Rory Delargy

ASCOT SATURDAY

1:25 QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS LONG DISTANCE CUP (Group 2) 2M

Order Of St George sets a clear standard, but the proximity of this race to the Arc raises a question about how quickly he has recovered from his Chantilly exertions, and it’s hard to pile in at odds-on in such circumstances. It’s not that easy to fancy last year’s Filly and Mare heroine Simple Verse on what she showed in the first half of the campaign, but she returned from a break to win the Park Hill at Doncaster last month, and looked at least as good as she had when taking the St Leger over the same course and distance a year previously. She arrives here fresher than most having had essentially the same preparation as when winning last year, and is unlikely to be found wanting for stamina despite this being her first try at two miles.

2:00 QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS SPRINT STAKES (Group 1) 6F

It pains me greatly to desert the wonderful Mecca’s Angel, and it goes without saying that if she’s as good at this trip as she is at six furlongs, she’s a massive price, but she didn’t look herself when third in the Abbaye last time, and her stamina must be taken on trust. Her only poor run came here, and while that was put down to being in season, the bottom line is that she has a little bit to prove under these conditions. I have been hugely impressed by the turn of foot Librisa Breeze has shown on his last three outings at Ascot, and I’m not sure he’s been given full credit for those performances. The way he has quickened to win fiercely competitive handicaps here over seven furlongs has been genuinely breathtaking, and points to him being potentially better still at shorter. This is a pretty tough contest to be experimenting in, it must be said, but if there is a horse here capable of showing improved form on the day, then it is surely Dean Ivory’s four-year-old gelding, and he’s taken to beat the specialist sprinters at their own game.

2:35 QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS FILLIES & MARES STAKES (Group 1) 1M4F

Pretty Perfect was essentially setting the race up for stablemate Seventh Heaven when fourth in the Yorkshire Oaks, and again did plenty in front when nabbed by Simple Verse in the Park Hill at Doncaster, showing improved form in the process, so she isn’t one to take lightly despite figuring as he stable’s second string here. The daughter of Galileo folded tamely in the Irish Oaks, but has looked tough and progressive either side of that flop, and doesn’t look a one-dimensional pacemaker here. It’s true that Seventh Heaven is a much likelier winner on paper, but Aidan O’Brien has a habit of bringing up the forecast with his supposed also-rans in big races, as he did in the Dewhurst last week. Pretty Perfect will need to find further progress to win, but she represents a tempting each-way bet, with or without the favourite.

3:10 QUEEN ELIZABETH II STAKES (Group 1) 1M

Champions Day ought to be kind to Aidan O’Brien as he continues his quest for a record number of Group/Grade 1 races in a calendar year, but I can’t help feeling that Minding is a bad favourite for the QEII, for all she’s looked a class act against her own sex. It takes an exceptional performer to win an Epsom classic and then drop back to a mile at the highest level, and I’m not sure Minding’s form really proves that she’s as good as some would have us believe. She needs no excuses for her third in the Irish Champion, essentially running right up to the pick of her form, and on balance, she appears to be slightly behind Ribchester in form terms. Richard Fahey is finishing the season with a flourish, and his colt has proved his mettle in similar company, winning a well-contested Prix Jacques Le Marois last time to post the perfect prep for this contest. A straight mile suits him perfectly, and he really should be clear favourite over the filly at this trip. Galileo Gold was behind the selection in the Marois, and while that represented a dip in form for the 2000 Guineas winner, it would still represent a tremendous training achievement for Hugo Palmer to get him back to his best after such a busy season.

3:45 QIPCO CHAMPION STAKES (Group 1) 1M2F

A tremendous contest in prospect, with Arc heroine Found attempting to become the first horse in history to follow-up in the Champion Stakes. In fact, she might be the first Arc winner to attempt the double unless my memory is playing tricks on me. She’s a wonderfully tough mare who got better throughout a busy campaign last year, and is shaping in similar fashion this time, but it’s a huge ask for her to win two of the most competitive Group 1 contests in the calendar within a fortnight. Almanzor beat her in the Irish Champion and looks the obvious one on the basis of that effort, but he was definitely helped by coming late and wide off a strong pace at Leopardstown, and has a potentially awkward draw in stall 1 if he wants to repeat those tactics. I respect his chance, but preference at current prices is for last year’s winner Fascinating Rock, who remains one of the most underappreciated horses running at the top level. He beat Found here a year ago, defied market weakness to repeat that feat in the Tattersalls Gold Cup and is easily forgiven his defeat at the hands of an enterprisingly ridden Success Days in the Royal Whip next time. He missed the Irish Champion and the Arc, and there might be a slight worry about his well-being, but those defections could prove to be a blessing in disguise, giving him a potential edge in terms of freshness, and he will also benefit more than most if this turns into a tactical race, which looks possible with no established pace-setter in the field.

RECOMMENDED:

SIMPLE VERSE 1.25 Ascot - 1pt each way, 5/1 (Bet365)

LIBRISA BREEZE 2.00 Ascot - 1pt win, 9/1 (generally)

PRETTY PERFECT 2.35 Ascot - 0.5pts each way, 33/1 (Stan James, BetFred)

RIBCHESTER 3.10 Ascot - 2pts win, 5/2 (generally)

FASCINATING ROCK 3.45 Ascot - 1pt each way, 11/2 (SkyBet, BetVictor)