One of the two Group 1s which came to be the foundation of British Champions Day, the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes is the end-of-season milers’ championship. 13 hopefuls go to post, and Joe Napier previews the contest with his verdict.
A stunning performance by Big Rock was rated as the best across Europe last season, as he waltzed to a six-length front-running success in 2023.
CHARYN
(Roger Varian/Silvestre De Sousa)
By far Britain’s standout miler of 2024, Charyn has been proof that perseverance can pay off as a trainer. Roger Varian’s star went through 2023 without a victory despite some solid efforts in good company, but has transformed into the leader of his division in 2024, winning four of his six starts.
Even that record does not do justice to his performances. After winning at Listed and Group 2 level early on this term, he met with defeat in the Lockinge behind front-runner Audience, who clearly benefitted from streaking away down the centre of the track. Thereafter, Charyn secured debut Group 1 honours over course and distance in the Queen Anne, was even more impressive in Prix Jacque le Marois at Deauville and only failed to reel in yet another tearaway in the Prix du Moulin at Longchamp last time out. Soft ground may even bring out more of him back on these shores, and as long as another leader does not slip the field, he is a clear and worthy favourite.
TAMFANA
(David Menuisier/Oisin Murphy)
A filly who is finally gaining just reward for her talent, Tamfana had endured frustrating defeats in Classics and Group 1s for much of this season before two recent successes. She was fourth in the 1000 Guineas when flying home too late, third in the French Oaks when leading too soon, and then fourth in the Grand Prix de Paris when her stamina failed to stretch to 1m4f.
Her trainer David Menuisier deserves a lot of credit for dropping her back to 1m, ash she was an easy winner in the Group 3 Atalanta Stakes at Sandown before gaining her first Group 1 in Newmarket’s Sun Chariot Stakes against her fellow fillies and mares two weeks ago. The quick turnaround is never ideal on Champions Day given testing conditions, but she is firmly on the upgrade and the weight she gets all-round as a three-year-old filly could be put to good use.
METROPOLITAN
(Mario Baratti/Cristian Demuro)
The only Classic winner in the field is French 2000 Guineas hero Metropolitan, who may not have been a superstar winner of that contest, but who has nevertheless held his own in strong company since. Perhaps it is because he does not represent one of France’s biggest stables, but he has been consistently underestimated since that victory.
He is also not flashily bred, but he was an assertive winner at Longchamp back in May and has backed that up with a game third in the St James’s Palace Stakes on ground that was probably too quick before chasing Charyn home in the Jacques le Marois. He still beat some established Group 1 performers that day, though the three-length deficit he has to make up with the favourite looks more likely to be increased, even on his more favourable soft ground.
FACTEUR CHEVAL
(Jerome Reynier/Maxime Guyon)
As much of a standing order in British Group 1s as in his homeland, only one of Facetur Cheval’s last six starts has been in France, with four coming in this country. Jerome Reynier has not been afraid to pitch him in against this nation’s best, and he has only let him down once, when drawn on the wrong side of the track in the Queen Anne behind Charyn earlier this year.
Otherwise, he was second to Paddington in the 2023 Sussex Stakes, third in that same race when less than two lengths behind Notable Speech, and runner-up in this a year ago when compatriot Big Rock blazed the trail from the front. He is another who may well improve on this year’s efforts back on a softer surface, but may well be playing for places at best.
THE FIELD
Both Prague and Quddwah have only raced on five occasions despite nearing their fifth birthdays. Either or both could yet step forward, with the former demonstrating his ebay on soft ground last time. He may be this year’s candidate to slip the field from the front, so should be of interest each-way, though Quddwah maybe has more to prove given Charyn had him 3½ lengths in arrears at Deauville in August. He is a course and distance winner, however.
Both Henry Longfellow and Dancing Gemini have been runner-up in Group 1s for their age group this term, Aidan O’Brien has not relented in his campaigning of the regally-bred Henry Longfellow, though he looked to have his limitations exposed last time. Dancing Gemini is more intriguing at a much bigger price having been just half-a-length behind Metropolitan the last time he raced on soft ground although his form has been markedly inferior since.
Consistent types Checkandchallenge and Poker Face do not look like making much of an impact this level, with the only outsider of note possibly being Ice Max, who bombed out behind Prague last time, but has claims on his cosy Group 2 success at Goodwood prior to that. Sirona and Lord Massusus are the final pair, though again look to have their work cut out.
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VERDICT
Tamfana is progressing likeably, but though she has a big chance with her weight allowances, the quick turnaround from her Sun Chariot Stakes makes it difficult to overlook CHARYN, who should be too good anyway. His two defeats this season have come when tearaway front-runners have been massively favoured by pace or track biases, without which Roger Varian’s grey may have gone through this season unbeaten. He deserves just reward for his performances and should be compensated on Saturday. Fears of another front-runner getting loose on the lead should not be completely ignored, with Prague seemingly the likeliest candidate to do just that. Dylan Cunha’s charge is also a decent threat for the frame regardless of tactics.
- Charyn
- Tamfana
- Prague
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