Group One gold the ultimate aim for Tempus

PA Sport Reporters
August 29, 2022 12:57 pm

Hambleton Racing targeting QEII on Champions Day with dual Group Three scorer.

Tempus will be aimed at Qipco British Champions Day following his victory in France on Sunday.

A new flag-bearer for Hambleton Racing after the retirement of Group One-winning sprinter Glen Shiel, the Archie Watson-trained Kingman gelding struck in a valuable handicap at Ascot on King George day before landing Group Three spoils at Salisbury.

And he backed those efforts up in Deauville, winning the Group Three Prix Quincey under a penalty, again in the hands of Hollie Doyle.

More Group glory for @HollieDoyle1!
It’s a British 1-2 in the Prix Quincey Stakes at @fgdeauville as Tempus beats Internationalangel to the Group 3 prize for @Archie_Watson… pic.twitter.com/7wmbuKefFX
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) August 28, 2022

Tempus was a 25,000 guineas buy for Hambleton from Juddmonte, and is rapidly proving his worth – so much so that a Group One assignment is on the horizon.

Watson said: “It was great to see Tempus follow up his Group Three win at Salisbury with a dominant display under a penalty in France. Everything went smoothly and Hollie was very impressed with the way he did it.

“He is thriving at the moment and his main aim will be the Queen Elizabeth II on Champions Day, possibly with one run beforehand.”

Hollie Doyle after winning the Qipco British Champions Sprint with Glen Shiel in 2020 (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

Glen Shiel famously gave Doyle her first top-level victory when triumphant on Champions Day in 2020, and Hambleton’s director of racing Simon Turner said: “We’ve clearly got another smart horse on our hands in Tempus and his owners are living the dream.

“In just 12 months he’s progressed from being a cheap horse into a genuine Group performer and I think one or two of his owners are pinching themselves to check they’re not dreaming! It’s very exciting for us to competing at such a level again.”