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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Tony Paley

British Champions Day 2024: Anmaat shock 40-1 winner of Champion Stakes – as it happened

Ascot Qipco
Anmaat, ridden Jim Crowley, wins the Champion Stakes at Ascot.
Anmaat, ridden Jim Crowley, wins the Champion Stakes at Ascot. Photograph: Nigel French/PA

That’s it for Champions Day for another year. I think we did anoint a couple of genuine champions at Ascot today with Kyprios winning the Long Distance Cup and Charyn winning the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes but there was a spectre at the feast and that was City Of Troy who would surely have won the Champion Stakes if he had lined up given how he dealt with the runner-up Calandagan at York in the summer. City Of Troy, trained by champion trainer Aidan O’Brien, is instead heading to Del Mar in the United States for the Breeders’ Cup on the first weekend in November. Will he prove himself a great there?

Timeform, the racing ratings experts, discussed the matter this week and concluded: “A Breeders’ Cup Classic for O’Brien would be both special and something we haven’t seen before. It would certainly give extra substance to the ‘City Of Troy is O’Brien’s best’ argument, as well. For some racing fans and the likes of Timeform to agree, though, a career-defining wow performance will be needed.”

That’s some race to look forward to and Greg Wood will be live blogging on the big night. Good night and good luck until then.

Balmoral Handicap (4.35pm) result

1 Carrytheone 14/1
2 Lattam 18/1
3 Witch Hunter 25/1
4 Thunder Run 7/2 fav

Updated

Balmoral Handicap (4.35pm)

And they’re off … Mirsky and Thunder Run (with four others on the stands side) are the early leaders … Holloway Boy now has the lead and the runners have all grouped as one now … Carrytheone is coming with a withering run and will go on to win!

Updated

Balmoral Handicap (4.35pm) betting

  • Thunder Run 5/1

  • State Actor 8/1

  • Bopedro 8/1

  • Daysofourlives 9/1

  • Mr Professor 11/1

  • Toimy Son 12/1

  • Carrytheone 12/1

  • Mexicali Rose 14/1

  • Mirsky 16/1

  • Elnajmm 18/1

  • 20/1 BAR – 22 Runners

  • Full betting via Oddschecker here

Balmoral Handicap (4.35pm) preview

The only handicap on the card and a race that has been won by runners starting at 25-1 and 80-1 in the last two seasons, so a getting-out race to treat with caution. A small army of runners are in with a chance, including Thunder Run – with Ryan Moore booked to ride – and the well-backed Bopedro, whose owner, Georginio Rutter, is likely to be in action for Brighton against Newcastle at St James’ Park while the race is underway. My eye was drawn to the 20-1 shot Elnajmm, the mount of Tom Marquand, when I was working through the card yesterday, as things have not really panned out for William Haggas’s runner in two starts since his course-and-distance win in July, but an each-way bet with a bookie offering extra places is the safest way to go.

SELECTION: ELNAJMM

Anmaat, who could have been backed at 1,000-1 in running after he got into all sorts of trouble in running in the home straight, pulled off a huge shock to win the Champion Stakes at Ascot.

The winner stunned the field to sweep to a surprise victory. A 40-1 chance for trainer Owen Burrows and jockey Jim Crowley, the bay was overlooked in the build-up to the contest as it was presumed to be a clash between Economics and Calandagan.

The latter horse was making progress on the inside up the straight, but picking his way through the field behind him was Anmaat. Crowley was forced to wait for a gap to launch his challenge, but when the space came, Anmaat showed a fine turn of pace to seize the opportunity.

He then swept past 6-4 favourite Calandagan in the dying strides to win by half a length, with 25-1 shot Royal Rhyme back in third.

Crowley told ITV Racing: “I had nowhere to go - I wasn’t sure I was going to win when I was all tucked up with nowhere to go and I can’t say it on air what I felt.”

Burrows himself said: “Last year after he won his Group One in race I fancied him to go on and win more races but he had a complex foor injury. Last time it just went wrong in France in a muddling old race.

“I had to persuade the owner to come and let him run today – how he’s done it has surprised me as I put my binoculars down when he got into trouble in the closing stages. He’s got some heart to come back from that injury.”

The race was far from ideal for favourite Calandagan, who was a close second after losing ground at the start when coming out of the stalls slowly and did not enjoy the clearest of passages in the home straight as well.

The well-fancied Economics finished unplaced with trainer William Haggas reporting: “He was a bit disappointing and his rider said the ground was a bit soft. There was a little blood in his nose so we’ll sort that out.”

Updated

Champion Stakes (3.55pm) result

1 Anmaat 40/1
2 Calandagan 6/4 fav
3 Royal Rhyme 25/1

Updated

Champion Stakes (3.55pm)

And they’re off … Caladangan is slowly away and Economics is a bit free … Continuous leads with Los Angeles close … King’s Gambit is close as they turn for home … Economics comes late and Calandagan is trying to get there but Anmaat, a big 40-1 outsider, wins a very messy race.

Updated

Novus is a non-runner in the Champion Stakes (3.55pm) after reportedly getting worked up in the pre-parade ring.

Is the next contest, the big one of the afternoon, a two-horse race?

Champion Stakes (3.55pm) betting

  • Calandagan 7/4

  • Economics 2/1

  • Los Angeles 13/2

  • Kings Gambit 16/1

  • Iresine 18/1

  • Royal Rhyme 25/1

  • Anmaat 33/1

  • Continuous 33/1

  • Nashwa 40/1

  • See The Fire 50/1

  • Persica 50/1

  • Full betting here via Oddschecker

Champion Stakes (3.55pm) preview

The day’s feature event and the market is headed by two three-year-olds in Calandagan and Economics that would have been worthy contenders for the Derby and the Arc had circumstances – including a gelding operation, in the case of Calandagan – not conspired against them. Economics was steered around Epsom by William Haggas after his convincing success in the Dante Stakes at York in May as the trainer did not feel his colt was ready for the race at that stage of his career, and his patience has been repaid with two subsequent wins, in a Group Two at Deauville and then the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown in September. Calandagan, meanwhile, ran away with the King Edward VII Stakes – the “Ascot Derby” – over a mile-and-a-half here in June and then ran the outstanding City Of Troy to a length in the International Stakes at York. Los Angeles is also worthy of consideration after finishing just over a length behind Economics in Ireland, although that klaxon for Aidan O’Brien-trained runners coming here from Longchamp is sounding again as he was third in the Arc just 13 days ago. There has been each-way money for a few of the outsiders this morning, including Hollie Doyle’s mount, Nashwa, but for many punters, this will come down to a straight assessment of the relative merits of the Irish Champion form versus the International.

SELECTION: CALANDAGAN

Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (3.15pm) result

1 Charyn 13/8 fav
2 Facteur Cheval 11/2
3 Tamfana 7/2

Updated

Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (3.15pm)

And they’re off … Henry Longfellow, as expected, takes the lead and Prague races solo on the stands side … Ice Max is prominent … Charyn comes there very strongly but Facteur Cheval challenges … it’s neck and neck but Charyn battles on for a tough win.

Updated

Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (3.15pm) betting

  • Charyn 7/4

  • Tamfana 4/1

  • Facteur Cheval 6/1

  • Henry Longfellow 7/1

  • Prague 11/1

  • Quddwah 16/1

  • Metropolitan 18/1

  • Checkandchallenge 50/1

  • Poker Face 50/1

  • Dancing Gemini 50/1

  • Ice Max 80/1

  • Lord Massusus 80/1

  • Full betting via Oddschecker here

Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (3.15pm) preview

A fascinating renewal of Ascot’s autumn championship event for milers, and a race in which several of the leading contenders are facing each other for the first time. The key races to consider include Tamfana’s win in the Group One Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket two weeks ago, Charyn’s course-and-distance win in the Queen Anne at the Royal meeting and Henry Longfellow’s close second in the St James’s Palace Stakes on the round course the same afternoon. Aidan O’Brien’s runner has struggled to reach the same lever in two outings since, however, and Dylan Cunha’s Prague has also needs to be factored into calculations after his win in the Joel Stakes last month.

SELECTION: CHARYN

Champion Filles & Mares Stakes (2.35pm) result

1 Kalpana 10/3 fav
2 Wingspan 12/1
3 Tiffany 13/2

Updated

Champion Filles & Mares Stakes (2.35pm)

And they’re off … War Chimes is slowly away … Village Voice kicks early but it’s Wingspan who will dictate from the front in the early stages … Content is last at the midway stage … Tiffany is just behind the leader as they turn for home … a slow pace again in this race … Kalpana kicks for home and is going to be hard to catch … and kicks well clear for a smooth win.

Updated

Seems Ms Vorderman has worked out the form correctly.

Going now changed to Soft, Heavy in places!

Champion Filles & Mares Stakes (2.35pm) betting

  • Kalpana 4/1

  • Content 6/1

  • Quantanamera 7/1

  • Tiffany 8/1

  • Sumiha 11/1

  • Doha 12/1

  • Queen Of The Pride 14/1

  • Wingspan 14/1

  • Grateful 16/1

  • Village Voice 18/1

  • 22/1 BAR – 14 Runners

  • Full betting here via Oddschecker

Champion Filles & Mares Stakes (2.35pm) preview

Aidan O’Brien, who is within sight of a new record for prize money won in a British season, started the day without a winner on this card since Magical landed the Champion Stakes in 2019, and his overall record in the Group Ones on Champions Day since the meeting’s inception in 2011 is five wins from 64 starters, a strike-rate of just under 8pc. That feels distinctly sub-par for such an outstanding trainer, and the fact that many of his fancied runners are attempting to back up quickly after a big run at the Arc meeting in Paris is one possible explanation to bear in mind here, as both Content and Grateful were in action just two weeks ago. Grateful won the Group One Prix de Royallieu, while Content was a no-show in the Prix de l’Opera, but she is the mount of Ryan Moore today and preferred in the market too. The likely favourite, meanwhile, is the progressive Kalpana, who started the season running off 78 in a Newmarket handicap – a 10-length victory there makes her one of the hindsight bets of the season – and she has a fine chance on the form of her win in the Group Three September Stakes on the all-weather at Kempton. Soft ground is an unknown for her, however, which is not the case for Andreas Suborics’s contender, Quantanamera,and she has a live chance on her winning form in a Group Two at Deauville in August.

SELECTION: QUANTANAMERA

Champion Sprint Stakes (1.55pm) result

1 Kind Of Blue 10/1
2 Swingalong 17/2
3 Flora Of Bermuda 25/1

Updated

Champion Sprint Stakes (1.55pm)

This will be fast and furious … and they’re off … Art Power and Swingalong out fast but Audience leads … Kind Of Blue is up there and Montassib is at the back … Swingalong kicks for home but Kind Of Blue just holds on!

Updated

Champion Sprint Stakes (1.55pm) betting

  • Kinross 11/2

  • Montassib 13/2

  • Kind Of Blue 8/1

  • Beauvatier 9/1

  • Audience 10/1

  • Swingalong 10/1

  • Elite Status 11/1

  • Mill Stream 14/1

  • Flora Of Bermuda 16/1

  • Unequal Love 16/1

  • 22/1 Bar – 20 Runners

  • Full betting via Oddschecker here

Champion Sprint Stakes (1.55pm) preview

A maximum field for the first Group One of the afternoon, a race which was won by a 40-1 chance (Art Power) racing from stall one 12 months ago, on similar ground. That was the second success for a big outsider in the last five runnings, and an odd race all round, as Art Power raced alone for much of the way. He is back for another crack today, and at a big price again too, but is unlikely to get the run of the race from stall 12. The key piece of recent formis probably the Sprint Cup at Haydock won by Montassib in September, when the 16-strong field included no fewer than 13 of today’s runners, including leading fancies Kinross, Elite Status, Audience, Kind Of Blue and my pick, Swingalong. Karl Burke’s filly was an excellent fourth in this race last year, goes on any ground and has fared much better in the draw than she did at Haydock.

SELECTION: SWINGALONG

Long Distance Cup (1.20pm) result

1 Kyprios 8/11 fav
2 Sweet William 8/1
3 Trawlerman 5/1

Updated

Long Distance Cup (1.20pm)

And they’re off … Sweet William needs to be pushed along already! The Euphrates and Kyprios, the stable companions, are in the lead and dictating the pace … Burdett Road is pulling far too hard … the pace is just a steady one, dictated by the Aidan O’Brien pair up front … now the pace quickens … Sweet William makes a challenge … Kyprios and Sweet William fight it out but Kyprios has won a race that his stable controlled! And remarkably that’s the first win at this meeting for the all-conquering O’Brien team since 2019.

Updated

The favourite Kyprios looks well as he limbers up for the first race.

Carol Vorderman has arrived for those who need help with the odds!

Long Distance Cup (1.20pm) betting

  • Kyprios 4/5

  • Al Nayyir 5/1

  • Trawlerman 11/2

  • Sweet William 10/1

  • The Euphrates 25/1

  • Belloccio 33/1

  • Burdett Road 33/1

  • Alsakib 66/1

  • Caius Chorister 80/1

  • Full betting here at Oddschecker

Long Distance Cup (1.20pm) preview

The first and, in all likelihood, the only odds-on shot on the card as Kyprios, one of the outstanding stayers of recent decades, attempts to go one better than in 2022 and complete a seven-race season unbeaten. To this point, his schedule has been identical to the race – including Group One wins in the Gold Cup here at Ascot, the Goodwood Cup, the Irish St Leger and the Cadran at Longchamp on Arc weekend. Kyprios did not line up for this race two years ago, but he was favourite last year after an injury-affected campaign, only to come up a neck short behind Trawlerman. The fact that Kyprios has six races to his name already this season, including a soft-ground victory at the Arc meeting in Paris just two weeks ago, alongside his trainer’s poor record on this card with horses backing up quickly after Longchamp, makes him a dodgy favourite to my mind, and while Al Nayyir appears rejuvenated after a switch to the Tom Clover stable, I’ll go with the fresh Trawlerman to repeat last year’s win.

SELECTION: TRAWLERMAN

At the end of a long season and often run on testing ground this is not normally a meeting for backing short-priced favourites but punters are getting stuck in. Oddschecker inform me that these are the three best-backed horses so far:

Kyprios 4/5 (1.20pm)
Charyn 7/4 (3.15pm)
Calandagan 6/4 (3.35pm)
The treble, they tell me, pays 11-1.

It’s not the end of the Flat turf season yet but the champions will be crowned today, including the top jockey Oisin Murphy.

One of the hot favourites on the day has arrived

It’s squidgy ground (that’s officially soft!) and will be tough going but at least the rain has stopped falling now.

Good afternoon. These are the races to look forward to on a cracking card at Ascot.

  • 1.20pm: QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup, Group 2

  • 1.55pm: QIPCO British Champions Sprint Stakes, Group 1

  • 2.35pm: QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes, Group 1

  • 3.15pm: Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (sponsored by QIPCO), Group 1

  • 3.55pm: QIPCO Champion Stakes, Group 1

  • 4.35pm: Balmoral Handicap (sponsored by QIPCO)

Preamble

Good afternoon from Ascot, where the rain that has been falling fairly persistently for much of the last 12 hours is – hopefully – starting to ease ahead of Britain’s most valuable afternoon at the races: Qipco Champions Day, with £4.1m and four Group One races up for grabs.

The track updated its expectations to a 29,000 crowd on Friday evening, not far short of the attendance to see Frankie Dettori draw the curtain on his British career 12 months ago. A wet start to the day was the last thing anyone wanted, as it may well put at least a slight dent in the “walk-up” ticket sales, but anyone within easy reach of the track who is at a loose end should be aware that there are even occasional patches of blue sky appearing over Berkshire at present.

As was the case last year, the action in the three events on the round course will unfold on the tight inner track due to concerns over the going. It’s not a great look for a day designed to celebrate the summer code that it has ended up on Ascot’s hurdles track for three of the last six years, but it didn’t seem to bother anyone too much 12 months ago and the field sizes are unusually strong, so hopefully not many spectators will notice that the runners are a little further away than ideal.

The Champion Stakes, with £1.3m in the pot, is the feature at 3.55, and the overnight rain seems to be behind a distinct move in favour of Francis-Henri Graffard’s Calandagan, who has form on soft ground and also stays 12 furlongs, in the betting this morning. The King Edward VII Stakes winner is now top-priced at around 13-8, with his fellow three-year-old, Economics, the Irish Champion Stakes winner, as big as 9-4.

Charyn, another winner at the Royal meeting in June, also heads the market at around 13-8 in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on the straight mile at 3.15, while the emerging talent Kalpana is the likely favourite for the Fillies’ & Mares’ and it is anyone’s guess which of the runners will set off as the punters’ pick for the 16-strong Sprint.

You can follow all the action as it happens here on our live blog from the first race to the last (the only handicap on the card, at 4.35) and we are underway on the track at 1.20, when the dual Gold Cup winner, Kyprios, will attempt to get favourite-backers off and running at odds-on in the Long Distance Cup.

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