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12 Sep 2017

QIPCO British Champions Day – The Ante Post Angle

Coronet

With the card shaping up to be as competitive as ever, it’s no surprise to see that respected pundits and professional punters have already begun to place their money ahead of QIPCO British Champions Day.

The Racing Post tipster and ante post betting guru ‘Pricewise’ pinned his colours to the mast on no less than three horses this morning. His selections Al Wukair, Venice Beach and Eziyra have all since had their odds slashed.

That said finding a winner can prove devilish enough on the day itself, so it’s best to tread carefully when race fields are still so subject to change. Below we list off our own three best bigger priced selections for the Flat season finale.

The QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares: Coronet – 14/1

This season’s Ribblesdale Stakes winner has always been held in high regard by trainer John Gosden and was last seen showing strong stamina when finishing second to Enable in the Darley Yorkshire Oaks.

That form alone has rightly placed her near the top of the market for the Fillies & Mares. Prior to that she’s set to test herself against the colts in this Saturday’s William Hill St Leger and has been well supported to run a big race on Town Moor.

A bold show on Saturday would see the Ascot course and distance winner’s current best price of 14/1 disappear pretty rapidly.

QIPCO Champion Stakes: Poet’s Word – 11/1

The lightly raced four-year-old ran to a career best when finishing a close second to Decorated Knight in last Saturday’s QIPCO Irish Champion Stakes and rates excellent value at a double figure price to hit the frame in Europe’s richest 10 furlong race.

Connections went on to state definitively that the Champion Stakes was his ideal next destination. That Leopardstown run clearly puts him ahead of many more fancied market rivals on form and when you factor in Sir Michael Stoute’s well-known ability at getting extra improvement from his inmates, it might well pay to get Poet’s Word onside.

Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Sponsored by QIPCO): Winter – 8/1

A shining light of the 2017 series, Winter’s first career blemish as a three-year-old in last weekend’s Matron Stakes can be easily overlooked. Aidan O’Brien was quick to point out that the she’d missed crucial days of work building up to the race with a minor injury and that the extra fitness of stablemate Hydrangea was the telling factor in the home straight.

That blip aside, she’s looked hitherto imperious in her three Series wins, acts on any ground and with an uninterrupted prep would surely rate a much shorter price than that on offer at the moment.

Her former stablemate Minding’s successful switch back to a mile last year certainly showed that her trainer isn’t afraid to pitch a classy filly in at the deep end.