Angus McNae's Racing UK Blog
	Saturday 17th October 2015

Racing History could be made at Ascot

Qipco British Champions Day has undoubtedly grown in stature since its inception and this year the meeting seems to have really captured the imagination of the racing public. 

Frankel may not be there, he has been too busy watching Book One of the Tattersalls yearling sales, but all the horses you could wish for given the meeting’s place as the meat in a Arc and Breeders’ Cup sandwich, are there.

Punters will be greedily licking their lips in anticipation of a few short-priced favourites going in on the day.

Indeed a few chalk-eating weasel friends of mine think that favourites will win every race. This will surely not happen will it? I for one am hoping not.

The three big favourites on the card are Jack Hobbs, Solow and Muhaarar. Christmas money in the bag you might think? Of course they can all win as they all are proven this season in their relative divisions, but I am happy to oppose two of them with solid each-way plays. The one that I think will win is Solow.

We will not know if Gleneagles will run until at least after the first race - if he does he will clearly make life very tough for Solow. If he ducks the issue again then Solow should dot up. His trainer, Freddy Head, is a brilliant trainer and he knows what it takes to win this race as he showed with Charm Spirit last year.

He has managed Solow's career with equal brilliance and without Gleneagles he will surely be too strong for Kodi Bear who, in my opinion, wants soft ground. Territories should be overwhelmed, also. So far, he has not quite been able to reproduce his runner- up effort in the English 2000 Guineas. So favourite backers, I will concede this one to you and will happily watch Solow win without backing him.

When John Gosden was interviewed on Racing UK recently he was bullish about the chance of Jack Hobbs in the Qipco Champion Stakes. The one caveat he added was the draw. He felt that a low to middle draw would be important. And he was suitably unhappy with stall 12 afterwards.

Of course bad draws can always be overcome as Frankie Dettori showed on Golden Horn in the Arc, but he was helped by a very helpful pace scenario.

It is quite possible Jack Hobbs will be posted wide and that could be fatal to his chances of winning. Much will depend on the pacemaker, Maverick Wave going fast enough to string the field out enough to allow Jack Hobbs to slot in. A bunched field would see him posted wide. Much, as ever, depends on the pace of the race and also William Buick's attitude.

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With Jack Hobbs vulnerable, Racing History looks an interesting each-way alternative as he is mightily progressive.

A brother to Farhh who won the race in 2013 he has the pedigree of a Group One horse, and when he showed an amazing turn of foot to win at Chester two starts back I immediately marked him down as a future Group One winner.

Since then he has won the Group Three Winter Hill Stakes at Windsor. His career has been carefully managed and there is plenty of improvement to come. Stall one and James Doyle is a bonus as is the generous and widely available 14-1.

Muhaarar is a triple Group One winner this season and is the best sprinter in Europe. As such he will take a good deal of beating in the Qipco British Champion Sprint Stakes. He has had a hard season, though as all three of his Group Ones were gained in gritty fashion. He is being asked to dig deep again, to find the guts and resolution one more time in the heat of battle. This is quite a big ask. He may well be up to the task, but surely he should be opposed with a progressive type who could expose any sign of fatigue in the favourite. That horse is The Tin Man.

Boy was he impressive in Berkshire last time. He cruised through the lesser race and blasted clear in the closing stages.

I interviewed Tom Queally live on Racing UK after the win and he was really impressed with the horse. Off camera he described him to me as the real deal, a proper horse for the Royal Meeting.

His trainer James Fanshawe has shown a good touch with sprinters before, and won this race with Society Rock. He knows what it takes to win a race like this and in The Tin Man both he and his jockey believe they have the right raw material for the job. At 8-1 he looks a solid each way play.

Angus McNae's Saturday tips:

1.20 Ascot: The Tin Man each-way at 8-1 with Paddy Power and William Hill

3.05 Ascot: Racing History each-way at 14-1 with bet365 and BetVictor