Punting on Qipco British Champions Week at Ascot proved to be difficult for punters with up to 20mm of rain forecast for the track from Wednesday onwards. With the ground described as Good to Soft (Soft in places), Clerk of the Course Chris Stickels informed the public that the three races due for the Round Course could be moved to the Inner Course (which was at the time described as Good (Good to Firm in places)) if Heavy entered the description for Saturday’s big meeting. The announcement was finally made on Friday that the three races would indeed be switched to the Inner Course, which was described as Good to Soft (Soft in Places) compared to Soft (Heavy in Places) on the Round Course. This last happened in 2019, and it was a stark warning for punters that not only can it be difficult to predict advance going when getting involved ante-post, but also which track a race may even take place on! It is an unfortunate set of circumstances that Ascot oversee for such a high profile meeting, and I feel that it is not in the best interest of the sport to leave the betting public unsure which track a race will be run on until the day before the event. Something that needs to be looked into by the powers that be.
The day itself saw the Straight Course described as Soft (5.6) and the Round Course as Good To Soft (Soft in places), before changing to Soft all over. As with a lot of races run on Soft ground or worse, trying to put a neat going allowance on a whole meeting can be a fruitless exercise. Often the competitors in the first race have the best of the ground, and once it is opened, conditions deteriorate. This appeared to be the case on Saturday. On the day the winning times appeared to be 20 lengths per mile slower on the Straight Course compared to the Inner Course. The noticeable trait of the meeting was how fast all the races were run. Every Race Finish % was under 100%, with Big Rock’s (92.78%) coming out as the fastest. Normally in these circumstances it can be difficult for front-runners to make all, but on Qipco Champions Day the opposite was the case. In fact, only King Of Steel in the Group 1 Champion Stakes was held up in the rear and came through to win.
As always, with the BHA Official Formbook speed ratings scale which I use, (117) represents Group 1 Par, and each step down the class ladder represents a drop of 2 points (equalling 2 lengths per mile). I will insert the speed rating after the horse’s name. The Group 2 Long Distance Cup over the shorter 15 furlong distance of the Inner Course looked to be heading the way of Kyprios (114) when Ryan Moore went past Trawlerman (115) at the two furlong pole, who looked a spent force. However, 999-1 layers of Trawlerman on Betfair forgot to insert the Frankie Dettori Ascot Factor into the equation. Somehow, the magic man managed to get the son of Golden Horn to switch back outside and stay on to lead near the line. It was just reward for a horse that has recently put up some sterling efforts when winning at Salisbury and Newmarket by a combined 31 lengths.
Art Power (117) demonstrated the benefit of being on the front end when building up a healthy advantage early on in the Group 1 Champions Sprint. Despite being headed by Frankie Dettori on Kinross (116) inside the final furlong, the likeable grey rallied to get back up on the line. It was the son of Dark Angel’s first Group 1 victory from fifteen attempts. Jockey David Allan was also tasting his first Group 1 success. The 40/1 outsider who had finished placed in this race in the past, but had been running below form lately, was again reminding punters that betting at this meeting, on this ground, was not going to be easy.
Poptronic (114) also gave jockey Sam James his first Group 1 win when making all in the Fillies and Mares Stakes for trainer Karl Burke. The drop back in trip from 14f at Longchamp suited the daughter of Nathaniel, whose winning form in the Lanacashire Oaks was franked by Sea Silk Road that day. The eye-catcher of the race was Bluestocking, who made up a lot of ground from the rear before going down by just a neck.
The most impressive winner of the day, and also the Staroftheclock, was the Christopher Head trained Big Rock (118) who made all to come home 6 lengths clear of Facteur Cheval. Prior warning of such a performance was already stamped in the Formbook at Chantilly on Heavy ground in May. The son of Rock Of Gibraltar took the Group 3 Prix De Guiche by 5 lengths that day from, a since unbeaten, Horizon Dore. The testing conditions brought out the best in him, and it would be fair to say that the opposition failed to handle them at all, with 7/4 favourite Paddington proving a massive disappointment.
With the previous two races on the Inner Course going to prominently ridden horses, backers of 3/1 favourite King Of Steel (117) can be forgiven for thinking it might not be their day. However, this was the first race on the day where the prominent racers didn’t see it out to the line. The first three home were the last three turning into the straight. It was that man again, Frankie Dettori, who managed to conjure up a last to first move from the son of Wootton Bassett to finish 3/4 length ahead of Via Sistina. Backers of the second may feel a bit hard done by considering jockey Oisin Murphy dropped his whip over a furlong out, but there was no denying the hero of the day. It was another demonstration from the man of the moment on how to lift horses over the winning line at this track, just as he has done over the past thirty years. A fitting end on what is supposedly his final mount as a British based jockey.
The final race on the card was 43 lengths slower than standard, and highlighted the draw bias that can exist on the Straight Course when the ground is riding Soft. The first seven horses home were all drawn low. The Gatekeeper (109) made most on the far side, and it was another race where a prominent position on the ground paid dividends. The winner once again demonstrated his liking for a Soft surface, following his three recent excellent efforts over the mile on similar ground at Goodwood. It may pay to give Sonny Liston another chance considering how the race unfolded for him.
Although Ascot was the focus of attention on the week, Saint Cloud also hosted five Group races on Sunday on Very Soft ground. The Group 1 Criterium over 10f, and Criterium International over the mile for 2yo colts and fillies, took centre stage. On the clock front, however, it was the Andre Fabre trained Belbek (120) who produced the performance of the meeting. A difference of opinion saw the runners split both sides in the Home Straight, and it was the 3yo son of Showcasing on the far side that came home 1/2 length clear of The Revenant on the near side. There may still be better to come from him next season.
Oisin Murphy gained compensation for Ascot when taking the Group 1 Criterium International over the mile aboard Sunway (107) for UK based trainer David Menuisier. Racing keen upside the leader Navy Seal, the son of Galiway bagged the near side rail entering the home straight and following some light reminders only needed a hands and heels finish to hold off the Andre Fabre trained Alcantor by 1/2 length. It was another form boost for Iberian, who finished 2 lengths ahead of him in the Champagne Stakes. Los Angeles (101) took the Group 1 Criterium over 10 furlongs by a neck from Islandsinthestream in a race run with a (105.3%) Race Finish. He looks a big, imposing son of Camelot, and he was cut to 20/1 for next year’s Epsom Derby.
Leopardstown also hosted two Group races for two year olds on Saturday. The Joseph O’Brien trained Atlantic Coast (101) took the Group 3 Killavullan Stakes over the extended 7 furlongs in the final stride by a nose from the Andy Oliver trained Bright Stripes. The winner, who dwelt at the start, did well to get up on the line considering three of the first four home raced prominently. He looks a middle distance colt for next season. Grosvenor Square (109) was the Staroftheclock on the day, making all to win by 4 1/4 lengths from Cambridge, whilst also providing trainer Aidan O’Brien with a 1-2 in the Group 3 Eyrefield Stakes over 9 furlongs. It was another step forward from his third place behind Deepone in the Beresford, and he also looks a nice middle distance colt for 2024. Farnborough (114) was the Staroftheclock on Sunday at Leopardstown when travelling strongly throughout the Manguard Plus Handicap, and coming home 5 lengths clear of San Aer. Not seen since disappointing in a Premier Handicap at The Curragh in July, the son of Galileo was repeating his speed rating when beaten a short head behind Fleetfoot over this C&D in April on similar ground.
My favourite winner of the week was Vadiana (111) who landed a gamble when getting up on the line to finish 1/2 length ahead of Pink Sorrel at Dundalk on Friday night over 7 furlongs. A strongly run mile on the Polytrack will see her in an even better light.
Till the next instalment,
Stay Lucky,
Graham