Ascot stages another autumn spectacular this weekend and we’ve got 2022 British Champions Day tips for all six races, with each contest shown live by ITV.
Four Group 1 events are bookended by a Group 2 opener and a wide-open handicap, so there is something for everyone to look forward to.
1.25 TRUESHAN
His supporters would have liked to see more rain in Berkshire in the run-up to this year’s race but a hat-trick of victories in the Long Distance Cup is still on the cards.
Eldar Eldarov came with a lovely run to land the St Leger and Waterville got up close home to beat 29 rivals in the Irish Cesarewitch, but both may feel the effects of those exertions, whereas this has been Trueshan’s main target.
Alan King is content with the going conditions and said: “He’s had a good break and he’s done quite a lot of work on the water treadmill, which he absolutely loves. Hopefully that has loosened him up well. We’re happy with him at this end.”
2.00 ART POWER
Did not get the run of the race when a beaten favourite in fourth in the British Champions Sprint 12 months ago and can hopefully improve on that placing this time.
Tim Easterby’s charge enjoyed a comfortable warm-up victory at the Curragh and seems to get on well with jockey David Allen, so he has each-way appeal in our 2022 British Champions Day tips.
2.40 SEA LA ROSA
Enigmatic Oaks runner-up Emily Upjohn would be hard to beat in the Fillies & Mares Stakes if recapturing her early-season sparkle but she has been absent since finishing tailed off in the King George here in July, so may be best watched.
There are no such question marks over the well-being of Sea La Rosa, who completed a hat-trick of victories when galloping on strongly to score in the Prix de Royallieu at Longchamp on Arc weekend.
Handler William Haggas commented: “Sea La Rosa has been a revelation this year. She stays well and tries hard, so I think she’s bound to be in the shake-up, but whether she’s quite good enough we’ll see.”
3.20 INSPIRAL
John and Thady Gosden will be banking on this filly to boost their trainers’ title bid by beating the boys in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, a feat achieved by Persuasive five years ago.
It hasn’t all been plain sailing for Inspiral this term, as she was late returning to action and disappointed when a 1/7 favourite for the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket in July.
However, either side of that blip, she was ultra-impressive in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot and showed great resolve to return to winning ways in the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville.
Persuasive also ran in the colours of Chevely Park Stud and racing manager Chris Richardson said: “Deauville saw her get back on track and thankfully the ground isn’t going to be as soft as it has been in previous years.”
4.00 BAAEED
The QIPCO Champion Stakes will be Baaeed’s final race and he is expected to bow out in a blaze of glory by improving his perfect record to 11 straight wins.
Rated by many as the best horse since Frankel, who signed off with victory in this race a decade ago, the Haggas-trained four-year-old looked better than ever when slamming Mishriff by a wide margin in the Juddmonte International at York on his first attempt at 10 furlongs.
Last year’s Derby and King George hero Adayar is the main threat after returning from almost a year off to score nicely at Doncaster, but this is several levels up in class from that contest.
4.40 MIGRATION
David Menuisier has always held this six-year-old in high regard and has been rewarded with four wins, despite him spending 641 days on the sidelines between September 2019 and June 2021.
Migration has only had one run this term, when a neck second of 17 in a hot Newmarket contest back in April, but the feeling is that he still has plenty left in the tank and may have been kept back for a little touch in the Balmoral Handicap.
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