Champions Day 2011

So here we are then. The richest ever racing card in Britain with £3 million in prize money up for grabs. Many things have be said and written in regard to the meeting and the ‘Champions Series’ itself, some good some bad, but whether you are a fan of the idea, or whether you are a traditionalist who would prefer things had stayed the same and see Newmarket as the home of The Champion Stakes, there is no denying we have a terrific day of racing to look forward to.
The big one of course is the Group One Champion Stakes at 4.10 and it looks a strong renewal with some well established stars lining up. Ex Aussie star So You Think, King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Nathaniel, the lovely reliable mare Midday, two time winner of this race when at Newmarket Twice Over and Ed Dunlops star filly Snow Fairy all have chances but I am going to have a couple of bob on Dubai Prince. I put the colt up as a possible Derby horse at the start of the season but he suffered an injury which has seen him run just once this season when winning a little race at Newbury. He remains a horse of great potential and is open to massive improvement, he's my choice at 8-1 early.
The opener is the Group Three Long Distance Cup at 1.50 with some nice stayers on show. Fame And Glory looked likely to rule over the staying division for some time when winning the Gold Cup at the Royal meeting, Opinion Poll second, but things have not gone to plan for the Ballydoyle colt since. Opinion Poll has won the Goodwood Cup and Lonsdale Cup since that defeat at the Royal meeting and may well gain revenge today but I think they might both have to play second fiddle to upcoming start Times Up. The Ed Dunlop trained five-year-old made quite an impression when taking a Listed event at Newmarket when trying two mile for the first time and may well announce himself as a major player for the Cup races today, take a bit of the 3-1.
The speedsters take to the track at 2.25 for the Group Two Champions Sprint. Wokingham winner Deacon Blues is likely to prove a leading light in the sprinting division over the next few years but though his last two wins have been impressive on first sight the subsequent runs of the horses he beat have been poor so questions marks have to remain as to just how good the form is. The French filly Moonlight Cloud comes here with rock solid credentials with her Group 1 Prix Maurice De Gheest at Deauville victory in August looking top class, Society Rock, Dream Ahead and Zoffany all left in her wake. Admittedly that victory was on the soft but she has won on good and at 7-2 is my pick.
The ladies are on show for the 3.00 Fillies and Mares Group Two and it looks a fairly open affair with several in with a chance. I am going to take a chance with Dancing Rain. Having won the Oaks a shade sneakily she finished only fifth in the Irish version before coming back to win the German Oaks in August and you can expect Johnny Murtagh to try and get over to the rails early and try to make every post a winning one. Receiving a very handy 7lb pull from the older fillys the three-year-old has a chance at 6-1.
The Group One Queen Elizabeth II Stakes is all about the sports current superstar Frankel. You won't get rich at a price of 1-2 but unbeaten in eight starts it is difficult to envisage anything other than a victory for the colt on what may prove no more than a lap of honour before he is put away for the winter and the Warren Place maestro Henry Cecil gets to work plotting his four-year-old campaign.
Enjoy as it should be a great days racing and most of all - Be lucky