Love misses Champions Day as Aidan O'Brien reroutes Snowfall to Fillies & Mares

Dual Classic heroine Snowfall has not been declared for Saturday's all-star edition of the Qipco Champion Stakes and has instead been rerouted to take Love's place in the Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes.

Trainer Aidan O'Brien on Wednesday had indicated his intention to run star three-year-old Snowfall against Mishriff and Adayar, but unsatisfactory blood test results for five-time Group 1 winner Love means the four-year-old will miss British Champions Day.

Bolshoi Ballet will now fly the flag solo for Ballydoyle in the Champion Stakes, while La Joconde, placed in the Yorkshire Oaks and Prix Vermeille, joins Snowfall in her new 1m4f target.

Aidan O'Brien told the Racing Post on Thursday: "We just weren't 100 per cent happy with Love's blood results this morning. She hasn't quite come right since her temperature before Longchamp so she won't be running on Saturday."

Love (left): Prince of Wales's Stakes scorer missed the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe due to a temperatureCredit: Edward Whitaker

He added: "We are switching Snowfall to the Fillies and Mares and La Joconde will join her in that. Bolshoi Ballet will be our only runner in the Champion Stakes."

Love is not the only leading contender to miss the race won by Wonderful Tonight 12 months ago. La Petite Coco, who got the better of Love in the Blandford Stakes on Irish Champions Weekend, did not feature among the declarations.

Trainer Paddy Twomey said: "We've decided not to run La Petite Coco at Ascot this weekend in favour of a tilt at the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar next month."

An already top-quality edition of the Qipco-backed Queen Elizabeth II Stakes has been given a further boost as O'Brien revealed 1,000 Guineas and Prix Rothschild scorer Mother Earth will join Palace Pier and Baaeed at Ascot.

Confirmed runners and riders for the QEII and Champion Stakes - plus a tip

From a possible four candidates in the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup, the Ballydoyle trainer will rely solely on St Leger third The Mediterranean.

O'Brien added: "Mother Earth is going to take her chance in the QEII and The Mediterranean runs in the Long Distance Cup."

Mother Earth was available at 16-1 for the clash with some of Europe's finest milers on Thursday morning, while The Mediterranean was a top-priced 20-1 for his 2m assignment prior to declarations.

Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Empress Josephine also appears set to take in a top-level event this weekend, with Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez booked to ride the three-year-old in Saturday's $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland.

A sister to spectacular seven-time Group 1 winner Minding, Empress Josephine posted a creditable third behind a pair of Chad Brown-trained five year-olds in the Grade 1 First Lady Stakes at the same track last Saturday.

Now she reverts to taking on her own age group and will bid to follow in the footsteps of the stable's Together, who was second in the 2008 First Lady Stakes before returning a week later to plunder the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup.

Armory: reportedly set to continue his career in AustraliaCredit: Edward Whitaker

News also emerged from Australia overnight that Armory, who O'Brien saddled to finish second in last year's Cox Plate, is set to continue his racing career in Australia with the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable.

According to Racing.com, the deal to purchase Armory was through Michael Sharkie's Aspen Thoroughbreds and John Egan of Alliance Bloodstock on behalf of client Tim Porter, who is part of the ownership group behind Caulfield Cup contender Explosive Jack.

Expected to arrive in Australia later this month and come out of quarantine in early November, races such as the Australian Cup or Queen Elizabeth Stakes in Sydney could be on Armory's radar.

Having started his campaign with a win in Chester's Huxley Stakes before finishing third to Love in the Prince of Wales's Stakes, his final two starts for O'Brien came when fourth in the York Stakes and a disappointing sixth in the Mr D Stakes (previously known as the Arlington Million).

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