Sky Sports Racing's Alex Hammond is at Ascot for a double-header this weekend and she has fancies on both cards.
Just when you think the Flat season is starting to wind down, we bring you Ace Impact. The Jean-Claude Rouget-trained colt was breathtaking in winning Europe’s most prestigious middle distance Group 1, and we can but hope that we get to see him on a racecourse again. We won’t see Arc runner-up Westover sadly as he sustained an injury in defeat and will now be retired to stud. That’s a shame, because another season may just have consolidated a strong position at stud for him. As a son of Frankel, he’s sure to be popular regardless.
It wasn’t just about the sensational Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner last weekend, as we witnessed a brilliantly bold ride from Hollie Doyle on Trueshan in the Prix du Cadran, which sets him up superbly for another tilt at the Long Distance Cup on Champions Day in two weeks; a race he has won three times already. The presence of Kyprios (5/4 favourite with Sky Bet) makes him attractive ante post at 5/2 providing this late blast of summer doesn’t hang around for another couple of weeks. Mind you, in that sort of form he may well go on a quicker surface once more in the unlikely event those underfoot conditions prevail.
There were many more wonderful moments at ParisLongchamp from the likes of Rosallion (now 10/1 for the 2000 Guineas), and Opera Singer, who is 6/1 clear favourite for the 1000 Guineas next year. Let’s not forget Highfield Princess who overcame a difficult draw to win her first Group 1 of the year in the Abbaye.
So, jump racing fans, there’s a little wait still until we switch codes mentally, with another Group 1 weekend to come. The Group 1 comes from Newmarket where the Virgin Bet Sun Chariot is their most prestigious contest. Frankie Dettori may have drawn a blank at ParisLongchamp, but he gets the leg up on Inspiral in this mile race. It’s surprising that Frankie has only won this race once before; back in 1992 on Red Slippers for Luca Cumani. Frankie only needs one more win to reach 500 victories at HQ and it’s possible he may already have reached it by the time he gets on Inspiral thanks to Queen Emma in the British EBF 40th Anniversary Premier Fillies’ Handicap at 2.40pm. Back to Inspiral though and a reproduction of her win in the Jacques le Marois at Deauville last time out will make her incredibly hard to beat. She can chuck in a rare shocker, but she’s had time to get over her Deauville run, and the dry spell we are enjoying will have kept the ground within her range. She’s understandably even-money favourite with Sky Bet.
I’ll be at Ascot on Friday and Saturday for Sky Sports Racing and have a few fancies over the weekend. The first of them is Sea Stone in the 4.30pm on Friday. I looked closely into this horse’s form before he ran in the Racing League at Southwell, and one comment caught my eye. His trainer is keen to secure him an invite to Dubai for the carnival but to get there he must be rated at least 90. He’s currently on 87 so will need to win asap. That doesn’t sway me, but his target should he get an invite, is the Dubai Gold Cup on World Cup night. So, they clearly feel he has more to come.
I’ll be keeping an eye on a couple of horses at big prices in Friday’s 5.05pm, a six-furlong handicap. Russet Gold split Dark Trooper and Quinault at the Shergar Cup meeting and can run well. Dusky Lord has it in him to run well too if he can revive here. He’s well handicapped nowadays but it takes a leap of faith to back him. He should pop up at some point soon though.
On Saturday both Dark Trooper and Quinault run, so how Russet Gold fares may boost their popularity. Quinault runs in the feature handicap, the Howden Challenge Cup over seven-furlongs. He’s one of a number you can make a case for including Sky Bet’s 5/1 favourite Baradar who has won his last two. David O’Meara won the race last year with Escobar, who is one of five for the trainer this time round. Escobar is 20/1 to repeat that (he won at those odds last year) and he’s well handicapped for this renewal. It’s fiercely competitive and hard to predict but I think an each-way selection could be Pearle D’Or at 16/1 for O’Meara. He’s not totally straightforward but seems on the up, so I hope he can hit the frame with Sky Bet paying six places.
I also like the look of Nigiri in the Listed October Stakes (4.10pm). She’s progressing nicely and has had a successful summer on a variety of ground for trainer Ralph Beckett.
Finally, I can’t let Mountain Peak run without my support in the closing five-furlong handicap. I backed him when he finished runner-up at 28/1 over course and distance last time out, sadly I don’t expect he’ll be the same price again this time round. I’ll also keep an eye on Acklam Express in the same race. He has been switched to trainer Clive Cox, but it looks like former trainer Nigel Tinkler is still one of his co-owners. They may well feel he needs a change of scenery, and Cox excels with this type of horse.
I’ll see you at Ascot this weekend then before it’s onwards to Chepstow’s jumps season opener next weekend. Can’t wait.
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