Qipco British Champions Day
Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes
British Champions Day kicks off with the sprinters and this looks to be the most open Group 1 on the card. Advertise arrives here with two Group 1’s under his belt this season having won the Commonwealth Cup at the Royal meeting in June and the Prix Maurice de Gheest in Deauville. He is tough and consistent, having only been outside of the first two once in his nine career starts, he looks sure to be in the mix and is the best bet in this each way.
Hello Youmzain and One Master both come into this off the back of Group 1 victories on soft ground and rate as dangers.
Cape Byron will need to up his form but he has a great record at Ascot (4 wins from just 7 runs) and he too will go on the slow ground.
A fascinating runner is the Denis Hogan trained Make A Challenge. Picked up for just £6500 in November 2017 as an unraced 2 year old, he had a steady start to his career, but since getting his head in front in May of this year he has won a further 6 times and risen a staggering 45 pounds in the handicap. He will need to improve on his latest win in a Listed race at The Curragh but he could not have been more impressive that day and that prompted connections to supplement him for this at a cost of £40,000. He goes on any ground, having won on a range between good to firm to heavy and it would be one of the stories of the season if he were to claim this.
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Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup
This is all about the greatest stayer of his generation Stradivarius. Unbeaten since finishing third in this in 2017, his wins have come on a variety of ground from good to firm to soft, and while he wouldn’t want it heavy the news that this is one of three races to be run on the better draining hurdles course will surely mean that trainer John Gosden will make the call to run.
Perhaps the key to Stradivarius’s longevity is the fact that he doesn’t over race or do too much when he hits the front. He has a devastating turn of foot for a stayer which puts the race to bed around two furlongs out but after that is used he is easy on himself.
Royal Line is second favourite but this is his first try at 2 miles and it would be a major upset if he was able to overturn Stradivarius. The ground for him should be of no concern however.
The Mark Johnston trained Dee Ex Bee has been the bridesmaid on three occasions this season to Stradivarius and his turn looked like it had come in the Prix du Cadran but he was a disappointing third. The jury is now out on him in our book and he looks set to play a supporting role.
Perhaps the biggest danger to Stradivarius is Kew Gardens. He shaped like the best horse in the Irish St Ledger and goes on soft ground but he does always seem to find one too good and while he may chase home the favourite it would be a surprise if he could beat him.
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Queen Elizabeth II Stakes
The predicted soft ground is sure to have an impact here too and it will be heavily in the favour of French raider The Revenant. The Francis Gaffard trained 4 year old, who has only been beaten in two of his ten career starts, relishes soft ground and was an impressive winner of the Prix Daniel Wildenstein on Arc weekend at Longchamp. He rates an exciting prospect and it would be no surprise to see him make a winning return to Britain after last being seen when finishing third behind Dee Ex Bee as a 2-year-old.
Benbatl bolted up at Newmarket on his return to action following a 335 day break. That was on good ground though and soft ground would be a major concern for him as his only run on ground described as soft saw him well beaten when 3/1 favourite.
Magna Grecia hasn’t run since the Irish 2000 Guineas and a return on this ground this late in the season would be a concern but it’s no doubt that he has the class to feature if in peak form and handling the ground.
Aidan O’Brien’s other runner Circus Maximus has been a hard one to get a handle on this season. Disappointing in the Derby when clearly not staying the trip, he then returned to one mile with blinkers on for the first time when winning at Royal Ascot. He has won with cut in the ground and if you strip apart his form he has form figures of 1-2-1 when running in one mile Group 1’s and he looks the value each-way bet.
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Qipco Champion Stakes
The Champions Stakes is the highlight of British Champions Day but this years race looks to lack a true star. That is emphasised by the fact that Addeybb, who has been well beaten in his only two attempts at the highest level, is 11/4 second favourite. There is no doubting that William Haggas’ charge loves soft ground but his lack of top-class form is a concern.
The stand out here, if she runs, is Magical. The Galileo mare is ultra-consistent and will handle the soft ground. There is a question mark over her however as she was very disappointing in the Arc only 13 days ago. It will take a huge performance to come back from that defeat to win this.
Japanese hope Deirdre finished well in the Irish Champion Stakes but is unproven on this ground.
The selection each way would be Coronet. She is tough and consistent and brings to the table a stack of group 1 form having been second behind Enable, Sea Of Class, Waldgeist and Magical in her career. She has won two group 1’s this season alone and will handle the soft ground. Perhaps the most encouraging stat from Coronet is that she comes here a fresh horse as she has not run in 62 days. We think she is certain to fill one of the places.
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