Stormy Antarctic heading straight for Champions Day

Stormy Antarctic routed his rivals in the Craven Stakes. Picture: Racingfotos.com

Stormy Antarctic will head straight to the QIPCO-sponsored Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on October 15 without another run, his trainer Ed Walker revealed on Wednesday.

Walker had been hoping to give his stable flagbearer a run before British Champions Day on foreign shores but has had to shelve the idea.

“We were going to go to Italy on Sunday for a Group One out there, but unfortunately he’s been coughing and is a bit under the weather at the moment,” Walker revealed.

“It’s very frustrating. The plan was to miss that and go to the Wildenstein (Chantilly, October 1), but he won’t be ready in time for that so we’re probably going to have to go to straight to the QEII.

“We were hoping to get him back in the winner’s enclosure before throwing him back in the deep end, but as circumstances are we’re giving him a bit of time and try to get him A1 for the QEII.”

Stormy Antarctic was sent off at 7/1 for this year’s QIPCO 2000 Guineas after winning the Craven Stakes in superb style, but he was below-par and trailed home well beaten.

He has since run much better in two Group 1 races in France, being beaten a total of around three lengths behind Ribchester, who is favourite for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, on his latest start at Deauville.

“We’ll be hoping he hope he gets his conditions and some softer ground, in which case I still have every faith in the horse that he’s top drawer,” Walker said.”He deserves his big one and let’s hope it’s at Ascot.”