GALES WON’T BLOW CRACKSMAN HOPES
STRONG gales are forecast to plague a mouth-watering Qipco British Champions Day, but hopefully CRACKSMAN (Ascot, 3.50) will not be blown off course in his search for an elusive Group One win.
Storm Brian threatens to put a sizeable dampener on Britain’s richest race day, but Frankie Dettori is intent on leaving his rivals and bookmakers howling by winning aboard the Frankel colt in the Qipco Champion Stakes.
There cannot have been many horses command as much attention this summer than Cracksman, with plenty of people keen to offer an opinion on trainer John Gosden’s decision not to run in the l’Arc de Triomphe.
Critics said the move robbed the Arc of a pivotal contender, but I felt it made perfect sense as the Gosden camp felt Enable would prove near impossible to beat in Paris.
Chantilly’s loss is Ascot’s gain and Cracksman returns to 10 furlongs today as he looks to make it third-time lucky in Group One events this season. A narrow defeat to Capri in the Irish Derby succeeded a creditable display when third in the Epsom version and, with conditions likely to be testing today, his confirmed stamina at a mile and a half could help.
A smooth winner of the Voltigeur at York in August, Cracksman confirmed his wellbeing with a cosy success in the Prix Niel last month on deep ground, an outing which should have prepped him perfectly for today’s test.
If the ground has markedly deteriorated by post time, Barney Roy and Highland Reel must be inconvenienced and the chief threats to Cracksman may come from French Derby winner Brametot and the fancied Poet’s Word.
At the age of seven, it seems a shade unlikely HERE COMES
WHEN (Ascot, nap, 3.15) is suddenly going to become a dual Group One winner, but today’s ground could render official ratings useless.
Here Comes When is a pretty useful animal in the mud and he edged out likely favourite Ribchester when they met in the Sussex Stakes.
Regular readers will know how highly I rate Harry Angel, but he is winless in three trips to Ascot while old adversary
CARAVAGGIO (Ascot, 2.0) thrives here and can again.