FOUR of the last five Champions Stakes winners have gone off at 9/1 or bigger and I’m backing Andrew Balding’s ALMERIC to upset his shorter-priced rivals in Saturday’s big race.
Champion jockey Oisin Murphy couldn’t hide his admiration for this colt after he came from last to first to win at Ayr last month and trainer Andrew Balding nominated Ascot’s £1.3million highlight at 4.05 as Almeric’s next race straight away.
Kirsten Rausing’s grey had been off the track since winning April’s Fielden Stakes at Newmarket but any thoughts of midsummer targets had to be put on hold due to various niggles and neither Balding or Murphy thought he was anywhere near fully fit after 158 days off the track at Ayr.
That Doonside Cup success had only the same Listed status as the Fielden but Saturday’s likely 16/1 chance Almeric was positioned miles off the pace by Murphy before powering clear up the straight and billionaire breeder Rausing rarely allows her horses to tilt at windmills.
Delacroix and Ombudsman lock horns for the third time this season in a race which also features Economics and the French pair First Look and last year’s second Calandagan but Balding is having the season of his life and Almeric can emulate Andrew’s dad Ian’s Silly Season which won the 1965 race at Newmarket.
Mick Appleby’s been hoping the rain stays away for BIG MOJO in Saturday’s Group 1 Champions Sprint at 2.05 and the trainer can’t have any complaints about the dry weather for April’s course and distance winner this week.
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Tom Marquand gets back on board after William Buick deputised to win last month’s Haydock Sprint Cup and that career best performance proved Big Mojo was way better than his 5 lengths 7th of 21 to Time For Sandals in the Commonwealth Cup here in June.
I reckon he’s also now good enough to reverse his neck second to No Half Measures in the July Cup at Newmarket and this rapidly improving 3 year-old can see off last year’s winner Kind Of Blue and the Haydock 5th and Royal Ascot Group 1 winner Lazzat.
Good ground is NOT going to suit Estrange and Kalpana in the Fillies and Mares race over a mile and a half at 2.45 and that opens the door for Paddy Twomey’s Irish raider ONE LOOK to put the Wathnan colours into the winners’ enclosure under James Doyle.
One Look handled soft conditions fine when a fast finishing third in a 10 furlongs Group 1 on Arc day at Longchamp but that improved effort may have been more down to stamina than any ground preference and she’ll be fine on the faster surface at Ascot.
The Gleneagles filly was a disappointing 6th of 7 over a mile here in June but Cinderella’s Dream, Fallen Angel and Running Lion were 2nd, 3rd and 4th and her first run at 10 furlongs at the Curragh (Group 3) in July was a winning one before her Group 2 and Group 1 seconds to Barnavara at the Currragh and Longchamp.
Estrange missed the Arc due to a setback and Kalpana looked to have no excuses but One Look should be the one suited by going up in trip and despite her breeding suggesting otherwise, I’m making her a confident selection to fully appreciate the 12 furlongs with a first Group 1 win.
James Doyle’s day could get even better with FALLEN ANGEL getting my Queen Elizabeth II Stakes vote despite Field Of Gold’s presence at 3.25 but the “Doyler” could be thwarted by Jamie Spencer in the closing Balmoral handicap at 4.40.
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Ado McGuinness’ stable star ran in the Ayr Gold Cup despite the soft ground going against him but he’s back in Ireland off 3lbs lower and today’s faster surface shoud suit.
Go Athletico is still 5lbs higher than his win over an extra hundred yards here in July but the 7 year-old added a Group 3 to his two Listed wins 2 seasons ago and was only beaten 7 lengths in a Group 1 here last autumn.
McGuinness had a winner at Dundalk on Tuesday after 3 seconds from his previous 7 runners and jockey Adam Caffrey’s 3 from 14 since last Wednesday includes 8 losers at 22/1 or bigger.
Wily veteran Spencer has been forced to “get off” Native Warrior to let Doyle take his rightful place back on the Wathnan owned handicapper but that means he can get back on another old favourite in ARISAIG and Charlie Johnston’s filly arrives in peak form.
The 4 year-old’s recent third places in Group 2 and Listed races suggest she might still be well handicapped on her old mark of 99 here as that most recent third to stable companion Francophone has seen her nudged up to a career-high 101 and Spencer’s record in big-field straight mile handicaps is a major plus.
LEXINGTON BLITZ has done most things right when finishing second on his last 3 starts and compensation awaits the 3 year-old in Catterick’s £32,000 Dash at 1.20 on Saturday.
ETERNAL FORCE won’t be much better than 2/1 in Haydock’s 3.05 tomorrow but William Haggas’ runner should complete the hat-trick.
Tom Marquand’s mount is up 5lbs for his Newbury win and he looks progressive enough to win again getting 2lbs from fellow 3 year-old Angel Hunter
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Jim Goldie has a big team readied for an all-weather campaign and SEA LEGEND looks a likely type for Newcastle’s 4.55 tomorrow.
The 5 year-old is 6lbs lower than his just over 2 lengths 7th over course and distance in June and Paul Mulrennan’s mount is down in grade to Class 4 here.
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