With Baaeed certain to start at long odds-on for the feature event on Champions Day, the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes makes more appeal from a betting point of view and Modern Games (3.20) may spring a minor upset at around 4-1 by defeating the warm favourite, Inspiral.
Charlie Appleby’s colt was possibly seen as the third-string, behind Coroebus and Native Trail, in the yard’s strong hand of three-year-old milers in the early stages of the season, but he followed up his win in the French 2,000 Guineas with a solid third from a bad draw in the French Derby before proving no match for Baaeed in the Sussex Stakes. That run confirmed that a mile is his trip and Modern Games took his form to a new level in a Grade One at Woodbine last time, accelerating five lengths clear of a classy opponent in Ivar.
Anything close to that form on Saturday would make him a serious opponent for Inspiral, who has not been easy to train this year and was beaten at 1-7 in the Falmouth Stakes in July. She was a comfortable neck winner over Light Infantry in the Prix Jacques le Marois last time, which was also her first start against male rivals, but Modern Games is a stronger and more seasoned opponent with a much better chance than the market suggests.
Ascot 1.25 Trueshan’s sub-par run at Doncaster last time is a concern as he attempts to win this for the third year running and anything but his best will leave him vulnerable to Eldar Eldarov, the fast-improving St Leger winner.
Ascot 2.00 Rohaan was a long way below his best in this last year but is four-from-five in his other starts over track and trip, including an authoritative victory last time out. At around 5-1, he deserves another chance to get a Group One on the board.
Ascot 2.40 Frankie Dettori has opted for Emily Upjohn, the Oaks runner-up, but that leaves Mimikyu, her stable-companion, attractively priced at around 7-1 to confirm her significant improvement to win at Doncaster last time.
Ascot 4.00 Baaeed faces possibly the toughest test of his career in his final start, as last year’s lightly-raced Derby winner, Adayar, is rated within 8lb of the favourite at his best. Baaeed showed further improvement stepped up to 10 furlongs last time, however, and most racing fans will be happy to see him go in unbacked.
Newton Abbot
1.10 Gin Coco 1.45 Planned Paradise 2.20 Valentino 2.55 Him Malaya 3.30 Sabrina 4.05 Pic D’Orhy 4.35 Haddex Des Obeaux 5.10 Izayte
Market Rasen
1.17 Free Handshake 1.52 The Role Model 2.27 Kihavah 3.02 Master Malachy 3.37 Tamaroc Du Mathan 4.14 Living’s Boy An Co 4.45 Notimeforanother
Ascot
1.25 Eldar Eldarov 2.00 Rohaan 2.40 Mimikyu 3.20 Modern Games (nb) 4.00 Baaeed 4.40 Blue For You (nap)
Catterick Bridge
1.35 Young And Fun 2.10 Glory And Gold 2.45 Arranmore 3.15 King Of Tonga 3.50 Pearl Of Qatar 4.25 Arrange 5.00 Flamborough
Stratford-On-Avon
1.40 Man Of The Sea 2.14 Midnight Jewel 2.49 Lucky Lover Boy 3.24 Hermes Allen 3.54 Progressive 4.29 Bolsover Bill
Wolverhampton
4.50 Masqool 5.25 Zodiac Star 6.00 Belle Fourche 6.30 Monsieur Fantaisie 7.00 Red Walls 7.30 Desert Emperor 8.00 White Wolf 8.30 Captain Howse
Ascot 4.40 A hyper-competitive conclusion to racing’s richest card, but Blue For You, an impressive winner at York in August, still looked ahead of his current mark over seven furlongs last time and Danny Tudhope, who rode him on the Knavesmire, is back in the saddle for this return to a mile.
