Rite Of Passage back at Ascot

A fascinating running of the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup sees the last three winners of the Ascot Gold Cup take each other on.

All three have suffered contrasting fortunes since their respective days in the sun.

The 2010 winner Rite Of Passage has only run once since, and will be having his first outing for over 500 days.

Last year's winner Fame And Glory returned to Berkshire to win the inaugural running of this race but has struggled for consistency, while Godolphin's Colour Vision has been beaten three times since giving Frankie Dettori reason for a flying dismount back in June.

Aidan O'Brien's Fame And Glory does tend to reserve his best for Ascot but disappointed in this year's Gold Cup and although not beaten far last time out, could only finish sixth in the Irish St Leger.

"I suppose he's a bit older and a bit wiser, and he's a bit harder to get fit than he used to be," said O'Brien.

"We've chased him a good bit since the last day and I think he realises Ascot is coming.

"We've been happy with his work since the Curragh so hopefully he has progressed since then."

He told BCSTV: "He's come forward nicely from the Curragh, he just needed to come forward more and he has, so we're looking forward to him running.

"We were going to let him roll along into a nice rhythm if there wasn't pace. I think that's what Jamie (Spencer) did and obviously he did that in the soft ground and got that bit tired as he'd not done it in a while. We think he's improved fitness-wise since then."

Jockey Pat Smullen is looking forward to getting back on Dermot Weld's Rite Of Passage after his long absence and says he is as fit as he can be without having a run.

"I'm really looking forward to riding him again and it will be great to get back on him," said Smullen.

"Obviously he's coming into it after a long time off and you'd think he'd come on for the run.

"He's as ready as he can be, though, the boss wouldn't be running him otherwise.

"The trip and ground aren't an issue and I think he'll run very well."

Weld said: "I've been looking forward to him running for a long time but it's been a long road with him and I stressed earlier in the week that he's been off for so long that he is bound to need the run.

"He'll come on a good deal for the race but I'm confident he is fit enough to do himself justice."

Just behind Colour Vision in this year's Gold Cup was Opinion Poll, trained by Mahmood Al Zarooni, and he has been given a break since that run.

"He did a very good piece of work a few days ago and I think you will see him running a good race," said Al Zarooni.

John Oxx's Saddler's Rock was a fast-finishing third to Colour Vision and Opinion Poll in the Gold Cup and won the Goodwood version, but keeps finding the soft ground against him.

"We keep turning up, he's only won one of them, at Goodwood. I thought he might have won more than one this year but things haven't been plain sailing with him.

"He ran well in the Cadran on ground he didn't like, so we'll give him another go and he's worthy of his place in the race," Oxx told At The Races.

"He needs a good gallop, a good test of stamina and on fast ground he can produce a turn of foot. On soft ground he doesn't.

"If they go slowly he's at a big disadvantage and we've had a few of those. At York he probably was a bit flat, he didn't run up to form there and my horses were out of form at that time, so it hasn't been an easy year for him.

"But thank goodness he won at Goodwood and he still has a chance at the weekend. I think the track suits him (at Ascot). it's a good stiff finish. He ran very well in the Gold Cup and hopefully he can run well again."

Ile De Re has a bit to find on the official ratings but since joining Donald McCain he has won the Chester Cup and Northumberland Plate, two of the most prestigious handicaps on the level.

"He's fresh and well and ready to run," said McCain.

"I know it's a massive step up in class but we've got nothing to lose. One thing he will do is go in the ground, which some of the others might not, so we'll take a punt and see where we stand.

"I know where I'd like to go with him over hurdles after this but he's got to get into the races first. He'll be going hurdling pretty quickly, though."