The British Champions Day at Ascot is an occasion to be savoured but also one of reflection as it marks the end of the flat racing season for the year.
It also marks that dreaded run up to Christmas with no escaping the influx of early festive decorations at every turn, and as you make your way up Ascot high street to the track you will be inundated with a copious number of adverts promoting Santa’s annual trip down your chimney.
Anyway, aside from the inevitable run up to Christmas, there is the rather large matter of Champions Day, and that is a name that does the meeting full justice.
Established in 2011, the Champions Day is a culmination of the entire flat season series which comprises of five categories of Sprint, Mile, Middle Distance, Long distance, and Fillies & Mares which began in 2018 at Newmarket with the iconic 2000 Guinea’s.
The standard of races on show at Champions Day is cause for celebration in its own right with the likes of the British Champions Sprint Stakes, the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and of course the Champions Stakes all ready to set the pulses racing.
With everything (almost) ready to go, we look at some of the best horse racing tips for the Champions Stakes race at this epic meet.
Hear the Roar
The American Roaring Lion heads into the Champions Stakes on serious form after a comprehensive victory at August’s Juddmonte International Stakes from York was backed up by an even more impressive win at the Irish Champions Stakes in September.
Facing old adversary Saxon Warrior for the sixth time, Roaring Lion trained by Oisin Murphy and John Godsen sat back early on but came to the fore to pip Saxon Warrior over the line for a narrow victory.
The only thing to be wary of is the likelihood of soft ground perhaps hampering Roaring Lion somewhat although Godsen’s horse certainly remains one of the star picks for the Champions Stake.
The ante-post has Lion at 2/1 with some bookmakers and that will most likely only shorten after entering the Irish Champions Stakes as 8/11 favourite.
Crystal Ocean Riding the Crest of a Wave
If there is one horse that takes to Ascot like a ‘err’ duck to water, then it is Crystal Ocean.
Trained by Sir Michael Stoute and owned by Sir Evelyn De Rothschild, Crystal Ocean won this year’s Hardwicke Stakes at June’s Royal Ascot and ran 1 mile 2 furlongs at Sandown earlier in the year.
One of Crystal Ocean’s main traits is his ability to adapt to the ground and that makes him one of the smarter bets for the Champions Stakes.
Especially when you consider he can be picked up for around 11/2 Ante-post.
Addeybb on the Outside
Those punters looking for an outsider can do worse than Addeybb.
Trained by William Haggas, Addeybb was given the summer off and pulled out of the Irish Champions Stakes on the day of the race but Haggas is keen to get his horse out again and two wins earlier in the year and ante-post odds of 20/1 make Addeybb one to keep a sharp eye on even if there is a chance he will be run in the mile race instead.