ITV Saturday Ascot British Champions Day Preview 2022

The first race of the afternoon from Ascot on British Champions Day is the Group Two Long Distance Cup and we are siding with St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov to take advantage of the 9lb weight difference with Trueshan.

A winner on his sole start as a juvenile over 1m 1/2f at Nottingham, he was saved for his three year old campaign and picked up from where he left off at Newcastle over 1m2f, beating Post Impressionist.

Stepped up in trip for the Group Two Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot having his first at 1m6f, he revelled in the distance to get up close home to land the hat-trick.

Dropped down to 1m4f for the Group One Grand Prix de Paris he never got into the race being too far back and was only fourth of six, but after that was given a little break.

Returning back at 1m6f in the last Classic event of the season he went on to take the St Leger fairly easily in the end getting better with each run and stepping up a further 2f, getting weight off some of the big guns, he looks a big player.

Next up is the first Group One of the day with the British Champions Sprint Stakes and we are taking a bit of a punt on Brad The Brief for trainer Hugo Palmer from stall 5.

A different animal under Hugo Palmer this season having switched from Tom Dascombe he has been seen twice this term and landed both events in good style.

Winning on his seasonal debut on soft ground at Haydock in a Conditions Stakes, he then went over to the Curragh and took the Group Two Greenlands Stakes from Mooniesta and A Case Of You.

Not seen since then being a non runner in two events that had good to firm ground, he has been waiting for a bit of juice in the ground and gets that in this event.

Will have to perform a career best effort but being fresher than most in the field and looked to have been saved for this, the five year old is big each way value at 14/1.

One of the best events on the Ascot card is the Group One British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes and we like the look of Eternal Pearl for Charlie Appleby seeking a five timer.

A well bred three year old daughter of Frankel, she has really showed big improvement all season, finishing third on debut at Newbury over 12f behind two nice types for William Haggas and Ralph Beckett.

Since then she has gone on to land a four-timer, bolting up in a Novice Stakes at Kempton by eight lengths and then going on to land the Listed Aphrodite Stakes on the July Course.

Sent to Deauville in the Group Three Prix Minerve when scoring easily, she made it four wins on the bounce when last seen at Newmarket in the Group Three Princess Royal Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Stakes.

Any rain should not scupper her plans if it comes ahead of Saturday and her progressive nature to date gives her a huge each way chance at 5/1.

Another filly we like in the event is the Willliam Haggas trained Sea La Rosa that looks a ridiculous price at around the 7/1 mark.

A very bright horse for William Haggas over the last two years, she has really kicked on this season making her seasonal debut over 1m4f at Haydock in a Group Three event and winning easily.

Sent into the Group Two Lancashire Oaks over the same C&D she was a brave second behind superstar Free Wind, but got back to winning ways next time out at Goodwood, tackling 1m6f for the first time and winning the Group Two Lillie Langtry Stakes.

Sent over to France for her last run in the Group Two Prix de Pomone she made it back to back wins at Deauville and going back up in trip last time out at ParisLongchamp on Arc weekend in the Group One Prix de Royallieu, she went on to win by a length.

Having performed well at this distance before she should have no problem dropping in trip and with a bit of juice in the ground she is a big contender.

Another top event in Britain's richest race day is the Group Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and Jadoomi for Simon & Ed Crisford has been supplemented for this event and if staying in his upward curve could get involved at around the 7/1 mark.

Seen three times this term he has really kicked on with his career, winning a Listed event on seasonal debut at Clairefontaine on good to soft ground and then next time out back in England made it 2/2 when taking the Group Two Celebration Mile, again on good to soft ground.

Looking to make it a hat-trick when sent to Leopardstown on Irish Champions Weekend in the Group Two Boomerang Mile he pulled away from a classy field to take the race with any amount in hand.

Having been supplemented for this race the Crisford team must think he is good enough to go close in this event and getting that bit of juice in the ground again he holds a big chance.

Very progressive talent.

The feature race of the afternoon at Ascot is the Group One Champion Stakes and with Baaeed having his swansong run and sure to be very tough to beat we have picked out himself but also an each way alternative.

The highly rated four year old only started his racecourse career at the start of June last year and has since gone on to win all seven of his events in fine style, winning more impressively each time.

Having landed a decent Maiden at Leicester on his debut, Haggas sent him into a Novices' event next time out at Newmarket and went on to bolt up by nearly eight lengths.

Firmly putting himself as a horse to follow, he improved once more to land the Listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes on the July Course, seeing off smart stars Maximal and One Ruler with ease.

Next time out at Glorious Goodwood he took on his toughest field yet in the Group Three Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes, but once again he took it in his stride and saw off El Drama by close to seven lengths.

All set for a step up to Group One company he went on to make it a perfect 5/5, landing the Prix du Moulin on his first trip to France.

Baaeed rounded off the season at Ascot on Champions Day when taking on the best miler in Europe Palace Pier and in a fight to the finish, the younger horse prevailed.

Back this season, he made his seasonal debut in the Group One Lockinge and blitzed a good field by close to four lengths and then went to Royal Ascot and took the Queen Anne Stakes in similar style.

Sent to Glorious Goodwood for the Sussex Stakes he won comfortably again and then in his step up to 1m2f last time out in the Juddmonte International he showed just how special he is to make it 10/10.

Taking on this Group One this weekend before going to stud, the colt is one of the greatest talents we have seen in the sport since his sire Frankel.

From an each way perspective and currently a double figure price is another for William Haggas with My Prospero looking sure to outrun his odds.

A model of consistency this term the son of Iffraaj has been seen four times this term, making his seasonal debut in a Maiden Stakes at Newbury when comfortably beating Britannia Stakes winner Thesis.

Kept at a mile for the Listed Heron Stakes at Sandown he was a very convincing winner of the event ahead of Reach For The Moon.

Stepped up massively in class to the Group One St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot he ran a cracker to finish third in a photo finish behind Coroebus and Lusail in a cracker of a race.

Sent to France when last seen up in trip to 1m2f he got back to winning ways when taking the Group Two Prix Eugene Adam and having been saved for this since July it would not be a surprise to see him go close.

Fascinating each way player.

The final event of the afternoon is the prestigious Balmoral Handicap over a mile and the progressive Blue For You for David O'Meara is a big contender.

Needing his seasonal/stable debut when seventh of nine at Beverley, he then went on a really progressive run of placing and winning in decent handicaps up and down the country.

A good third at Sandown over a mile he then went to York and finished a good second behind a progressive type for Karl Burke when the yard were in prime form.

Sent back to York he was narrowly behind Ghaly for Saaed bin Suroor and then dropped down to a mark of 93 he was second of 18 behind stablemate Orbaan in the Golden Mile Handicap at Glorious Goodwood.

Back up to 96 he got off the mark for the season when landing the Clipper Logistics Handicap at the Ebor meeting from stablemate Escobar.

Up to a mark of 102 back over 7f he was seventh of 17 at Ascot in the Challenge Cup not getting clear run and off the same mark, drawn well he should go better.