Season 14 of the All-Weather Championships starts at Newcastle tomorrow, October 20, with the series once again building towards the £1 million Finals Day at Newcastle and the £395,000 All-Weather Vase fixture at Lingfield Park on Good Friday, March 26.
Ernst Blofeld aims to back up some consistent turf performances as he shoulders top weight in the feature Midnite A Next Generation Betting App Handicap (4.57pm) over an extended 12 furlongs.
The Wathnan Racing four-year-old performed creditably at several major festivals for Hamad Al Jehani, including finishing second to Valedictory in the Mallard Handicap at Doncaster’s St Leger Festival.
Ernst Blofeld made it two wins from three all-weather starts in a 12-furlong handicap at Kempton Park in May and lines up at Newcastle after finishing third in a class two event at Newmarket earlier this month.
Richard Brown of Wathnan Racing said: “While Ernst Blofeld has been a solid performer for us this year, he is probably on a mark [96] that makes it difficult for him to win at those big summer meetings.
“With that in mind, we were keen to maintain his partnership with Harry Vigors from last time. Harry has been riding out for Hamad this year and we have been really impressed by him. We think his 5lb claim is valuable, so hopefully that will help Ernst Blofeld run a big race.
“Ernst Blofeld has a promising record on the all-weather and we have not decided what his programme will be this winter. I suspect he will stay here but we will see how he gets on at Newcastle and then make a plan.”
There are a couple of previous Finals Day starters in the lineup courtesy of Kevin Ryan’s Dark Moon Rising and Andrew Balding’s Teumessias Fox. Both horses have contested the Easter Classic, with Teumessias Fox taking fifth in last season’s edition of the 10-furlong highlight.
Circus Of Rome posted his biggest win to date over this course and distance last August, when he defeated subsequent Saudi Cup meeting winner Gran Descans by almost four lengths. After unplaced efforts in the Northumberland Plate and Ebor, Richard Hughes’ contender returned to form with a second at Pontefract recently.
Oursin is the least exposed runner in the field after winning two of his four starts, including a six-length novice success at Newcastle 12 months ago. Trained by Charlie Hills, he returns from a gelding operation after finishing sixth behind Hand Of God in a Newbury handicap in May.
Sir Mark Prescott saddles bottom weight Wardlaw, who looks to break a run of three second-place finishes, while Epsom Downs’ Lester Piggott Handicap victor Folk Pageant reappears after an 80-day break for Charlie Johnston.
Tiernan, who was third in last year’s Listed Glasgow Stakes, has made the frame on both of his all-weather appearances so far for Iain Jardine. Stablemate High Point completes the field.
The rules for the All-Weather Championships remain unchanged, with horses requiring a minimum of three runs on all-weather surfaces in Britain, Ireland, France and the US during the qualifying period to be eligible for Finals Day. One of these three qualifying runs will continue to be permitted to take place on dirt in either Dubai or Saudi Arabia.
There will be All-Weather Championships Trials Day meetings at Lingfield Park and Newcastle, each hosting six £45,000 open handicaps in the respective categories. The fixtures have switched in the calendar this season, with Lingfield Park’s taking place on January 2 and Newcastle’s on February 13.
The winner of each AWC Trials Day race will be eligible for free entry to the corresponding Finals Day contest at Newcastle, as well as a £15,000 bonus should they go on to also win on Good Friday. Any horse that wins at both AWC Trials Days in the same category and goes on to also win at Newcastle will be eligible for a total bonus of £35,000.
As in previous years, there will be cash prizes awarded to the jockey, trainer and owner who accumulates the most wins during the season:
AW Champion Jockey – £10,000
AW Champion Jockey runner-up – £5,000
AW Champion Apprentice – £4,000
AW Champion Apprentice runner-up – £1,000
AW Champion Owner – £10,000
AW Champion Trainer – £10,000
