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Racing Round-Up: 1st October 2024

Tuesday's racing round-up includes the second entry stage for British Champions Day on 19 October…

Royal Ascot 2023 at Ascot Racecourse. Picture: Getty Images

Excitement grows ahead of the British Champions Day fixture at Ascot on 19 October, with 151 horses remaining in contention at the second entry stage for the five Group 1s - the Champion Stakes, the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, the British Champions Sprint, the Long Distance Cup and the Fillies & Mares Stakes. Amongst the stars on potential display, Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes hero Economics will be favourite to complete the double, although he could face strong opposition from the French gelding Calandgan. Elsewhere on the card, Charyn will be looking to return to winning ways in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes with twenty-seven possible opponents, including last year's winner Big Rock.

Connections of Listed Godolphin Stakes winner Burdett Road have indicated that James Owens' stable star could remain on the flat for a possible tilt at the Group 1 Long Distance Cup on Champions Day at Ascot. The four-year-old gelding enjoyed an exciting juvenile hurdle campaign over the winter, winning the Grade 2 Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle at Cheltenham, before being ruled out of a possible tilt at the Cheltenham Festival due to a setback. Whilst the original plan had been to return to hurdles on the commencement of the new jumps season, Burdett Road's emphatic success in the Newmarket Listed contest means the autumn jumping plan is on pause whilst the team consider other options.

Trainer Adrian Keatley has announced the sale of juvenile Symbol Of Strength to new Hong Kong-based connections. The son of Kodiac was a maiden winner at Ayr, before defying market expectations with an 80/1 third in the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes at Mark. Victorious in the Group 3 Sirenia Stakes on the all-weather at Kempton subsequently, the colt was withdrawn from a possible tilt at the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes due to heavy ground.

Jockey James Doyle will reportedly take the ride aboard Trueshan in the Group 1 Prix du Cadran at Longchamp, with regular rider Hollie Doyle engaged at Newmarket for retained owner Imad Alsagar. The Alan King-trained gelding has won the contest twice before, and comes into the race in good order, having finished second behind Sweet William in the Group 2 Doncaster Cup during the St Leger meeting.