Inspiral to skip Irish Champions Weekend with QEII on autumn agenda

Inspiral's main autumn aim is the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot, with joint-trainer Thady Gosden pouring cold water on a possible clash with Homeless Songs on Irish Champions Weekend.

The daughter of Frankel returned to top form last time out when landing the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville this month, her third Group 1 victory following wins in last season's Fillies' Mile and the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.

Inspiral was 9-4 second-favourite with Ladbrokes for the Coolmore America "Justify" Matron Stakes at Leopardstown on September 10, but a possible first showdown with Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Homeless Songs in that Group 1 has been ruled out.

Gosden said: "Inspiral is having an easy time of it just now. She won't be going to Ireland next week as she needs a bit more time between her races, as she's shown before."

The Cheveley Park-owned three-year-old has won six of her seven starts, with her sole defeat coming at odds of 1-7 in the Falmouth Stakes in July.

Connections put that defeat to Prosperous Voyage down to a short recovery time from her previous Ascot exertions before she returned to form in France on the back of a break. Taking on the colts for the first time in the Marois, Inspiral showed plenty of guts to record a neck victory over Light Infantry.

'She could go straight to Ascot'

Although Inspiral is also entered – and favourite – for the Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket on October 1, that comes just two weeks before her primary target on British Champions Day.

Gosden added: "She's in the Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket but it's only a fortnight before her main target which is the QEII, so it could be that she goes straight to Ascot."

Inspiral is 5-2 favourite for the QEII on October 15, a race connections won with Persuasive in 2017. Homeless Songs is next in the ante-post market at a general 7-2.

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