Leopardstown 14 September 2024 Los Angeles and Dylan Browne McMonagle© Photo Healy Racing
Los Angeles will bid to give his successful season a Hollywood ending when he lines up in the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.
Aidan O’Brien’s son of Camelot made a winning return at Leopardstown in May, before finding only stablemate City Of Troy and James Fanshawe’s Ambiente Friendly too good in the Derby at Epsom.
With no City Of Troy standing in his way on his next start, he turned the tables on Ambiente Friendly to scoop Classic honours in the Irish Derby and then added to his tally when bravely landing the Great Voltigeur at York.
His winning run was snapped when only a length and a quarter behind the reopposing Economics in the Irish Champion Stakes and since Leopardstown, Los Angeles attempted to make all in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, putting up a bold show in third.
He now returns to the track less than two weeks later to face off against the might of William Haggas’ Economics and French raider Calandagan, seeking a fourth victory of the season.
“He ran a good race in the Arc, we were happy with him. Ideally, we’d have preferred not to have to make the running with him, but that’s the way it fell,” explained O’Brien.
“It probably wasn’t ideal for him but he ran well and he seems to have come out of it well. He ran well against Economics at Leopardstown but we know he is a very good horse, obviously.”
Remarkably, O’Brien has only won the Qipco British Champions Day feature once, with Magical in 2019, and Los Angeles will be joined in the race by Continuous, another to take part in the Arc at ParisLongchamp earlier this month.
O’Brien continued: “Continuous ran in the Arc too, but it was a bit of a non-event, as he ran into the horse that was injured coming down the hill.
“Christophe (Soumillon) said we could put a line through it, and he rides again. He’s had an easy season and his action suggests he’ll handle the ground, even though he handles fast ground as well.”
Prior to running in the Arc, Continuous finished the best part of three lengths adrift of Iresine in the Prix Foy, with Jean-Pierre Gauvin’s seven-year-old a part of the powerful French raiding party.
Iresine will be partnered by regular pilot Marie Velon, who returns to Ascot after being part of the winning team in the Shergar Cup in August.
She said: “I’m very excited to be returning to Ascot. My first experience of it was amazing. I didn’t win, but my team did!
“To ride in the Champion Stakes on Iresine is a dream, as he is the best horse of my life. We grew up together, so to run in this big race is unbelievable, for both me and the team. Calandagan and Economics are the best horses of the season, but I will count on Iresine’s experience to beat them.
“It’s a beautiful challenge and we will do our best. He is in great form, better than last time. He will be 100 per cent for Saturday and the ground will be perfect for him.”
Another horse returning to the track swiftly following an appearance on Arc weekend is Owen Burrows’ Anmaat, who misfired in the Prix Dollar but is given the chance to quickly bounce back to his best.
“That’s the first time he’s run a bad race. We’ve no real excuse for that, but the race was run at a very slow tempo, which probably wouldn’t have suited him,” explained his jockey Jim Crowley.
“He has to take a big step up on even his best form, but he’s a Group One winner and he likes cut in the ground.”
Oisin Murphy will be crowned champion jockey for the fourth time prior to racing and he has picked up the ride on Harry Charlton’s King’s Gambit, who has been knocking on the door at group level since winning the London Gold Cup in May.
Charlton said: “His form has been solid all year – second to Jayarebe in the Hampton Court at Royal Ascot and third to Arc third Los Angeles at York – and coming back to 10 furlongs after York will suit. He fully deserves his chance and I don’t think he will be far away.”
John and Thady Gosden’s Nashwa returns to 10 furlongs having blown away the cobwebs in the Sun Chariot Stakes, while one sure to appreciate underfoot conditions is Karl Burke’s Royal Rhyme.
The four-year-old thrives when the mud flies and has some smart form figures to his name.
“He is in great form and I am praying the ground is soft or even heavier,” said Burke.
“On faster ground, he was only three lengths behind them in the Irish Champion. On soft ground, I’d be very hopeful of turning around that form. He is getting better and stronger with every race.”
Royal Rhyme’s jockey Clifford Lee agrees and added: “He will love the ground and has been running on the wrong ground all year. He has good form on soft ground and will really enjoy it.”
