“He's back in full work and we're just stepping up his work now,” Teal said. “He did a nice piece last week. I'm very happy with him and have made an entry for the York race. That's probably where we're going to be headed, then from York to Ascot.

“I think he's worthy of trying to retain his crown in the King's Stand. I would have preferred to run him at Haydock [in the G2 Temple S.], but the timings don't really work out so he's likely to go to York first.”

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“He seems absolutely fine, but we're going to have him checked out because we don't know why he hung across the track,” said Teal. “We'll have the vet look at him and see if there's anything untoward. He's never hung across the track like that before, so we'll monitor him over the next few days and see if anything comes to light.”

The Sept. 4 G1 Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock is a possible next port of call for the two-time Group 1 winner, all being well after the veterinary exams.

“We're sort of running out of options now, so the Sprint Cup at Haydock would be his next target if all is well,” added Teal.

Another July Cup also-ran, the dual group winner Rohaan (Ire) (Mayson {GB}), could take his chances in the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest. The 3-year-old gelding ran 10th in the July Cup after a trio of wins including the Wokingham S. at the Royal meeting.

“He could go for the Maurice de Gheest,” said trainer David Evans. “There might not be so many runners and not as good a field as in the July Cup. That was probably the best sprint race of the season.”

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“It feels like a real championship race, you have all the best horses of the generation in there, but it's a shame not to have the Diamond Jubilee winner there alongside the King's Stand winner,” Starman's trainer Ed Walker said. “Starman has got an opportunity to be the sprinter of his generation because he's only got the one blip on his record, I'd love to think he could be the next Muhaarar.

“He's done absolutely nothing wrong bar that run on bad ground, I just don't know how much is up his sleeve–only he can answer that question and hopefully he does answer it on Saturday.”

Group 3 winner Chil Chil (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) is “at the top of her game” according to her trainer Andrew Balding and is trying the Group 1 level for the first time. The King Power Racing 5-year-old is lining up for the July Cup. A half-sister to four-time Group 2 winner Beat The Bank (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}), Chil Chil saluted in a May 1 handicap at Newmarket and earned a career high when saluting in the G3 William Hill Chipchase S. at Newcastle on June 26.

“She will go for the July Cup if the ground is good or faster,” said Balding. “She showed some pretty useful form last year when conditions were right and she was a little bit unfortunate on a couple of occasions. Beat The Bank, her brother, got better with age and it appears she is. It is a big step up in class but she likes the track at Newmarket and I don't see why she won't like this one, so why not have a go?

“She travelled strongly at Newcastle and I was impressed with the way she picked up in the second half of the race. She is clearly a filly at the top of her game. It would be nice if she could prove up to this level.”

First past the post in the G1 Commonwealth Cup S. at Royal Ascot, but disqualified for interference, Dragon Symbol (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}) returns for trainer Archie Watson. Watson also sends out G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprit S. winner Glen Shiel (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), who was second to the now-injured Dream Of Dreams (Ire) (Dream Ahead) in the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. also at Royal Ascot.

Among the other entrants as of Monday are: G3 Jersey S. winner Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) for trainer Charlie Appleby, G1 Middle Park S. hero Supremacy (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) for trainer Clive Cox, Joseph O'Brien's Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) who won the G1 National S., the group winner Art Power (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) for Tim Easterby and G1 Queen Anne S. second Lope Y Fernandez (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) for Aidan O'Brien.

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Heading the opposition is Ali Saeed's Teona (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), who broke her maiden by nine lengths in a maiden over this trip on Newcastle's Tapeta in November. A daughter of the owner's G1 Pretty Polly S. winner Ambivalent (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) who was also successful in the G2 Middleton S. at this venue, trainer Roger Varian is looking for an Oaks candidate to add to his Derby-bound duo of colts. “She looks a very nice filly at home and we've always held her in high regard,” he said. “She's taken a while to come to herself this spring and I should think the run will bring her forward. That said, her last few weeks of training have been very pleasing. She's a big, rangy filly. I trained her mother, who also took a while to come to hand and Teona was never going to be a summer2-year-old–she's all about this year and beyond. This is a nice starting point and a lovely place to start. If she doesn't win it's not the end of the world, but we'd expect her to run well.”

Where the deeply promising Noon Star and Teona lack experience, Nick Bradley Racing's Mystery Angel (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}) has the latter in abundance and is having her fifth start of the year having won Newmarket's Listed Pretty Polly S. over this trip May 2. “She's a filly who takes her racing very well and we'll give it a good shot on Wednesday,” trainer George Boughey commented. “We'll take it one step at a time. I'd say this is as good an Oaks trial as there is, on the pedigrees and the reputations of the two horses in front of us in the market. She would need to be supplemented for the Oaks, which costs the best part of £25,000. I think she would have to win at York to be considered for Epsom, I would say. She's been a star for us and hopefully there's more to come.”

Also on the card is the G2 Duke of York Clipper Logistics S., where David Ward's Starman (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) returns to the course and distance of his success in the Listed Garrowby S. in September. Unable to handle the testing ground when 14th in the G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint S. at Ascot in October, he remains a sprinter with little mileage and great promise and trainer Ed Walker is looking forward to getting started. “We've been waiting for this race all spring. He's in cracking form,” he said. “I'm a bit disappointed with the potential ground. I'm hoping the rain stays away. He's been training great and moving fantastic, but it's a stiff renewal of the race. He was beaten by a few of these at Ascot last year, for which we blamed the ground. Tom [Marquand] said he couldn't get his feet out of the mud. We're just hoping that on better ground, over the course and distance when he beat Dakota Gold, he can get back to winning ways and prove worthy of a shot at the [G1] Diamond Jubilee.”

Last year's G1 July Cup hero Oxted (GB) (Mayson {GB}) was a shade disappointing when 3/4-of-a-length second to Summerghand (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) in the G3 Abernant S. at Newmarket Apr. 15, but trainer Roger Teal is expecting improvement. “He's been working well and seems to be in good order. I'm very happy with him,” he said. “He'll have to be on his A game, but he goes there in good form.”

One who is trying six furlongs for the first time is Shadwell's Molatham (GB) (Night of Thunder {Ire}), who took Royal Ascot's G3 Jersey S. last June and signed off with a 12th placing in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S.  at that track in October. “We're hopeful–he's training super and looks fantastic,” trainer Roger Varian said. “He's a deceptive horse, because he's a fairly laid-back worker at home but in his races he's always been a strong traveller. York is quite a sharp track, but we're hoping that he'll handle the drop in trip to six furlongs and runs well enough to put himself in the Diamond Jubilee picture.”

Click here to view the group fields.

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Teal said, “At the moment the plan is to go to Newmarket as long as the ground is not rattling fast. Newmarket can get very quick so we will be guided by the weather. He is on track for Newmarket, but he is entered in the Duke Of York and if we feel the ground is too quick for him next week we will wait for that instead.

“He took the travelling to Saudi Arabia really well but he lost quite a bit of weight on the journey back. However, he put that back on quickly and he looks in great order–I could not be happier with the way he looks.”

“I just think we got our tactics wrong in Saudi Arabia and we should have been a bit more patient,” he added. “We chased the pace early and ran out of gas at the end. We should have let him find his way into the race instead of going the break-neck pace they do on the dirt.”

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“At the moment we are favouring the dirt really because it's six furlongs,” said trainer Roger Teal, whose son Harry will accompany his stable star to Saudi Arabia, at a Saudi Cup press conference. “Obviously, it's an unknown surface for us but because it's a flat six furlongs I think that is where we are going to go. He's a good-moving horse. He likes the top of the ground and handles all sorts of ground.

“He trains on an all-weather surface every day, so I'm just hoping. The reports are very good about the dirt track in Saudi. That gives me confidence. There's not too much kickback apparently. As long as there wasn't going to be tons of kickback, I think we're going to be happy to run him on it.”

He added, “The timing of the race was good for us. It was enough time to give him a break and then prepare him for the season ahead. We can go to Saudi, come back, maybe go to Dubai for World Cup night if things go to plan. We can then prepare for Ascot and another go at the July Cup. We'll be a little bit wiser after the event. He's pretty straightforward and takes things in his stride, but you don't know until you do it. He should be fine.”

Regularly ridden by Cieren Fallon, Jr., the now 5-year-old gelding would reunite with Fallon in Saudi Arabia.

“He definitely gets on so well with the horse,” said Teal. “Hopefully when Cieren's available he can ride him whenever. This horse has got good gate speed. He travels strong. He's got early pace so I think the pace of the race will suit him fine. The pace beat us at Ascot [on Champions Day] last year. There wasn't enough pace for him.”

“Harry will go with him out there,” he added, but was non-committal on his own attendance. “You can't make any firm plans yet, but we'd like to be there if we can. He's pretty much on track. He's been stepping up weekly. We're very happy. We'll just keep tipping away with what we're doing and get him there in good shape.

“If we're allowed to I'm looking to getting him to Wolverhampton just to have one good sprint round the turn because he's never run round a bend. That's another thing we've got to find out about him. He's in good shape. He had a short break after Ascot. He had a month away and came back looking tremendous. He's really blossomed through the winter.”

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“The obvious one for us would be the Turf Sprint which is run over about six and three-quarter furlongs,” said trainer Roger Teal. “I suppose his ideal trip would be six, but he has won over seven in the past so it shouldn’t be a problem. We will also have a look at the Riyadh Dirt Sprint too which is run over six as we know he goes so well over that distance.

“I’ve heard really good things about the quality of the dirt surface–I spoke to James Doyle who was very complimentary about it. Also, in the back of my mind I know that he is trained on the all-weather at home and he is a speedy horse that normally holds a prominent position, so the kick-back should be less of a concern.”

The 4-year-old ended his campaign with a fifth in the G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint S. on Oct. 17. He has recently returned from a four-week holiday.

“He came back in on Monday [last week] after a short break just to freshen him up a bit,” added Teal. “I guess it was about four weeks or so to give him some time to chill out after a busy season. He was out in the field during the day and came back in at night. It seems to have done him the world of good and we now start our preparations for a potential trip to Riyadh in February. We will wind him up slowly and gradually step up his exercise routine.”

After Oxted’s run on British Champions Day, the Dec. 13 Longines Hong Kong International Races were judged to be held too late in the season for the Mayson gelding.

Said Teal, “The Saudi Cup meeting sits perfectly in the calendar for him as we build towards another season in the UK. We had the option of going to Hong Kong, but that meeting just came too late in the season for us. Targeting the Saudi Cup sprints allowed us to give the horse a break then bring him back. We’d love to go there and take our chance.”

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2019 G1 QIPCO Champion S. winner Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is aiming for her second consecutive Champion S. score, and the Coolmore runner has been in prime form of late, with three Group 1 wins this season, her only loss a second to formidable frontrunner Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G1 Juddmonte International S. in August. The 5-year-old mare leads the Ballydoyle trio of MG1SW Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and G1 Derby scorer Serpentine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). She defeated Ghaiyyath in the G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown on Sept. 12. Last year’s G1 Champion S. runner-up Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) earned a brace of Group 1 wins in Australia this spring, and he ran second to the re-opposing Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G1 Prince of Wales’s S. at Royal Ascot in June. The durable chestnut was first past the post at the listed level at Ayr on Sept. 19 for William Haggas. Besides Lord North, John Gosden sends out G1 Prix du Jockey Club winner Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), who landed the G2 Prix Guillaume d’Ornano at Deauville on Aug. 15.

The G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. lost some of its lustre with the absence of 2020 G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas hero Kameko (Kitten’s Joy) and MG1SW Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), but that has put the focus even more firmly on fledgling miler wunderkind Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}). Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum’s undefeated colt stunned in the G1 St James’s Palace S. in June and backed up those claims in heavy ground in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville in August. This year’s G1 Queen Anne S. hero Circus Maximus (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), one of three from Ballydoyle, ran second in the G1 Sussex S. in July before taking third to Palace Pier in the Prix Jacques le Marois. The Flaxman Stables/Coolmore partners colourbearer was most recently third in the G1 Prix du Moulin at ParisLongchamp on Sept. 6. Shadwell’s Oct. 3 G1 Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot S. heroine Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and Oct. 3 G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein victor The Revenant (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) could also both provide stiff challenges on Saturday.

If Hollie Doyle triumphs aboard 4-year-old filly Dame Malliot (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) in the G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S., it would be one of the stories of the weekend, as it would  be Doyle’s first win out of the top drawer. Ed Vaughan’s dual Group 2 winner ran third in both the G1 Preis von Europa in August and the Sept. 13 G1 Qatar Prix Vermeille and is a solid chance. She faces ace sophomores Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), who won the G1 Qatar Prix de Royallieu for David Menuisier on Oct. 3, and Ger Lyons’s G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks heroine Even So (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) among others.

Despite the absence of Shadwell’s grey speedball Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), quality is rampant throughout the 17-strong G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint S. field. Lael Stable’s One Master (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) will try to go one better than in 2019 and enters off her third straight G1 Qatar Prix de la Foret victory. However, the 6-year-old mare is not the only entrant coming in off a Group 1 victory, as Roger Teal trainee Oxted (GB) (Mayson {GB}) resurfaces after a score in the G1 July Cup S. on July 11 and a wind operation. Dream of Dreams (Ire) (Dream Ahead), the top-rated horse in the field, bettered Glen Shiel (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) by 1 1/4 lengths in Haydock’s G1 Betfair Sprint Cup S. on Sept. 5. Andrew Balding saddles the progressive Happy Power (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) looking for the colt’s fourth-straight win, building on the back of scores in the Aug. 30 G3 Supreme S. and Newmarket’s G2 Challenge S. on Oct. 9.

A baker’s dozen step up for the opening race, with 2018 winner Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) out to regain his crown in the G2 QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup. The game Bjorn Nielsen runner was second last term to Kew Gardens (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Twice a winner at the highest level in 2020, he was last in action when seventh in the G1 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. The chestnut faces two-time G1 Irish St Leger heroine Search For a Song (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) for Moyglare Stud, 2019 G1 Irish Derby winner Sovereign (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})-one of three for Aidan O’Brien, 2020 Irish St. Leger bridesmaid Fujaira Prince (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), and G2 Doncaster Cup S. hero Spanish Mission (Noble Mission {GB}) for Team Valor and Gary Barber.

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“As to not mislead the punters out there, Oxted is a non-runner on Saturday,” Teal tweeted. “He wasn’t his usual self this morning and we have made the decision to pull him out. We are desperately disappointed for the whole team and connections. It’s better to let people know straight away.”

Teal is awaiting the results of some tests after the sub-par work.

Added Teal, “We’ve had a trach wash done, and we’re still waiting on the results of that. Everything was fine yesterday, and the horse worked really well on Saturday, but didn’t this morning.

“We always let him tell us in his final bit of work before a race whether he’s ready for it, and I just wasn’t happy, and you can’t go into a Group 1 if you’re not 100% confident the horse is at the top of his game.

“It’s devastating for all of us, because we’ve been looking forward to going to Haydock for a long time–but with the ground on the softer side as well, we have to be 110% sure, because if he did run and disappointed I’d kick myself to the church and back.”

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“All seems good–fingers crossed, we’ll get there in one piece,” said the conditioner. “I’ve had a quick look at the entries. I was watching them come in, and it’s what was expected. If the ground tightens up it would help no end. I have tried him twice before on an easier surface, and he hasn’t run to form, but I don’t think it was the ground. There were other reasons. It’s not that he has to have the ground rattling fast–but if it was good to soft, it’d be perfect.”

Since his victory in the July Cup, Oxted had an ulcer removed from the back of his throat and Teal remains confident the procedure would not mar his horse’s chances.

“He had a little wind op after Newmarket,” he said. “He had an ulcer on the back of his throat. We had that removed. He was scoped after the July Cup, so he must have run with it. It was a simple procedure.”

Hollie Doyle, who rode a five-timer at Windsor on Saturday, has the call aboard G3 Phoenix Sprint S. hero Glen Shiel (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) for trainer Archie Watson. It will be Doyle’s first ride in a British Group 1.

Doyle told Sky Sports Racing, “I’m really looking forward to riding Glen–he’s been a flag-bearer for the yard really. He keeps on surprising us. He’s improving with age and he’s got quicker the older he’s got, which is strange. He’s going the right way. He’s an old legend. The ground is the key to him really, and he’ll get his ground at Haydock and a stiff enough six [furlongs]. I’m hoping for a good run.”

Others entered include G1 Diamond Jubilee winner Hello Youmzain (Fr) (Kodiac {GB}), who won the 2019 edition of the Haydock Sprint Cup, as well as his stablemates Brando (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and Queen Jo Jo (GB) (Gregorian {Ire}). All three are trained by Kevin Ryan.

James Fanshawe saddles 2018 winner The Tin Man (GB) (Equiano {Fr}) and Archer’s Dream (Ire) (Dream Ahead). G1 Commonwealth Cup S. winner Golden Horde (Ire) (Lethal Force {Ire}) for Clive Cox and G2 Hungerford S. winner Dream Of Dreams (Ire) (Dream Ahead) are also slated to line up, among others.

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