Sporting Life
Don't miss the latest preview and tips

Free betting previews & race by race tips for Saturday

By Tony Kelshaw
15:56 · THU October 17, 2024

Saturday racing tips

ASCOT: 1.20 Kyprios, 1.55 Unequal Love, 2.35 Kalpana, 3.15 CHARYN (NAP), 3.55 Calandagan, 4.35 State Actor.

CATTERICK: 1.00 Cash In, 1.30 Morandi Second, 2.05 Saxon Raider, 2.42 Quantum Leap, 3.25 Fine Interview, 4.05 Zainabb, 4.45 Wen Moon, 5.15 Rough Diamond.

LEOPARDSTOWN: 2.30 Minnie Hauk, 3.05 Kilcrea Rock, 3.40 Trinity College, 4.10 Takemetothemoon, 4.40 Exactly, 5.10 Wild Sapphire, 5.40 Yamal.

LIMERICK: 1.35 Banana Three, 2.10 Yorkshire Escape, 2.45 Jetara, 3.20 Cobra Queen, 3.50 Slip Jig, 4.25 Mabel In May, 4.55 Tullyhogue Fort, 5.25 Korinthia.

STRATFORD: 1.40 Dreaming Diamond, 2.20 Imac Wood, 2.55 Strong Belle, 3.30 Whatsyourproblem, 4.15 Mikimoto, 4.50 Any Biscuits, 5.20 Supasunrise.

WOLVERHAMPTON: 4.27 Simiyann, 5.00 His Finest Hour, 5.30 Apache Canyon, 6.00 Twilight Dancer, 6.30 Rosenzoo, 7.00 Visibility, 7.30 Not Just Yet, 8.00 Papa Don’t Preach, 8.30 Sea Of Charm.

DOUBLE: Charyn and Calandagan.

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair

Past trends point towards Calandagan coming out on top in the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

French raiders have a fine record in the Group One contest, with the likes of Pride, Literato, Cirrus Des Aigles, Almanzor and Sealiway taking the trophy back across the Channel in the last two decades.

The other key statistic to catch the eye is that horses with proven form over a mile and a half have so often held sway in what usually turns into a war of attrition over 10 furlongs.

Conditions are set to be testing once more in Berkshire this weekend and that gives Calandagan the edge over Economics on several pieces of evidence.

Francis-Henri Graffard’s gelding twice ploughed through the ParisLongchamp mud to score in Group Three company earlier this season.

He then blitzed his King Edward VII Stakes rivals by six lengths over 12 furlongs at this venue in June and took a step up to Group One level in his stride by staying on to finish a length second to City Of Troy in the Juddmonte International.

Economics showed plenty of class to get up close home in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown but this promises to be a different kind of battle at the business end.

Charyn is hard to oppose in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes after enjoying a stellar season in top-tier mile races.

Roger Varian’s four-year-old handled cut underfoot when scoring at Doncaster and Sandown in the spring and was simply superb in securing the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot and Deauville’s Prix Jacques le Marois.

He has tasted defeat in the Lockinge at Newbury and ParisLongchamp’s Prix du Moulin last time out, but on both occasions was just caught out by trailblazing front-runners stealing a march.

Silvestre De Sousa will be determined to avoid a similar outcome and a stiff, straight mile can ensure Charyn gets the glorious swansong he deserves.

Kyprios is another worthy favourite who just needs to hold his form in the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup at the end of a faultless campaign.

Aidan O’Brien’s charge was edged out by Trawlerman in this contest 12 months ago but has moved back up to the superior level of his 2022 exploits this term.

His smooth Prix du Cadran success was a fourth straight Group One triumph – a sequence that began when he gained revenge over Trawlerman in the Gold Cup at the Royal meeting here.

All ground conditions seem to come alike to Kyprios and Ryan Moore’s tactical mastery can ensure this is another uncomplicated victory.

Punters looking for a bit more value are well served by the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes, where Unequal Love is fancied to come to the fore for William Haggas and Tom Marquand.

The daughter of Dutch Art has coped well with stepping up in class since her Wokingham win and was doing her best work late on when third to Montassib in Haydock’s Sprint Cup.

Having prevailed on an easy surface at Ripon and Pontefract last season, this progressive four-year-old should be favoured by the set-up this weekend.

Kalpana has always been held in high regard by connections and appears to have put it all together following dominant displays at Hamilton and Kempton.

Her sire Study Of Man won the French Derby on soft ground, so Andrew Balding’s filly is worth following in the Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes.

Irish raider State Actor has a heavy-going Curragh maiden win on his CV and is potentially well treated in the Balmoral Handicap, having been just touched off in the Irish Cambridgeshire last time out.

More from Sporting Life

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.