Our form expert has three selections for Saturday's ITV action at Ascot while he has a tip for ParisLongchamp as well.
The Verdict: Saturday October 3
1pt win Dash Of Azure in the 13:15 Ascot at 8/1 (General)
0.5pts e.w Heavenly Heather in the 13:50 Ascot at 16/1 (bet365 1/5 1,2,3,4, General 1,2,3)
1pt win Santorini Star in the 15:25 Longchamp at 15/2 (William Hill, General 7/1)
1pt e.w The Fingal Raven in the 15:35 Ascot at 28/1 (bet365, 25/1 General, 1/5 1,2,3,4,5)
Raven to swoop for Ascot pot
Jamie Osborne’s horses are always worth checking out on the Ascot straight track, as he has had a lot of success there in the big-field handicaps over seven furlongs and a mile down the years, and it’s no surprise he runs two in Saturday’s BetMGM Challenge Cup.
One of them is Hickory, a horse who has won four straight-track handicaps at Ascot, including on his last two visits there this season, but he has been shunted up to a career-high mark of 99 now and that combined with seven furlongs on fast ground might just catch him out.
It’s his stablemate, THE FINGAL RAVEN, who is preferred this weekend at 25/1, odds that underestimate a four-year-old who has been running really well in competitive handicaps on his last three starts.
The first of that sequence came behind Saturday’s favourite Thunder Call over the Challenge Cup course and distance, and while he has two-and-three-quarter lengths to make up on that rival a 10lb pull at the weights should help and the steadily-run race wasn’t a benefit to him that day, for all he was well-positioned.
He’s better travelling into things off a stronger gallop where he can utilise his high-cruising speed and that’s how things played out for him last time at Newmarket where he hit the front a furlong out only to be headed late in proceedings by Sword and Addison Grey.
That was a really good run and he’s shaping like there’s just one missing piece of the jigsaw, his finishing effort, which is why first-time cheekpieces look a good idea.
If they help him go through with his challenge when he comes off the bridle he looks a big player here and Osborne has a tidy record when applying the sheepskin for the first time (14 wins from 86 at 16.28%), so I’d be hopeful the new headgear has a positive effect after he ran so well in blinkers last time out.
Tactically this should work out well whether they split into two groups or stay as one, with plenty of early pace amongst those drawn centrally, while he acts on the track and the ground and is in good form.
With plenty in his favour, he’s worth an each-way bet in the day’s feature handicap.
The Verdict: Back THE FINGAL RAVEN in the 15:35 Ascot
Heavenly bet in the Rous
Earlier on at Ascot the Listed BetMGM Rous Stakes over five furlongs looks a competitive renewal with a strong pace looking likely thanks to contenders like Air Force One, Regional, Baker Blue and Lifeplan who should force the issue.
The closers could come into it and with that in mind I want to back HEAVENLY HEATHER again now she returns to Ascot with the likely strong gallop in her favour.
She ran a massive race in the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot at a huge price when a close-up sixth and while that run is a bit of an outlier amongst her form I do think the combination of Ascot, five furlongs, a strong gallop and quick ground is exactly what she wants.
Since Royal Ascot she got no run at all in the City Walls at York and then she ran well in the Nunthorpe, beaten just four lengths, before the extended five furlongs on soft ground at Ayr caught her out last time.
She’s better than that and a return to the scene of her finest hour can help her regain her form, for all that it’s in the back of my mind she might be over the top after a long campaign.
However, I thought she shaped as if still in good form at Ayr, her finishing effort not seen to usual effect in the conditions over further, and at 16/1 I’m willing to give her another go.
The Verdict: Back HEAVENLY HEATHER in the 13:50 Ascot
Beckett and Haggas fillies in Bloom
Finally, it could be a good day for owners Tony Bloom and Ian McAleavy who have a couple of fillies worth backing at Ascot and at Longchamp.
The Ascot card opens with the Listed BetMGM British EBF October Stakes over seven furlongs and last year’s runner-up DASH OF AZURE is back for more 12 months on.
Last year Ralph Beckett’s filly was an unlucky loser in second behind Cajole, finding trouble in the run before she flashed home for a short head second in a desperate finish and while that was on soft ground she is perfectly capable on quicker turf.
This looks her time of year and she looks to have been trained for the autumn, while she is forgiven her latest two runs after two previously very good efforts in second at Chester.
At Goodwood she was too keen held up from a wide draw and had no chance early on in the Group 3 Oak Tree Stakes, while last time at Pontefract she was again drawn wide over an unsuitable six furlongs and you can strike a line through that, too.
Back at Ascot off another likely strong gallop we can see the best of her and in that scenario she can give hot favourite So Regal a race, the Gosden horse looking very short at evens for all she shaped encouragingly at Sandown on her first start in over three months last time.
Over at Longchamp Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe weekend gets under way and while the Saturday card is a mere hors d’oeuvre to Sunday’s main event, there is Group 1 action including in the Qatar Prix de Royallieu.
William Haggas has a very good record in this race having won it with Sea La Rosa and Sea Silk Road in recent years while 12 months ago his SANTORINI STAR was runner-up to Consent after trying to make all in very soft ground. This year she could go one place better.
She’s clearly versatile when it comes to underfoot conditions but her very best form is on quicker ground and I think she’ll be given a forward ride here by Tom Marquand at a track she clearly goes well at (was also beaten just a short neck in the Group 1 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier behind Caballo De Mar in May).
This looks a great opportunity for her to get a first Group 1 win under her belt and she looks like she has been campaigned with this race in mind, travelling over to Deauville for her prep last time and missing the Park Hill in favour of coming here with three weeks extra freshness in her legs.
Francis Graffard’s favourite Sunly looks the danger, but she has to prove she stays and Santorini Star has the stamina for this trip and more in her locker, which could prove crucial in the final analysis.
The Verdict: Back DASH OF AZURE (13:15 Ascot) and SANTORINI STAR (15:25 Longchamp)
Preview posted at 15:35 BST on 02/10/26
More from Sporting Life
- Free bets
- Racecards
- Fast results
- Full results and free video replays
- Download our free iOS and Android app
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org
