Estrange seeking Ascot compensation after missing Arc date

Estrange has the Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes in her sights at Ascot on Saturday as an alternative autumn target.

The grey, who is owned by Cheveley Park Stud and trained by David O’Meara, was due to run in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe before an unsatisfactory scope scuppered that plan at a late stage.

Frustrations were increased as the Arc was run on Estrange’s favoured soft ground, whereas her Ascot effort will take place on a far faster surface after a dry autumn.

Chris Richardson, Cheveley Park’s managing director, said: “David seems happy with her now. Obviously it was disappointing to miss the ground on Arc day and we haven’t had any rain here, but I think it will be good autumn ground and that will be fine.

“We’ll take our chance. Drawn in stall one of 10 wasn’t ideal perhaps, but there we go. She’s in good form, so let’s see what happens.

“All being well, she stays in training next year.”

Andrew Balding and Juddmonte’s Kalpana did line up in the Arc earlier in the month, finishing seventh after a luckless passage through the contest when forced to race wide in a big field.

She has taken the race in her stride, however, and there are positives to take from the performance ahead of Ascot.

Barry Mahon, racing manager to the owner-breeder, said: “Andrew is happy with her, he said she came out of the Arc in good shape.

“I think the feeling was that being drawn 10, she just got caught four wide the whole way and she covered a lot more ground than we needed to. The first, second and third home were drawn one, two and three and we’ve seen historically it’s a big advantage if you can get an easy run around the inside.

“She ran a good race, her sectionals for the last three furlongs were good and she just probably covered a lot more ground than the first three home.

“There’s only 10 declared so it’s not the biggest of fields and we know she’s a course and distance winner and obviously she ran that big race in the King George there as well, so she likes the track.

“If the Arc hasn’t left its mark, we’d be hopeful she can put up a bold showing again.”

Juddmonte will also run Latakia in the race, a Francis-Henri Graffard-trained filly last seen finishing fifth in the Prix de Royallieu.

Mahon said of the chestnut: “She’s very unexposed and we probably didn’t get her true running in the Royallieu because of the ground.

“She’s a top-of-the-ground filly, all her form is on faster ground, we rolled the dice and she ran very respectably to be fair to her, but the jockey felt she didn’t have the same kick on soft ground.

“We’re back on a better surface on Saturday and hopefully she’s able to give a good account of herself as well. With fillies at this time of year, you just don’t know when they’re improving and where their ceiling is, so it will be nice to see her in a good ground, competitive Group One.”

Paddy Twomey’s One Look will travel over from Ireland for the contest in good form having finished a close third in the Prix de l’Opera.

Richard Brown, racing manager to owners Wathnan Racing, said: “She ran a great race in the Prix de l’Opera and another 50 yards and she would have won.

“We’re unsure if she will stay a mile and a half. She’s not bred to but looking at her run style, I definitely think she has got every chance.

“Obviously it is a deep race but she’s going to have a long winter off and we’re happy to let her take her chance while Paddy says she’s in the form of her life.”

Another Irish challenger is Aidan O’Brien’s Bedtime Story, a filly bidding to return to form after a seventh-placed run in the Royallieu.

“We took a chance going to France and it was probably the wrong thing – we stretched her out too far and the ground was a little bit churned up,” the trainer said.

“We could have gone to the Vermeille and with the benefit of hindsight maybe we should, but she seems to have come back from France well and I suppose the big factors are going back to a mile and a half and the fact the ground is going to be nice.

“She’s a filly with a lot of ability and we’re looking forward to seeing what she can do.”

O’Brien also runs Ballet Slippers in the race, with Owen Burrows’ Waardah and John and Thady Gosden’s Danielle – first and second respectively in the Lillie Langtry – both entered alongside Graffard’s Quisisana and Joseph O’Brien’s Wemighttakedlongway.