'He'll probably go to France - and with a good draw he could be another shock winner of the race'

Charlie Hills has already won one Group 1 sprint this season at a massive price with Khaadem at Royal Ascot and reckons he might have the horse to deliver another shock victory on the biggest stage.

Hills was talking to the Racing Post for a major interview in Sunday's newspaper in which he discusses the million-dollar success in the US that has made his season – in contrast to the desperate prize-money in Britain that has even an operation sitting 12th in the trainers' championship struggling financially – his regret at missing out on a chance to pursue his love of country music, and his brilliant champions Muhaarar and Battaash.

Equality, winning the Coral Charge at Sandown in July, now has the Prix de l'Abbaye in his sightsCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Longchamp was not a happy hunting ground for Battaash, whose sole Prix de l'Abbaye win came when the race was switched to Chantilly in 2017, but Hills reckons it could be the place where the progressive Equality, third in the Group 1 Flying Five last weekend, could strike at the top level in two weeks' time.

"He's been a bit of a slow burner," ponders the trainer. "He's always shown me he's a nice horse, but mentally he's been a bit fragile and could never put his races together. He's started to do that now, though, and he's certainly got a lot of speed.

"I think he'll probably go to France because he seems to handle a bit of cut in the ground and with a good draw he could be another shock winner of the race."

Before then, Hills has Orazio lined up for another major sprint prize in the Ayr Gold Cup next weekend and he would not put anyone off backing the ante-post favourite.

"He's been a bit unlucky," he explained. "He had a really good spring [winning handicaps at Newmarket and Ascot] and then the ground was probably a bit firm for him when he was sixth in the Wokingham, from a really bad draw, and then the Stewards' Cup was a disaster on heavy ground.

"Since then Ayr has been the plan. All we need now is good to soft ground and a good draw because he's on a mark he can win off and I'd like to think he could be a Group horse one day."

Read more from Charlie Hills in The Big Read, available in Sunday's newspaper or online for Members' Club Ultimate subscribers from 6pm on Saturday. Click here to sign up.

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