Champions Day at Ascot promises to be up there with the best meetings run on the flat this season. Across the seven-race card, GG tipster Joe Napier has picked out four bets for you to get on board with.
1.30 Ascot – Qipco British Champions Day Two-Year-Old Conditions Stakes
Words Of Truth can already count a Group 2 victory upon his honours board, but though this is only a conditions event for now, there are intriguing alternatives in this field of 13, not least SIREN SUIT for the Gosdens. The son of Churchill was beaten less than a length by Godolphin’s Group 1 winner Wise Approach on just his second career start, which came over 5f at Ascot in April. Unlike most of that field, which has strengthened that form, the selection endured a 161-day break from the action, after which he easily got off the mark over 7f at Kempton. He was entitled to win that day, but it may have proven an excellent exercise in getting him fit for this contest, which he should adapt to over 6f. He is a very tempting each-way price.
2.45 Ascot – Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (Group 1)
Kalpana is clear on form despite going winless this term, but running here after contesting the Arc has to be a negative, while connections of Estrange must be ruing a rare dry forecast ahead of this Saturday. Although she also ran on Arc weekend, WEMIGHTAKEDLONGWAY likely had less taken out of her when contesting the 1m2f Prix de l’Opera, in which she was a close-up fourth. Having had a mini break from racing over the summer, Joseph O’Brien’s filly should be able to maintain or even improve upon her form in this race, with the 1m4f trip likely to suit better. The Irish Oaks runner-up has not been far off the best of the Classic generation of fillies this term and can enhance the astounding record of three-year-olds in this Group 1 to eight wins in nine seasons.
3.25 Ascot – Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Group 1)
This 1m Group 1 balances on the Field Of Gold factor. Should the favourite turn up in top form, the rest will find it almost impossible to stop him, but the question is fairly asked after his huge disappointment at Glorious Goodwood. Fallen Angel is in career-best form, but she will likely find it difficult to make all in this line-up and maybe course specialist DOCKLANDS is being overlooked. There was no fluke in his Queen Anne Stakes victory over track and trip at the royal meeting, in which he chinned Rosallion, with that win taking his record over the straight mile to 1132221. Those form figures are difficult to argue against, so while this is stronger, Rosallion remains the second favourite at ten points shorter than Docklands, which feels wrong, especially as Harry Eustace’s son of Massaat arrives after a more targeted preparation.
4.40 Ascot – Balmoral Handicap
Lincoln runner-up OLIVER SHOW has not done much since second in that season-opening handicap, but George Boughey’s charge has raced exclusively shorter distances since and may be ready to return to 1m in this concluding handicap. The five-year-old was well-beaten in the Buckingham Palace Stakes over 7f in June, but was beaten just half-a-length back at Doncaster in September over 6½f, which was almost certainly too short a trip. His seventh of 12 on the all-weather at Newcastle since was also eye-catching, as he endured a torrid passage and hung left-handed, with Billy Loughnane asking for precious little. He should still have plenty of miles in the tank for this race and is only 1lb above his Lincoln mark.
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