British Champions Day holds fond memories for Hollie Doyle, who hopes to write headlines again at Ascot on Saturday with two lively outsiders – live on Sky Sports Racing.
NASHWA CAN SHINE IN CHAMPION
The Qipco Champion Stakes (3.55) is the next assignment for my Classic-winning mare NASHWA, and I’ll be heading to Ascot on Saturday – live on Sky Sports Racing – believing she can outrun her massive price.
As a three-time Group One winner, Imad Alsagar’s five-year-old sprinkles her own stardust over a stellar renewal, which pitches her against hot favourite Economics, French hope Calandagan, and Ireland’s Los Angeles.
She comes into the race a fresh horse after missing the summer due to a setback and will be sharper for her comeback run in the Group One Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket two weeks ago – a race we always knew she’d need.
Skilfully brought back to fitness by John and Thady Gosden, Nashwa has always taken a race or two to find her top form, but there could be an advantage in being a fresh horse at this stage of a long campaign.
Whilst we all know she needs to leave her more recent form behind, she does have a solid record when it comes to sticking it up to the boys. Don’t forget she finished alongside Auguste Rodin in last year’s Irish Champion and split Mostahdaf and Paddington in the Juddmonte International.
Economics, who will be ridden by my husband Tom (Marquand), looks the one we all have to beat following his latest success in the Irish equivalent, but if I can get Nashwa into a nice rhythm early in the race, she definitely has the class to serve it up to the best of them.
BLINKERS CAN GIVE SHARTASH VITAL EDGE
This year’s Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes (1.55) looks wide open, so Archie Watson’s SHARTASH is definitely worth his place in the line-up.
Now running in the colours of Wathnan Racing, he thrives on the soft ground he will get on Saturday and is also effective over seven furlongs, which could prove a real advantage when the going gets tough on the climb to the line.
He’s a horse we’ve thought a lot of since he won the Listed Spring Trophy at Haydock back in May and has run some nice races in defeat this season, including in France back in July when he finished a half-length third to one of our rivals Shouldvebeenaring in a Group Three at Deauville.
I’m happy enough with my low draw among several fancied horses, and I’m hoping the addition of blinkers for the first time may just give him that vital edge.
FRENCH TARGET FOR CUP ABSENTEE TRUESHAN
It’s going to feel strange not cantering to post on Trueshan ahead of the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup (1.20) at Ascot – a race he’s made his own with three previous wins.
Alan King’s star is likely to return to France next weekend for the Group One Prix Royal-Oak at Saint-Cloud, which looks a far better option than taking on the all-conquering Kyprios again.
Aidan O’Brien’s colossus will be a warm order to supplement his wins in the Gold Cup, Goodwood Cup, Irish St Leger and Prix du Cadran, and he should be able to confirm Ascot form with Trawlerman, even though Godolphin’s gelding got the better of him in this race last year.
Charyn is all set for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes
CHARYN TO CONFIRM HIMSELF KING OF THE MILERS
Charyn has proven himself an exceptional miler this year with wins in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot and Jacques le Marois at Deauville, and he deserves to crown a magical season with a third Group One success in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (3.15).
Roger Varian’s star didn’t get the run of the race in the Prix du Moulin last time but can gain compensation at the probable expense of the lovely Tamfana, who was smart in the Sun Chariot last time and is already proven in testing conditions.
GROUND HOLDS NO FEARS FOR TIFFANY
I was pleased to see Harry Charlton’s Juddmonte filly Time Lock get her season back on track at Newmarket last month and hope she can acquit herself well in better company in the Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (2.35).
However, this could be a shoot-out between Andrew Balding’s Kalpana and Sir Mark Prescott’s Tiffany, who loves soft ground and deserves to get that all-important Group One against her name after lower-level Pattern success at Newcastle and in Germany earlier this year.
The closing Balmoral Handicap (4.35) looks as fiercely competitive as ever, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed for one of my biggest supporters Marco Botti.
The Newmarket trainer runs Daysofourlives, who beat subsequent Cambridgeshire winner Liberty Lane at Doncaster’s St Leger Festival and will thrive on the easy ground on offer.
Hollie Doyle was speaking to Sky Sports Racing’s Simon Mapletoft.
