1.55pm (Champions Sprint Stakes) – One Master
Much of the focus at Longchamp surrounded Enable’s bid for a record third Arc, but it shouldn’t be overlooked that ONE MASTER secured her own slice of history when staying on strongly on heavy ground to become the first horse in history to win the Prix de la Foret three times.
That Group 1 is staged over seven furlongs, which is One Master’s optimum distance, but she has the pace to cope with a stiff six furlongs, as she proved when runner-up in this last year. It’s a case of the stiffer test the better for One Master over six furlongs, so soft ground, placing an extra emphasis on stamina, plays to her strengths, while there should also be a strong pace on, with the likes of Art Power, Oxted and Happy Power all usually prominent racers.
2.30pm (Fillies & Mares) – Wonderful Tonight
WONDERFUL TONIGHT does not need soft ground – as she showed when finishing a good fifth in the Prix Vermeille on ground Timeform described as good to firm – but she certainly handles testing conditions and will appreciate the emphasis being placed on stamina over a mile and a half.
She made her Group 1 breakthrough when keeping on well to win the Prix de Royallieu over a mile and three quarters on heavy ground at Longchamp on Arc weekend, relishing the stiffest test she has faced to date. With Magical set to defend her crown in the Champion Stakes, this looks an open, if not spectacular, renewal of the Fillies & Mares and Wonderful Tonight should be sticking to her task when others have cried enough.
3.05pm (Queen Elizabeth II Stakes) – The Revenant
This year’s QEII Stakes is a stronger race than the one THE REVENANT finished runner-up in last season, but the very smart form he has shown on soft ground means he is entitled to respect.
The Revenant raised his game markedly last season, winning four on the spin before finding only King of Change too good in this race, comfortably beating the rest. He was impressive when winning the Prix Daniel Wildenstein for a second time on his belated reappearance at Longchamp on Arc weekend, once again sluicing through the heavy ground to score with a bit in hand, and he can be relied upon to give another good account.
King Of Change, under Sean Levey, was an impressive winner of the 2019 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Sponsored by QIPCO)!#ChampionsDay pic.twitter.com/W07lAK29hT
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) October 19, 2019
3.40pm (Champions Stakes) – Addeybb
ADDEYBB proved he acts on a sound surface when finishing runner-up to Lord North in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes over this course and distance at Royal Ascot. However, his ability to handle soft ground makes him a more formidable rival when the mud is flying.
Addeybb finished runner-up to Magical in last year’s Champion Stakes – contested on ground deemed good to soft by Timeform – and then upped his game to win two Group 1s on soft ground in Australia. He should be spot-on for this having defied a penalty in a listed race at Ayr last month and the easier underfoot conditions may see him be more competitive this year.
Timeform’s Ascot soft ground specialists – Saturday, October 17
1.55pm (Champions Sprint Stakes) – One Master
2.30pm (Fillies & Mares Stakes) – Wonderful Tonight
3.05pm (Queen Elizabeth II Stakes) – The Revenant
3.40pm (Champions Stakes) – Addeybb
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