Connections of Nashwa weighing up their Group 1 options ahead of British Champions Day
The fields for Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot were starting to take shape on Monday but the options remained open for Group 1 winner Nashwa, who could line up in the Champions Stakes (3.45) or drop back to a mile for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (3.05) on Saturday.
The four-year-old landed the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes over a mile in July and was last seen finishing third in the 1m2f Irish Champion Stakes.
"We're weighing up both options and it will be slightly, but not entirely, ground dependent," said Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner Imad Alsagar. "She's shown she's effective at a mile and a quarter and a mile, so we'll look at the races and the ground, and put her into the best slot.
"Any year you win a Group 1 with a filly is a good one and we're trying to make it a really good one on Saturday. I'd imagine she'll have a number of options next season but we need to sit down and talk about that. Something like Dubai could be under consideration."
If she lines up in the QEII, Nashwa could take on Paddington, who has an alternative engagement in the Champion Stakes, as well as Inspiral, Tahiyra, Big Rock, Chaldean, Triple Time and Angel Bleu, who was last seen winning the Group 2 Celebration Mile by half a length at Goodwood in August and was supplemented at a cost of £70,000 on Monday.
"This will be his final race," said Jamie McCalmont, racing manager to Marc Chan, owner of the four-year-old. "The ground was a big factor in our decision to supplement. If we thought it was going to be any firmer than good then we wouldn't have supplemented, although it's been hard to predict rainfall this year."
Earlier on the card, Chan will be represented by Kinross, who is favourite for the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes (1.50) in which he is set to renew rivalry with Shaquille, who beat him in the Group 1 July Cup.
Kinross: runs in the British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot on Saturday
Kinross won the Lennox Stakes and City of York Stakes before being narrowly denied when bidding for back-to-back wins in the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp this month. He won last year's British Champions Sprint under Frankie Dettori, who retains the partnership at his final meeting as a full-time jockey in Britain.
"We're very much looking forward to running him," said McCalmont. "He could easily go to the Breeders' Cup after this and is likely to run in the Hong Kong Mile in December. He'll tell us when he's ready to retire and while he's in this good condition, his age is kind of irrelevant."
Impressive Prix Dollar winner Horizon Dore, Mostahdaf, Bay Bridge and King Of Steel, who is also set to be partnered by Dettori, are among 11 remaining in the Champion Stakes, while Arc third Onesto, St Leger winner Continuous and Luxembourg have not been confirmed.
Courage Mon Ami did not feature among ten confirmations for the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup (1.15), but Coltrane, Kyprios and Trueshan remain in contention, while Free Wind, Jackie Oh and Time Lock are still in the Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (2.25).
Paddy Power: 2 Kinross, 7-2 Shaquille, 7 Mill Stream, 8 Sandrine, 12 Spycatcher, 14 Art Power, Rohaan, Vadream, 16 Khaadem, Swingalong, 20 bar.
Paddy Power: 7-4 Paddington, 2 Tahiyra, 6 Nashwa, 12 Big Rock, Inspiral, Triple Time, 14 Chaldean, Facteur Cheval, 20 Angel Bleu, 25 bar.
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