2023 British Champions Day Betting Tips – Palace Pier Among Your Best Bets at Ascot
Ascot Betting Tips · -
Author:
Dave Metcalf
Publish Date:
Thursday, 15th Oct 2020
Topic:
Horsebetting Tip
Experiences:
Our expert in-house tipster
Topic:
Horsebetting Tip
Experiences:
Our expert in-house tipster
Dave Metcalf has over 35 years of experience in the media industry having worked for regional and national newspapers. He is a life-long horse racing and football fan, and has done interviews on various radio and TV stations, including talkSPORT and Sky Sports, whilst working as a PR frontman for major betting firm Betfred.
Dave has written for At The Races, provided betting previews for the 2010 World Cup via a website he owned. It was the first time they had covered any football event. He also appeared weekly on Sing When You’re Winning – football and general sports betting show on MUTV to provide odds and tips alongside former Manchester United striker Lou Macari.
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes betting tips – Palace Pier can sail to success
Having won all his three starts in the manner of a top notch prospect, Palace Pier looks a worthy red-hot favourite to maintain his unbeaten record in the 1m Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on a stellar British Champions Day card at Ascot this Saturday (15:05).
This John Gosden trained three-year-old has done nothing but improve since making an impressive racecourse debut at Sandown 14 months ago and following-up at the same venue on his final start as a juvenile.
After winning on seasonal reappearance in an all-weather handicap at Newcastle, he took the step up into Group 1 company in his stride when beating Pinatubo by a length in the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes over this course and distance at the Royal meeting back in June.
Following a break, the son of Kingman then made it five on the bounce with a classy display in the Group 1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville.
His success in France oozed class. Under a confident ride from Frankie Dettori, Palace Pier raced in last place for much of the straight mile contest.
When asked to make a move, he then responded generously and quickened clear to comfortably beat Jessica Harrington’s Coronation Stakes winner Alpine Star by three-quarters of a length.
Group 1 winners Circus Maximus and Romanised finishing third and fifth respectively, so the form has a rock solid look.
As a result, Palace Pier is the highest rated miler in the world off 126. It gives him 6lb and upwards in hand on his rivals. That makes him very hard to oppose and odds of 8/11 with Betfair thus look fully justified.
Open Account Offer
Bet £10 & Get £50 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365.
Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply.
Place a qualifying £25 fixed odds bet at odds of 1/2 or greater. Qualifying bet cannot be placed in-play or cashed out early. T&Cs apply
Long Distance Cup betting tips – Stradivarius a cut-above rivals
In the 2m Group 2 Long Distance Cup that gets proceedings underway (13:20), all eyes will be on the world’s top-rated Flat stayer Stradivarius as he attempts to regain his crown.
The brilliant six-year-old, bred and owned by Bjorn Nielsen, won the Goodwood Cup for a record fourth time at Goodwood in July. Prior to that, he had landed the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot for the third time the previous month.
Stradivarius has won a record 13 races that fall under the QIPCO British Champions Series umbrella, including this contest in 2018.
In total, the Gosden trained son of Sea The Stars has run 13 times over two miles or further and been beaten just twice – when a length third to Order Of St George as a three-year-old in the 2017 running of this contest and when pipped a nose by Kew Gardens in last year’s pulsating renewal.
Stradivarius comes into this on the back of a solid seventh 6 3/4 lengths seventh of 15 to Sottsass in the the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe over 1m 4f at Longchamp in a race run at a slow gallop which didn’t play to his strengths.
The step back up in trip is sure to see Stradivarius in a far better light. An official rating of 125 puts him in a different league to his 12 rivals.
He also has proven winning form on the forecast testing ground and is now reunited with regular partner Frankie Dettori, who opted to ride Enable in the Arc.
On all known form, this looks Stradivarius’s for the taking. He can be backed at 10/11 with Unibet to notch a 17th career success.
Sprint Stakes betting tips – Lope Y Fernandez appeals each-way
With proven form over further, Lope Y Fernandez makes plenty of each-way appeal in the 6f Group 1 British Champions Sprint Stakes (13:55).
Trained by Aidan O’Brien, this three-year-old colt shaped really well on seasonal reappearance when a 2 1/2 lengths third of 11 to Siskin in the Irish 2000 Guineas over a mile at The Curragh.
After then flopping in the Commonwealth Cup over 6f at Royal Ascot, he then went down all guns blazing by just three-quarters of a length to Pinatubo in a Group 1 contest over the 7f trip of this at Deauville.
Lope Y Fernandez backed that up with a fine run in the Group 1 Prix Maurice De Gheest over an extended 6f at the same venue when a length third of 11 to Space Blues.
After racing towards the rear under Ryan Moore, the son of Lope De Vega stayed on strongly to be nearest at the finish.
He then ran a similar sort of race last time out in the Group 1 Sprint Cup over 6f at Haydock when getting outpaced a furlong from home before rallying strongly to finish a 4 1/2 lengths seventh of 13 to Dream Of Dreams on soft ground.
Lope Y Fernandez obviously has work to do to gain his revenge on the winner, who heads the betting for this, but having been placed in a Classic he has for in the book which commands him the utmost respect.
This is also likely to be an even more gruelling test than at Haydock, so that will bring his stamina into play if it turns into a slog.
Hence, at 14/1 with William Hill who are paying four places, Lope Y Fernandez had to feature as the each-way punt in this British Champions Day betting tips preview.
Fillies & Mares Stakes betting tips – Antonia De Vega value in hat-trick bid
Trainer Ralph Beckett has his team in good form at present, so the in-form Antonia De Vega looks decent value to provide him with another winner in the 1m 4f Group 1 Fillies & Mares Stakes (14:30).
The four-year-old ran well in this 12 months ago when a four-length sixth of 12 to Star Catcher before going on to round off the campaign with a fine close-up third in a Group 1 in Munich.
Antonia De Vega was then on the sidelines for 22 days before making a winning return to action in a Listed contest at Pontefract in June when readily fending off the late challenge of La Lune to score by half-a-length.
This daughter of Lope De Vega has since followed-up in a Group 3 at Newmarket last month where she only had to be ridden out to account for Aplinista by a comfortable half-length.
The front two pulled 14 lengths clear of the third home. It was a taking display, given that Antonia De Vega was giving 7lb to the runner-up who was rated 6lb higher than her going into the contest.
Alpinista had also ran very well prior to that when chasing home dual Classic winner Love in the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks, so that gives the form a solid look.
Antonia De Vega is clearly at the top of her game and appears to have strengthened up significantly this season and is now starting to look like the finished article.
She is also two from four over the trip, has winning form on soft ground and gives particularly well for jockey Harry Bentley who is once again in the saddle
So, in what looks a wide-open renewal of the Fillies & Mares, Antonia De Vega makes plenty appeal at the 5/1 on offer with Betfair.
Champion Stakes betting tips – Magical looks just the trick once again
In the 1m 2f Group 1 Champion Stakes (15:40), Magical looks a worthy market leader to make it three wins on the bounce at this prestigious one day meeting.
This Aidan O’Brien trained five-year-old mare is a top class and ultra-tough sort who has won 12 of her 25 starts and also been placed on six occasions.
She landed the Group 1 Fillies and Mares Stakes here in 2018 and followed up in this contest 12 months later when getting the better of Addeybb by three-quarters of a length on her final start of the season.
Following 253 days on the sidelines, Magical then looked as good as ever on return to action at The Curragh when easily beating Cayenne Pepper by 4 1/2 lengths in the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes.
The daughter of Galileo went on to register a sixth win at the highest level when beating stable companion Sir Dragonet by 2 1/4 lengths in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the same venue, before finishing a solid three-length runner-up to Ghaiyyath in the Group 1 Juddmonte International at York.
Magical comes into this having gained her revenge on the Charlie Appleby trained winner when keeping on strongly to assert close home and score by 3/4 of a length in the Group 1 Irish Stakes at Leopardstown.
As Ghaiyyath went into that on the back of a hat-trick of Group 1 successes, and the fourth home Sottsass has since landed the Arc, the form looks outstanding.
A repeat of that run is going to make Magical hard to beat and she is a consistent sort who can be guaranteed to run her race. Therefore, odds of 2/1 with Bet365 for her to retain her crown look very tempting.
Open Account Offer
Bet £10 & Get £50 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365.
Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply.
New 18+ UK customers only. Register using the promo code WELCOME40, deposit and place first bet of £10+ on Sports (cumulative Evens+) within 7 days of registration. First bet must be on Sports. £30 in Free Bets and £10 in Free Spins (50x20p) credited within 10 hours of bet settlement. Free Bet stakes are not included in any returns. Bonuses have a 7-day expiry. Payment restrictions apply. SMS verification and/or Proof of I.D and address may be required
T&Cs apply. New reg only. Claim by placing a min deposit £10 via "My Offers" page within 30 days. Skrill/Neteller deposits excl. 7 days to stake max £10 in-play. Max. extra winnings £100. 18+ BeGambleAware.org.
Open Account Offer
Bet £10 & Get £50 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365.
Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply.
Qualifying bet must be placed at the normal odds • max bet £5 • Extra winnings paid in FREE BETS and added within 72 hrs of qualifying bet settlement • Free bet stakes not included in bet returns • Free bets expire 7 days after credit • This offer may not be combined with any other offer • Full T&C’s apply
