YOU can see Kynren going and winning the tote.co.uk Challenge Cup at Ascot again. David Barron’s horse hadn’t won in over two years before he won the race last year, and he hasn’t won again since. He hasn’t run over seven furlongs at Ascot since though, and he ran very well over six furlongs in the Ayr Gold Cup two weeks ago on his first run back after a wind operation. That said, he is 4lb higher now than he was last year, and he is short.

Kynren isn’t the only contender who is proven though on Ascot’s straight track, a track at which course form is more valuable than it is at most. There are many others, like Blue Mist, an impressive winner of the Moet & Chandon International Stakes over today’s course and distance on King George weekend. But that was on fast ground, he is 5lb higher today and he was well enough beaten when favourite for another handicap over this course and distance on good ground four weeks ago.

Raising Sand could only finish eighth in the Royal Hunt Cup the last time we saw him, but he did best of the low-drawn horses. He beat the other three horses who raced on the far side with him. Also, that was his seasonal debut, he should come on for it, and he should be happier back over seven furlongs, but he is short enough, racing off a mark of 107, 4lb higher than the mark off which he won the International Handicap last year.

A player

River Nymph is a player, he is a progressive three-year-old, he has won his last two, including a handicap over today’s course and distance in July, when he beat Walhaan, who ran better than the bare form of his run suggests on the far side in last Saturday’s Cambridgeshire. But River Nymph is also short, and he is up 11lb for his latest win at Newbury. He is 17lb higher than he was when he won over the course and distance on King George weekend.

Greenside has a chance, but he is nine now and he is 7lb higher than he was when he was beaten by Kynren in this race last year, and Shelir has a big chance, he ran well at Ascot twice during the summer, and he was an impressive winner of a handicap at Thirsk on his penultimate run off a mark of 89, just 6lb lower than today’s mark.

But at a bigger price, Admirality is a more attractive betting proposition.

Roger Fell’s horse is six now, and he has run 35 times, he is not unexposed, but he is in the form of his life these days. A dual winner for Johnny Murtagh as a four-year-old, he hasn’t won for Roger Fell since he won a seven-furlong handicap at Thirsk on his first run for his new trainer in May last year, but his last four runs have been up there with the best of his career.

He has finished second on all four occasions, running a big race to chase home Magical Spirit in the Ayr Silver Cup last time. It never looked like he was going to get to the impressive winner, who skipped clear on the far side, but he emerged from the middle group to chase Kevin Ryan’s horse home.

He was 3lb well-in that day, he reverts to his mark of 93 today, but that is a mark that should be within range, given his current form and the fact that he was rated 94 last season.

He has run just once at Ascot in his life, he finished fifth behind Raising Sand in the International Handicap last year. It was a good run on the face of it, but he ran even better than the bare form of the run suggests. He raced on the far side that day from stall one, he did best of the nine horses who raced far side, in a race in which the first four home were all drawn in the 20s.

He is 1lb lower today, he meets Jamie Osborne’s horse on 5lb better terms. Also, while he is effective over six furlongs, he stays seven furlongs all right, and his high draw is probably a positive. He could out-run his odds by a fair way.

Champers v Peaceful

Champers Elysees and Peaceful are set for a fascinating rematch in the Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes. Champers Elysees was brilliant in winning the Matron Stakes last time, when she came from the rear and finished off her race really strongly to get up and beat Peaceful by just over a length, providing trainer Johnny Murtagh with a first Group 1 win. However, she may have to give best to Peaceful today.

Aidan O’Brien’s filly was an impressive winner of the Irish 1000 Guineas on her seasonal debut in June, and she ran a big race in the Prix de Diane in July, going down by a short neck and a head to Fancy Blue and Alpine Star.

Given a break after that, she was racing for the first time since when she finished second to Champers Elysees in the Matron Stakes. There is every chance that she will come on for that run, and it is significant that she is running here, over a mile, instead of waiting for the Prix de l’Opera over 10 furlongs at Longchamp tomorrow.

Recommended

Peaceful, 1 point win, 2.45 Newmarket, 7/2 (generally)

Admirality, 1 point each-way, 3.05 Ascot, 14/1 (generally)