Ascot races: tips, racecards and previews for Saturday's card on Challenge Cup day

THIS weekend is all about a certain Enable, but there's a formidable warm-up act on Saturday for punters.

Ascot's Challenge Cup card is always competitive and as always we've chewed the fat ahead of the big weekend meetings.

Race 1 – 2.00 UK Hi-Fi Show Live Rous Stakes (Listed Race)

The warm favourite for this is the right one, but the Bengough Stakes looked the more obvious spot for Dakota Gold.

She is already a Listed winner, and her best runs have come over six as opposed to this five furlong sprint. Saying that, this is the stiffest five furlongs you could stumble across.

The ground is the other question mark, there is rain forecast, and trainer Michael Dods will be praying it comes in the bucket load.

With those doubts surrounding that mare, the alternative is TIS MARVELLOUS who is a completely different animal at Ascot.

He is two from two over this C&D and bar his run as a two-year-old in France, all his career best efforts have come here. Comfortably at that.

You can draw a line through his Doncaster effort and he was unlucky at Beverley. This is a good opportunity and he looks a big price.

Maygold is probably the unknown in the race. But she'll love any rain and is seemingly still improving, even if she was well beat last time in Listed company.

Danzeno is another Ascot lover and the market will speak volumes with him. Arecibo will pop up to win a decent race one day, and you never know, it could be on Saturday.

SELECTION: Tis Marvellous

DANGER: Dakota Gold

Race 2 – 2.35 Property Raceday Targets £3M Cumberland Lodge Stakes (Group 3)

Another short-priced favourite, and another you can find holes in.

Morando might not get the slog he needs to be at his very best and is worth taking on.

His best runs have all come on further and in bottomless ground. There is no guarantee of truly soft ground on Saturday, with Ascot drying quicker than anywhere.

Therefore the rapidly improving FAYLAQ looks the one to take a shot with for the William Haggas team.

A bit of cut in the ground hasn't stopped this three-year-old previously and the way he won at Kempton last time out suggests he is plenty better than a handicapper.

This is a big step up in class, but for a Group 3 it is windy and he is bred to be a fair bit better than the lowly handicapper he started life out as.

Wells Farhh Go will try and make all, but is more likely to set the race up for someone than have them on the ropes given likely conditions.

Sextant and Vivid Diamond are both improving, but it's the latter that makes most appeal on the back of her Park Hill third.

SELECTION: Faylaq

DANGER: Vivid Diamond

Race 3 – 3.10 bet365 Challenge Cup (Heritage Handicap)

These handicaps on the straight course at Ascot tend to throw up the same old faces and with Raising Sand and Ripp Orf heading the market, it's the case again.

They both hold very, very obvious cases and it is impossible to put anyone off jumping on board with either of the pair.

However, there is enough there now to side with some caution.

Ripp Orf hasn't been as prolific as recent years and has begun to edge up the weights once again. He remains 3lbs higher than his last winning mark and as well publicised the David Elsworth stable have struggled all season.

Raising Sand won this race well last year, but is now 12lbs higher in the weights and plenty shorter in the betting.

He is the most likely winner, but at such short odds, it is easy to take him on off a mark of 109.

It is Godolphin's BEDOUIN'S STORY that makes most appeal from a handicapping perspective. He probably wants a tad further, but the stiff nature of Ascot will play to his strengths.

He bounced back in a big way at York on soft ground two starts ago, before a mightily unlucky second at Chelmsford last time out.

The handicapper has popped him up another 2lbs, but I think there is a little bit more than can be squeezed out and all his best runs have come on straight tracks.

The pace factor is the worry though. Only Lake Volta is guaranteed to take it up from all 18 runners and it does make you fear for the likes of Bedouin's Story and Raising Sand who are always held up.

Lake Volta is also drawn in 12, with Bedouin's Story in 3. Hector Crouch will need to be on his A-game…

Summerghand and Escobar will run big races for David O'Meara, while a market move for the unexposed John Gosden-trained Casanova could be telling.

SELECTION: Bedouin's Story

DANGERS: Lake Volta & Raising Sand

Race 4 – 3.40 John Guest Racing Bengough Stakes (Group 3)

This is a below par renewal of the Bengough Stakes, but the unexposed TABDEED could yet light it up.

He has won four of his five starts, and why he has clearly had his problems along the way, could be a sprinter going places for Owen Burrows.

He has yet to be truly tested and a lot has to be taken on trust, but if he is going to be a player in bigger sprints next season, he should be winning this with little in the way of top class opposition.

Cape Byron is a proper yardstick, but has yet to prove himself out of handicap company. He is another that loves Ascot though and won't go down without a fight.

The conditions will favour Donjuan Triumphant, but he is another that regular finds a few too good when upped in class.

Another unexposed horse in Swindler could be a big price. Ed Walker's sprinter has scooted up twice over course and distance this season.

They were in handicaps though and he needs to take another step forward here. The ground is another question mark.

Raucous has improved markedly of late. He will need to find another few pounds again though and he may have already had his day in the sun at Newmarket last time out.

SELECTION: Tabdeed

DANGER: Swindler

Race 5 – 4.15 Child Bereavement UK British EBF Stakes (Listed Race) (Fillies & Mares)

This is a minefield. A typical end of season black type hunt for the majority of these fillies and there is no standout on form.

Dandhu would make plenty of appeal if she hadn't had so long off the track for the already mentioned troubled Elsworth yard.

She hasn't been seen since the Guineas, but was an exciting prospect before that. If she can find her feet here, she won't be far away at all.

However BEAUTY FILLY could be the one to side with if you can forgive her run on the all weather last time out.

She appears to be versatile on ground and her Chester win needed upgrading at the time. If she can bounce back from last time, she appears to be coming good this season and could be a tad better than these.

Di Fede won this race last season but has been a bit at sea of late. This could be last chance saloon and it is easy to oppose her despite her better performances tending to come here.

Muchly will likely be popular in the betting, but she was flattered by her win here earlier in the season and has been found out since. Saying that, this is a poor race.

TENTATIVE NOD: Beauty Filly

Race 6 – 4.50 McGee Group Handicap

A flying five furlong sprint handicap to conclude the card and it is wide open as you'd expect.

Erissimus Maximus has remarkably won this race for the last two years. However, they were both when with a different yard and it's impossible to say he comes here in form.

Spoof has become well-handicapped again, but can prove costly to follow while Saaheq has to be respected with Angus Villiers booked and taking off the best 7lbs you will see.

Celsius has been a real money spinner for Tom Clover and is chasing his fourth win on the trot. The handicapper has edged him up another 7lbs, but it is impossible to say that will be the end of his run.

The Robert Cowell-trained BLUE DE VEGA is the big eye-catcher though. He is probably a cliff horse to many, but got his head in front in August and is on the same mark as when a strong second to Texting over course and distance.

The bigger the field the better for him and his three runs over C&D have to give him a massive squeak here. He is 4lbs lower than a win here last summer.

With the form of Stuart Williams, Alaadel also needs a second look. Williams is having winners for fun and this horse won cosily last time out.

SELECTION: Blue De Vega

DANGER: Saaheq

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