Fascinating Rocks in Champion for Weld

There may be another day for Gleneagles, but this ninth successive victory for Solow left him out on his own.

Head, who hails from the legendary French racing family which has produced champion trainers his father Alec and sister Criquette, said his champion was a remarkable horse especially as he has been on the go since March winning in Dubai. He rarely explodes away from his field, but there is little need for theatrics when an honest, no-nonsense approach keeps getting the job done. The 5-year-old gelded son of Singspiel out of High Maintenance (Highest Honor) is 12-for-17 lifetime. In an uncertain world, Solow is as steadfast as they come. The decision to send Gleneagles to post was finally confirmed less than an hour before the race, but the bookmakers could not lay him at any price as the punters kept faith with Solow.

Elm Park set a quick pace with the field strung out behind nearly in single file after Gerald Mosse on Kodi Bear had barged Solow out of the way to sit on the tail of the leader.

Regarding the decision on whether Gleneagles will run, Stickels said: “I think it’s a very close thing and I wouldn’t like to say which way it will go”. He said that was his best win since the Queen Anne Stakes here at Royal Ascot. We are drawn wide and we are going to have to use him with the pacemaker, he is still such an immature horse it will catch him out in the final furlong. “He’d not had a break from training all summer and with the benefit of hindsight, I should have said we won’t run”.

O’Brien revealed earlier in the week that should he not take his chance at Ascot, Gleneagles could have a racecourse gallop at Southwell before a potential tilt at the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland.

Having established himself as a useful stakes performer, the four-year-old lived up to his trainer’s high expectations when he lowered the colours of Irish Derby victor Jack Hobbs to claim Saturday’s Group One prize.

Trainer Dermot Weld’s six-month plan to win the Champion Stakes with Fascinating Rock has come off perfectly at Ascot. “He’s a very good horse”. When he finished third in the Challenge Stakes last time I felt sure he was a horse that could do better. “Ascot has been very lucky for me, I’ve won Gold Cups, the St James’s Palace Stakes and the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, but this day is also very special”.

John Gosden, who trains Jack Hobbs, said: “When you put that kind of race on for that kind of money you’ll get a lot of really classy and tough horses”. “We don’t have many runners, but this day is also very special”. This horse will be bigger and stronger next year and I am not in the slightest bit disappointed in him. His dad [Halling] got good at four and five and this one is no exception. To be honest, I’ll be surprised if he is good enough to beat a peak-form favourite but disappointed if he isn’t placed. “The draw was the only negative”. People wanted to write him off after Windsor but he’s such a big horse and he needed the run.

Gleneagles was on the fence for Saturday’s race until race day because of concerns of the turf condition. “He seems to be fine after it and we’ll see what he’s like in the next few days”. Doncaster was Doncaster, and it makes this all the sweeter. “We can look forward to her for next year, I would hope she will stay in training”.

A race before the Queen Elizabeth II, Simple Verse captured the QIPCO Champion Fillies and Mares Stakes, her second straight win after an eventful victory in the St. Leger Stakes earlier this year.