While Champions Day at Ascot doesn’t bring down the curtain on the UK Flat racing season, it does signal the final weekend of the Jockeys’ and Trainers’ Championship and is a sure sign that winter is just around the corner.
What a meeting from which to draw memories over the months ahead, however!
There are four Group 1 races, a Group 2 and a tough handicap in which a sharpened pin may be the best way of finding the winner.
With almost £3/4 million in prize money, the Qipco Champion Stakes is just the day’s most valuable race. Given the state of the British pound, it’s value has decreased for raiders from France and Ireland but four of the 11 runners have still travelled from overseas (three from Ireland and one from France) .
Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Found deserved her big-race success in Paris having only found one too good in her previous five runs in Group 1 company. But Chantilly must surely have taken something out of the Ballydoyle filly, who has run three times at Ascot previously without winning. I just can’t see her reversing Irish Champion Stakes winner ALMANZOR with Jean-Claude Rouget’s colt a deserving 13/8 favourite with Paddy Power given he’s won his last four, two of them at the highest level over 1m2f – recent rain is in his favour.
When you become a new customer of Paddy Power via online-betting.me.uk you automatically receive a free £30 bet but this is only activated when you, as a new customer, place a minimum stake of £10 with minimum odds of 1.50 (1/2). When that is done Paddy Power will give you 3 free bets of £10 each (3 x £10). This offer is only valid for new customers.
Any possible winnings will be displayed on the betting receipt. This will include the stake but because this is a free offer, the stake will not be returned, only the winnings. This offer can only be used at Paddy Power and only in their sportsbook; it cannot be used in any other part of the Paddy Power website.
Although Paddy Power accepts payment from Skrill/Moneybookers and Neteller, they do not accept these methods of payment for this free bet offer. Terms and conditions apply, please see full details directly at Paddy Power.
Minding was third behind Almanzor and Found at Leopardstown but hasn’t run over a mile since beaten by Jet Setting in the Irish 1,000 Guineas in May. The former is only a best 2/1 for the Qipco Queen Elizabeth II Stakes so the latter is far too big at a general 16/1 but RIBCHESTER may beat both.
Richard Fahey has always believed in the Godolphin colt and he’s justified that faith, reversing Qipco 2,000 Guineas form with Galileo Gold at Goodwood and Deauville. Like with Almanzor, he’ll relish every drop of rain that has fallen on Ascot and can win again at a widely-available 5/2.
Even if Aidan O’Brien is out of luck later on, he should already have been celebrating following the British Champions Filles & Mares Stakes as SEVENTH HEAVEN has not stopped improving all year. She didn’t handle the course in the Oaks at Epsom but beat Architecture in the Irish equivalent at the Curragh and stayed on too strongly for Found in the Yorkshire Oaks last time. She’s a real superstar and can outstay Chantilly winner Speedy Boarding at the general 9/4.
Quiet Reflection’s only defeat in her last seven came when third behind Limato in the July Cup. She won the Commonwealth Cup at Ascot in June and beat The Tin Man in the 32Red Sprint Cup at Haydock last time so there will be plenty of interest in the 11/4 available for the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes.
However, there is a question mark over the form of her stable at present and there are some cracking sprinters lining up to take her on. Fling machine Mecca’s Angel steps up a furlong to take on the younger filly while SHALAA won two Group 1 races as a juvenile and returned from injury to win a Group 3 a shade cosily over course and distance. If John Gosden’s three-year-old has improved for that, he’s attractively priced at 11/2 in a couple of places. Francois Rohaut’s Signs Of Blessing is no slouch either but was only third behind Twilight Son in the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Ascot earlier in the year, though not beaten far.
