'We know he's got a big one in him' - Hills eyes Champions Sprint for Khaadem

The classy Khaadem, who bypassed Haydock's Betfair Sprint Cup on Saturday, is to be aimed at the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot on October 17, with trainer Charlie Hills desperate for a dry autumn for his colt.

Last year's Stewards' Cup winner looked a potential Group 1 performer that day at Goodwood and went towards confirming that by finishing fourth in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes and July Cup this summer.

However, Hamdan Al Maktoum's four-year-old is thought best on quick ground – something of a rarity for the Sprint Cup.

"It was the easy conditions at Haydock that put us off," Hills said on Saturday. "It seems like if anyone needs rain, we should just enter him!

"He's been unfortunate with the weather this year and I think we could give him one more shot at Ascot next month, and if the ground's not right we'll probably look forward to next year with him.

"I've spoken to Sheikh Hamdan's racing manager Angus Gold and talked about stepping him up to seven furlongs for the Park Stakes at Doncaster, but I think six furlongs is his trip and don't forget he's been fourth in two Group 1s, not beaten far.

"We know he's got a big one in him and hopefully we can get the luck with the ground that we need."

Khaadem is 16-1 with Paddy Power and Betfair for the Champions Sprint, while stablemate Equilateral can be backed at 14-1 with those firms for next Sunday's Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh.

He was second to the Hills yard's superstar sprinter Battaash in the King's Stand at Royal Ascot and was last seen finishing fifth in a Listed race at York in July.

"He's still on course for Ireland and it's been the plan," Hills added.

"He goes well fresh, so we've sat out a few races he could have run in with a view to going there fresh.

"The jockey situation [because of the coronavirus and quarantine] is a bit up in the air at the moment, but I think we've got Ryan Moore for him. If Aidan O'Brien has a runner we won't have Ryan, but at this stage we could have him."

Equilateral, who is owned by Jim and Fitri Hay, is also happiest on a sound surface.

Flying Five entries

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Superstar Battaash set to skip Flying Five in favour of Abbaye mission

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