Appleby: Blue Point's Ascot bid hinges on ground drying out

Charlie Appleby is not ruling out a return to Ascot for a tilt at the Qipco British Champions Sprint with Saturday's John Guest Bengough Stakes winner Blue Point but has warned the ground would need to dry out.

Appleby said on Sunday: "Blue Point has come out of the race well and on a sound surface it would come under serious consideration, but it will just depend upon what the conditions are like and so we are on weather watch for the next fortnight.

"Harry Angel is in there as well of course [for Godolphin] and he's shown his ability in soft conditions. The only time we want to take on Harry Angel again is on good ground, if not better, which is not typical at this time of year, although we had it last year."

He added: "We were delighted with his win on Saturday as the ground wasn't to his liking and while that was how we planned to ride him, it's not really his style of racing. He prefers to take cover and pick up and it was just that we knew there was no pace and we didn't want to be taking him back in lesser company. He got lonely in the end."

Blue Point is generally around a 12-1 chance in a market dominated by Harry Angel, who has not looked back since the pair were placed behind Caravaggio in the Commonwealth Cup and bids for a hat-trick of Group 1s following his impressive wins in the Darley July Cup and the 32Red Sprint Cup.

Harry Angel is trading at between 5-4 and 6-4 ahead of Caravaggio at 4-1, with last year's winner The Tin Man third best at 6-1.

James Fanshawe is seldom one to talk up his chances but had positive news of The Tin Man, whose Diamond Jubilee Stakes defeat of Tasleet at Royal Ascot took his record at the track to three wins from five starts.

He said: "The Tin Man doesn't tell you much at home, but he worked nicely on the Limekilns on Saturday and seems in good form.

"The younger sprinters look very good, but The Tin Man's record at Ascot speaks for itself and he's had a good preparation. We just want a smooth run between now and Saturday week in order to get him there in the same form as last year."

Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes entries

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