The Punt Daily: Tom Collins' free horse racing tips on Champions Day

BANKER

(4.40 Ascot)

David Barron's mare loves testing ground and the straight course at Ascot and gets her ideal conditions today, so must be a strong player in an otherwise competitive-looking Balmoral Handicap. Given a plot draw in stall one (all five winners of the race have come from stall ten or lower), rider Jamie Spencer should have a lot of pace to track and sweep through with a strong, late run. She is down to a mark of 99, the same rating she ran off when finishing a narrow second in the Royal Hunt Cup here in June, and it wouldn't surprise me if she was the subject of strong market support.

DARK HORSE

(2.45 Ascot)

Aidan O'Brien's filly has been campaigned at the top level all season with varying degrees of success and although she has been beaten by the reopposing Star Catcher on three occasions, she shouldn't be dismissed with conditions in her favour. A game sort who never stops trying, Fleeting ran a career-best race when second on very soft ground in France last time and is the chosen mount of Donnacha O'Brien, who could have ridden stablemate Delphinia, who is also not without a chance.

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