The Queen’s Estimate and the Aga Khan’s Dalkala head a strong supporting cast

Estimate returns to the Ascot Winner’s Enclosure after the Gold Cup – can she do it again for Her Majesty The Queen on QIPCO British Champions Day? Image copyright of racingfotos.com.

Race one on QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot this Saturday is going to set the tone for a remarkable day, with The Queen’s Estimate, brilliant winner of the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in June, looking to maintain her unbeaten Ascot record in the QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup.

She won’t have it all her own way, however, with last year’s narrow runner-up, Aiken, together with top notch stayers Ahzeemah, Ernest Hemmingway, Eye Of The Storm, Times Up, Royal Diamond, Saddler’s Rock and the 2012 Gold Cup winner, Colour Vision, in opposition.

There are 15 confirmations for the £200,000 race with the others being Biographer, Caucus, Harris Tweed, Pallasator and Pale Mimosa, none of whom can be ruled out.

What a start it would be though if Estimate was victorious for Her Majesty!

Race two on the card is the £350,000 QIPCO British Champions Sprint in which the top class Maarek will be looking to register back-to-back wins having defeated Hawkeyethenoo and Sirius Prospect 12 months ago, both of whom are set to renew rivalry on Saturday.

Maarek, trained in Ireland by Barry Lalor, won the Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp nine days ago and thrives in the autumn on soft ground.

Fellow Irish trainer, Eddie Lynam, may provide the stiffest competition courtesy of Slade Power, Sole Power, Balmont Mast and Viztoria, all of whom have the form to win.

A total of 18 horses have been confirmed with the others being Cape Of Approval, Excellent Guest, Hoof It, Humidor, Jack Dexter, Mass Rally, Racy, Rex Imperator, Soul, Cristoforo Colombo and the supplemented Heaven’s Guest.

The third race is the £500,000 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes, upgraded to Group 1 status this year, which has attracted a very strong field.

Dalkala, winner of the Prix de l’Opera at Longchamp nine days ago for trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre, is set to try to secure a second Group 1 victory in less than a fortnight, but the opposition is formidable.

Brilliant Investec Oaks winner and Ladbrokes St Leger runner-up, Talent, is waiting in the wings along with South Africa’s star filly, Igugu, and the one-two from the Blandford Stakes in Ireland, Belle De Crecy, who has been supplemented for the race, and Hot Snap.

That’s without mentioning German Group 1 winner, Nymphea, another highly regarded French raider, Galvaun, the Park Hill Stakes winner, The Lark, and two rapidly improving, lightly raced Newmarket fillies in Waila and the unbeaten Pomology.

What a supporting cast before the two big races loom at four and five on the card!

Don’t miss QIPCO British Champions Day is the strong message!  Premier is priced at £55 and Grandstand at £30, very reasonable prices with the fantastic line-up of races offering £3.4m in prize money on the richest day’s racing ever seen in this country.

You can book tickets now by visiting the Ascot Racecourse website.