It's Champions Day this Saturday at Ascot, sponsored by QIPCO, and features no less than four Group 1 contests and a mountain of prize money (over £4m) on offer throughout.
Racing starts early at 12:45 with the 2m Long Distance Cup, a Group 2 race worth over £170k to the winner. Nice work if you can get it.
There are 8 Champions to be crowned this afternoon, 5 in the categories for Long Distance, Sprinters, Fillies and Mares, Middle Distance and Mile. Will also see the Champion Jockey, Trainer and Apprentice being crowned even though the flat season goes through to November when the AW season takes over. Confused, yeah me too.
Today's races and selections;
12:45 -- 2m Champions Long Distance Cup (Group 2)
Champions Day gets under-way with a stayers contest, 13 declared including competition from Ireland and it's Dermot Weld who saddles last years winner FORGOTTEN RULES in an attempt to repeat. There are three raiders from the Willie Mullins yard too and they should be viewed in the market but we'll side with the Weld inmate. [8th 9/2].
Of the home talent it's FLYING OFFICER that takes our fancy with Frankie Dettori back at his fav track. The early odds give us 6/1 each so we'll take the pair against the field to start off the afternoon. [WON 6/1].
Always great to start the meeting with a nice winner, wonderful race by Frankie stole it from the front as they turned into the straight comfortable winner.
13:20 -- 6f Champions Sprint Stakes (Group 1)
20 runners line up for the Champion Sprint and it's likely that the market will be headed by unbeaten TWILIGHT SON who stepped up quickly to this level and given some breaks in a big field must be thereabouts. [2nd 4/1].
Henry Candy's colt might not be such a great price so we will look for a win/place fancy too which for me is MAAREK, a winner of 12 races, including here and the Group 1 Prix De L'Abbaye at Longchamp. [11th 25/1].
Muhaarah looks a true champion sprinter here, couple of lengths back to our main selection who ran well and will also pick up decent races next season. Sadly Marrek was never on terms and finished in the pack.
13:55 -- 1m 4f Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes (Group 1)
A dozen line up for our next Group 1, and it's the time for the ladies to earn their dough. Arabian Queen already has her G1 beating Derby and Arc winner Golden Horn in the York Juddmonte.
Last years winner Madame Chiang reappears and will be ready for this having had a fairly light campaign.
Preference however is for COVERT LOVE a winner of the Irish Oaks and more recently the Prix De L'opera at the Arc meeting. She's come along way from a Chelmsford Maiden event and should take all the beating today. [4th 4/1].
14:30 -- 1m Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Group 1)
This contest might have nine runners but essentially it looks a Match between French Champion SOLOW (WON 11/10) and Irish Champion elect GLENEAGLES.
Should be a race to enjoy if the principles are on top form, I do have a sneaking suspicions that one won't be winning and that ELM PARK can also sneak a place. [5th 16/1].
Solow won well always looking the Champion while Gleneagles never struck a blow. Sadly Elm Park couldn't get placed but we're having a good day all the same.
15:05 -- 1m 2f Champion Stakes (Group 1)
The final Group 1 for today and revolves around the well being of Irish Derby winner JACK HOBBS. Runner up in the English Derby too represents the best form on offer and a recent spin around Kempton in a G3 should have him ripe for this.
Not a betting option as likely evens or less, isn't for me, so the place bet is our hope for FASCINATING ROCK [WON 10/1].
Well Dermot Weld strikes again, Fascinating Rock at 10/1 shoots home. Stepped up from G3 company and won this staying on to beat Found and Jack Hobbs who was one paced in 3rd.
Makes for a nice profitable day with the opening winner too.
15:45 -- 1m Balmoral Handicap
And after all that Group race action we conclude with a 20 runner handicap (excluding reserves).
In the big straight handicaps here it's usually best to pick one from either side of the draw, so we will take AYAAR (14/1 drawn 8) [18th 12/1] with Frankie on board along with HALATION (16/1 drawn 23) [12th 14/1] who will have the assistance of Jamie Spencer.
No joy for us in the finally as the Godolphin runner Musaddas ran away with this handicap. Still a very successful day for us and so I wish you all a wonderful weekend, I'm off to enjoy the rugger now even with no England involvement.
Two winners, 6/1 and 10/1 made it a good Champions Day for us, Have a great weekend.
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