Found In Search Of Champion Glory

The sporting public love a trier and a fighter who gives their all, and in Found (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) they have a filly returning triumphant from Chantilly who will leave nothing behind as she attempts to conquer Saturday's G1 Qipco Champion S. at Ascot. Turning around a series of reversals when securing glory with real authority in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe 13 days ago, the 4-year-old, who was arguably unlucky when runner-up in this last year, may only just be coming to herself. Trainer Aidan O'Brien is having an unusual season where the fillies are clear above the colts in his stable, and he is keen to place Found on a pedestal. “We all knew a long time ago that there's something different about her,” he explained. “She takes her races so well. The Arc was always her target. All the other races were on the way to the Arc. We did it last year and she's been fine since France. It's the way she is. She's incredible, really, the most genuine horse I've ever seen. She empties the tank every time. The problem is not to let her empty too quick–she goes right to the bottom of herself.”

One of several who have proven more than a match for Found during her many tough encounters is Almanzor (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and he is in attendance once again with the burden of favouritism on his shoulders. The G1 Prix du Jockey-Club hero beat her by three-quarters of a length in the G1 Irish Champion S. as the pair finished clear at Leopardstown Sept. 10, and trainer Jean-Claude Rouget pointed to this soon afterwards instead of a tilt at the Arc even after the late exclusion of his star filly La Cressonniere (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}). “He's been in really good form since the Irish Champion S.; I'm extremely happy with him,” he said. “The colt's been based in Deauville for a while now and he did his final piece of work on Monday morning over a mile on the grass with Christophe Soumillon, which really pleased us. The other runners in the race don't interest me. I like to concentrate on my own horse being at the top of his game, which is the most important. He's a very laid-back individual, who is a lovely-looking horse with a fantastic turn of foot, which should serve us very well.”

Last year's winner Fascinating Rock (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) bids to become the first to win this twice since it was transferred to Ascot and re-vamped in 2011, and it is significant that he readily upstaged Found when taking the 10 1/2-furlong G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh May 22. Restricted to just one run subsequently, Newtown Anner Stud Farm's homebred was an encouraging second in the G3 Royal Whip S. over this distance at The Curragh Aug. 21, but it is a negative that he missed both the Irish Champion and Arc due to setbacks. “It's a tremendous race, but our horse is in great form,” jockey Pat Smullen commented. “He hasn't run for a while, but we think he's ready for the race and if he runs up to his best it puts him right in the mix. He's a very good horse and if they get a drop more rain, that would suit him even better.”

Godolphin are doubly-represented by last year's third and fourth Jack Hobbs (GB) (Halling) and Racing History (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) respectively and, intriguingly, both are effectively having their first starts since. Jack Hobbs is the one of the two to have run, but he was pulled up during the G2 Jockey Club S. over a mile and a half Apr. 30 so there is no evidence as to where he stands in comparison with the colt who took the G1 Irish Derby with such panache last June. If John Gosden has him back to win, it will rate as one of the race's finest training achievements, but he is typically realistic. “He's in great form and we're very pleased to have him back on Saturday,” he said. “I thought Almanzor's performance in the Irish Champion was undoubtedly the best performance of any three-year-old this year, in fact any horse in Europe this year. I thought it was quite scintillating. Jack Hobbs has strengthened well. He's had the summer off, which has given him time to develop. Strangely enough, I think the time off has benefitted him enormously. He's in great order for it and a mile and a quarter is no problem for him. He's not a type that's ring-rusty, he won very well first time out as a three-year-old, but we're aware we're coming back in a fantastic renewal of the race.” Racing History, a full-brother to the 2013 Champion S. hero Farrh (GB), is a fascinating contender on his seasonal debut and trainer Saeed bin Suroor said, “He was injured early in the season, so we haven't been able to run before now. We've taken our time with him, he's working well and his last piece on the Limekilns was really good. We're hoping to see a good run from him and then we'll see.”