"He’s in good shape for Ascot" - Economics and Calandagan to clash in Champion Stakes
- Economics and Calandagan to clash on British Champions Day
- Economics recently won the Irish Champion Stakes; trainer Haggas confident
- Calandagan finished second in Juddmonte, ready for Ascot challenge
Tom Marquand riding Economics (navy blue) win The Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown. (Getty)
Two of this season's star three-year-olds looks set to clash for the first time on British Champions Day, as Economics and Calandagan prepare for the Champion Stakes.
Economics burst onto the scene back in May, as he demolished the field in the Dante Stakes. William Haggas ignored clamours to supplement his star for the Epsom Derby, instead using a French Group Two in August - which he won easily - as a launchpad for an autumn campaign.
Haggas announced his intentions to run Economics in both the Irish Champion and British Champion Stakes after his victory at Deauville. Tom Marquand's mount sealed the first leg of that famous double at Leopardstown earlier this month, edging out Auguste Rodin to claim his first Group One win.
Speak to the press this weekend, Haggas said that British Champions Day remains Economics' number on objective, and he came out of the Leopardstown race in good shape.
“Economics has done very little since he won at Leopardstown." Haggas said. "He’s a great big horse and I think it was a good performance over a mile and a quarter on a sharp track like that, when he was drawn eight of eight on good to firm ground.”
“It was good to firm that day as there was a good headwind and they still ran a very good time. He’ll need two weeks to recover from that, which is why the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe was never under consideration for him. Champions Day at Ascot will be perfect.”
“No-one knows whether it was the right or wrong decision not to run him in the Derby but it was a decision we made. I’m personally delighted that he has now won a Group 1 so at least that means it wasn’t such a disastrous decision to miss Epsom.”
“I’m absolutely sure he’ll be a better horse with cut in the ground. He’s in good shape for Ascot and we’ll probably work him towards the back end of next week.”
Auguste Rodin won't make the trip to Ascot for a second showdown with his Irish Champion Stakes conqueror. Instead, Economics will have to face French star Calandagan, who ran away with the King Edward VII Stakes here at Ascot during the Royal Meeting.
Francis-Henri Graffard's star then ran a smashing race behind City Of Troy in the Juddmonte International Stakes, finishing a length adrift in second as the winner smashed the ten-furlong course record at York. Being a gelding, a tilt at the Arc was out of the question for Calandagan, so connections have been preparing their star for his return trip to Ascot instead.
"Francis has been very happy with him since York and felt that he took that much better than the race at Ascot," said Nemone Routh, racing manager to owners the Aga Khan.
"I think he needed the break after that race at Ascot; he was a bit tucked-up even though he looked like he won really easily, whereas we felt he took the trip to York very well and didn’t lose much weight.
"We haven’t started the whole work process yet but Francis feels like he’s strengthening and maybe maturing a little. We have no concerns when it comes to the ground. He’s a very clean-actioned horse."
"Before we went to Ascot he won here on the Polytrack (at Chantilly) but he’d only ever run on soft or heavy turf, and he was running well. Stephane [Pasquier, jockey] always felt that good ground would suit so we have no concerns.
"It was really heavy for his first run this season and he got through it, and he quickened. And he obviously suits the Ascot track."
"I think he’s proved he’s competitive at Group 1 level over a mile and a quarter," said Routh. "That was a good run at York as he was the only horse to come from off the pace.
"It felt like you were favoured if you were up with the pace in a lot of the races beforehand and we were a little concerned because he likes to drop himself out a bit.
"We did say to Stephane, ‘Try to get a bit of a position', which he did, better than he can do. But to come from off the pace and quicken the way he did was very encouraging."
"I think the circumstances of the race suited City Of Troy and didn’t suit us, but he still ran a great race. Obviously Economics is a proven Group 1 performer who is on the upgrade and it’s going to be a good race."
Most bookmakers list Economics as their 6/4 favourite for the 2024 Champion Stakes, with Calandagan a few points further adrift at 11/4. King George winner, Goliath sits third in the ante-post betting, ahead of Los Angeles, who'll head to France for a tilt at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
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