Ascot hosts British Champions Day on Saturday with four Group 1’s and a Group 2 providing plenty of quality.
With all the rain about the Berkshire track during the week, course officials were forced to move all races run around the turn to the inner track to avoid the heavy ground. However, the course is still posted as soft going for all the days contests.
Calandagan (Stephane Pasquier) blew the opposition away with a thoroughly impressive performance in the Gr2 King Edward VII Stakes in June (Pic – Coolmore)
As a consequence, French three-year-old Calandagan is selected to come out on top in the Gr1 Qipco Champion Stakes (16h55) – the day’s feature.
In testing conditions, horses with proven form over a mile and a half have often held sway at Ascot over ten furlongs. Francis-Henri Graffard’s gelding twice ploughed through the mud to score in Group 3 company earlier this season, before routing his King Edward VII Stakes rivals by six lengths over 12 furlongs here in June.
He then took a step up to Group 1 level in his stride by staying on to finish a length second to City Of Troy in the Juddmonte International.
Economics showed plenty of class to get up close home in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown when denying Auguste Rodin, but this looks tougher in soft ground on an undulating track.
Aidan O’Brien’s Los Angeles is not easily dismissed, but he had a hard race thirteen days ago when leading for most of the way in the Arc and this looks a duel between the William Haggas trained Economics and Calandagan.
O’Brien has a much greater chance of success in the opener, the Gr2 Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup (14h20).
His champion stayer Kyprios is a worthy favourite who just needs to hold his form to get the job done.
He was beaten a neck by Trawlerman in this race last year, but that was his second run after a year lay-off due to injury. This season he has won all six of his starts and he goes on any ground, something Trawlerman has not yet encountered.
Charyn is favourite for the Gr1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (16h15), run over the straight mile. The big grey has been a revelation this season, winning four of his six starts and finishing runner-up in the other two.
He managed soft ground when scoring at Doncaster and Sandown in the spring and was simply superb in securing the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot and Deauville’s Prix Jacques le Marois this summer.
His two defeats were from front-runners stealing a march, and on that score, Metropolitan deserves a mention.
The French trained Zarak colt proved he is a top-class miler when winning the French 2,000 Guineas from a prominent position earlier this season and his best form has all been in soft ground.
His last start when second to Charyn in a Group 1 at Deaville wasn’t run to suit as raced from off the pace on fast ground, but he still finished strongly. He looks a massive threat here on a more suitable surface.
