Champions Day At Ascot 2018 Preview And Tips

Race 1

Sir Erec is proven on heavy ground.

The opening race on Champions Day at Ascot 2018 is the Group 2 Long Distance Cup at 1.25. A deluge earlier this week means conditions will be very testing and that has to be a worry for supporters of Stradivarius. He is unbeaten on quick ground this season but he has yet to win on ground with soft in the description, let alone heavy.

Flag Of Honour has at least run well on heavy before but his last three staying wins have come on good or good to firm. At the prices, I think Sir Erec could be worth chancing for the O’Briens. He hosed up in impressive fashion in a heavy ground listed contest at Limerick and he looks to be on the improve. He has to prove he has the stamina for this marathon trip but being proven on the ground is a big plus and at 14/1 he looks overpriced.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: SIR EREC E/W @ 14/1

Race 2

The second race on the card is the Champions Sprint Stakes, a 6f Group 1 that looks to be a cracking renewal. Last year’s winner Librisa Breeze will be delighted with the recent weather but he needs to bounce back from a below par run at Newbury last time. Tasleet should be spot on after his pipe opener at Haydock last month and at odds of 11/1 he looks overpriced on the forecast heavy ground.

The Tin Man looks a big price too at 11/1 after his win at Haydock last time, but at bigger odds I think Donjuan Triumphant represents solid each way value after a cracking run in 4th behind the Tin Man at Haydock. He has never finished out of the first four on heavy ground, the booking of James Doyle catches the eye and at odds of 25/1 he is the each way pick in what looks a wide open renewal.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: DONJUAN TRIUMPHANT E/W @ 25/1 NB

Race 3

The girls take centre stage in the 12f Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes at 2.40 and a total of eleven will go to post. Stamina will be at a premium on heavy ground and St Leger runner up Lah Ti Dar has no issues on that front. However, she has to prove she handles testing conditions and the daughter of Dubawi looks short enough at 11/8. Kitesurf is another one that might prefer better ground, but at least he has winning form on soft.

God Given will stay and handles an ease.

At a big price one horse that looks sure to handle conditions is the Luca Cumani trained daughter of Nathaniel, God Given. This filly’s stamina is assured and three of her five career wins have come on soft ground. She showed a good attitude to prevail in a Group 2 over 14f at Doncaster last time and on soft ground she could turn around Deauville form with Kitesurf. At odds of 20/1 she is the each way pick.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: GOD GIVEN E/W @ 20/1

Race 4

The QE II, otherwise known as the British Champions Mile, has attracted a star studded field of fifteen horses. Roaring Lion has been one of the stories of the season but I think there are big doubts about him handling this ground. Recoletos looks a big danger for Laffon-Parias and Peslier. He has winning form on soft ground and he looked as good as ever when taking the Prix du Moulin from Wind Chimes and Expert Eye last time.
 

Stormy Antarctic is unbeaten on soft and heavy ground over a mile.

I think Recoletos is the most likely winner, but one at a huge price who shouldn’t be overlooked on soft ground is Stormy Antarctic for Ed Walker and Gerald Mosse. This fella ran a cracker in a Group 1 at Woodbine on firm ground last time (8f) and though he hasn’t won yet this term, he has yet to encounter easy ground. His career form figures on soft or heavy ground over a mile read 111 and he is massively overpriced at odds of 66/1.

STEVOS’ SELECTIONS: RECOLETOS @ 5/1; STORMY ANTARCTIC E/W 66/1 4 PLACES

Race 5

The final Group 1 of the day is the British Champions Middle Distance Stakes and eight horses have been declared. Cracksman swerved The Arc to target this instead and after his 7L romp in it on easy ground last year he is currently odds on to repeat the trick. He was well beaten by Poet’s Word last time over course and distance on good to firm but he will be a different proposition back on a more forgiving surface.

At double figure odds I think Verbal Dexterity could go well for each way players. He hosed up on heavy ground over 7f in the Group 1 National Stakes last season and he was far from disgraced in the Racing Post trophy behind Roaring Lion and Saxon Warrior. Quick ground wouldn’t have suited last time, but back on heavy ground for the first time since the Curragh Jim Bolger’s 3yo son of Vocalised could put it up to the more fancied ones at odds of 20/1.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: VERBAL DEXTERITY E/W @ 20/1 NAP

Race 6

The closing race on 2018 Champions Day at Ascot is the Balmoral Handicap, a very competitive looking twenty runner affair. Raising Sand and Flaming Spear head the market and there should be very little between them over this distance on ground they will both handle well. At a much bigger price I think Circus Couture could bounce back returned to a mile on heavy ground.
 

Circus Couture should be more at home back in handicap company.

He was only beaten a length in a Group 3 at Haydock on his penultimate start (8f hvy) and 9f and good to firm ground conspired against him last time. He was a fine 2nd here at the Royal Meeting over this trip back in June (gd/fm) off 106 and he is only a pound higher now after facing some tough tasks in Group 1 and Group 2 company. A return to handicaps and easy ground should spark a return to form and he is the each way pick at 33/1.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: CIRCUS COUTURE E/W @ 33/1 5 PLACES