Searing pace in the Sprint Stakes with last year’s winner Creative Force heading 49 entries

Creative Force will bid to repeat last year’s win in the QIPCO British Champions Sprint, in which an entry of 49 includes his stable-mate Naval Crown and the Darley July Cup winner Alcohol Free.

Outlining his plans for his two star sprinters, who occupied the first two places in the Platinum Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot as well as in last year’s Jersey Stakes, trainer Charlie Appleby said: “Both are entered. The logical one to work back with from QIPCO British Champions Day is Creative Force, who will have his prep run in the Bengough Stakes there two weeks beforehand. He’s simple because we know he goes on both quick ground and soft ground. 

“With Naval Crown he’s a quick ground specialist, so we’ll look at the Maurice de Gheest and the Haydock Sprint and then see where we are.”

All options are open for Alcohol Free, who had the Appleby sprinters behind her in second and fourth when winning a fourth Group 1 at Newmarket. She confirmed herself equally effective at a mile in last week’s Qatar Sussex Stakes, finishing in third.

Trainer Andrew Balding, who has also entered last week’s Lennox Stakes winner Sandrine, said: “She’ll tell us where to go to a certain extent, but she’ll be entered in everything at Group 1 level from six furlongs to a mile, so that includes both the Sprint and the QEII (eighth of ten last year) on QIPCO British Champions Day. 

“She’s thriving at the moment, so we’ll keep going. All things are possible, and with a filly who has already won four Group 1s we’ve got nothing to lose, but we wouldn’t want to milk it.”

Perfect Power searches for more Group 1 success

Three-time Group 1 winner Perfect Power is supremely qualified for the contest having recorded two of his biggest successes over the course and distance. The Richard Fahey-trained colt won the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes last year and at this year’s royal meeting captured the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup.

He wasn’t seen at his best when at Newmarket last month where he could finish only seventh as the 9-4 favourite for the July Cup. He will try to atone in Sunday’s Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville, with the QIPCO British Champions Sprint on the horizon afterwards.

“The QIPCO British Champions Sprint is definitely an option for Perfect Power,” said Fahey. “He never raised a gallop in the July Cup. He likes to come from off the pace but he got behind and those in front never stopped. 

“Ascot seems to suit him better whereas at Newmarket I worked out they run 12 lengths quicker than they do at Ascot. His style is to drop in and come home and he can’t do that at Newmarket. He runs on Sunday in Deauville. He goes on any ground and although I think he is more a seven-furlong horse, he has won three Group 1s over six furlongs.”

Unbeaten filly Royal Aclaim heads the market for this month’s five-furlong Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York but a step up to six could beckon if she continues her upward trajectory.

Trainer James Tate said: “On pedigree you would say Royal Aclaim would get six furlongs, it’s just that at the moment she appears to have more speed than everything else which is why we have stuck her at five furlongs. 

“When we come to the end of the season we will need options like the Champions Sprint. People tend to try something new at that point of the season so she will definitely be put in the race but we won’t be making any running plans until after she has run at York.”

Archie Watson’s 2020 winner Glen Shiel, beaten only a length into second by Creative Force when bidding for a repeat last year, is also among the entries, as is the David Evans-trained Rohaan, who is another Ascot specialist.