Ascot tips: British Champions Day predictions, best bets and odds
The British flat season comes to a close this weekend, wrapping up in fine style with one of the most hotly-contested days on the racing calendar at Ascot.
QIPCO British Champions Day brings together the very best horses, trainers and jockeys for one last time in 2024 and with £4.1m in prize money up for grabs, it's no surprise that anyone who is anyone will be there.
The day is also littered with presentations as the best owners, trainers, apprentices and jockeys from the flat season are recognised, albeit they play second fiddle to six huge races, culminating in the QIPCO Champion Stakes at 3:55pm.
The weather could have a big impact on the day with some of the action set to be switched to the inner track due to the heavy rain that has already fallen and with more forecast on Saturday.
The course is now described as soft on the straight course, while it is heavy and soft in places on the round track, which could influence the odds on betting sites heading into the weekend.
Our first tip of the day comes in the Champions Sprint Stakes where Tim Easterby's Art Power is ready to defend his title again.
The grey surprised many last year with a superb performance at Ascot to win as a 40/1 outsider. This time, horse racing betting sites price him at 25/1 so he could be worth another punt although how often does lightning really strike twice?
Soft conditions are very much to his liking, and he faces up against the horse he beat 12 months ago, Kinross, who is strongly fancied by the bookmakers. He is currently second in the market at 5/1 behind the favourite Montassib at 9/2.
The six-year-old Montassib was a shock 25-1 winner of the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock last month, holding off both Kind of Blue and Unequal Love.
The James Fanshawe-trained Kind of Blue led going into the final furlong on that occasion, only to lose out by a the finest margins. That was the second race in a row Kind of Blue had been edged out of first and if he can find a bit extra, he may reverse the Sprint Cup result.
British Champions Day prediction 1: Kind of Blue – 10/1
The five-year-old Facteur Cheval could go close in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes as the soft ground could really suit as he bids to go one better than last year when he finished runner-up to Big Rock.
Charyn is the big favourite on most betting apps to win this on his return to Ascot, where he won the Queen Anee Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.
Facteur Cheval came home sixth on that occassion, but conditions will be very different on Saturday and the Jerome Reynier-trained runner, who started the season by winning the Dubai Turf (G1T) in the spring, is an interesting runner at prices around 8/1.
British Champions Day prediction 2: Facteur Cheval to win – 8/1
The Champion Stakes is amongst the most valuable races during the European Flat racing season with £1.3m in prize money up for grabs.
Based on those numbers we probably shouldn't be surprised that the favourite is Economics at 5/4. He has been confirmed as an intended starter at Ascot, whatever the weather on Saturday, but his only defeat came on debut at Newmarket last November, on heavy ground.
Calandagan is 7/4 on gambling sites after an excellent season in which he won the King Edward VII Stakes and finished second in the Juddmonte International.
You can get 7/1 on the winner of the Irish Derby, Los Angeles, who also came third in the recent Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, which was one for the mud lovers. Aidan O'Brien has only once trainer the winner of this race – Magical in 2019 – but Los Angeles has shown enough to suggest he could give him a second victory.
British Champions Day prediction 3: Los Angeles – 7/1 e/w
British Champions features six competive races for punters to take note of and there's an opportunity to earn free bets to wager on Saturday's action.
Using the Betfred promo code WELCOME50, new customers can get £50 in free bets, all of which can be wagered on racing, when they deposit and bet £10 after opening an account.
Before having a bet this weekend, it's worth being reminded of the importance of responsible gambling.
Betting can be addictive and it's important to stay in control of your betting. Never treat gambling as a way to make money, never bet more than you can afford and when the fun stops, stop.
Online bookmakers offer punters tools, like deposit limits, profit and loss trackers and self exclusion options, to help them stay in control.
But if you ever feel like you need help or advice on gambling addiction, don't hesitate to contact one of the charities or organisations below.
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