Series stars get chance to glitter this weekend

Hermosa will attempt to follow up her QIPCO 1000 Guineas winner on Sunday. Picture: Racingfotos.com

Look out for a string of QIPCO British Champions Series stars running in England and Ireland this weekend.

The Armstrong Aggregates Temple Stakes at Haydock on Saturday promises to be a cracker with Battaash, Mabs Cross, Alpha Delphini  and Kachy – who have all either won or made their presence felt in Series races in the past – crossing swords.

Charlie Hills believes Battaash, the favourite, is in a good place, after having minor wind surgery during the close season.

“It was just a tiny procedure, nothing major that we had looked at towards the end of last year. He seems a happy horse,” he said.

Meanwhile, at the Curragh, QIPCO 2000 Guineas winner Magna Grecia will attempt to follow up in the Irish version, sponsored by Tattersalls, when his rivals will include Skardu, third at Newmarket, and Too Darn Hot, the champion two-year-old of last year.

“He seems to be in good form since Newmarket. He handles the ground, it was fast in Newmarket,” said Aidan O’Brien, the trainer of Magna Grecia. “It’s a good, competitive race.”

On Sunday, Hermosa, the QIPCO 1000 Guineas winner, runs in the Irish equivalent, while her stablemate, Magical, contests the Tattersalls Gold Cup.

The latter was successful on QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot in October and has won both her previous starts this term.

And in France, Wild Illusion, who was runner-up in the Investec Oaks last year before landing the Qatar Nassau Stakes, contests the Prix d’Ispahan at ParisLongchamp