Afternoon folks
A final selection for Champions Day. As you are more than well aware and knowledgeable, these are very tough races and with 5mm to 8mm of rain forecast from Friday evening through to Saturday morning we are looking at the soft ground perhaps getting worse and at least being maintained so the testing conditions are a key factor to consider going into the day. I have spent a lot of time trying to tackle them and find the value bets for us. The supporting meetings offer little else or handicaps that suit me but I do have my eye on one from Catterick so will post when prices readily available. That will more than probably be it for Saturday but I will update either way.
2:35 Ascot
WAR CHIMES – 1/2 Pt EW @ 25/1 Bet365 4 places, 22/1 4 places generally (may get bigger as drifting)
She was very impressive in a Listed event in heavy ground over nine furlongs at Chantilly on her final start last season, stretching five lengths clear of the Andre Fabre-trained Sosie, who has developed into a very smart colt this year, finishing third in the French Derby, winning the Grand Prix de Paris and Prix Niel, and finishing fourth in the Arc.
That piece of form reads very well now and she proved herself a smart filly when finishing third in a soft-ground Oaks at Epsom despite looking ill at ease on the track. She started 50/1 that day but there was no fluke about that performance and, though it may not have been the strongest renewal of the Oaks, she was comfortably on top of subsequent Irish Oaks winner You Got To Me.
War Chimes was below form in the Irish Oaks, but I think you can overlook that run, as it came on ground Timeform described as good to firm and she never appeared to let herself down on it. She hung badly to her right in the closing stages on that occasion and it clearly wasn’t her true running.
I’m encouraged she has been given plenty of time to get over that run, as she is a well-made filly with plenty of substance, who will likely have benefited no end by some time off to fill into her frame.
Menuisier also stated in a stable tour ahead of the Irish Oaks that he would be much happier if the ground was on the soft side, and also mentioned this race as a potential end-of-season target. He is tremendous form as well and has ONLY run 4 horses in this Grade over C & D, gaining 2 winners and a placer!!Of course she needs to improve, and ALL these races on this card are tough, but these conditions should bring out the best in her and she has the potential to progress another chunk after a break so a value play IMO.