Ascot British Champions Day tips: Long-range fancies from our experts

INFINITE COSMOS – Fillies’ & Mares’ Stakes

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The QIPCO British Champions Fillies’ & Mares’ Stakes has an open look to it. Via Sistina and Free Wind are the early favourites, but the former is a suspect stayer over 1m4f and the latter was well beaten in the Prix de l’Arc De Triomphe, so they look worth taking on.

Indeed, the older mares as a whole could be vulnerable in this race yet again. The Fillies’ & Mares’ has been dominated by three-year-olds in the last decade and not always by the most obvious candidates, the likes of Madame Chiang (12/1) and Eshaada (16/1) blossoming in this contest after leaving behind their previous form.

INFINITE COSMOS could be a similar type this year for Sir Michael Stoute. The lightly-raced daughter of Sea The Stars has only had four career runs, including a third to subsequent Oaks winner Soul Sister in the Tattersalls Musidora Stakes at York in the spring, and she looks a bundle of untapped potential.

She returned form a summer break with a promising third in a Yarmouth Listed contest on September 20, finishing her race well after waiting for room a quarter of a mile out, shaping every inch like she will both come on for the run and thrive for stepping up to a mile and a half.

Unraced at the distance, she is very much bred for the job. Not only is she by a Derby and Arc winner, but her dam was a 1m4f winner, too, and she is a half-sister to the dam of Crystal Ocean, Crystal Capella and Hillstar – all 1m4f winners at Ascot.

Yes, Infinite Cosmos has to make a leap forward on the formbook. But there is no doubt she has the scope to do just that and odds of 25/1 look worth taking now she’s appeared amongst Tuesday’s confirmations. (Ben Linfoot)

SANDRINE - Champions Sprint Stakes

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Last year’s winner Kinross is a warm favourite despite his defeat in the Prix de la Foret last week. It’s little wonder, plenty, including Frankie Dettori, felt he was unlucky there and he ran to a Timeform performance figure right up with his best. He's also clearly proven over course and distance.

He’ll be one of the flagship rides for Frankie’s final fling too and will get plenty of attention in the build-up. In contrast SANDRINE is sailing a little under the radar – and she’s a big danger.

A winner of the 2021 Albany Stakes over the same six furlongs as this, she’s been transformed by the application of a visor and the return of Oisin Murphy to the saddle on her last two runs.

The jockey felt she was unlucky not to beat Kinross (finished a close third) in the Sky Bet York Stakes at the Ebor Festival before producing another career-best performance to readily beat Audience and Spycatcher in the Park Stakes at Doncaster.

She’s no stranger to competing over the sprint trip, the track will suit her and you sense Murphy will enjoy playing her late in a race like this. She’s thriving right now which isn’t a comment you can apply to too many of her rivals and 12/1 is too big. (David Ord)

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