Saturday’s ITV action comes from British Champions Day at Ascot, the showpiece finale of the British Flat season, with four Group 1 contests including the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and the Champion Stakes.
Matty Sutcliffe will be keeping his keen eye on Champions Day, picking out four horses to watch.
12:55 Ascot – Qatar Racing British Champions Day Two-Year-Old Conditions Stakes (GBB Race) (Class 2) (2yo)
Bar the solid favourite Inner City Blues, the large majority of these two-year-olds have been to the well a few times this season, and the Godolphin horse is entitled to go well now dropping back from Group 1 company.
However, Roger Teal’s Oakford has also had just the three starts and looked as if he had finally clicked last time when bolting up at Newbury. He looked anything but the finished article when green and coltish behind Orthodox on debut in a race that’s worked out very strongly, finishing five lengths behind the Middle Park winner.
He backed that up with a nose second on soft ground at Goodwood behind one who was a shade unlucky at Royal Ascot, and multiple winners have come out of that race. Having sustained an injury there, he returned from a 103-day layoff to make all at Newbury in excellent style, pulling nearly five lengths clear of the runner-up and lengthening all the way to the line.
His powerful stride suggests he’ll have no issue with the Ascot track and, while he has something to prove on the initial ratings, I’d suggest he’s got plenty more improvement in him, unlike most who may have peaked for this season.
14:05 Ascot – Qatar Racing British Champions Sprint Stakes (Group 1) (Class 1) (3yo+)
Outside of Almeraq, the majority of these are closely matched and have intertwining form with each other throughout the season. On ratings, Almeraq is tough to beat, but that’s been the case in several renewals of this race in recent years and a surprise winner has emerged.
Powerful Glory was 20lb inferior to Lazzat last season but still managed to get the better of him, and the sneaky suspicion is another shock result in this race could prevail.
Jasour has proved tricky to get right since his Commonwealth Cup Trial win two years ago, after which he finished third to Inisherin in the Commonwealth Cup itself. He’s trickled down the ratings in two subsequent barren seasons, but he hasn’t been without promise, and was only beaten two lengths when second in his group of six in last year’s July Cup.
He was only beaten a length on seasonal debut this term, and wasn’t beaten far in the Group 3 Abernant Stakes or the Group 2 Minster Stakes after that. His downfall has been his inability to settle, and such was the case after a 67-day layoff and wind surgery last time, when doing far too much in front.
However, I thought that last effort was something to build on. He’d never been ridden like that before, i.e. allowed to stride on and be gunned from the front. Horses who’ve had wind surgery and are ridden like that can go one of two ways: either there’s simply no way back for them at a high level, or they suddenly realise their ability to breathe and put in a better performance next time out.
If it’s the latter, and the re-application of the hood allows him to settle, then I’d suggest we’ll see a huge jolt of improvement for a yard with an undeniable knack for working with such sprinters. His Ascot form reads strongly, and if that trick has worked then he deserves one final chance in a division that’s no stranger to a shock result.
14:40 Ascot – Qatar Racing British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (Group 1) (Class 1) (3yo+)
I was very impressed with Coedana last time out as she took the Princess Royal Stakes in good style, beating the 110-rated Inis Moir half-a-length despite being rated 5lb inferior and giving her 6lb.
The proximity of those in behind perhaps does that rating some injustice, but she asserted late on having had to make up plenty of ground from the rear, and she was returning from a 61-day break, reportedly to prepare her for this.
She certainly wasn’t winning out of turn, as prior to that she was only three lengths behind Hotazhell in a strong renewal of a German Group 1, which saw the first and third finish first and second in the Irish Champion Stakes, the second finish third in the Prix Romanet and the third win the Prix Dollar.
Her form figures at 1m4f now read 22311211, and she’s entitled to improve again after that winning return to action.
15:20 Ascot – Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Sponsored By Qatar Racing) (Group 1) (Class 1) (3yo+)
It would be some victory for connections to take this having lost Bow Echo to injury earlier in the campaign, and Zeus Olympios looks a tad overpriced given what he’s achieved this season.
He came to fruition this time last year when completing an unbeaten campaign which culminated in the Joel Stakes, fending off the 4/5 favourite Opera Ballo. There were high hopes for him going into the year and, while he hasn’t quite set the mile division alight, he’s remained thereabouts in each of his five races.
He shaped in need of the run when third to Opera Ballo and Field Of Gold in the bet365 Mile, before a solid third to Notable Speech in the Lockinge. He wasn’t disgraced when fourth in the Queen Anne, and he confirmed he still retained his ability when a comfortable winner of the Summer Mile Stakes.
He’s progressed with each run, and he put in a joint career-best effort last time out when a neck second to the French 2000 Guineas winner Rayif. Clifford Lee dropped his whip there and it might’ve been a different story if he hadn’t, but he still finished in front of Precise and confirmed the More Thunder form.
A strong pace will no doubt suit him here, and given he appears to have worked back to where he was at his best this time last year, he’s entitled to progress once more at a track he evidently enjoys.
Matthew Sutcliffe’s Four to Watch for Saturday 17 October
12:55 Ascot – Qatar Racing British Champions Day Two-Year-Old Conditions Stakes (GBB Race) (Class 2) (2yo) – Oakford 20/1 1pt EW 3 places
14:05 Ascot – Qatar Racing British Champions Sprint Stakes (Group 1) (Class 1) (3yo+) – Jasour 125/1 0.5pt EW 4 places
14:40 Ascot – Qatar Racing British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (Group 1) (Class 1) (3yo+) – Coedana 22/1 1pt EW 4 places
15:20 Ascot – Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Sponsored By Qatar Racing) (Group 1) (Class 1) (3yo+) – Zeus Olympios 9/1 1pt EW 3 places
FAQs
When was Matthew Sutcliffe’s article published?
Matty Sutcliffe’s article was published at 4.45pm on Thursday 15 October.
Who is Matthew Sutcliffe?
Matthew Sutcliffe is GGs newest contributor, often providing a value angle for his tips. He writes weekly columns for the weekend’s racing, as well as taking aim at ante-post markets at the Cheltenham Festival. Follow him on X: @MattySutcliffe
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