The 2018 Champions Sprint Stakes betting tips given by Horsebetting.com experts say Librisa Breeze is worth backing to defend his title in the 6f Group 1 sprinters’ contest on British Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday, 20 October. The Tin Man is feared most off the back of his success at the highest level in similar conditions last time out, meanwhile. Tasleet is another that goes well on the ground, so is a solid each-way alternative to consider. Oue 2018 Champions Sprint Stakes betting tips preview has more details about why you should back these horses.Librisa Breeze the bet to retain Champions Sprint crownLibrisa Breeze looks decent value to retain his crown in the Group 1 Champions Sprint Stakes over 6f at Ascot on Saturday (14:00). The Dean Ivory trained gelding boasts a terrific strike rate of 43 per cent at the Berkshire venue, having won three times and been placed once from seven starts and relishes testing conditions.
The six-year-old is a hold-up performer who needs delivering at the last possible moment. That means he needs a clear passage in-running and gaps to appear at the right time. It has resulted in many luckless runs for Librisa Breeze, but he has a potent turn of foot when things drop right and showed when landing the spoils in this 12 months ago.
After being held-up well off the pace by regular pilot Robert Winston, Librisa Breeze made stealthy headway travelling strongly approaching the final furlong. He then found himself trapped behind a wall of horses at a crucial stage, but when an inch of daylight did appear he squeezed through the narrow gap and quickened smartly to beat Tasleet by 1 1/4 lengths.
He now meets that rival on the same terms, so there is no real reason why the placings should not be confirmed. Librisa Breeze also had the re-opposing Harry Angel, The Tin Man and Brando in-behind – in fourth, fifth and sixth respectively – so also holds that trio of rivals if turning up in the same form.
Librisa Breeze has had just four starts this year and failed to make the frame. However, all those runs have come on good ground or quicker, and he was far from disgraced two starts back when a 4 1/4 lengths fourth of 20 to Polydream over an extended 6f in the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville.
The son of Mount Nelson now finally gets the soft ground that he needs to be seen to best effect, and also comes into the race fresher than most at his favourite stomping ground. It gives him major claims of notching back-to-back successes on the pick of his form, so Librisa Breeze looks the value punt at the odds on offer at the time of writing and thus features as the main selection in our 2018 Champions Sprint Stakes betting tips.The Tin Man a formidable opponentThe Tin Man has won three of his seven starts over course and distance and looks the obvious danger to Librisa Breeze. This six-year-old, who hails from the Newmarket yard of James Fanshawe, has a tremendous strike rate of 45 per cent having won nine of his 20 career starts.
He showed his customary late burst of speed to beat Tasleet in last year’s Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, and was far from disgraced in the same race three starts back when beaten just over a length into fourth by Merchant Navy having not endured the clearest of passages.
The Tin Man also shaped much better than the bare result suggest next time up when a three-length third of 20 to Polydream in the Group 1 Prix Maurice De Gheest at Deauville, where he found himself with a mountain to climb from a poor draw and did all his best work at the finish.
That run suggested his time was near and the son of Equiano comes into the race having resumed winning ways in the Group 1 Sprint Cup at Haydock, on very heavy ground, by half-a-length from Brando. The Tin Man was ridden for the first time that day by Oisin Murphy and took up the running entering the final furlong.
He arguably hit the front too soon, but was always holding the runner-up and value for more than the winning margin. Murphy, who is once again in the saddle, will have learned plenty from that and is sure to hold onto The Tin Man for longer this time around.
So, at a track which suits, and on ground which he handles, there is no reason why he should not be bang there at the business end of affairs. The Tin Man is therefore feared most in these 2018 Champions Sprint Stakes betting tips if repeating his Haydock form.Tasleet holds each-way claims Given that the aforementioned Tasleet ran so well in this last year when runner-up and needs soft ground to be seen at his best, he is another with claims in a wide-open renewal. This William Haggas trained son of Showcasing has also had just two runs this season, so comes into the race fresher than all of his rivals.
In the first of those in a Group 2 at The Curragh, he kept on nicely to finish a 2 3/4 lengths third of nine to subsequent Group 1 winner Merchant Navy. Tasleet was then not at his best last time out when eighth of 12 to The Tin Man in the Sprint Cup at Haydock, but was not given a hard time once it was clear he would not be winning.
The return to this venue may well see him put in an improved showing, as he also ran a cracker over course and distance when a neck runner-up to that same rival in the 2017 Diamond Jubilee Stakes when finishing off strongly to be gaining all the way to the line.
On that outing, there is little to choose between the pair and it’s worth bearing in mind that Tasleet was sent off the 6/1 second-favourite last month’s Sprint Cup – a point shorter than The Tin Man. Far better was clearly expected that day and the pair are rated the same with both on a mark of 117.
So, at the odds on offer, Tasleet looks real value to make the frame and therefore had to feature as the each-way punt in our 2018 Champions Stakes betting tips in a race in which a case can be made for many.Your Next Bet
