BRITISH CHAMPION STAKES
Saturday 19th October, 3:55pm
Calandagan @ 13/8
Economics @ 15/8
Los Angeles @ 13/2
Iresine @ 14/1
King’s Gambit @ 20/1
view odds
*prices correct at time of writing.
THE RACE
The £1.3m QIPCO Champion Stakes (3-55) is the glittering jewel in the crown of QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot, and, in this year’s 14th edition of Britain’s richest raceday, use of the word glittering is not to overstate matters.
The clash between Economics, the most talked about flat horse in training in Britain, star French gelding Calandagan and Ireland’s Los Angeles – plus others – is hotly-anticipated, especially as ground conditions are autumn-soft. And the undercard is packed full of goodies too.
THE MARKET
Less than twelve months after making his racecourse debut, when fourth in a hot November novices’ race at Newmarket, Economics attempts to continue his brilliant subsequent run which reached new, thrilling heights in the Irish Champion Stakes.
This ground is softer than anything he’s encountered so far this year, but William Haggas believes he may actually relish it. A length and a quarter away in fourth at Leopardstown was Los Angeles, a solid-as-a-rock talent, having also won or been placed in the Derby, the Irish Derby, the Great Voltigeur and the Arc (on a variety of going).
Los Angeles is rated 120 – three pounds behind Economics – but Calandagan is 125, making him third best in the world. Barred from the Arc because of having been gelded, twelve-furlongs looks to be Calandagan’s metier, as he demonstrated when powering to a wide-margin victory in Ascot’s King Edward VII Stakes; however the ground-versatile three-year-old found only City Of Troy superior over this distance at York.
Iresine, a stamina-laden seven-year-old and another French gelding, took the Arc’s Prix Foy trial in gritty style and is a multiple winner. King’s Gambit has a big reputation, hasn’t done all that much wrong this year and should enjoy conditions. Anmaat needs to bounce back after disappointing last time in France.
THE WINNER
This column has been a fan of Economics since his green-shoots days, and there’s no good reason to stop – what do you reckon?
CORN’S QUARTET
Trawlerman (1-20) was victorious on this day twelve months ago as Dettori magic pervaded Ascot, beating Kyprios narrowly; he got closer than anyone else to the staying champion this summer when runner-up to him at Ascot. And he thrives at this time of year.
Keep it in the family: unexposed sprinter Kind Of Blue (1-55) not only has some excellent second-place form, at The Curragh and Haydock (splitting Montassib and Unequal Love), but his uncles Deacon Blues and race-stalwart The Tin Man both won this.
Fairytale alert: taking on the higher profile names in the QEII (3-15) is 10,000 guinea Coolmore-reject Prague now owned by Italian-born Amedeo dal Pos, who works for the Galileo colt’s trainer Dylan Cunha and ploughed his savings into the purchase. Prague has won 2/5, and amongst his opponents here is Coolmore’s Henry Longfellow.
The champion apprentice will be crowned at Catterick as the race between Sean D Bowen and Joe Leavy goes down to the wire. Bowen’s mount Spioradalta (2-45) should benefit from the extra distance.
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