Five horses to follow on Champions Day at Ascot

Tipster: Nic Doggett.

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Two of the first three home in last season’s inaugural Champions Day Two-Year-Old Conditions Stakes won by Mission Central already had a Group-race win to their name, while the fourth had a runner-up effort in a Group Two amongst his numerous runs. It was the winner’s sixth outing of the year, the hardy runner-up's 11th, and the third horse’s fifth. With no penalties for wins earlier in the season, it looks another race that could be ripe for superstars to plunder at some point, but I’m not sure that’s the case just yet. 

The message seems to be that you need a touch of class and plenty of experience, which means that the sales race regulars Night In Vegas and Satellite Of Love could both be overpriced at 8-1. I’d be happy enough to dutch the pair at 7-2, but think the Eve Johnson Houghton runner will confirm the form. 

The last-named has a 5 lb pull for a half-length defeat at Doncaster last month, so there’s certainly a strong case to be made for him turning the tables having been impressive since in Redcar’s Two Year Old Trophy. Revels, who was fourth behind Nabati on his previous start in the Mill Reef, was beaten a similar one and a quarter lengths into second at Redcar, so the form ties in nicely with the Group Two level of the Newbury race. 

His only ‘flop’ came when fifth behind Sun Goddess at York, but he was given a much more passive ride that day which didn’t make best use of his main asset: natural pace. Hopefully Rossa Ryan takes him forward here as he did on Town Moor. 

But Night In Vegas raced on the wing for a long way before crossing over at Newmarket last time, so I think that performance can be upgraded, and it feels like he has improved again; perhaps enough to cover that 5 lb swing, especially having shown his effectiveness for this track when a closing fifth – coming from much further back than most of those who finished ahead of him - in the Coventry back in June. 

Nabati’s stablemate Inner City Blues heads the betting from Arapaho Gold (third to Nabati at Newbury under a 3 lb penalty), but he’s short enough after his underwhelming run in the Middle Park, while I’m not sure this stiff finish will be a perfect match for Arapaho Gold’s keenness. 

If there’s another that’s overpriced, I think it’s 25-1 chance Adaay of Scarlett who has been campaigned in a similarly aggressive manner to the yard’s Ardisia who was second last year. This course winner has a bit more class (three runner-up efforts in Group Twos), holds several of these on his Coventry second, and travelled well for a long way when eventually a fading sixth in the Mill Reef. But he’s since had a gelding operation, which could go either way in terms of his next run. 

Tipster: Dave Nevison.

READ MORE ➡️ Dave Nevison's Champions Day tips: 11-1 Ascot nap plus other bets

It definitely looked as though we may have had a very good winner of the St Leger this season in Highwayman, and I am hopeful this progressive, young stayer can boost the standing of the Doncaster Classic by following up, and beating his elders here. 

Highwayman has progressed rapidly with each run since he has been stepped up in trip, and is likely to be well suited by going even further here. He is certainly trained by the right man in Joseph O’Brien, and even though his jockey hasn’t yet ridden a winner since he returned from injury, Highwayman couldn’t be in better hands with Dylan Browne McMonagle aboard.

Tipster: Alex Scott.

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If there is one horse that is there to be taken on at Ascot on Saturday then it looks to be Almeraq. The William Haggas-trained colt has been a revelation this year, winning two Group One contests, including at this track, but he faces totally different ground conditions to his impressive Sprint Cup win and is as short as 11-8 in a 16-runner sprint.

Already advised for this race, I remain keen on the each-way chances of Mitbaahy, who is a best-priced 33-1 at the time of writing. Confidence in the selections has increased given the forecast pace and conditions, plus the eye-catching booking of Saffie Osborne, who rides the straight course at Ascot almost better than anyone in the weighing room.

Mitbaahy is relatively lightly-raced in recent years and was particularly eye-catching at Kempton last month when he stayed on well from the rear to finish within a length of the winner Kind Of Blue.

He had previously missed the break in the course and distance Wokingham Stakes at the Royal meeting but did well to finish fifth, beaten just over two lengths by the rapidly progressive Double Rush.

He then ran a huge race at Glorious Goodwood where he finished third in the Stewards' Cup, faring best of those from a high draw and finishing first in his group. 

Charlie Hills has won this race before and, given he mentioned the Group One Prix Maurice de Gheest as a potential target for Mitbaahy after his Goodwood run, he is clearly highly regarded. Expect him to come fast and late.

Tipster: Martin Dixon.

It's understandable that the two three-year-olds, Gstaad and Talk Of New York, head the market for this year's Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, but I'm willing to take a pop each-way at a bigger price with More Thunder for William Haggas and Tom Marquand.

He has been very consistent since joining the Haggas yard at the start of the 2025 season, and he has a particularly good record on straight tracks in strongly-run races. He's a contender who takes a lot of winding up in his races, so a high tempo and a straight track with a stiff finish are his absolute optimum. He gets those conditions on Saturday, and he was back to his very best when winning the Park Stakes at Doncaster last time out.

This shouldn't be overly tactical, which should see him in his best light, and I'd expect him to at least give you a good run for your money if you back him each-way.

Tipster: Andy Stephens (RaceiQ).

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I don’t see this ending any different to last year when Calandagan beat Ombudsman and Alamqam after Devil’s Advocate had helped set the pace. There were no excuses for anyone on the day; Calandagan simply had too much pace when it mattered most. 

Maybe William Buick, on Ombudsman, will try and play things differently by either sitting closer to Calandagan or getting in front of him, but he’s always adopted a sit-and-stalk approach up to now. 

The sectionals tell us Ombudsman was 0.23sec behind Calandagan after a furlong last year and that the gap had grown to 0.3sec after half a mile (about two lengths). After a mile, he trailed by only 0.04sec and was in full flow, but Calandagan had more reserves late in the scene and ended up beating him by 0.40sec (the biggest margin between them in the race). He's an exceptional racehorse, impressing on the clock ever since chasing home City Of Troy in the Juddmonte International a couple of years ago.

Breaking down the furlongs to individual races, the score between them was 5-5. 

Alamqam was faster than the pair of them through the first six furlongs and led Calandagan by 1.1sec after six furlongs (about six lengths) but just could not handle his acceleration and ended up 0.67sec adrift. 

Bay City Roller has run five times over ten furlongs and been beaten every time, including by Alamqam, and has had only 13 days to catch his breath since the Arc. 

And Constitution River looks vulnerable after failing to get the job done in the Irish Champion after looking to have things in the bag a furlong out. He hung left and finished off in 12.57sec, only the fifth fastest of the eight runners. 

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