Late decision to be made on Gleneagles

Gleneagles will make the journey to Ascot on Saturday after trainer Aidan O'Brien confirmed his intention to make a late decision on his participation in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

The master of Ballydoyle walked the course on Friday afternoon and was encouraged enough by what he saw to allow his dual 2000 Guineas hero to travel from Ireland on race day morning.

O'Brien said: "The ground's borderline. Parts of it are good and parts of it are on the soft side of good.

"We're going to take him racing and see how it rides for the first few races."

It has been a frustrating summer for Gleneagles and his supporters, with the three-year-old having missed several engagements on account of unfavourable ground conditions since landing the St James's Palace Stakes at the Royal meeting.

The Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville, the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, the Juddmonte International at York and Leopardstown's Irish Champion Stakes were all pencilled in before eventually being ruled out, and this weekend appears the final opportunity for him to showcase his talents in Europe.

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.

Ascot's clerk of the course Chris Stickels, who walked the track with O'Brien, revealed there is still a chance of some rainfall at the Berkshire circuit.

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.

"I think they want to run, but obviously they want the ground to be right. I think they're happy enough with how the track walks, but they want to see how it rides.

"The forecast is predominantly dry, but we could get a shower of rain any time. There are showers to the east of us and we may be unlucky and get one or we may miss them altogether, so we'll just have to wait and see what happens."

Freddy Head hailed Solow a "real champion" ahead of his bid to extended his Group One-winning sequence to five.

The dashing grey sprang to prominence when winning the Dubai Turf in March, after which he claimed the Prix d'Ispahan in May, the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot in June and the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood in July.

"He's had a few problems in the past - swollen joints and things like this - but nothing serious and that's why we gelded him," said the Chantilly handler.

"I always thought he was going to be a good horse, but he let us down a bit at the beginning of his three-year-old career, but I ran him over too far.

"It (Ascot) will be his last start for the year. After the race he will go to the Wertheimers' stud for a few weeks before we think about Dubai again.

"He's a versatile, beautiful mover and is very easy to train.

"He's a real champion - he has everything."

One horse on a steep upward curve is Clive Cox's Kodi Bear, winner of three of his four runs this season since a setback in the spring forced him to miss the Guineas.

"He's a horse we've always held in high regard. I'm just delighted with the way he's progressed every step of the way," said Cox.

"He's been very convincing, albeit this is another step up and we're all respectful of the opposition, but we're going there with a happy feel."

Andre Fabre's Territories was second to Gleneagles at Newmarket and had Kodi Bear behind him when winning the Prix Jean Prat in July. He was beaten by stablemate Esoterique in the Marois after that.

"I am very happy with Territories - his work has been good. He would prefer good ground but the straight course should not be as soft as the round course," said Fabre.

"He has not run since August but he is quite a light horse who does not need much work.

"Comparing the progress he and Gleneagles have made since they finished second and first in the 2000 Guineas is difficult because neither has run for a long time.

"What I would say is that Territories is quite a late foal - he was born almost four months after Gleneagles - so that might allow him to have made greater progress since the spring."

Andrew Balding runs Elm Park in this race rather than the Champion Stakes over 10 furlongs as last year's Racing Post Trophy winner has been keen in his races this season.

"He is unbeaten in four career starts over a mile," said Balding.

"I have been very happy with him since his recent Sandown win and he appears to be in top form at home, although his home-work had always been good."

Integral is not without a chance based on her form, with the absent Esoterique having just beaten her in the Sun Chariot.

This will be a swansong for Sir Michael Stoute's mare as she heads off to the paddocks.

Chris Richardson, managing director of owners Cheveley Park Stud, said: "I thought she ran very well in the Sun Chariot - right up to her best - especially considering she hadn't run for over 100 days."

Gabrial and Top Notch Tonto, runner-up in 2013, represent the north but the two likeable performers have plenty to find on official figures.

The field is completed by last year's Dewhurst winner Belardo, who hinted at a return to form when third in the Challenge Stakes last week.