Territories & Belardo Try To Rule In Queen Elizabeth II Stakes

Time/Date - 14.30hrs local time/Saturday, October 17, 2015
Racecourse/Country - Ascot/UK
Surface/Distance - Turf/1m

G1-winning three-year-olds Territories and Belardo provide a strong Godolphin challenge in the mile G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Sponsored By QIPCO, one of the highlights of Britain's richest day of racing, at Ascot, UK, on Saturday, October 17.

Territories (Andre Fabre/Mickael Barzalona) has already proved himself to be one of Europe's top milers with three excellent G1 runs over the distance this year, most recently when finishing second to Esoterique on very soft ground in the Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois at Deauville, France on August 16.

The Invincible Spirit colt showed brilliant acceleration to win the Prix Jean Prat readily at Chantilly, France on July 12 and found only Gleneagles two and a quarter lengths too strong in the QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 2.

Belardo (Roger Varian/James Doyle) was crowned Europe's top juvenile colt last year following an impressive campaign that culminated with a two-length success over Kodi Bear in the seven-furlong G1 Dubai Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.

The Lope De Vega colt ran on strongly to take third over the same course and distance on his latest start in the G2 Dubai Challenge Stakes on October 9 and previously made four appearances in G1 company, including a staying-on fourth behind Gleneagles over a mile in the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh, Ireland, on May 23.

Andre Fabre commented: "I am very happy with Territories - his work has been good. He would prefer good ground but the straight course at Ascot should not be as soft as the round course.

"He has not run since August but he is quite a light horse who does not need much work."

Lisa-Jane Graffard of Godolphin added: "The ground should be OK for Territories - it was very soft in the Prix Jacques le Marois, which blunted his acceleration at the end of the race, but it will be better at Ascot.

"It's a very strong contest and Territories has plenty of rivals to worry about but I am sure that he will run a good race."

Roger Varian said: "We were pleased with Belardo's run at Newmarket - he finished strongly and was doing his best work at the end.

"He seems to have bounced back from that run and we feel that he deserves to take his chance on Saturday.

"He showed in the Dewhurst last season that he is a very talented colt and we are looking forward to running him again."

Territories, drawn six, and Belardo, emerging from stall four, line up against seven others in the £1.1-million race over Ascot's straight mile including Solow, who is after a fifth consecutive G1 success, Gleneagles and Kodi Bear.