Equinties - weekender

Gm (afternoon) Equinauts 

Was a very late night 

The boys, the Queen Of Conformation, her pretty sidekick and the intern are all shattered after a long ass weak. Huge news to reveal to BGP Capital members.  

But for now, here is our preview of Champions Day at Ascot. 

Headline Roundup

Gr2 Long Distance Cup 

Eight go to post for the opening race of Champions Day, the Gr2 Long Distance Cup over two miles – Alan King’s star stayer TRUESHAN won the last two renewals of this race and he returns this year despite negative comments from his trainer earlier in the week.  

On ratings, the six-year-old by PLANTEUR is clear of QUICKTHORN, the next-best rated, by six pounds and he will have a nice cut in the ground – is 2/1 slightly underestimating the champ? 

ELDAR ELDAROV is stepping up to two miles for the first time in his career following his Classic victory in the Gr1 St Leger, though the race was very weak (an 89-rated EL HABEEB finished four lengths behind him in sixth) – this is David Egan’s first ride in the race and could potentially be Roger Varian’s maiden victory in the Long Distance Cup.  

Aidan O’Brien’s WATERVILLE comes into today’s race as the proper improving, Twitter horse of the day – everyone and their nan is very excited about this horse despite winning off only 98 lto and needing to find 17 pounds on TRUESHAN.  

This horse only debuted in April this year and this is his second run off a break, though this is a massive step up in class from his Irish Cesarewitch win. 

Our view: Would love to see Coltrane reverse form with Quickthorn. I think Coltrane had an off day that day at York. The huge question mark and elephant in the room is TRUESHAN. If he’s back to his best and ground closer to soft, he should piss in. 

Gr1 British Champions Sprint Stakes  

Now, this is a very good race – CREATIVE FORCE, ART POWER, KINROSS, ROHAAN, TENEBRISM, PERFECT POWER, and more are within this 18-deep field.  

As is the case with lots of these big-field sprint races, we are going to give you stats rather than previewing individual horses.  

William Buick and Charlie Appleby teamed up to win last year with CREATIVE FORCE, he returns as this year’s favourite following a good second in the Platinum Jubilee over course and distance at the Royal meeting and today’s ground should suit better.  

Five of the last ten renewals have been won from a stall lower than six - ART POWER, last year’s 3/1 favourite, breaks from stall 8 today for Tim Easterby, with potentially the eachway play GARRUS next to him in stall 7. GARRUS looked lethal at Deauville lto behind Minzaal and Highfield Princess. 

Win lto: 

The obvious form horse heading into today is Ralph Beckett’s KINROSS, a four-time Group winner, including a Group 1 lto in the Prix de la Foret – all of his latest victories have been over seven and his record at six furlongs is 0-3. Would this worry you as a backer?  

Our view: GARRUS each way. There are some chinks in most of these but GARRUS is really improving. His run last time out was his best when beaten into third by Highfield Princess and Minzaal; two of the best sprinters in Europe. He was in front of Rohaan, Naval Crown, Artorious and Perfect Power.

Gr1 Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes 

A maximum field of 14 line up for the 1m4f Gr1 Fillies & Mares Stakes and the market is dominated by two three-year-olds: EMILY UPJOHN and ETERNAL PEARL 

EMILY UPJOHN was an infamous second in this year’s Oaks but has since bombed out in the King George – the Gosdens have reached for the first-time headgear, something that needs to spark improvement.  

Godolphin’s ETERNAL PEARL is stepping up to Group 1 company for the first time today following a four victories on the bounce – by FRANKEL, she looked very smart on September 23rd to win the Gr3 Dubai Stakes and has not reached her ceiling.  

SEA LA ROSA, also known as Sea THE Rosa (see below) is apparently the HEADLINE act of Champions Day (at least according to the Ascot social media page) – William Haggas’ SEA THE STARS filly skated in over in France in the Gr1 Prix de Royallieu, though that was only 14 days ago.  

Our view: no real view. 

Gr1 Queen Elizabeth II 

Potentially the weakest Group 1 of the day is the QE2, a race previously won by BAAEED, ROARING LION, and MINDING, an Aidan O’Brien three-year-old filly by GALILEO who collected success in this race as the 7/4f.  

This year, INSPIRAL is the short-priced favourite, a three-year-old filly who is a granddaughter to GALILEO, trained by John & Thady Gosden, fresh from a 62 day break – six victories from seven runs reads well, though you could poke holes at her last two races.  

Behind the short-priced favourite, the three-time Gr1-winning MODERN GAMES is the 4/1 second-favourite for Godolphin, winners of this race in 2010 with POET’S VOICE – back over a mile, a trip he won all three Gr1s at as well as finishing a two-length second to BAAEED in the Gr1 Sussex Stakes, he could add to a potentially triumphant day for William Buick.

2020’s winner THE REVENANT, a horse who is trained for this race every year, is the 6/1 third favourite and the pair of Simon & Ed Crisford runners, JADOOMI (a highly progressive five-time winner for Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum) and CHECKANDCHALLENGE, look to be good each-way players.  

Our view: INSPIRAL. Boring I know but I really like her. Any soft going won’t be an issue, lightly raced and had a good break since Deauville. She’s fine on the straight mile and gets weight from the whole field.

Gr1 Champions Stakes 

The fifth and final race of our preview is the Gr1 Champion Stakes over 1m4f and it’s the moment you have all been waiting for – IT’S BAAEED TIME! 

Now, if my name rhymed with something like Raeme Grodway, I’d be telling you why BAAEED ‘isn’t a true champion yet’ and still needs to prove himself – however, we aren’t here for clickbait posts on Twitter so we aren’t going to do that.  

We don’t need to tell you about this guy, his ten races unbeaten, £2.6 million in prize money, and six Group 1s speak for itself. All we can say is just enjoy him – he isn’t FRANKEL and maybe he isn’t even as good as his dad SEA THE STARS, but he is still an incredible specimen and a truly wonderful racehorse that sends shivers down your spine whenever he steps onto the track.  

There won’t be many like him again so just appreciate him now while he’s around.  

The race outside of William Haggas’ four-year-old offers little in terms of betting options unless you want to punt in the without favourite market, a page that has ADAYAR as the 5/6 favourite, BAY BRIDGE in at 5/2, and MY PROSPERO at 7/1 – William Buick’s mount is the next best on ratings and looked to still be his old self lto at Doncaster, but can he offer any challenge to the monster? 

As an each-way alternatives, Sir Michael Stoute’s BAY BRIDGE could be one for you. 

He was touted as the second coming after his Brigadier Gerard Stakes victory in May and ran a solid race behind STATE OF REST over course and distance in the Gr1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes - if you can forgive his disappointing effort in the Eclipse, he has a good chance of running on into the places.

Our view: I really want to see another proper proper great in my life time. Good luck BAAEED.