Today's Racing Tips: Mark Milligan's five to back on British Champions Day at odds from 11/4 to 11/1

Long Distance Cup, Ascot, 13:30 - Back Gregory @ 11/43.75

4 (4)

Gregory

• J: James Doyle
• T: John & Thady Gosden
• F: 37335/7-11

• SBK 3/1
• EXC 2

The first Group race of the day on Ascot's cracking flat-season finale card in the Long Distance Cup and, given Joseph O'Brien's impeccable festival record in 2026, St Leger winner Highwayman looks sure to be popular as he bids to follow up.

However, he's been on the go since the spring and it's also worth noting that three-year-olds have a woeful record in this contest.

With that in mind, I'm going to take him on with Gregory, who comes into this fresher than the majority having made just two starts this season.

He's won both those listed races in fine style and, while he still has to prove he can be fully effective at the top level, he did look better than ever when bolting up at Newmarket last time.

Notable winners from Mark in recent weeks

Ugo Bingo @ 6/1
Star Of Mali @ 11/2
Treble Bass @ 7/2
Distillate @ 11/4
Brilliant Star @ 9/4
Midnight Media @ 13/8
Rock Montreal @ 11/8

Champions Sprint, Ascot, 14:05 - Back Samangan E/W @ 11/112.00

15 (15)

Samangan (Ire)

• J: Christophe Soumillon
• T: Francis-Henri Graffard, France
• F: 11-246415

• SBK 14/1
• EXC 28

While Almeraq sets a clear standard in the Champions Sprint and is the most likely winner, I'm not really that interested in backing any sprinter at cramped odds (though I'd perhaps make an exception for Ka Ying Rising) and there looks to be some value in taking him on with French raider Samangan.

He didn't run up to his best on his last visit to this track in the Commonwealth Cup, but put that behind him with a battling performance in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville two starts back, narrowly getting the better of Division (who reopposes here).

Francis-Henri Graffard's three-year-old was then left less than ideally placed when only fifth in the Foret at Longchamp last time, where a steadily-run race counted against him.

The return to a stiff 6f in a race that looks sure to be run at a solid gallop ought to show Samangan to much better effect.

Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, Ascot, 15:20 - Back Zavateri @ 15/28.50

11 (9)

Zavateri (Ire)

• J: Charles Bishop
• T: Eve Johnson Houghton
• F: 1114-2551

• SBK 12/1
• EXC 17

The retirement of Bow Echo has left the mile division looking rather open and this looks the ideal opportunity for Gstaad to get his head in front with the old rival now out of the reckoning.

However, he's already missed one such opportunity when beaten in France last time, and it's also significant that for all his feats in the modern game, Aidan O'Brien's record at this particular meeting isn't the best, which kind of makes sense when you think his horses are primarily trained to peak for the classics and mid-summer Group 1s.

One horse who does appear to be peaking just at the right time is Eve Johnson Houghton's Zavateri, who beat Gstaad as a juvenile and looked right back to his best when swotting aside Qirat with contempt at Goodwood last time.

That wasn't the strongest race for the grade, but Qirat is quite tough to beat around Goodwood and the fact that Zavateri did it so easily can only be viewed positively.

He looks a good-value play at 15/28.50, while we also have the bonus of Betfair Second Chance Tokens should he only manage a place.

Balmoral Handicap, Ascot, 16:35 - Back Scoville @ 9/25.50

15 (23)

Scoville

• J: Tom Marquand
• T: William Haggas
• F: 104-87031

• SBK 7/2
• EXC 3.95

Having been with Scoville more often than not this season, it was with some frustration that I watched him get right back to form last time at Doncaster...without a penny on.

However, I'm not going to make the same mistake again and he could still be well ahead of the handicapper having been put up just 4lb for that, while connections finally appear to have found the key to riding him, too.

A keen-going type, particularly early in his career, he has benefited from being ridden cold on his last couple of starts and was delivered to perfection by Danny Tudhope last time, while the recent fitting of earplugs also seems to have made a difference to this fizzy character.

I had Scoville marked down as a potential Group performer last season and it's not beyond the realms of possibility that he could still develop into one.

If that's to be the case, he needs to be going very close here from a mark of 99.

Balmoral Handicap, Ascot, 16:35 - Back Ebt's Guard E/W @ 11/112.00

6 (21)

Ebt's Guard

• J: Lewis Edmunds
• T: William Muir & Chris Grassick
• F: 04439443

• SBK 8/1
• EXC 2.9

While Scoville is my top pick in the Balmoral, I can't resist an each-way saver on Ebt's Guard, whose impeccable Ascot record alone makes him worthy of support.

A narrow second in this contest last year, the selection is back down to the same mark for this year's renewal and he gives his running more often than not in these big-field handicaps up the Ascot straight.

Only once out of the first four in eight runs over a mile at this track, William Muir & Chris Grassick's hasn't got his head in front this season but has run some cracking races in defeat, including when fourth in the Hunt Cup at the Royal meeting.

Ebt's Guard will be tough to keep out of the frame and, with five places available on the Sportsbook, he looks worth taking a chance on.

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