Champion Stakes rematch for Cecil aces
The pair locked horns in the Juddmonte International at York last month when they fought out the finish, with Twice Over battling back to win after Midday had looked the most likely winner for much of the race.
It was a great result for owner Prince Khalid Abdullah, who had been trying to win the race he sponsors for over 20 years.
“York was very rewarding. The Prince had been trying to win his race for over 22 years and it was wonderful to win it with Twice Over and also have the second with Midday,” Cecil told his website, www.henrycecil.com.
“They have both come out of the race well and the idea is for them both to run in the Champion Stakes at Ascot in October.”
Twice Over will be looking for his third win in the Champion Stakes, having struck for the last two years when the race was previously staged at Newmarket.
Vita Nova, meanwhile, will get the chance to atone for her narrow defeat in the Yorkshire Oaks in the Qipco British Champions Fillies' And Mares' Stakes on the same Ascot card.
Having won her first three races, the Galileo filly has now finished second in her last three outings, and was most unfortunate when her saddle slipped in the Lancashire Oaks before heading to York.
She just failed to reel in dual Classic winner Blue Bunting on the Knavesmire, suggesting her turn is not far away.
“She ran a great race at York and was giving the winner, who is a very good filly, 10lb,” said Cecil.
“I know it was weight-for-age but she is a very immature filly and to run like that was very commendable.
“She will go for the Fillies’ race on Champions’ Day.”
Cecil also had news of Chachamaidee, who has really got her act together recently, as she showed when winning the Oak Tree Stakes at Goodwood.
The four-year-old filly will run at Doncaster next week, and then possibly head for the Sun Chariot Stakes, in which she could be joined by Falmouth winner Timepiece.
Cecil continued: “Chachamaidee will run in the Sceptre Stakes at Doncaster. Hopefully she will run very well and can join Timepiece in the Sun Chariot Stakes.”
After having won the Falmouth, Timepiece was denied a second Group One win in the Prix Jean Romanet when just caught by Announce.
“The winner is a real improver and Timepiece ran very well having been in front a bit too long. She seems to go better on soft ground so hopefully it is not too fast at Newmarket,” added Cecil.
Meanwhile, Walter Swinburn hopes to return to the training ranks at some point in the future.
The man who partnered the mighty Shergar to glory in the 1981 Derby is to hand in his licence at the end of October due to financial reasons, but said he was “confident” he would train again.
Swinburn took over the training licence from his father-in-law, Peter Harris, in November 2004, and has sent out over 260 winners from his yard in Tring, Hertfordshire.
Swinburn told the Daily Mail: “I didn’t want to make this decision but I have a feeling that it is the right one – a step back to go forward. I feel confident I will come back at some point – it is just a question of where and when.
“But there was too much uncertainty and concern about whether we could fill the right amount of boxes to make the business viable.
“What we have found hard is the hole that has been left with Peter stepping back and there is nothing to fill that hole.
“It’s a big wrench and the timing is not ideal but a number of people have been helpful in producing figures that I understand and accept.
“What is becoming very clear is that unless prizemoney levels improve, not only are we going to lose the owners but also the horses to offers too good to refuse from richer racing countries.
“The disappointing thing is we were growing and had an excellent team all on the same wavelength. I had grown into the role and, as each year went by, I could see we were building.”
