Qipco British Champions Day: Freddy Tylicki’s runner-by-runner guide and expert verdict to Ascot Group One | Racing News

Freddy Tylicki gives his verdict on the prestigious Queen Elizabeth II Stakes over Ascot’s straight mile on Qipco British Champions Day, live on Sky Sports Racing.

The last day of the turf season has come around quickly, and this should prove an action-packed race for the high society of the equine world.

Established in 1955, the first three winners were all trained in France and again the French have a live contender in The Revenant, who won this race in 2020.

He’s taking on the Prix Jacques le Marois winner and sole filly in the line-up Inspiral, as well as Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Modern Games and the supplemented Jadoomi, fresh from his Boomerang Mile win on Irish Champions Day. Plenty of strength in depth in what looks to be a fantastic renewal…

1. El Drama (stall 1)

Jockey: David Egan; Trainer: Roger Varian

Quite a talented colt for his owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum, winning the Listed Dee Stakes last year before disappointing in the French Derby. Very lightly raced this year, with just the one run in the Joel Stakes when finishing second to Mutasaabeq. He’s a big price but could outrun his odds.

2. Jadoomi (2)

James Doyle; Simon and Ed Crisford

Showed an electric turn of foot on soft ground at Leopardstown to make all in the Group Two Boomerang Mile on Irish Champions Day. He’s all a jockey could ask for: Uncomplicated and all heart.

Lightly raced, the four-year-old has had nine career starts, with this only his fourth of the season, showing his reliance on soft in the going description. This represents a step up in class but connections supplemented him for a reason, so he looks an each-way player.

3. Raadobarg (4)

Billy Lee; Johnny Murtagh

Won the Irish Lincolnshire on his first start for Johnny Murtagh this year but has not quite produced the goods since, and this looks a big ask for him here. He’s a first runner for Amo Racing in the QEII.

4. Tempus (3)

Hollie Doyle; Archie Watson

One of the hardiest horses in training. He’s grafted his way from a rating of 97 to 117 this season, bagging two Class Two handicaps and two Group Threes in the process. He’s very versatile ground-wise and Hollie Doyle has won four times on him so far.

Didn’t break all that well last time in the Dubai Joel Stakes and therefore had too much ground to make up, finishing a disappointing third having started 5/4 favourite. Up against it here.

5. The Revenant (6)

Ryan Moore; Francis-Henri Graffard

Won this in 2020 and the ultimate mud-lover. The slower the ground the better for this seven-year-old warrior. He’s ever so consistent and ran another respectable race last time out to finish second in the Prix Daniel Wildenstein on Arc weekend.

He has the most experience over course and distance, having also finished second to King Of Change in 2019 and fourth to Baaeed last year. Likely to have been primed for this and he couldn’t be in better form, with connections doing a rain dance ahead of Saturday.

6. Bayside Boy (7)

Tom Marquand; Roger Varian

A big runner for Team Valley & Ballylinch Stud. He’s met some of the best of his year in Native Trail in the Dewhurst and Luxembourg in the Vertem Futurity Stakes, finishing third on both occasions last season.

Headgear was applied last time and a drop in grade worked a treat to get his confidence back up by winning the Listed Chasemore Farm Fortune Stakes at Sandown. This won’t be easy though, as he has a lot to find on ratings.

7. Checkandchallenge (5)

Jim Crowley; William Knight

The stable star for William Knight and his team. This Fast Company colt was purchased by Richard Knight, brother of William, for 35,000gns at the yearling auction and won the Group Three Prix Daphnis.

He took on Erevann and The Revenant last time at ParisLongchamp and didn’t disgrace himself, eventually finishing third. This is a tough ask, but I hope he runs a massive race for connections.

8. Modern Games (8)

William Buick; Charlie Appleby

By the brilliant Dubawi, this globetrotter absolutely pulverised his opposition last time at Woodbine to win the Grade One Mile Stakes. He’s proved himself on slow-ish ground and seems to be best suited by a mile, having not stayed in the Prix du Jockey Club.

Finishing second to the mighty Baaeed in the Sussex Stakes is rock-solid form to bring to the table and he’s the only Breeders’ Cup winner here today. Big player.

9. Inspiral (9)

Frankie Dettori; John and Thady Gosden

This is a special filly for connections. Highly talented and champion two-year-old filly after winning the May Hill and Fillies Mile, unfortunately the Clarehaven team missed the Classics with her early on in the year, but she most certainly has made up for it since.

She blew the crowd away at Royal Ascot when winning the Coronation Stakes on her reappearance run after 252 days off the track. Things didn’t go right for her in the Falmouth Stakes and that is her only defeat to date. But she set the record straight on her next start when taking on the boys for the first time to win the Prix Jacques le Marois.

She’s the one they all have to beat, although the last filly to win this was Milligram back in 1987.

Freddy Tylicki’s verdict:

I’m very much in the Inspiral camp as this filly is the ultimate racehorse. The team have her primed for this and she has already shown that she can beat the boys, and therefore can make her presence felt with the weight-for-age and sex allowances.

Modern Games and The Revenant are high-profile runners and add plenty of competition, as well as Group One form, and if the rain comes for Jadoomi he could run a massive race.