Gold Cup foes renew rivalry

Gold Cup one-two Leading Light and Estimate once again lock horns in the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot on Saturday.

Her Majesty and Estimate Picture: Racing and Sports

Aidan O'Brien's Leading Light narrowly denied the Queen's Estimate successive victories in the Royal Ascot feature in June, although the Sir Michael Stoute-trained stayer was later disqualified due to a positive test for a banned substance.

Leading Light went on to the land the Irish St Leger Trial, but was beaten into second in the Irish Leger itself on his most recent appearance.

Estimate disappointed at Goodwood immediately after her Gold Cup reverse, but ran better in the Lonsdale Cup at York and was back on the winning trail in the Doncaster Cup.

The pair feature among nine stayers declared to run in the Champions Day opener, with Dermot Weld's lightly-raced Forgotten Rules and Sir Mark Prescott's Pallasator also in the mix.

There is a strong Irish representation among 17 runners in the British Champions Sprint.

Tom Hogan's multiple Group One winner Gordon Lord Byron is joined by Evanna McCutcheon's Maarek, a winner of this race two years ago, as well as the Eddie Lynam-trained pair of Gathering Power and Viztoria.

David O'Meara's Sprint Cup hero G Force was supplemented and heads the betting, with proven mudlark Jack Dexter another leading hope for the home team.

A huge field of 28 go to post for the concluding Balmoral Handicap, with Hughie Morrison's Chil The Kite heading the weights.


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