The big Toronado – Dawn Approach rematch looks on!

Toronado gains revenge on Dawn Approach in the QIPCO Sussex Stakes – can he prevail again in a potential QIPCO British Champions Day re-match? Image copyright of Racingfotos.com

The rematch that everyone wants to see could be on for QIPCO British Champions Day on Saturday 19 October in the £1 million Queen Elizabeth II Stakes sponsored by QIPCO!

Both Dawn Approach and Toronado have been entered for Europe’s richest mile race and a fourth, mouth-watering showdown is very much on the cards.

Dawn Approach leads 2-1 after winning the QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and St James’s Palace Stakes at Ascot, with Toronado swooping late to gain sweet revenge in last month’s QIPCO Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.

That does not tell the full story, however, as Toronado had breathing problems in the Guineas which accounted for his comparatively tame performance and he went down by just a short head at Ascot after both received a hefty bump.

No one can be sure who was affected most by the bump caused by the wayward Magician, though the Hannon team felt that Toronado, whom Richard Hannon Snr rates as the best he has ever trained, was very unlucky to lose.

There are grounds to think that Dawn Approach is better on a straight track, where he can wind up the pace from a prominent position and not have to worry about bends.

Indeed he has never been beaten on a straight track and that is what the QE2 will be run on.

There’s only one thing to say – “bring it on”!!

There could be some hot competition for the big two, however.

Also entered are the winners of the Irish and French 2000 Guineas, Magician and Style Vendome, as well as the winners of the English and French 1000 Guineas, Sky Lantern and Flotilla.

The rapidly improving Montiridge is also engaged for the Hannon camp.

Amongst the older milers, Cityscape and Elusive Kate, second and third to Excelebration in this race last year, stand out along with Farhh, who looked a star in the JLT Lockinge Stakes at Newbury in May after which injury struck, Declaration Of War and unbeaten South African star Soft Falling Rain.

If you want to be at Ascot on Saturday 19 October to witness these stars doing battle, then make sure that you secure your tickets today via the racecourse website!

The full entries are:

Aesop’s Fables (USA) 4 Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor  

Aljamaaheer (IRE) 4 Mr Hamdan Al Maktoum Roger Varian  

Archbishop (USA) 4 Mr Catesby W. Clay Brian Meehan  

Burwaaz (GB) 4 Mr Hamdan Al Maktoum Ed Dunlop  

Caspar Netscher (GB) 4 Mr Charles Wentworth David Simcock

Cityscape (GB) 7 Mr K. Abdullah Roger Charlton  

Cristoforo Colombo (USA) 3 Mrs John Magnier,Mr M.Tabor & Mr D.Smith Aidan O’Brien  

Dancewiththedevil (SAF) 7 Mr St. John D. Gray Roger Varian  

Darwin (USA) 3 Mr D. Smith, Mrs J. Magnier, Mr M. Tabor Aidan O’Brien  

Dawn Approach (IRE) 3 Godolphin J. S. Bolger  

Declaration of War (USA) 4 Mrs.J.Magnier/M.Tabor/D.Smith/J.Allen Aidan O’Brien 

Elusive Kate (USA) 4 Mr Teruya Yoshida John Gosden  

Esoterique (IRE) 3 Baron Edouard de Rothschild A. Fabre  

Farhh (GB) 5 Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor  

Flotilla (FR) 3 H.H Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani M. Delzangles  

Fort Knox (GB) 3 Sheikh Mohammed J. P. Murtagh  

Gale Force Ten (GB) 3 Mr M. Tabor, D. Smith & Mrs John Magnier Aidan O’Brien  

Gordon Lord Byron (IRE) 5 Dr Cyrus Poonawalla/Morgan J Cahalan T. Hogan  

Gregorian (IRE) 4 H. R. H. Princess Haya of Jordan John Gosden  

Havana Gold (IRE) 3 Qatar Racing Limited & CSH Richard Hannon  

Intense Pink (GB) 4 Mr D. S. Lee Chris Wall  Kenhope (FR) 3 Mr Guy Pariente H. Pantall  

Kingsbarns (IRE) 3 Mrs John Magnier,Mr M.Tabor & Mr D.Smith Aidan O’Brien 

Leitir Mor (IRE) 3 Mrs J. S. Bolger J. S. Bolger  

Magician (IRE) 3 Mr M. Tabor, D. Smith & Mrs John Magnier Aidan O’Brien  

Mars (IRE) 3 Mr M. Tabor, D. Smith & Mrs John Magnier Aidan O’Brien  

Maxios (GB) 5 Niarchos Family J. E. Pease  

Montiridge (IRE) 3 M Clarke,J Jeffries,R Ambrose,B Reilly Richard Hannon  

Moonwalk In Paris (FR) 5 Godolphin Charlie Appleby  

Most Improved (IRE) 4 Mr D. Smith, Mrs J. Magnier, Mr M. Tabor Aidan O’Brien  

Mshawish (USA) 3 HE Sh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani M. Delzangles  

Nechita (AUS) 4 Mr D. Smith, Mrs J. Magnier, Mr M. Tabor Aidan O’Brien  

Olympic Glory (IRE) 3 HE Sh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Richard Hannon  

Peace At Last (IRE) 3 Mr G. Heald H. Pantall  

Ruler of The World (IRE) 3 Mrs John Magnier,Mr M.Tabor & Mr D.Smith Aidan O’Brien  

Sea Siren (AUS) 5 Mr M. Tabor, D. Smith & Mrs John Magnier Aidan O’Brien 

Siyenica (FR) 3 H.H. Aga Khan A. de Royer Dupre  

Sky Lantern (IRE) 3 Mr B. Keswick Richard Hannon  

Soft Falling Rain (SAF) 4 Mr Hamdan Al Maktoum M. F. de Kock 

Style Vendome (FR) 3 HE Sh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani N. Clement  

Toronado (IRE) 3 HE Sh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Richard Hannon  

Trade Storm (GB) 5 Qatar Racing Limited David Simcock