The latest news and best bets in our daily racing blog
Cirrus Des Aigles wins Champion Stakes at Ascot
4.30pm: Will Hayler at Ascot Cirrus Des Aigles, trained by Corine Barande-Barbe and ridden by Christophe Soumillon, has won the Qipco Champion Stakes here.
The 12-1 chance beat the 7-4 favourite So You Think into second place with Snow Fairy (8-1) third. The five-year-old French-trained gelding claimed So You Think inside the final 100 yards to score by three-quarters of a length.
Frankel romps home in Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot
3.46pm: Will Hayler at Ascot Frankel forged to a four-length victory in the QEII race on Champions Day at Ascot. It was the colt's ninth successive victory.
At odds of 4-11, Frankel cruised into the lead under Tom Queally after pacemaker and stablemate Bullet Train had led the field. Excelebration finished second with a further three and a half lengths back to the third horse, Immortal Verse.
Dancing Rain gives Johnny Murtagh an Ascot double
3.20pm: Will Hayler at Ascot Dancing Rain found frontrunning tactics again paying valuable dividends as she made all to win the British Champion Fillies and Mares Stakes here, completing a double for Johnny Murtagh.
The 6-1 chance had already won the Epsom and German Oaks from the front this season and again spreadeagled her rivals with a dashing display. Fired up around the home turn, she quickly stole a march on nearest pursuer Gertrude Bell and maintained a comfortable margin all the way to the line, with Bible Belt two lengths back in second and Gertrude Bell just holding on for third.
"She never got much credit for winning the Oaks and then because she didn't do so well in Ireland afterwards, it was dismissed as a weak race," said her trainer William Haggas. "We'll go to Japan for the QEII Cup next month, the race Snow Fairy won last year, and then we'll definitely see more of her next year."
Deacon Blues wins sprint at Ascot's Champions Day
2.45pm: Will Hayler at Ascot Deacon Blues, the 5-2 favourite, maintained his brilliant winning run with victory in the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot.
James Fanshawe's four-year-old began his winning run in the Wokingham at the Royal meeting in June, and notched up his fifth successive victory.
Deacon Blues was in the perfect position throughout under Johnny Murtagh and staked a solid claim to be the very best sprinter in Europe with this clear-cut victory.
Returning to the scene of his victory in the Wokingham, Murtagh's mount travelled smoothly behind the early leader Hooray and produced a tidy turn of foot over a furlong out to burst clear.
French raider Wizz Kid came out of the pack in pursuit, but the favourite comfortably had enough in the tank to hold on by a length and a half.
"He was just awesome," said Fanshawe, whose other runner, Society Rock, finished well down the field.
Fame And Glory wins first race at Ascot's Champions Day
2pm: Fame And Glory bounced right back to his best to land the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot.
Aidan O'Brien's Gold Cup hero had turned in two dismal displays since his fantastic win at the Royal meeting back in June, but Jamie Spencer was positive from the off and always going well.
Taking up the running after a couple of furlongs, the 3-1 chance looked full of zest at the head of affairs, and as Spencer wound things up in front, only Opinion Poll looked a threat.
As Frankie Dettori's run flattened out, Spencer was able to ease up a little in front as he won by a length and a quarter from Opinion Poll, with a nose back to the fast-finishing Colour Vision. Press Association
Going likely to get faster at sunny Ascot
1pm: Greg Wood at Ascot Good afternoon from the inaugural Champions Day at Ascot, where the weather is better than anyone could have dared hoped given that it is mid-October, and the going is officially good.
It's difficult to see anyone offering the state of the ground as a valid excuse for defeat later on, though there is one non-runner, Bolivia, in the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes.
Chris Stickels, Ascot's clerk of the course, said this morning that "we may find that the ground gets a bit quicker as it dries up through the day and we are forecast some lovely weather this afternoon with temperatures of 17 degrees. We put four millimetres of water on the course on Monday night but haven't watered since."
Early betting news is that Nehaam is popular in the stayers' race at 1.50, at 20-1 from 25-1 with Hills, while So You Think is 5-2 from 3-1 with the same firm.
Today's TV races, by Will Hayler
Sir Henry Cecil says he won't be able to watch, but the rest of us won't be able to take our eyes away as Frankel (3.35) bids to ensure that a bad week for British racing ends on a brilliant high note. Officially rated the best horse in the world, he carries considerable expectation on his shoulders after a series of impressive victories.
Happily, all the signs suggest that Frankel will deliver and extend his unbeaten sequence to nine in today's �1m contest. He has not been overworked this season and has already twice comfortably proved himself superior to the greatest danger, Excelebration.
Ascot 1.50 Fame And Glory looks to have had enough for now, judged by the way he dropped the bridle in the Irish Leger. In contrast, Colour Vision impressed when going close off a tough-looking mark in the Cesarewitch last weekend, and seems to be thriving for being kept busy. At 16-1, he makes each-way appeal. Opinion Poll holds obvious claims, too.
Cheltenham 2.05 It might only have been Sedgefield, but Manger Hanagment beat some useful types last time and he can strike while the iron is hot on his favoured decent ground.
Catterick 2.20 A promising fourth when showing inexperience on her debut, Feelthedifference built on those foundations when a clear-cut winner at Beverley subsequently. She may have more improvement to offer and has been given a chance by the handicapper here.
Ascot 2.25 With genuine excuses for defeats in the Nunthorpe and Abbaye, Wizz Kid gets the chance to show her true colours. She was finishing as fast as anything at Longchamp after meeting trouble and ought to benefit from moving up to six furlongs.
Cheltenham 2.40 Dominic Elsworth returned from a lengthy battle with injury to take this race 12 months ago aboard Edgbriar amidst emotional scenes and it's far from impossible that the pair can repeat that victory, especially as Paul Webber's charge goes so well when fresh.
Catterick 2.55 The runners often come towards the stands' side when the going is soft at Catterick and that could give wide-drawn horses a useful advantage here. Taurus Twins handles cut in the ground and ran well under positive tactics at Leicester and Ripon last month. He has plenty of weight but is tough and could be hard to pass if Robert Winston can get him across to the rail.
Ascot 3.00 Tom Queally did wonders to finish after his saddle slipped when second to Gertrude Bell in the Lancashire Oaks and Vita Nova is a confident choice to reverse that form here. She also has the beating of Banimpire and Crystal Capella on subsequent York form.
Cheltenham 3.15 The race conditions do not suit Tonic Melysse, but he has the potential to be some way better than he has shown so far. He was unsuited by testing conditions at Kempton on his British debut but easily accounted for some ordinary rivals at Ayr subsequently.
Kelso 3.25 Jumping problems have held back According To Pete's career as a steeplechaser, but the fences at Kelso are easier than at some other tracks and the trainer Malcolm Jefferson has started the season in good form. He is handicapped to go well, if his jumping holds up.
Cheltenham 3.50 The track proved a happy hunting ground for Chicago Grey last season and if he can be switched off at the back of the field, he is capable of going close first time out.
Ascot 4.10 Eight times a Group One winner, three times in Europe, So You Think still has his critics but he would have needed rockets to defy a poor draw and come from well off the pace in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe last time. Expect a more positive ride as he drops back to a mile and a quarter today, a trip that will suit him better than his main rival, Nathaniel. Cirrus des Aigles has been under-rated by the bookmakers and deserves more respect, but softer conditions would have suited him better, and his 0-6 record in Group Ones is an inescapable negative.
Horse sense
Newmarket could end up dominating the first British Champions Day at Ascot, judging by the confidence that is exuding from a number of trainers at racing's headquarters. Frankel (3.35) has shown no sign whatsoever that he has gone over the top for the year, having worked brilliantly again on Tuesday, and he will surely win the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
His fellow Newmarket resident Excelebration is a far more relaxed type, who works less flashily at home, but he too has given his trainer plenty of grounds for encouragement in recent weeks.
Hooray (2.25) has not always worked with much relish this year, but she shaped encouragingly in a gentle spin on the Al Bahathri all-weather gallop yesterday and does not have a great deal to find with much shorter-priced rivals.
Deacon Blues and Society Rock are both going well for James Fanshawe, although the latter would be suited by the arrival of some unexpected rain.
Dancing Rain (3.00) can be a lazy lady at home, but she was full of enthusiasm under Maureen Haggas in a solo workout on the Al Bahathri on Tuesday. She has had a clear preparation for this race since her victory in Germany, although Ferdoos and Vita Nova will both pose obvious threats. The former has been off for over four months since picking up an injury at the start of June, but her work has been very encouraging lately.
Those still in need of a winner going into the closing apprentices' contest could do worse than side with The Confessor (4.45), who has been pencilled in for this race for weeks. Martin Harley's booking gives a further clue that this is a horse who is strongly fancied by connections to go well.
Charlie Mann's team have finally found some form and Fine Parchment (2.40), who looks very well at present, should perform with credit at Cheltenham.
Seen and Heard
Knockavilla made an inauspicious debut for John Wade at Wetherby on Wednesday, but you can expect to hear more of the horse and his trainer this season. He is one of 20 that Wade, who is based close to Sedgefield racecourse, has bought out of Howard Johnson's yard after that trainer was banned from the sport for four years in August. The expected fire-sale of that high-quality team at auction failed to materialise, with most sold on privately to other trainers.
Johnson himself has moved quietly into retirement, although some of his younger Flat horses have been sent to other trainers in the ownership of his wife, Sue. However, the fact that he cannot set foot on any British racecourse meant he was unable to make it to Wetherby to receive his award for being leading trainer at the track last season. Diplomatically, the racecourse glossed over his absence and only made a presentation to the leading rider Brian Hughes.
Perhaps retirement will allow the former world heavyweight boxing champion David Haye to spend more time following his interest in racing. Haye took part in a publicity shot for the Cheltenham Gold Cup a couple of years ago, when posing with Denman and Kauto Star at Paul Nicholls's stable, and was spotted among the crowd at a run-of-the-mill Kempton meeting last week.
Today's best bet, by Will Hayler
Fame And Glory 1.50 Ascot (Lay)
Brilliant in victory in the Gold Cup here in June, Fame And Glory earned a holiday afterwards but his two starts since have been markedly below par and he looks like a horse who has had enough. Connections blamed a stop-start gallop for defeat in the Irish St Leger but it looked as if he spat out the dummy in the home straight. Another blowout could well be on the cards.
Click here for all the day's racecards, form, stats and results.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2011/oct/14/horse-racing-live-15-october-2011
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