Horse Racing Tips: Matt Chapman’s slick Saturday picks for Champions Day at Ascot

Matt is sweet on Bay Bridge in the Champion Stakes (15:45).

Saturday’s Horse Racing Tips

13:15 – Sweet William
13:50 – Kinross
14:25 – Bluestocking
15:05 – Big Rock
15:45 – Bay Bridge
16:25 – Baradar & Lattam

*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.

13:15 – SWEET WILLIAM

ITV show all the races on Champions Dat at Ascot Saturday starting here with the Group 2 Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup over two miles. I’m going all eight go to the post here and am happy to take an eachway chance with SWEET WILLIAM for John & Thady Gosden and Robert Havlin. Of course on paper my selection has plenty to find with Kyprios, Trueshan and Coltrane, but he finished in front of the latter at Doncaster last time and in that Doncaster Cup was racing away from Trueshan which would not have sorted a horse who has his quirks. He’ll love every drop of rain.

13:50 – KINROSS

Now the first of the Group 1s in the Qipco British Champions Sprint over six furlongs. Vadream is interesting in mud, but I don’t see any reason why KINROSS won’t go and win this for the second year in a row for Ralph Beckett and Frankie Dettori. The selection goes well in the mud and was unlucky not to land the Foret at Longchamp last time when denied by Kelina. He’s looked as good as ever this season and really should be able to give weight away.

14:25 – BLUESTOCKING

Get set for the Group 1 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares over a mile and a half. With the cheekpieces on first time BLUESTOCKING is the eachway selection here for Ralph Beckett and Rossa Ryan. My hope has more proven stamina than some of these and has run well all season, including when third in the Ribblesdale, second in the Irish Oaks and fourth in the Yorkshire Oaks where Free Wind was a couple of places in front. If the headgear makes a difference she is worth taking a chance on despite a disappointing effort at Chester last time. Juice is no issue for her.

15:05 – BIG ROCK

Here’s the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes over a mile. Paddington has obvious claims but I can’t have BIG ROCK out the first three for French raider Christopher Head and Aurelien Lemaitre, who has the chance to show British racegoers he is much better than he performed at Glorious Goodwood! Big Rock is a Group race winner on heavy and on his last two starts chased home Inspiral in the Jacques le Marois and Sauterne in the Prix du Moulin. He stays a bit further and can race up with the pace so he’s going to be hard to past.

15:45 – BAY BRIDGE

Class horses in the Group 1 Qipco Champion Stakes over a mile and a quarter. Defending champion BAY BRIDGE will have everything in his favour to run a huge one and might be an eachway price. The Sir Michael Stoute inmate has not had his perfect conditions – a mile and a quarter with juice since a fine third in the Ganay when he was in need of the outing and having his comeback. The sixth in the Arc was far from a disgrace despite pulling hard early and Richard Kingscote should get a great spin.

16:25 – BARADAR & LATTAM

We end with the Balmoral Handicap over a mile. I’m having a few quid on two here in BARADAR and LATTAM. Baradar did this blog a great favour when scoring at Ascot at 16-1 in July and went in again at Doncaster. He’s now up 9lb from the Ascot success which might stop him. But he’s an improving beast for George Boughey and William Buick. Lattam comes into it on heavy ground. It’s not been soft enough for him recently even on soft, but he hasn’t been disgraced for William Haggas at Goodwood and York. Cheekpieces go on now with Cieren Fallon on top. If it’s heavy – near untraceable – he night surprise some.

So best of luck and pray for Yeeehaaas. You hear me Paddy?

Saturday’s Horse Racing Tips

13:15 – Sweet William
13:50 – Kinross
14:25 – Bluestocking
15:05 – Big Rock
15:45 – Bay Bridge
16:25 – Baradar & Lattam

*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.

Saturday’s Racing Tips

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