The final piece of the Champions Day jigsaw at Ascot on Saturday afternoon is the Balmoral Handicap, the sole handicap on the card.
Run over the straight mile at Ascot, it's a 20-runner cavalry charge with a top prize of just over £100k awaiting the winner.
British Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday afternoon is the culmination of the Flat season and it's a stunning six-race card that includes four Group 1s with the very best horses, jockeys and trainers competing for £4 million in prize money, making this Britain's richest raceday.
Here's our look at the runners and riders for the Balmoral Handicap.
What | Balmoral Handicap |
Where | Ascot Racecourse, Berkshire |
When | 4.25, Saturday 21st October 2023 |
How to watch | bet365 Sports Live Streaming, ITV, Sky Sports Racing & Racing TV |
Odds | Docklands 6/1, Sonny Liston 7/1, Migration 8/1, Baradar 8/1, Awaal 11/1 |
Current Odds – 8/1
Jockey – Benoit de la Sayette
Trainer – David Menuisier
Started the season by winning the Lincoln at Doncaster on heavy ground carrying top-weight, has had only one outing since in a Group 3 at Newmarket in May. Goes fresh and conditions are fine, but has a heavy burden to carry again.
Current Odds – 16/1
Jockey – Rossa Ryan
Trainer – George Boughey
Five-time winner in his career and the majority of those have come on testing ground. He has been running admirable races in Listed/Group 3 company all season, but is perhaps still too high in ratings now back handicapping.
Current Odds – 7/1
Jockey – Ryan Moore
Trainer – Ralph Beckett
Only one win in 13 so far, but some exceptional efforts in defeat include second in the Hunt Cup over C&D in June and runner-up in one-mile soft-ground Doncaster handicap at last month's St Leger Festival. Ryan Moore rides this time.
Current Odds – 8/1
Jockey – William Buick
Trainer – George Boughey
Course winner over 7f in July on good ground and defied a 4lb rise to win since at Doncaster's Leger Festival on soft ground over a slightly shorter trip. Hasn't convinced that a mile is what he wants.
Current Odds – 12/1
Jockey – Tom Marquand
Trainer – William Haggas
Soft-ground winner over this trip at Leicester in April, having run fourth behind Migration in the Lincoln on comeback. Held his form since and a close third in Listed Newbury race over 7f last month.
Current Odds – 11/1
Jockey – James Doyle
Trainer – Simon & Ed Crisford
Second in the Lincoln behind Migration on his comeback this season and third here in the Hunt Cup in June. Beaten favourite in a Listed Redcar contest over 7f latest start and will handle testing conditions.
Current Odds – 16/1
Jockey – Danny Tudhope
Trainer – David O'Meara
Experienced gelding, winner at Newmarket in August over this trip and another fine showing there since in the bet365 Cambridgeshire over nine-furlongs. Acts on soft ground.
Current Odds – 20/1
Jockey – Paul Mulrennan
Trainer – David O'Meara
York winner over this trip in the summer and while he is 0-4 at Ascot in the past, he was an eye-catcher in the Howden Cup over 7f here recently when coming from a long way back.
Current Odds – 6/1
Jockey – Hayley Turner
Trainer – Harry Eustace
Rapid progress in handicaps saw him justifying favouritism in the Britannia Stakes over C&D (good-to-firm) in June, having also won on soft previously here. Tackled a Group 3 at Goodwood in one run since and can go well back here.
Current Odds – 33/1
Jockey – Richard Kingscote
Trainer – Daniel & Claire Kubler
More prolific on the all-weather, as evidenced with wins at Newcastle and Kempton early in the autumn. Handles cut in the ground, but a recent Haydock fifth suggests this mark is asking a lot.
Current Odds – 16/1
Jockey – Chris Hayes
Trainer – Dermot Weld
Dubawi gelding has three wins and two placed efforts in Ireland this season over similar trips to this and might just have been stretched by 1m2f in €90k Curragh handicap last month. Needs a career-best here, however.
Current Odds – 14/1
Jockey – Jason Watson
Trainer – David O'Meara
Very experienced 5YO has won three times since August, all of them on testing ground at 7f/1m. Ran well here over 7f a fortnight ago under a penalty and a return to this trip suits. Twice beaten in this race before.
Current Odds – 40/1
Jockey – Tom Queally
Trainer – George Margarson
In good tune lately, winning at Goodwood in May and York in August, making this his best season so far. Latest handicap mark is no barrier and has form on heavy ground, so dangerous to discount him.
Current Odds – 33/1
Jockey – Neil Callan
Trainer – David O'Meara
Lightly-raced French winner, sent off 28/1 on stable bow at Haydock (1m, heavy) last month and was beaten 23 lengths.
Current Odds – 50/1
Jockey – Joe Fanning
Trainer – Charlie Johnston
Has been very consistent this season, especially on soft ground, winning at Goodwood over this trip in late August.
Was two-lengths fourth back there since behind Rhoscolyn off this mark, having raced too keenly early on.
Current Odds – 20/1
Jockey – Jim Crowley
Trainer – William Knight
Sandown winner over 1m2f on penultimate start and didn't run badly in the bet365 Cambridgeshire at Newmarket since, but faces a stiff task from this mark over a mile.
Current Odds – 16/1
Jockey – Oisin Murphy
Trainer – Roger Teal
Still a maiden after ten starts, but has run respectably in Group-race company at times this season and now makes a handicap debut after undergoing wind surgery.
Current Odds – 20/1
Jockey – Cieren Fallon
Trainer – William Knight
Winner of the Irish Lincolnshire in March on very testing ground and has run well in recent starts at Goodwood and York off this mark. More on his plate in first-time cheekpieces in this field.
Current Odds – 20/1
Jockey – PJ McDonald
Trainer – Andrew Balding
Progressive filly who won a Listed race at Carlisle in June on soft ground over 7f and placed in Doncaster Group 3 last month. Comprehensive winner on only start at this mile trip and could have more to give.
Current Odds – 40/1
Jockey – Clifford Lee
Trainer – Karl Burke
Hamilton winner in July over a similar trip in first-time tongue-tie, but has come up short in valuable handicaps at Glorious Goodwood and Newmarket more recently and this is another big ask in first-time cheekpieces.
Any odds displayed were correct at the time of writing and are subject to fluctuation.
This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
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