Christophe Soumillon booked for Checkandchallenge in QEII

Checkandchallenge will reunite with Christophe Soumillon at Ascot for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

The William Knight-trained five-year-old was most recently seen contesting the Listed Fortune Stakes at Sandown, where he was the runner-up when coming home just a neck behind Ralph Beckett’s Skellet.

Prior to that he was third in the Group Three Strensall Stakes at York, a length-and-quarter loss in a solid run that was his first after being gelded in the middle of the summer.

The procedure seems to have brought about some improvement and Knight is hoping the booking of Soumillon will also be of benefit at Ascot, where Checkandchallenge was far from disgraced when fourth in the QEII 12 months ago.

The jockey has ridden Checkandchallenge to Group-race success before, back in 2022 when the two combined to land Prix Daphnis at Deauville from the smart Facteur Cheval.

“He’s in great form at home, I couldn’t be happier with him,” said Knight.

“Obviously it’s a tough race, but we’ve secured Christophe Soumillon to ride, who has won him before. I think he’ll run a big race.

“He won’t mind any ease in the ground and he goes there in really good nick.

“His last runs since being gelded have been really solid runs, I think he likes the straight track there and he could run a really good race on Saturday.”