DOUBLE HANDFUL

TODAY will be the first time I’ve failed to attend Champions Day at Ascot since course security tightened up noticeably in 2019. Champions Day promises to be a fitting finale to the British Flat season with six sumptuous races including four Group 1s.

There’s a whopping £2.5million prize money on offer.

That is down on the £4.2m last year, but then this hasn’t exactly been a normal year.

Pretty much everything is down, locked down or likely to end in tiers.

The Champion Stakes is the obvious highlight of a mouthwatering card where e last year’s victor Magical is s joined by Serpentine, the luckiest Derby winner of all time, and Japan as Aidan O’Brien’s representatives.

It’s clear to see why Magical has been installed as favourite.

O’Brien’s five-year-old mare has won four of her last five races (second in the other) and looked imperious when winning the Irish Champion Stakes last time out.

She saw off the world’s top-rated horse in Ghaiyyath and had Sottsass (who went on to win the Arc) in fourth. Magical has raced three times at the Berkshire track, winning twice and finishing second in the other.

She’ll be tough to beat — but beat I think she’ll be.

Conditions at Ascot may be Sommelike. Some like it hot, while mud lover MISHR MISHRIFF likes it heavy.

J John Gosden’s threeyear-old ye whizzed home in heavy ground at Deauville last time in devastating fashion. The race before he saw off 15 horses to win the French Derby and prior to t that he won at Newmarket on fast ground.

He He’s versatile, improving and benefits bene from the threeyear-old weight allowance — and he also has Frankie Dettori on his back. Some may consider David Egan unfortunate at being ‘jocked off’ the ride but this is hardly a new phenomenon. Lester Piggott rode whatever horse he wanted in the Classics and who wouldn’t want the greatest jockey who ever drew breath on your horse?

The best of the best get the breaks.