QIPCO British Champions Day live on Sky Sports: Mostahdaf team watching Ascot forecast closely with Breeders' Cup as plan B
Mostahdaf one of 11 left in contention for Saturday's Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot; rainfall current estimates from Wednesday to Saturday are 17mm to 23mm with ground currently Good to Soft; watch every race live on Sky Sports Racing
Tuesday 17 October 2023 16:43, UK
Mostahdaf's connections will keep a close eye on conditions at Ascot before making a final call on his participation in Saturday's Qipco Champion Stakes.
Winner of the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Juddmonte International at York this season, John and Thady Gosden's five-year-old is in line to return to Berkshire on Champions Day.
However, a forecast for heavy rain later in the week and the prospect of running on soft or even heavy ground is an obvious concern for a horse who has a proven preference for a fast surface.
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Angus Gold, racing manager for owner-breeders Shadwell, said: "The forecast isn't good obviously, but there's no point making a fuss about it and we've got to take what we're given.
"We'll just keep an eye on it and I'll speak to Sheikha Hissa and speak to John and see if we can come up with a decision between us.
"As we all know at this meeting, at this time of year, you can get very bad ground and when he raced on it in last year's Arc he couldn't handle that at all.
"There's no point getting beat just for the sake of it, but at the same time we're very keen to run and try to round off his season with another big win at Ascot."
Connections do have a fallback option in the form of the Breeders' Cup Turf on November 4, but they are not looking beyond Saturday at this stage.
"That was always the thing - the number one aim was Ascot and if because of the weather or whatever it didn't come off, then we had the option of the Breeders' Cup," Gold added. "We haven't discussed it properly as we've always been hoping to go to Ascot."
Varian confident Dettori will suit King Of Steel
Roger Varian is confident King Of Steel is at the top of his game ahead of his bid to provide Frankie Dettori with what could be a farewell winner in Britain in Saturday's Qipco Champion Stakes.
Narrowly denied Derby glory by Auguste Rodin at Epsom, the Wootton Bassett colt enjoyed his day in the sun when dominating the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot before running well in defeat in both the King George and the Irish Champion Stakes.
With owners Amo Racing no longer retaining Kevin Stott, Dettori has been called up for what is scheduled to be the Italian's final mount in Europe on British Champions Day - and Varian believes his star three-year-old is in prime condition as he looks to give his rider the perfect send-off on UK soil.
"Regardless of whether Frankie is signing off or not, I think he'll suit the horse, and I think the race will suit him too," said the trainer. "He [Dettori] came and rode him and he was happy with him. It won't be an easy race, but both horse and jockey go there in good form. I wouldn't swap him.
"He's been training great and he looks terrific. They tell you when they are right, and he's telling us right now.
"The Breeders' Cup isn't completely off the table, but the Champion Stakes at Ascot comes first of course and that's where our focus lies."
King Of Steel is one of 11 horses in contention for the Champion Stakes following the confirmation stage, with Horizon Dore and last year's winner Bay Bridge other major players.
The Clarehaven team have also confirmed Nashwa, although she also has the option of running in the preceding Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, while William Haggas has left in both last year's third My Prospero and the globetrotting Dubai Honour.
Via Sistina (George Boughey), Royal Rhyme (Karl Burke) and Aidan O'Brien's pair of Point Lonsdale and Paddington are the other acceptors, although the latter is also widely expected to line up in the QEII over a mile.
