Magical and Addeybb set to cross swords again in battle for Champion Stakes glory
Magical and Addeybb, the first two home in last year's Qipco Champion Stakes, will face off again at Ascot tomorrow with 11 runners declared for this season's renewal.
Aidan O'brien's mare Magical is a seven-times Group One winner, adding the Pretty Polly Stakes, Tattersalls Gold Cup and Irish Champion Stakes to her tally this term after connections rethought retirement plans initially announced at the end of last year.
O'brien also runs impressive Derby winner Serpentine and Japan, who were both denied a run in the Prix de l'arc de Triomphe due to an issue with contaminated feed.
The B ally doyle handler thinks Magical could roll on to next month's Breeders' Cup meeting, should all go well tomorrow.
"The lads will see what they want to do, but it's a very strong possible that she could go to Keeneland if everything goes well," said O'brien. "That's the plan, absolutely (Ryan Moore rides Magical). The plan is that Colin (Keane) will ride Japan and William (Buick) will ride Serpentine, that's what we're thinking at the moment.”
The William Haggas-trained Addeybb went down by threequarters of a length 12 months ago, but has since elevated himself into a true Group One performer with two win sat the highest level in Australia.
His only defeat in 12 months came at Royal Ascot in the Prince of Wales's Stakes when second to Lord North and he will face John Gosden's fouryear-old again.
Lord North progressed rapidly through the handicap ranks from winning last year's Cambridgeshire to victor y at the highest level, but has not run since finishing third in the Juddmonte International.
Gosdenh as another very strong string to his bow in French Derby winner Mishriff, who will be ridden by Frankie Dettori, while there is an interesting French challenger in the shape of Skalleti, a mud-lover who beat subsequent Arc winner Sottsass in August.
Stradivarius will face 12 rivals as he bids to regain the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup. The brilliant stayer won the two-mile Group Two in 2018 but was touched off by Kew Gardens 12 months ago.
The six-year-old, trained by Gosden, returns to a more familiar distance tomorrow after two attempt sat a mile and a half in the Prix Foy and the Prix de l'arc de Triomphe.
Meanw hi le,EuchenG len is after more Group race glory after his 18-1 upset at York recently when he had three rivals including last year’s St Leger hero Logician trailing in his wake.
Connections have decided against supplementing him for one of the valuable contests on Ascot’s Champions’ Day card tomorrow and are instead heading to New bury next Saturday.
Euchen Glen is owned and bred by joint-ayr racecourse owner William John stone and the gelding’s trainer Jim Goldie said: “We are looking at the St Simon Stakes which is a Group 3 over a mile and half. He seems to be still improving and in such good form that we might as well keep on going. He went up a couple of pounds to 109 after York, and depending on what happens at Newbury, we might then look at the November Handicap at Doncaster. The long term dream is the Melbourne Cup and that is where he will be hopefully heading this time next year.”