Horse Racing Tips: Paddy’s Epic Saturday Cheat Sheet for Champions Day at Ascot

It’s going to be a great battle between Trueshan and Kyprios and the former can see off the Irish raider.

It took a training  miracle by Aidan O’Brien to get Kyprios back for the Irish St Leger. The former Ascot Gold Cup winner comes here fresh though and can see off three-time winner of this race, Trueshan.

I am happy to take an each-way 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’ll love every drop of rain that falls.

Kyprios was off his game returning from injury in the Irish St Leger, but is a class act. Trueshan looks to win this race fourth consecutive time. 

It boils down to Kyprios or Trueshan. The latter will love the ground and he’s had a wind operation and I thought Kyprios ran a blinder in the Irish St. Leger behind Eldar Eldarov in September. He was great last season and he can get back to winning ways.

Kinross won this last year and looks to give the flying Italian another spectacular dismount. He would’ve gone very close in France last time, but got  checked late on. He can make amends.

Rohaan (each-way) is a class act on his day and might just surprise a few. Ryan Moore is booked to ride and that’s always a positive, right?

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 Prix Foret at Longchamp last time when denied by Kelina.

An impressive winner of this race 12 months ago, Kinross has looked as good as ever this time around, landing a pair of Group 2s prior to a solid second in the Foret at Longchamp on his latest outing 3 weeks ago

Without Shaquille, it opens the door for Kinross and Frankie Dettori on a slow surface. He wants further but he ran well at Longchamp last time out. He’s the one to beat and he has too much in hand on his rivals.

Ballydoyle’s Jackie Oh finally steps up in distance to 1m 4f and that could bring out the best in her. She’s been very consistent all season but is with the right firm to improve again and take another step forward.

This daughter of Galileo Jackie Oh steps up in trip to 1m 4f for the first time. All the evidence of her runs over 1m 2f suggests she’ll be just as good if she handles the testing ground.

Bluestocking is the each-way pick 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.

The Classic generation has a tremendous record in this race and Jackie Oh may enhance it further. She’s untried over middle-distances on deep ground but she certainly promises to cope with it. Free Wind and Above The Curve. 

I can’t get away from Bluestocking’s run in the Irish Oaks  behind Savethelastdance in July. She ran well at York and Chester in her last two runs and she has cheekpieces on for the first time. She can go well.

Nashwa gave Paddington 4lbs and a beating at York and now meets that rival on level terms. She returns to the mile trip and looks rock solid.

Tahiyra was unlucky in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket but has been impressive since. There are doubts about her on the soft ground but if she handles it, she can win this.

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 ground and on his last two starts chased home Inspiral . He stays a bit further and can race up with the pace so he’s going to be hard to pass.

Nashwa’s turn of foot proved to be a potent weapon dropped back to 1m when an impressive winner of the Falmouth at Newmarket and she has since run some huge races in defeat back up in trip, notably when finishing a neck in front of Paddington when second in the Juddmonte International.

I’m with Tahiyra and I have been all year. She was too green in the 1,000 Guineas when beaten by Mawj back in May but she’s bounced back and improved since. Maybe Dermot Weld will decide that the ground is too soft for her, but until he does, she’s my fancy. I can see Nashwa beating Paddington though. 

It feels like King of Steel has been around forever but this is only his seventh lifetime start. A little luck and a change of rider could see it all slot into place finally for the Epsom Derby runner up.

Horizon Dore has very strong form and if the race is switched to the inside track at Ascot, the ground mightn’t be as testing as some think.

Defending champion Bay Bridge will have everything in his favour to run a huge one and might be an each-way price. The Sir Michael Stoute inmate has not had his perfect conditions but his sixth in the Arc was far from a disgrace despite pulling hard early and Richard Kingscote should get a great spin.

King of Steel is selected to gain a first Group 1 level success of his career and give Frankie Dettori the perfect send off on his ‘final’ ride in Europe. Bay Bridge’s finest hour came when landing this contest 12 months ago and he looks sure to put up a bold defence.

Last year’s winner Bay Bridge  handles soft ground and can go in again. I’ve been disappointed by King Of Steel and have ground concerns over Horizon Dore. 

Lattam (each-way) won the Irish Lincoln at the start of the season and has held his form well since then. This test will be right up his street.

Migration shoulders top weight but will love the ground. I can see him finishing very strongly to land this contest.

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. Lattam comes into it on heavy ground and the cheekpieces go on now with Cieren Fallon on top.

Docklands gained the first of two course and distance wins this summer on soft ground and is worth a chance to atone for his lesser run in pattern company at Glorious Goodwood.  Trainer David O’Meara has four runners declared and has won this contest three times since 2017.

I’m hoping that Jim Crowley will hopefully sit Dual Identity in behind the pace and strike late on. He’s a decent each-way price too.