The annual Breeders’ Cup Challenge moves into Europe for the first time in 2023 at Royal Ascot this week, with a total of four ‘Win and You’re In’ races spread across Britain’s most prestigious race meeting, which kicks off on Tuesday in typically spectacular fashion with three G1 events.
Two of them are Breeders’ Cup qualifiers, beginning with the very first race, the Queen Anne Stakes over the straight mile – won 12 months ago with consummate ease by Baaeed – which offers a guaranteed spot in the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita on November 4. It is also part of the Qipco-sponsored British Champions Series.
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Nothing can match Royal Ascot for sustained competition of the highest class over five days – and it is highly appropriate that the betting for Europe’s first Breeders’ Cup Challenge contest is headed by a colt who has already triumphed twice at America’s end-of-year championships.
There was controversy at the start when Charlie Appleby-trained Modern Games won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar in 2021, but there was no such drama when he returned 12 months later for the Mile at Keeneland, where he won in thoroughly convincing fashion for the world’s #1 trainer.
There were two more G1 wins in between, and then a first on home soil, from Chindit and Berkshire Shadow, in the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes at Newbury last month.
A third Breeders’ Cup triumph has already been identified as Modern Games’s priority for this season but Appleby has warned not to underestimate stablemate Native Trail when it comes to the Queen Anne.
Although last year’s Irish 2000 Guineas winner was beaten at odds-on by Mutasaabeq –(only fifth in the Lockinge) in a G2 contest at Newmarket last month, that was his first start since wind surgery.
The John & Thady Gosden training partnership saddles the most obvious danger to Modern Games in the filly Inspiral, who was so impressive here against her own sex in the Coronation Stakes as last year’s meeting.
Once again, she appears to have been slow coming to hand, but she has had gallops watchers drooling lately and if she’s at her best she’ll have every chance of getting Frankie Dettori’s last Royal Ascot off to a flying start.
Key horses
Chindit (Richard Hannon/Pat Dobbs) – good second to Modern Games at Newbury but only fourth here 12 months ago and has something to find.
Inspiral (John and Thady Gosden/Frankie Dettori) – unbeaten at two and made a sensational return to action at this meeting last year, when a near five-length winner of the G1 Coronation Stakes for 3yo fillies on the round course; nowhere near so impressive when winning another G1 at Deauville and ended the year on a low, but can clearly go well fresh.
Modern Games (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) – dual Breeders’ Cup winner who gained a fifth G1 success (first on home soil) when impressing over straight mile in Newbury’s Lockinge Stakes; last year’s Sussex Stakes second to Baaeed was another fine effort from this thoroughly likeable colt.
Mutasaabeq (Charlie Hills/Jim Crowley) – four-time winner on a straight track, beating Native Trail decisively in G2 at Newmarket last time; had excuses in the Lockinge last time.
Native Trail (Charlie Appleby/James Doyle) – outstanding 2yo of 2021, and added a third G1 win at The Curragh last year in Irish 2000 Guineas; possible non-stayer over 1m2f twice afterwards, and may have needed first run of 2023 at Newmarket last month.
Shall we talk about it?
Charlie Appleby, trainer of Modern Games and Native Trail: “Modern Games is probably one of the best Dubawis we’ve had and he’s already dine it this year by winning a Group 1 – he’s won five G1s now, but the Lockinge was his first in England. His second to Baaeed in the Sussex last year was a huge run too.
“I’m a strong believer Native Trail won’t be too far behind him in getting his G1 this year. He had wind surgery over the winter and he has definitely come forward for his first run at Newmarket – like many of these older horses he needs a bit of work and you could see the improvement from that run. He won’t be too far away.”
John Gosden, co-trainer of Inspiral: “She has taken her time to come to hand due to a cold, wet spring. Last year we were just taking on three-year-old fillies; this year we are taking on proven older horses like the Breeders’ Cup Mile winner, so it is a much bigger test. I’ve been very pleased with her lately.”
Richard Hannon, trainer of Chindit: “He is a different horse this year. I thought he would be shorter in the betting. He picked up better than Pat thought he would in the Lockinge and he is in the form of his life.”
Charlie Hills, trainer of Mutasaabeq: “He ran a bit flat at Newbury after running what I thought was his best race two weeks earlier. I’m really happy with him after a break and he has good form at the track.”
Graham Dench’s verdict
Modern Games and Native Trail were both Classic winners for Godolphin last year and they give Charlie Appleby a strong hand – but INSPIRAL shows flashes of brilliance and gets a useful sex allowance. It sounds as if she is expected to be back to her brilliant best for this first run of the year, in which case she will take plenty of beating.
• The annual Breeders’ Cup ‘Win and You’re In’ Challenge is an international series of 80 stakes races whose winners receive automatic qualifying positions, with fees paid, into a corresponding race at the 40th edition of America’s end-of-season championships, held this year on November 3-4 at Santa Anita.
The second Challenge race at Royal Ascot on Tuesday is the King’s Stand Stakes, a G1 event offering a fees-paid berth in the $1m Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.
A total of 39 international races are part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge for 2023, among them races in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, England, France, Ireland, Japan, Peru, and South Africa.
• Visit the Breeders’ Cup website and the Breeders’ Cup Challenge web page
View the latest TRC Global Rankings for horses / jockeys / trainers / sires