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5 Oct 2020

At the Double – Arc weekend stars with Champions Day in their sights

With clues being offered throughout both the Saturday and Sunday cards at Longchamp we mark out a small selection of horses who now look primed to run at Britain’s richest race day.

THE REVENANT – QUEEN ELIZABETH II STAKES (SPONSORED BY QIPCO) 

A proven performer on autumn ground, connections of The Revenant sounded out Champions Day as the natural next destination after their star horse won the Group 2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein in scintillating fashion on Saturday.

Despite it being his first appearance of the season, Pierre-Charles Boudot’s  mount looked like he had hardly missed a beat with a razor sharp performance.

Sitting in the middle of the pack, the five-year-old travelled beautifully before starting to make his move two furlongs from home; picking up the leaders in a matter of strides and then extending away at the line in taking fashion.

With soft conditions looking highly likely at Ascot, last year’s runner-up in the QEII Stakes looks set to put up another bold show

SKALLETI – QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS STAKES

Another French five-year-old to factor into proceedings at Ascot. Skalleti furthered his standing as a top middle-distance performer with an impressive last-to-first win in the Group 2 Qatar Prix Dollar on Saturday.

Having appeared in real trouble with 300m to run, the serial winner showed bundles of class to burst between horses and then scoot up the rail to win on very testing ground.

Despite this potentially being his first overseas trip, trainer Jerome Reynier has left his superstar in the reckoning for the Qipco British Champion Stakes, a race seemingly stacked with top talent and Group 1 winners.

It remains to be seen if he will be declared but the 5-year-old has certainly earned his place in Europe’s premier 10-furlong race.

ONE MASTER – QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS SPRINT STAKES

The William Haggas-trained One Master made her own slice of history this weekend, winning a record third Group 1 Qatar Prix de la Foret. An incredible achievement for a 6-year-old that has always more than held her own at the highest level across a range of distances.

Despite having had a busy schedule this season, there’s every possibility that One Master will once again head to Ascot in the search of the British Group 1 victory that has eluded her to date.

Having finished second in last year’s QIPCO British Champions Sprint Stakes few would rule her out from playing a big role in what looks a wide-open contest.

BIG NAMES REMAIN IN THE HAT

Lastly and much to the delight of every British racing fan, there’s a small but real possibility that the legendary duo of Enable and Stradivarius may grace the Ascot turf.

Following solid runs in the QATAR Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe where they finished 6th and 7th respectively, trainer John Gosden reported that both horses were in shape to maybe run again.

Speaking post-race the trainer commented, “they didn’t have a hard race as it was only a little dash. They weren’t blowing, so it was a rather elaborate journey for a racecourse gallop up the Longchamp straight.”

If the duo were to materialise Stradivarius would be making his 4th appearance in the Long Distance Cup, having won the 2018 renewal; while Enable would be making her first appearance on QIPCO British Champions Day.