Wonderful Tonight in line for Champions Day appearance

Graham Clark
October 13, 2020 11:30 am

Menuisier-trained Group One winner set to have favoured soft ground at Ascot.

David Menuisier is leaning towards running Wonderful Tonight in the Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

With ground conditions set to suit the daughter of Le Havre at the Berkshire track, the Pulborough handler rates her a “60-40” chance of contesting the mile-and-a-half Group One.

Having finished fifth on her Group One debut in the Prix Vermeille at ParisLongchamp, the Christopher Wright-owned mare opened her account at the top level back at the Parisian track in the Prix de Royallieu.

A heartening victory for WONDERFUL TONIGHT in the Gr.1 Prix de Royallieu @paris_longchamp for @DavidMenuisier. The trainer and his team at Coombelands in West Sussex have endured a tough 10 days, having lost stable star THUNDERING BLUE on 23rd September.pic.twitter.com/khTslxD8ab
— GBRI (@GBRI_UK) October 3, 2020

Menuisier said: “She seems like she has come out of the Royallieu well. She is buzzing and feeling great, jumping around and kicking around.

“At the moment I’m 60-40 to give it a go. The ground is soft with the chance of a little more rain, then it is going to be dry for most of the week but I don’t think it will dry that much.

“She seems like she will have all her conditions, but we will make the decision when we have to on Thursday. If I’m 60-40 now and all goes well over the next couple of days then we will run her.”

Looking beyond the end of this season Menuisier could give Wonderful Tonight a campaign geared around next year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, after receiving the news she will stay in training in 2021.

He added: “She will stay in training next year and the aim could be the Arc. I think she could have been competitive in it this year in hindsight, but there is no point thinking about it now.

“The main thing this year was to try to get a Group One under her belt and the next year we can do what we like. She has definitely picked up the position of flagbearer for next season.”

The @DavidMenuisier trained Belloccio hits the target at the first time of asking under @DavidEgan99 @salisburyraces pic.twitter.com/Enc1Gi65gE
— Graham Clark (@GrahamClark85) October 1, 2020

Meanwhile, Menuisier is considering Group One options at Saint-Cloud later this month for Salisbury scorer Belloccio.

He said: “He will have an entry in both the Criterium International and the Criterium de Saint-Cloud. If is all well between now and then we will give it some thought, but if I have any doubts I will just put him away.

“Historically the mile-and-a-quarter race has been the weaker of the two and it has lacked a bit of depth and last year there were only two runners in it.

“I think he will stay well, he could have easily gone a couple of extra furlongs at Salisbury and he seems to handle soft ground.”

What a finish! 🙌
Autumn Twilight (20-1) clings on to make a successful racecourse debut in the @byerleystuduk British EBF Novice Stakes and completes a double for @DavidMenuisier 🥇🥇
A nice ride from @KShoemark too 👍 pic.twitter.com/HTWHFNnKvU
— Salisbury Racecourse (@salisburyraces) October 1, 2020

A trip to Newbury for the Group Three Cancom Stakes, better known as the Horris Hill, is on the cards for Autumn Twilight ahead of going under the hammer at the Autumn Horses In Training Sale at Tattersalls.

Menuisier said: “I think the plan for Autumn Twilight is the Horris Hill. I think it is a good spot. He is very genuine and professional and he goes on soft ground.

“He is entered in the sales after the Horris Hill and that could give us an idea of where we are.”