Race 4 of British Champions Day on Saturday, October 17th 2020 from Ascot is the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
This is a 1m blast down the straight and it’s a Group 1 fixture for 3 year olds and above.
There are 14 declared for this year’s renewal and at the head of the market, there is a strong favourite. That is PALACE PIER.
Last year’s winner of this race was KING OF CHANGE from a nice 12/1 SP (S M Levey / R Hannon).
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Odds
Palace Pier 4/6
The Revenant 5/1
Circus Maximus 9/1
Nazeef 12/1
Century Dream 20/1
Lord Glitters 25/1
Roseman 33/1
Veracious 50/1
Sir Busker 40/1
Molatham 66/1
Escobar 66/1
Lancaster House 50/1
Dark Vision 80/1
Royal Dornoch 80/1
* (betting odds taken from bet365 at 22:53 GMT on Friday, 16th October 2020)
Horse Racing Betting at Bet365
Table of Contents
Palace Pier the big favourite for Queen Elizabeth II Stakes
The overwhelming market favourite for Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth II Stakes is PALACE PIER who is at 4/6 in horse racing betting* (betting odds taken from bet365 at 22:53 GMT on Friday, 16th October 2020).
He is going to set the standard here easily as he’s unbeaten over five races.
When he came up to Group 1 for the first time, he looked as if he’d been rolling among that company for a while.
He cruised to the St James’s Palace success over Pinatubo to get that score.
The latest win that Palace Pier recorded was in the Jacques Le Marois at Deauville, that victory coming on some testing ground.
So that aspect of his form has been proven as well. With Frankie Dettori in the saddle, Palace Pier is going to be tough to knock over.
The Revenant to shine at Ascot?
The other stand out player in this field is THE REVENANT who has scored in five of his six trips. The one that he didn’t land in that sequence was in last year’s renewal of this race.
That had come right at the end of his previous campaign.
But he is back and opened his efforts for this new campaign well. A couple of weeks ago he scored a Group 2 success at Longchamp.
With some new air in his lungs already for the campaign, he has to be in with a chance at getting back to winning ways.
The Revenant is easily the biggest threat to Palace Pier in this field and is the current 5/1 second favourite* (betting odds taken from bet365 at 22:53 GMT on Friday, 16th October 2020).
Circus Maximus to perform at Ascot?
With two very strong contenders at the head of the market, we are basically looking for a place finish from the race of the pack.
CIRCUS MAXIMUS has to be in the picture of that with some solid form behind him this season.
He got a win under his belt on his reappearance run at Royal Ascot in the Queen Anne. Circus Maximus has been in the frame in each of his following gumtree efforts.
He wasn’t quite at his sharpest last time out in Moulin. Also during that sequence, he was beaten by Palace Pier at Deauville.
Century Dream to push for a money spot?
The form of CENTURY DREAM hasn’t been the most stable this season, but has experience in this race.
He was third in the 2018 renewal. After a disappointing 2019, Century Dream is back on his game with two wins from five this season.
The first of those was on a reappearance run at Goodwood and it was on soft ground at Group 2 level. He got his race plan a little wrong on his last effort, having been the 2/1 FAV.
He finished in the middle of a pack of ten at Leopardstown, going off far too quickly for his own good.
Nazeef can give a good account of herself
There should be something on offer from NAZEEF in terms of a place challenge in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.
The filly is a former course and distance winner, getting that with the Duke Of Cambridge success in June.
She is a brilliant 1-miler, having scored in all six of her previous attempts at this distance. The heavier ground shouldn’t bother her too much from what she has done before.
Of the chasing pack behind the leading two, we think that Nazeef is shaping up well for value at 12/1 in horse racing betting* (betting odds taken from bet365 at 22:53 GMT on Friday, 16th October 2020).
Others to note
MOLATHAM comes into his second attempt at the 1m trip. He scored at 7f in June here at Ascot in Jersey.
He wasn’t at his best on a trip to France but there was much better from him last time out. In a Group 2 Doncaster trip on his last race, Molatham battled to third.
The latest run by LANCASTER HOUSE can be excused as he was well down the field. He just burned himself out way too early in a Leopardstown run.
But prior to that, he was in great shape, collecting a Group 3 win at the Curragh in June, followed by a second place on a step up to Group 2.
DARK VISION has the form, but the big question mark will be over the conditions on the day. He’s never been the greatest in the more testing conditions.
But he was a course and distance winner in June at the Hunt Cup and has won twice more since then as well, including a Group 2 effort.
Predictions & Tips for Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Racing Odds
PALACE PIER and THE REVENANT are so strong for this field, that we have to believe that one of them will get across the line first.
Which one? We have to stick with PALACE PIER at 4/6 who remains unbeaten despite a rapid rise up through the grades.
It’s been remarkable stuff from him and with proof that he can deliver in testing conditions, he has to be backed.
We of course, therefore, except THE REVENANT to be in the places as well.
The other we have to put on the shortlist in a competitive battle for a place finish, is NAZEEF.
The progressive filly looks to be in really good heart at the moment and we will back her to take out some of the opposite sex to get herself up there in the places.
