Mercer will not use trip as an Excuse in Champion

NO EXCUSE NEEDED could bid to win his first race over a mile and a quarter in Saturday’s Group One Ireland the Food Island Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.

The four-year-old, who is trained by Sir Michael Stoute, has only tackled the trip twice before after some high profile successes over a mile.

No Excuse Needed first ran over a mile and a quarter in the Dubai Champion Stakes last autumn but he finished some distance behind the winner Nayef on unsuitable soft ground.