Champions Day countdown: Facteur Cheval on course for QEII

Connections of Facteur Cheval are eager to see more rainfall at Ascot ahead of his tilt at the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Qipco British Champions Day.

Jerome Reynier’s ultra-consistent performer is yet to finish outside the first three in five outings this term, beaten less than two lengths on each occasion, with his last three appearances coming at Group One level.

The Facteur Cheval team are looking forward to another crack at Paddington having been short of room when second to Aidan O’Brien’s prolific winner in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.

“It’s the plan and he could run on any type of surface, but he’s better with some give in the ground and the wetter the better, like when he won the Prix Perth at Saint-Cloud,” said Barry Irwin, CEO of Team Valor, who own the horse in partnership with Gary Barber.

“We have skipped some other races he could have run in waiting for the race next weekend figuring it would be really wet again.”

If the ground is quicker than Facteur Cheval ideally likes, connections will use it as a guide to next year.

Irwin added: “I think at this point we’re looking at it as much, if not more, as a test to see how he handles that (quicker) going at this point of his life, as our goal next year is the Dubai Turf. This will be a good test to see how he handles that type of track.

“That mile up the straight at Ascot is more like a mile and eighth and that’s the distance of the Dubai Turf.

“That’s what we’re looking at and whether we are going to have a big impact on this race now – and unless we get lucky and the ground turns very soft – that is something we’re a bit concerned about obviously.”

Hughie Morrison’s One For Bobby is set for an outing on Qipco British Champions Day – but conditions will dictate if Stay Alert joins her stablemate in the line-up for the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot.

The Berkshire track will be a fitting place for the four-year-old to end a successful season as it is the place her breeder Frank Dunne saddled the great Stanerra to register a Royal Ascot double in 1983.

She has won twice in four starts since joining Morrison ahead of the 2023 campaign and having secured Listed honours at Nottingham on her stable bow, she added a Group Three at Vichy in the summer.

One For Bobby was last seen finishing well held in the Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville but her handler is now prepared to give the daughter of Frankel another opportunity at Group One level.

“She didn’t run her race the other day at Deauville and had a sore foot,” said Morrison. “If we got her back to form, she might surprise a few people. I think she will get the one-mile-four, whether she is over the top or not we will find out on the day.

“She has got a Group and Listed win and that was what we were asked to do. She won at Nottingham and then won in France.”

On the potential participation of Stay Alert, Morrison added: “She’s a possible, but you wouldn’t want too much more rain.”

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