The QIPCO Champion Stakes betting sees the French raider Horizon Dore topping the market for the Saturday Ascot showcase race on Champions Day. This Patrice Cottier runner will be looking to uphold the good record in the race for runners from France but will also be taking on last year’s winner Bay Bridge and this season’s Epsom Derby runner-up King Of Steel.
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When Is The 2023 Champion Stakes?
đź•™Time: 3:45pm
đź“…Date: Saturday 21st Oct 2023
🏇Racecourse: Ascot
đź’°: Winner: ÂŁ737,230
đź“ş TV: Sky Sports / ITV
🎲 Odds: Mostahdaf 3/1/ | King of Steel 7/2 | Horizon Dore 4/1 | Bay Bridge 5/1 | 8/1 bar
QIPCO Champion Stakes 2023: Can Horizon Dore Give French Their Third Win Since 2016?
The Champion Stakes has provided horse racing fans with five French trained winners in the last 21 years, including two since 2016, and they’ve got another big chance this Saturday with Horizon Dore.
This fast-improving 3 year-old will head to Ascot having won his last four races, with the most recent being the Group Two Prix Dollar over Arc weekend (watch below).
That Longchamp win was also his sixth from his opening 8 career runs, but this Saturday he’ll need to take another step forward running in Group One company and also outside France for the first time.
The best UK horse racing betting sites have made Horizon Dore their betting favourite since that last win and with proven form on soft ground then the expected deep conditions on Saturday will pose no issues.
Frankie Dettori Looks For Third Champion Stakes Win
Amo Racing sensationally sacked their main jockey Kevin Stott after finding fault with his ride on King Of Steel in the Irish Champion Stakes last time out, when beaten just a length (4th) to the Epsom Derby winner Auguste Rodin (watch below).
With the owners yet to confirm if they will be having a set stable jockey, they’ve turned to a certain Frankie Dettori, who famously made a retirement U-turn last week and will carry on riding into 2024 in the US.
Frankie has two previous wins in the Champion Stakes, and they came on the same horse – Cracksman, who won the pot in back-to-back years in 2017 and 2018.
Dettori has clearly picked up a top ride here on King Of Steel, who was also runner-up in the Epsom Derby this season, plus an easy winner of the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot, so we know the track suits.
However, the big worry would be that ALL of the last 21 winners of the Champion Stakes had won at least four times – he’s only recorded two successes to date. Therefore, will his lack of experience (6 runs) be his downfall?
Money Comes For Mostahdaf
With Champions Day switched to the inner track and the ground not quite as soft as some thought, then it’s no shock the money has started to come for the 128-rated Mostahdaf.
This John Gosden runner brings the best form to the table after wins in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot in June and last time with a length success over Nashwa in the Juddmonte International (watch below).
Frankie stepped in for the banned Jim Crowley last time, but his regular jockey is back in the plate and even though a lot more rain would be a concern and it won’t be easy having to give 4lbs away to some promising younger horses – he’s the best in the race, a proven CD winner and so it’s no shock he’s having plenty of backers in the hours leading up to the race.
Can Bay Bridge Defend His Champion Stakes Crown?
12 months ago, the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Bay Bridge lowered the colours of hot favourite Baaeed and also past Derby winner Adayar by winning this race and he’s back for more on Saturday.
Bay Bridge will be looking to become the first repeat winner since the already mentioned Cracksman, while before this Gosden multiple winner it was Twice Over in 2009 and 2010 that did the double.
Since his big win last year, Bay Bridge has only won once from six races and that came in a Group Three on the AW at Kempton Park.
However, a recent 6th in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe was a top effort, having been beaten just 6 lengths to the useful winner Ace Impact (watch below).
Champion Stakes Tips: Horizon Dore To Give French Another Ascot Pay-Day
Last year’s winner Bay Bridge is respected after a top run in the Arc last time out (6th). We know Ascot suits too, plus his proven stamina in likely testing ground will be a big asset. However, 7 of the last 8 Champion Stakes winners were aged 3 or 4 – so is his age (5) also a slight negative?
Frankie’s mount King Of Steel stays further too and is a course winner, having won the King Edward VII Stakes at Ascot at the Royal Meeting in June. But his lack of winning experience (2 wins) is the concern with ALL of the last 21 winners having won at least 4 times in the past.
With the ground maybe not quite as bad as some thought, Mostahdaf has been supported in the build-up and could even go off as favourite in the betting. He’s one of the top-rated middle distance horses in the world and brings the best Group One form to the table. It’s hard to knock his chance, and as long as the ground doesn’t get any softer would be a big player.
The consistent Via Sistina and Nashwa have claims too – however, with the French runners having a good record in this race over the years, HORIZON DORE is the call.
We know he stays this 1m2f well and even though it’s going to take a lot more getting this Saturday at the stiff Ascot track on likely soft/heavy ground, he’s certainly not been stopping at the finish in his races.
He came with a cracking late run to get up in the Prix Dollar last time at Longchamp and certainly looked to have more in the tank at the line. With winning form on heavy ground as a 2 year-old this is a further plus and top jockey Mickael Barzalona, who won this race in 2021 on another French runner Sealiway and rode him last time, comes over for the ride.
Sat, 21 Oct 2023 , 15:45 GMT • Ascot • Champions Day
(Note: Odds are subject to change)
Champion Stakes Trends To Help Find Ascot Winner
We’ve also listed the key Champion Stakes trends here, which you can apply to the 2023 runners and put history on your side by finding the best profiles based on previous winners of the Ascot race.
- 21/21 – Won at least 4 times before
- 19/21 – Won between 4 and 8 times before
- 19/21 – Aged 5 or younger
- 18/21 – Won a Group 1 or 2 race before
- 18/21 – Won over 1m2f before
- 17/21 – Placed in the top 3 in their latest race
- 16/21 – Aged 3 or 4 years-old
- 15/21 – Raced 5 or more times that season
- 15/21 – Ran within the last 6 weeks
- 11/21 – Won last time out
- 9/21 – Ran at either Longchamp (6) or Goodwood (3) last time out
- 8/21 – Unplaced favourites
- 8/21 – Returned a double-figure price
- 6/21 – Winning Ffvourites
- 5/21 – Won by a French-based trainer
- 2/21 – Ridden by Frankie Dettori (2 of last 6)
- 2/21 – Trained by John Gosden (2 of last 6)
- 2022 Winner: Bay Bridge (10/1)
- The average winning SP in the last 10 runnings is 11/2
2023 Champion Stakes Betting
See below the latest Champion Stakes betting from BetMGM.
- Mostahdaf 3/1
- King Of Steel 7/2
- Horizon Dore 4/1
- Bay Bridge 5/1
- Via Sistina 17/2
- My Prospero 12/1
- Royal Rhyme 14/1
- Dubai Honour 33/1
- Point Lonsdale 33/1
(Note: Odds are subject to change)
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Champion Stakes Recent Winners
- 2022: Bay Bridge 10/1
- 2021: Sealiway 12/1
- 2020: Addeybb 9/1
- 2019: Magical Evs fav
- 2018: Cracksman 5/6 fav
- 2017: Cracksman 13/8 fav
- 2016: Almanzor 11/8 fav
WATCH: Bay Bridge winning the 2022 Champion Stakes
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