Saturday racing preview: What the trainers say

1.33 ParisLongchamp Qatar Prix du Cadran

Aidan O'Brien - Emily Dickinson: “We were thinking about it (the Arc), if the ground had come up soft or heavy we probably would have had a good, strong think about it. For as long as I can remember, most of the time the ground has been soft or even heavy on Arc weekend. If that was the case we definitely would have thought hard about it, she has form on good ground as well but she is better with more ease in the ground and we thought over the Cadran trip she would be more comfortable.

“She does stay very well and she seems in good form. I think when she ran in the Gold Cup she ran very well, even though the ground was quick she didn’t have any problems with it.”

1.50 Newmarket Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes

Ryan Moore - Capulet (via Betfair): “He did it nicely on his debut at Dundalk last month and he obviously improved a good deal when running Diego Velazquez to half a length at Leopardstown last time. That form looked strong at the time and it looks even better now with the well-beaten fourth, Deepone, coming out and winning the Beresford next time. All of these have the potential to take a big step forward, most notably Ghostwriter maybe, but he deserves to be the favourite as it stands, as the Leopardstown form is the best on offer going into the race.”

Aidan O'Brien - Capulet: "We thought he was very nice when he won first time at Dundalk and we knew he was going to drag Diego Velazquez. We knew he needed to have a race for himself and learn because he’s very lazy at home, Diego, and if he went and won four or five lengths he wasn’t going to learn much. That’s why we ran Capulet, we knew he was going to take him and he was going to make him fight and that’s what he did do.

“We were delighted with him that day, we’re looking forward to him on Saturday. He’s in lovely form, we think the mile will suit him and the ground will suit him. We’ve always thought he was a very nice horse.”

Charlie Appleby - Aablan: “We felt that Aablan did well to win the Solario Stakes, when seven furlongs looked sharp enough for him, and we are looking forward to seeing him over a mile. He has done well since Sandown and looks a live contender. We are hoping that this can propel him onto a bright three-year-old career.”

Clive Cox - Ghostwriter: “His first success at Newmarket on the July course, and the way he was balanced and produced a winning debut, gives me confidence he will handle the track. He followed that up with a really impressive success at Ascot and showed a lot of class. He has thrived throughout, he is a wonderful physical, big, strong colt and I’m looking forward to seeing him step up to a mile. He is very deserving of running in this sort of grade. He’s a horse we have always loved and he definitely sets the pulse racing.”

2.25 Newmarket Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes

George Boughey - Soprano: “I think staying at six furlongs is right. She is a strong stayer over that trip and she loves the track. There can be a speed influence in the Rockfel, but it looked like there are some stouter pedigrees in the Rockfel this year and I didn’t want her getting outstayed over seven furlongs by taking on horses that will stay a mile. We wanted to use her stamina over shorter. It was a massive effort for her to finish third at Salisbury given how she started the race. I think if the race was 50 yards longer, she would have nearly been in front. She certainly deserves her place in the line-up on Saturday.”

3.00 Newmarket Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes

Ed Crisford - Vandeek: “He’s in great order. He comes into this on the back of a Prix Morny win and has to have a good chance if repeating that form. It’s a good field, as you’d expect for a race of this stature, but I’d say he goes in there with a favourite’s chance. It will be the first time he’s encountered ground this fast but he’s a nice-moving colt by Havana Grey, so that shouldn’t be a problem.”

Ryan Moore - River Tiber (via Betfair): “He had a well-publicised setback before the Morny last time, so we were very happy with his third to Vandeek there, beaten just over two lengths. He wasn’t at peak fitness and I thought he shaped very well in the circumstances. I would expect him to get a lot closer to the winner here, and I’d say we had a very fair shot at winning this Group One. He’s in good shape.”

Tom Marquand - Lake Forest: “When I got off him in the July Stakes, I thought it was inexperience that caught us out that day. He went to Newmarket afterwards and things didn’t go right for him in that novice and he got beat. I wasn’t on board him in the novice race at Newmarket, but we learnt a bit from that experience and that put us a bit closer to completely working out what he wants. He is a really cool little horse that is not flash at home, but I like him as a character, as he is a bit under the radar.”

Barry Mahon, European racing manager for Task Force's owners Juddmonte: “He’s a horse who ultimately probably wants a little bit further, but Ralph made a good point in that his mother never raced beyond six furlongs at two and she went on to win two Guineas. There’s definitely a bit of speed there and he’s maybe still a little bit immature, so maybe another start at six will do him good before he steps up in trip next year.”

Rest of ParisLongchamp

Charlie Hills’ Ancient Rome will bid for more success overseas in the Qatar Prix Dollar.

The War Front colt is familiar with the French turf having previously been trained by Andre Fabre before changing hands and stables earlier this season. His first run in the silks of Fitri Hay was a one-length victory at 33-1 in the Chesterfield Cup at Goodwood in August, after which he returned to the country of his birth to contest the one-mile Mint Millions Stakes at Kentucky and prevail by half a length.

The latter run was a Grade Three event and his return to Paris is therefore a step up in level, but Hills expects him to relish the extended trip of a mile and two furlongs in the Group Two contest.

“I think the trip is going to suit him really well,” he said. “He seemed to travel over to America really well and enjoyed it and he’s been great since he’s been back. He’s obviously got to step up to another level, I think, but he could well be up to it.”

There is further British interest in the race in William Knight’s Checkandchallenge and Paul and Oliver Cole’s Grand Prix de Deauville winner Jack Darcy.

Elsewhere on the card is the Qatar Prix Daniel Wildenstein, a one-mile Group Two that has attracted 10 runners, including Richard Hannon’s Witch Hunter.

The four-year-old has progressed from handicaps to this level in the space of a season, most recently winning the Hungerford Stakes at Newbury by a length.

“I’ve been delighted with him and he’s shown massive improvement all year,” Hannon said. “I think he’s gone from being rated 80-odd to 115 and it was a very good performance last time at Newbury.

“The owners are very keen to take on a race out there and he is capable of showing up anywhere and running a massive race. In fact, the better the race, the better he seems to run. He’s been beaten in handicaps and Listed races, but he’s now won a Royal Ascot handicap and a Group Two. He’s been a great horse to have about. He’s a very talented horse.”

Also involved is Brian Meehan’s Isaac Shelby, winner of the Greenham on his seasonal debut and then consistently placed in Group races throughout the season – including a second-placed run over course and distance in the French Guineas.

“I’m really happy with him and he’s travelled over great,” commented Meehan. “His best run of the year was probably over the distance and on that track. It will only be his sixth run of the year and we’re in good shape. I think he has run some superb races, he’s been really consistent and has never let us down.

“Possibly York didn’t suit him (fourth in the City of York), some horses don’t like it there. It’s a bit like Newmarket when he ran in the Dewhurst, some horses just don’t like those places. This is a nice place to come with him and he’s really well.”

The Group One Qatar Prix de Royallieu takes top billing, a staying event for fillies run over a mile and six furlongs. Aidan O’Brien’s Library will step up in trip, a Galileo filly with experience at the grade as she was third in the Irish Oaks in July.

O’Brien said: “We’ll run Library in the fillies’ race on Saturday, she was a filly who was third in the Oaks so we’re hoping she’ll run well. This is stepping up in trip again for her, we think that’ll suit her and the better the ground, the better it’ll suit her.”

Library will cross paths with Shamida, an Aga Khan-owned filly who was a half-length winner of the Curragh’s Irish St Leger Trial when last seen, prior to which she took the Group Three Stanerra Stakes at Leopardstown over the same one-mile six-furlong distance.

Trained by Dermot Weld, she will encounter the same trip in France and will be ridden as usual by Chris Hayes.

There is extensive British representation in the race, with William Haggas’ Sea Silk Road, the Coles’ Sumo Sam, John and Thady Gosden’s Mimikyu and Karl Burke’s Poptronic set to run.

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