The Revenant to fly flag for France in Queen Elizabeth II Stakes

The Revenant is on a winning roll heading to Champions Day. Picture: Racingfotos.com

Francis-Henri Graffard has confirmed  The Revenant on course for QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday week.

Formerly trained in Britain by Hugo Palmer, the son of Dubawi has won eight of his 10 starts to date – producing a career-best performance when running out an impressive winner of the Group 2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein at ParisLongchamp at the weekend.

Graffard feels his charge has earned a step up to the highest level and will run him in the QIPCO-sponsored Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

“I was very pleased with him on Saturday – we couldn’t have wished for a better result,” said the French handler. “The feeling he was giving me in the mornings was that he is still improving and his jockey (Pierre-Charles Boudot) got the same feeling in the afternoon.

“If the road to Ascot is smooth, then he will be there. The softer the ground the better for him.”

Graffard is under no illusions about the task awaiting his charge on October 19, with Saeed bin Suroor’s Benbatl and the Aidan O’Brien-trained Circus Maximus among his potential rivals.

He added: “We will go to Ascot with a lot of humility as it is a Group 1 race and they are always very tough, but I think he deserves to be there.

“We know he likes soft ground – we know he can swim! If the ground is soft at Ascot that might suit him better than some of his rivals.”