Champions Day: a tip for every race and outsiders to consider
Andy Stephens shares his best bets and tips for Saturday's races at Ascot.
Eldar Eldarov is the favourite for the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup. Eldar won the St Leger last month. The race is only for three-year-olds. The track will hold no fears for Eldars. He performed wonders in the Queen’s Vase at the Royal Meeting in June.
Tranquihan has won the past two renewals but lost to Coltrane in the Doncaster Cup. Eldar Eldarov is a new horse on the block.
Waterville and Wordsworth are going to represent Aidan O'Brien. The former impressed when pouncing late in the Irish Cesarewitch last time. Wordworth finished well adrift of Waterville in that race.
Art Power is a general 6-1 favourite for the 2.00 Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes (Group 1). David Allan is 2/4 on him. Art Power won with authority at The Curragh last time.
CRE creative force is a dangerous horse to consider on Champions Day. Charlie Appleby has said that the intention was always to give him a break after the July Cup. Naval Crown is the highest-rated horse in the line-up.
Garrus is a 25-1 outsider for Champions Day. He was beaten by a length into third in the Prix Maurice de Gheest last time. Charlie Hills believes the slower early tempo of races in France suits him. Garrus has not won a turf race in Britain for more than three years.
Stay Alert won the Group Three Legacy Cup at Newbury last time. Stay Alert didn't do well in the Lancashire Oaks. The race is in 2.40. Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (Group 1).
Frankel filly Eternal Pearl has won four successive races this year. She was beaten in her first three races but has since recovered. Eternal Pearls latest effort under a penalty at Newmarket was impressive.
Thunder Kiss is an outsider at 50-1 for the Paddy Power Stakes at Leopardstown on Champions Day. She was beaten by Duke De Sessa in the previous year's race. Thunder Kiss won the Pretty Polly Stake at The Curragh.
The colt from the stable of Native Trail and Coroebus won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar last year and the French 2000 Guineas at Longchamp. Modern Games is a general 4-1 favourite for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
The danger is in the general Evens race. The winner is going to be a favourite. Team Gosden have had five beaten favourites at 2-1 or shorter in last two years. i in Champions Day. i.e. the favourite, the danger, a general evens.
TEMPUS is 20-1 outsider for the Royal Hunt Cup at Ascot. Tempus has won four races in 2022. He finished third in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Joel Stakes at Newmarket last time.
Babaed is a general 1-4 favourite for the 4.00 Qipco Champion Stakes (Group 1). He won the Juddmonte International Stake at York last time.
The danger is ADAYAR at 9-2. Last year's Derby and King George winner had only 13 days to recharge his batteries after making a bold bid in the Arc. Charlie Appleby didn't feel his star was ready to do himself justice in first half of the campaign. Jim Crowley, on Baaeed, seems unlikely to give him too much rope.
My Prospero is the outsider to the favourite at 28-1. Baaeed's owners have a passing interest in him as he was sired by Sea The Stars. My Prospera has had only five runs this year and his only defeat came at Royal Ascot in June.
Migration is the favourite for the 4.40 Balmoral Handicap at William Hill. He was drawn widest of all in stall 23. The first three home jumped from stalls 11, 15 and 12 last year.
The dangerous: Blue For You at 7-1. David O'Meara has twice had the winner in this race. Blue for You's previous win at York’s Ebor meeting was when beating stablemate Escobar.
The outsider to consider is Accident agent at 25-1. The favourite is a horse I followed closely. The horse has been hinting he has another hurrah in him recently. He was runner-up in the Victoria Cup in May.
