Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
It’s Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday and ITV Racing are concentrating totally on the meeting and are televising the whole card, six races in all. There are four Group 1s, a Group 2 and a handicap being shown so undoubtedly there will be no shortage of class horses. However, because of that, it may be very difficult to find value among the runners.
I am looking forward to seeing Paddington get back to winning ways after being defeated at York. He drops back to his favoured distance of a mile in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and is highly fancied to take this prestigious contest.
Here are my thoughts on four of the other races that make up this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Ascot Lucky Fifteen
1.50 Rohaan
2.25 Free Wind
3.45 King Of Steel
4.25 Coeur D’Or
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
Beginning with the 1.50 the Quipco British Champions Sprint Stakes, a Group 1 run over Ascot’s straight 6 furlongs. The obvious choice here should be Ralph Beckett’s Kinross who comes here after wins at York and Goodwood this season. He won this last season and is a proven winner in soft and good/soft going.
So what’s not to like? Well, not a lot really except that he seems more of a 7f horse to me having only won over 6f once in his life. That was his victory in this last year, so I will take a chance on one of the 6f specialists to lower his colours.
David Evans’s Rohaan won here two weeks ago and even though that was just a handicap he has won in Group company here at Ascot twice in his career.
Mill Stream has won in France for Jane Chappell-Hyam in Group company but more is required here.
Andrew Balding’s Sandrine is a proven Group winner, including a victory at Doncaster last month but she seems to prefer 7f.
Charlie Fellowes’s Vadream will appreciate the going but I don’t think she is quite up to this class.
William Haggas’s Sense Of Duty looks very interesting. After three wins at 6f last season, including a Group win, she has had only one run this year and that was at 5f, very curious. So I will take a chance on Evans’s Rohaan to spring a surprise.
At 2.25 it is the Quipco British Champions Fillies And Mares Stakes, a Group 1 run over 1m 4f. Aidan O’Brien has a couple in this, Red Riding Hood and Jackie Oh, and it is the latter that interests me. She will relish the going having won a Group 3 on soft at Gowran Park in July. She is upped in trip here but should go close.
Harry and Roger Charlton run Time Lock who has won his last two, including a Group race at Newmarket last month but the going may not suit the filly.
Ralph Beckett’s Bluestocking has disappointed this season. She has run well in Group company but has found one or two too good for her. That will probably be the case again.
John and Thady Gosden have three contenders – Sweet Memories, Running Lion and Free Wind with the latter with Frankie aboard looking the pick of the trio. She started the season with a Group win at York in May and ran a fine second in a Group 1 at the same course in August. Her latest run in the Arc can be forgiven she was never in contention and was eased over the line. I take her to bounce back here.
The richest race on the card is the Quipco Champion Stakes at 3.45. It is a Group 1 run over 10 furlongs. I must start with last year’s winner Sir Michael Stoute’s Bay Bridge who comes to defend his crown after what must be a disappointing season with just one victory in a Group 3 on the all-weather at Kempton in September. His latest run was in the Arc where he ran a fine race to finish sixth but I don’t think he will be suited by dropping back in trip.
The French challenger Horizon Dore trained by Pierre Cottier has won his last four, all Class 1 races, but he seems to have beaten very little and I feel he can be opposed.
The Gosdens run Mostahdaf who has won two Group 1s this year at Ascot and York but those wins were on good/firm going and it’s doubtful if he will like the surface he will encounter here.
I like Roger Varian’s King Of Steel who won a Group 2 here at Ascot in June. Last time out, he was only beaten a length into fourth in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown and he has the ability to be successful once again at Ascot.
The final race on the card is the only handicap, the Class 2 Balmoral Handicap run over the straight mile at 4.25. Top weight is David Menuisier’s Migration the winner of the Lincoln way back in April. He has only run once since finishing last of five in a Group race at Newmarket. He will be suited by the going but I feel there are better handicapped horses in the race.
Ralph Beckett’s Sonny Liston was a fine second at Doncaster last month and can go close once again here.
Harry Eustace’s Docklands has won twice here at Ascot earlier in the season. He was disappointing on his latest outing at Goodwood in August.
George Boughey’s Baradar is highly fancied after winning his last two races at Ascot and Doncaster, both over 7f, he will relish the going but I’m not sure about the extra furlong.
The Irish have been hoovering up some of our top handicaps this season and the raider here is Dermot Weld’s Coeur D’Or who has had a fine season winning on three occasions, including on the soft at Galway in August. His latest run was at the Curragh last month where he was unable to make an impression over 10 furlongs. He drops back in trip here and he is the selection.
Ascot Lucky Fifteen
1.50 Rohaan
2.25 Free Wind
3.45 King Of Steel
4.25 Coeur D’Or
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
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