We take a look at all six races for QIPCO British Champions Day. We provide the latest odds as well as stats for each race.
The flat season culminates with Champions Day at Ascot this Saturday. The season’s swansong should be a cracking day of racing, with six brilliant races. We’ve delved into the betting as we wait to see flat racing’s biggest names lock horns for the last time this year.
With the inner hurdles track officially in use, it certainly changes the dynamic of Champions Day. The Fillies and Mares race, Long Distance Cup and Champion Stakes will be on the inner course where the ground is officially good to soft, soft in places.
After long seasons for many, we could see under-par performances posted and surprises sprung. Here we offer you a lowdown on each race as well as a couple of stats.
Champion Sprint Stakes -
Only two three-year-olds have won the last eight renewals of this race but both Advertise (5/1) and Hello Youmzain (11/2) find themselves at the top of the market. The latter’s victory at Haydock was his first Group One success and with two victories out of two in soft conditions, the ease in the ground is sure to suit Kevin Ryan’s Sprinter.
Three previous winners of the race all line up here. Sands Of Mali (14/1) who shocked his rivals from the front as a 28/1 shot last year, lines up again. Librisa Breeze (16/1) and The Tin Man (11/1) who won in 2017 and 2016 are back for another crack. The Tin Man, when half a length behind Hello Youmzain at Haydock last month, showed he still has plenty to offer and has course form to his name too. Sands of Mali and Librisa Breeze have not been at their best so far this season but can’t be ruled out by any means.
There is a bias towards those that have raced recently. In fact, 15 of the last 17 winners had raced within the last six weeks. A long break coming into this isn’t ideal. One Master (6/1) won’t have to worry about this having won very well at Longchamp earlier in the month. He loves some cut in the ground too.
Stats:
- 16 out of 17 had won over 6f previously.
- 15 out of 17 returned 12/1 or shorter in the betting.
- Paul Hanagan has ridden two of the last four winners.
Champion Fillies and Mares Stakes -
Star Catcher (7/4) heads the market for John Gosden, who also has Anapurna (5/1) lining up for him too. They won the Irish and English Oaks respectively and have plenty of claims here. Both turn up at Ascot having won Group One’s in France and Gosden must fancy his chances of landing this one.
Antonia De Vega (10/1) is of interest given the ground. She has only been seen once this season when destroying the field at Newbury over soft. It is no secret she loves some cut in the ground and the in-form Ralph Beckett should have her raring to go.
Fleeting (7/1) has had an impressive season without managing to get her nose in front. She has form to turnover with Star Catcher but cannot be ruled out.
Stats:
- Aidan O’Brien has trained the last two winners of this race.
- 11 out of 11 had raced three or more times that season.
- 8 out of 11 were rated 110 or higher.
Long Distance Cup -
This is all about Stradivarius (4/7) just as it was last year. Whether he will run or not remains to be seen but now the race will be on the inner track, ground conditions should be more kind for the superstar stayer. It would be a stunning eleventh victory in a row for John Gosden’s five-year-old. He has had the beating of many of the opponents in the market on several occasions and it would be fantastic to see him go another season unbeaten.
Dee Ex Bee (NR) lines up again having finished second behind Stradivarius three times already this season. Mark Johnston’s four-year-old will need an almighty effort or a below par Stradivarius to get past Frankie and his mount.
Kew Gardens (9/2) has had a disappointing season and the rain all week will not be going down well with him. Royal Line, Gosden’s second-string, should enjoy the ground and finds himself at 8/1 in the market.
Stats:
- 14 out of 17 raced within the last five weeks.
- The winning distance has been 1 ½ lengths or less in 14 out of the 17 renewals.
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes -
French raider The Revenant heads the market here after his impressive victory in the Prix Daniel Wildenstien at the Arc meeting two weeks ago. He has had strong support throughout the week and is now a best price of 11/4.
Benbatl is priced at 7/1 after his stunning five length demolition at Newmarket last month. More testing conditions here may be a concern but if he can run to a similar level as he did in the Joel Stakes, then he must go close. King of Comedy (11/1), Zaaki (NR) and Happy Power (40/1) all had no answer to Godolphin’s five-year-old that day and there is no reason why they will overturn the form come Saturday.
Aidan O’Brien, as usual, has a number of entries. Magna Grecia (6/1) has not been seen since the Irish 2000 Guineas where he disappointed (although reports were he was injured) but his victory in the 2000 Guineas means he must be respected on that form alone. Circus Maximus (NR) won the St James’ Palace Stakes and should enjoy the ground conditions too.
Plenty of others can have a case made for them but Century Dream at 20/1 is of interest. He has form figures that read 3,1,1,4 when racing on soft ground including a third in this race last year, beating several who are ahead of him in the market for this year’s renewal.
Stats:
- 17 out of 17 raced at least three times that season.
- 16 out of 17 aged three or five years old.
- 16 out of 17 returned 7/1 or shorter
Champion Stakes -
Aidan O’Brien has amazingly never won this race, will he be able to get the hoodoo of his back on Saturday? He must have a good chance given he has a quarter of the runners lining up.
Magical, who won the Fillies and Mares last year, heads the betting at 7/4. The ground shouldn’t be an issue for her. However, given the testing conditions of the Arc, the worry would be if she is back at 100% after such a tough race less than two weeks ago. However, she is a proven Group One performer and would be far more decorated were it not for Enable. She has had the beating of many of these several times.
Japan (NR) also faces a similar conundrum and there will be questions over the ground for the Juddmonte International winner. William Haggas’ Addeybb finds himself at 5/1 and will relish the underfoot conditions. He posted a career best effort at Haydock in August and given the rain that has fallen all week it is no wonder plenty of money has come in for him.
Stats:
- The John Gosden and Frankie Dettori combination have won the last two renewals.
- 17/17 won at least four times previously.
- 16/17 were aged five or younger.
Balmoral Handicap -
After landing the Cambridgeshire Handicap under an effortless ride from Frankie, Lord North is the current favourite here at 4/1. He has flown up in the weights for that effort but it has not deterred punters backing Gosden’s gelding.
Kynren, as he often is, is near the top of the market after finally winning a handicap for the first time in over two years. He goes well at Ascot and is available at 8/1.
Kick On (12/1) is making his handicap debut after winning a Group Three at Salisbury in August. He struggled in the Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot but must be respected in Handicap Company.
Stats:
- In the five previous runnings, five out of five winners were drawn in stall 10 or lower.
- Four out of five carried between 91 and 9-5 in weight.
- Four out of five winners ran at Newmarket last time out.
