Paddy Power has cast his eye over the Champions Day card as the Flat season reaches its conclusion at Ascot on Saturday.
Speaking on the latest episode of the twice-weekly From The Horse’s Mouth podcast, our main man has picked six sweet selections to look out for at HQ.
1.20pm – Stradivarius
To put it simply, I can’t see STRADIVARIUS getting beaten. I ruled out Fujaira Prince so for me its between Search For A Song and Stradivarius.
Forget about the Arc – you couldn’t have had a race run less to suit Stradivarius than the Arc this year. I’m just surprised that he’s not shorter than evens. I thought he would be well odds-on.
Not exactly attractively priced but I really fancy him here.
1.55pm – Oxted
I’m going against the favourite Dream Of Dreams. He could obviously win but the price is just a bit short in a really competitive race so I’m putting a line through him.
One Master is a seven furlong specialist, so a line through that one as well, and while I had Starman down on my shortlist the one I’ve gone for is OXTED.
The July Cup form, beating Sceptical, really stands up. He beat Sceptical more easily than Dream Of Dreams did.
He’s run on soft ground a couple of times and got beaten, but I’m choosing to believe it’s going to dry out a lot between recording our podcast and the off of the Champions Sprint!
2.30pm – Even So
There’s plenty of strength in depth here, and you can make a case for a few of them. The Prix Vermeille is probably the key race because loads of them ran in it. It was a slowly run race which Tarnawa won but a few of them were in behind it and the one I fancy is EVEN SO.
She only finished sixth in that race but she did win the Irish Oaks, and the Irish Oaks form is pretty strong. Cayenne Pepper, who she beat that day, has only been beaten three times this year – that day by Even So, beaten by Tarnawa in the Vermeille and also by Magical so it’s pretty good company.
Even So lands the @JuddmonteFarms Irish Oaks and delivers a second Irish Classic of the year for @gerlyonsracing and @ctkjockey ?? ? ? pic.twitter.com/yszuRWvwBG
— The Curragh Racecourse (@curraghrace) July 18, 2020
With the race maybe run to suit a bit more tomorrow, Even So is a bit of value.
3.05pm – Palace Pier
PALACE PIER is unbeaten in his career to date and I think he will remain so. The Revenant looks the danger on paper after a win in Longchamp but he wants a bog. I don’t think it’s going to be soft enough to get Palace Pier beaten.
It looks a bit of a penalty kick to be honest, and you can’t say its a great price but definitely see it being shorter than it is currently. One that might just hit the frame at a big price is Lord Glitters who has a great course record around Ascot, but it’s very hard to see Palace Pier getting beat.
3.40pm – Magical
I wouldn’t say that MAGICAL is an absolute certainty, but I would say that this is a penalty kick with no goalkeeper! She’s a different gear in the Autumn, and has won what is probably going to go down as the best race in the world this year – the Irish Champion Stakes – with Sottsass and Ghaiyyath behind. It was an unbelievably good race.
I think Skalleti has a squeak in this and Lord North has a squeak but Magical is going for a hat-trick at this meeting. She won this race last year, and won the Fillies & Mares the year before.
She’s made for this – made for this time of year and made for this meeting. She will hopefully lap them!
4.15pm – River Nymph
What I’ve written down for this one is ‘agree with Frank’!
It’s very hard to pick this one, coming as it does at the end of the season. There are a few like Raising Sand who run really well at Ascot and love these big handicaps, but it’s hard to find something that is progressing and unexposed.
I’ve come down on a three-year-old handicapper who is going the right way, gone up a lot in the ratings, won pretty well the last day at Newbury and has won at Ascot before – RIVER NYMPH. He’s a big price for an each-way punt and its a bit of a ‘lick your finger and hold in the air’ type of selection, but he might be worth a squeak.
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widget
Paddy Power’s Ascot bet summary – Saturday, October 17
1.20pm – Stradivarius
1.55pm – Oxted
2.30pm – Even So
3.05pm – Palace Pier
3.40pm – Magical
4.15pm – River Nymph
Read More:
- Ruby Walsh’s 10 to follow for the 2020/21 jumps season
- Sprint over to all the top tips and racing previews now
- Horse Racing: How to watch racing for free with Paddy Power
- Placing bets is easier than ever with Paddy Power News’ live odds banners
THE PADDY POWER GUIDE TO RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
