ARC hero Francis-Henri Graffard will this morning supplement sprinter Rayevka into a big race at Ascot for the second time this season.
Graffard, an absolute class act in every sense, added Rayevka to the Commonwealth Cup field at Royal Ascot and the filly did not let him down, finishing third to Time for Sandals in the Group 1 contest.
Fresh off his Arc success, Francis-Henri Graffard, left, has made an exciting entry into Champions Day
Now, Graffard has told me he has supplemented the Aga Khan Studs’s Rayevka – in the colours of the Arc victor Daryz – into the field for the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes, for which Lazzat is likely to go off favourite.
In other early news on Champions Day John & Thady Gosden may well run Sweet William against hot favourite Trawlerman in the Champions Long Distance Cup.
Sweet William was expected to be put away for the season after his success in the Doncaster Cup, but he has been confirmed for Saturday’s two-mile event.
Ed Walker has also confirmed Almaqam for the Champion Stakes, a race William Haggas was going to decide this morning on whether to allow Economics to run.
The latter has been given the thumbs up in what promises to be a decent sized field.
The Gosdens have also confirmed Field of Gold for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
The St James’s Palace Stakes hero is on the comeback after his flop in the Sussex Stakes.
Many of you will remember the training days of Francois Doumen and the riding days of his son Thierry.
Now the dynasty might be about to continue.
Over jumps, Doumen senior sent out top performers to score like Cheltenham Gold Cup hero The Fellow, Ucello II, Ubu III, First Gold, Kasbah Bliss, Djeddah, Nupsala, Algan, Baracouda and Snow Drop.
On the Flat he had Jim and Tonic land the Hong Kong Bowl and Dubai Duty Free as well as Double Bed to score a big prize in America.
Thierry Doumen, who rode Barracouda for back-to-back Stayers’ Hurdle successes, retired in 2004.
He rode and trained Foreman to take the 2004 Irish Champion Hurdle.
I bumped in to Thierry at Longchamp the other day with his son Jules, currently an amateur jockey in France.
“There aren’t many opportunities for amateur riders in France so the plan is for Jules to come to the UK and ride in some amateur races there in the next year or two,” Thierry told me.
“He’s a good rider and hopefully he will ride at Cheltenham one day soon.”
Jules Doumen is bred to do well!
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