G1 Champion S. | Horse Racing Free Tips

Sealiway Will Skip Irish Champions Weekend In Favour Of French Start

Dual Group 1 winner Sealiway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) will miss the G1 Irish Champion S. on Longines Irish Champions Weekend and instead contest the G3 La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte at ParisLongchamp on Sept. 4, trainer Francis-Henri Graffard revealed on Thursday.

A winner of the G1 Champion S. when trained by Cedric Rossi, the chestnut has yet to find the winner's circle this term in four starts, but after an unplaced run in the G1 Saudi Cup over the winter, ran second in the G2 Prix d'Harcourt in April and dropped to third in the G1 Prix Ganay a month later. He was most recently fifth for owners Le Haras de la Gousserie & Guy Pariente in the G1 Prix d'Ispahan at the end of May. His long-term goals include the Oct. 2 G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and an Oct. 15 Champion S. defence.

“He's not going to Ireland, he's running on Sunday in a Group 3 over 10 furlongs,” said Graffard. “He is in very good form and it will be a good starting point for an autumn campaign of the Arc and Ascot.”

A multiple Group 1 winner who is lining up in the Irish Champion S. is the globetrotting Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}). Last of 14 in the Saudi Cup, the John and Thady Gosden trainee has since run second in the G1 Coral Eclipse S. to Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}) in July, third in the G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth QIPCO S. later that month, and was second last out in the Aug. 17 G1 Juddmonte International S.

Prince Faisal's racing manager Ted Voute confirmed the decision to run the 5-year-old on Thursday and said, “That's the plan.”

Mishriff will face Vadeni, among others.

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Baaeed Camp Mulling Other Options Besides Champion S., Including The Arc

Shadwell's undefeated Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who won the G1 Juddmonte International S. on Wednesday, was set for his career final in the G1 Champion S. at Ascot on Oct. 15, but trainer William Haggas has revealed that September's G1 Irish Champion S. and the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in Paris at the beginning of October are also in the mix.

Speaking to ITV Racing on Thursday afternoon, the trainer said, “I was thrilled to bits, I watched it home last night with Maureen [Haggas] and it was a great watch.

“Ultimately the decision is with Sheikha Hissa and I'm sure it [Arc] will be discussed and every option is open–it's got to be after what he did yesterday.

“We'll see what evolves. I think the only chance of seeing him more than once [before retirement] is if he doesn't go for the Arc and goes Irish Champion and Champion. I think you'll only see him once [more] in England, but as I say it's not my decision. We'll discuss it and as long as the horse is OK all options are still open.”

Haggas did provide an update on his 10-for-10 stable star to the Nick Luck Daily Podcast, and added, “He seems fine, he's trotted up good–he's lost a bit of weight but we're happy with him and very proud.

“I'm open to suggestions, that's always been our plan to go to Ascot but plans can change. I'm not saying for a minute they're going to, but the only thing I will say is it's nearly two months now to Champions Day and that's quite a long time.”

“That's the perfect fit if he was to have another race, so that's obviously open for discussion,” Haggas said of the Sept. 10 Irish Champion S. “He's in the race and we'll just see what happens but he'd have to be in pretty rude health to be going to Ireland, so we shall see.”

Shadwell's Angus Gold told Sky Sports Racing on Thursday, “It was always William's plan to end up at Ascot. Obviously, there was a lot of talk about the Arc yesterday and would we consider that.

“I spoke to Sheikha Hissa briefly after the race and asked if she would even be thinking of the Arc, but she said she thought it best to stick to William's plan and end up at Ascot so for the moment we'll stick with that.

“I'm sure she will talk to her family when she gets home and there'll be another discussion, but that is what she said yesterday and unless William changes his mind I'm sure that is what she'll want to do.”

Since taking the G1 Prix du Moulin and G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. in 2021, the bay added the G1 Lockinge S., G1 Queen Anne S., and G1 Sussex S. in May, June and July, respectively. The International was his sixth consecutive Group 1 victory. The colt has now been awarded a rating of 135 off of that effort, third to only Frankel (GB) and his own sire (136) since the rankings began 18 years ago.

The BHA Head of Handicapping Dominic Gardiner-Hill said, “I will be raising Baaeed seven pounds from 128 to 135 for his success in the Juddmonte International yesterday–a figure only bettered by Frankel and Sea The Stars since the inception of the World's Best Racehorse Rankings in 2004.”

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Irish Champion Or Champion S. Possible For Adayar After Prep Run

Godolphin's 2021 G1 Derby and G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth QIPCO S. winner Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) is progressing in his training, with the Sept. 10 G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown or the Oct. 15 G1 Champion S. at Ascot under consideration by trainer Charlie Appleby. However, the trainer would like to get a prep run into the bay, who has yet to make a 2022 start after missing several targets earlier this year.

“He's in full training and has the spring back in his step,” said Appleby. “I'm not going to set him a target, but let him tell me when he's ready. The great thing is, it's the Adayar we've seen before that we're seeing at home now.

“In an ideal world I would like to get a prep into him before either the Irish Champion S. or the Champion S. But most importantly the excitement is back in the camp over this horse like it was earlier in the year.”

After his Ascot exploits last July, Adayar was fourth in the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and fifth returned to Ascot for his sophomore swansong in the G1 QIPCO Champion S.

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Benbatl Likely For Champions Day

Globetrotting multiple Group 1 winner Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who is fresh off a record-breaking G2 Joel S. victory at Newmarket, has been confirmed for QIPCO Champions Day on Oct. 16, as long as the ground is not too heavy. The Godolphin colourbearer, who has earned top-drawer victories in Dubai, Germany and Australia, was winning his second Joel S. His first start of the season was a second in the G2 Celebration Mile at Goodwood in August after almost a year away from the racecourse. Benbatl holds entries in both the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. over a mile and the 1 1/4-mile G1 Champion S.

“He is in very good form–he has come out of the race very fresh and happy,” said trainer Saeed bin Suroor of the two-time Joel S. winner. “The plan now is to run him in the QEII, as long as the ground suits him–he doesn't like soft ground. He is entered in the Champion S. on Champions Day as well, so we will see.”

The 7-year-old's future plans after Champions Day are up in the air.

“He will have one more race this year and we will see how he runs before we decide about next year,” bin Suroor added.

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