British Champions Day is the annual finale to the Flat turf season right here within the UK, and what a 12 months we have now had.
From Mostahdaf’s defiant efficiency within the Juddmonte Worldwide to Paddington’s string of Group 1s; Aidan O’Brien’s two British Classics and Tony Carroll’s Racing League winner, 2023 has skilled loads of uplifting moments.
GALLANT LION! 🦁❤️
4 on the bounce.
Tony Carroll is king.
I LOVE RACING. @RacingLeagueUK | @WindsorRaces
— Ash Symonds Journalism (@ASymondsJourno) August 17, 2023
Delicate floor is on the menu for British Champions Day this 12 months and with this in thoughts, three horses stand out nearly as good performs for the season-crowing raceday, so let’s dive in.
2:25 Ascot – Bluestocking @ 8/1 with Boylesports – 1pt EW
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Bluestocking is a horse that I’ve dodged all season, one thing that has produced good success more often than not, nonetheless, that can all change this weekend as she is the one I’m backing within the Group 1 British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes.
Ralph Beckett’s Camelot filly has been a constant horse for connections due to her 5 consecutive prime 4 performances this season.
She started her 12 months at Newbury when second by a head to Heat Coronary heart, a subsequent two-time Group 1 winner, within the Listed Haras De Bouquetot Fillies’ Trial Stakes.
Two sharp fillies!
Bluestocking was a prepared nemesis, however Heat Coronary heart (Galileo) had simply sufficient within the Haras de Bouquetot Fillies’ Trial Stakes @NewburyRacing 👀
Anticipate each horses to be minimize in worth for the Oaks @EpsomRacecourse … pic.twitter.com/GsXzDis4bi
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) Might 20, 2023
Following that, she completed third to Heat Coronary heart once more within the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot on floor that was most likely too fast for her, one thing that will also be mentioned for her fourth-place effort within the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks in August.
Splitting each of those runs was her second to Savethelastdance within the Group 1 Irish Oaks on mushy floor, a race that noticed her beat Lumiere Rock and Heat Coronary heart who admittedly didn’t have her splendid situations.
Savethelastdance waltzes to victory within the Juddmonte Irish Oaks! 💃
A 3rd Curragh Traditional for Ballydoyle this season! 🏆🏆🏆#ITVRacing| @curraghrace pic.twitter.com/El4iCW85Mx
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) July 22, 2023
Following a barely disappointing second at Chester final day out, connections have utilized first-time cheekpieces and the slower situations ought to swimsuit her higher than a number of others.
8/1 looks as if worth for a horse who has run into Group 1-level horses all season, a lot of which aren’t up towards her on Saturday.
3:05 Ascot – Paddington @ 9/4 Normal – 2pt Win
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Forgive me if I’ve missed one thing, however I can’t consider Paddington is as large as 9/4 for the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
Admittedly, that is the second-toughest area that the Siyouni colt has taken on all 12 months, however how a lot is there to fret about relating to his market rivals?
Tahiyra is a horse he has but to face this season and within the present type she is in, you may perceive her well-fancied nature.
👑 What a efficiency Tahiyra!!
She data her fourth G1 triumph with a stunning efficiency within the @coolmoreamerica “Justify” Matron Stakes for Dermot Weld@chrishayes24 | @AgaKhanStuds | #ItAllComesDownToThis pic.twitter.com/ImX4hsbZ9D
— Leopardstown RC (@LeopardstownRC) September 9, 2023
Nonetheless, her type with Meditate, Remarquee, and Rogue Millenium is under the extent of horses Paddington has battled with this season and coach Dermot Weld did state firstly of the month that he needed the bottom to be “appropriate” and never “too heavy” if Tahiyra was to run, so this week’s deluge hasn’t helped her probabilities.
In my eyes, Nashwa is the most important hazard to Aidan O’Brien’s 125-rated three-year-old based mostly on her third to Auguste Rodin within the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes and her second within the Group 1 Juddmonte Worldwide.
Though she completed forward of Paddington at York, I believe these placings might be reversed as this was Paddington’s first begin on good to agency floor and he was racing simply 21 days after a gruelling effort within the Group 1 Sussex Stakes on mushy floor.
Moreover, Paddington stored near Mostahdaf’s highly effective gallop in second place for almost all of the competition whereas Nashwa bided her time in third and picked up the items late on, so she had a better route by way of.
Paddington flies house to win the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas
🥪 Anybody for a marmalade sandwich?#ITVRacing | @curraghrace pic.twitter.com/EOaqMJanS6
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) Might 27, 2023
With the advantage of practically two months on the sidelines, Paddington might be a recent horse and all the things in his breeding suggests sluggish floor needs to be no drawback, making the 9/4 about him a horny worth.
4:25 Ascot – Awaal @ 9/1 with Boylesports – 1pt EW
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The Balmoral Handicap is all the time a troublesome race to decipher and this 12 months’s mushy occurring Ascot’s straight course doesn’t assist the puzzle in any respect.
Loads in right here maintain attention-grabbing profiles and will deal with the bottom – The Gatekeeper, Baradar, and Bennetot as examples – however Awaal at 9/1 is the one who has turned my head.
Simon & Ed Crisford have skilled a season to recollect in 2023 due to current victories within the Group 2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein, Group 2 Rockfel Stakes, and Group 3 Prix Quincey in addition to the Group 1 accolades picked up with Vandeek.
Awaal is unfortunate to not have landed one other large pot for the yard having positioned within the Lincoln, Royal Hunt Cup, Bunbury Cup, and Guisborough Stakes.
High weight wins it! Benoit de la Sayette guides Migration to victory within the Pertemps Community Lincoln at @DoncasterRaces for @DavidMenuisier… pic.twitter.com/LsmZwe1WWi
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) April 1, 2023
Regardless of his persistently good performances, the handicapper has appeared leniently upon the Lope De Vega gelding as his official score of 104 seems greater than honest contemplating the horses he has run into.
The likes of Migration, Jimi Hendrix, Sonny Liston, and Biggles have all completed forward of him this 12 months, and though a number of of those reappear on Saturday, Awaal ought to have the power to win a race like this off his present mark whereas Migration and Sonny Lison have a number of further kilos within the handicap to hold.
With situations set to swimsuit, Awaal could possibly be harmful breaking out stall 22 and if he will get a transparent route, he seems a good each-way wager at 9/1.
