Via Sistina is bound for the December Mare Sale at Tattersalls following her fantastic effort in defeat in the Qipco Champion Stakes.

A Group One winner in the Pretty Polly in Ireland earlier in the year, George Boughey’s stable star came very close to doubling her top-level tally when beaten a nose by Mqse De Sevigne in the Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville in August.

Connections considered a return to France for the Prix de l’Opera on Arc weekend, but decided to sit tight for Qipco Champions Day and were very nearly rewarded in the grandest manner, with Via Sistina looking the likely winner before being mowed down by King Of Steel under an inspired Frankie Dettori.

With the winning margin just three-quarters of a length, and Via Sistina’s rider Oisin Murphy dropping his whip with over a furlong still to race, there is a sense of what might have been, but Boughey is nevertheless proud of his filly’s achievements this term.

“She’s been a star for us this year, not finishing out of the first three in four Group Ones,” he said.

“She was very impressive in the Dahlia, she arguably could have won the France in France, having been the winner of the Pretty Polly, and the target behind closed doors all year was the Champion Stakes.

“The way things fell this year the ground was always likely to be softer at Ascot than it was at Longchamp, luckily we got that rain and she’s obviously very good on that very soft ground.

“It was gutting to get beaten, but we’re very proud of her. We’ll never know what would have happened (if Murphy had not dropped his whip), we both wondered whether it might have made a difference, but these things happen, we move on and we’ve got to try to find the next one.”

The five-year-old will now go through the sales ring, but Boughey believes she is more than capable of racing on next year and would be thrilled if a new owner was to keep her in his care.

He added: “She’s got her date at the mares’ sale and I think she goes there as certainly the highest-rated filly in training, a filly who very nearly won the Champion Stakes and arguably should have won the Champion Stakes.

“She’s a huge racing prospect as well as a breeding prospect. I see no reason why she couldn’t race on next year – looking at her in the yard this morning, she looks physically better than ever and you could very easily go on and work back from the Champion Stakes next year, if she was to remain in training for a new owner.”

Willie Mullins considers the Arkle Trophy as the logical long-term target for Facile Vega, who will be part of a formidable team of novice chasers for the champion trainer this season.

A son of the mighty racemare Quevega, the six-year-old carried all before him as a bumper horse, winning each of his four starts including Grade One wins at Cheltenham and Punchestown.

He made an excellent start to his hurdling career last season, winning on his debut at Fairyhouse before striking at the top level at Leopardstown over Christmas, but a disappointing run at the Dublin Racing Festival meant he returned to Cheltenham in March with something to prove.

Facile Vega had to make do with the runner-up spot behind Marine Nationale in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, but did end his campaign on a high when winning another Grade One at Punchestown and Mullins believes we may still not have seen the best of a horse who is clearly held in the highest regard.

“He probably didn’t do everything I expected last year, some things just didn’t go right for him during the season,” said the Closutton handler.

“I’m very happy with him coming back this season, he looked in particular good shape on the gallops on Wednesday morning I thought.

“He will start off over fences, the way he gallops and jumps I imagine he will be over the shortest trip and he looks an Arkle horse, but there is plenty of stamina in his pedigree if he has to go out in trip.

“I’ll be looking to start him off maybe next month then head to Leopardstown at Christmas, hopefully back there for the Dublin Racing Festival and then March.”

Another novice chase prospect Mullins is particularly excited about is Mister Policeman, a French recruit who won a small-field conditions hurdle at Cork on his only start in Ireland to date.

Mullins added: “Mister Policeman does fantastic work at home. He won his race well at Cork but I thought on his homework he would do it a lot better.

“He’s a horse I think has huge ability and will go novice chasing. He can always go back hurdling if things don’t work out but he jumps well.

“I think he will improve a lot on what you saw that day at Cork.”

Klassical Dream, a seven-time Grade One winner over hurdles, is set to belatedly embark on a career over the larger obstacles this term.

Sharjah has won six Grade Ones, a Galway Hurdle and finished second in two Champion Hurdles. He is already two from two over fences this year.

“I’m very happy with Sharjah and the obvious target is the Drinmore at Fairyhouse, but he’s had a hard summer – I don’t think he’s had a break,” Mullins continued.

“I’m toying with the idea of maybe giving him a break and keeping him for Christmas and the spring. I’ve got to make up my mind, I imagine he’ll get an entry in the Drinmore.”

Last season’s Champion Bumper runner-up Fact To File is an interesting recruit to fences, having not yet even run over hurdles.

Mullins memorably sent the popular Florida Pearl straight over fences from the bumper sphere and is keen to do the same with this JP McManus-owned six-year-old.

He said: “We sort of had a choice last term whether to stay bumpering or go novice hurdling and I elected to go bumpering with him. We thought if we did stay bumpering, then we would go novice chasing this year and cut out the hurdles because he looks like a chaser.

“He’s a beautiful horse, he’s got a temperament and he’s got everything. He’s a horse I think we will see at the top end of the novice chasing scene.

“I felt it was worth going down the bumper route with him and he was just beat at Cheltenham by A Dream To Share, so that was good enough. I think with the size and scope of the horse I want to go off chasing with him.”

Gaelic Warrior, second to esteemed stablemate Impaire Et Passe at Cheltenham before going one better in a Grade One novice hurdle at Punchestown, will also be on the novice chasing team, with Mullins identifying the Brown Advisory at Cheltenham as a potential goal.

Willie Mullins considers the Arkle Trophy as the logical long-term target for Facile Vega, who will be part of a formidable team of novice chasers for the champion trainer this season.

A son of the mighty racemare Quevega, the six-year-old carried all before him as a bumper horse, winning each of his four starts including Grade One wins at Cheltenham and Punchestown.

He made an excellent start to his hurdling career last season, winning on his debut at Fairyhouse before striking at the top level at Leopardstown over Christmas, but a disappointing run at the Dublin Racing Festival meant he returned to Cheltenham in March with something to prove.

Facile Vega had to make do with the runner-up spot behind Marine Nationale in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, but did end his campaign on a high when winning another Grade One at Punchestown and Mullins believes we may still not have seen the best of a horse who is clearly held in the highest regard.

“He probably didn’t do everything I expected last year, some things just didn’t go right for him during the season,” said the Closutton handler.

“I’m very happy with him coming back this season, he looked in particular good shape on the gallops on Wednesday morning I thought.

“He will start off over fences, the way he gallops and jumps I imagine he will be over the shortest trip and he looks an Arkle horse, but there is plenty of stamina in his pedigree if he has to go out in trip.

“I’ll be looking to start him off maybe next month then head to Leopardstown at Christmas, hopefully back there for the Dublin Racing Festival and then March.”

Another novice chase prospect Mullins is particularly excited about is Mister Policeman, a French recruit who won a small-field conditions hurdle at Cork on his only start in Ireland to date.

Mullins added: “Mister Policeman does fantastic work at home. He won his race well at Cork but I thought on his homework he would do it a lot better.

“He’s a horse I think has huge ability and will go novice chasing. He can always go back hurdling if things don’t work out but he jumps well.

“I think he will improve a lot on what you saw that day at Cork.”

Klassical Dream, a seven-time Grade One winner over hurdles, is set to belatedly embark on a career over the larger obstacles this term.

Sharjah has won six Grade Ones, a Galway Hurdle and finished second in two Champion Hurdles. He is already two from two over fences this year.

“I’m very happy with Sharjah and the obvious target is the Drinmore at Fairyhouse, but he’s had a hard summer – I don’t think he’s had a break,” Mullins continued.

“I’m toying with the idea of maybe giving him a break and keeping him for Christmas and the spring. I’ve got to make up my mind, I imagine he’ll get an entry in the Drinmore.”

Last season’s Champion Bumper runner-up Fact To File is an interesting recruit to fences, having not yet even run over hurdles.

Mullins memorably sent the popular Florida Pearl straight over fences from the bumper sphere and is keen to do the same with this JP McManus-owned six-year-old.

He said: “We sort of had a choice last term whether to stay bumpering or go novice hurdling and I elected to go bumpering with him. We thought if we did stay bumpering, then we would go novice chasing this year and cut out the hurdles because he looks like a chaser.

“He’s a beautiful horse, he’s got a temperament and he’s got everything. He’s a horse I think we will see at the top end of the novice chasing scene.

“I felt it was worth going down the bumper route with him and he was just beat at Cheltenham by A Dream To Share, so that was good enough. I think with the size and scope of the horse I want to go off chasing with him.”

Gaelic Warrior, second to esteemed stablemate Impaire Et Passe at Cheltenham before going one better in a Grade One novice hurdle at Punchestown, will also be on the novice chasing team, with Mullins identifying the Brown Advisory at Cheltenham as a potential goal.

Dual Group One winner Shaquille has been retired from racing and will stand at Dullingham Park Stud.

Trained by Julie Camacho, the three-year-old won seven of his nine career starts, highlighted by victories in both the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and the July Cup at Newmarket.

Shaquille then tried to bring up his Group One hat-trick in the Sprint Cup at Haydock, but having raced keenly, he dropped away to finish last of the 16 runners.

A planned run on Champions Day was abandoned after the Charm Spirit colt failed to satisfy the Camacho team in his final spin and he now bows out as the winner of over £782,000 in prize money.

Camacho, who is assisted by her husband Steve Brown, tweeted: “Shaquille was a gentleman at home and came alive on the racecourse. He gave us the best days of our racing lives managing to both outsprint and outstay his rivals to win two Group Ones this season.

“His outstanding looks and ability have been there for all to see and in our 50 years in the industry we have not seen a horse like him.

“We are grateful to his owner/breeder Martin Hughes for allowing us to raise and train him. We were so lucky to experience his ability and look forward to seeing his progeny.”

Shaquille will be the first stallion to stand at Steve Parkin’s Dullingham Park, which is near Newmarket.

A familiar name could prove the biggest threat to Inspiral in the Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, as Fev Rover attempts to exert her recent dominance in North America at Santa Anita.

A winner of the Star Stakes and a Deauville Group Two when trained by Richard Fahey, the daughter of Gutaifan also placed in the 2021 edition of the 1000 Guineas during her time racing in Britain.

Sold to Tracy Farmer for 695,000 guineas at the end of that year, Fev Rover joined Mark Casse and the mare has improved with age, culminating in some stellar displays this season.

Having kicked off her five-year-old campaign with victory in Woodbine’s Nassau Stakes, she added Grade One triumphs in both the Beverly D Stakes and when accounting for Charlie Appleby’s With The Moonlight in the E.P Taylor Stakes and now finds herself as short as 7-1 with some British bookmakers for Breeders’ Cup glory.

Casse of course is no stranger to beating the Europeans on turf having saddled Tepin to strike at Royal Ascot in 2016 and the Hall Of Fame handler believes Fev Rover has all the right qualities to thrive around the tight turns of the famous California venue.

“I think Fev Rover has a big chance and she is training well,” said Casse.

“It looks like a real international race and obviously it is not going to be easy, but she is doing well and as far as things in North America go, she has kind of stamped herself as one of the better turf horses, that’s for sure.

“Her race at Saratoga was very good in the Diana (Stakes) and of course she won Beverley D. Both of those were around similar type turns and one thing about her, and I think it is one of the reasons why she is pretty good, is she is very versatile.

“If there is no speed she can go to the lead and if there is speed she can sit off them. She kind of makes her own race which is nice, she is not dependant on others.”

Fev Rover’s fine season could not only see her provide her decorated handler with a seventh victory at the Breeders’ Cup, but has also put the mare in prime position to be named Canadian Horse of the Year.

That is an accolade Casse feels would be fully justified having seen the mare mature into the full package this term.

“Looking at everyone’s accomplishments, as of today, she would be the favourite for horse of the year,” added the trainer.

“The only thing would be if one of the Canadian horses won at the Breeders’ Cup, that might hurt her chances.

“She has really grown up. Her physique and everything changed a lot from four to five and she’s a really stout filly now. She has just got really good and her behaviour is much better. She could misbehave some times but as she’s got older, she has got a little smarter about that.”

The Filly & Mare Turf last went to a North American-trained contender in 2018 and joining John and Thady Gosden’s Inspiral for the journey across the Atlantic is Aidan O’Brien’s Yorkshire Oaks and Prix Vermeille heroine Warm Heart along with the Joseph O’Brien-trained Lumiere Rock and State Occasion for Ralph Beckett.

Casse is predicting that fearsome contingent of raiders – as well as Japanese candidate Win Marilyn – to once again present a stern challenge, but the experienced handler prefers to concentrate solely on the prospects of Fev Rover and seeing her pony to post in the best possible shape.

“I’m worried about six or seven of them! I’m sure the Euros will be tough, they always are,” he said when asked about the opposition.

“But in all honesty though, I kind of just worry about my own horse. There is nothing I can do about the competition so I don’t fret about it. I figure it is what it is and we have to try to beat them.”

Inthewaterside could be set for a step up in class after emerging victorious in the Jewson Birkenhead, Price Street Maiden Hurdle at Aintree.

Sent off the 4-7 favourite for trainer Paul Nicholls and jockey Harry Cobden, Inthewaterside was made to work hard for his prize, with Jagwar pushing him all the way to the line before being beaten just a head.

The Ditcheat handler could now raise his sights with the five-year-old, who also won each of his two bumper starts last term.

Nicholls said: “He was a bit keen and he did well to win pulling as hard as he did. There is plenty of improvement in him.

“That bit of experience will have done him the world of good, but you can see he is ultimately going to be a chaser.

“I’d half had in my mind to have a look at the Winter Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown Park with him. He is not a horse you want to run too much. I would not be averse to dropping back to two miles as he is not short of speed.

“It was probably not a bad race, but he has done well winning it considering he did everything the wrong way round.”

Cobden later completed a double aboard the Joe Tizzard-trained Sunset Marquesa (12-1) in the Jewson Southport, Bispham Road EBF Mares’ Open National Hunt Flat Race.

Elizabeth Gale steered Celebre D’Allen (3-1 favourite) to a clear-cut victory in the Jewson Vieux Lion Rouge Veterans’ Handicap Chase.

The 10lb-claimer was enjoying the biggest success of her fledging career less than three years after recovering from breaking two vertebrae in a point-to-point fall.

Trained by Philip Hobbs and Johnson White, Celebre D’Allen made steady progress through the field to grab the lead before the penultimate fence and cost home by 16 lengths – his first win since February 2022.

Gale said: “It was easier than I thought it was going to be that’s for sure. He gave me a beautiful ride around. It was his first run of the season since running in the Topham, so the aim was to just get him jumping really. He is an 11-year-old and he has seen it out beautifully.

“I used to come here as a kid with pony club and I never thought I would be walking down those steps. It is a massive deal for me, especially to ride a winner here.

“I’ve had a long road to get here and anything I get is a bonus. A massive thanks to the governor and Johnson White. I’ve been there four seasons and I missed a good bit through injury, but I can’t complain as they look after me.”

Equinus (5-2 favourite) kicked off a double for Nigel Twiston-Davies in the opening Jewson Click And Collect Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle, with jockey James Turner guiding him to a five-length win.

Twiston-Davies then teamed up with his son Sam to take the Jewson St Helens Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase with Master Chewy (2-1).

Following his 12-length win, Master Chewy could now head for the Grade Two SSS Super Alloys Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham on November 17.

The winning trainer said: “That was just excellent. He has always been superb over them (fences) at home. The future is bright. I think we will have to look at proper novice chase races.

“Very possibly we could go to Cheltenham for the two-mile novices’ chase there, why not.”

Crambo (11-8 favourite) made the most of a drop in class when claiming a cosy two-and-a-quarter-length verdict in the Jewson Handicap Hurdle.

He failed to sparkle in Grade One company at the Grand National meeting back in April, but moved to handicap company by trainer Fergal O’Brien, Crambo was far from extended in the hands of Connor Brace.

Sally Randell, O’Brien’s assistant trainer, said: “That was great. He was unlucky here at the Grand National Festival. He got no kind of run, and he had a bit of bad luck. Back down in a handicap he has done it well.

“I think we will look at some of those nice staying handicaps now with him. Hopefully he might be a bit better than that.”

There was no joy for the British raiders in the Prix Royal-Oak as Double Major ran out a wide-margin winner of the ParisLongchamp staying contest.

Trained by Christophe Ferland, Double Major had seen off Dermot Weld’s Harbour Wind by just three-quarters of a length at the track in the Prix Chaudenay on Arc weekend.

However, the manner of victory was much more straightforward this time and having been in the ideal position at the head of affairs alongside Brian Ellison’s Tashkhan, the only three-year-old in the race surged well clear of his rivals when jockey Maxime Guyon pushed the button entering the straight.

Patrice Cottier’s Skazino kept on for second ahead of Tashkhan, who finished best of the raiding party in third, but Harry Fry’s Metier was never in the mix from a position towards the rear of the field and James Fanshawe’s Novel Legend also finished out of the money.

Having secured top honours in his very first outing in Group One company, connections of Double Major were content to savour their big-race success in the French capital before contemplating future plans.

“We are very happy and the big question was the ground because he has never run on that kind of surface,” Pierre-Yves Bureau, racing manager to owners Wertheimer et Frere, told Sky Sports Racing.

“We knew the horse had that quality, but he was the only three-year-old facing older horses who have much more experience than him, so what he did was very nice and we are very happy.

“Well done to Christophe, he is a nice horse who keeps improving each time and that is very good and promising for the future.

“He is a gelding so hopefully he can travel as well, but we are going to enjoy what happened today because it was a really nice performance. We will have to see about the future.”

Winning rider Guyon added: “It is the first time he has run on this ground – the ground is very sticky today, so before the race we did not know if he loved that or not. Afterwards I can tell you he does.

“The most important thing for him is the distance. At the start of the year we went more of a short distance and now he needs the long distance. Last time he won the Group Two and every time he runs at Longchamp he runs very good, this time he has won a Group One.

“I am very happy for the team, for Christophe Ferland and for Wertheimer et Frere.”

Noel Meade’s Cheltenham Festival runner-up Affordale Fury made a successful switch to fences at Galway on Sunday.

A silver medallist at a huge 150-1 in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle back in March, he was also runner-up to Gaelic Warrior in the Grade One Irish Mirror Novice Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival and was an exciting chasing debutant in the Colm Quinn BMW Irish EBF Beginners Chase.

Sent off the 4-6 favourite, Affordale Fury’s jockey Sam Ewing positioned his mount hot on the heels of chief market rival and Grade Two-winning hurdler Favori De Champdou throughout and having matched strides at the final obstacle, the five-year-old’s abundant stamina took over in the run for home.

Although Favori De Champdou refused to lie down, Affordale Fury stayed on all the way to the finish to register a one-and-a-half-length success following a satisfactory round of jumping.

Meade said: “It is a bit of a relief as in beginners’ chases you never know what will happen. He was very good, though, and those ex-point-to-pointers are well schooled. We brought him to the Curragh a few weeks ago and he was really, really good.

“He would like a little nicer ground than that and got tired in the end, but he didn’t get as tired as the others.”

Affordale Fury is now set for a rise in class.

Meade added: “Where I’d love to be is in Leopardstown over Christmas for the Grade One novice over three miles. We’ll enter him for the Drinmore in between, but might instead run in the Grade Two Florida Pearl (at Punchestown) instead.”

Ryan Potter registered the biggest victory of his training career as Jetoile ran out a shock 25-1 winner of the Jewson Fast Set Finish Old Roan Limited Handicap Chase at Aintree.

Second to Constitution Hill in the Tolworth Hurdle as a novice, the son of Jeremy had disappointed over fences in the main last season before turning his campaign around with a pair of handicap victories at Chepstow in the spring.

That saw him arrive on Merseyside off a mark of 146 for his stiffest test to date over fences and he proved more than up to the task in the hands of Daryl Jacob.

In a race that saw all of the fences in the home straight bypassed, Jetoile made stylish progress to stalk long-time front runner Minella Drama after the final jumping test and having edged his way to the front with the winning post approaching, was driven out for a one-and-three-quarter-length victory over Donald McCain’s brave runner-up.

Al Dancer kept on gamely for third, but both the Paul Nicholls-trained 7-2 favourite Hitman and Dan Skelton’s My Drogo failed to make their presence felt, with the former checking out tamely and finishing last of the 11 runners.