Last season we tipped 28/1, 8/1 and 8/1 winners on Ascot’s Champions Day – and while expecting a repeat of that is fanciful, the very soft ground courtesy of this very wet autumn is likely to mean some big prices go in across the six races.
6f Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes (Group 1) (Class 1) (3yo+)
The straight course is riding heavy and will ask serious questions of stamina, so doubtful stayers should be avoided. Librisa Breeze and Sands Of Mali have won it the last two years when the going is soft, and both had proven Ascot form in the book. The former bounced back to a decent level of form last time out but remains well below his best, while Sands Of Mali must defy a string of poor runs this season. I’d much rather back a horse in form, and ADVERTISE is clearly the leader of this pack in that department. He’s been very consistent through his career, only finishing outside the first two once when Martyn Meade’s yard was suffering a bug, and his three Group One victories include one against older horses and one over this course and distance – not to mention an excellent second in the July Cup. Meade says he’s in the form of his life so I have to have him on-side at 5/1. I debated doubling my stake and going 2pts win, but I’ve come to the conclusion that DREAM OF DREAMS is over-priced at 14/1 on the strength of his Ascot form. He just lost out to Blue Point in the Diamond Jubilee over course and distance – excellent form – and has always appreciated soft ground. As a hold-up horse who stays seven furlongs, he suits Ascot perfectly and can be forgiven poor efforts the last twice. He went off 9/2 in Newmarket’s July Cup on fast ground, at a track that wouldn’t have suited his running style because sprints there are often won from the front, while watch back his Haydock Sprint Cup run and he was sandwiched at the start and then taken wide and given an almighty bump by Forever In Dreams when making his challenge. It was a luckless run at Haydock and should be ignored. If he handles the conditions and returns to his best then 14/1 is massive.
1pt win Advertise @5/1, 13:35 Ascot, Saturday
1pt win Dream Of Dreams @14/1, 13:35 Ascot, Saturday
1m (Str) Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Group 1) (Sponsored By Qipco) (British Champions Mile) (Class 1) (3yo+)
Arguably the day’s most competitive race with plenty of runners and no standout performer, there’s got to be a bet here. Previous winning favourites include Solow, Minding, Frankel and Roaring Lion, and all had far better Group One credentials than The Revenant, who has been the subject of a huge gamble ever since he was confirmed for the race. There’s no substitute for Group One form, so, for all he has a good chance, he’s easily opposed as this is his top-table debut. Front running rarely works on the straight track at Ascot and it’ll be riding particularly stiff given the deep ground, so a horse that can settle, quicken and stay in these conditions is the right profile. Lord Glitters ticks all those boxes and should make all short-lists, but he had similar conditions last year and couldn’t win. In fact, Lord Glitters winning the Queen Anne Stakes summed up the strength of the mile division amongst the older horses: shocking. The three-year-olds have dominated all the Group Ones in this division since the Queen Anne, and have won seven of the last ten runnings of this race, so Newmarket Guineas winner MAGNA GRECIA is my selection. He hurt his hamstring in the Irish Guineas and has been off the track since, but he’s had a racecourse gallop and won the Newmarket Classic off a winter break so clearly goes well fresh. He’s a big, powerful horse who has both the frame and pedigree to appreciate softer going, and I reckon he’s the class horse in the race. At 6/1 I think you’re getting a nice price if he can run up to his best form, and by the same logic, you can’t discount Guineas-second King Of Change either; however, he was nearly twice the price last week despite being a certain runner, so that ship has sailed.
1pt win Magna Grecia @5/1, 15:20 Ascot, Saturday
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