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Onesto Possible For Champions Day If Ground Is Suitable

After his strong third in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Sunday, the connections of Onesto (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) were thinking Breeders' Cup, and now QIPCO Champions Day is also on the table as long as the ground isn't too soft, trainer Fabrice Chappet revealed on Thursday.

Raced by Gerard Augustin-Normand, the 4-year-old colt won the G1 Grand Prix de Paris last year and was also second in the G1 Champion S. during a campaign that took him from France, to Ireland and Japan. He returned this term with a fourth in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois this August and a seventh in the G1 Irish Champion S. in September prior to his good run at ParisLongchamp. His target is the G1 QIPCO Champion S.

Chappet said, “It depends on the ground. We are keeping an eye on the British Champion in case the ground will be suitable, good or good to soft. He would not go if it's softer than that, otherwise he will go to the Breeders' Cup.

“At this moment we are going for one of the two [Ascot or Breeders' Cup] and next year he is going to stud.”

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Ozzie Kheir Buys Breeders’ Cup Winner And Cox Plate Contender Victoria Road

Last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf hero Victoria Road (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) will contest the A$5-million G1 Cox Plate in the colours of Ozzie Kheir next month, Racing.com reported on Friday.

Bred by Trevor Stewart and trained by Aidan O'Brien for Westerberg, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, the colt is currently traveling to Australia where he will spend his two-week quarantine in Melbourne. O'Brien will continue training the son of G3 Abernant S. and G3 Charge Sprint S. victress Tickled Pink (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) through his intended starts in the 2040-metre Cox Plate and the 2000-metre G1 Champion S. in the coming weeks. He will then change yards to Ciaron Maher and David Eustace.

“We are extremely excited to have secured this very talented Northern Hemisphere 3-year-old with Japanese bloodlines,” Kheir told the publication.

“Having already won a Grade I at the age of two and being lightly raced, it gave us confidence as a group to proceed with a deal to acquire Victoria Road from Coolmore.

“The Coolmore family have always been a pleasure to deal with, our last significant acquisition being Sir Dragonet (Ire) in 2020. We have now traded together on some high-profile horses and there is a mutual respect for each other where we strike a fair price and terms to suit both. Recently Yes Yes Yes (Aus) and Coolangatta (Aus) have been sold to Coolmore.”

The 115,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 graduate also won the G3 Prix de Conde and the Listed Criterium du Fonds Europeen de l'Elevage at two. At three, he was third in the G2 Dullingham Park S. in two starts. From 10 starts, Victoria Road has won four times with earnings north of $680,000. His second dam is the hugely influential blue hen Cassandra Go (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}).

Added Kheir, “Mathew Becker was instrumental in landing the deal on Victoria Road as I, personally, didn't think we could buy him.

“So, when the opportunity come about on the terms and price, I believed it was really good buying for this loyal and fantastic group of owners we race with.

“We have a runner ready to go in the business end of the spring, provided he travels well, but more importantly, a colt for the future to race in Australia and continue to add to his value with most of, or potentially all, his downside covered by his previous Grade I win as a stallion prospect.

“He will be trained by Ciaron and Dave after his couple of runs in Australia with Aidan O'Brien. It gave us great confidence that Aidan was wanting to continue to travel Victoria Road for our group to compete in the Cox Plate. Victoria Road is currently in the air on route to Werribee [International Horse Centre].

“Our short-term plan post-spring is to target the All-Star Mile and Australia Cup before attacking the Sydney Autumn.”

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Via Sistina to Seek Romanet Riches at Deauville

Mrs. R. G. Hillen's G1 Pretty Polly S. winner Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) will head to France for her next start in the G1 Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville on Aug. 20, trainer George Boughey revealed Tuesday. She most recently finished third in the G1 Tattersalls Falmouth S. at Newmarket on July 14.

“Via Sistina is in great shape,” Boughey said. “It was a little frustrating watching the [G1] Nassau [last week at Goodwood] without having her in it in that [soft] ground, but it was never really the plan after we went to the Falmouth and she's getting ready to run in the Romanet at Deauville on Aug. 20.

“She'd had two quick runs and we've got to pick our battles–you can't run in every race–and it's been the plan to run in the Romanet for a long time should the ground be right for her. It's the last 4-year-old and above fillies-only race for her this year and we're very pleased with her. She worked yesterday [Monday] morning, Jamie Spencer sat on her and was very happy.”

In the Romanet, Via Sistina will return to 1 1/4 miles at Deauville and will go longer distances for the rest of her campaign, according to Boughey.

“We wanted to experiment over the mile in the Falmouth, but she was tapped for toe and we'll go back up in trip,” Boughey added.

“She's entered in the 10-furlong [G1 Champion S.] and the 12-furlong race [G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares S.] on Champions Day at Ascot and she'll be in the [G1] Prix de l'Opera over 10 [furlongs] on Arc day.”

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Derby Winner Adayar’s Arc Bid Depends On Ground

Godolphin's Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), winner of the G1 Cazoo Derby and the G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth S. in 2021, is likely to run in the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Oct. 2, as long as he gets his desired ground, trainer Charlie Appleby confirmed on Thursday. If the going is too deep, he will instead be pointed for the Oct. 15 G1 Champion S. at Ascot. Fourth in the ParisLongchamp test last year over the heavy going, the bay was then fifth in the G1 Champion S. on QIPCO British Champions Day. Planned runs at Royal Ascot, Sandown, and Ascot, did not come to fruition, and the bay made a successful return to the races in the Hilton Garden Inn Doncaster Conditions S. over 10 furlongs at Doncaster on Sept. 8.

“It's most likely Adayar is going to work on Saturday and if we're happy with that work we will then leave him in the Arc on Monday and take a look at it then,” said Appleby.

“We'll keep an eye on the ground. We know what it can be like [at ParisLongchamp] and I don't want him to have to encounter what he went through last year.

“Admittedly the race wasn't run to suit us–we ended up on the lead where we didn't want to be–but it was very testing conditions and then we backed him up on Champions Day.

“The mindset is still Champions Day, but if the Arc comes up as being sensible ground, we know at this time of year you're going to have to go where the ground is because every day it can change.

“If I was going to say we'll wait for Champions Day and all of a sudden it's bottomless there, I'll be kicking myself that I've potentially missed an opportunity of running in the Arc on decent ground.”

Added Appleby, “He looks great. Everyone was very pleased with the manner in which he did it at Doncaster and he's come out of there thinking he's King Kong again, and that's what you need.

“He finished last season off with two gruelling races in the Arc and on Champions Day and it takes a lot for a horse sometimes to come back from it.

“He's got his mojo 110% now. He's back to how he was when he won the Derby, if not better.”

The trainer also provided an update on Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who won three Group 1s in 2021 and was third in the Arc later that season. Third in the G2 Hardwicke S. on his 4-year-old bow, the chestnut has not graced a racecourse since an eighth-place finish in the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on July 3.

“He's probably not going to be in the equation, to be honest,” Appleby added. “I feel for him in that we encountered quick ground during the summer. The first run [at Royal Ascot] we got away with it and on his second run we didn't think we'd get the conditions we unfortunately ran on in the end and it didn't help his cause.

“I backed right off him and what he's encountered hasn't helped us in preparation for an Arc.”

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