Free horse racing betting preview and tips for Saturday October 19
NAP: Magical (4.00 Ascot)
Next Best: Benbatl (3.20 Ascot)
Magical can land the most valuable success of her fine career in the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot.
The four-year-old has been a tremendous servant to the Aidan O'Brien, with three Group One victories to her credit, including the Fillies And Mares on this card 12 months ago.
She has competed in virtually all of the major races from a mile and a quarter to a mile and a half in the last 12 months, finishing second to Enable three times and to Crystal Ocean in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at the Royal meeting.
That race was run on soft ground so conditions should not be a problem and she does not have to take on either of her old adversaries this time.
Magical ran a creditable race in the Arc and was actually leading at this distance before fading in the final furlong and a half on the testing ground to take fifth place behind Waldgeist.
If Enable has been Magical's nemesis then for Benbatl it was Winx. The now-retired Australian superstar got the better of Godolphin's battle-hardened globe-trotter by two lengths in the Cox Plate 12 months ago.
The Saeed bin Suroor-trained five-year-old only returned to action three weeks ago at Newmarket - but it was well worth the wait as Benbatl ran out an impressive five-length winner over King Of Comedy in the Group Two Joel Stakes.
That was the ideal stepping-stone ahead of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, which he can lift and register a first Group One triumph in the UK and fourth in all.
has already collected a Group One over Ascot's six furlongs this season, the Commonwealth Cup, and can repeat the feat in the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes.
The three-year-old colt, trained by Martyn Meade, has also won the Prix Maurice de Gheest, despite having an interrupted campaign that saw him miss Haydock's Sprint Cup last month.
He is clearly a top-class performer and can put his rivals to the sword to end the campaign on a high.
It is hard to get away from Stradivarius as John Gosden's remarkable stayer attempts to extend his winning streak to 11 in the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup.
The five-year-old is simply a cut above the rest in his division and appears to be better than ever this season.
Gosden can also strike with Anapurna in the QIPCO British Champions Fillies And Mares Stakes. The Investec Oaks heroine put up a sterling performance when making all the running to win the Prix Royallieu on testing ground at Longchamp.
Dropping back to a mile and a half will be no inconvenience to her.
Teruntum Star hinted his turn was near when finishing a close third to Pendleton at Ascot on his second start since joining David Griffiths from Kevin Ryan's stable.
On that evidence the William Hill Catterick Dash Handicap is well within his grasp at the North Yorkshire track.
Evan Williams saddled Silver Streak to land the Low Cost Vans Welsh Champion Hurdle 12 months and can double up with Clyne, who was second to The New One in the 2017 renewal.
Sporting Life tips
ASCOT: 1.35 Advertise, 2.10 Stradivarius, 2.45 Anapurna, 3.20 Benbatl, 4.00 MAGICAL (NAP), 4.40 Kick On.
CATTERICK: 1.40 Leoch, 2.15 Let Her Loose, 2.50 B Fifty Two, 3.25 Teruntum Star, 3.55 Anna Bunina, 4.30 Confrontational, 5.00 Soft Summer Rain, 5.35 Smart Lass.
FFOS LAS: 1.50 Rosserk Abbey, 2.25 Lunar Baby, 3.00 King Alfonso, 3.35 Tidal Flow, 4.15 Clyne, 4.50 Blazing Tom, 5.20 Induno.
LEOPARDSTOWN: 1.25 Amma Grace, 1.55 Nobel Prize, 2.30 Dark Voyager 3.05 Fastar, 3.40 Iberia, 4.10 Nam, 4.45 Mount Everest, 5.15 Karakhan.
MARKET RASEN: 2.00 Deputy's Oscar, 2.35 Present Chief, 3.10 Skandiburg, 3.45 Rouge Vif, 4.20 Royal Village, 4.55 Blue N Yellow, 5.30 Lovely Lou Lou.
STRATFORD: 1.45 Sidi Ismael, 2.20 Kapsize, 2.55 First Quest, 3.30 One Forty Seven, 4.05 Never Be Enough, 4.35 Full Shift, 5.10 Jaxlight.
WOLVERHAMPTON: 5.05 Pushaq, 5.40 Crystal Pegasus, 6.15 Sacred Sprite, 6.45 Earl Of Bunnacurry, 7.15 With Caution, 7.45 Paths Of Glory, 8.15 Big Daddy Kane.
