Champions Day: Jack Nicol's Placepot picks plus watch our preview

I'm really looking forward to QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday. The softer ground usually plays a part, as it has again this year with three of the races switching to the Inner Course, but virtually all of the season's big stars are turning up and it should be a quality day's racing with four Group One races on the card.

I've got a perm consisting of 36 lines to consider for Saturday's card. 

Best of luck with whatever you're playing. Myself, Joey Laver and Frankie Foster also discussed the card on Thursday night. You can watch that by clicking below.

I must admit that I was surprised to see Kyprios declared for the Long Distance Cup, particularly just a fortnight after a workmanlike success in the Prix du Cadran at Longchamp. It’s a Group Two event but the line-up is top class and has the prize money to match with over £250,000 to the winner.

The six-year-old is unbeaten in six starts this term, the same six races he won as a four-year-old, but in 2022 connections opted against a tilt at rounding off the season here. They’re obviously happy to have a go this time around but he could be feeling the effects of a long season and was, of course, beaten in this race by Trawlerman 12 months ago.

With all that said, the Galileo colt has still took his form to loftier heights in 2024, cementing his status as one the best stayers this century, and it is almost impossible to see him out of the places even if he isn’t quite at peak levels.

Trawlerman and Al Nayyir arrive fresh after light summer campaigns and will be sure to lay down one of the sternest challenges Kyprios has faced this year, but ultimately it is a test which I think he will pass once again.

Selection: Kyprios (5)

I may be reluctant to take on Kyprios in the opener but I think the favourites elsewhere on the card could be vulnerable, particularly on this softer ground.

The sprinting division lacks a standout this year and Montassib spring a surprise when landing the Group One Haydock Sprint Cup last time, with many of these in behind, at odds of 25/1. That was a bolt out of the blue but the six-year-old was favoured by the track position and held-up off a ferocious gallop. 

With that in mind, I think you could mark up the efforts of Kind Of Blue and Swingalong. The former was up there throughout and only gave best to the winner in the closing stages on what was only his sixth career start and clearly has plenty more to offer for trainer James Fanshawe.

Swingalong disappointed in seventh but travelled up the near-rail which meant she ultimately had little chance against those who raced up the centre. She may now be 0-8 in Group One company but was second in the Jubilee Stakes and July Cup respectively and absolutely has the class to feature here for Karl Burke.

Finally, I’m keen to add the French raider Beauvatier. I thought he was a huge eye-catcher last time out in the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp, where he flew home from off the pace under over-exaggerated waiting tactics and ultimately giving too much rope to Ramatuelle and Kinross.

Indeed, the four-year-old covered the final three furlongs quicker than any other horse in the race and this stiff six furlongs should be tailor made for the colt. He looks to be one flying under the radar.

Selections: Beauvatier (12), Kind Of Blue (16) & Swingalong (17)

Pre-race favourite Kalpana has been weak in the market since declarations for the Fillies & Mares on Thursday and I'd have worries about the ground for Andrew Balding's progressive filly. She's also been on the go all season, making her debut in January and I fear it could be one too many times to the well this season.

Tiffany looks rock solid for Placepot purposes for trainer Sir Mark Prescott. She's elevated her form this season and is arguably unlucky not to be unbeaten having won three of her four starts so far this term. That defeat came at Haydock back in July but was one of the horses who slipped on the bend that day on a card which was later abandoned. She's since produced a career-best in a German Group Two at Baden-Baden in August and this has been the target ever since. Proven in soft ground, she's sure to be one of the key players.

German raider Quantanamera is also interesting and she also arrives on the back of a career-best where she slammed the talented Arrest by a widening four lengths in a Group Two at Deauville. The ground will not be an issue at all and she could be undervalued in the Placepot for her relatively unknown trainer Andreas Suborics.

Selections: Quantanamera (2) & Tiffany (7)

Tamfana would be one of my strongest fancies on Saturday's card and I think she holds leading claims in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes over the Straight Mile.

She was pretty unlucky not to win the Guineas earlier in the season, finding all sorts of trouble in-running at Newmarket, and ran creditably when stepping up in trip on her next two starts. She's since returned to a mile and regained the winning thread with commanding victories, including last time out with a breakthrough Group One success in the Sun Chariot Stakes back on the Rowley Mile ealrier this month.

The consistent Charyn sets a decent standard and while I am keen to take him on, it is difficult to see him out of the places. Roger Varian has placed him beautifully this season with two Group One victories to his name and he's offers strong insurance for Placepot purposes.

Selections: Charyn (1) & Tamfana (13)

On paper, the race of the day should be the clash between Economics and Calandagan in the Group One Champion Stakes over 10 furlongs. The French raider has assumed favouritism since declarations but there is little between them in the market. The pair are clear on ratings and the winner should come from this duo. 

My preference would be for the William Haggas-trained Economics who looks most comfortable at this trip and should have plenty more to offer having only had five starts to date.

The big worry for the son of Night Of Thunder would be the testing ground but his trainer is confident he will suit some ease underfoot and has been campaigned sparingly after bypassing the Epsom Derby following a runaway success in the Dante Stakes back in May. Connections' patience has since been rewarded with victories at Deauville and Leopardstown, with the colt battling bravely to land the Irish Champion Stakes from a charging Auguste Rodin last time out.

Hopefully we will see a crowning performance from Economics before returning next season as a four-year-old.

Selection: Economics (8)

The big betting race of the day comes in the Balmoral Handicap and 20 runners are set to head to post. This race could separate the wheat from the chaff in terms of the Placepot, so I'm happy to take three selections into the finale.

Typically, you'd be looking at those drawn in the high numbers at Ascot but with the ground changing in the autumn, it is those drawn low-middle who tend to come to the fore. I'm therefore sweet on the chances of State Actor from one of the plum draws in stall two. The four-year-old was mighty impressive when winning at The Curragh back in May and was only just run down over the same course-and-distance in a top handicap in August. I suspect this has been the plan ever since and he still looks to have a bit up his sleeve from a rating of 95 for his trainer Bill Farrell.

The same cannot be said of Holloway Boy who holds no secrets from the assessor and comes here from a lofty rating of 110 following a career-best effort when winning at Haydock last time out. That's strong form with subsequent Group Two winner Prague behind him that day and it bodes well that William Buick is keen to take the ride once again. The four-year-old loves the track at Ascot and I can see another bold showing once again.

Finally, I'd be happy to take a chance on Mirsky at a much bigger price. He has a poor draw in stall 19 but David O'Meara loves to target the race having won three of the last seven renewals and Mirsky could bounce back to form on this testing ground, having shown up well in testing conditions during his racing days in France. He'd previously split market principals Thunder Run and Holloway Boy in the big mile handicap at York's Ebor Meeting and a reproduction of that effort would see him in the mix.

Selections: Holloway Boy (1), State Actor (19) & Mirsky (20)