Covert Love and Simple Verse on course for QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes mission

Hugo Palmer’s Classic heroine Covert Love will look to win a second Group 1 contest in a fortnight after she was declared among the 12 contenders for the QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot this Saturday.

The Champions Day contest is an incredibly competitive renewal with French raider Sea Calisi, last year’s Darley Yorkshire Oaks heroine Tapestry and 2015 Ladbrokes St Leger champion Simple Verse in the field.

The John Gosden-trained Journey, who was supplemented on Monday, and last year’s winner Madame Chiang are also among the competitors.

Fracois Doumen, trainer of Sea Calisi, said: “Sea Calisi ran a very good race in the Prix Vermeille – she would have been second rather than third if she had been ridden to get that position rather than try and beat Treve as she did – and that form was franked when the runner-up won a Group 2 on Arc weekend.

“Her run in the Yorkshire Oaks was also very encouraging – she might have beaten Covert Love if she had not got stuck in traffic – and I am confident that she has a very good chance of reversing those placings.”

“It’s about time I had another winner at Ascot as have not won anything there ot since Baracouda won the last of his three Long Walk Hurdles [in 2003]. I have never had a flat winner there – the closest we came was when Top Trip got a bit squashed and finished third behind the Queen’s horse [Estimate] in the Gold Cup two years ago.”

QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes declarations:

Covert Love, Candarliya, Sea Calisi, Tapestry, Simple Verse, Journey, Beautiful Romance, Madame Chiang, Arabian Queen, Bocca Baciata, Speedy Boarding and Lady Tiana.