Waterville to represent team O’Brien in Kyrios’ absence

Waterville, who came from last to first to land the Irish Cesarewitch last month, will step in for absent stablemate Kyprios in the QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup.

With Kyprios, the Gold Cup winner who captured the Prix du Cadran by 20 lengths on Arc weekend, finished for the year, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Waterville will attempt to become the first three-year-old to win the £500,000 QIPCO British Champions Day curtain-raiser.

Cazoo St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov is the other three-year-old among 14 confirmations which are headed by Trueshan, winner of the race in the last two years. 

“I do want to go to Ascot, but we do need a break in the weather.” 

Trueshan’s hat-trick bid will hinge on the going at Ascot with trainer Alan King keen to run but concerned there may not be enough rain to provide the soft conditions he needs. “I do want to go to Ascot, but we do need a break in the weather.” 

O’Brien clinched the second of two successes in the QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup with Kew Gardens in 2019 and has confirmed Waterville and Wordsworth, who finished 13th in the Irish Cesarewitch. 

“It’s a big step up in class for Waterville, but this has always been the plan for him after the Cesarewitch. He’s come out of the race well.”

“We are planning to run the Irish Cesarewitch winner Waterville and Wordsworth who also ran in that race,” said O’Brien. “It’s a big step up in class for Waterville, but this has always been the plan for him after the Cesarewitch. He’s come out of the race well.”

A decision on the participation of KHK Racing’s Eldar Eldarov, who beat New London by two lengths at Doncaster last month, is unlikely to emerge until later in the week.

His trainer Roger Varian said: “A decision on running Eldar Eldarov won’t be made until I’ve spoken again to the owner in the middle of the week. 

“He’s been in very good form since Doncaster and it wouldn’t worry me at all that this hasn’t been a race for three-year-olds so far as that shouldn’t be a factor by this stage of the year. But he’s got two options – the Long Distance Cup and the Prix Royal-Oak – and we want to get it right.”

Coltrane, who beat Trueshan by a neck in the Doncaster Cup and has not finished out of the first four in any of his eight starts in 2022, is on course to take his place at the start.

Trainer Andrew Balding reported: “Coltrane is in great form but he’s had a long year. I know I said that before Doncaster too, but he worked almost too well on Saturday – he flew, or at least he did by his standards – and that’s sometimes an indication that they are going over the top.” Other possibles include runaway Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup winner Quickthorn, Trawlerman who won the Skybet Ebor Handicap on the same weekend at York and Princess Zoe, winner of the Qatar Prix du Cadran in 2020.