13:25 Ascot

Saturday 20 October 2018

All13:2514:0014:4015:1515:5016:30

Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup (Group 2)

Off time: 13:25 | Winning time: 3m 37.51s

(2)

Desert Skyline^p²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: G Mosse| T: D R C Elsworth| OR: 110

28/1

Won the Doncaster Cup (Group 2) last season but yet to win this time around and has finished in behind Stradivarius on four occasions already this year. Handles cut in the ground but looks vulnerable, particularly from a win perspective.

Form: 329644

(1)

Stradivarius⁵⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: L Dettori| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 120| C| D

1/1

Undefeated this year, winning the £1m stayers' bonus in the and winning four times including two Group 1 races. Kept away from soft ground generally but excellent third in this last year on soft and that was a stronger renewal. Hard to beat.

Form: 33-1111

(4)

Thomas Hobson³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 9-7| J: Oisin Murphy| T: W P Mullins| OR: 110| BF| C| D

14/1

Won here over 2m4f at the Royal Meeting last year. Narrowly got the better of a stablemate when winning the Doncaster Cup last time out but that was an inferior renewal and he looks up against it in this class.

Form: 726-651

(5)

Cypress Creek²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: Wayne Lordan| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 107| D

33/1

Put up a career best effort when winning a Group 3 last time out at Naas. Still has plenty to find on official figures here though and seemingly the third-string on jockey bookings.

Form: 214361

(3)

Flag Of Honour³⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: R L Moore| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 116

9/4

Has won four of his last five including the Irish St Leger last time. Up in trip here and may get an easy time of it from the front once again but this is a far stronger race despite it's Group 2 status; he will need to improve to beat Stradivarius.

Form: 350111

(6)

Sir Erec⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: D O'Brien| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 105

5/1

Has only had four career starts, winning his maiden at the Curragh before going on to win a Listed race at Limerick last week. That was a dominant performance and more improvement likely up in trip but this is a huge step up in class.

Form: 4-211

Non-Runners

(7)

Mount Moriah¹²¹

Weight: 9-7| Age: 4

T: R M Beckett J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Stradivarius (1/1), Flag Of Honour (9/4), Sir Erec (5/1), Thomas Hobson (14/1), Mount Moriah (16/1), Desert Skyline (28/1), Cypress Creek (33/1)

STRADIVARIUS has progressed since his third in this race last year and he's expected to maintain his unbeaten record for the season and get the better of Flag Of Honour who ran well when able to dominate in the Irish St Leger last time. Stablemate of the latter Sir Eric is an interesting contender on just his fifth start but would need to improve markedly to trouble either of the aforementioned runners.