Horse Racing News Monday 16th October 2017

Aidan O'Brien has to wait to equal, and surely inevitably beat, the world record for number of Grade/Group One wins in a year as he was out of luck at Woodbine racecourse on Sunday. He remains on 24 G.1 winners to date in 2017. With the aforementioned Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday many would expect the wait may not be too long but even though the Ballydoyle maestro has a plethora of entries for the big day the only jolly he has is Order Of St George in the Group Two Long Distance Cup!

The Five-day declarations for Qipco British Champions Day are out and a number of the big names are still due to line-up.

Harry Angel remains on course to try to land a third successive top-level victory of the season in the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot on Saturday. The Clive Cox-trained three-year-old is one of 14 remaining horses in the six-furlong Group One contest as he bids to follow up his victories in the July Cup and Sprint Cup.

The John Gosden-trained Journey could attempt to register back-to-back wins in the Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes.

Big Orange and Order Of St George, the first two home in the Ascot Gold Cup, could renew rivalry in the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup.

Ribchester could face up to 16 rivals in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on Saturday. Richard Fahey's stable star is a hot favourite for the straight-mile Group One having struck three times at the top level this season in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury, the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot and, most recently, the Prix du Moulin at Chantilly.

Cracksman and Barney Roy are among 17 horses confirmed for the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot on Saturday. Since placing in both the Epsom Derby and the Irish equivalent at the Curragh, the John Gosden-trained Cracksman has impressed in the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York and the Prix Niel at Chantilly. Connections decided against a clash with stablemate Enable in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and he is instead set to drop to a mile and a quarter on Champions Day. Barney Roy, trained by Richard Hannon for Godolphin, was runner-up to Churchill in the 2,000 Guineas before gaining his revenge in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. The Excelebration colt has since been beaten by Ulysses in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown and in the Juddmonte International at York. Ulysses still has the option after finishing third in the Arc at the start of the month. Trainer Sir Michael Stoute could also saddle Poet's Word. Aidan O'Brien's battalion includes Highland Reel, Churchill and Rhododendron - but not multiple Group One-winning filly Winter, who has also been taken out of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes. Potential French challenger Brametot is another interesting contender.