Ascot's 'Champions Day' extravaganza is widely perceived to revolve around an eagerly-anticipated return clash between Found and Almanzor, something which leaves the defending Qipco Champion Stakes title-holder Fascinating Rock in familiar territory flying under the radar.
Dermot Weld’s five-year-old has finished in front of Found in two of their three career clashes, including beating her in last year’s Champion and in May’s Tattersalls Gold Cup, another Group 1 prize that cemented Fascinating Rock’s credentials as a top class performer.
It seems to be his fate however to play second-fiddle in the profile stakes. Fascinating Rock’s three year old stable-mate Harzand put a seal on Weld’s legendary career by memorably winning the Epsom Derby and it was that colt who ultimately raced in both the Irish Champion and the Arc.
If Almanzor’s brilliant Irish Champion defeat of Found is generally ranked as the best performance seen in Europe so far this year then the subsequent Arc success of Aidan O’Brien’s doughty filly has put her front and centre in terms of public affection.
That she is back in action just 13 days after her finest hour will only deepen such feelings and they will positively explode if Found can manage what even legendary Ballydoyle stars of yore – Nijinsky and Sir Ivor – tried and failed to do and win both the Arc and the Champion Stakes.
Official ratings
There’s no getting away however from current official ratings which show Found and Fascinating Rock tied at the top of the Irish rankings on marks of 123.
And even though O’Brien has seven Group 1 contenders on the card, with no less than the Gold Cup hero Order Of St George in the Group 2 Long Distance Cup, there’s also no getting away from how this ‘Champions Day’ programme has proved to be a happier hunting ground for the Weld team.
In its five-year history, there have been ten Irish-trained winners. Weld has supplied four of them, double O’Brien’s haul. However with Bobby Frankel’s world record Group 1 tally in his sights, O’Brien has his filly A-Team in action, including Minding in the QEII.
Nevertheless in priority terms, it’s easy to suspect this Champion Stakes title-defence has been Fascinating Rock’s number one objective all year and the decision to run the race on its usual ‘outer’ course will be a help in terms of ground.
Stumbling block
The major stumbling block to the Irish stars is undoubtedly the French superstar Almanzor. He produced a lethal turn of foot at Leopardstown and his trainer
Jean Claude Rouget
believes this is the colt’s best trip unlike his old rival.
There mightn’t be a fanfare surrounding his other Irish foe but Almanzor could have it served it up to him from all sides.
Minding is joined by two other classic winners from Ireland – Awtaad and the supplemented Jet Setting – in a QEII which could unfold into vintage superpower clash with Godolphin (Ribchester) and Qatar Racing (Galileo Gold). Should Minding successfully revert back to a mile after stretching her stamina to a mile and a half earlier this season then Found could have competition in the superlative stakes.
There could be a recurring Weld-O’Brien theme to the day with a trio of Ballydoyle three year olds headed by Seventh Heaven taking on Zhukova in the Fillies & Mare.
