The Blue Mile?

One of the bit-players on the miling scene earlier this season, Godolphin's Ribchester (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) has gradually earned the leading role and could even clinch champion status in the category in Saturday's G1 Qipco Queen Elizabeth II S. at Ascot. Third in the G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket Apr. 30, the bay has gone forward with relentless momentum subsequently as trainer Richard Fahey picked his way through the season's maze. Outclassing solid types in the seven-furlong G3 Jersey S. at Royal Ascot June 15, he was catching The Gurkha (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Galileo Gold (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}) hand over fist when coming from too far off the pace to be third in the G1 Sussex S. at Glorious Goodwood July 27. More prominently ridden in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville last time Aug. 14, he comfortably accounted for Vadamos (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}) there and the runner-up boosted the form when capturing the G1 Prix du Moulin. “It's in the back of your mind that he could be over the top or whatever, he's been on the go a while but he hasn't had an awful lot of racing, he had a break after the Guineas,” Fahey said. “I feel he was the best horse in France, maybe Galileo Gold ran a little flat, but I feel we've improved again. I'm happy with my lad, the beauty of him is he goes on any ground.”

Aidan O'Brien could potentially win four of the five big ones on the fixture, with Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) one of three star fillies from Ballydoyle. Campaigned at excess of this trip since her win in the G1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket May 1 and surprise reversal at the hands of Jet Setting (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) in the Irish equivalent at The Curragh three weeks later, she drops back following a third in the G1 Irish Champion S. over 10 furlongs at Leopardstown Sept. 10. “Minding had the choice of three races, it all came down to how they all worked and then the lads decided which races they ran in,” her trainer explained. “She's been an unbelievable filly this year.”

Usually, the 2000 Guineas winner is the market leader for this race, but Galileo Gold is only third in the list here. The last time that happened, he defied the betting to win the G1 St James's Palace S. at the Royal meeting here June 14 before two subsequent defeats when second in the Sussex and eighth in the Jacques le Marois. He is fresh, as he was before the Newmarket Classic and trainer Hugo Palmer is hopeful. “Galileo Gold is in great form and has answered every call during his preparation,” he said. “I couldn't be happier with how he's gone and I'm really looking forward to Saturday. We've met Ribchester three times, we're leading two-one, and I'd like to think on the two occasions that Galileo Gold has gone there on the top of his game he's come out on top. He didn't run his race in France and I just hope he can run his race on Saturday. It would mean everything for his season to win. He would certainly be the champion miler and conceivably the Horse of the Year as well. It would be a very special achievement for him.”

In front of Galileo Gold when winning the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas at The Curragh May 24, but behind him when third in the St James's Palace and eighth in the Sussex, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Awtaad (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) re-emerges off a confidence-boosting success in the G2 Solonaway S. at Leopardstown Sept. 10. “He's a very special horse to me and the boss, he's been our flagship horse all season,” jockey Chris Hayes commented. “In our eyes he's never done anything wrong. He was a little bit below-par at Goodwood, but he came back to win at Leopardstown in great fashion. He's been trained with this race in mind and nothing has gone wrong. He was very much on a retrieval mission at Leopardstown and it was nice to prove any doubters wrong that he still had the engine. It's the race of the season at this distance. He's going to have to be at the top of his form, but he owes us nothing.”