British Champions Day: how are the markets shaping up for the big races at Ascot - and where does the ante-post value lie?

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Fields for Qatar Racing British Champions Day are taking shape, and we've looked at the markets for the Group 1 races in the end-of-season spectacular, noting some ante-post entries of interest.

Champions Day will also be covered in depth by Tom Segal in his latest Ante-Post Pricewise column, live at 6pm this evening. Sign up to Racing Post+ Tipping so you don't miss his fancies for the big day.

Qatar Racing British Champions Long Distance Cup

• bet365: 6-4 Scandinavia, 9-4 Jan Brueghel, 7-2 Caballo De Mar, 8 Illinois, 10 Defiantly, Queenstown, 12 Sons And Lovers, 14 Gregory, Mount Atlas, Opportunity, 16 bar.

Scandinavia, a game winner of the Gold Cup at this track in June, holds ante-post favouritism for this Group 1 having won his last eight starts and all five this campaign.

Aidan O'Brien's colt won the Irish St Leger at the Irish Champions Festival on Sunday and his trainer suggested that might be his final start of the campaign, so his participation looks in doubt and he has subsequently drifted from 4-7 to odds against.

Stablemate Jan Brueghel was put forward as a Long Distance Cup possible.

Ryan Moore: winner of the Ormonde Stakes at Chester in MayCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

The five-year-old has had a lighter campaign and would be interesting tackling two miles for the first time.

The home challenge is headed by Caballo De Mar, who bounced back from a couple of lesser efforts to land the Doncaster Cup on Friday. Following that race his trainer George Scott suggested that a defence of his Prix du Cadran crown at Longchamp on Arc weekend was the target.

Verdict

With question marks surrounding the participation of Scandinavia and Caballo De Mar, this looks a good opportunity for Jan Brueghel to get back to winning ways. The dual Group 1 winner shaped with encouragement when third behind Scandinavia in Sunday's Irish St Leger at the Curragh. Trainer Aidan O'Brien said beforehand that his five-year-old would come on for the run and in a race that has the potential to cut up quite significantly the 9-4 is worth taking.

Jan Brueghel13:30 Ascot

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Jky: Tnr: A P O'Brien

Qatar Racing British Champions Sprint Stakes

• William Hill: 7-4 Almeraq, 8 Comanche Brave, 14 Division, Thesecretadversary, 16 Flora Of Bermuda, Great Wish, Samangan, Kind Of Blue, 20 bar.

Almeraq won the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes over this course and distance at the royal meeting and put an underwhelming run in the July Cup behind him when an impressive winner of the Sprint Cup at Haydock last time.

The Shadwell runner looks the best sprinter in Britain on that evidence and any ease in the ground will help him on Champions Day.

Almeraq streaks clear to win the Betfair Sprint CupCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

The Donnacha O'Brien-trained Comanche Brave looks more likely to head to the Breeders' Cup or Hong Kong, and the main opposition to the favourite could come from Division.

Almeraq's stablemate has run well in defeat on several occasions this season, most recently when beaten just a neck behind winner Samangan – who is also entered here – in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville.

Danish sprinter Great Wish finished a 50-1 sixth behind Almeraq in the Jubilee and has won both starts since, his latest victory coming by four and a half lengths in a Group 3 at Deauville. 

Verdict

Recent Haydock winner Almeraq should be tough to beat if backing up his latest showing, but 7-4 makes little appeal at this stage and it could instead pay to take a chance on Great Wish. Bent Olsen's speedster also comes into this on the back of a wide-margin sprint victory and wasn't beaten too far behind the favourite here in June. He handles most ground and looks capable of outrunning his price.

Great Wish14:05 Ascot

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Jky: Tnr: Bent Olsen

Qatar Racing British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes

• Paddy Power: 5-2 Kalpana, 4 Sunly, 5 Thundering On, Waardah, 7 Minnie Hauk, 8 Danielle, Lilt, Sparan Nua, 12 Johanna Walsh, Tiffany, 16 bar. 

Owners Juddmonte are represented by the first two in the betting in Kalpana and Sunly, with the former bidding to bring up a hat-trick in this Group 1.

She enhanced her fine course record when beating the boys in the King George earlier this year and supplemented that victory back against her own sex in the Yorkshire Oaks last time.

Kalpana: has won the last two runnings of the Fillies & Mares StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Her ownermate Sunly has gone close at Group 1 level for trainer Francis Graffard the last two times, catching the eye when third in the Prix Vermeille earlier this month – a run worth upgrading given she stumbled leaving the stalls and was squeezed out early in the straight.

Both of those also hold entries in the Arc, however, as does the Joseph O'Brien-trained Thundering On, winner of the Oaks earlier this year who gained her first win since in the Blandford Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday.

Directly behind Thundering On in the Blandford was William Haggas's Lilt, who was making her first start since June and looks open to improvement on the back of just four starts.

Verdict

Kalpana could bid for a remarkable hat-trick in this Group 1 but she also holds an entry in the Arc and a big run at Longchamp could leave this race coming too soon. Three-year-olds have won seven of the last ten runnings, and from that age group Lilt looks an interesting contender. She was making her first start since the French Oaks in June when a staying-on second behind Thundering On at the Curragh on Sunday. Stepping up in trip is sure to suit on that evidence and, being by Lope De Vega, she should come into her own back on softer ground conditions.

Lilt14:40 Ascot

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Jky: Tnr: William Haggas

Queen Elizabeth II Stakes

• Sky Bet: 5 Blue Bolt, Gstaad, Rayif, Ten Bob Tony, 6 Zavateri, 7 Zeus Olympios, 8 Diamond Necklace, Erdenali, More Thunder, 20 bar. 

There have been 100-1 and 33-1 winners of this race in recent years and this season's running looks wide open.

Blue Bolt is the obvious starting point having enjoyed a fine campaign, winning all five starts and her latest three coming at Group 1 level. Those victories all came against her own sex, however, and she has the option of the Sun Chariot back against the girls at Newmarket next month.

Blue Bolt: could she take on the boys in the QEIICredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Gstaad chased home the now-retired Bow Echo in Group 1s earlier this season and could take a step forward for his recent third in the Prix du Moulin, but connections indicated after that run that his future may now lie over further than a mile and soft ground would be an unknown.

Francis Graffard has a couple of entries in Erdenali, who claimed a Group 1 breakthrough in the Moulin, and Rayif, the French 2,000 Guineas winner who returned to winning ways in the Prix Jacques le Marois last time. 

Verdict

Erdenali is the up-and-coming force in the mile division but looks more likely to head to the Breeders' Cup, and that could open the door for stablemate Rayif, who handles soft ground and showed good battling qualities to land the Jacques le Marois last time.

Rayif15:20 Ascot

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Jky: Tnr: F-H Graffard

Qatar Racing Champion Stakes 

• Ladbrokes: 3 Ombudsman, 5 Calandagan, 6 Almaqam, 8 Daryz, Item, 10 Bay City Roller, Constitution River, 12 Diamond Necklace, Hotazhell, Sallaal, Wimbledon Hawkeye, 14 bar.

Last year's one-two, Calandagan and Ombudsman, are prominent in the betting but look far from certain to run here, with the former being targeted at a defence of his Japan Cup crown, while Ombudsman will run wherever he can get his preferred quick ground conditions.

Almaqam and Bay City Roller look solid contenders granted some cut in the ground, while the Simon and Ed Crisford-trained Sallaal is on an upward curve and would also appreciate some dig.

Sallaal: has won his last three startsCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Of those at a bigger price, the Wathnan Racing pair Map Of Stars and Best Secret have form at this track and are fresher than most of their rivals.

Verdict

If either Ombudsman or Calandagan arrived here in top form they would be very difficult to beat, but with significant question marks over their participation it looks worth chancing something at a big price and Best Secret could cause an upset. Stephane Wattel's colt was below his best in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot last time, but getting back on some softer ground will help and he comes into this a fresh horse.

Best Secret16:00 Ascot

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Jky: Tnr: S Wattel

Read these next:

Aidan O'Brien on course to break his own Group 1 record - but does he have the firepower to go all the way? 

When was a Derby winner ever 50-1 for anything? Lambourn's decline raises uncomfortable questions 

All eyes on this week's Melbourne Cup weights for Joseph O'Brien's latest staying talent - plus an eyecatcher to note for the Ayr Gold Cup 

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