Quipco Champions Stakes festival

CIRRUS DES AIGLES is 15/8 to win the Champion stakes he won last in 2011

racingpost.com


CIRRUS DES AIGLES is the 7-4 (from 15-8 )clear favourite with Coral for Saturday's Qipco Champion Stakes, ahead of Free Eagle at 2-1, following the news that the St Leger winner Kingston Hill will not line up at Ascot.

The Roger Varian-trained Kingston Hill, who finished fourth behind Treve in the Arc, was ruled out of the contest on Sunday and with the probable soft ground likely to suit 2011 winner Cirrus Des Aigles, Coral are expecting continued support for Corine Barande-Barbe's evergreen eight-year-old in the week leading up to Qipco British Champions Day.

Coral's David Stevens said on Sunday: "With Kingston Hill joining fellow Classic winner Australia on the missing list for Saturday's race, Cirrus Des Aigles is now clear favourite with us to repeat his 2011 Champion Stakes success, and with further rain forecast this week, the gelding's price is only likely to go one way."

The Dermot Weld-trained Free Eagle, who is a 14-1 second favourite for next year's Arc, is next in the betting following his mighty-impressive return to the track after a lengthy lay off at Leopardstown last month.

The Grey Gatsby, who conquered Australia in the Irish Champion Stakes last time out, is a 6-1 shot along with the mud-loving five-year-old Noble Mission, with last year's Derby winner Ruler Of The World at 10-1.

The going at Ascot was on Sunday soft, good to soft in places, and there is little likelihood of it drying out significantly before Saturday.

Clerk of the course Chris Stickels said on Sunday: "We had another 2.5mm of rain on Saturday and it's due to remain unsettled. We've got a band of rain coming in this evening and there are possible sharp showers most days. I don't see it drying up much."

Fantastic racing

Ignore Australia and Kingston Hill,Adelaide and a few others also won't run

My Early fancy is Western Hymn

Pity about Australia

The Grey Gatsby at 6/1 must be great odds... Can't wait for the season finale

If the ground is soft/heavy, which it seems, al kazeem is a big runner if he gets a run.. Great saturday of racing!

Noble Mission stole a few races from "better horses " begining of the season on soft ground, if in the same form could also be a runner

Bob Brogan wrote: Noble Mission stole a few races from "better horses " begining of the season on soft ground, if in the same form could also be a runner

True, I remember seeing him win at Sandown in bottomless ground, he may be the right one with the weather prediction and current weather...

The Grey Gatsby also scratched now so the field is depleting quickly! I suppose it's Noble Mission on the heavy ground and I wonder if Trading Leather could make a comeback at a big price?