Timeform analysis | Anmaat's win in the Champion Stakes

By Timeform

16:08 · MON October 21, 2024

Read Timeform's report of the Champion Stakes, won in remarkable fashion by Anmaat, one of the outsiders of the field.

A clash between 2 of the star three-year-olds of the season seemed a fascinating prospect, Economics, unbeaten in 4 races this year, including the Irish Champion, against Calandagan, beaten only by City of Troy on his last 4 outings; it didn't work out that way, Economics amiss, Calandagan doing well to get to the front but then run out of it, space at a premium in the straight in a messy race with the round-course races again having been moved to the hurdles track on the inside of the Flat one, the field finishing in too much of a heap to take a high view of the form; the winner was the third 6-y-o to win the Champion Stakes this century, following Pride and Addeybb, the only older winner in the race's history being the 7-y-o Bendigo, successful in 1887.

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ANMAAT, lightly raced for his age, bounced back to his best just a fortnight on from a lacklustre effort at Longchamp, overcoming adverse circumstances in fine style, producing the biggest shock in this race in a long time, by some way the longest-priced winner this century (David Junior was a 25/1 winner in 2005), and trading at far bigger prices in running when shuffled right back 2f out, that he was able to overcome the position he found himself in 1½ furlongs out quite remarkable; waited with, travelled well, still to be asked for effort when short of room over 2f out and lost place completely, good progress entering final 1f and crucially got seam between Royal Rhyme and Economics before getting up to thwart Calandagan in the final 50 yds, feeling the whip just once to boot, when already having edged ahead; for all he doesn't have that many miles on the clock, whether he can reproduce this sort of form as a 7-y-o remains to be seen.

CALANDAGAN finished second, just as he had on his first attempt in a Group 1, not quite running to the level he had behind City of Troy at York but doing well to get in a position to win after meeting traffic problems, even if the winner's situation was even worse; slowly into stride, pushed along to soon get in touch, shaken up entering straight, short of room 2f out, led well inside final 1f but headed final 50 yds; he's more of a lengthener than a quickener and remains better judged on his fine York form (when the subsequent Arc winner was well adrift of him) than a messy race around this sharp inner course, and he'll remain a leading contender for top honours in 2025, return visits here for the Royal meeting and the King George likely to be high on the agenda.

ROYAL RHYME has generally found top company a little beyond him in a campaign largely at the highest level this year, but he ran a fine race in defeat, placed in a Group 1 for the first time (the only colt to make the frame), though beaten by a pair that met more trouble in running than he did; handy, short of room briefly early in straight, shaken up 2f out, led over 1f out, headed well inside final 1f, no extra.

IRESINE was another outsider to run a cracker, like the winner performing even better than the result having had to wait a long time to get clear passage in the straight; held up, travelled well, not clear run from early in straight, shaken up 1f out, good progress after, nearest at the finish.

SEE THE FIRE had been placed in a couple of Group 1s against her own sex and although she couldn't make the frame in this tougher company, she ran about as well as could have been expected, going off the complete outsider of the field after all, benefiting from the return to a longer trip, worth a try over further still if she's kept in training; held up, shaken up 2f out, headway approaching final 1f, kept on, nearest at the finish.

ECONOMICS, unbeaten in 4 previous starts this year, all on good ground, including in the Irish Champion Stakes last time out, was below his best, a physical issue manifesting itself on softer ground, as he returned clearly having bled; waited with, shaken up entering straight, not quicken, rallied over 1f out, every chance, weakened inside final 1f, bled; he remains with the potential to win good races next year, provided the issue he had here can be sorted out.

KING'S GAMBIT was unable to hold his position as the race developed in the straight, but he ran respectably, taking a significant step up in class, just a handicap win to show for his efforts this campaign but surely more reward in store next year; handy, shaken up entering straight, quickly lost place 2f out.

PERSICA, biting off much more in this company, didn't get home after making a rapid forward move on the turn into the straight, trading at a fraction of his SP at one stage, suggesting he can do better at pattern level next year; steadied at the start, held up, smooth headway out wide home turn, challenged over 1f out, weakened.

LOS ANGELES was below form, this perhaps coming a bit quick after the Arc, though this surely isn't his optimum trip either, for all that he'd been beaten a little over a length in the Irish Champion; prominent, shaken up over 4f out, lost place over 2f out.

CONTINUOUS hasn't come up to expectations as a 4-y-o, beaten at short odds in the Hardwicke and the Niel and down the field in the Arc, and he was again below form over a trip short of his optimum; soon led, shaken up straight, headed over 1f out, weakened soon after.

NASHWA had come on plenty for her run at Newmarket, but she didn't run any sort of race, a watching brief clearly needed in the event she's seen out again; held up, not settle fully, stumbled soon after halfway, shaken up entering straight, hung right, made no impression.

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