All six races from British Champions Day at Ascot are being screened live on ITV. Here are our tips throughout the card.
1.55pm Ascot – Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes (Group 1)
The number of declarations speaks to how open the Sprint is this year. Kinross and Montassib do not set the most daunting standard nowadays, and while conditions definitely suit both very well, there are plenty of others who go on the ground and could have their day.
It has been frustrating if you have been a long time follower of SWINGALONG, but with Karl Burke’s yard in terrific form, the daughter of Showcasing might finally snare her Group 1. She has been runner-up twice in that company this season, going down narrowly to both Khaadem in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot and then Mill Stream in the July Cup.
However, soft ground does not faze her, as she was fourth in this last year behind Art Power, Kinross and Spycatcher despite racing mostly on her own in the closing stages. She was also drawn on the wrong side when seventh in the Sprint Cup at Haydock, doing particularly well given she raced right against the rail when everything unfolded up the centre. She is drawn in 13 here though, so should be involved right in the thick of things.
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Fri 18 Oct 20242.35pm Ascot – Qipco British Champions FIllies & Mares Stakes (Group 1)
The ground is an unknown for the progressive Kalpana, making her readily opposable at the odds, especially in a deep field of 14. Aidan O’Brien is triply represented, but preference is for the apparent third choice in WINGSPAN, who catches the eye on pedigree in particular.
Both Content and Grateful have achieved more on the racecourse, but with the ground a potential negative against the former and the trip for the latter, Sean Levey’s mount could be the answer. She has raced over 1m1f-1m2f since her debut, winning at Listed level and twice making the frame in Group company, but this step up in trip could well bring out more.
She is a daughter of O’Brien’s 2017 Fillies & Mares heroine Hydrangea, who was adept at every trip between 1m-1m4f, but saved her best for this distance. She also had no issue with soft ground, while Wingspan’s debut victory came on heavy, and the faith placed to declare her speaks to enough belief in her chances. With 16/1 and 22/1 upsets in this in the last three seasons, she is worth a small play.
3.55pm Ascot – Qipco Champion Stakes (Group 1)
Economics is a livewire who could well be up to better yet, but although shocks can abound on Champions Day, CALANDAGAN looks a fine bet to justify short odds and claim a third French victory in the last decade in this race.
He has two Group race wins on very soft or heavy ground on home turf this season, before putting up a big performance to win the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot by six lengths. Though that was only a Group 2, he stepped forward again to be denied by just a length in the Juddmonte International Stakes at York as only City Of Troy beat him home.
He came from too far back that day, so deserves even more credit for getting as close as he did. Softer going should only aid his chances here too, as he has the requisite stamina for further, and he may be progressing at as swift a rate as Economics anyway.
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Fri 18 Oct 2024
4.35 Ascot – Balmoral Handicap
He has been slightly better found in the market in recent days, but there are still juicy each-way odds about Lincoln winner MR PROFESSOR. Outsiders should not be unconsidered anyway given 80/1 and 25/1 winners in the last two renewals.
Carrying the colours of Amo Racing, he cruised to victory at Doncaster on his return when the going was soft, having 1½ lengths to spare at the line. On quicker surfaces, and over distances just shy and longer than 1m, he has been well beaten in two races since, but that should not be considered as too much of a deterrent.
He is back down to a mark of 97, 5lb higher than for his Lincoln win, but he looked to have at least that left up his sleeve. Now that he returns to slower ground, there could still be another big race in this five-year-old, who is drawn in the same stall as last year’s victor.
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