2020 Champions Day Tips and Preview by Dave Stevos
2020 Champions Day Tips From Ascot: All Live ITV Races
Our wait for a winner was ended in style by Helvic Dream last Sunday. Advised as the e/w NB at 14/1 he was backed all the way into 6/1 (R4 5p) and won doing handstands. I thought Questionare ran a pretty nice race but the trip was just too far on that ground. It looked like Blast of Koeman was spooked by a horse that fell beside him and after that his jumping fell to pieces. There is a mouth-watering day of action ahead of us on Saturday at Ascot. Check out Dave Stevos’ 2020 Champions Day Tips below.…
Ascot Saturday: 1.20pm – Champions Long Distance Cup (Group 1)
The stayers kick off proceedings at Ascot on Saturday and what a race it is. Stradivarius is odds on to reclaim the crown he lost last year to Kew Gardens. The 2018 winner has an outstanding record at this track (1311121) with his last win coming over 20f at the Royal Meeting. That was arguably a career best and a repeat would more than suffice here. However, his preparation has been different this year. He usually has at least a month between runs but he was in action in the Arc just 13 days ago. This will be his 3rd run in just over a month and at the odds, he is worth taking on.
Aidan O’Brien has won 2 of the last 3 renewals of this race and he runs three this year. Sovereign is the mount of Ryan Moore but conditions may be too soft for him. Pierre-Charles Boudot is on Dawn Patrol, a 16.5f winner on good ground last time. His sole start on soft ground resulted in an 11L defeat though.
The one to be on could be Broome with Colin Keane in the plate. This son of Australia has run just once this season when well beat behind Ghaiyyath at Newmarket (12f gd/fm). He hammered Sovereign by 8L over 10f when the met on soft last season at Leopardstown. The O’Brien inmate then went on to run a cracker in the Derby. Sovereign did reverese the form emphatically at the Curragh, but that was on good ground. Broome is 2/2 on soft and his sire Australia is a big stamina influence. He goes well fresh and at odds of 16/1, Broome can hopefully sweep to victory.
2020 Champions Day Tips: Broome e/w @ 16/1
Champions Day Ascot: 1.55pm – champions Sprint Stakes (Group 1)
We backed the winner of this race last year, Donjuan Triumphant, at odds of 33/1. With 17 going to post this year it should be another cracking renewal. To be honest, you could make a case for at least a dozen of them. 3yos have a middling record in this race with 3 wins in the last 10 renewals.
Six of the younger generation are represented this time and on soft ground, Art Power probably has the best chance. He bounced back from a rare poor run behind Battaash at Haydock last time when beat 2.5L by Dream Of Dreams. Conditions will be fine for him and he should run a big race for last year’s winning owners.
Old Boy Not Without A Chance
Brando is one of the elder statesmen of the field at 8yo and slow starts have plagued him this season. However, he rarely runs a bad race at Ascot. He finished 4th in this race for the past two years and 3rd in 2016. His run behind Oxted at Newmarket earlier this season was a cracker when you consider the ground he lost at the start. If there is more rain he could outrun his huge odds of 50/1, so keep an eye on the weather.
The other one I like at a decent price is Sonaiyla for Paddy Twomey and Billy Lee. This 4yo daughter of Dark Angel has progressed through the ranks nicely this year. She won a Listed race on her first start back at Cork and then won a decent handicap at the Curragh (7f Gd/Yld). A fine neck 2nd to Glen Shiel in a 6f G3 at the Curragh followed. She then ran another cracker when beat a length by Glass Slippers in a G1 at the same track over 5f, staying on well.
The step back up to 6f is really going to suit on that evidence and she has won on soft ground in the past. She will need to improve again but that is a realistic possibility. At odds of 16/1 with 5 places on offer, Sonailya is the each way pick. I think it is worth having a couple of quid on Brando too at 50s for 5 places given his record in this race on soft ground.
2020 Champions Day Tips: Sonailya e/w @ 16/1; Brando e/w @ 50/1 (both 5 places)
Ascot Saturday: 2.30pm – Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (Group 1)
The last four renewals of this race have been won by Aidan O’Brien and John Gosden. They have two wins apiece and they both run two. However, amazingly, none of the Gosden and O’Brien runners are in the top 4 of the betting and only Passion is a single figure price.
Ryan Moore rides the daughter of Galileo and she has it all to do to turn the tables on the David Menuisier trained Wonderful Tonight. Passion was no match for her at Longchamp and finished 10L behind. Maybe the ground was a shade too testing over the 14f trip for her. However, even so, she has a lot to find.
Manuela Can Bounce Back
Our old friend Dame Maillot is at the head of the market along with Wonderful Tonight. She will relish conditions and she looks sure to make a bold bid from the front. However, I think the each way value could lie with Manuela De Vega here. This daughter of Lope De Vega was beat out of sight at Longchamp 2 weeks ago in the race won by Wonderful Tonight. However, the 14f trip and bottomless ground were valid excuses and the trip and underfoot conditions will suit much better in this contest.
She is triple the price of her stablemate Antonia De Vega, even though she finished in front of her when they clashed in a German Group 1 in November last year. Her last start over 12f on soft resulted in a facile G2 win at Haydock and she didn’t have the pace to cope with Love and Alpinista on good ground at York. She gets her optimum conditions here, Rob Hornby knows her well and at odds of 16/1, Manuela De Vega is the each way selection.
2020 Champions Day Tips: Manuela De Vega e/w @ 16/1 (4 Places)
2020 Champions Day Tips: 2.35pm – Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Group 1)
With a 5/5 record on all sorts of ground and a rating of 126, this race revolves around Palace Pier. The 3yo son of Kingman stepped up from a handicap at Newcastle into Group 1 company on his 4th career start and beat Pinatubo over C&D (gd/sft). Last time at Deauville he beat Alpine Star on heavy by 0.75L, with Circus Maximus 5L back in 3rd. There is no reason to think that the O’Brien horse can turn that form around and it is hard to see how Palace Pier can lose this if running to his best.
The one that looks potentially overpriced on ground he will love is Century Dream. Trained by the Crisfords, this fella has a superb record on soft. He has form figures of 411131 with the 3rd coming in this race last season. He finished just 0.75L behind the 127 rated Roaring Lion conceding 3lb and it would be no surprise if he made Palace Pier work hard for the win.
James Doyle is 2/3 on him, he had excuses last time and this has proabably been his main target this year. The son of Cape Cross will likely head to stud if he wins this and a repeat of last year’s effort would surely put him in the shake up for a place at least. At odds of 18/1 Century Dream represents serious e/w value and he is the e/w NAP of the day.
2020 Champions Day Tips: Century Dream e/w @ 18/1 NAP
2020 Champions Day Tips: 3.40pm – Qipco Champions Stakes (Group 1)
The Blue Riband race on Saturday is the Champions Stakes. A stellar line up of horses will battle it out for the £750k pot and marvellous Magical is the favourite for Moore and O’Brien. This exceedingly talented mare has won 4/5 at G1 level since disappointing in the Arc last season, including when narrowly beating Addeybb in this race. Rated 121, she beat Ghaiyyath last time at Leopardstown (10f gd) and it looks like she is in top form as she bids to defend her crown.
Addeybb could be a danger back on his favoured ground. He has won 3/4 this year, including a pair of soft ground G1s Down Under. Lord North beat him comprehensively over C&D in June but that was on good ground. Addeybb ought to get a lot closer to that horse in these conditions and there shouldn’t be an awful lot between them.
Japan Overpriced
Our old friend Pyledriver is another one that won’t mind the ground. However, the drop back in trip has to rate as a worry. He ran an absolute cracker in the St Leger and both of his wins this season have come over 12f. However, he is a strong traveller who possesses a proper turn of foot and he rates as a danger to all.
I thought that Japan had a serious chance in the Arc but he couldn’t run. He comes here instead and there has already been a few nibbles at him with some bookies. His best run came over 12f on soft last year in the Arc and so far, this year has not gone to plan. However, this type of ground could be the key to him and while I’d rather if the trip was 12f, I think there should be a strong enough pace for Colin Keane to aim at here. I think 14/1 looks a big price about this horse and at those odds, he is the e/w tip.
2020 Champions Day Tips: Japan e/w @ 14/1 NB
Ascot Saturday: 4.15pm – Balmoral Handicap (Class 2)
A maximum field of 20 are due to go to post for the finale on Champions Day at Ascot. It looks a minefield and there are three horses that catch my eye. First of all, Ropey Guest makes his handicap debut. He was my NAP last time when racing was abandoned due to heavy ground. If it was bottomless I’d really fancy him again, but off a mark of 103 he could be vulnerable on this slightly better ground. I can see him running a solid race for the Margarsons but others may be better treated.
Another horse I tipped last time out was Graignes. Trained by George Baker, he was beat 5L in a G3 at Haydock. I wasn’t impressed with the ride Adam Kirby gave him that day and Nicola Currie takes over this time. She has a fine record when riding for Baker, 12 wins and 18 top 4s from 81 rides with a +£44 return for a £1 stake. The handicapper dropped this fella 2lbs for his Haydock run which was probably the plan judging by the ride. His G1 fifth behind One Master at Longchamp on very soft last season would put him right in the mix off 104 and 33/1 looks far too big.
Soft To Suit Symbolize
The other one I like at a big price is Symbolize for Balding and Probert. This son of Starspangledbanner has yet to win since his debut but he has run some blinders in defeat. He ran a huge race in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot (7f sft) on his seasonal return when 3rd behind Molatham with Ropey Guest 0.5L behind him in 4th. Balding kept him at 7f for his next four starts and his best run came when beat a neck by Ostilio on soft at Haydock.
His last run at Newbury was relatively disappointing but the good ground was an excuse. The big positive for this horse, in my view, is the step up to a mile. On his run here back in June it should really suit as he was staying on nicely at the finish. He is 1lb worse off with Ropey Guest but he was fading late on while Symbolize was gaining at the finish. He can confirm the form over this extra furlong and at 28/1 he is also worth chancing e/w. I’ll be having a small saver on Ropey Guest too, but this time Symbolize and Graignes are the picks.
