Trainer George Boughey is leaning towards a tilt at the Group 1 British Champion Stakes at Ascot for stable star Via Sistina.

The five-year-old mare has remained against her own sex in four starts this season, recording an easy victory in the Group 2 Dahlia Stakes before a first Group 1 success in the ten furlong Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh.

With regular rider Jamie Spencer in Australia, George Boughey has booked Oisin Murphy for Via Sistina and is likely to take on the boys in the Group 1 Champions Stakes rather than step up to twelve furlongs for the Group 1 British Champions Fillies & Mare Stakes. She is expected to get her preferred conditions - with rain forecast to hit the Berkshire track later in the week, officials are expecting soft to heavy ground. 

"It [Champion Stakes]looks very much the plan at the moment. Ten furlongs I think is her optimum trip and it looks like the ground might be in her favour," said Boughey.

"The forecast for France looked like it was going to dry up ahead of the Prix de l'Opera and it certainly did. Steve and Becky Hillen [owners], and fair play to them, they wanted to wait for Ascot and thankfully the rain looks like it's coming.

"There's a chance the race may be held on the inner loop and there could be 50 per cent more runners in the fillies' and mares' race, so it could get messy. I think the Champion looks the right spot for her.

"The more time she has between her runs, the better she is as well. I still think her best performance of the year was on very soft ground at Newmarket, having had a long break through the winter.

"She's very fit and very fresh and ready to rock and roll."

Via Sistina is generally available at 8/1 for Saturday's Group 1 British Champion Stakes.