QIPCO CHAMPION

STAKES (G1)

THE argument about the timing of Ascot’s Champions Day will rumble on for a while yet and there is no doubt a meeting in mid-October runs the risk of very testing ground. However, there were some outstanding performances last Saturday and a result to gladden the heart as Noble Mission, trained by Lady Cecil, just got the better of Roger Charlton’s rejuvenated Al Kazeem to take Britain’s richest race, the Qipco Champion Stakes.

In truth, if Noble Mission were a human being, references to ‘Frankel’s brother’ would have worn him down long ago. Blissfully unaware of the demands imposed by his illustrious lineage, he matched his elder sibling, successful two years ago, by battling on heroically to score by a neck with Free Eagle just over a length away in third. All the brave noises could not disguise the fact that Cirrus Des Aigles is not the force of years gone by and the 7/4 favourite managed only a modest fifth.

Noble Mission (7/1) demonstrated in the spring that 10 furlongs on soft or heavy ground is perfect for him. He stays further but this is his trip and it was no surprise to see James Doyle sending him straight to the front. Al Kazeem, who has gradually been making his way back after an unsuccessful spell at stud, was always chasing him and George Baker was upsides with two furlongs to travel. There followed the most magnificent duel and Noble Mission, edging left and making slight contact, was headed for a few strides. Showing tremendous courage, he battled back and had a neck to spare at the line. He was cheered to the echo, though the applause was for both horses. A genuine Group 1 performer last year, Al Kazeem should not have started at 16/1 and the doubters were very nearly made to pay.

Although the finish was dominated by the first two, Dermot Weld’s Free Eagle deserves credit for the way he kept on through the final furlong. The others were well beaten, with Cirrus Des Aigles, runner-up to Frankel in 2012, clearly struggling two furlongs from home, though the biggest disappointment was Ruler Of The World, who tracked the front pair for much of the journey but dropped out to finish last.

“I think I’m going to wake up and find I’ve been dreaming,” Lady Cecil said. “I was so scared he wasn’t going to hang on but he’s so brave. You couldn’t have written it, really. Who would have said, a year ago, that he’d be here, winning the Champion Stakes? The key to him has been the forcing tactics and James gave him an incredible ride. I know a lot of the reception was for Henry; keeping going was a way of staying close to him. Can you imagine when Henry died if we had just given everything up? I’m so pleased for everyone at home and I’m so lucky to be at Warren Place.”

STING IN THE TALE

Al Kazeem was Doyle’s ride until Khalid Abdulla shrewdly decided he should be his retained rider. Last week showed the wisdom of that appointment, though there was a minor sting in the tail when the stewards, taking a dim view of Doyle’s use of the whip, stood him down for seven days and fined him £10,000. It was a great race, indeed an unforgettable one, though it remains the case that whip guidelines mean hardly anything in a contest as important at this. All that has actually happened is that jockeys are more careful in humdrum races but look at days like last Saturday in an entirely different way.

Understandably, Doyle was more inclined to comment on a glorious triumph.

“This has put the icing on the cake in a fantastic year,” he said. “About two furlongs out I saw a head join me and I knew straightaway it was Al Kazeem. I knew he’d be tough to beat but my fellow just seemed to save a little and dug deep. It’s a fairy tale.”

Frankel retired after making it 14 straight wins in this race and Prince Khalid will now decide whether his brother has also done enough. Charlton will consider the Hong Kong Cup for Al Kazeem if the ground is not too fast while Weld, delighted with Free Eagle on ground plenty soft enough, will look at the Tattersalls Gold Cup as a starting point next year with the Arc on the long-term agenda.