Five horses to follow on QIPCO British Champions Day

Tipster: Dave Nevison.

Best odds: Evens.

Whilst in the long term, it may be disappointing that this horse has been gelded, it certainly looks as though it might have helped him on the racecourse.

This valuable conditions race allows this Group Two winner to race against rivals whose form doesn’t come close on level terms and he looks a good bet even at short odds.

He won the Mill Reef at Newbury last time using his experience and determination to get the better of a good horse in Into The Sky, with the pair finishing four lengths clear of the field.

This ground versatile horse has already scored over this course and distance, and it is difficult to see him getting beat.

Tipster: Alex Scott.

Best odds: 25-1 (each-way).

Richard Newland and Jamie Insole’s four-year-old makes plenty of appeal each-way at a big price as you invariably need a strong stayer over this trip here and Witness Stand put up two top performances over 7f before standing virtually no chance last time from stall 15 in the Prix de la Foret.

Prior to his no-show at Longchamp, he had run away with the Lennox Stakes, beating Group One winners Lake Forest and Audience by two and three-quarter lengths and five lengths respectively, and he then finished second to the progressive More Thunder in the Hungerford Stakes.

Ground versatile, he is yet to run at Ascot, but I see no reason why this track will not play to his strengths, and rated 117, he is within 3lb of the favourite here according to the handicapper yet is available at 25-1 with four places on offer with many firms.

Tipster: Johnny Ward.

Best odds: 11-1 (each-way).

Tipster: Andy Stephens.

Best odds: 11-4.

You must journey back more than 40 years ago to find the last horse (Time Charter) with a King George and Champion Stakes on his/her CV, but Calandagan looks to have outstanding claims of bridging that gap. 

He’s a tad unlucky not to have already achieved the feat, having looked sure to win the Champion Stakes last year after leading deep inside the final furlong, only for the mud-loving Anmaat to collar him in the final strides. Perhaps it would have been a different story had he not met some trouble in running or challenged away from the rail, like the other winners on the card that day when the action took place on Ascot’s Inner Course. 

That was then, this is now. Calandagan has stuck to 12 furlongs this year, finding one too good in the Sheema Classic and Coronation Cup before finally gaining the top level victories his ability merits with successive wins in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. 

He was awesome in each, swamping top-class rivals for pace in the former, and then showing great acceleration to collar Kalpana at Ascot after giving that classy filly first run. 

If you have any quibbles about that form, cast your mind back to last year’s Juddmonte International when Calandagan swept from ninth to second in the final three furlongs before being unable to catch City Of Troy, who won in a record time. The supporting players included Bluestocking, who went on to win the Arc, and Japanese ace Durezza, subsequently touched off in the Japan Cup. 

I’ve no worries about Calandagan dropping back to ten furlongs as he has stacks of speed, and he clearly loves the demands of Ascot, too, having also bolted up in the King Edward VII Stakes last year. All ground seems to come alike to him, while the pacemakers signed up for this contest will help him as much, if not more, than his rivals. 

He's also coming here fresh after a deliberate decent break, like such as Farhh, Cracksman and Bay Bridge before him. There’s nothing not to like. 

Tipster: Harry Allwood.

Best odds: 8-1 (each-way).

It was no surprise Fifth Column was sent off a leading fancy for the bet365 Cambridgeshire given he had a throughly progressive profile for a three-year-old and arrived following a career-best effort at York.

However, things did not go to plan for him at Newmarket where he raced keenly over the longer trip plus found himself in the unfavoured near-side group. He eventually faded after briefly challenging a furlong out, but probably didn't see out the trip, and his early exertions would have taken their toll late on.

He was value for more than the winning margin suggests on the Knavesmire in August where he conceded first run when forced to wait for a gap, and did well to get on top close home in what looked a strong contest.

The form of his other two handicap victories this season have also worked out well, and he had excuses when beaten at Goodwood (didn't appear to handle the track or the ground) and Royal Ascot (drawn on the wrong side but first home in his group). 

Given he's a half-brother to Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner Royal Marine, and a UAE Group Two winner, his pedigree suggests he should have more to offer, and he remains relatively lightly-raced.

Returning to a mile will suit and his draw in stall 11 should allow him to get cover behind the leaders, so it is wise to think he will bounce back here. 

As highlighted by Andy Stephens in his Champions Day stats, trends and trivia article, the Gosdens are due a change of luck in the Balmoral Handicap, and while Fifth Column requires another career-best effort to defy a rating of 102, he ought to be on the premises. He rates a decent each-way bet at the 8-1 on offer, with some firms paying extra places.

Successful in the race back in 2023, Trawlerman is tough to oppose in the opening event of the day. Aided by the retirement of Kyprios, the seven-year-old has enjoyed his most successful season to date with three successive victories, headlined by Ascot Gold Cup victory.

I was particularly taken with his victory in the Lonsdale Cup last time out where he showed his relentless staying power to sustain the gallop and ultimately run out a comfortable winner.

Given his front-running tactics, he is able to get loose at Ascot and with ground conditions quick for the time of year, he should be able to get into a lovely rhythm out in front and see off old foe Sweet William and St Leger third Stay True who is respected in receipt of weight.