Champion Stakes Guide 2021

The four year old exceeded expectations last term being unbeaten on all three of his starts to date, starting in the Listed Newmarket Stakes where he saw off his highly touted stablemate Waldkonig.

He then stepped up to the French Derby at Chantilly and he landed the event in fine style, pulling away from a talented field to take the first Group One of his career.

Gosden went with the approach that if its not broke, don't fix it and he sent him back to France for the Group Two Prix Guillaume daEUR and although only a small field took to post, he landed the spoils nicely.

Having swerved the Arc the colt was in flying form and headed for the Champion Stakes at Ascot for his final run of the season and unfortunately ran no sort of race and was outclassed on the day.

However, having been given a break and fine tuned for his run in the Saudi Cup he stayed on best of the rest in the final stages to see off American challenger Charlatan to land the second renewal of the race.

His international exploits didn't stop there and last time out he was seen landing the Group One Dubai Sheema Classic in the final strides at Meydan to cap off a superb few months in Asia.

The son of Make Believe was given a break and returned in the four runner Coral Eclipse and was outclassed by both St Mark's Basilica and Addeybb.

However, he seemed to need the run that day and it bought him on a fair bit next time out when chasing home Derby winner Adayar in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.

Last time out he gave one of the performances of his career when bolting up in the Juddmonte International, seeing off Alenquer by six lengths eased down.

One to beat at this trip and not giving as much weight away to Adayar this time.

The son of Frankel has been seen five times now, finishing fourth on debut in October at Nottingham over 8.5 furlongs when looking to learn a lot for the experience.

He then went back over the same course and distance later that month and got of the mark for the first time in his career, taking the event by an impressive nine lengths.

Saved for this season he made his return in the Group Three Classic Trial at Sandown in April and finished a staying on second behind a nice type for William Haggas.

He was then stepped up in trip for the Listed Derby Trial at Lingfield and finished a fair second behind Third Realm who was better on the day.

With his form falling short this year, he was overlooked to begin with for the Epsom Derby but the closer the race came the more that punters latched onto him and in the end he went on to win easily by close to five lengths under a superb ride by Adam Kirby.

From there it was all systems go to the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes where he managed to see of the smart Mishriff and Love to take the Group One.

Last time out he was seen contesting the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe where the soft ground scuppered his chances late on and he had to settle for a good fourth

He sets some of the best form standards over 1m4f this season and if being able to be as effective over this trip then he is a leading player.

With the British Champions Day edging ever nearer, today we are looking back last year's renewal of the big race, with the William Haggas trained Addeybb landed his first ever Group One in the UK.

The seven year old over a year ago went over to Australia for the first time in his career and at the back end of March 2020 became a black type winner for the first time when taking the Ranvet Stakes on his first start down under.

The big target whilst Addeybb was over there was to race in the Group One Queen Elizabeth Stakes and on April 11th, with the rain bringing his favoured soft ground, he went on to take the contest with ease.

Coming back over to the UK, he made his seasonal debut in the Group One Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot and he finished a decent second to the stand alone winner Lord North.

Haggas explained that he needed a run before heading to Ascot and was seen earlier this month when taking the Listed Doonside Cup, blowing away the cobwebs.

It looked a perfect prep run and with Magical, who beat him last year in the Group One race since winning another Group One, the form of the 2019 Champion Stakes looked superb.

Addeybb then went into the Champion Stakes looking to reverse some form and with the rain coming the gelding was an emphatic winner of the race, going on to land the third Group One of his career, seeing off a field full of top quality rivals.

This year he has been seen twice back down under, finishing a narrow second in the Group One Ranvet Stakes behind the smart Verry Elleegant.

The two met again last time out in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes and he managed to reverse the form under a superb ride by Tom Marquand.

Having conquered Australia for a second time he came back to England and having swerved Royal Ascot went straight to the Coral Eclipse where he was well beaten by the superstar St Mark's Basilica.

The gelding has not been seen since then and should be fresh for his title defence.

The three year old gelding was a fair juvenile, but this term has changed into a fine racehorse, winning two of his three events.

He started the season off over a mile in the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot and finished a close up fourth of 29 runners on quick ground.

Stepped up to 10f after that he got off the mark for the season when taking the bet365 Handicap in gritty fashion.

With soft conditions being his preferred ground, he went to France for the Group Two Prix Guillaume d'Ornano last time out and revelling in both the trip and the ground he took the event in fine style.

Dubai Honour solidified himself as one of the most progressive horses this term when landing the Group Two Prix Dollar last time out at Longchamp.

The softer the ground the better for him and although he needs to step up again going into Group One company he has not done a lot wrong this term.

The third Haggas runner in the field Al Aasy has a lot to do to get on terms with many of these proven Group One contenders.

The four year old last year showed serious ability when winning back to back races at Newmarket over 12 and 13 furlongs, but went to Glorious Goodwood after that and flopped.

Many might have given up on the Sea The Stars colt after that, but on seasonal debut he stepped up for the Group Three Surprise Stakes over course and distance and ran out a very easy 4 1/2 lengths winner.

Sent into the Group Three Al Rayyan Stakes over 1m4f at Newbury last time out, he could not have been an easy winner of the race, cruising to the front and demolishing a field on the bridle that included St Leger winner Logician and Dante Stakes winner Thunderous.

It was arguably one of the performances of the season and he tried to reproduce that last time out in the Group One Coronation Cup but was unfortunately chinned on the line by the gritty Pyledriver.

Looking to get back to winning ways he was next seen at Newmarket in the Princess Of Wales Stakes and again he finished a narrow second to the determined Sir Ron Priestley.

Given a break he returned in the Group Three Legacy Stakes at Newbury and like his previous runs having travelled well, when asked for more he found very little and wilted into fourth.

Needs more.

The Cedric Rossi trained Sealiway is a big price in this event and off the back of his Arc run he looks to have a big each way chance dropping back in trip.

The three year old was a bright juvenile winning four of his seven events and then also going on to run well at Keeneland in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf.

This term he made his seasonal return when second over a mile at Longchamp and looked to back that up next time out over the same C&D but flopped in the French 2000 Guineas behind St Mark's Basilica.

Up in trip for the last time he was seen in the French Derby at Chantilly, he was a much better second behind the same horse for Ballydoyle.

Stepping up again for his first try at 1m4f last time out in the Arc he was a good fifth behind some smart horses and can't be overlooked.

The son of New Approach is a mud lover, signified by his Group One victory on his final run last season as a two year old.

The runner stepped up on his fourth placed re-appearance run at Leopardstown to land the Group One Irish 2000 Guineas in the mud at The Curragh, edging out Poetic Flare by a head, highly respectable form.

He has since stepped up to middle distances, however was disappointing when well beaten in the English and Irish Derby's with fourth and sixth placed finishes.

Mishriff was dominant in the International Stakes next time out at York in the Juddmonte International, but it was a more encouraging run from Mac Swiney back down at 10f, beating the likes of Alcohol Free and getting within 1.5 lengths of Love.

The step back down to a mile in the Group Two Boomerang Mile looks like it should of suited, but having only beat three home it was a underwhelming performance and needs much more in this company.

Euchen Glen has been a superb horse over the years for connections but just looks out of his depth in this Group One field and would be a shock winner of the race.

Having ran credibly for the majority of the season, he was a weak 11th in the Ebor two starts ago but last time out got back to form when a narrow second in the Listed Doonside Cup at Ayr.

Lovely horse, but not at Group One Level and 66/1 looks right.

The 400,000gns son of Zoffany will be praying for the rain to fall on Saturday with his best efforts coming with cut in the ground.

Having been smart on both his starts as a juvenile, he made his seasonal debut this term at Chester over 10.5f in the Listed Dee Stakes where he ran in behind some very smart horses, maybe needing the run first time out.

He came on a bunch for that run at Royal Ascot to land the Golden Gates Handicap over 1m2f, seeing off some decent runners in style.

Back on quick ground next time out at the July meeting he was a head second to Dubai Honour in another smart event and the winner has since gone on to land a Group Two in France, twice.

Foxes Tales also franked the form next time out when winning well on soft ground at Haydock over 10.5f in the Group Three Rose Of Lancaster Stakes.

He then was last seen at Newbury in the Group Three Legacy Stakes finishing a neck second to Solid Stone, but easily beating Al Aasy and the pair of them look the wrong prices compared to each other.

Shouldn't win the race but could surprise a few if the rain falls.

The final runner of the race is the Aidan O'Brien trained Bolshoi Ballet, who promised so much at the start of the season but has slightly fizzled out.

The three year old son of Galileo was seen three times as a juvenile, finishing third at Newmarket on debut over a mile in a Maiden and backing that up at Leopardstown over the same trip when getting off the mark for the first time in his career.

He was sent to Saint-Cloud for the Group One Criterium and could only finish a close up fifth behind some nice horses, wit the softer ground going against him.

The colt came back for his first race of the season over course and distance at Leopardstown and managed to land the Group Three Ballysax Stakes in good style.

It showed his versatility winning on good ground and having handled soft in the past he put him in good stead for his trip back over C&D in the Derrinstown Derby Trial.

Taking on the likes of Irish 2000 Guineas winner Mac Swiney and Southern Lights, he left the field for dead to win the Group Three event over 1m2f.

However, since that run his season has gone down hill, finishing a weak seventh in the Epsom Derby when favourite and apart from winning the Belmont Derby in America, he has since ran three times in the states and flattered to deceive.

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