Trio of Series stars primed for Champions Day

Mecca’s Angel will contest the Sprint provided her exertions in France have not left a mark. Picture: Racingfotos.com

The trainers of three leading contenders for QIPCO British Champions Day issued upbeat bulletins on Wednesday.

Richard Fahey believes Ribchester is a worthy favourite for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, while Karl Burke said Quiet Reflection is the one all the others have to beat in the QIPCO British Champions Sprint.

Meanwhile, Michael Dods has admitted he wants to run Mecca’s Angel in the latter race and will let the dual Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes winner take her chance provided she continues to show no ill effects from her third in the Prix de l’Abbaye at Chantilly last Sunday.

The northern-based trio were speaking during media visits to their yards organised by British Champion Series.

Ribchester heads the market at a best price of 9-4 for the QIPCO-sponsored Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and when asked if he thought the bookmakers had got their sums right, Fahey said: “Yes, I do. His French run best is the form and there no hard-luck stories.

“Maybe Galileo Gold ran a little bit flat but I thought after Goodwood [the Sussex Stakes] we would bridge the gap with him. I feel he has improved again since then too.”

Regards the opposition, he said: “It depends what Aidan [O’Brien] does with Minding – I’m a big fan of her. She’s exceptional over every distance, as we all know, but I’m happy with my guy.”

Quiet Reflection has already won two races in the Champions Series this year – the Commonwealth Cup and 32Red Sprint Cup – and Burke sees no reason why she cannot add a third to her collection and be crowned champion sprinter.

“If we can get her to Ascot if anything like the form she was in at Haydock then I think she will be the one all the others have to beat,” he said.

“She’s been on the go a long time this season but has kept getting stronger and stronger. She’s in great form and needs one more final good piece of work on Friday.”

Mecca’s Angel is being retired to stud at the end of the season and Ascot will provide her with one final chance to strut her stuff.

Dods will not to run her unless he is certain her exertions in France have not left a mark but said: “I’d love to run her in it. The sixth furlong would be a journey into the unknown, but it’s a journey we would love to take.”