Frankel next for Dick Turpin?

Dick Turpin appears likely to run at Ascot next in the richest mile race ever run in Europe.  Image courtesy of racingfotos.com.

Dick Turpin got up in the final strides to beat the Roger Charlton-trained Cityscape in the Group 1 Premio Vittorio de Capua in Italy at the weekend and his owner, John Manley, is reported to be keen to take on the unbeaten Frankel in the £1m Queen Elizabeth II Stakes sponsored by QIPCO, one of the spectacular highlights of the inaugural QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday 15 October.

"He is such a tough horse and, though he looked in trouble for a while and would probably have preferred a bit more ease in the ground, he dug deep to get the job done," said trainer Richard Hannon.

"I could not be more pleased for his owner, John Manley, whose gamble in keeping the horse in training at four has been admirably rewarded.

"Dick Turpin won a couple of Group 2s earlier in the season (the Sandown Mile and the Summer Mile at Ascot), and now he has bagged his second Group 1 (he also won the Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly last season).

"John is quite keen to take on Frankel in the QEII at Ascot on Champions Day, so he could well go there.

"There is plenty of good place prize money on offer and, who knows, if we get our ground we might even beat him."

While Hannon’s star miler, Canford Cliffs, was retired following his second place behind Frankel in the QIPCO Sussex Stakes, Dick Turpin is a very able deputy, especially when the ground is on the soft side, and Hannon has another string to his bow, too, in Dubawi Gold.

He was a good fourth behind Excelebration in France last time and is reported in good shape by Tim Jones, racing manager to the owner, Andrew Tinkler: "He came out of the race in France well and seems his usual self.

"He has had a long season but is taking his racing well and Andrew is keen to let him take his chance (in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes)."

Also on course for the richest mile race ever run in Europe is France’s top miler, Immortal Verse, while the improving Excelebration from Marco Botti’s Newmaket yard could also take his chance.

To book tickets via Ascot for QIPCO Bitish Champions Day, CLICK HERE.