Ribchester’s tussle with Minding in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on Saturday will be the crucial encounter in the battle between Godolphin and Coolmore to be crowned champion British owner.
Trying to contain Aidan O’Brien’s momentum this season in Europe has been an impossible task but Godolphin can check the Ballydoyle juggernaut for a moment on British Champions Day. With £4.26 million (Dh19m) on offer, it is the most valuable race day in the country.
If you include Joseph O’Brien’s triumph with Ivanovich Gorbatov in his father’s name at the Cheltenham Festival in March, O’Brien snr is five Group or Grade 1 wins short of beating Bobby Frankel’s tally of 25 top-level victories set in 2003.
The Irish trainer recently became the first person to smash through the £7m barrier in terms of prize-money in Britain and with a small, but select team ready to grace Ascot he could easily add another £1m to the leger on Saturday.
For all of O’Brien’s success this campaign, however, due to the ownership structures in place within Coolmore, Godolphin currently lead Coolmore owners Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier and Michael Tabor by £565,413 in the race to be the leading owner in Britain.
Both Ribchester and Minding have improved throughout the season and the result of their race for the winner’s cheque of £656,432 holds staggering importance.
Ribchester’s trainer Richard Fahey is optimistic his Musley Bank operation in the north of England can play a leading role for the Dubai-based operation.
“It is a worry that he’s been the go for a while but his whole demeanour says that he’s not over the top,” Fahey said. “He’s the classiest horse I’ve trained. He’s got so much speed.
“His French run [in winning the Prix Jacques Le Marois in August] is the best form. I feel he has improved again since then, too.
“I’m a big fan of Minding. She’s exceptional over every distance but I’m happy with my guy.”
O’Brien’s classiest challenger on the day is Found, the battle-hardened mare who bids to become the first horse to back-up a victory in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe with a win in the Champion Stakes. The four year old is owned by a Coolmore ownership syndicate led by Michael Tabor, and therefore a victory in the feature of the race of the day, which awards £737,230 to the winner, will not count in the owners’ battle. Only Seventh Heaven, who is favourite for the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes, worth £340,620 to the winner, and dual Classic winner Minding, will count for Coolmore across the six races.
Godolphin have a similar issue Jack Hobs in the Champion Stakes.
Jack Hobbs clashes with Found and Almanzor, the classy Irish Champion Stakes winner who is now rated the best colt in Europe. Jack Hobbs started favourite last season for the Champion Stakes but picked up an injury in April and has been restricted to one public viewing when undergoing a racecourse gallop at Kempton last month. William Buick will sport Godolphin’s royal blue silks on the back of the son of Halling, but this run will also be discounted as far as the title is concerned because the partnership, led by Rachel Hood, trainer John Gosden’s wife, still owns a share of last season’s Irish Derby winner.
Aside from Ribchester, Godolphin therefore are relying on Racing History and pacemaker Maverick Wave in the Champion Stakes and Saeed bin Suroor’s Promising Run is the other Godolphin runner who counts in the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes. There is all to play for.
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