Dubai Honour and Sealiway look the value
ASCOT stages QIPCO British Champions Day, the finale of the Flat racing season, on ground which is unseasonably approaching the easy side of good.
Tomorrow’s six race card features a number of mouth-watering clashes that probably wouldn’t have happened if conditions had been heavy.
To add spice to an already terrific day, the World Pool is back in town meaning that liquidity will flood in from all over the world.
The feature race is the QIPCO Champions Stakes (3.50pm) which sees another clash between the two joint highest-rated horses in the world.
Adayar and Mishriff have met once before this season, with the former pulling away to win the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes here at Ascot back in July.
Charlie Appleby’s Cazoo Derby winner had to endure a tough passage in the Arc most recently, where he was forced to go for home a long way out and was always going to tire in the testing conditions.
While conditions should be more suitable at Ascot, the worry is he looked to have had a hard race in Paris and this quick turnaround and drop in trip could find him out.
In contrast, Mishriffcomes into the race a much fresher horse after being given a break since his demolition job in the Juddmonte International at York in August, and he looks the one to beat.
However, at just 6/4 he is plenty short enough considering he ran no sort of race in this contest 12 months ago. This may just not be his time of year.
Most of this field are established Group One performers, but one horse that has looked hugely progressive at a lower level is DUBAI HONOUR.
He was exceptionally strong at the finish when powering clear of his rivals to land the Prix Dollar at Longchamp last time and should be suited by the stiff finish at Ascot.
Whether he has the class to win this remains to be seen, but after only eight previous starts he could still have any amount of improvement to come, and he looks the each-way call at around 8/1.
French horses have won this twice in the last 10 years, so Cedric Rossi’s SEALIWAY, who finished a good fourth in the Arc when last seen, looks interesting.
This drop back in trip could suit him and he could be a lively outsider at 14/1.
I’d be tempted to play that pair in a Tote.co.uk World Pool quinella with Mishriff in the hope of a huge upset.
There won’t be a dry eye in the house if Stradivarius bows out with a win in the Long Distance Cup (1.25pm) after such a glittering career, but last year’s winner Trueshan may just spoil the party.
The Champions Sprint (2.00pm) looks seriously trappy with the likes of Art Power and Rohaan topping my short-list.
I’d be tempted to throw in a few lively outsiders into a quinella with that pair including Gustavus Weston and the supplemented Vadream.
Snowfall should be too good for her opponents in the Fillies & Mares Stakes (2.35pm), although she had a hard race in the Arc and the likes of Albaflora and Invite will test her.
POINTERS SATURDAY
Dubai Honour e/w 3.50pm Ascot
Sealiway e/w 3.50pm Ascot
Quinella: Mishriff, Sealiway and Dubai Honour