Andrew Asquith has two recommended bets at Ascot and Redcar on Saturday in his latest ante-post column.
Weekend View: Saturday October 4
1pt win Back In Black in the Challenge Cup at 8/1 (bet365, Ladbrokes, Coral, 7/1 General)
1pt win Ardisia in the William Hill Two Year Old Trophy at 12/1 (Sky Bet, Paddy Power, Betfair, 10/1 General)
There is Group 1 action at Newmarket this Saturday in the Sun Chariot Stakes and I think Lady of Spain is overpriced given she’s an unbeaten filly who overcame a lay-off to win the Atalanta Stakes in good style from Blue Bolt recently.
That was also her turf debut and she was clearly unfazed by a switch to turf, pulling clear of the remainder with a progressive three-year-old in a race which produced a good timefigure. The only issue is that Lady of Spain is also in the Prix de L’Opera at Longchamp on Sunday and reportedly both races are under serious consideration.
Given her first four starts came on the all-weather, and she produced a career-best effort on soft ground last time, it may be that firmer ground conditions might not suit as well, while she is already proven over further than a mile. Therefore, I can’t put her up as a selection, but she would be an interesting proposition were she to be declared at Newmarket on Thursday.
Nothing really stands out to me at Ascot, but one horse who did catch the eye last time, and whom is open to further improvement, is the James Fanshawe-trained BACK IN BLACK. I think he can go well in the BetMGM Challenge Cup at 8/1.
He looked a handicapper to follow when making a winning reappearance at Newbury in April, proving his mark of 86 a very lenient one with a ready success, easily moving clear in the closing stages despite not settling fully earlier in the race on his first start for seven months.
Things didn’t go to plan afterwards as he reportedly had some sort of setback, and he shaped promisingly on his return four months later at Goodwood, again a little too free and this time his effort flattened out at the business end of the race.
Back In Black showed the benefit of that outing when running a big race at Doncaster last time, though, and he should be able to build on that further now. He was beaten just under a length despite not being seen to best effect, meeting some trouble in running around two furlongs out but doing all of his best work late in the day to finish never nearer than at the finish.
The horses he finished in and around that day, along with the timefigure, give that form a fair bit of substance, and there should be even more to come from him given he’s still relatively lightly raced.
The switch to Ascot, a track which has a stiff finish, in a race which will almost certainly be run at a true pace, should be tailormade for his strong-travelling style, and he will also have a light weight (he’s currently 23 on the list for a race which has a maximum field of 18).
Hopefully, enough come out to allow him to take his chance (bets will be refunded if declared regardless) and he’s a horse who I’m sure we haven’t seen the best of yet and one I think remains with plenty of handicapping scope.
The William Hill Two Year Old Trophy is the feature at Redcar on Saturday and, with the ground likely to be on the softer side, I like the chances of ARDISIA to reverse his York sales race form with Song of The Clyde.
Ardisia is a four-time winner this year, two of those coming in nurseries from marks of 81 and 86, respectively. Sandwiched in between those wins was his third-placed effort in a valuable sales race won by Song of The Clyde, and he ran creditably without improving on just his second start on good-to-firm ground.
However, he took a big step forward tackling soft ground for the first time at Ayr recently, and it was hard not to be impressed by the manner of his victory that day. He attracted support beforehand and sluiced through the mud, one of the last to come off the bridle and finding plenty when asked for his effort, really motoring inside the final furlong and strong all the way to the line.
That race also produced a very good timefigure for the grade and his rivals in behind came home at quite large intervals, suggesting ground softer than good could well be his optimum conditions.
Indeed, he’ll have to improve a little further to get on terms with the form principals, but his latest effort was a big career best, and likely conditions could well counteract how much progress is need. At a double-figure price, he surely offers some value in a race which often isn’t as competitive as the numbers on the day would suggest.
- Preview posted at 1530 BST on 30/09/2025
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