Timefigure preview: Champions Day

Three previous winners (Sands of Mali, Librisa Breeze and The Tin Man) take each other on in the opening Champions Sprint Stakes, but none of them have managed a win this season. Unlike Sands of Mali, who sprang a 28/1 shock last year when holding on from the front (timefigure of 122), The Tin Man and Librisa Breeze (both 123 at best) have at least indicated that most of their old ability remains and they are two of many who can be given a chance.

Advertise posted a 122 timefigure when winning the Commonwealth Cup, but, though he is reported in good order after missing the Betfair Sprint Cup with a setback, he hasn’t yet raced on ground softer than good.

Hello Youmzain, the horse who won in Advertise’s absence, makes more appeal. Kevin Ryan’s lightly-raced three-year-old was third behind Advertise at Ascot but he’s only just coming into his own judged on his Haydock defeat of The Tin Man (timefigure of 124) and he has no questions to answer on the ground.

Hello Youmzain holds off The Tin Man to land the Group 1 Betfair Sprint Cup Stakes under @the_doyler, for @kevinryanracing 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/hYxhSGWYFn

— Haydock Park Races (@haydockraces) September 7, 2019

His biggest danger may well come from the distance-dropping One Master, who won on soft ground in Listed company at Ascot in 2017. Her last-time-out win in the Prix de la Foret showed she is better than ever but her 117 timefigure leaves her with a bit to find taking on specialist sprinters for the first time. The 11/2 widely available about Hello Youmzain looks very fair. 

The horse who boasts the best chance on time in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes is Benbatl, and that’s not even taking his Group 1 wins abroad (including in the Dubai Turf) into account.

There were understandable doubts about what sort of form he might be in ahead of his recent return in the Joel Stakes but he looked as good as ever in beating the reopposing King of Comedy by five lengths, producing a timefigure of 120, just short of his best of 121.

His form on soft ground is off-putting, albeit one of his disappointing efforts was at a trip beyond his best. French challenger The Revenant (like Benbatl by Dubawi) is the current favorite but whether he deserves to be is another matter.

Leaving aside the merit of his efforts on the clock being hard to assess as Timeform do not return timefigures from France, he has yet to run over a straight mile and the dynamics of this large-field charge will be very different from the round-track scenarios that he has faced.

Big-field races on straight courses tend to produce a number of ‘specialists’, nowhere more apparent than at Ascot. Queen Anne winner Lord Glitters, whose best timefigure is 117, is in the specialist category and his record at the track stands up to the closest inspection.

Lord Glitters bobs the head and wins the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal @Ascot 🏆 pic.twitter.com/phC7Wu559Z

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 18, 2019

Also, he was second in the 2018 Lincoln on heavy ground off a BHA mark of 107, so underfoot conditions won’t be an issue. He looks a solid each-way bet at 8/1 in a race in which the 2000 Guineas winner Magna Grecia bids to get his career back on track.

Testing conditions ideally suit Addeybb, who is seeking a breakthrough win at Group 1 level in the Champion Stakes having won the bet365 Mile at Sandown (on soft) in 2018 and the Rose of Lancaster at Haydock (heavy) in August when last seen. That said, his current odds (100/30) look too skinny for one who has a bit to find with several of his rivals on the clock, including Irish Champion Stakes winner Magical (121 best).

Magical again ought to beat the Nassau winner Deirdre on this softer ground, despite the latter having had a nightmare run at Leopardstown. However, tough as she is, Magical had a hard race in the Arc last time, when she raced up with the strong pace, and preference is for Coronet (119 best) who has a near-identical chance on the clock to Magical but comes here fresh after back-to-back Group 1 wins in France, including in the Prix Jean Romanet over this trip last time. She has yet to finish out of the first three in four races here and ought to be right there at the finish.

What a little cracker! Coronet wins the Group 1 @DarleyStallions Prix Jean Romanet for John Gosden and @FrankieDettori at @fgdeauville… pic.twitter.com/uN1YmcuaBR

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) August 18, 2019

Neither the Long Distance Cup nor the Fillies & Mares Stakes makes much appeal from a betting perspective. Defending champion Stradivarius has often looked vulnerable this season but invariably gets the job done and the switch to the inner hurdles track – where the going is not so testing – ought to be in his favour.  There is little to split Star Catcher and Fleeting in the Fillies & Mares. The former has had the upper hand in their battles this season but makes little appeal at around 13/8.

Recommendations:

Back Hello Youmzain at 11/2 in the Champions Sprint Stakes

Back Lord Glitters each-way at 8/1 in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes

Back Coronet at 4/1 in the Champion Stakes