Champions Put Their Record on the Line in the Ascot’s Biggest Day
Saturday is Champions Day at Ascot. The Qipco sponsored card features a stunning program of four Group 1 contests, a Group 2 marathon, and an ultra-competitive Balmoral Handicap raced over a mile on Ascot’s famous straight course.
The day also marks the end of the flat season and the jockey’s championship. It has been a pulsating battle between defending champion Oisin Murphy and William Buick. It could be decided on the final race of the day.
Palace Pier landing the Queen Anne at this year’s Royal Ascot meeting. On Saturday the four-year-old heavyweight will attempt to add the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes to his remarkable record. ©GettyImages
Will Baaeed Maintain His Unbeaten Record in the QEII?
The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, due off at 3.10 pm, is akin to a championship battle of two heavyweight boxers. In the blue corner, five-time Group 1 scorer Palace Pier. An eight-time winner from nine starts with prizemoney totaling £1.47 million.
In opposition, wearing the revered blue silks of Shadwell Estates, the year younger Baaeed. Unbeaten in five lifetime starts, he most recently took the Group 1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp in impressive style.
But waiting in the wings is even more equine talent. Amongst the other eight horses in this line-up is Alcohol Free, the three-year-old filly that won the Group 1 Sussex Stakes at Goodwood in the summer.
Seven-year-old Benbatl is an old-fashioned slogger to be wary of. He has won races in Germany, Australia, and Dubai. Beaten as favorite on unsuitable ground in this race last year, he too could land an unlikely but devastating blow.
And how can you leave Mother Earth out of calculations? She may be 20/1 but she won this season’s 1000 Guineas and has finished in the frame in 14 of her 15 career starts.
Mishriff Fancied to Turn Tables on Adayar
The Qipco Champion Stakes is an equally mouthwatering contest. Mishriff, an impressive winner of the Juddmonte International Stakes on his latest start, is the marginal favorite. Capturing an eyewatering £9.5 million in prizemoney when landing two major races in Saudi Arabia and Dubai in the spring, victory here would see him head to the Bredeers’ Cup as Europe’s leading light in the Turf contest.
Chief rival, Adayar does have a verdict over Mishriff beating him by almost two lengths in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes in July. On that occasion, the Derby winner was receiving 11 pounds in weight. On Saturday that advantage is down to just four pounds.
As Mishriff has seemingly improved since their last meeting and Adayar had a tough race on a heavy ground in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe a fortnight ago, there is every chance the form will be reversed.
Four Rides for the Remarkable Dettori
Of course, Frankie Dettori is synonymous with Ascot. At this course in 1996 he famously rode a magnificent seven winners on a single card. He rarely leaves this meeting without a winner. In addition to landing every British Classic at least twice, he has also won more than 50 QIPCO British Champions Series races during his remarkable career.
Stradivarius and Frankie Dettori: Unquestionably two of the biggest attractions in horse racing. ©GettyImages
As usual, the Italian is sure to be popular with the punters. Aside from the big race ride on Palace Pier, the 50-year-old partners the massively popular Stradivarius in the curtain-raising Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup.
Three times the winner of the Ascot Gold Cup, the remarkable Stradivarius has also claimed two Doncaster Cups, a pair of Yorkshire Cups, three Lonsdale Cups, and has had his name etched on the Goodwood Cup four times.
Dettori’s other mounts are Kinross in the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes at 2.00 pm and Sunray Major in the concluding 4.30 pm handicap contest.
Racing for Places Behind Snowfall?
The shortest priced runner on the day is likely to be Snowfall in the Qipco British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes. A ridiculously easy winner of the English and Irish Oaks this season, the Aidan O’Brien trained filly has very little meaningful opposition in this contest.
The best of Snowfall’s rivals looks to be Albaflora who finished four lengths adrift of her in the Yorkshire Oaks on her latest start. In this contest, at 6/1, last time out Listed race winner Invite would appear to be a sound each-way bet.
