Cirrus Des Aigles: will prep in France before running at Ascot
PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)Cirrus Des Aigles to bypass Irish Champion
TRIPLE Group 1 winner Cirrus Des Aigles will bypass next Saturday's Red Mills Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, according to trainer Corine Barande-Barbe.
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A repeat bid in the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot on October 20 remains the six-year-old's number one objective, with Barande-Barbe favouring a prep race in France beforehand.
"The horse isn't quite ready for a race like that," said the trainer on Saturday. "It would be hard to make his comeback in Ireland with the journey and then to run against very good horses. You have to be really ready for a race like that."
Barande-Barbe has highlighted two potential targets for Cirrus Des Aigles before retuning to Ascot, where he had both Snow Fairy [third] and Nathaniel [fifth] behind him when winning last year.
She added: "We'll wait for either La Coupe [de Maisons-Laffitte - Group 3, September 21] or the Dollar [Group 2, October 6] before going to the Champion Stakes."
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