'He looks great and I can’t fault his preparation' - Ancient Wisdom heads strong British team for final Group 1 of the year in Europe

Charlie Appleby has had the 1m4f race in mind for some time for last year’s Group 1 Futurity Trophy winner, who was last seen winning the Group 3 Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket in July.

Before that, the son of Dubawi had finished runner-up to subsequent Irish Champion Stakes winner Economics in the Group 2 Dante Stakes at York before failing to handle the undulations of Epsom when eighth in the Derby.

Appleby swerved a tilt at the St Leger to wait for proper autumn ground for his three-year-old, who, despite a four-month absence, should be cherry ripe for his first overseas assignment after two racecourse gallops on Newmarket’s Rowley Mile in recent weeks.

“We had this race pencilled in for Ancient Wisdom for some time, hoping that the ground would be on the soft side," said Appleby. 

"It’s a very competitive event and we are coming up against some solid older horses, so he needs to step forward from his Bahrain Trophy win. The ground is the key with him and he stays a mile and a half well. He looks great and I can’t fault his preparation.”

Unlike Ancient Wisdom, fellow Newmarket runner Tiffany will be on familiar territory in Germany, where she is unbeaten in three starts, most recently a career-best win in the Group 2 Stutenpreis at Baden Baden in August.

Tiffany striding out in the Group 2 T von Zastrow Stutenpreis at Baden-Baden Credit: www.marcruehl.com

The four-year-old has big shoes to fill for trainer Sir Mark Prescott as he last won the feature with subsequent Prix de lArc de Triomphe winner Alpinista in 2021.

Since her latest win, Tiffany performed creditably in her first Group 1 assignment when third to Kalpana in the British Champion Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot last month.

Her jockey Luke Morris said: “She’s a fantastic year, winning a Group 2 and a Group 3 in Germany. She ran very well in the Group 1 at Ascot and still seems in good form at home.”

“It looks quite a deep race compared to previous renewals, but she goes there with a solid chance as she goes on the surface and should be suited by the galloping track.

"Obviously, we won it with Alpinista a few years ago, so we know what it’s about. I think the long-term plan is to keep her in training next year with a view to winning a Group 1.”

Other fillies having a crack at some black type are the David Menuisier-trained pair, Panthera and War Chimes.

Panthera has been plying her trade in France this year, finishing second in a Group 3 race at Saint Cloud last time, while War Chimes is bidding to bounce back from a disappointing effort at this level at Ascot last time.

War Chimes (left) charges home for third behind Ezeliya in the OaksCredit: Edward Whitaker

Last year’s winning trainer Andre Fabre is represented by Marquisat, who steps up to Group 1 company for the first time.

After going down by a nose to Junko, who won this a year ago, in the Group 2 Grand Prix de Chantilly in June, the four-year-old stayed on to finish third in last month’s Group 2 Prix du Conseil de Paris at Longchamp.

Louise Benard, of owners Godolphin, said: “Marquisat is a consistent horse who has never disappointed us throughout his career. This end-of-season Group 1 fits well in his season and he should perform well.”

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