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'He came out of the Moulin brilliantly' - Christopher Head delighted with Big Rock ahead of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes

Big Rock and Aurelien Lemaitre after the G3 Prix La Force
Big Rock: well supported for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot

Christopher Head brought Blue Rose Cen back from summer defeats to claim a major Group 1 contest, and the French trainer is aiming to pull off the same trick with gambled-on Big Rock in Saturday's Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot.

Big Rock started the week as big as 12-1 for the mile contest but has been well supported and is no bigger than a general 7-1 to become the fourth French-trained winner of the QEII in the last decade.

Christopher's dad Freddy claimed the Champions Day contest in back-to-back years with Charm Spirit (2014) and Solow (2015) – Francis Graffard's The Revenant was the other successful French raider in 2020 – and Head is delighted with the condition of Big Rock heading into an almighty clash with Paddington, Tahiyra and Nashwa.

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Scott BurtonFrance correspondent

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