A cracking BoyleSports offer for Irish Customers on Champions Day at Ascot Champions Day at Ascot will be the last time we see the world’s highest-rated racehorse, Baaeed, in action. While many voiced their disappointment at the seeming lack of ambition from his owners, on missing the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe, it will be a fine opportunity to see him bow out at Ascot, before he begins his career as a stallion. Baaeed has been breathtaking this year and is unsurprisingly odds-on to win the Champion Stakes - and is likely to do so in his indomitable style. While the Irish challengers are down in numbers this year, they certainly aren’t lacking in quality. Looking at place claims in the Champion Stakes, Mac Swiney trained by Jim Bolger at 80-1 with BoyleSports, may not be as forlorn a hope as the betting suggests. A Classic winner, who was third in this race last year on good to soft ground will enjoy conditions, having won the 2021 Irish 2,000 Guineas and 2020 Futurity Stakes on soft ground. Boylesports are providing customers with a fantastic Champions Day offer for the Long Distance Cup at 1.25. What a spectacle the Long Distance Cup promises to be as the old and young stayers go into battle. Trueshan has landed this contest the last two years and will be a popular favourite to land the hat-trick on ground he relishes. Following two below-par runs, it may be worth looking further down the betting. The three year olds this year are eye-catching and are lurking dangerously off a lower weight, including English St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov and Irish challenger Waterville. No three-year-old has won this since 2009 but this looks to be the year that bucks the trend. Trainer Aidan O’Brien commented after Waterville’s recent Irish Cesarewitch victory that he’s been patient with this talented and lightly-raced colt. That patience certainly looks to have paid off as the son of Camelot has been a model of consistency - overcoming a troubled passage to land that prize. Fresher legs may give this progressive type an edge over some of his rivals who have contested a busier season. Godolphin have enjoyed a fine season and Creative Force will be favourite to land the British Champions Sprint Stakes at 2.00. This is a competitive contest, however and while he has some of the best form in the race, others are preferred. One of note is last year’s Group 1 Cheveley Park winner Tenebrism, who looks to be dropping back to her ideal trip of six furlongs. Having run over a variety trips and looking like she didn’t stay the seven furlongs last time out behind Kinross in the Prix de la Foret, we could see her back to her best over this distance. Perfect Power back at Ascot on soft ground also represents good value. The final Balmoral Handicap looks to be a great betting heat, albeit a difficult one to decipher. William Haggas landed this contest last year and has two interesting fillies, who look to have been well-placed here in typical Haggas fashion. Bashkirova will enjoy the underfoot conditions and is down into handicap company after running well in Group company. Her stablemate Sweet Believer ran a game second in a Listed contest at Haydock last time and is seemingly improving, while her jockey Adam Farragher takes five pounds off her back. A win in the closer at Ascot would round off a sublime season for William Haggas.
