Sky Sports Racing's Alex Hammond's QIPCO British Champions Day tips

The 2024 Flat turf season draws to a close on Saturday with Qipco British Champions Day, and I’m champing at the bit to be at Ascot. Once again it looks like it will live up to its billing as the ultimate race day, with fields worthy of the £4.1m in prize money.

This day was formed back in 2011 and since then it feels like it has really grown in stature. There may be many problems that British racing needs to address, but this isn’t one of them.

Kyprios has earned his superstar billing, and it feels slightly uncomfortable that Aidan O’Brien’s most prolific Group 1 winning horse takes a step back into group 2 company for the opening Long Distance Cup. Still, it’s one of the most valuable all-aged prizes for stayers in Europe and it looks to be his for the taking. It’s worth over £100,000 more than the Prix du Cadran that he won so stylishly on Arc weekend. We are lucky to enjoy his talent too because he almost didn’t make it after an infection in his leg in 2023 which could easily have finished his career and his life. He was beaten by the reopposing Trawlerman in this race last year, but he was on the comeback trail and Trawlerman may struggle to exploit any weak spots in the hot favourite this time round. One horse that I’d have on my radar for place purposes is Al Nayyir who has his third start for Tom Clover, a trainer enjoying his most successful season to date. Despite being the same age as Kyprios it feels like he’s just getting started in the Cup division and his trainer may get more out of him in the future. Kyprios is 4/6 favourite with Sky Bet and Al Nayyir is an 11/2 shot.

Race two is the British Champions Sprint Stakes over six furlongs and a maximum field of 20 have been declared. Kinross edges favouritism at 5/1 after his gallant effort when second in the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp last time. I was a supporter of Ramatuelle on Arc day, and she proved she was the best on the day with the drop back to seven furlongs suiting her well. Kinross has been a regular in Saturday’s Group 1, winning it two years ago for former partner Frankie Dettori. Rossa Ryan has got to know him now and both he and trainer Ralph Beckett are on the crest of a wave after their Arc victory with Bluestocking. I’m taking them on with a horse I should have backed and didn’t (insert crying emoji) when he won at 25/1 last time out. I don’t really know why I deserted Montassib in the Sprint Cup, but I did, and I paid the price. He beat Kinross at Newcastle the time before and I’m hoping for the same result again here. He’s only just getting going in sprint races having been a late comer to this speedy party and there’s more to come. He’s 11/2 second favourite. Beauvatier is an 11/1 chance, and I think he could run into a place for trainer Yann Barberot. This horse has plenty of class and got going too late in the Foret, posting a fast final furlong.

Race three is the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes over a trip just shy of the mile and a half. The races on the round course have been switched to the inner track which has marginally shortened the distance of a couple of them. It’s a tricky race but my pin has fallen on Tiffany who is currently 13/2 in the betting behind Kalpana, Content and German raider Quantanamera. My selection is trained by Sir Mark Prescott, who doesn’t do badly with those top class fillies, and she is still improving. She’s been carefully campaigned to win a couple of decent contests in Germany and hails from the family of another top class female in Soviet Song.

The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes is next, and this really does look competitive. Charyn is the 7/4 favourite after his brilliant season and he’s also highest rated. Tamfana comes here on the up having won her first Group 1 at Newmarket last time out and she’s 3/1 next best. Two I like at bigger prices are Henry Longfellow (13/2) and Quddwah (14/1). The former of that duo hasn’t had much luck this year but I suspect he’s capable of better. His dam, Minding, won this race in 2016. Quddwah met his first defeat in the Prix Jacques le Marois and has been freshened up since then. He’s unexposed and improving.

The Qipco Champion Stakes is race five and there is a stellar line up for this £1.3m contest. It’s been billed as a head to head between Calandagan and Economics but it’s not just about those two titans. They are worthy protagonists though with Sky Bet installing the French trained runner as their 13/8 favourite and the William Haggas trained colt 15/8 second best. Los Angeles is 6/1 third in after his third place in the Arc and on his drop back to a mile and a quarter. This is a mouthwatering clash and whoever comes out on top will deserve the title of champion. On the soft ground I’m just edging with Calandagan, who looked so good when winning the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot. I felt he was ridden a fraction too far back when second to City Of Troy in the Juddmonte International, but he wouldn’t have beaten him either way I suspect.

The small matter of the twenty runner Balmoral Handicap is our closer over the straight mile. My slightly blunter pin has landed on Lattan here. He’s 11/1 to come out on top and if you back him you need nerves of steel as the later he’s produced the better. He’s been off since running at Newcastle in June, but he goes well fresh as he proved when runner-up in the Lincoln on his first run for Julie Camacho and his seasonal reappearance back in March. He's still lightly raced for his age, and I hope he can acquit himself well in this red hot contest.

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