Quest for French success
Roger Charlton's six-year-old goes into the Qatar Prix Du Cadran off the back of a win in the Lonsdale Cup and a fine second in the Doncaster Cup
QUEST For More heads the British challenge for Group One honours in the Group One Qatar Prix Du Cadran at Chantilly on Saturday.
Roger Charlton's six-year-old won the Lonsdale Cup at York in August and was just touched off by Sheikhzayedroad in the Doncaster Cup two weeks ago.
Burmese, who was fourth in the Group Two on Town Moor, represents Marcus Tregoning while Hughie Morrison sends over Nearly Caught, a dual Deauville winner this summer.
Quest For More has had five races in all since recovering from his trip to Australia where he was only beaten four lengths when ninth in the Melbourne Cup last November.
"He seems in good form although he's had a couple of tough races this year," said Charlton.
"As we know, he wants quick ground rather than slow ground, so let's hope the rain stays away from Chantilly.
"He's trying a slightly longer trip, but he appears to stay well and I hope he can get in the money.
"Vazirabad is the one they all have to beat really and then the rest have got similar lines of form.
"It's probably his last race of the year, so we'll give it a go."
His rider George Baker said: "I'm looking forward to it, I hope they don't get any rain over there. Two and a half miles on good ground will be ideal for him. He stays extremely well and is a very likeable horse.
"We've got the French horse to beat, but we're going there in good nick and I'd be pretty confident that if the ground is in our favour, he'll be a tough nut to crack."
Sir Mark Prescott's Amour De Nuit and Seamus Durack's Cayirli complete the five-strong British raid on the stayers' prize.
Amour De Nuit's rider Luke Morris is hopeful of a good run from the four-year-old.
"He won his first race of the year really well beating the likes of Nearly Caught (at Chelmsford in May) who's gone on to do really well in France this year," he told At The Races.
"It looks a strong race, but hopefully he can put up a solid performance. He stays well and the two-mile-four won't be an issue to him."
However, they face a tough opponent in Alain de Royer-Dupre's Vazirabad, who leads the home brigade in a field of 12.
The only withdrawal at the final declaration stage was Trip To Paris. Ed Dunlop's 2015 Gold Cup hero remains a possible for the Long Distance Cup at Ascot on British Champions Day.
Arthenus is an interesting runner in the Qatar Prix Dollar. James Fanshawe's former handicapper showed he was up to Pattern standard when chasing home New Bay in a Group Three heat at Deauville in August before winning a Listed race at Saint-Cloud.
The four-year-old has Prix du Jockey Club runner-up Zarak and the William Haggas-trained Yorker among his eight rivals in the 10-furlong feature.
Morrison saddles Marmelo, the only British runner among a field of six in the Qatar Prix Chaudenay while Dermot Weld's Almela goes for the Qatar Prix De Royallieu and Jim Bolger has the Godolphin-owned Moonlight Magic in the Qatar Prix Daniel Wildenstein.
