supporter Sheikh Mohammed Obaid depart the yard.

However, Varian is thrilled that the game son of Dark Angel has been able to keep his Newmarket operation in the spotlight.

He continued: “I think the game matches Charyn. It’s a tough game, ups and downs every month and every week, but I’ve got great people around me, great people at home, support and some wonderful owners.

“I’m very lucky to train some special horses and you pick yourself up when you take a knock, and you get on with it.

“I could reflect on the year and say yes, it’s had its challenges but it’s been a fantastic year; we’ve got one of the top milers in Europe, if not the world, and we’re housing an English Classic winner (1000 Guineas victor Elmalka) amongst plenty of other good stuff, so we’ve had a good year.

“It’s had its ups and downs but we’re here again in the winner’s enclosure on Champions Day.”



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Newly-crowned champion Murphy admits doubts about fifth title charge

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Oisin Murphy was officially crowned champion Flat jockey for the fourth time at Ascot on Qipco British Champions Day, but he is yet to commit to another title challenge in 2025.

Murphy has ridden over 200 winners worldwide throughout 2024, with notable victories including both Group One sprints at Royal Ascot aboard Australian ace Asfoora and Charlie Hills’ Khaadem, while he also partnered Andrew Balding’s New Century to big-race success in Canada.

A fourth championship takes Murphy past weighing room greats Ryan Moore and Frankie Dettori who each won three, but he is unsure of his desire to hunt down the likes of Kieren Fallon and other multiple champions ahead of him as he prepares to take stock at the end of the year and set new goals for next season.

Oisin Murphy after winning on Asfoora at Royal Ascot
Oisin Murphy after winning on Asfoora at Royal Ascot (David Davies/PA)

“I haven’t really looked past this year to be honest,” said Murphy.

“I’ve not set myself another goal of trying to retain the championship. There are a lot of big races coming up until mid-November, so until then I won’t really want to reflect on my workload, and after that I’ll decide what my goals are for next year.

“I genuinely feel because the British weighing room is so competitive and full of stars, you really have to be committed to it before flag fall and very serious about the championship being your goal and aim.

“Looking back at some of the former champions, Lester Piggott and Kieren Fallon for example, it took incredible hunger and work ethic to achieve so many titles.”

A desire to be a regular fixture in the year’s biggest events may be one reason to limit title ambitions in 2025, with Murphy highlighting the two races he is eager to add to his CV.

Oisin Murphy has ridden for a long time against Frankie Dettori
Oisin Murphy has ridden for a long time against Frankie Dettori (David Davies/PA)

“I have had only three Group One winners this year but I would love to have ridden more,” added Murphy.

“I don’t think the jockeys’ championship got in the way of more Group One success, but at the same time I want to weigh all that up and have a rethink of what I want to achieve.

“There are many races I haven’t won, but I don’t think I will be riding into my 50s and I need to try to be successful while I can.

“The two standouts I would love to win are the Arc and the Derby and they are both equally important to me. I just feel the Arc has so much international appeal and recognition these days, it takes everything to come together and the perfect ride to win that great race.

“With the Derby, any racing enthusiast follows that race and it has so much history. One of the first racing stories I ever heard was how Walter Swinburn won the Derby on Shergar as an 18-year-old and hopefully one day that might be me.”

Jockey Oisin Murphy has enjoyed a brilliant 2024
Jockey Oisin Murphy has enjoyed a brilliant 2024 (Mike Egerton/PA)

The new champion jockey also revealed the importance of weekly counselling sessions as he celebrates his first championship win since serving a 14-month suspension in 2022 and early 2023.

During that time out of action, Murphy was able to take stock and gain some vital perspective that has helped him at low points during his season-long title charge.

Murphy said: “I have counselling twice a week – it’s been going on since October 2021. That is definitely a huge help and important to me.”

“Extra scrutiny is to be expected and when I was suspended, I had lots of time to analyse and not stress about the day-to-day workload of being a jockey. I was riding out a lot but apart from that, I had a lot of free time.

“It gave me the chance for the first time in my adult life to relax and take a deep breath. I suppose when things have got stressful this year, like a few days of not winning races, I’ve been able to fall back on that time away from the saddle as perspective to realise that I’m very lucky that I’m healthy and back riding at a high level.

“It’s not the end of the world if I go a few days without being successful.”

Andrew Balding (second left) has been vital in Oisin Murphy's career
Andrew Balding (second left) has been vital in Oisin Murphy’s career (Joe Giddens/PA)

Murphy was only a teenager when bursting on to the scene as an apprentice with Andrew Balding, someone who has been in the 29-year-old’s corner from the beginning and still plays an integral role as an ally and mentor.

“Andrew has been incredible since I’ve begun riding and I have always wanted to achieve more for him because of what he does for me,” said Murphy.

“We work very well together and I hope that continues right through to the end of my career.”

He went on: “I tried very hard to win it last year but I was not in contention from kind of halfway through the season.

“It’s something I have tried very hard to achieve this year and have enjoyed plenty of support from so many trainers and owners. I’ve been able to enjoy it a little bit this last month because I had a fair lead but it is still important to keep the winners coming.

“I feel much more appreciative winning this championship as I am now older, so it means much more to me. I am thankful to many people who have helped me in achieving the title for the fourth time.”



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Kalpana stamps her class on Ascot field

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Kalpana proved much the best when landing the Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot.

Ridden by William Buick and trained by Andrew Balding, Kalpana was ridden patiently as the 10-3 favourite and kept handy as the turn for home approached.

In the straight she began to accelerate and was well able to pull clear of her 13 rivals, prevailing comfortably by two lengths from Aidan O’Brien’s Wingspan.

Tiffany finished three lengths further behind in third.

Kalpana made her racecourse bow in January and after a wide-margin handicap win at Newmarket in April, she was sent off an odds-on favourite for the Pretty Polly Stakes but had to give best to subsequent Group One scorer Friendly Soul.

Kalpana en route to success at Ascot
Kalpana en route to success at Ascot (Nigel French/PA)

Wins in a Hamilton Listed heat and the Group Three September Stakes last time got her season back on track and Balding is keen to carry on next term with this Group One under her belt.

He said: “She’s a wonderful filly and he gave her a perfect ride. It was a hell of a race back in May for the Pretty Polly, we were disappointed when she was beaten by Friendly Soul but she’s gone and won the Prix de l’Opera.

“I don’t think she’d even done any fast work at this time last year, so it’s been a pretty steep trajectory from Wolverhampton to here.

“I very much hope (she’ll stay in training), that was the plan anyway unless something has changed tonight.

“Whether she races against (Arc winner and fellow Juddmonte-owned filly) Bluestocking next year, I’ll leave to better minds than me. Juddmonte are an amazing operation and very much deserve the success they have. It would be heartache if they ran against each other so we’ll put that off for as long as we can I imagine.

Kalpana returning to the paddock
Kalpana returning to the paddock (Nigel French/PA)

“It’s very satisfying to win a race on this card, we’ve had a couple of good winners abroad but it’s always good to do it on home turf.

“He’s a great guy William, a brilliant jockey, and when Oisin (Murphy) couldn’t ride, Barry Mahon was very keen to have William and given the history, I was very, very happy with that.

“William said she wasn’t in love with the ground but she got through it.”

Juddmonte’s racing manager Barry Mahon said: “It’s hugely satisfying, she’s been some filly given she started on the all-weather in January.

“Andrew has done a great job with her and she’s just improved all year to be fair.

“If not for Bluestocking she could have gone for the Arc, but we hope the owners will keep her in training next year, so maybe this year this was a nice route to take and if she stays in training we can look at the Arc.

“We’ve not decided if Bluestocking stays in training or not yet, we talked about it over lunch today and Prince Ahmed said he’d discuss it with his brothers and sisters in the next week or 10 days and then they’ll let us know.”

When asked if this result might make the decision a little easier, Mahon replied: “It might do.”

O’Brien was pleased with Wingspan’s effort and she could yet stay in training in 2025.

He said: “She ran very well and we weren’t sure about the trip but she seemed to get it very well.

“She’s a nice horse to campaign in races like this next year if she stays in training. That is not decided yet, all of the fillies will be decided at the end of the year, but it is possible and we will see what happens.”

Tiffany could have another Group One date before the end of the year for her trainer Sir Mark Prescott and owner-breeder the Elite Racing Club.

Prescott said: “She ran very well and the tactics worked perfectly, we just couldn’t get past the pacemaker (Wingspan). The pacemaker and us ran a marvellous race I thought, and the winner is just that much better. I thought we had every chance and she was beautifully positioned all the way.

“The ground obviously didn’t inconvenience her but she’s done all her winning on good to firm before.

“She’s done everything except win a Group One. She has placed in one and now she just has to run in Group Ones and try to win one. It is up to the trainer to be as devious and Machiavellian as possible and find the right Group One to run in.

“They are great breeders, Elite, and they bred Marsha as well as Tiffany and of course Soviet Song, who did so well for James Fanshawe.

“They will do what they did with Marsha and sell her at the end of next year. The wonderful thing about training for them is that they make up their minds early and say ‘you’ve got until she’s four or you’ve got until she’s five’, so I’ve got another year.

“She may possibly go to Germany for the Grosser Preis Von Bayern. I think it is November 10 in Munich. We won it with Alpinista and we won it with Albanova. So if she is all right after this, we will go there.”



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Kind Of Blue digs deep for Sprint success

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Kind Of Blue upheld the family honour when coming out on top in the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot.

James Fanshawe’s colt is related to two winners of the race in Deacon Blues and The Tin Man, both trained from the same stable as him.

A 10-1 shot under James Doyle, the bay was running for the first time for new owners Wathnan Racing and duly delivered with an impressive success from Karl Burke’s Swingalong.

Kind Of Blue made smooth progress to take the lead but had to dig deep for a head success, with Flora Of Bermuda a further neck away in third.

Fanshawe said: “Today he has really gone and won it, and the last furlong was a long way. He came there at Haydock travelling well and just got done on the line.

“I have to thank (jockey) Daniel Muscutt who has put a lot of work into this horse and obviously with the new retainer it’s hard luck on him, but I have to express my gratitude for what he has done. Frank who rides him at home has been the other making of this horse as well.

“It’s a big team effort and everyone knows the story, it’s the third time we’ve won this race at this meeting. Deacon Blues won the first one, The Tin Man in 2016 and here we are now with his nephew.

“This one has shown more precocity than the other two who didn’t show their best until they were four. Being precocious means he has maintained his ability to be a stallion as well. We put him in the Commonwealth Cup before he had even run, so you were always hoping he was going to be pretty nice.

“He deserves this as he ran really well at Royal Ascot on only his third run and then ran such a good race at Haydock as well. He was really tough when he needed to be and it’s a great meeting which has been good to us and I’m really grateful for the big team effort at home.

“He’s exciting for next year as well, but of course I’m always a believer of just dealing with today.”

Connections of Kind Of Blue at the trophy presentation
Connections of Kind Of Blue at the trophy presentation (Nigel French/PA)

For Swingalong it was the third time she has been runner-up at the highest level this season, beaten less than half a length on each occasion.

Burke said: “Three seconds in Group Ones is a bit frustrating.

“She’s a fantastic filly, so consistent. That’s not really her ground but she’s so tough, she handles any ground really.

“It’s very deep, it’s probably the softest ground she’s ever run on, but once she’s in that rhythm she just doesn’t stop whatever the ground is.

“The million dollar question is if she stays in training and it’s up to her owner, Sheikh Juma. Whatever he decides to do, I’ll be happy.

“If she’d won today I’d have said she’s done enough to head for the paddocks, but there’s no reason why she can’t go on for another season because physically she is very sound, touch wood.

“I wouldn’t like to recommend either way. I’m delighted but frustrated in equal measure.”



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Magnificent seventh victory for staying star Kyprios

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Kyprios maintained his perfect record this season when stamping his authority on the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot.

Aidan O’Brien’s chestnut was ridden by regular partner Ryan Moore as the 8-11 favourite and came into the race off the back of a remarkable campaign in which he had won each of his six starts, including four successive Group Ones.

He increased that tally to seven overall in the staying event, travelling prominently throughout and kicking into another gear on the turn for home to pull away from the runner-up, John and Thady Gosden’s Sweet William.

Kyprios came home two and a quarter lengths clear, with another Gosden-trained runner in Trawlerman a further length and a half back in third.

O’Brien said: “What can you say about him. Obviously the people around him, everyone who is around him have made it happen. There’s such a big team and they’ve all played a part.

“He’s a very special horse, something that we’ve never seen before, he’s relentless and has an unbelievable amount of quality.

“If they want to go slow or fast, it doesn’t matter to him. Ryan rides him brilliantly, he knows him inside out.

“We thought John’s horse would go on (Trawlerman) as he made the running last year. If he didn’t then Christophe’s (Soumillon)  horse (The Euphrates) is very happy making the running. If John’s horse wanted to go we were very happy and Christophe gave him that opportunity.

“We could see nobody wanted to go so Christophe was very happy to make the running, he did it in the Irish St Leger. If he didn’t go on, Ryan was happy to.

“What can you say about Ryan? When you see him in that position it is usually very good for us.

“He hasn’t had much of a race today, he was the same in France the last day – he lost no weight, ever since then all he’s done is put weight on.

“He’s an incredibly classy horse.”

Winning connections of Kyprios
Winning connections of Kyprios (Nigel French/PA)

John Gosden said of the placed horses: “They both have run really well. Aidan’s horses controlled the pace up front and everyone thought there would be a good gallop and the front runners took back, so the fractions were pretty steady before they gradually increased it and kicked off the bend.

“Both of ours ran really well and both would have preferred a stronger, even pace. There was not much William (Buick, on Trawlerman) could have done about it as he was tucked in on the inside and Sweet William was three-wide the whole way.

“They’ve run exceptionally well but the winner has just got a gear more than the rest, simple as that.

“I think we’ll come back with these horses next year. They are lovely horses for staying races and both have great enthusiasm for it, they make it fun. These old long-distance horses make things fun and people enjoy the Gold Cup.”



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Tiffany team hoping she can sparkle at Ascot

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Connections of Tiffany are unconcerned by the ground as she bids to end her season on a high with a Group One strike in the Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot.

The four-year-old daughter of Farhh has won three of her four starts this season, with the only blip coming at Haydock when she was beaten three lengths by Queen Of The Pride in the Lancashire Oaks.

She launched her season with victory in a Listed race at Baden-Baden in Germany and followed up in the Hoppings Fillies’ Stakes at Newcastle.

The Haydock defeat came just eight days after her win at Newcastle, while she was also hindered by slipping on the bend.

The Sir Mark Prescott-trained filly was then given a 56-day break before returning to Baden-Baden to land a Group Two, with Dan Downie of owners Elite Racing convinced there is more to come.

Downie said: “Ground-wise, I think she’s pretty versatile, I don’t think we know what she wants really. She tends to be pretty effective on any ground she’s run on. We’re not particularly fussed about that.

“She’s never run on really bottomless ground. It will be a different kettle of fish on Saturday, but in terms of how she is, we’re very happy with her. She’s had a good season and she’s been improving. It’s a difficult time of year for fillies, but hopefully she remains in good form.

“She won very well (in Germany), it wasn’t the strongest Group Two, obviously, but she did it really well, she couldn’t have done any more.

“When she won the Hoppings, she was impressive that day. She probably had excuses at Haydock, it came a bit quick. We’re very happy with her and the plan is to stay in training with her next year, as there’s so much more to come from her.”

Andrew Balding’s Kalpana has been favourite for this contest ever since she demolished the field in the September Stakes at Kempton.

Heavy ground would be an unknown for Kalpana
Heavy ground would be an unknown for Kalpana (Bradley Collyer/PA)

However, connections do have concerns should the ground turn extremely testing.

Barry Mahon of owners Juddmonte said: “It will be the same for them all, it depends on how much rain arrives.

“She won’t mind soft ground but if it turned heavy, that would be a whole different ball game.

“She’s in good form, Andrew is happy with her work and we’re looking forward to seeing her run.

“She did it well at Kempton, to be fair she’s probably been improving all year, physically, but you’d have to be impressed with how she did it.”

Juddmonte will also be represented by Harry Charlton’s Time Lock, who is set to head to the paddocks after this.

“More than likely, this will be her last race, we had mentioned Hong Kong but realistically she’s probably a pound or two short of being competitive there and the owners were keen to give her another try,” Mahon continued.

“We also felt she was probably better on fast ground but it’s a last roll of the dice, it is what it is and hopefully she can be competitive.”

Aidan O’Brien runs both Yorkshire Oaks winner Content, who disappointed in the Prix de l’Opera last time out, and Grateful, who won the Prix de Royallieu over a mile and three-quarters.

“The trip was a bit short for Content, the ground didn’t suit and she normally wears ear plugs but in France she had to wear a hood as well, so maybe the combination was too much for her,” said O’Brien.

“Grateful will stay very well and like the ground, she seems in good form.”

Queen Of The Pride, Tiffany’s conqueror at Haydock, will look to put a disappointing run at York in the rear-view mirror when they renew their rivalry.

Queen Of The Pride will be the mount of Oisin Murphy
Queen Of The Pride will be the mount of Oisin Murphy (Richard Sellers/PA)

The John and Thady Gosden-trained four-year-old failed to fire in the Yorkshire Oaks and trailed home 26 lengths adrift of Content.

Jockey Oisin Murphy said: “She obviously has to get over the disappointment of York, but she’s training well at the moment and when I rode her work last week, she felt her old self.

“She was never on the bridle there, but they did all of the tests and found nothing, so we don’t know what happened that day.”

War Chimes was third in the Oaks but has not been seen since finishing down the field in the Irish equivalent and her trainer David Menuisier explained. “We gave her a break after the Irish Oaks and decided to go straight for the Fillies & Mares.

“She hung that day, but she’d had a busy time, finishing third at Epsom, and she was just a bit tired.”



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De Sousa determined to make up for lost time on Charyn

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Silvestre de Sousa has been counting down the days of his recent lengthy suspension, with the prospect of riding Charyn in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot keeping him going.

The former champion jockey has enjoyed a good season on his return from Hong Kong, with a Classic victory on Elmalka and further Group One successes on Charyn.

But he was fortunate that a 24-day ban, eight of which were suspended, earned due to the totting-up procedure, finished just in time for him to return for Qipco British Champions Day.

“It was great to find a horse like Charyn to take me through the season,” said the Brazilian.

Charyn and Silvestre de Sousa have struck up a great partnership
Charyn and Silvestre de Sousa have struck up a great partnership (David Davies/PA)

“He’s been improving since day one, when he started in a Listed race, and he has gone on to win a Group Two and the Group Ones at Royal Ascot and Deauville.

“You could say he’s unlucky not to be unbeaten this year, as things went against him in the Lockinge (second to Audience) and it was a similar story last time in the Moulin (runner-up to Tribalist).

“It’s been a good season apart from the recent suspension, and now I’m looking forward to Saturday. It’s been a long three weeks that I’ve been off and I don’t agree with it, as I’m being punished twice, but I’m back in time for Champions Day and I’m looking forward to Charyn.

“He had a racecourse gallop at Newmarket last week and I rode him again in his final bit of work on Tuesday morning. He’s very laid back and he only does what you ask him to do. You have to ask him questions at the right time, but he’s in very good form.”

The victory of Dylan Cunha’s Prague in Newmarket’s Joel Stakes was one of the feel-good stories of the season, as he was led up by his owner, Amedeo Dal Pos.

Bought for 10,000 guineas unraced out of Ballydoyle, he was supplemented on Monday.

“It’s been the plan since his win at Newmarket and we just needed to scope him and make sure everything was in tip-top condition after a gallop on Saturday. We are not Coolmore, so with £70,000 at stake (supplementary fee) we have to make sure, but the vet was happy. He’s in grand form,” said Cunha.

“The horse has earned the supplementary fee in prize money, so the money is sitting in Amedeo’s Weatherbys account. I said to him that his 10-grand horse was about to become an 80-grand horse, but if anyone could buy a runner in a Group One for 80 grand, they would spend that much, wouldn’t they.

“It’s the British Champions Series, so it’s a strong race and we go there under no illusions. Charyn is the horse to beat. We need to improve another 5lb to win it, but Prague is in flying form and on the up, so we’ve got to take our chance. We are respectful of everyone, but we are confident in our horse.”

Simon Crisford trains Quddwah with his son Ed and he met with his first career defeat when fourth to Charyn at Deauville on his most recent outing.

“Quddwah hasn’t run since the Jacques le Marois, so we are looking forward to seeing him back on the track. He’s been going well and a bit of soft ground will help him,” said Crisford senior.

“He’s obviously fairly lightly-raced, but he’s come a long way and he’s still learning. I thought it was a pleasing effort in the Marois, and he was just two heads off finishing second.

“We also run Poker Face and he’s in good form too. He was second (to Prague) at Newmarket last time and we are very pleased with him.”

Facteur Cheval loves the mud and finished second to Big Rock in this 12 months ago. The Dubai Turf winner was also a fine third to Notable Speech in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood last time out.

“This is probably going to be it for this year for him, but we’re looking forward to this race,” said Barry Irwin of Team Valor, part-owners of the five-year-old.

“My trainer (Jerome Reynier) uses one of those smart saddles where they get all sorts of data and information – and his numbers for his big pre-race work were better than they were going into Dubai and that was previously his best work ever heading into a race.

“I wouldn’t say my trainer is over-confident, but I would say he is hoping for a big race.”

Reynier is expecting a bold show and added: “I think you can forget about his run in the Queen Anne Stakes (sixth behind Charyn), as he lost a shoe and raced on the wrong side of the track.

“I thought he ran a good race at Goodwood, even though the ground was a little bit too firm for him, and I think we have him in better shape now.”

French Guineas winner Metropolitan is back at Ascot having finished third behind Rosallion in the St James’s Palace Stakes. He was then second to Charyn in the Marois.

Royal Ascot 2024 – Day One – Ascot Racecourse
Metropolitan (green, centre) finishing third to Rosallion (John Walton/PA).

Trainer Mario Baratti expects him to get closer here and said: “Metropolitan has improved again since the Jacques le Marois. He is getting stronger all the time and I have been very happy with his preparation.

“I believe we can get closer to Charyn this time. Charyn was very impressive at Deauville but, in my opinion, he is better on good ground, whereas I think our horse is better on soft ground and that will help our chance.”

Aidan O’Brien’s Henry Longfellow is winless this year having gone unbeaten at two, but he has run several good races.

“Things haven’t really gone to plan for him this year, things have never fallen into place,” said O’Brien.

“We think we haven’t seen the best of him yet and we have him in good form.”



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