12:55, Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup
Trawlerman 1/2, 2pts win
Kyprios's mighty shadow has lingered large over the staying division throughout the year but credit to Godolphin and the Gosden team for making no mistakes in mopping up the cups in his absence with the likeable Trawlerman. This isn't the hottest renewal of the Long Distance Cup and we have the lowest field since it's move to Ascot 14 years ago. Sweet William has formed his own fanbase but there's no reason why he should be able to turn around form with his stablemate and Al Qareem, as game as he is, is likely to come up short at the top table again. The favourite's biggest challenge could well come from the 3 year old Stay True who comes into this off a big run in the St Leger but he didn't prove his stamina that day and no 3 year old has won this at Ascot.
///
13:30, Qipco British Champions Day Two-Year-Old Conditions Stakes
Words Of Truth 6/5, 2pts win
Personally, I see no place for a 2 year old race on this card. This isn't the strongest 2 year old race run in the past week as Newmarket takes centre stage for this age group but Mill Reef winner Words Of Truth brings by far the best form into the race and will take plenty of beating.
///
14:05, Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes
Kind Of Blue 6/1, 1.5pts each-way (4 places)
This looks just about as wide open a renewal as I can remember. They are all here, winners of the Jubilee, July Cup, Sprint Cup as well as last year's winner. Lazzat's form when winning at the Royal meeting should give him the edge here but he's not been at his best the last twice and is beginning to look fallible. No Half Measure's won the July Cup and is respected on that form but was disappointing last time out at Haydock even if connections blame the poor run through and isn't the percentage call. Big Mojo was edged out by Richard Hughes' filly that day but banged in the Sprint Cup for a deserved first Group 1 win and must come here with a decent chance but I worry that 6 furlongs at Ascot may just stretch him a bit. I wonder if the margin call is to side with last year's winner Kind Of Blue who once again looks to be peaking at the right time. James Fanshawe's colt progressed throughout last year and followed up his 2nd place in the Sprint Cup to take this 12 months ago. He comes into this off the same finish at Haydock and has improved with each run this season after a shady start to his 2025 campaign. He looks a sold each-way bet in this.
///
14:45, Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes
Wemighttakedlongway 10/1, 1pt each-way (3 places)
A decent renewal but the races seems to hinge around Kalpana. If she can reproduce her run in the King George then this race is hers for the taking but she has regressed in her 2 runs since and it's fair to say the ground hasn't come right for her. She's opposable, so too is Estrange. David O'Meara's mare has garnered plenty of fans already and has plenty of boot about her but the thinking is that this wasn't plan A and will have questions to answer on the ground. Wardaah isn't out of this given how unexposed she is and is expected to run well but perhaps the answer will come from Ireland. Joseph O'Brien's Wemighttakedlongway ran a mighty race to finish a close up 4th in a Group 1 at Longchamp 13 days ago and that was her first run in 78 days. She built on her seasonal debut to win a Group 3 and this big daughter of Australia looks as though she takes work to get fit. She gave Minnie Hauk a proper race when second in the Irish Oaks and if she replicates that form she's going to be bang there. This ground and trip will bring out the best of her.
///
15:25, Queen Elizabeth II Stakes
Rosallion 11/2, 2pts each-way (4 places)
One of the better renewals of the QE2 and this race looks to also revolve around a Juddmonte runner. Field Of Gold was an unlucky loser in the Guineas and build on that to win the Irish version and the St James' Palace Stakes. He looked to be on course to be Europe's best horse but things collapsed at Goodwood in the Sussex Stakes when he was a well beaten 4th, returning lame. He returns here on ground that should be ideal and the straight track at Ascot could well bring out the best of him. I'm sure the team will have the big grey son of Kingman in good order for his comeback but he's no longer iron-clad and can be opposed at the prices. Queen Anne winner Docklands must have a chance back at a track he's continued to make his home whilst The Lion In Winter can't be completely ruled out even if he isn't the percentage call. Fallen Angel couldn't come into this in better form but has had a busy spell and this could be a step too far whilst Never So Brave needs to prove himself at the trip. No horse in training deserves a win this season more than Rosallion. Richard Hannon's stable star should have bagged one this year but for one reason or another it's not quite planned out. A big field here will help him as he's better with plenty of cover and he's held his form well throughout the summer. He seems more solid than the favourite and won't be far away. A solid each-way bet.
///
16:05, Qipco Champion Stakes
Ombudsman 7/4, 4pts win
The race of the day but if we're being honest it's also the race of the season. Prague is a credit to his stable and is worth a go at this new trip but will do well to finish close to the principles in the betting whilst Fox Legacy is one of the better winners of the John Smiths' Cup in recent years. The representative from the Andrew Balding yard will also no doubt find this far too hot. The stable's other runner Almeric is completely unexposed and arrives here fresher than most. The ground could have been easier for him but he's not entirely without a chance for all his lack of experience will probably be telling. He'll learn from whatever happens here and make into a lovely 4 year old I'm sure. William Haggas' Economics came into this race last year as one of the horses of year after winning a thrilling renewal of the Irish Champion Stakes but finished a disappointing 6th. This season has been a bit of a write off after well documented injury challenges but I can't believe connections would be throwing back into this if he wasn't in good nick at home. He can't be ruled out but it would be the training performance of the century were he to come out on top and I'm sure he'll come on plenty for this outing. Almaqam looked destined for better things when winning the Brigadier Gerrard in May but things haven't quite gone his way since. He's been beaten fair and square in his 2 runs since and although better is expected of him here, it's fair to say connections would have been hoping for easier ground and stall 1 could lead to him being boxed in behind the pace makers. Perhaps it is best to focus on the front 3 in the market here. Calandagan came into the race last year as a warm order after finishing 2nd to City Of Troy in the Juddmonte International and looked set to win when hitting the front inside the final furlong, only to be downed by Anmaat. That form is pretty solid and he'll appreciate the better ground 12 months on. 2025 didn't start off by going to plan after defeats at Meydan and Epsom but a deserved Group 1 win at Saint Cloud proceeded a classy victory in the King George back at Ascot and he clearly loves the Berkshire track, which will see him again in good stead here. The drop in trip won't be an issue for all he is slightly better at 12 furlongs and he will no doubt go close to winning. I just wonder that this is the hottest race he's ever run in and could be up against opponents with an even better turn of foot than himself. Ombudsman and Delacroix have lit up the summer this year and their dual in the Eclipse still lingers in the memory. The Ballydoyle 3 year old came out on top that day but the Gosden's felt their runner had excuses (hit the front too early and quick back up from Ascot). The Godolphin colt put in one of the performances of the week when bolting up in the Prince of Wales' Stakes over this course and distance and he repeated that form to gain revenge on Delacroix at York to win the Juddmonte International. He's been kept fresh since and although the York race was a bit messy, he's back at the scene of his most eye catching performance and will probably appreciate this test slightly more than Aidan O'Brien's runner. Ombudsman has been drawn wide in stall 9 but that will negate the chances of being boxed in and I'm sure William Buick would rather be out there than in stall 1. Delacroix of course has a huge chance of bagging a 3rd Group 1 of the season and looked exceptional in winning the Irish Champion Stakes. He will need this to be a fast run affair though, which is likely with 2 pacemakers entered but stall 4 could present problems and there's a chance his long season could catch up with him (won the Ballysax on 30th March). This is a race to savour whatever happens.
///
16:40, Balmoral Handicap
Ebt's Guard 16/1, 1pt each-way (5 places)
Bopedro 22/1, 1pt each-way (5 places)
This is a hot renewal of the Balmoral Handicap and there's every chance that Native Warrior is a group horse in a handicap but he's shot up the weights and has had a busy time of things. He's therefore opposable. The rest of the front end of the market also have questions to answer so perhaps some of the outsiders could come into this. Ebt's Guard is off a high enough mark but ran well in the Cambridgeshire last time out before fading in the final furlong. He's better at this trip and is drawn 1 which could be ideal given past winners of the race have tended to come from the far side. He's won on the straight track here before and won over the round mile in August before finishing 3rd to Shout in September. He's 9 pounds better off with that opponent here though. David O'Meara has won this race 3 times before and saddles a few again here. 9 year old Bopedro has been beaten in this race before but will run off the lowest mark yet after sneaking in as bottom weight. He's been backed the last twice suggesting that there's stable confidence that he's in good form and it shouldn't be forgotten that he finished 3rd to My Cloud and Bullet Point off a 2 pound higher mark in the Hunt Cup at the Royal Meeting.
No comments:
Post a Comment