How the markets are shaping up for the Group 1 races on Champions Day - and where the value lies

Ascot's British Champions Day fixture on October 18 is on the horizon and here we delve into the markets for the Group 1 races on the card, assessing where the value lies right now . . .

Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup

How is the market shaping up?

The retirement of Kyprios has seen Trawlerman take up the position of top dog in the staying division and he heads here on the back of three straight wins, landing the Henry II Stakes at Sandown before victories in the Ascot Gold Cup at the royal meeting and Lonsdale Cup at York's Ebor festival last time.

Trawlerman: Gold Cup winner followed up in the Lonsdale Cup

Trawlerman: won the Lonsdale Cup last monthCredit: Jonathan Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

John and Thady Gosden's seven-year-old heads the betting at a general 5-4 ahead of Scandinavia, winner of the St Leger at Doncaster on Saturday. The Classic winner looks a top stayer in the making but could miss this race in favour of a tilt at the Melbourne Cup, with general 7-1 third favourite Al Riffa also potentially Flemington-bound.

Scandinavia's trainer Aidan O'Brien has Jan Brueghel and Illinois as further Long Distance Cup possibles, with the latter needing to bounce back from a disappointing run behind Al Riffa in Sunday's Irish St Leger.

Paddy Power: 5-4 Trawlerman, 5-2 Scandinavia, 7 Al Riffa, 8 Jan Brueghel, 12 Illinois, 14 Sibayan, 16 bar.

Where does the value lie?

Trawlerman looks a rock-solid play at odds-against given the question marks surrounding the participation of main market rivals Scandinavia and Al Riffa.

Trawlerman13:30 Ascot

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Jky: Tnr: John & Thady Gosden

Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes

How is the market shaping up?

The unpredictable nature of this season's top sprint races has left an open-looking market for this year's Champions Sprint Stakes, with More Thunder, Kind Of Blue and Lazzat the three shortest-priced contenders.

More Thunder has won four of his five starts this season – the sole defeat coming when beaten a head in the Wokingham over course and distance in June – and he struck at Group level for the first time in last month's Hungerford Stakes at Newbury.

More Thunder: convincing winner of the Hungerford

More Thunder: winner of the Hungerford Stakes at NewburyCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Wathnan Racing's Kind Of Blue took this prize last year and, having been slow to come to hand early in the season, put up a promising effort when chasing home Big Mojo in the Sprint Cup at Haydock last time.

Lazzat, another Wathnan hope, finished fifth in that contest after being backed into even-money favouritism. The French raider took the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes over course and distance at Royal Ascot earlier in the season.

William Hill: 5 More Thunder, 7 Kind Of Blue, Lazzat, 8 Big Mojo, Flora Of Bermuda, 12 Woodshauna, 14 Notable Speech, 16 bar.

Where does the value lie?

Kind Of Blue won this race last year and has been working his way back to form this season; odds of 7-1 make each-way appeal.

Kind Of Blue14:05 Ascot

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Jky: Tnr: James Fanshawe

Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes

How is the market shaping up?

Aventure heads the betting on the back of her Prix Vermeille win over Gezora but Christophe Ferland's filly is disputing favouritism for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and would be a major doubt to head here less than two weeks after Longchamp.

Number 1: Maxime Guyon and Aventure surged to Arc favouritism with a smooth Vermeille success

Aventure: winner of the Prix VermeilleCredit: © APRH / QUENTIN BERTRAND

Minnie Hauk, also prominent in the Arc betting, is another whose participation is in doubt, with the Breeders' Cup Turf mooted as a possible end-of-season target.

Andrew Balding's Kalpana – an impressive winner of this race last year – is in Arc contention too, likewise Estrange, who was last seen chasing home Minnie Hauk in the Yorkshire Oaks.

Unlike her main market rivals, Owen Burrows' Waardah does not hold an Arc entry. She was last seen landing the Group 2 Lillie Langtry Stakes over 1m6f at Goodwood, when edging out subsequent Park Hill Stakes fourth Danielle. Dropping back to this trip shouldn't be an inconvenience as long as she gets her preferred soft ground.

Sky Bet: 3 Aventure, 7-2 Minnie Hauk, 4 Kalpana, 6 Estrange, Waardah, 10 Gezora, Quisisana, Whirl, 12 Danielle, Tiffany, 14 bar.

Where does the value lie?

The Arc holds a heavy bearing over this market and the safe play at this stage is Waardah, who doesn't hold an entry at Longchamp, is unexposed on the back of just five starts, and impressed when landing the Lillie Langtry last time.

Waardah14:45 Ascot

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Jky: Tnr: Owen Burrows

Queen Elizabeth II Stakes

How is the market shaping up?

Field Of Gold, an electric winner of the Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes earlier this season, heads the betting here at 9-4 but is on something of a retrieval mission after disappointing when fourth in the Sussex Stakes last time.

He is followed in the market by fellow grey Fallen Angel, who has claimed Group 1 wins against her own sex in the Prix Rothschild and Matron Stakes the last two times.

Fallen Angel came out on top in the Matron Stakes

Fallen Angel: won the Matron Stakes at LeopardstownCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Richard Hannon's Rosallion has suffered defeats by a nose, neck, length and short head in four starts this season and could bid to end his season on a high note here, for all that soft ground would be a concern.

Never So Brave brought up a hat-trick when landing the Group 1 City of York Stakes over 7f last time and shouldn't be inconvenienced by the return to a mile.

Bet365: 9-4 Field Of Gold, 5 Fallen Angel, 6 Delacroix, Rosallion, 10 Never So Brave, 12 Docklands, 14 More Thunder, Sardinian Warrior, 16 Exactly, 20 bar.

Where does the value lie?

Field Of Gold needs to bounce back from his below-par run in the Sussex Stakes and it might pay to oppose him with Fallen Angel, who is thriving at present and should get her preferred soft ground.

Fallen Angel15:25 Ascot

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Jky: Tnr: K R Burke

Qipco Champion Stakes

How is the market shaping up?

The John and Thady Gosden-trained Ombudsman has enjoyed a fine campaign, gaining Group 1 wins in the Prince of Wales's Stakes over course and distance and more recently in the Juddmonte International at York. He heads the betting at a general 7-4 but will be returning from a near two-month break and his most recent form has come on quick ground.

Ombudsman completes a sensational day for Night Of Thunder at York

Ombudsman: won the Juddmonte International at York last timeCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Last year's Champion Stakes one-two Anmaat and Calandagan could renew rivalry, with the latter eyeing a Group 1 hat-trick after wins in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Francis Graffard's gelding is admirably consistent, having recorded Racing Post Ratings in the 120s on each of his last six starts.

Anmaat caused a 40-1 upset in this contest 12 months ago and has finished second on all three starts this season, getting to within three-quarters of a length of Delacroix in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday.

Aidan O'Brien suggested that Delacroix could be retired following that win, so the trainer might instead be represented by Whirl, who failed to beat a rival home in the Prix Vermeille last time but should appreciate dropping back to this trip.

Ladbrokes: 7-4 Ombudsman, 5-2 Calandagan, 6 Anmaat, Delacroix, 10 Almaqam, Whirl, 12 Economics, Goliath, 14 Fox Legacy, 16 bar.

Where does the value lie?

Ombudsman will be tough to beat if anywhere near his best, but Calandagan rates the better value at the prices. The French raider was beaten just a half-length in this race last year and posted a joint-career-best RPR when landing the King George at this track last time.