Rest of Champions Day

the remainder of Champions Day at Ascot is also of great interest, with four more top races. The most popular winner of the day would undoubtedly be the Queen´s Estimate (Sir Michael Stoute/ Ryan Moore) in the opening Long Distance Cup at 14.45 CET. The 4yo daughter of Monsun has everything in her favour today. She has not run since winning the Gold Cup here in June, but runs best fresh.

She is unbeaten in 3 starts at Ascot, including twice over this CD, and soft ground should hold no problems for her. It is difficult to find an alternative, as the otjhers have been running against each with varying success all season. The consistent Ahzeemah (Saeed bin Suroor/ Silvestre de Sousa) has never yet been out of the money and has been first or second in his last 11 starts; he should certainly be placed again, but we cannot see him beating Estimate. Aiken (John Gosden/ Richard Hughes) was runner-up here last year and although his 2013 form is poor, should again get involved, while last year´s winning team of Dermot Weld and Pat Smullen are now represented by Pale Mimosa. However the improving 3yo Eye of the Storm (Aidan O´Brien/ Willi Lee) could be the better Irish hope. But basically it should be "hats off for the Queen!"

It could be a big day for Monsun, as apart from Estimate, he has Triple Threat in the big one, and we also fancy Maxios (Jonathan Pease/ Stephane Pasquier) in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes over a mile at 16.30. He has been tried over various distances, but in our view a straight mile on soft ground is ideal and his last performance was most impressive. Olympic Glory (Richard Hannon/ Richard Hughes) came close to defeating the top class Moonlight Cloud at Deauville, and we prefer him to 2,000 Guineas winner Dawn Approach (Jim Bolger/ Kevin Manning) and the South African Soft Falling Rain (Mike de Kock/ Paul Hanagan). Gordon Lord Byron (Tom Hogan/ Johnny Murtagh) is a horse we like, but this distance is probably too far for him.

The two top-rated runners in the Fillies & Mares Stakes at 15.55 are French hope Dalkala (Alain de Royer-Dupré/ Christophe Soumillon) and Germany´s Nymphea (Peter Schiergen/ Andrasch Starke). We would love to see Nymphea win, but this ground will not be to her liking and we prefer the French filly, but Oaks winner Talent (Ralph Beckett/ Jim Crowley) and Hot Snap (Lady Cecil/ James Doyle) are also dangers.

The Sprint Stakes over 6 furlongs at 15.20 is another race with a really strong field, and the Irish are likely to dominate here. Maarek (Barry Lalor/ Declan McDonagh) and Eddie Lynam´s pair Slade Power (Wayne Lordan) and Viztoria (Pat Smullen) make a strong team. Maarek won this last year and showed tremendous speed to win at Longchamp last time; he loves the soft ground and has to be the selection. Best of the Brits are Jack Dexter (Jim Goldie/ Graham Lee) and Sirius Prospect (Dean Ivory/ Robert Winston).