THE Breeders' Cup Mile has emerged as a target for Decorated Knight following his brilliant success in the Qipco Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday.

Roger Charlton's charge won the Group 1 Jebel Hatta at Meydan earlier in the year and struck gold at the highest level for a second time in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh in late May.

He ran another excellent race when chasing home Highland Reel in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot, but having disappointed slightly in both the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown and the Juddmonte International at York, he was a 25/1 shot for his return to Ireland.

However, after being given a patient ride by Andrea Atzeni, Decorated Knight stormed home to claim victory, and a potential final career outing at Del Mar in early November is now under serious consideration.

"All is good today. He's on his way home and he's in good shape," said Charlton. "He'd been a bit disappointing a couple of times for one reason or another, but I thought he was given a superb ride yesterday and we were obviously delighted with him.

"At one stage we were thinking York could be his last run. With the way the weather is, it's very difficult to make plans.

"We were hoping the ground might stay right for Leopardstown and, as it turned out, they missed most of the rain and that encouraged us to go.

"I was thinking Leopardstown would be his last run, but the Breeders' Cup Mile at Del Mar is something we're now looking at.

"That is seven weeks away, so it gives us plenty of time and that will probably be his swansong. After that I would hope we can find him a nice place at stud somewhere."

Decorated Knight holds an entry in the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot on October 21, but Charlton added: "I think we're more likely to go to America than Ascot as there is less risk of the ground going against us. He wouldn't do both. It will be one or the other."