Champions Day: Frankel factor will again loom large

Frankel lit up the first two editions of Champions Day and his presence is set to loom large at Ascot next weekend.

The now 15-year-old is firmly on course to be Europe’s champion sire for the third successive year and have collectively won £12.3 million between them this year.

Frankel has been represented by 224 different runners this year and almost half of them have won. Westover has been his No 1 money spinner, winning the Grand Prix de Siant-Cloud and finishing runner-up in the Prix de l’Arc. De Triomphe, King George and Coronation Cup. He also picked up £1 million for finishing second in the Dubai Sheema Classic.

Siyouni is Frankel’s his nearest pursuer but trails him by the best part of £6 million. He won’t be catching him even his star pair, Paddington and Tahiyra, fight out the finish of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. Kingman, Dubawi, Lope De Vega and Sea The Stars are next in the rankings.

Frankel could stamp his authorty in style this weekend. Here’s his potential squad of runners.

1 MOSTAHDAF

Race: QIPCO Champion Stakes. Odds: 7-1.

He will be the highest-rated horse in action on Champions Day and could well keep the family flag flying high in the day’s biggest race. Impressive when swooping from off the pace to gain a four-length win of the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Ascot in June and then made all in the Juddmonte International at the expense of Nashwa and Paddington.

2 NASHWA

Race: Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. Odds: 5-1.

He record in the best company in the past couple of years stands close inspection and she should make her presence felt in whatever race she ends up in. Romped home in the Falmouth Stakes in July and as good as ever when going close in the Juddmonte International and Irish Champion Stakes on her past two starts.

3 TIME LOCK

Race: Fillies & Mares Stakes. Odds: 11-2.

She signed off last season by running Haskoy to a neck in the Galtres Stakes at York and has hit form with a vengeance on her past two starts, winning in Listed company in France before powering to a wide-margin victory in the Group Three company at Newmarket last time.

4 CHALDEAN

Race: Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. Odds: 11-1.

Emulated Frankel by pulling off the Dewhurst/2000 Guineas double before chasing home Paddington in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. Disappointed in France soon after but now resumes after a three-month break.

5 AL MUBHIR

Race: Balmoral Handicap. Odds: 12-1.

He was entered in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes until the latest confirmation stage, which perhaps tells us something. It hasn’t quite happened for him this year but there has been a few mitigating circumstances and he may still have a big day in him.

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6 ONE FOR BOBBY

Race: Fillies & Mares Stakes. Odds: 25-1.

Not an obvious contender, although he’s chalked up a couple of wins this term and ran some decent races in defeat. She wasn’t disgraced when third behind Al Husn and Nashwa at Newcastle in June and ran well for a long way behind Mqse De Sevign and Via Sistina in a Group One at Deauville last time.

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