*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change
13.25 – Stradivarius
ITV Saturday gets under way here with the Group 2 Long Distance Cup over 2m. STRADIVARIUS is too big a price here against old rival Trueshan. Many will just feel the latter is a better horse than the Gosden hero now with Stradivarius aged seven and beaten twice this season when once just about unbeatable. But I felt he raced too prominently in the Prix du Cadran over a longer trip and deeper ground last time. But at two miles on a better surface he may well have too much pace for the opposition under Frankie Dettori.
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14.00 – Dragon Symbol
Now the Group 1 Champions Sprint over 6f. This is a huge race for Oisin Murphy and Archie Watson who team up with DRAGON SYMBOL. No horse deserves a big sprint success more than this boy, and it’s easy to argue that the conditions today are absolutely ideal. His big three runs came over 6f and include a Commonwealth Cup success (subsequently demoted) and second in the July Cup at Newmarket. It’s the end of a long season but Dragon Symbol has the class to score if anywhere near right.
14.35 – Albaflora
Another top class event in the Group 1 Fillies and Mares over 1m4f. It’s fairly obvious a peak form Snowfall will take all the beating. But in her last two starts there have been clear signs she’s not a dominant force anymore and for that reason I’ll back ALBAFLORA each way for Ralph Beckett and Rossa Ryan. My hope was stuffed by Snowfall in the Yorkshire Oaks and is only marginally better off at the weights. However, her Ascot form is excellent and the juice in the ground will be right up her street. She’s very hard to keep out the frame at the very least.
15.10 – Palace Pier
An absolute corker here in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes over 1m. So much of me would love to see Baeed hack up here and be an absolute worldy. However, even though he gets 3lb from PALACE PIER I suspect the latter is the one to be on. The John Gosden inmate has only been beaten once in his life and that came in this race but there was something amiss that day and he wasn’t disgraced in third. With wins this term in the Lockinge, Queen Anne and Jacques le Marois he is the one to beat again under Frankie Dettori.
15.50 – Mishriff & Al Aasy (Each Way)
Now the Qipco Champion Stakes, Group 1 category over 1m2f. It’s fabulous Adayar is turning up for this and he could easily win. I’ll be having two bets, though, as I expect MISHRIFF to win after his Juddmonte International romp but feel AL AASY is too big a price and will have a few quid on each way as well. Mishriff was beaten by Adayar in the King George but this trip is much more his cup of tea and he will surely have too much pace for Adayar. Al Aasy has not been finishing well in his races but William Haggas is convinced the horse needs to be held up longer and he might well be right. He also believes Al Aasy has loads of ability and his Coronation Cup run shows he is no mug. Let’s hope David Egan and Jim Crowley get great tunes out of their mounts.
16.30 – Aldaary
The card ends with a 1m handicap in the Balmoral over 1m. Sunray Major is clearly thrown in, but I’ll back ALDAARY each way here for William Haggas and Jim Crowley. After a few runs on fast ground where he was far from disgraced, my hope was back on an easy surface at the track last time and hacked up. There were a few non runners that day as the ground eased, but it was still a fine performance and he looks better than a handicapper.
So best of luck and pray for Yeeehaaas. You hear me Paddy?
Matt Chapman’s best bets:
13.25 – Stradivarius
14.00 – Dragon Symbol
14.35 – Albalfora
15.10 – Palace Pier
15.50 – Mishriff & Al Aasy (Each Way)
16.30 – Aldaary
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change
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