Ratings Update: Champions Day 2018

The British Flat season, as far as the jockeys’ and trainers’ championships are concerned at least, was rounded off once again on Saturday with British Champions Day at Ascot, which saw no less than four Group 1 races take place during the afternoon.

And, while it was a Group 2 which kicked off proceedings in the form of the Champions Long Distance Cup, that race was still won by a top-level performer in the shape of Stradivarius (remains on 127), who became the first Ascot Gold Cup winner to go through the full season unbeaten since Pardallo in 1968.

His connections deserve credit for sending him here on the back of such a gruelling campaign, on ground which wasn’t ideal, though the opposition was thinner than it had been earlier in the season, for all that he faced the winners of the Doncaster Cup and the Irish St Leger. He showed all of his gears to quicken through a gap left open by Flag of Honour (remains on 123) two furlongs out, doing everything asked of him to pull away and complete the perfect campaign. He is not slow for one who stays so well, and will be hard to topple in this division in 2019.

Thomas Hobson (remains on 117) came here rather than heading to the Melbourne Cup and provided more of a race to Stradivarius than most have this season; he should remain competitive in this sphere next term, despite him then being a nine-year-old. Sir Erec (up 3 lb to 119) was thrown into the deep end having run away with a listed contest just seven days earlier and, whilst it took less of a leap in form than imagined, 2019 will be his coming-of-age campaign, though it is still Flag of Honour who looks the stable’s likelier successor to Order of St George at this stage.

The first Group 1 of the day was the Champions Sprint Stakes, in which Sands of Mali (up 8 lb to 125) sprang a surprise. Richard Fahey’s three-year-old was returned to the scene of his best effort at this level, when second in the Commonwealth Cup in June, and was seen to maximum effect on the day, making all and producing the second-best winning effort since this race became the Champions Sprint. Sands of Mali was full value for the win, though it remains to be seen whether he can repeat this, with the added burden of a Group 1 penalty to carry next spring. Harry Angel (remains on 131) has suffered a largely frustrating campaign and, whilst this represented a step back in the right direction, he didn’t fully redeem himself, giving trouble before going into the stalls and stretching his winless record at Ascot to 0-6, meaning that stud may beckon for him.

The Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes was lacking the best in the division – it’s hard to imagine Enable or Sea of Class turning up in this – but it was an up to scratch renewal in form terms, and one won by Aidan O’Brien, who was responsible for more than a third of the field. Magical (up 4 lb to 122) confirmed the improvement she had shown in the Arc to win, producing a very smart effort to win by a length, and she would be well up to winning further races at this level should she be kept in training. Coronet (remains on 119) went one better than in last year’s renewal, but a Group 1 success still eludes her, whilst back in third, Lah Ti Dar (remains on 122, loses p) was unable to make the most of a good opportunity, her effort in the St Leger perhaps taking the edge off her. She remains relatively lightly raced after just five starts and is another who should continue to make her presence felt at this level if remaining in training next year.

With the exception of Alpha Centauri, the miling division had been lacking a standout performer, and it was no surprise that Roaring Lion (remains on 130) was able to drop back in trip and pick up another Group 1 in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, for all that he wasn’t at his best on the day – the ground rather than the trip looking the issue. He’s been one of the stars of the season and his string of successes at the top level reflect considerable credit on John Gosden, given how his campaign started, when disappointing in the Craven Stakes, and it could be that he has one more outing at the Breeders' Cup before he goes to stud. I Can Fly (up 5 lb on 122) hadn’t suggested she was capable of this kind of effort previously, but produced a career best to finish second, only denied by a top-class colt. Century Dream (up 1 lb to 121) proved at least as good as ever in third, and he has the ability to win at a level above he has managed so far if kept in training.

This year’s Champion Stakes looked an ideal opportunity for Cracksman (remains on 136) to end his career on a high note, with the principal opposition looking below par, and he duly obliged, with his winning performance almost as impressive as it had been in this race the year before, powering away to win by six lengths. We will never know how he would have coped against Enable in the Arc, but he was clearly a top-class racehorse and will hopefully pass on that ability to his offspring as he heads off to stud. Crystal Ocean (remains on 132) finished second for the third start running, once again behind a top-class opponent, and his best form would have seen him make more of a fight of it. The Czech-trained Subway Dancer (up 10 lb to 122) seemed an optimistic runner for this level, but produced a career best to take home some valuable prize money, while it is likely that the fourth horse, Capri (remains on 124), will be more competitive at this level next term if kept in training.

Pure style!

Back-to-back Champion Stakes at @Ascot for Cracksman pic.twitter.com/5pljE7BsZs

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) October 20, 2018

As usual, the card was concluded by a dramatic renewal of the Balmoral Handicap, in which plenty met with trouble, with the winner Sharja Bridge (up 3 lb to 120) producing a very smart performance to come out on top. He had been threatening a performance of this nature all season, though the way he won was impressive; things looking pretty hopeless two furlongs out with only a couple behind, before charging through and overhauling a batch that got first run on him. He looks a Group performer in the making – his performance was at least on a par with what the fourth and fifth placed runners did in the QEII earlier on the card – and he is one to follow next year.