British Champions Sprint

With star sprinter Highfield Princess heading to the Breeders’ Cup rather than this contest, it looks an open renewal of the race this year. Preference goes to last year’s winner CREATIVE FORCE (best priced at 7/2) who has been sparingly campaigned so far this season. 

The Charlie Appleby trained four-year-old disappointed in Meydan on his reappearance before finishing only a neck behind stablemate Naval Crown at Royal Ascot in the Platinum Jubilee Stakes. 

He finished only 3½ lengths behind Alcohol Free in the July Cup at Newmarket on his next start before missing a couple of recent engagements in the Prix de la Foret and Bengough Stakes to arrive here fresh.

Creative Force has proven stamina over 7f on soft ground which is a huge positive if it were to come up testing for this meeting and I feel he holds a strong chance of a repeat victory in this race. 

British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes

John & Thady Gosden hold a strong hand in this race with both Emily Upjohn and MIMIKYU (best priced at 6/1) towards the top of the market with preference going to the latter based on recent form. 

The three-year-old has looked headstrong throughout her career so far so it was encouraging to see the first time hood work so well when she won the Park Hill Stakes in impressive fashion last time beating the solid yardstick Eshaada easily in the end. 

She is a full sister to Journey who won this race in 2016 and finished 2nd in 2015 and who showed all of her best form in a hood in her career. Despite only being rated 99, she looks extremely progressive and it wouldn’t surprise me if she ends up being the main hope from the stable.

Balmoral Handicap

Aldaary provided the classic generation with a victory in this race last season and I am hoping another three-year-old can win it this year in the shape of ATRIUM (best priced at 14/1). The Charlie Fellowes trained gelding has looked progressive so far this season and comes into the race following two comfortable victories on his latest starts. 

He has a mixed record at Ascot so far this season with form figures of 1036 but looks to have improved on his latest two starts with victories at both Newbury and Doncaster over the straight mile. The handicapper has raised Atrium 4lbs for his latest success which gives him a good chance at getting into this race and I expect him to run well off a low weight.