By Andrew Atkinson
John Gosden said Palace Pier’s schedule will include the Jacques le Marois at Deauville – ahead of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and Champion Stakes in October.
“He had a blood disorder right after the Queen Anne and had to miss the Sussex Stakes,” said Gosden.
Co-trainer, with son Thady, Gosden said: “All being well he’ll be in the Jacques le Marois at Deauville – then we’ll take it forward from there.”
Palace Pier, St Mark’s Basilica, Snowfall, Adayar and Poetic Flare are set to go to post in the Qipco British Champions Day on October 16, with prizemoney of £4m up for grabs, in what is Britain’s richest race day.
Ahead of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, Gosden said: “The QEII is a definite possibility again.
“Palace Pier is also entered for the Champion Stakes – it would be interesting to see him at a mile and a quarter.
“It’s still a long way off – so we’ll see.”
The Revenant, Palace Pier, Mother Earth, Poetic Flare and Alcohol Free, Lady Bowthorpe, St Mark’s Basilica, Love and Baaeed are amongst Champion Stakes entries.
Tarnawa, Alenquer, Derby and Oaks winners Adayar and Snowfall could go head-to-head.
July Cup winner Starman heads the British Champions Sprint Stakes entries, alongside Kinross, Creative Force and Rohaan.
Trainer Archie Watson won the Group 1 prize in 2020 with Glen Shiel and he could be represented with the defending champion and stablemate Dragon Symbol.
Dragon Symbol racked up four consecutive victories this season, finishing second in the last two outings at Newmarket and Goodwood in July, the latter in the 5f King George G2 Qatar Stakes, won by Suesa.
“Glen Shiel will certainly finish his year off back at Ascot in the Champions Sprint – he won’t mind what the ground is. “Dragon Symbol may well finish his season back up at six there too. I don’t think he’ll mind what the ground is either,” said Watson.
Alan King trained five-year-old Trueshan could go head-to-head with Stradivarius in the Long Distance Cup. Lone Eagle, Sir Lucan and Mojo Star are also entries.
Trueshan won the G1 Goodwood Cup Stakes over 2m under Hollie Doyle on July 27 on soft going.
David Menuisier trained Wonderful Tonight could go to post with Love, Tarnawa and Snowfall in defence of the Fillies’ & Mares.
Four-year-old Wonderful Tonight landed the Group 2 Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes at Goodwood over 1m 6f on July 31 under William Buick.
Caption: John and Thady Gosden trained Palace Pier’s targets Deauville Jacques le Marois; Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and Champion Stakes. Photo: Twitter.
