Almeraq Eyes Ascot Return on Champions Day

Haydock Win Confirms Sprint Credentials

Almeraq is being aimed at the British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot, the sprint feature on British Champions Day, off the back of his second top-level win at Haydock earlier this month.

That victory came one year on from a dramatic fall that effectively ended the career of Jim Crowley, the ex-Shadwell retained rider who partnered Almeraq at the time.

Angus Gold, racing manager for Shadwell, confirmed Ascot as the plan. "Ascot is the plan all being well and he seems to have come out of Haydock in great shape. If we can keep him in once piece that is where we will be aiming."

Gold also praised the manner of the Haydock win. "He's a smart horse and it was nice to see him do it so well at Haydock. The race was run differently this time and he got cover, did things the right way round on easier ground and it was good to see him show what he's really capable of."

Ground No Concern

Gold played down any worries over conditions at Ascot. "He's won on faster ground so I don't think he's one dimensional, but equally he can handle soft well and we wouldn't be worrying about the ground at Ascot."

Almeraq's return to the track comes at the same course where he landed the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot earlier in the summer, a race billed as a truly international renewal.

Season Finale, Future Undecided

British Champions Day looks likely to be the last assignment of Almeraq's season. Gold said, "It's the obvious race to aim for and I can't see anything else obvious for him. We wouldn't be taking him to America or anything like that."

"I imagine this would be it for the year. We've not discussed if he will be back next year and it's one step at a time," he added.

Whether the four-year-old continues racing in 2027 or heads to stud is still to be decided. "It would be lovely to have him in training again next year, but also at some stage he's going to make a really nice stallion so it will just be a question of what the family would like to do," Gold said.