Check out the horses on top of our Racing Podcast panel's shortlists for QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday.
BILLY NASH – ABOVE THE CURVE (Fillies & Mares)
The one I like on the card, and I know I’m in danger of following her off the cliff, is ABOVE THE CURVE in the Fillies and Mares. I really hope she runs. I just think she has unfinished business at this trip, a mile-and-a-half is her distance, and they haven’t given her many goes at it.
She did run over it in the Vermeille at ParisLongchamp last time and while she was only sixth of eight, she was beaten two-and-a-half lengths and they finished in a heap. Sea Silk Road was third and Blue Rose Cen fifth, the form is strong and working out really well and we know she handles cut in the ground too.
Free Wind is going to be hard to beat but Above The Curve is 12/1 at the moment and I think she’s going to give a very good account of herself and is one I’d like to keep onside.
DAVID JOHNSON – VIA SISTINA (Champion Stakes)
I had been intending on putting up Vadream but the price on her has absolutely gone and she’s probably pretty much where she should be now. I’m interested to see VIA SISTINA looks to have been given the go-ahead for the Champion Stakes with Oisin Murphy booked though.
We know how effective she is on soft ground, ten furlongs looks her trip and she was only just touched off over slightly shorter in France last time.
Murphy taking over from Jamie Spencer is pretty interesting too, I don’t think we’re going to see her dropped out quite as much as she has been. And on Saturday, particularly on the inner track, I don’t think you want to be right out the back on this type of ground.
If it is very soft we are likely to see the likes of Mostahdaf taken out, Paddington is likely to go in the QEII, the race could cut up quite badly and Via Sistina is going to have her ideal conditions. Yes, she is going to have to improve a bit but under these conditions she might well do so and 10/1 looks tasty enough at the moment.
GRAHAM CUNNINGHAM – BIG ROCK (Queen Elizabeth II Stakes)
I think Coltrane is potentially overpriced in the Stayers’. I think he’s just about the same horse as Trueshan and Doncaster came too quickly for him last time.
I agree with David about Via Sistina and that Champion Stakes is noticeably short on proven front-runners. I think Ocean Quest has a better chance in the Sprint than people seem to think. Kinross is a byword for consistency, but these Group One sprinters beat each other by and large so she’s a live one while if it gets very, very soft I’d be very, very interested in BIG ROCK in the QEII.
His sire, Rock Of Gibraltar, was taken out of this race because the ground was deemed too fast for him. If it gets very soft then his son, Big Rock, can run a belter from the front.
BEN LINFOOT – AL MUBHIR (Balmoral)
I think there could be a turn-up in the QEII. The ground on that straight course is likely to be very testing and track position will be vital. Big Rock is on my radar, too, as is Chaldean, the forgotten 2000 Guineas winner who has a lot of straight track form on deep ground.
I’m looking forward to seeing him and in the Balmoral I like the look of the big Frankel AL MUBHIR for William Haggas who absolutely loves bottomless ground. He’s won at Haydock on heavy going and looks to be coming to a peak too. He’s certainly on the radar.
ED CHAMBERLIN – SWEET WILLIAM (Long Distance Cup)
Like DJ, I was looking at Vadream on Tuesday thinking she’s been running well on ground she’s hated and finally she’s going to get her conditions at 16/1 or 20/1 then I look and see she 8s!
I’ve missed that boat there but in the Long Distance Cup I’m going to give another chance to SWEET WILLIAM. You watch that Doncaster race again and poor Rab Havlin. He’s on a horse who needs a target and Trueshan, the target, has gone to the middle of the track.
He had nothing to aim at and I think this will be run differently and Sweet William, the character that he is, might be worth another chance. The French have big chances in the QEII with Big Rock and Champion Stakes via Horizon Dore. I’m really looking forward to it.
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