The British Flat Jockey Championship will be won and lost on Saturday when Ascot hosts the 2021 Champions Day, a day where some of the best horses in racing head to the Berkshire track to compete for decent sums of money.
We’ve had a good look through the six race card and while there are a couple of hotpots that we don’t want to take on, there are a couple of races for us to get stuck into as the leading jockey is determined.
2.00 Ascot
Preview
The 6 furlong Champions Sprint is arguably the most open race of the day with a field of 20 & no obvious clear form pick. Recent winners of this race have started at some tasty prices & it would not surprise me if that pattern continued. At the head of the market is Group 3 Renaissance winner Art Power, ultra consistent Dragon Symbol & Ascot specialist Rohaan. I can’t be having Art Power despite the fact he ran a cracker in the Diamond Jubilee back at the Royal meeting whilst Dragon Symbol hits the crossbar too many times to be considered a bet at odds of around 5/1. Rohaan is a great horse with a super turn of foot, evidenced when winning the Wokingham earlier this year. He needs to get away on terms and, if he does, will likely be finishing as well as any.
Creative Force is the Buick ride as he bids to pull off an incredible turnaround in the jockeys championship final day & he’s got a good chance based on his Jersey win & his fast finishing 5th in July Cup. It’s hard to assess Minzaal after just one run this term after being sidelined for a year but given time, he could be top class. Gustavus Weston is the highest rated in the field & cannot be dismissed, Brando will run his customary good race whilst conditions have gone against Glen Shiel. At a huge price, I wouldn’t put anyone off having a small bet on Highfield Princess but she’s probably more likely to run into a place than win.
Betting
In an open heat, Happy Romance is the one to side with. She’s a progressive 3 year old who has been running well this year. Her one true disappointment came here in the Commonwealth Cup but heavy ground & a poor draw put paid to her chances. Since then, she won the Group 3 Hackwood at Newbury, showing a lovely turn of foot before following up when 4th in the Group 1 Sprint Cup ahead of both Art Power & Creative Force. The more the ground dries out, the better & she has a decent enough draw too. With bookies paying 5 places, she looks a very solid each way bet indeed.
Tips
Back Happy Romance (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 15.00 Betfair (⅕ odds 1-5)
Back her here:
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4.30 Ascot
Preview
The last race of the day sees one of the hottest handicaps of the entire season being run over the straight mile in the Balmoral Handicap with the likes of Sir Busker & Sunray Major in the field. A low draw has been important in the past but this year many of the fancied types are drawn high so it might pay to take one drawn on either side.
Gosden has a very strong hand with Sunray Major the ride of Dettori. He’s won 3 of his 4 career starts, Dettori on top for all 3 wins & has won with plenty in hand on each occasion. This is a step up but he’s surely going to progressive to much better things next year. His draw in 21 may prove to be a negative. Another Gosden horse, King Leonidas, is second best in the market but he’s only been seen once this term & has to improve to figure here. Nugget has form figures of 3121 this year so should be in the mix whilst Aldaary won here 2 weeks ago over a furlong shorter. Sir Busker loves it here & has been placed in Group 1 company at the track but has a monster rating of 111 that lands him carrying 9st11.
Betting
From a high draw, I like the chances of Irish raider, Raise You. This 5 year old is lightly raced & has only been seen 3 times this term. To date, his career has seen him contesting pattern races until this year where he’s run in 2 handicaps. First time up, he won a 21 runner handicap at the Curragh on good ground before finishing 5th in a Group 3. On his last start nearly 3 months ago, he was 5th in another big field at Galway off his revised mark, 3lbs higher than his Curragh win, when not getting a clear run. He goes well fresh, surely has improvement left in him & has a valuable apprentice taking 3lbs off. If high draws are favoured, he’s sure to be involved in the final shake up.
Drawn low, I’m taking a chance on Maries Diamond. He’s drawn 1 & is Mark Johnston’s only runner on the card. I make him the only true front runner in the field & he has the rail to run against. He’s been pretty consistent this year without being ahead of the handicapper but I was taken with his run last time out in the Cambridgeshire where he finished 7th of 26. He raced on the wrong side of the track but hit the front with a furlong to do, only to fade deep inside the last furlong but still managed to finish 2nd in his group, losing out to one who raced close up to the rail. The ground should be ideal, his draw looks perfect too & the fact he’s unlikely to be hassled for the lead could play into his hands. He may not be the best horse in the race, nor is he the best handicapped horse, but I still expect him to run a massive race at a big price.
Tips
Back Raise You (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 15.00 Betfred BOG (⅕ odds 1-7)
Back Maries Diamond (e/w) for a 0.75/10 stake at 23.00 Betfred BOG (⅕ odds 1-7)
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