THE CAP FITS
Bank on O’Brien
CAPRI looks the money horse in the Champion Stakes field at Ascot (3.50)
Last year’s St Leger winner is 5-1 from
7-1 after an excellent effort which saw the grey finish fifth at 25-1 in the Arc two weeks ago.
Aidan O’Brien’s four-year-old looks generously priced with Ryan Moore in the saddle.
But Cracksman is the 5-6 favourite in his final-ever race and victory would mean back-to-back wins in this 1m2f Group One.
Raced just three times this season, John Gosden’s runner sports blinkers for the first time and arrives fresh having not run since June.
Crystal Ocean, who chased home Enable at Kempton last time, is 5-2 but a few hard battles this season may have taken the edge off him.
Roaring Lion was unsurprisingly declared for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes
(3.15) over a mile, and Oisin Murphy’s mount heads the market at
9-4.
The son of Kitten’s Joy absolutely oozes class and there is no reason to oppose him.
Lord Glitters has been popular at 6-1 while Laurens is in the form of her life and should not be underestimated at 5-1 with a fillies’ allowance.
Addeybb has not been seen since the Lockinge in May but was very progressive and at this stage of the season it could pay to side with a fresh horse.
Lah Ti Dar, another Gosden inmate, is our 5-4 favourite to claim the spoils in the Fillies’ and Mares’ Stakes (2.40) after a fine effort in the Leger last time.
Back against her own sex, the full sister to last week’s devastating Dewhurst winner Too Darn Hot, is stepping back down in trip which will suit.
Many Gosden four-fold accas will kick off with Stradivarius in the Long Distance Cup (1.25) and even money is the best you’ll get for this season’s outstanding stayer who has little serious opposition apart from Flag Of Honour at 9-4 who beat Irish Derby hero Latrobe at the Curragh last month.
In the Champions Sprint (2.00), Murphy is back aboard The Tin Man who is 11-4 to bag the prize for a second time.
But an on-song Harry Angel could be a serious threat at
11-2. Safe Voyage (12-1) is the most popular in the Balmoral Handicap (4.30).
Over in the US, Unibet ambassador Adrian Heskin partners 14-1 shot Jaleo for Ben Pauling in the Grand National Hurdle (live on ATR,
9.20pm) at Far Hills. Heskin’s thoughts can be read in his exclusive Unibet blog online now.