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.

Baldomero’s form had taken a dip during the summer, and he has dropped rapidly down the weights, as a result. 

He was, however, in good form at the back end of last year and, even if he weren’t to win this race, he looks one to be with on the all-weather on the run up to Christmas, so is worth adding to your Racing TV Tracker.

Baldomero is definitely on the way back to top form, based on recent efforts, and was beaten narrowly, despite being drawn on the wrong side, in a big-field handicap at York last time out. 

That run came in a 0-95 handicap, and this is a 0-80 grade, so is a considerably weaker affair, and one which, on recent and previous form, he could easily win.

Vince Le Prince was well backed when I tipped him up to win over course and distance last time out. He scored in decent style, thankfully, and I think the Tim Easterby-trained gelding could have been put up more than the 2lb the assessor raised him for that victory.

This race is arguably more competitive, but he is well suited by this track and trip having won here off a much higher mark in the past. 

There is no doubt this gelding lost his form when trained by Jack Channon, but the signs are that, since moving to Ireland and joining Stephen Thorne, he is on his way back to his best.

His best run last season came at Haydock when he was third to subsequent Group One performer Zeus Olympios in a Group Three event, and he was raised to a mark of 106 after that excellent effort. 

He is back down to a mark of 99 for this race, but arrives here after just two promising runs for his new trainer. 

The selection was only beaten two lengths when seventh, after not getting a clear run through, at the Curragh on his stable debut, and improved on that run last time out when suffering traffic problems again. 

He caught the eye there, and those runs were over seven furlongs, but I believe he will be better suited by the extra furlong on Saturday. He's my nap of the day, and is chalked up at 11-1, at the time of writing on Friday afternoon.

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