There is plenty to digest from three years' intake and of course prices can often drop after a stallion's first year at stud, so there could be some value to be found for breeders willing to roll the dice on a stallion about to embark on his third season. He will have first runners before the resultant offspring of this year's matings make it to a sale. As always, results on the track are everything, and we are very much in unproven territory here. 

As with the earlier parts of this series, the sires have been divided into fee brackets and though there is of course some discrepancy between the euro and the pound, we are treating them as equals here.

Stallions standing at £/€25,000 and above

At £80,000, Baaeed (GB) is the most expensive young sire to retire to stud within this timeframe and it would not have been a surprise if he had commenced covering at a six-figure fee. Instead he is starting at almost exactly the same level as his sire Sea The Stars (Ire) and the problem for Shadwell won't be filling his book, rather deciding which breeders they have to let down. 

Some will baulk at Baaeed's absence of two-year-old form but, at 135, he is the highest-rated son of a brilliant stallion with a wonderful pedigree behind him, as well as a race record that includes victory in six coveted Group 1 races in Britain and France. He'll be given a great chance in his new career and in a few years £80,000 may look very reasonable at this upper level of the stallion market.

Baaeed got the better of Palace Pier (GB) in the 2021 Champion S., but until then the latter had compiled a similar race record, albeit his included maiden and novice wins at two. This top-class miler had his fee trimmed to £50,000 from £55,000 for this year, after a who's who of international breeders lined up to use him in 2022, when he covered 154 mares, including the dams of Cracksman (GB) and Farhh (GB).

On a swelteringly hot June day in Chantilly, Sottsass (Fr) became the first Group 1-winning colt for his Siyouni (Fr) when landing the Prix du Jockey Club of 2019. One could sense the joy Peter Brant derived that day from winning a French Classic, and that was multiplied the following year when Sottsass claimed the Arc, too. He is of course a son of the Monceaux super mare Starlet's Sister (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and has been clipped to €25,000 from his €30,000 opening fee. His owner backed him strongly with his own mares and his first yearlings will take to the ring from August. A year behind him and bred on the same Siyouni-Galileo cross is the former champion juvenile St Mark's Basilica (Fr) who sailed through his 3-year-old seasons with a French Classic double followed up by victories in the Eclipse and Irish Champion S. A heftier price tag of €65,000 greeted his arrival at Coolmore, and his first foals will be arriving this spring, while his half-brother Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) will be represented by his first runners. A big year for the family.

One name that we can expect to make a big splash at the yearling sales this year is the 2020 Horse of the Year Ghaiyyath (Ire). The first foals of the son of Dubawi (Ire) and Classic heroine Nightime (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) returned a six-figure average just above 100,000gns, with a 375,000gns top lot. He is competitively priced at €25,000 and he has covered some smart mares, including G1 Fillies' Mile winner Lyric Of Light (GB) (Street Cry {Ire}), G2 Rockfel S. winner and 1,000 Guineas runner-up Lucida (Ire) (Shamardal), and dual Group 3 winner Tickled Pink (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who is also the dam of G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Victoria Road (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}).

Pinatubo (Ire) carried all before him in his unbeaten juvenile season, ending 2019 as the champion in Europe. It is easy to imagine that his offspring could show similar precocity, thus making it a decent bet that his first yearlings will sell well this year. For these reasons, along with strong support from breeders, he has remained at €35,000 since his retirement to stud. His sire Shamardal had started out at €40,000 and dropped in years four and five to half that amount. We all know what happened after that: his fee climbed steadily, along with his reputation for excellence. 

Persian King (Ire) was an early star and a first Classic winner for his sire Kingman (GB). A Group 3-winning juvenile, beating Magna Grecia (Ire) in the Autumn S. at Newmarket, he took the Poule d'Essai des Poulains and then added a further two Group 1 wins to his credit at four in the Prix d'Isaphan and Prix du Moulin. A first try at a mile and a half on his swansong saw him finish third behind Sottsass in the Arc. He entered stud at a sold €30,000 and has been trimmed slightly in this, his third year, to €25,000.

Last season's champion juvenile Blackbeard (Ire) will remain a brilliant 2-year-old in our memories as he has been retired to stud off his dual Group 1 strikes in the Prix Morny and Middle Park S. From his eight starts, he won six, as early as the beginning of April and including the G3 Marble Hill and G2 Prix Robert Papin. 

At a time when many breeders will struggle to get near his sire No Nay Never, Blackbeard looks an appealing alternative at €25,000 and it's unlikely that he will lack support. 

Stallions standing at £/€15,000 to £/€24,999

Godolphin had an embarrassment of Shamardal riches in 2019 with Pinatubo stealing the show but Earthlight (Ire) more than holding his own when, just like Blackbeard three years later, he won the G1 Prix Morny and G1 Middle Park. Earthlight's foals sold well last year and, now trimmed from an opening fee of €20,000 to €15,000, he could well be good value at this level. Victor Ludorum (GB), who completed Godolphin's hat-track of homebred Group 1-winning sons of Shamardal that year, stayed in training through his 4-year-old season after winning the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and Poule d'Essai des Poulains in his first two years in training. His final win was in the G3 Prix Messidor, and he too is at €15,000 at Haras du Logis.

Hello Youmzain (Fr) has Shamardal on his dam's side and is a rare son of Kodiac (GB) in France. He's a durable one, too. In three seasons to race, he was a Group 2-winning juvenile before landing the G1 Sprint Cup at three and the G1 Diamond Jubilee at four. Starting out at €25,000, he's now at €22,500 in his third season.

At the same stage in their stud careers are two Group 1-winning milers: Kameko and Mohaather (GB). The former, by Kitten's Joy and a top-level winner at two and three, has had a £10,000 reduction from his opening fee and is now at £15,000, while Mohaather, a sleek son of Showcasing (GB), has also been at that fee for two years, having started at £20,000.

Like the aforementioned Victor Ludorum, Lucky Vega (Ire) also represents the Shamardal line, has his first foals arriving, and is also pitched in at €15,000. He has received significant backing by his owner Yulong Investments, and is one of a number of young sons of Lope De Vega (Ire) at stud. It is doubtless hoped by his connections that he will pick up the baton for this line which is increasingly flourishing in Europe.

Similar comments can be applied to Space Blues (Ire) and the Dubawi sire-line. The hardy little chestnut really hit his stride as an older horse after being Group 1-placed and a listed winner at three. His top-level wins came in the Prix Maurice de Gheest (beating Hello Youmzain) at four, before he signed off at five with an international G1 double in the Prix de la Foret and Breeders' Cup Mile. He has been competitively priced at €16,000 this season.

The G1 July Cup winner Starman (GB) was one of the busiest Flat stallions of 2022, with David Ward's statuesque homebred given a rousing reception at Tally-Ho Stud when covering 254 mares at a fee of €17,000. That has been trimmed his season to €15,000.

Entering stud this season in this bracket are the Group 1 winners State Of Rest (Ire) at €25,000, and Mishriff (Ire) and Torquator Tasso (Ger) at €20,000. Perfect Power (Ire) begins at a fee of £15,000 in Newmarket, while in Ireland Bayside Boy (Ire), Minzaal (Ire) and Naval Crown (Ire) are all starting off at €15,000.

Stallions standing at £/€7,500 to £/€14,999

In France, where Wootton Bassett (GB) is almost certainly missed, his fast son Wooded (Fr) was added to the ranks at Haras de Bouquetot in 2021 after winning the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye. Starting off at €15,000, his first yearlings are on the horizon and his fee has been snipped to €12,000.

Wooded went head-to-head in Normandy with Golden Horde (Ire), another Group 1-winning sprinter who joined the Sumbe team and will also have his first yearlings for sale this year. His opening mark of €10,000 has been reduced to €8,000.

Circus Maximus (Ire) has tended to sail a little under the radar, but it should not be forgotten that he is a treble Group 1-winning miler by Galileo (Ire) out of a classy mare in the Group 2 winner Duntle (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). His fee has been halved from his first year to €10,000 in his third year, and he has some potentially smart offspring to represent him, including Proxima Centauri (Ire), a filly out of his breeder's four-time Group 1 winner Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and a colt out of the smart racemare Banimpire (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire})

Another well-bred son of Galileo, Japan (GB), joined the German stallion division at Gestut Etzean in 2022 and has remained at €11,000 for his first two seasons. The National Stud's Lope Y Fernandez (Ire) is another with first foals arriving and his fee has also been maintained at £8,500, while the G1 Middle Park S. winner Supremacy (Ire), one of a number of young sons of Mehmas (Ire) to retire to stud in the last two years, has been trimmed from €12,500 to €10,000 at Yeomanstown Stud. A year behind him is another Mehmas horse, Persian Force (Ire), who starts out at Tally-Ho Stud, where he was conceived, at €10,000.

The Chehboub family's Haras de Beaumont sets out its stall as one of the newest stallion operations in France by standing their own Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and Champion S. winner Sealiway (Fr) at an opening fee of €12,000.

If you set a stallion's fee against the number of miles covered in their careers then Stradivarius (Ire) would certainly represent value as he raced over almost 65 miles during his 35 races, 20 of which he won, including 18 group races. In fact, any way you look at it, you get plenty of bang for your buck (£10,000, to be precise) when booking a mare to the charismatic stayer, for his noted soundness is exemplified by his elastic movement which has turned many heads since he joined the stallion yard at the National Stud. Throw in the Stradivarius breeder bonus offered by his owner Bjorn Nielsen, which rewards the breeders of his first ten 2-year-old winners with £25,000 each, and first-crop group winners with £100,000 for Group 2 or 3 races and £250,000 for a Group 1 victory, then he is certainly worthy of serious consideration.

Stallions standing at less than £/€7,500

Farhh (GB) may have covered only limited books since retiring to stud in 2014 but he now has four sons at stud. Two of those, Far Above (Ire) and King Of Change (GB), stand alongside each other at Starfield Stud and have their first yearlings on offer later this year. Yes, it's a chancey time to use any third-year stallion, but at €5,000 and €6,000 respectively, they look well-priced, and the Group 1-winning miler King Of Change in particular came in for some compliments from shrewd operators when his first foals were in the sales rings last November.

We may have trouble saying his name, but Sergei Prokofiev did not go unnoticed when his first foals hit the sales last year either, and the son of Scat Daddy is another ensuring that the Whitsbury Manor Stud stallion barn remains plenty busy over the coming months. At £6,000 he is competitively priced, and the same can be said for River Boyne (Ire), Tara Stud's Grade 1-winning son of Dandy Man (Ire), who has remained at €5,000, the same fee set this year for Shaman (Ire), the Wertheimer-bred son of Shamardal who is at Yeomanstown Stud.

One of the most interesting horses in this fee bracket is Sands Of Mali (Fr), winner of the Gimcrack at two, followed by the G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint at three among his four group victories. He's by a stallion that has some people scratching their heads, the dual Group 3 winner Panis, himself a son of the influential Miswaki. At €5,000, Sands Of Mali is an easy horse to breed to, but not just because of his largely outcross pedigree: he was also talented and is good-looking to boot. He has recently been joined at Ballyhane Stud by Space Traveller (GB), a son of Bated Breath (GB) who raced until he was six, having won the G2 Clipper Logistics Boomerang S. and G3 Jersey S. at three. His final start came last season when denied by a head to finish second in the GI Frank E Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita, and he starts his new career at a fee of €6,500.

Also at €5,000 at Castlefield Stud in Ireland is Alkumait (GB). We can be certain that his half-brother Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) will end up at stud eventually, but in the meantime this Group 2 winner has stolen a march and joins an increasing throng of sons of the popular Showcasing (GB) now at stud.

No Nay Never is another stallion with increasing representation among the stallion ranks and his young sons include Arizona (Ire), who is at Castleyhde Stud and the Molecomb S. winner Armor (GB), a recruit last year to Haras de Bouquetot. Both stand at €5,000, while Armor has been joined at Bouquetot by the G1 National S. winner Thunder Moon (Ire), who stands for €6,000.

A'Ali (Ire), a son of the late Society Rock who notched up four Group 2 wins during his career with Simon Crisford, joined the throng at Newsells Park Stud last season and his fee has been reduced from an opening mark of £7,500 to £5,000 this year, making him another to be a potentially value option for breeders. 

Tally-Ho Stud is represented as the breeder of a growing number of stallions at stud, including A'Ali and also Overbury Stud's new recruit Caturra (Ire). The Flying Childers winner is the first son of Mehmas to stand in the UK, and he has joined another Tally-Ho-bred, Ardad (Ire), at the Gloucestershire farm, where he will start off at £6,500.

The latest son of Wootton Basssett to retire to stud in France is last season's Poule d'Essai des Poulains runner-up Texas (Fr), who now stands at Haras de Hoguenet for €3,800.

Big Shuffle's son Areion (Ger) made a pronounced mark on the German breeding scene over many years, and died last year at the age of 27. He has been succeeded in that country by the Group 1 winner Alson (Ger), who retired to Gestut Fahrhof last year and stands at €6,000, while Rubaiyat (Fr), a five-time group winner in Germany and Italy, is his latest son to take up stallion duties, and he is at Gestut Ohlerweiherhof, where he commands a fee of €4,500.

Value podium:
Instead of selecting a gold, silver and bronze medallist, as is the norm for this feature, I am opting instead for three stallions across the distance range whom I believe represent value at this early stage of their careers. There are no prizes for guessing that Stradivarius is one, and he is joined by the miler Mohaather and the sprinter Sands Of Mali.

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The 6-year-old Knicks Go earned a rating of 129 for his Classic win at Del Mar, and is widely expected to be named the U.S. Horse of the Year at the Eclipse Awards on Feb. 10 off a campaign that also included victories in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S., the GI Whitney S., the GIII Cornhusker H. and the GIII Lukas Classic S. Knicks Go, who is trained by Brad Cox and owned by the Korea Racing Authority, is set to defend his title in the Pegasus this weekend before heading to stud at Taylor Made Farm in Kentucky.

“He's got a ton of class and he's a very intelligent horse,” said trainer Brad Cox during the virtual ceremony. “He's been at this for a few years now. Some of the things that set Knicks Go apart from other very good horses is definitely his ability to shut off things mentally. He's aggressive training, but when he's finished training he takes a deep breath and relaxes. He's gotten better as he's gotten older mentally and I think that's one thing that really benefitted him this past season.

“Going into the Classic we had a lot of confidence in him. He was training really well and he obviously had a fantastic start to the season. We had a little bit of a setback with a race in New York, the [GI] Met Mile [when fourth], but then he really started capping off a nice string of races. Obviously his second half of the year was fantastic with big wins at Saratoga and Churchill, and ultimately the Breeders' Cup Classic was the race that put him in a position to become the top-rated horse in the world.

“He had a fantastic year and this was the cherry on the top with regards to what he could accomplish in 2021. It's a very prestigious honour to be mentioned along with the past recipients of this award, champions throughout the world, and to be at the top is just a true honour and something we're very proud of.”

A trio of European-trained runners were joint-second with ratings of 127. Godolphin's G1 Derby winner Adayar (GB) (Frankel {GB}) earned that mark with his win over older horses in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S.-the Charlie Appleby-trained colt was the first 3-year-old to record the Derby/King George double since his grandsire Galileo 20 years earlier.

“It was a great performance from a great horse, and the horse is very straightforward to ride,” said jockey William Buick. “He won at Epsom, he won the King George against older horses. He's won in big fields, small fields, slow ground, faster ground, so he's very versatile. He is everything a good horse should be.”

Adayar, who stays in training at four, was the joint highest-rated 3-year-old in the world last year with the Coolmore partners' St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), who went unbeaten in four starts on the season encompassing the French Classic double of the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and the G1 Prix du Jockey Club, the G1 Coral Eclipse S. and the G1 Irish Champion S. to be named Europe's Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old colt. St Mark's Basilica, who covers his first book at Coolmore this season for €65,000, earned his rating of 127 in the Coral-Eclipse.

“St Mark's Basilica was a tremendous horse,” said jockey Ryan Moore. “He'd relax so well in his races and he'd just do whatever you wanted him to do; whatever you asked him to do, he'd do it straight away. So he was very unique, and the turn of foot was something exceptional. He was an excellent racehorse.”

Adayar and St Mark's Basilica were joined at 127 by Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), who compiled an intercontinental Group 1 campaign. The 2020 G1 Prix du Jockey Club winner won the Saudi Cup before it achieved Group 1 status, as well as the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic in the Gulf region. He returned to Europe to hit the board behind St Mark's Basilica and Adayar in the Coral-Eclipse and the King George before romping by six lengths in the G1 Juddmonte International, where he earned a rating of 127. Mishriff is preparing to defend his Saudi Cup title next month.

Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) flew the flag for Japan last year, returning from his Triple Crown-winning campaign of 2020 to scoop the G1 Japan Cup, earning a rating of 126. Contrail's compatriot and G1 Tenno Sho Autumn conqueror Efforia (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) was also a worthy representative for Japan, earning marks of 124 for that victory and also for his win in the G1 Arima Kinen. Both of those were victories over older horses for the then-3-year-old. A rating of 124 was also earned by American runners Flightline (Tapit), Life Is Good (Into Mischief) and Medina Spirit (Protonico), as well as Australian sprinter Nature Strip (Aus) (Nicconi {Aus}).

Four runners from three different nations are tied on a rating of 125. Shadwell's Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) burst onto the scene in June last year as a 3-year-old and eventually went unbeaten through a six-start campaign, culminating in wins in the G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp and the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. The William Haggas-trained Baaeed earned a 125 for his win in the QEII, in which he beat the subsequent European champion older horse Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}). That was the John and Thady Gosden trainee's lone defeat during a season in which he took the G1 Lockinge S. (125 rating), G1 Queen Anne S. and G1 Prix Jacques le Marois. Palace Pier stands this season at Dalham Hall Stud for £55,000.

Torquator Tasso also achieved a mark of 125 for his victory in last year's world's highest-rated race, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, in which he defeated a star-studded field at odds of 72-1. Torquator Tasso, owned by Gestut Auenquelle and trained by Marcel Weiss, had previously bested the G1 Deutsches Derby winner Sisfahan (Fr) (Isfahan {Ger}) in the G1 Grosser Preis von Baden, and was Germany's highest-rated horse last year.

Golden Sixty (Aus) proved the highest-rated Hong Kong-trained runner of 2021, earning a rating of 125 for his title defense of the G1 Hong Kong Mile. The 6-year-old Golden Sixty had a 16-race win streak snapped on the weekend when he was second in Sha Tin's G1 Stewards' Cup.

ParisLongchamp's 'Arc' was named the World's Best Horse Race for the fifth time in its 100th running. The World's Best Horse Race is based on annual race ratings, which are calculated from the first four finishers, and in the Arc last year those were Group 1 winners Torquator Tasso, Tarnawa (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), Hurricane Lane (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Adayar. The Arc achieved a rating of 124.75, and was followed by the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (124.5) and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II Qipco S. (123.5).

Jockey Rene Piechulek, who rode Torquator Tasso to victory on the first Sunday in October, talked the audience through his ride in the Arc during the ceremony.

“We jumped off and I had a good position behind Adayar so I stayed behind him,” he said. “I spoke with the trainer before and he said, 'we have to run on the outside so we don't go between horses' and that's why I was happy with my position. William Buick [on Adayar] took the lead after a slow race and I said 'ok, I can't follow him, I have to stay where I've been'. I was happy with my position going around the last bend and I was waiting for somebody to try to pass me. [Deep Bond] was the first one to try this so I waited until he was close to me, and when he was close to me I started to push. When I switched the whip to the left side he started to run very fast. The last 200 metres I thought, 'I'm going to earn money', but I didn't think I could win the race. In the last 100 metres, I knew I was going to win.

“It was an amazing race and I still can't believe it. It's the dream of every good jockey.”

Ryan Moore was announced in December as the Longines World's Best Jockey of 2021, an award decided based on performance in the 100 highest-rated Group and Grade I races in the world. Moore, who was also the world's best jockey in 2014 and 2016, said, “I've always felt throughout my time riding that racing was a global sport and the most important thing was to be competitive all around the world, then you know where you are.

“You only win these awards because of the horses you're riding and I'm very lucky I get to ride some of the best horses for some of the best owners all around the world. You can't do anything without the horse, so it's only because of them.”

The Longines World Racing Awards are co-organized by Swiss watch brand Longines and the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities. Click here for the complete list of ranked horses and the top 100 Group 1 races for 2021.

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With his victory in the $6-million centerpiece of Breeders' Cup weekend, the 5-year-old improved on his previous best ranking of 124. Knicks Go ranks one point higher than the trio of G1 Investec Derby/G1 King George & Queen Elizabeth S. hero Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}); Misriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), winner of the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic and G1 Juddmonte International S.; and the recently retired Cartier Horse of the Year St Marks Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), whose four Group 1 wins in 2021 include a latest defeat of Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal, 120) in the G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown in September.

Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) moved into a tie for seventh on a rating of 124 after carrying his unbeaten streak to six with a neck defeat of Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}, 125) in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. on British Champions weekend at Ascot Oct. 16. The 3-year-old shares that position with the world's top-rated sprinter and reigning Australian Horse of the Year Nature Strip (Aus) (Nicconi {Aus}), who took the lucrative The Everest at Randwick Oct. 16 ahead of a dominating 3 1/4-length success in the G1 Darley Sprint Classic at Flemington Nov. 6.

Sealiway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) has been given a rating of 123 for his gritty victory in the G1 QIPCO British Champion S., where he defeated 3-year-old Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride of Dubai {Aus}) by three-quarters of a length. The latter is also ranked for the first time, having been given 121 for his Ascot efforts.

Also ranked for the first time is 'TDN Rising Star' Life Is Good (Into Mischief), who thrashed his rivals in the GI Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile last Saturday and was given a rating of 123. His previous best was 120.

Efforia (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}), this year's G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) hero, improved his rating to 123 from 120 following his success in the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) at Tokyo Oct. 31 where he had 2020 Triple Crown winner Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), 121) and Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), 121) immediately in his wake.

In Australia, Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) has been assigned a rating of 122 for her four-length victory over Incentivise (Aus) (Shamus Award {Aus}) in the G1 Lexus Melbourne Cup, while State of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) sits on 120 after his win in the G1 Ladbrokes Cox Plate Oct. 31.

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The Siyouni colt, who races for Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, becomes the sixth horse owned by a member of a Coolmore partnership to be crowned Cartier Horse Of The Year following Giant's Causeway (2000), Rock Of Gibraltar (2002), Hurricane Run (2005), Dylan Thomas (2007) and Minding (2016).

The Cartier Racing Awards were established in 1991 to reward excellence in horseracing. There are eight equine awards – the Cartier Horse Of The Year, the Cartier Older Horse, the Cartier Sprinter, the Cartier Stayer, the Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt, the Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly, the Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt and the Cartier Two-Year-Old Filly.

European horseracing's top awards are delivered through a tried and tested combination of points earned by horses in Pattern races (30%), combined at the end of season with the opinions of a panel of racing journalists/handicappers (35%) and votes from readers of Racing Post and The Daily Telegraph (35%).

In addition to the equine awards, the Cartier/Daily Telegraph Award of Merit goes to the person or persons who, in the opinion of the special 16-strong Cartier Jury, has/have done the most for European racing and/or breeding either over their lifetime or within the past 12 months.

Highlights of the prestigious evening will be shown on Sky Sports Racing on the evening of Friday, Nov. 12.

Winner of the G1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes as a two-year-old, St Mark's Basilica has sparkled this season with four G1 victories across France, Britain and Ireland during an unbeaten campaign.

He annexed the Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains, the Qatar Prix du Jockey Club, the Coral-Eclipse and the Irish Champion Stakes. The other nominees for the Cartier Horse of the Year were Baaeed, Mishriff and Torquator Tasso.

Trained by Aidan O'Brien, St Mark's Basilica also takes the honors in the Cartier 3-Year-Old Colt category ahead of Adayar, Baaeed and Hurricane Lane.

Palace Pier, owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum and trained by John and Thady Gosden, takes the Cartier Older Horse award following a superb season that included G1 wins in the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes, the Queen Anne Stakes and the Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois. The other nominees were Lady Bowthorpe, Mishriff and Torquator Tasso. Palace Pier was previously crowned the Cartier 3-Year-Old Colt at the 2020 Cartier Racing Awards.

Snowfall recorded the largest winning margin in the history of the G1 Cazoo Oaks when capturing the Epsom Downs Classic by 16 lengths and the daughter of Deep Impact is named the Cartier 3-Year-Old Filly.

Trained by Aidan O'Brien for a Coolmore syndicate, Snowfall also recorded dominant wins in the G3 Tattersalls Musidora Stakes, G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks and G1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks. Also nominated for Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly were Alcohol Free, Mother Earth and Saffron Beach.

Starman takes the Cartier Sprinter honors for trainer Ed Walker and owner David Ward following an admirable season headlined by success in the G1 Darley July Cup. The Dutch Art colt also placed in the G1 Larc Prix Maurice de Gheest and was narrowly denied in the G1 Betfair Sprint Cup. Fellow G1 winners Creative Force, Emaraaty Ana and Winter Power were also nominated.

One of the most popular horses in training, Trueshan, is named the Cartier Stayer. Trained by Alan King for the Singula Partnership, the five-year-old is unbeaten in his last three starts having won the G1 Qatar Goodwood Cup, the G1 Qatar Prix du Cadran and the G2 QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup. Also nominated for Cartier Stayer were Hurricane Lane, Stradivarius and Subjectivist.

Native Trail is the Cartier 2-Year-Old Colt. Owned by the Maktoum family's Godolphin operation and trained by Charlie Appleby, the Oasis Dream colt is unbeaten in four starts and recorded a brace of G1 successes in the Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes and the Darley Dewhurst Stakes. Native Trail saw off competition from Angel Bleu, Luxembourg and Perfect Power to win the award.

Inspiral takes the honours in the Cartier Two-Year-Old Filly category. Trained by John and Thady Gosden for Cheveley Park Stud, the Frankel filly has won all four of her starts and finished her campaign with victory in the G1 bet365 Fillies' Mile. Also nominated were Discoveries, Tenebrism and Zellie.

The recipient of the Cartier/Daily Telegraph Award of Merit in 2021 is David Elsworth, one of the most successful dual-purpose trainers Britain has produced. In a racing career spanning 67 years, Elsworth has scaled the pinnacles of both Flat and Jump racing, combining Classic success with victories in the Grand National and the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Equally adept at saddling winners at Royal Ascot and the Cheltenham Festival, the trainer also oversaw the careers of two of the most popular horses in racing history – Desert Orchid and Persian Punch.

Harry Herbert, Cartier's Racing Consultant commented: “The 2021 European Flat season has once again highlighted all that is wonderful in this great sport.

“With capacity crowds back at racecourses and some brilliant equine performances, we were ultimately rewarded with a season to savour.

“Racing cannot continue without the ongoing support of owners and I would like to extend my congratulations to tonight's winners – Coolmore, Godolphin, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Cheveley Park Stud, David Ward and the Singula Partnership.

“David Elsworth has truly reached the summit of his profession and is the perfect recipient for the Cartier/Daily Telegraph Award of Merit in 2021. A man whose life has been steeped in racing, Elsworth's career spans 67 years and has scaled the heights of both Jump and Flat racing. One of the most successful dual-purpose trainers Britain has produced, the sport is lucky to call him one of our own.

“I would like to end by extending special thanks to Cartier, Sky Sports Racing, The Daily Telegraph and Racing Post.

“Cartier's support of these prestigious awards stretches right back to 1991 and is ongoing as we once again enjoy all coming together at the Dorchester Hotel for such a wonderful event. We are truly blessed to be able to enjoy such tremendous support.”

Laurent Feniou, Managing Director of Cartier UK, commented: “The 2021 European Flat season has lived up to its billing as horseracing once again highlighted the magic and brilliance of the sport following a challenging 2020.

“I am delighted for the Cartier Racing Awards to be taking place once again at the Dorchester Hotel celebrating another wonderful year of sport.

“It is an honour to celebrate the very best of horseracing and it is a privilege for Cartier to be celebrating the 31st anniversary of the Cartier Racing Awards. My heartfelt congratulations go out to this year's exceptional winners.

“I would like to thank our long-standing media partners, the Racing Post and Daily Telegraph, as well as Sky Sports Racing for their involvement in the awards again.”

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The Cartier Racing Awards were established in 1991 to reward excellence in horseracing. There are eight equine awards – the Cartier Horse Of The Year, the Cartier Older Horse, the Cartier Sprinter, the Cartier Stayer, the Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt, the Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly, the Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt and the Cartier Two-Year-Old Filly.

The 31st annual Cartier Racing Awards will be awarded on Wednesday, Nov. 10 at the Dorchester Hotel to mark a brilliant year of action on the track.

Cartier is delighted to be involved with such a special occasion, which recognizes the hard work, effort and talent of all those involved in the sport.

We are pleased to announce that Sky Sports Racing will broadcast highlights of the awards from the Dorchester Hotel. Coverage from the event will feature interviews with some of the leading names in the sport, as well as winning connections on the night.

Voting is also now open for the 2021 Cartier Racing Awards via www.cartierracingawards.co.uk. Voters will have a direct influence on the outcome of who comes out on top at the Cartier Racing Awards.

Discussing the voting process, Cartier's Racing Consultant Harry Herbert said: “It's been a fabulous season of racing and how exciting to see the various categories with such tight margins. The votes from The Daily Telegraph and Racing Post readers will as always be crucial in deciding this year's champions.”

European horseracing's top awards are delivered through a tried and tested combination of points earned by horses in Pattern races (30%), combined at the end of season with the opinions of a panel of racing journalists/handicappers (35%) and votes from readers of Racing Post and The Daily Telegraph (35%).

The participation of the public plays a crucial role in determining the winners of each year's Cartier Racing Awards and gives horseracing fans the chance to put forward their favourite horses in a meaningful way. The public vote starts Wednesday at noon and ends on Tuesday, Nov. 2 at Noon.

Trained by John and Thady Gosden, Palace Pier has 168 points following his first reversal of the season as Baaeed (88) secured a sixth straight win in one of the centerpieces of a thrilling QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot on Oct. 16.

Palace Pier heads fellow five-time G1 hero St Mark's Basilica (160) and dual G1 scorer Poetic Flare (156) who have both recently been retired to take up stallion duties in Ireland and Japan respectively.

The 4-year-old is also the clear leader in the Cartier Older Horse category ahead of stable companion Mishriff (108), who could only finish fourth in the QIPCO Champion Stakes, and Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Torquator Tasso (96).

Baaeed has been one of the success stories of the season for Shadwell, William Haggas and Jim Crowley, and the dual G1 scorer has 88 points ahead of Lady Bowthorpe (84), who was third in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (sponsored by QIPCO)

St Mark's Basilica (160) and Poetic Flare (156) continue to lead proceedings in the Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt category ahead of Godolphin's Hurricane Lane (152 points) and stablemate Adayar (100), who was fifth in the QIPCO Champion Stakes.

Aidan O'Brien retains a strong hand in the Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly category with Mother Earth and Snowfall both on 144 points. Mother Earth finished a creditable fifth to Baaeed at Ascot, whilst Snowfall suffered a shock defeat to Eshaada (40) in the G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes.

Starman remains the pacesetter in the Cartier Sprinter category on 64 points ahead of G1 Qatar Prix de l'Abbaye scorer A Case Of You (58) and Dragon Symbol (56), who finished down the field behind Godolphin's Creative Force (32) in the G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint.

Trueshan continues to stamp his authority on the Cartier Stayer award for Alan King. The five-year-old backed up victories in the G1 Qatar Goodwood Cup and G1 Qatar Prix du Cadran at ParisLongchamp with a gutsy success in the G2 QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup, a contest which saw old rival Stradivarius (60) finish third.

Dual G1 scorers Native Trail and Perfect Power set the pace in the Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt category with 80 points, while G1 bet365 Fillies' Mile heroine Inspiral leads the Cartier Two-Year-Old Filly standings with 48 points.

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Bred by Highclere Stud and the Duke of Roxburghe's Floors Farming, Palace Pier was bought as a yearling by his trainer John Gosden for 600,000gns and won both his starts in maiden and novice company at two. On just the fourth start of his life, in a season disrupted by the Covid pandemic, he lined up for his first Group 1, beating the previous season's champion 2-year-old Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal) in the St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot.

His next start saw Palace Pier win the first of two consecutive runnings of the G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois before running third to The Revenant (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) on rain-softened ground back at Ascot for QIPCO Champions Day 2020.

A similar pattern was followed this season by John and Thady Gosden. The 4-year-old started his campaign with victory in the G2 bet365 Mile, before beating Lady Bowthorpe (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in the G1 Lockinge S. He made a triumphant return to the Royal Meeting in the G1 Queen Anne S. and was then involved in one of the most thrilling finishes of the season for his second Jacques Le Marois victory, in which he held off 2000 Guineas winner Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) by a neck. Palace Pier's final start came when being beaten the same distance by the up-and-coming Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. on Saturday.

Palace Pier's dam Beach Frolic is a granddaughter of Miss d'Ouilly (Fr) (Bikala {Ire}), who was bought by John Warren from the late owner/breeder Jean-Luc Lagardere in 2000. A half-sister to the Group 2 winners Bonfire (GB) (Manduro {Ger}) and Joviality (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}), Beach Frolic was sold to Coolmore last December for 2.2 million gns.

Commenting on Palace Pier's retirement to Darley's Newmarket division, Sam Bullard, Director of Stallions, said, “Palace Pier is a wonderful horse to look at–and he's even more impressive in full flight. He's dominated the hugely competitive mile division for two seasons. He's a very rare talent and we are privileged to be standing him.”

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Ten years on from the inaugural edition of this now firmly-established feature, the QEII hero of that day Frankel is set for his first sires' championship at the expense of his father Galileo (Ire), who has held the title every year since Ascot ensconced this fixture. Charlie Appleby can take huge credit for Frankel's surge in fortunes in 2021, steering both his golden duo Adayar and Hurricane Lane (Ire) to notable victories in some of the season's apex events. Surprisingly, Banstead Manor's beau ideal has just three representatives on this card, with Adayar his sole fancied runner but Godolphin's generation leader is a colt well capable of carrying much weight on his ample shoulders having won the game-changing purses of the G1 Epsom Derby and G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S.

Alongside potentially cementing his sire's pre-eminence this year, Adayar also has the potential to clinch a personal landmark for William Buick, who after Friday's round in his bout with Oisin Murphy sits three behind in his quest for an initial jockeys' title. As always, there are many threads to this epic tapestry and these are just two, with Prince Faisal, John and Thady Gosden and David Egan looking for world domination with a colt in Mishriff who amounts to a rarity in modern racing. Able to assert his dominance on dirt and turf alike, the homebred 4-year-old has his main rival Adayar and the hastily-retired St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) on his perch at present but a command performance on Berkshire's revered patch could see him transcend both.

Saturday's calm autumn scene will be in stark contrast to the dour damp of 12 months ago, when Mishriff loomed large at the two pole only to sink in the deep ground and finish out of the first three for the first time since his 2-year-old debut. Since that deflating experience, he has forged on unbowed to Riyadh to excel in the Feb. 20 Saudi Cup and to Dubai to subdue Chrono Genesis (Jpn) (Bago {Fr}) in the Mar. 27 G1 Dubai Sheema Classic before gradually extending his influence back in Europe. So emphatic was he in York's G1 Juddmonte International Aug. 18, his re-entry behind St Mark's Basilica and Addeybb in the G1 Eclipse S. at Sandown July 3 and battling second to Adayar in the King George can almost be seen as preparatory exercises.

Ted Voute, racing manager for Prince Faisal, is aware of the magnitude of the occasion. “The Prince has always been happy to take on other good horses, as that's part of the game–to try to be the best. We're excited,” he said. “It's obviously a very good race, but he's still favourite and we're very much looking forward to it. We've got ground that is better than it was for the Arc, which is good. I talked to John on Tuesday after Mishriff had done his final pipe-opener and he said it was very pleasing, so fingers crossed.”

Saturday's feature is anything but a straightforward match, however, with a William Haggas trio and an Irish duo in Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) who at various points in their career have looked capable of having a major say in a contest of his stature. Bolshoi Ballet is a rare Ballydoyle outsider, having failed to shine in three of his four outings since his exciting display in Leopardstown's G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial May 9, while the May 22 G1 Irish 2000 Guineas hero Mac Swiney is threatening to fade into the background if he fails to make the frame for a fifth time since that Curragh Classic high.

Jim Bolger is not one to underestimate and Mac Swiney is accustomed to springing surprises as well as dropping his guard. “He's capable of throwing in a bad one every now and then, so we just have to hope that Saturday won't be one of those,” the master of Coolcullen said. “If it isn't, he won't be far away. There is no trace of ungenuineness about him, but Kevin [Manning] usually knows after going a furlong if it isn't his day and it's a question we haven't succeeded in working out yet.”

In the 25th anniversary of Frankie Dettori's remarkable “Magnificent Seven”, it is more than possible that Ascot will offer him further fruit as he prepares for the enviable mount on Palace Pier and another of the Gosden yard favourites in Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in the G2 QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup. As well as Marc Chan's live contender and 'TDN Rising Star' Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in the G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint S., he has a hot prospect in the closing Balmoral H. in Juddmonte's 'TDN Rising Star' Sunray Major (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}).

There is no doubt that the key ride is in the mile championship on the card, however. “I love Palace Pier, he's done absolutely nothing wrong his whole career,” Dettori said of the five-times Group 1 winner whose career is almost flawless. “The only race he has been beaten in is this one last year, when he lost a shoe and I got squeezed out at the start. He was so far back and with everything that went wrong that day it was a massive run to come home third. I have almighty respect for Baaeed, but Palace Pier has beaten everything that he has faced. He's a champion and probably one of the best milers I have ever ridden so I have confidence he will put in a huge performance.”

Thady Gosden added, “It looks a great race, I'm looking forward to it, but obviously there are some nerves for sure. He's been in good form since the Jacques le Marois and everyone has been happy with him at home. Baaeed looks the big danger, he's the horse coming through the ranks and won a Group 1 last time. This race last year is the only blemish on his record, he's an exceptional racehorse but it was frustrating with the ground last year and he lost two shoes which in that ground will hinder your chances. Whether this is his last race, it's a decision for his owners after the race.”

Away from Palace Pier and Baaeed, there is a G1 Coronation S. and G1 Sussex S. winner on display in Jeff Smith's Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never), who on the form of that July 28 Goodwood feature is an insulting price at around 9-1. Freshened up after her sixth over an extended 10 furlongs in the Juddmonte International, she has ground to suit and her owner-breeder is expecting a bold show in the race which has most captured the imagination of press and public alike. “It brings all the strands of form together and it's certainly the highlight of the day–for me anyway,” he said. “She's already beaten the colts once this year, there was cut in the ground at Goodwood so that won't be an issue, it's just going to be a case of best horse on the day, which is as it should be. She had a break at the stud for about 10 days after York, put on a bit of weight, it was absolutely perfect. I haven't seen her since she went back to Andrew's, but by all accounts she's in cracking form. This will be it for the season, she won't be going abroad but she stays in training next year.”

Godolphin's Master of the Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) is another in the mix, having been beaten a short head when second in the May 1 G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. Third after a lengthy break to Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G2 Joel S. back there Sept. 24, he is Breeders' Cup Mile-bound according to Charlie Appleby. “Master of the Seas has pleased us since his reappearance in the Joel S. last month,” he said. “He is mentally maturing and the hood is removed this time. This is his stepping stone to Del Mar.” Saeed bin Suroor said of Benbatl, whose two most recent visits to this track have seen his normally-reliable form markedly dip when 10th in the 2018 G1 Queen Anne S. and last of 16 in this two years ago, “He came back good from his last race and is working well. There are showers around, but if the ground stays as it is that would be great. It's a very strong race with some of best milers in the world, but hopefully we will see a good run from Benbatl again.”

If there was any doubt that Al Asayl France's The Revenant (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) retained the ability that saw him garner this 12 months ago, they were assuaged by his dynamic comeback effort when second to Benbatl's highly progressive stablemate Real World (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the G1 Prix Daniel Wildenstein he had won for the past two years at ParisLongchamp a fortnight ago. Also second here in 2019, his biggest issue is the drying ground which may detract enough to make this task beyond him at the age of six but there are few who can accelerate as he did last time and this is his chance to prove he is no one-trick pony.

Runner-up to Palace Pier and beaten just 1 1/2 lengths in Newbury's G1 Lockinge S. on a similar surface May 15, the July 29 G1 Nassau S. heroine Lady Bowthorpe (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) is no back-number despite her latest flop when seventh in the G1 Prix Jean Romanet also over 10 furlongs at Deauville Aug. 22. Engaged in the Champion up to Thursday, she was re-routed to the QEII by trainer William Jarvis who said, “Once I saw that the Derby winner Adayar was running in the Champion as well as Mishriff, it wasn't a difficult decision. I don't think we could beat either of them, but we might be competitive in the mile race. Nothing emerged after the Deauville race, although she didn't settle in the stables despite having travelled over there well. I've been delighted with her since and we are all looking forward to this.”

There is significantly less intrigue in the preceding G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S., where Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) will trade as the day's shortest-priced favourite owing to a clutch of absentees from the mile-and-a-half contest. Like Adayar and a host of others staging a quick turnaround from ParisLongchamp having been sixth in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, the G1 Epsom Oaks, July 17 G1 Irish Oaks and Aug. 19 G1 Yorkshire Oaks heroine may only need to repeat her clear-cut defeat of Kirsten Rausing's Albaflora (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) in the latter contest to provide Aidan O'Brien with his most likely winner on the afternoon. “Snowfall ran well in the Arc,” he said. “The ground was very soft and there wasn't much pace. We took our time on her, but we probably expected there to be more pace in the race.”

Albaflora, who was the seven-length winner of the Listed Buckhounds S. over this course and distance May 8, may have been largely underwhelming subsequently but there is a sense that she is a filly coming good at the right time. “We have four lengths to make up on Snowfall, but she has had a hard race in the Arc and we are coming here fresh and ready,” jockey Rossa Ryan said. “We've learnt a thing or two about her and she's been working well at home and feels great. She tends to go a lot better when she has had a good break between her races and is bucking and fly-leaping at home. She really comes into her own in the autumn and we've learnt that she likes to pass horses and come through them. This stiff mile and a half will suit her better than York, as my filly gets a mile and six.”

Team Valor's Invite (Ire) (The Gurkha {Ire}) is another who stays well, having won the Listed Stand Cup over an extended 12 furlongs at Chester Sept.  11, and will be suited by the ground riding on the soft side. Ridden by David Egan's father John, she offers the intriguing prospect of a family double on the card with Mishriff to come for Egan Jr. “She's not exactly an extravagant worker, but I liked what I saw when she won at Chester on her only start for us,” trainer Andrew Balding commented. “That was nice to see and she's obviously a filly with plenty of ability.”

Now comfortably ahead in the jockeys' championship, Oisin Murphy could seal another title as early as the Sprint, with Yoshiro Kubota's 'TDN Rising Star' Dragon Symbol (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}) back over the course and distance of his success in the G1 Commonwealth Cup. Stripped of that win by the stewards at the Royal meeting June 18, he was second to the sadly-absent Starman (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) in the G1 July Cup at Newmarket July 10 and had Art Power (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Glen Shiel (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) behind there. After three subsequent defeats over five furlongs, he could have his day in the sun at last.

“It's great to get Dragon Symbol back at Ascot,” the rider said. “He's a very good horse and it will be interesting to see how he goes since he's been freshened up. He's had a full month to get over that and Archie Watson is very happy with him. I'm pleased with his low draw in three, he's drawn amongst some fancied horses and it would be lovely to end the season on a high with him.” Watson added, “Dragon Symbol hasn't run a bad race all year and stepping back up to six furlongs will suit him grand. On his Royal Ascot and July Cup form in particular, he should be bang there and he deserves one of these.”

Art Power, who was fourth in this 12 months ago, recorded a confidence-restoring five-length success in the G3 Renaissance S. over this trip at The Curragh Sept. 25, having been set some stiff tasks under aggressive rides this summer. Trainer Tim Easterby said, “He's an absolute machine and he's in great form. He goes well at Ascot–not that it would bother him where the race was run, as he's so adaptable–and he's in great order, so fingers crossed.”

One who is an unknown against these battle-hardened sprinters is Shadwell's unexposed G2 Gimcrack S. winner and G1 Middle Park S. third Minzaal (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), who was second in the five-furlong Listed Rous S. here on his belated seasonal bow a fortnight ago. Trainer Owen Burrows said, “It was very pleasing to see him run such a good race and it proved he's still got it. The ground will be much better than last time and he's back up to six furlongs, which we know he's a lot more effective at.” Also in action on that day was the 3-year-old filly Vadream (GB) (Brazen Beau {Aus}), who stayed on strongly to win the G3 Bengough S. over this trip. “She's been unbelievably consistent all year,” trainer Charlie Fellowes said. “She is a very good filly and a quick filly. She has run very well at Ascot, which is always a big plus on that straight course. She needs to step forward again, but the better ground would not be an issue. We go there very much in hope rather than expectation, but she is in cracking form.”

Stradivarius has his G1 Prix du Cadran conqueror Trueshan (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}) to deal with in the Long Distance Cup and with Ascot blessed with a dry week, their reunion takes place on a surface neither ideal or otherwise for both. Frankie believes it will be closer this time. “Stradivarius takes his racing well and seems ready for a rematch with Trueshan,” he said. “I have plenty of respect for Trueshan, who is a very good horse under extreme conditions, but I think now that the ground is going to be better at Ascot that will help bridge the gap and make things more of a level playing field.”

Trueshan's trainer Alan King is hoping this is not a case of going back to the well too often and said, “We haven't done much with him since Longchamp, but he had a little breeze on Wednesday and Dan [Horsford], who rides him every day, was happy with him. We're under no illusions, it's only two weeks since the two of them had a hard race, but it's Trueshan's last race of the season so he's got all winter to get over it. We think he's okay, but we can't really be certain until we get on the track. The ground will be fine. I've always said I'd run him on good ground, so I'm not that worried.”

William Haggas has a potential wildcard for the Cup in the family-owned and bred Hamish (GB) (Motivator {GB}), who beat Hukum (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in the G3 September S. on his seasonal debut over a mile and a half on Kempton's Polytrack Sept. 4. Bred to stay this two miles, he is one of the race's most interesting candidates and could be a potential star of the staying ranks if he can be kept sound. “If you want to take the Hukum form at face value, Hamish would definitely have a chance, but I don't think we saw Hukum at his best at Kempton,” his trainer said. “Hamish is a good horse all the same and the ground is going to suit him. He's in good form and he looks great.”

Like Hamish, LECH Racing's June 4 GII Belmont Gold Cup winner Baron Samedi (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) is a stayer on the up and his latest third in the G1 Irish St Leger at The Curragh Sept. 12 puts him in the frame here. “Baron Samedi has been the most wonderful horse, winning seven times as he improved from basement-level handicapper to Group 2 winner,” trainer Joseph O'Brien commented. “He ran a very good race to finish third in the Irish St Leger last time and that run confirmed to us that staying trips will be his game. This even stronger test of stamina, combined with first-time cheekpieces, should suit him and it wouldn't surprise to see him run a big race.” He also saddles one of Frankel's trio of runners in Master of Reality (Ire) and he said of that veteran, “The last time he ran at Ascot, he gave Stradivarius a scare in the Gold Cup at the Royal meeting so it would be brave to dismiss him.”

Away from Ascot, Leopardstown stage the seven-furlong G3 Richmond Homes Killavullan S. which has been won by the subsequent G1 2000 Guineas heroes Footstepsinthesand (GB) and Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) in recent times. The latter's trainer Jim Bolger saddles Boundless Ocean (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who was second on his debut only on Thursday at The Curragh while Footstepsinthesand's trainer Aidan O'Brien also backs up Saturday's G1 Dewhurst S. sixth Glounthaune (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}). Interestingly, that was the same tactic applied by Bolger with Poetic Flare 12 months ago, while two 'TDN Rising Stars' are also lining up in Moyglare Stud Farm's Sept. 12 G1 Moyglare Stud S. fifth Homeless Songs (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and John and Sheila Lavery's Sept. 26 Curragh maiden winner New Energy (Ire) (New Bay {GB}).

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The William Haggas-trained 3-year-old made his racecourse debut only four months ago but he is already a Group 1 winner in the Prix Du Moulin at ParisLongchamp and is disputing favoritism with last year's champion miler Palace Pier in a line-up which also includes last year's winner The Revenant, this year's QIPCO 2000 Guineas runner-up Master Of The Seas, and top-class fillies Alcohol Free, Lady Bowthorpe, and Mother Earth.

Haggas has been delighted with Baaeed and said: “With the likes of Palace Pier and Alcohol Free in the field it could be the race of the day, but Baaeed's preparation has gone well and he's in good shape. He's a nice horse and he's come a long way in a short space of time.”

John Gosden sounds just as pleased with Palace Pier, who is already a five-time Group 1 winner, including twice at Ascot, but met his only defeat in a ten-race career when third here 12 months ago.

He said: “It was frustrating when Palace Pier had to miss the Sussex Stakes with that blood disorder but he has since won the Prix Jacques Le Marois and it was always the intention after that to wait for this race.

“He's been training well and he'll appreciate what will hopefully be nicer ground than last year. A little over a week ago it was bottomless, and while we don't expect it to dry out to good to firm, it won't be like that.”

The Revenant is peaking at the right time once again judging from his fast-finishing short neck second behind Real World in the Prix Daniel Wildenstein at ParisLongchamp last weekend, when having his first race since May. However, drying ground could be a concern.

In an interview for QIPCO British Champions Series last week, trainer Francis-Henri Graffard said: “Two years ago on his first attempt he ran a fantastic race to finish second to a good horse (King Of Change), and when we went back last year we were very confident because he had come on a lot for his run at Longchamp. He had his ground and he was spot on, and he delivered, which was very good. If he has his ground again he will be ready to defend his title.”

The Coronation Stakes and Qatar Sussex Stakes winner Alcohol Free missed last weekend's Kingdom Of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes to wait for this, and if successful again here the prize money would provide a massive boost to Andrew Balding's hopes of winning a first trainers' title after he lost the lead to Charlie Appleby at Newmarket last weekend during the Dubai Future Champions Festival.

Balding said: “The QEII has always been the aim for Alcohol Free. We sidestepped the Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket as we felt that it might be a bit tight going to Ascot oly two weeks later, and she seems in great form.”

Benbatl will also merit respect. Saeed Bin Suroor's globe-trotting seven-year-old has been a Group 1 winner at racecourses as far afield as Caulfield in Australia, Meydan in the UAE, and a little closer to home in Munich, Germany. His recent Newmarket Group 2 defeat of Pogo suggests his enthusiasm is undimmed.

The ten confirmations for the race are completed by Njord, who has been Group-placed on several occasions since winning the Balmoral Handicap (Sponsored By QIPCO) for Jessica Harrington on last year's card and 2019 Queen Anne Stakes winner Lord Glitters.

Full entries:

• Benbatl (GB)
• Lord Glitters (FR)
• Njord (IRE)
• Palace Pier (GB)
• The Revenant (GB)
• Baaeed (GB)
• Lady Bowthorpe (GB)
• Master of The Seas (IRE)
• Alcohol Free (IRE)
• Mother Earth (IRE)

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There are highlights at every turn, as befits Britain's most valuable raceday, which this year offers prize money of £4,091,250 (US$4,726,641), up 61 percent on last year's totals. The QIPCO Champion Stakes is set to be the richest race in the UK this year with £1.2 million (US$1.39 million) in prize money, with the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (sponsored by QIPCO) also run for in excess of £1 million (US$1.16 million).

In total, 26 Group 1 winners remain engaged and between them they have won 56 races at the highest level. Eight Classic winners remain in contention to run – including three of this year's British Classic winners in Mother Earth, Snowfall and Adayar.

It could be a momentous afternoon for John Gosden, now training in partnership with his son Thady, as he is set to saddle five leading contenders in six races – Stradivarius (QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup), Free Wind (QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares), Palace Pier (Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (sponsored by QIPCO)), Mishriff (QIPCO Champion Stakes) and Sunray Major, favorite for the Balmoral Handicap. The Champion Trainer will be seeking to add to his haul of eight winners on QIPCO British Champions Day – the same tally as Aidan O'Brien.

“QIPCO British Champions Day has become the definitive season-ending meeting. It's wonderfully sponsored and a great event, with Group 1s from six furlongs to a mile and a half, as well as a very valuable Group 2 for stayers, but I think what's most interesting to me is that it attracts a much younger crowd,” Gosden said.

“I've said this before, but it's very noticeable as you go through the grandstand that a lot of them are in their teens, twenties and thirties, and that's so important to our business if we are not going to wind up irrelevant. Ascot has a different feel on QIPCO British Champions Day, and that's a great positive. The more we can encourage it the better.”

William Haggas, who won last year's QIPCO Champion Stakes with Addeybb, is another big fan of the meeting. He said: “QIPCO British Champions Day is a huge and momentous occasion. It's the culmination of a long season in Britain. Everyone wants to win there.”

The going at Ascot is currently Good to Soft, Soft in places on the straight course, and Soft, Good to Soft places on the round course. The latest Going Stick readings were 7.7 (straight) and 5.4 (round).

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