Bless Him not a curse in the Challenge Cup
AFTER a spectacular weekend of racing featuring a vintage renewal of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, it’s a somewhat quieter affair this week.
The feature race of the weekend is the Group One Sun Chariot Stakes (3.10pm) at Newmarket where Frankie Dettori bids for more big race success on the latest stage of his farewell tour.
Inspiral bounced back to her best at Deauville last time winning what was a good Prix Jacques le Marios and, with no rain in the forecast, conditions look ideal for her to land another Group One.
I certainly wouldn’t put anyone off taking the general even money available with most firms.
She looks certain to start odds-on, though, and will be even shorter should the French connections of her main market rival, Mqse De Sevigne, deem the ground too lively.
However, the best ante-post betting opportunities this weekend come at Ascot with the pick of those coming in the Howden Challenge Cup (3.35pm).
These big field super competitive seven furlong handicaps are a standard dish at Ascot with plenty of old favourites returning for another crack at a big pot.
Baradar, Fresh and Vafortino all have course and distance handicaps on their CV, while Quinault and Popmaster come here in red-hot form.
The key to this Saturday’s race, though, is the weather forecast with the ground likely to be unseasonably quick.
At the time of writing, the ground is already described as good on the straight course with no rain forecast and the promise of temperatures on Saturday in the mid-20s.
Those conditions will play to the strengths of course specialist BLESS HIM who could reappear quickly after finding traffic problems at Newmarket last Saturday.
The nine-year-old has two course wins to his name and a string of other good runs, all of which seem to come when the ground rides quick and he gets a strong pace to aim at.
There is no getting away from the fact that he is now a little long in the tooth, but don’t forget he finished a good fifth in the Royal Hunt Cup here only a few runs back and followed that with a fine fourth in the Bunbury Cup.
We won’t know whether he is an intended runner until tomorrow, but I’m prepared to take a risk and snap up the 25/1 available.
I’d love to see Jamie Spencer take the ride as the pair seem to gel so well and he can deliver him late.
The other one I’m interested in at this stage is ORBAAN at 33/1, but a word of warning, he is also entered at Ascot on Friday over a mile.
David O’Meara’s inmate hinted that he is about to hit form again when fifth at York last time.
The handicapper has loosened his grip on this eight-year-old who is now 10lbs lower at the weights than when he began this campaign.
He was a non-runner in this 12 months ago because the ground was too soft but rounded off the campaign with a good fifth in the Balmoral Handicap on Champions Day from a mark of 100.
I’m sure connections would love to run him in that again, but even if he was to win on Friday or Saturday, the penalty would be unlikely to be enough to get him in.
Regardless, wherever he turns up this weekend, I will be backing him.
POINTERS
Bless Him e/w 3.35pm (Saturday) Ascot
Orbaan e/w 3.22pm (Friday) Ascot or 3.35pm (Saturday) Ascot