I’ve got a 14-1 Champions Day tip who is sure to surprise a few people at Ascot

6 hours ago 8

A STAR-STUDDED Ascot card deserves a staggering statistic. So let’s blow you away!

In 2023 this season’s monsters Bluestocking, Charyn, Kyprios and Economics were stuffed each and every time they ran with a record of 0 wins from 16 outings.

two horses are racing on a track and one is wearing a blue jacket with the number 1 on it

Chappers reckons Kyprios can get the better of Trawlerman in their rematch[/caption]

But what a difference a year makes.

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In 2024 those figures read 18 victories from 22 appearances! Like OMG. I bet you can hardly believe it.

Last weekend, Bluestocking romped to success in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, and Charyn, Kyprios and Economics promise to play huge parts during this afternoon’s QIPCO Champions Day.

That’s why this is a game of hope, of dreams and sometimes of magical ecstasy.

That’s certainly what at least six connections will feel today and I can’t wait for the action to get under way and to be part of the ITV coverage of each and every contest.

Kicking off the big-race extravaganza is the Group 2 Long Distance Cup.

This is where star stayer KYPRIOS (1.20) lines up and it’s not imaginative that he’s my idea of the winner.

Quite simply, Aidan O’Brien’s challenger, ridden by Ryan Moore, is the best in the business at this trip, and like all the main protagonists he goes in the mud.

The Ascot Gold Cup hero has been brilliant this season, and while he was beaten in this last year by the re-opposing Trawlerman I fully expect The Euphrates to be a pain for the Godolphin runner who likes to race up with the pace.

Sweet William is a cracking each-way bet if you don’t want to back one at short odds, as I can’t see him out the first three.

The first Group 1 of the day is the Champions Sprint.

Again, a lot of the big guns enjoy juice in the surface including the 2022 hero and last year’s runner-up Kinross. He could easily score.

The one I like each-way never wins, but I’m sure has the ability to do so and that is the French raider BEAUVATIER (1.55) who goes for Yann Barberot and Alexis Pouchin.

My selection was one place behind Kinross in the Foret last time and stayed on well.

He was also third behind Lazzat in the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest where the likes of Mill Stream were beaten off.

A strong gallop in the mud here should be just what the three-year-old needs and he might surprise a few.

In the mile and a half Group 1 QIPCO Fillies and Mares Stakes I’ll be with QUANTANAMERA (2.35) for Stephane Pasquier and Andreas Suborics.

The four-year-old looked really good at Deauville last time when beatingArrest in the Grand Prix de Deauville and while the latter doesn’t always battle he travelled like a machine for much of the event.

I suspect Quantanamera is improving.

Kalpana is talented and Content will enjoy going back to this trip but I’m happy to stick with the German raider.

The QEII gives Prague the chance of a fairytale win for Dylan Cunha, but the chances are CHARYN (3.15) will confirm his status as the best older miler in Europe.

Roger Varian’s hero was a little like Bluestocking last season in being a nearly horse, but this time he has come good with wins in the Queen Anne and Jacques le Marois.

For many the main event of the day is the Group 1 Champion Stakes over a mile and a quarter.

Economics is the great hope for the future and I hope he wins, but I’m happy to side with French challenger CALANDAGAN (3.55) who for me has the best form in the book.

The Francis-Henri Graffard raider will be tucked in on the rail and he was simply brilliant here in the King Edward VII when slamming a poor field by six lengths.

Then he went to York and from miles off the gallop charged home into a closing second behind City of Troy. Back form suggests he loves the mud.

Of the outsiders I’m going to have something eachway on Continuous who ran a shocker in the Arc the other day but is much better than that. His St Leger victory was a fine one.

Champions Day ends with the Balmoral Handicap over a mile.

A low draw might be an advantage here — it was when this column banged in Volterra the other day in a similar event — and STATE ACTOR (4.35) might be one to look at each-way for Chris Hayes and Bill Farrell.

My selection is up 4lb for a second to Wigmore Street in the Irish Cambridgeshire.

What a day. Yeeehaaa!