Almeraq set for Ascot return on Champions Day

The Qatar Racing British Champions Sprint Stakes is seen as the “obvious race” for Almeraq to cement his place as this season's leading sprinter after a second top-level triumph at Haydock.

One year on from a dramatic fall which effectively ended the career of ex-Shadwell retained rider Jim Crowley, William Haggas' son of Dark Angel was seen bouncing back to top form to romp away with one of early-autumn's premier sprinting prizes earlier this month.

Almeraq is now being primed for a return to Ascot – the scene of his famous Royal Ascot victory in a truly international Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes earlier this summer – and for a race he is currently the 2-1 favourite for a third Group One success of a fine campaign.

“Ascot is the plan all being well and he seems to have come out of Haydock in great shape. If we can keep him in once piece that is where we will be aiming,” said Angus Gold, racing manager for owners Shadwell.

“He's a smart horse and it was nice to see him do it so well at Haydock. The race was run differently this time and he got cover, did things the right way round on easier ground and it was good to see him show what he's really capable of.

“He's won on faster ground so I don't think he's one dimensional, but equally he can handle soft well and we wouldn't be worrying about the ground at Ascot.”

While British Champions Day seems the perfect place to bring the curtain down on Almeraq's brilliant season to date, it is still to be determined if the four-year-old will be back to search for more sprinting honours next term.

Gold added: “It's the obvious race to aim for and I can't see anything else obvious for him – we wouldn't be taking him to America or anything like that.

“I imagine this would be it for the year. We've not discussed if he will be back next year and it's one step at a time.

“It would be lovely to have him in training again (next year), but also at some stage he's going to make a really nice stallion so it will just be a question of what the family would like to do.”