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Mark has four Ascot selections on Saturday
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German raider his best bet of the day
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Calandagan can emerge best in exciting Champion Stakes clash
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Ryan Moore Superboost
Ryan Moore rides the brilliant stayer Kyprios in the opening race at Ascot on British Champions Day (13:20), and the horse is unbeaten so far this season, winning all six starts by at least one length.
The Betfair Sporstbook have super-boosted Kyprios's price to win again today by at least one length from 4/51.80 to 5/42.25. To take advantage of this price just click on the odd in the below bet banner to go directly to the pre-loaded betslip.
Back Kyprios to Win by 1+ lengths in 13:20 Ascot
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This year's Champions Day meeting at Ascot is one of the most open in recent memory and that is perfectly encapsulated by the Champions Sprint, which is currently 9/25.50 the field on the Sportsbook, with Kinross heading the market.
He'll be perfectly at home dropping to 6f in the testing conditions but I'm siding with a much younger, progressive sort in James's Delight.
Clive Cox's three-year-old goes well on soft ground and bolted up in a competitive York handicap from a mark of 102 in the summer.
He confirmed that form when taking a Deauville listed race next time, before finishing a fine second to Spycatcher in a Group 3 there last time.
I'm hopeful he can reverse that form having had a bit of a freshening since then and it's a good sign that Ryan Moore, who was on board for that York win, gets the leg up once again on a gelding who still looks open to improvement.
Back James's Delight each-way
Even though Saturday's round course races have been moved to the inner track, stamina will still be at a premium, particularly with more rain forecast on Friday evening.
An ability to stay well and handle testing conditions will be vital in the Fillies & Mares Stakes, and that should suit the German-trained Quantanamera down to a tee.
A daughter of Lope De Vega, Andreas Suborics' filly had been shaping up well enough over 1m 2f this year before taking her form to a new level when stepping back up to 1m 4f in a Group 2 contest at Deauville last time.
She comfortably came home ahead of another soft ground specialist in Arrest, and a repeat of that form will give her as good a chance as any in here.
Back Quantanamera each-way
Charyn is rightly favourite for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes having barely put a foot wrong this season, but he has been on the go since the opening meeting at Doncaster and I'm happy enough to take him on at a short price.
The filly Tamfana proved better than ever when winning the Sun Chariot at Newmarket, but that was only a fortnight ago and it's a big ask for her to back up so quickly in this sort of company.
I'm going to side with Henry Longfellow, whose season hasn't really delivered on what he promised as a juvenile, but this sort of test in soft ground should prove right up his street.
His best two-year-old form came with some give in the ground and, for one who's been shaping as if worth a try at 1m 2f, the soft ground over this stiff straight mile should bring his stamina into play.
The selection has a bit of work to do if he's to reverse form with Charyn from last time but I'm hoping the conditions will help bring about some improvement.
Back Henry Longfellow each-way
While it's competitive, the majority of the Champions Day card has a rather below-par feel to it, but that's not an accusation that can be levelled at the Champions Stakes itself, which features a pair of the best three-year-olds around.
Economics has had an unbeaten season and showed real battling qualities to narrowly get the better of August Roding in the Irish Champion last time, with Los Angeles, who also runs here, back in fourth.
However, he needs to prove himself on deep ground and I'm siding with the French-trained Calandagan, who found only City Of Troy to good in the Juddmonte international at York last time.
That was on much faster ground than he'll get here, but this progressive gelding is proven in testing conditions back home and his win in the King Edward VII at this track during the Royal meeting was one of the most visually impressive Groups win I've seen this season.
He had to miss the Arc due to geldings being ineligible for that contest, but this is a fine alternative and I'm confident Calandagan can go on to prove himself one of the best of his generation with victory over Economics.