Second favourite for the Group One Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Saturday, Kameko, will miss the contest and instead be aimed towards the Breeders’ Cup meeting next month in the USA.
Having been a Group One winner as a juvenile, Kameko on his seasonal reappearance as a three year old ripped apart an even better field in the 2000 Guineas, showing some serious pace to beat the other runners which included champion two year old Pinatubo.
He was stepped up in trip for the Epsom Derby and with many thinking the horse would not stay and he didn't as he could only finish a tiring fourth.
Stepping back down to a mile for the Sussex Stakes, with two furlongs out he looked to be travelling the best of the pack but getting no run and running into other horses, he could not unleash his challenge.
“After a bit of trial and error, it’s obvious that a mile is his trip. We go there full of hope and optimism as a Guineas winner who still seems to be in great form, even at the end of a long season.”
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) October 12, 2020
Kameko is on course for the QEII on #ChampionsDay >>>https://t.co/0QKHvtqRIk pic.twitter.com/eJlh3KsdPS
He was tried in a hot Juddmonte International where again the step back up in trip did not suit him and the penny dropped that the mile is the distance he should be raced over.
He proved this when getting back to winning ways in the Group Two Joel Stakes at Newmarket and from there it was all systems go to Champions Day on Saturday.
However, Trainer Andrew Balding and owners Qatar Racing have since made the choice to withdraw the superstar from the race in favour of heading o the Breeders’ Cup Mile on November 7th, on account that the ground at Ascot on Saturday will be too testing for the colt.
(Credit ATR) David Redvers, racing manager for Sheikh Fahad’s operation, said: “Given the ground at Ascot is going to be testing, Kameko will go straight to the Breeders’ Cup and will not run on Saturday.”