Champions Sprint Stakes Tips: French Raider Looks Overpriced

A six furlong race where you really will need to stay every yard of seven, especially with ground so testing Ascot have had to switch tracks, the Champions Sprint Stakes is race two on British Champions Day. Despite a plethora of options to back the home team on this day to celebrate British Champions, Billy Grimshaw thinks a French raider looks wildly overpriced...

Kinross has been the horse I have gotten wrong probably more than any other this season - and it was a well contested heat those who are regular readers can testify! This is a race he has flourished in throughout his career regardless of how his season prior to Champions Day has gone, and with his last outing being a smashing performance for second behind a rampant Ramatuelle at Longchamp, he is clearly in great nick. I do not, however, want to be backing him at 5/1 or lower in a race that looks as stacked as this year's Champions Sprint Stakes does.

Audience gives Kinross a run for his money in terms of horses I just have not been able to get right this season and while I don't really fancy him to win here, he is the definitive front runner of all those drawn low and if the track is favouring that side, he could be massively at an advantage compared to those on the other parts of the track who will have pace rivals galore. 

Those drawn middle to high will be spoilt for choice for who to follow with Art Power, Swingalong and Bucanero Fuerte all loving to get on with things and being drawn in 12, 13 and 15 respectively. Kinross in 18 could find his way over to that group and get a lovely toe into the contest, as I don't see any of that trio being involved come the finish unless running a stormer - which Art Power could well do given his record in the race to be fair to him so perhaps I am being harsh. Montassib, the other market leader, is drawn low and could be at the mercy of Audience in terms of giving him a lead into the race from the draw of 6. That put me off the Haggas runner a touch, for all I respect his claims after a rock solid season in which he beat Kinross fair and square.

James Fanshawe is no stranger to the winner's enclosure after this race and his Kind Of Blue could well turn the tables with his Sprint Cup conqueror Montassib given he is drawn high and should be favoured by this stiffer track than the one he found at Haydock. He is also related to plenty who have excelled on soft so at double figures I could put absolutely no one off an each-way play on him. It's the French raider in the stall next to him who will be carrying my cash however: BEAUVATIER.

Sent off a dismissed 23/1 chance in the Forest last time out after a solid but winless season thus far, he absolutely flew home to nab third after looking well out of contention at Longchamp a fortnight ago. Anyone who has not seen the footage I'd advise you to go and have a look yourself, and then if you can come into this race without some monetary support for Beauvatier you are a tougher nut to crack than me.

He was a 6/5 beaten fav earlier in the year behind Spycatcher at Deauville, which is a blot on his copybook and there was little excuse underfoot as it was described as very soft. However, that was over Deauville's six furlongs and we know how quick Spycatcher is for Clive Cox on a good day. This Ascot six - which will feel like further than seven on the softened ground - looks tailormade for this horse of Yann Barberot's and if he were trained in Britain or Ireland, I'm in no doubt he'd be nothing like the double figure prices floating around.

He is around the same price as Elite Status (another member of the I've got him wrong on numerous occasions club) and I'd be much more keen on the French raider than that Karl Burke charge after the Sprint Cup flop from Elite Status in comparison to Beauvatier finishing centimetres from Kinross at Longchamp. He'll do for me as the best each-way play of the day.