Trueshan stands firm in a bid for a fourth successive QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup

Trueshan already stands alone as the only horse to win three times on QIPCO British Champions Day, and his unique position may well remain forever unassailable if he can win the race for a fourth time on Saturday.

His regular partner Hollie Doyle enjoyed her first QIPCO British Champions Day win on Alan King’s extraordinary seven-year-old when he scored by seven and a half lengths three years ago, and they have been almost inseparable since, forming the closest of bonds.

Doyle said: “He’s been such a great horse for everyone – for me, for Alan, for the owners, and for the whole team at home. He never lets anyone down.

“He’s staged quite a comeback this year [following minor wind surgery] and proved a lot of people wrong by winning the Doncaster Cup and the Prix Du Cadran again. A fourth win here would be incredible, but it could definitely happen, as he feels as good as ever.”

Trueshan has met Kyprios only once before, when beaten a length and a half into third in the Goodwood Cup last year, but while nobody connected with him would dream of underestimating Aidan O’Brien’s brilliant stayer it’s worth pointing out that the ground that day was ‘good’, and so nowhere near as soft as Trueshan would have liked.

Doyle said: “It looks a strong renewal, as it is most years, but Trueshan is in great form, and the ground should be much more to his liking than it was at Goodwood.”

Horses with Trueshan’s longevity are not unusual in stables with a jumps history like King’s, but it’s hard to believe that any have given the trainer quite so much pleasure.

He’s in very good form

King said: “Not many horses get to come back for the same race three years running, let alone four, and getting him back to form to win at Doncaster and Longchamp has been very satisfying.

“It looks a cracking renewal, which it deserves to be. I haven’t done a lot with Trueshan since the Cadran but he’s in very good form.”

Kyprios was off the track 11 months before being beaten by Eldar Eldarov in the Irish St Leger and he has reportedly come on significantly for the run. His 20-length win in last year’s Cadran had to be seen to be believed, and if he is back in that sort of form he’ll be a formidable rival. 

Aidan O’Brien, who also saddles Dubai Gold Cup winner Broome,  said: “We are very happy with Kyprios and soft ground wouldn’t be a worry as he’s got soft ground form.”

Gutsy Coltrane bids for a final season success

Coltrane ran Trueshan to just a head 12 months ago, with Trawlerman third and Stratum fourth. He looked better than ever when beaten only three-quarters of a length by Courage Mon Ami in the Gold Cup this year and trainer Andrew Balding is inclined to forgive a poor run last time in the Doncaster Cup.

He said: “Coltrane ran a hell of a race in last year’s Long Distance Cup. It was a rare poor race last  time, and nothing came to light afterwards, but he’s entitled to run a poor one once in a while.”

Stratum, a dual winner of the Queen Alexandra Stakes at Royal Ascot, tries again, and his trainer Willie Mullins said: “He runs his heart out every time and owes us nothing and I hope some of his owner Tony Bloom’s success with Brighton (football club’s chairman) rubs off on him. Another finish in the first four would be good.”

The Gosden stable would ideally have run their Gold Cup winner Courage Mon Ami, but they have two solid substitutes in Trawlerman, who is the mount of Frankie Dettori, and Sweet William, who was second in the Ebor and the Doncaster Cup.

John Gosden said: “It looks like a good edition of the QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup, in which Trawlerman and Sweet William are our runners, as Courage Mon Ami had a little niggle.

“Trawlerman ran in the Long Distance Cup last year, finishing third, and he’s been an easy winner of both his races since he came back, at Salisbury and Newmarket. He’s in good form.”

A field of eight is completed by the 79-rated Maxident, whose rider Owen Lewis has never ridden at Ascot before and would normally be claiming 7lb.