Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot looks likely to be a dry day and I’m looking forward to being at Ascot to see the brilliant Baaeed run his last race in the Qipco Champions Stakes Group 1, where he is Unibet 1/5 on to beat a field including Adayar, the 2021 Derby winner. He is a brilliant horse, who has now captured the public imagination and is a massive draw for the culmination of the 2022 Qipco British Champions Series.

Baaeed has taken up many column inches in my Unibet blog over his career since being marked up on his second career start and last year he beat Palace Pier in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. Baaeed has been fantastically trained by William Haggas, with Jim Crowley having ridden this four-year-old in every start since the 2021 July Festival at Newmarket.

In this year’s Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Inspiral looks to have a strong chance, with The Revenant returning for the fourth consecutive year the each way selection.

Enjoy whether at Ascot or watching #athome on Racing TV and ITV Racing.

Cheers
The Wine Tipster

1.25 Ascot – Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup Group 2 (2m)

Trawlerman is my each-way selection and with at the time of writing on Friday morning a dry day forecast for Saturday, the ground will be no worse than good to soft, which will suit this four-year-old. Trawlerman obviously needs to step up but he has always looked Group class and his Ebor win really wasn’t that unexpected. This son of Golden Horn was staying on well at York and on his previous appearance when winning at Glorious Goodwood.

Trueshan after running at Goodwood on good quick ground may not let himself down, whilst Waterville and Eldar Eldarov are runners to take on. This is a raceday that often sees surprises and Trawlerman deserves his place in the Long Distance Cup.
Unibet 18/1 each way

2.00 Ascot – Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes Group 1 (6f)

Creative Force had his preferred ground for the first time this year and can win the Sprint Stakes again. He has done little wrong in his two starts on these shores in 2022, almost landing the Platinum Jubilee at Royal Ascot when a neck behind stablemate Naval Crown and then a close fourth in the July Cup at Newmarket, but they were both on quick ground, whereas there was some cut when he won this last year. Creative Force comes here fresher than most and is the one to beat.
Unibet 100/30 win

Brad The Brief has a good record fresh, so this is not a concern, as he is making his first appearance since May when showing what a smart performer he is when beating Mooneista at the Curragh in a Group 2. He had won as he liked on his previous run at Haydock with Glen Shiel over three lengths back on that occasion. Brad The Brief is two from two this season and this genuine five-year-old is in the form of his career so should not be overlooked.
Unibet 11/1 each way

2.40 Ascot – Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes Group 1 (1m 4f)

Mimikyu (nap) is improving at the right time and might have a better chance than her better-fancied stablemate Emily Upjohn. Mimikyu impressed when stepping up in trip to take the Park Hill at the St Leger Festival, when coming right away late on to beat Eshaada (winner of the Fillies & Mares last year) to win with a bit in hand and looking very much like stamina was her strong suit. That was her third victory from five starts this season and Mimikyu won’t mind the drop back to this trip, having won over this distance and is likely to be ridden positively. Mimikyu is proven on the ground too, and with more progression to come, gets the vote here.
Unibet 13/2 each way

4.40 Ascot – Balmoral Handicap (1m)

Migration is a six-year-old making his sixteenth career appearance, having been off the track for 641 days when returning last June to finish an unlucky and eye catching fourth on that occasion at Salisbury. He was heavily fancied to win on his next start at Glorious Goodwood, which he did emphatically and then followed up at the Ebor Festival. Migration couldn’t go on the very quick ground on his fourth and final start of 2021 and he reappeared at Newbury back in April for the sole racecourse start so far in 2022. He once again delivered an eye-catching performance with a very late challenge to finish a neck second to the smart Modern News at Newbury over this distance. Migration goes well fresh, has won over further, which is an advantage with the stiff Ascot mile and is really effective on the softer conditions. He is drawn in stall 23, which will become stall 20 on the day and Escobar won from stall 21 in 2019 so high numbers can strike here.
Unibet 8/1 each way

Sweet Believer is having her second start of 2022, following a good front running performance at Sandown last month in a Listed race over this trip after being off for 11 months when just headed in the final half furlong by Bayside Boy (runs Queen Elizabeth II Stakes) on soft going. There was plenty to like about that reappearance and certainly expect a step up here from this filly, who has won over a longer trip. The ground conditions will suit and in a renewal which is short on pace then Sweet Believer can dictate from the front.
Unibet 9/1 each way

Orbaan for David O’Meara, who targets these handicaps, has had Orbaan in tremendous form in the second half of the season and can’t be ignored from stall 14 with course winning form this season.
Unibet 12/1 each way