Golden couple star on Champions Day
It wasn’t about the horses this year at Ascot on Champions Day. There was only one story at the end-of-season Flat-racing championships and the big headline was the continuing one about the oft-described racing’s ‘golden couple’, Hollie Doyle and Tom Marquand. Doyle started the day with a quick double, breaking new ground when becoming the first female rider to have a winner on Champions Day. She bettered that half an hour later when she collected her first Group One prize. Not to be outdone, Marquand won the big pot of the day in the Champion Stakes and ended with the final winner on a day which will live long in the memory. Marquand, who started the year earning plaudits for his string of successes in Australia, could hardly have imagined that by the end of 2020 he would be overshadowed by his partner. That’s the case for now – Doyle is as short as 12-1 for Sports Personality of the Year – but he’s going to be doing his best not to be outshone and for both big futures surely lie ahead of the. Everton 2 Liverpool 2; Doyle 2 Marquand 2 are the scores at the end of a remarkable day’s sport. And there you are, I haven’t mentioned a single horse. See you next season, when let’s hope the crowds are back to give horses and riders the reception they deserve.
Balmoral Handicap (4.15pm) result
1 Njord (Tom Marquand) 15-2
2 Solid Stone (Hollie Doyle) 16-1
3 Greenside (Marco Ghiani) 28-1
4 Graignes (Nicola Currie) 40-1
18 ran
Also: 11-4 Fav Raaeq
Withdrawn: 5,17
No 5 Keats and No 17 Tempus (6-1) were withdrawn not under orders.
Balmoral Handicap (4.15pm)
And they’re off ... Bell Rock is prominent with Greenside and Njord. Njord just takes it up for Tom Marquand and goes clear. An incredible day for racing’s star couple.
Updated
Balmoral Handicap (4.15pm) betting
- Raaeq 7/2
- Tempus 13/2
- King Ottokar 9/1
- Njord 10/1
- Bell Rock 11/1
- Alternative Fact 11/1
- River Nymph 12/1
- Orbaan 12/1
- Prince Eiji 16/1
- Raising Sand 16/1
- Blue Mist 22/1
- Kynren 33/1
- Solid Stone 35/1
- Ropey Guest 40/1
- Greenside 40/1
- Graignes 40/1
- Hortzadar 40/1
- Symbolize 66/1
- Raakib Alhawa 125/1
- Full betting here via Oddschecker
Balmoral Handicap (4.15pm) preview
It has been a tough season for followers of Graignes but this first try in a handicap could work out well, with a strong pace on the cards and his yard among the winners. At 25-1, he’s an each-way price. Raaeq is well in under a penalty and very progressive but he’s a short price as he takes on his toughest task yet. Tempus was sixth as favourite for the Cambridgeshire but now returns to the track where he’d won his previous race. River Nymph seeks a hat-trick and the form of his previous wins is working out well. Njord has been demolishing the crossbar in valuable handicaps all season; he has the talent if he gets a clear run through.
Champions Stakes (3.40pm) result
1 Addeybb (Tom Marquand) 9-1
2 Skalleti (P C Boudot) 13-2
3 Magical (R L Moore) 15-8 Fav
10 ran
Also: 18-1 Serpentine 4th
Non Runner: 6
Champion Stakes (3.40pm)
And they’re off ... Addeybb and Mishriff get away quickly but Serpentine has the lead ... Skaletti is third with Desert Encounter at the back ... Magical is in midfield ... it’s wide open with Addeybb in the lead ... goes clear and loves this ground and comes away to win for Tom Marquand.
Updated
Liked this ...
📸 Connections of The Revenant delighted with his victory at Ascot pic.twitter.com/lf6bu5VYUK
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) October 17, 2020
Champions Stakes (3.40pm) betting
- Magical 13/8
- Lord North 11/2
- Mishriff 11/2
- Skalleti 17/2
- Addeybb 10/1
- Serpentine 14/1
- Japan 16/1
- Pyledriver 18/1
- Extra Elusive 100/1
- Desert Encounter 200/1
- Full betting here at Oddschecker
Champions Stakes (3.40pm) preview
With Enable retired, Magical gets her chance to take over as everyone’s favourite racemare and a second success in the Champion Stakes would certainly be a popular outcome. She has never yet been out of the first two in 10 Group One races at this distance and claimed a notable scalp in beating Ghaiyyath at Leopardstown last time.
She seems sure to run her usual game race but the classy and improving young mudlark Mishriff can prove too good for her. His French Derby success came as a surprise even to some of those close to him but he proved it was no fluke with a still more impressive effort at Deauville in August. Frankie Dettori wants to keep the ride and it is not hard to see why. It’s slightly odd that Dettori has not ridden Lord North since they were second in the handicap on this card last year, having been on Mehdaayih when the other won the Prince of Wales. Lord North comfortably beat Addeybb that day and can be a contender again.
End-of-term mudfests seem to suit Skalleti, who turned over Sottsass on desperate Deauville ground in August. This is an overdue first try in a Group One and he looks overpriced at 10-1. The same could be said of Pyledriver at 16-1, given how well he coped with soft as a juvenile. He failed to stay in the Leger but his efforts at Royal Ascot and in the Voltigeur make him a contender.
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (3.05pm) result
1 The Revenant (P C Boudot) 5-1
2 Roseman (Andrea Atzeni) 28-1
3 Palace Pier (L Dettori) 8-11 Fav
14 ran
Also: 66-1 Sir Busker 4th
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (3.05pm)
And they’re off ... Lord Glitters restrained but out well is Circus Maximus who leads early ... Palace Pier some way back in the early stages ... Roseman now has the lead with Palace Pier making progress ... The Revenant and Roseman take it up and it’s French victory for The Revenant.
Updated
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (3.05pm) betting
- Palace Pier 4/6
- The Revenant 11/2
- Nazeef 10/1
- Circus Maximus 10/1
- Century Dream 20/1
- Roseman 33/1
- Lord Glitters 33/1
- Veracious 50/1
- Molatham 66/1
- Dark Vision 80/1
- Sir Busker 80/1
- Escobar 80/1
- Royal Dornoch 100/1
- Lancaster House 100/1
- Full betting here via Oddschecker
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (3.05pm) preview
The best of the day’s favourites should be Palace Pier, a classy and unbeaten colt who seems at ease on all types of ground. He would have been a Guineas contender if this had been a regular year, with time for a prep-run, but has instead had to make do with the St James’s Palace Stakes (ahead of Pinatubo) and the Marois (snugly, from Alpine Star). His rivals can’t match that form and, having had just one run since June, he should be capable of another big effort.
The Revenant loves this kind of surface but King Of Change was too good for him in last year’s QEII and Palace Pier looks a cut above that one. Circus Maximus is tough and consistent but it’s hard to see him bridging the five lengths by which he trailled Palace Pier in France. Nazeef, a stablemate of the favourite, has done well to get two Group Ones against fillies and coped with testing ground last time, though she was helped by racing against the stands’ rail.
Great result that winner Wonderful Tonight for the owner Chris Wright who spoke to our Greg Wood in the run-up to today’s big meeting. You can read the full interview below:
Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (2.30pm) result
1 Wonderful Tonight (W Buick) 4-1 Fav
2 Dame Malliot (Hollie Doyle) 5-1
3 Passion (R L Moore) 14-1
12 ran
Also: 8-1 Mehdaayih 4th
Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (2.30pm)
And they’re off ... Manuela De Vega leads from Frankly Darling and Wonderful Tonight ... Dame Maillot a couple of lengths behind those ... into the home turn with the early leader still out in front ... Wonderful Tonight takes the lead with Dame Maillot trying to get there but it’s Wonderful Tonight who hangs on to win from Hollie Doyle and Dame Maillot.
Updated
Going into today Dame Malliot, now the 4-1 favourite for the Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes, would theoretically have been the best chance for Hollie Doyle on today’s Ascot card. She couldn’t ride a treble in the first three races could she?
Doyle at the double
Hollie Doyle landed her first Group One success when snatching the verdict on Glen Shiel in the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot. Just 35 minutes after Doyle had become the first female rider to win on British Champions Day in the opening Long Distance Cup on Trueshan, the 24-year-old broke yet more new ground in a record-breaking year.
Doyle and connections of the Archie Watson-trained six-year-old had to wait a few anxious moments for the result of the photo-finish before it was confirmed Glen Shiel (16-1) had beaten the veteran Brando by a nose.
Glen Shiel was always in the front rank after being smartly out of the stalls and was joined three furlongs out by Oxted. The July Cup winner took the lead, but had nothing more to give in the final half-furlong. Glen Shiel kept on giving back in front – and just held the very late challenge of 80-1 outsider Brando. One Master was half a length away in third place.
Doyle said: “I’m in a state of shock right now. I didn’t think I’d won, so to have had the result we have was incredible. We had a good old battle with Oxted from the three-pole and I thought that I would be doing well to hold on like I did, but he is such a game horse.
“He is incredible. He has got quicker with age. When we first got him, he was running over 10 furlongs in France and didn’t show a whole lot of speed, but the further we dropped him back, the quicker he has got.”
She added: “It’s not about me it’s about Archie Watson, he has campaigned this horse unbelievably. No one else would have won a Group One with this horse.
“It is a dream come true, a massive dream come true, especially on this horse. Everyone in the yard adores him. My aim at the start of the year was to ride a Group winner and I always said a Group One one day, but I didn’t think it would come this year.
“I don’t get too carried away, but I’m a bit delusional as to what is going on at the moment as it has all been a bit of a whirlwind. It has been a great few years. It feels really unusual as for someone like me it doesn’t normally happen, but it has done today.” PA Media
Updated
Hollie Doyle making headlines around the racing world!
Girl on fire. 🔥 @HollieDoyle1, Group 1 done. ✅
— World Horse Racing (@WHR) October 17, 2020
GLEN SHIEL triumphs in the British Champions Sprint Stakes granting his masterly rider a first success at the highest level.
📽 @RacingTV #ChampionsDay.pic.twitter.com/sJTZ3SsGcY
Champions Filles & Mares Stakes (2.30pm) betting
- Wonderful Tonight 5/1
- Antonia De Vega 6/1
- Dame Malliot 5/1
- Even So 6/1
- Mehdaayih 15/2
- Thundering Nights 10/1
- Laburnum 12/1
- Passion 18/1
- Frankly Darling 18/1
- Manuela De Vega 22/1
- Gold Wand 28/1
- Cabaletta 66/1
- Full betting here via Oddschecker
Champions Filles & Mares Stakes (2.30pm) preview
This looks very open, with no convincing case to be made for the fillies who have tried their luck at Longchamp in recent weeks. Wonderful Tonight is fancied by the market on the strength of her Royallieu win, which showed she relishes deep going, but this step back in trip makes things harder. When she tackled this distance in the Vermeille last month, Dame Malliot and Laburnum finished just ahead with Even So close behind. Softer ground helps her but it may also help Even So, who looked short of pace that day and lacked a recent outing. The Irish Oaks winner, she surely has more to offer.
Frankly Darling is a John Gosden-trained Ribblesdale winner, like Star Catcher, who won this last year. But she has something to prove after disappointing efforts in the Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks. A chance is taken on Mehdaayih, who seemed well suited by this distance in the first half of last year but has since been kept to 10 furlongs. She ran well in the Champion Stakes and the Prince of Wales and gets a winnable opportunity here.
This is becoming a wonderful story. Another winner for the new star on racing’s firmament. Hollie Doyle, after her first Group One winner and her second today at Ascot so far, said on ITV: “It’s not about me ... it’s about the trainer ... It is a dream come true, especially on this horse, everyone adores him. Even I doubted he could win. My heart sunk as I didn’t know if I had won ...”
Her first Group 1!!@HollieDoyle1 goes 2/2 on Glen Shiel ⚡️⚡️ pic.twitter.com/EhoOuAGOdV
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) October 17, 2020
Updated
Champions Sprint (1.55pm) result
1 Glen Shiel (Hollie Doyle) 16-1
2 Brando (T Eaves) 80-1
3 One Master (P C Boudot) 11-2
16 ran
Also: 3-1 Fav Dream Of Dreams, 7-1 Art Power 4th
Non Runner: 11
1.55pm Champions Sprint
And they’re off ... Glen Shiel is up there early with Dream Of Dreams ... Dream Of Dreams travelling well but it’s Oxted and One Master with Brando coming late and it’s Brando and Glen Shiel in a photo-finish.
Updated
Sir Michael Stoute (trainer of Dream Of Dreams) is on track for the first time this year at Ascot after a traumatic year for the brilliant handler in which he lost his partner Coral Pritchard-Gordon.
Reckon we’ll be seeing many more winners from Hollie Doyle in the big races in the future but this will always be special ...
.@HollieDoyle1 and Trueshan blowing the field away 💥pic.twitter.com/qmK0KUsFzf
— Great British Racing (@GBRacing) October 17, 2020
Going change alert ...
Going change at #Ascot
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) October 17, 2020
Straight Course; Soft
Round Course; Soft, heavy in places
John Gosden on Stradivarius after a disappointing show from the favourite in the first race: “Too deep, too heavy. He was in good form, he bucked on the way to the start. We’d probably have been better running on the inner track.”
Champions Sprint (1.55pm) betting
- Dream Of Dreams 3/1
- One Master 13/2
- Art Power 15/2
- Starman 17/2
- Oxted 9/1
- Cape Byron 12/1
- Sonaiyla 12/1
- Happy Power 16/1
- Lope Y Fernandez 16/1
- Glen Shiel 18/1
- Onassis 40/1
- The Tin Man 40/1
- Speak In Colours 50/1
- Jouska 80/1
- Brando 80/1
- Chiefofchiefs 80/1
- Full betting here via Oddschecker
Updated
Champions Sprint (1.55pm) preview
Dream Of Dreams is a better horse this year, having been gelded, but it’s hard to forget how very disappointing he has been in this race for the last two years, beating just one rival each time. A certain amount of bravery is needed to take a short price about a completely different outcome this time, especially as his wide draw will be a disadvantage if the race develops towards the far rail, like last year.
One Master ran well to be second last year and seems perfectly suited by this ground. She comes here as the Foret winner once more but is better over further. Oxted’s best form has been on quick ground, though his pedigree gives a lot of hope that he’ll be fine on this. It’s unusual to see a July Cup winner being given a wind operation just weeks later; if there is any weakness in his breathing, it will show up here. Cape Byron hasn’t run since a disappointing effort in this race last year; he had beaten the winner of that race on his previous start.
Art Power needs to improve again, having been only fourth in the Haydock Sprint Cup, but is young enough to do so and looked classy here in June. Glen Shiel, second at Haydock, has steadily improved since joining Archie Watson and another big run would be no surprise. The Tin Man, sixth at Haydock, looks past his best and it is four years since he won this. It’s interesting that Happy Power runs here rather than the QEII, which he tried last year. It means opposing the same owner’s Art Power but it could prove a smart move as Happy Power has plenty of pace. From the yard that sprang a 33-1 shock in this race 12 months ago, he can outrun his odds on a surface he likes.
Doyle breaks new ground at Ascot
Hollie Doyle broke new ground in another record-breaking season as she powered clear aboard Trueshan to win the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot. In doing so Doyle became the first female rider to win a race on British Champions Day, on the 10th anniversary of the showpiece meeting.
Sent off at 11-1, Alan King’s charge cruised to the front and once taking over from Fujaira Prince the race was over in an instant. Search For A Song stayed on for second, with Faujaira Prince third, but the big disappointment was hot favourite Stradivarius, who was beaten from some way out.
Doyle this week broke her own record for the number of wins by a female jockey in a calendar year, having at Windsor in August become the first woman to ride five winners at one meeting in Britain. She said: “That was incredible, I travelled all over them. I switched him at the three-pole and the further he went, the better. I’m really happy that people are seeing me as just a jockey now, not a female jockey.”
Doyle, 24, added: “This is a proper horse, he won his first two starts. I’ve always liked him, but I’m not going to lie, I didn’t realise he would be up to Group Two level like today. I’m having to pinch myself really, that was absolutely amazing.” PA Media
Updated
Hollie Doyle on ITV after riding Trueshan to victory: “Incredible ... gave me a great feel ... did not think Trueshan would be up to this level ... I’ll see [in answer to whether she’ll be champion jockey one day].”
Long Distance Cup (1.20pm) result
1 Trueshan (Hollie Doyle) 11-1
2 Search For A Song (Oisin Murphy) 7-1
3 Fujaira Prince (Andrea Atzeni) 10-1
13 ran
Also: 11-10 Fav Stradivarius, 20-1 Morando 4th
Long Distance Cup (1.20pm)
And they’re off ... Max Vega is prominent with Stradivarius in midfield ... Sovereign is up there early as expected too ... with Dawn Patrol right at the back ... Fujaira Prince is near to the lead now ... Mildenberger is in third ... Up to Swinley Bottom and Fujaira Prince gets closer to the leader ... Max Vega still leads ... turning for home now ... Stradivarius is being pushed but is making ground ... but it’s Trueshan and Hollie Doyle who go clear for an easy victory ... Search For A Song took second with Stradivarius well beaten.
Updated
Long Distance Cup (1.20pm) betting
- Stradivarius 11/10
- Search For A Song 6/1
- Dawn Patrol 11/1
- Fujaira Prince 12/1
- Broome 14/1
- Morando 16/1
- Sovereign 16/1
- Trueshan 18/1
- Spanish Mission 20/1
- Max Vega 50/1
- Monica Sheriff 66/1
- Mildenberger 150/1
- Dubious Affair 150/1
- Full betting here at Oddschecker
Updated
Long Distance Cup (1.20pm) preview
For all John Gosden’s comments about how the Arc turned into a bike race, it must have cost Stradivarius to race against some of the world’s best horses on some of France’s deepest mud. How close to his best can he hope to be here, 13 days later? And let’s bear in mind that he’s been beaten in this race twice from three attempts and, on the other occasion, benefited from a two-month break since his previous outing. On the other hand, the memory is still fairly fresh of how he sloshed round here in the Gold Cup, making his rivals looks as though they were wasting their time.
The big threat is Search For A Song, a dual winner of the Irish Leger, from the Dermot Weld yard that has won this race twice since Champions Day moved to Ascot. She isn’t tested on soft ground, though her pedigree gives every hope on that score and she’s been finishing her races as though the extra quarter-mile will be helpful. Dawn Patrol would be more tempting if three-year-olds had any recent record of success in this. Outpaced in the Leger, he is probably better suited by two miles in the mud.
Fujaira Prince won the Ebor under a big weight and was second in his first Group One, the Irish Leger. More is needed now and Roger Varian’s yard has been a bit quiet since the contaminated feed crisis forced him to stop having runners for almost a week and to change the feed for his entire string in a matter of hours. Morando would be a contender on the best of his old form but has not shown that so far this year. Broome beat Sovereign eight lengths in the Ballysax the last time he got soft ground, so he needs a second look. Beaten only half a length in the mad finish to last year’s Derby, he has run only once in the past 16 months, when four lengths behind Stradivarius in the Coronation Cup.
Updated
Swinley Bottom is Soggy
It’s overcast here at Ascot but dry and set to remain so. Chris Stickels, clerk of the course, reckons the straight mile might dry out to an official description of soft at some point in the afternoon, dropping the “heavy in places”. But no one holds out much hope of similar drying on the round course, where Swinley Bottom is going to be very soggy by the standards of Flat racing.
Even so, trainers and owners seem happy to let their horses try their best in these testing conditions, there being little else to save them for at this stage of the year. We have just two non-runners so far, both of them rank outsiders who had been 100-1. They are San Donato in the Champion Stakes and Dubai Station in the Sprint.
Punters are putting their faith in Magical, who has shortened up significantly at the top of the Champion Stakes. Having been 2-1 with several firms last night, she’s 6-4 across the board now, with Mishriff allowed to slide out to 5-1.
In the handicap at the end of the card, Raaeq seems popular at any price. There was 6-1 last night, which seemed short enough for such a race, but he’s mostly 100-30 now, with bits of 7-2.
The clerk of the course returning after checking the ground at Ascot ...
Apparently it was 30 years ago today that Frankie Dettori started his big-race history in Great Britain, his first Group One success coming on board the Luca Cumani-trained Markofdistinction in the 1990 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at, where else of course, Ascot. Dettori is synonymous with the track after his seven-timer there in 1996. He’s got three strong fancies today in Stradivarius, Palace Pier and Mishriff, and whose to say he won’t get all five Group-race winners. Alexander Kostin of Americangambler.com reports: “At the moment, every third bet is an accumulator bet, which is very usual at Champions Day. The Dettori and Hollie Doyle accas are undoubtedly the most popular ones. And as things stand, the Frankie five-timer would pay about 2661-1.” Of course they put up a statue for him at Ascot after his ‘Magnificent Seven’ ... I have to remind you it’s him as ... well ... as you can see ... it’s not as bad as Ronaldo, but ...
Updated
Here’s Stradivarius arriving, favourite for the first race, the Long, long Distance Cup (in the heavy ground and I mean Neil from The Young Ones heavyit’s going to seem an especially long way ...)
Stradivarius arrives at @Ascot being his usual vocal self but looking very well also, he’s still available to back at even money and don’t forget we will give you Best Odds Guaranteed up to £200!! https://t.co/ZJgyjs2QSJ pic.twitter.com/KbiN9QQwhU
— Geoff Banks Online (@BetGeoffBanks) October 17, 2020
What you need to wash down all that food is a cocktail ... after the butchers it’s the off-licence for gin, tonic, the lot ...
... and here’s Tom’s midday nibble ... steak and salad (a quick dash to the butchers will be required if you haven’t get the required meat in of course).
Great British Racing have created a ‘home pack’ too for the racefans forced to tune in to the action from Ascot on TV. You can find it all here via the link. We’ve missed breakfast but “racing’s power couple, Flat jockeys Hollie Doyle and Tom Marquand, have shared their favourite lunchtime recipes” and we have reproduced them here. So here’s Hollie’s ... which is a ‘splendid’ salmon parcel ... reckon if you start now you’ll be able to sit down for the first race at 1.20pm!
No crowds will be allowed in at Ascot of course but racefans anywhere can ‘pick up’ a Champions Day racecard online by clicking here on the link ...
You can download your Ascot Champions Day digital racecard starring @Rods_Tweet here https://t.co/8U64cA7pQI pic.twitter.com/Ec2aAwSWSC
— Tony Paley (@tonypaley) October 16, 2020
The key horses are arriving at Ascot ...
Palace Pier looking cool and collected as he unloads with the rest of John Gosden’s runners.
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) October 17, 2020
Will he maintain his undefeated record?#ChampionsDay pic.twitter.com/vd2VBLlV4N
Preamble
Champions Day, carefully and expensively contrived as a celebration of the best in Flat racing, will have to do without its appreciative crowd today as the season nears its end under the appalling threat of Covid-19. Six excellent races, featuring several big-name horses who might be vulnerable in today’s conditions, will entertain us and provide a useful focus for fretful professionals but the difficult reality will be there any time someone looks into the grandstand or returns to a near-silent winner’s enclosure.
This is the sport’s last hurrah in Britain before the turf season drains away over the next three weeks. Those present must hope the situation is somehow sunnier by the time of the Lincoln in spring, so that the next Champions Day will have an audience worth performing for.
Frankie Dettori will be 50 by then but there seems no chance, barring serious injury, that he will decide to hang up his saddle in the intervening time. More than anyone else in the weighing room, the exuberant Italian must be craving the return of spectators. When you’ve done something amazing on the sport’s most hallowed turf, the dependable applause of nearby ITV pundits is clearly not enough as you perform your flying dismount onto pre-arthritic knees.
Thanks to the wisdom of his decision to sign up with John Gosden some years back, Dettori has a fine book of rides today, featuring the card’s most exciting talent, Palace Pier, odds-on to land the QEII. He has another favourite in Stradivarius for the opening Long Distance Cup and also Mishriff, the obvious alternative to last year’s heroine, Magical, in the Champion Stakes.
The sport’s PR workers will have their fingers crossed that Hollie Doyle can get at least a share of the riding honours, her five rides including the fancied Dame Malliot in the Fillies & Mares. A year ago, just two runners on this card were ridden by female jockeys, which is one of several possible rebukes to anyone who says racing has achieved gender equality in the saddle. But Doyle is methodically dismantling barriers, having recently broken her own record for winners in a year by a female jockey. She rides for five different trainers here, including Roger Charlton and Sir Michael Stoute, testament to the fine year’s work already done.
The going is soft, heavy in places, which now seems established as the norm for Champions Day. The good ground that Frankel bounced off to win the QEII seems a lot more than nine years in the past. But at least it’s been a fairly dry week, it’ll be a dry day and the most resilient of these horses will be able to show something recognisable as speed in these conditions. Best of all, if you love jump racing, there has been no need to switch the round-course races on to the hurdle track, which will remain pristine for next month’s action.
Times are hard but there are good horses to saddle, six-figure prize funds to be won and intriguing puzzles to unscramble. Let’s make the most of it.
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