The Weekend Wager: Tips from Newmarket, Ascot and Longchamp this weekend

There's a stunning weekend of racing across the Europe, and we have focused this week's edition of The Weekend Wager by selecting tips from Newmarket and Ascot on Saturday, while we have a best bet for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on Sunday afternoon...

14:05 Ascot - Oakman Group Rous Stakes

Star sprinter Hurricane Ivor heads to Ascot in red-hot form and is going in seek of a hat-trick when he lines up in the Listed Rous Stakes at 14:05. The William Haggas-trained raider was last seen storming to glory in the Group 3 World Trophy and a replication of that effort would see him go very close here.

However, the four-year-old will have to give weight away to all his rivals on Saturday and that could well hinder his chances, and it's worth looking elsewhere for a punting option. The one that catches the eye is the John Quinn-trained KEEP BUSY, who, if producing her best, can outclass her rivals here. A Listed winner at Ayr in June, she had previously ran a fine race when finishing fifth in the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Top notch Group 1 form sits on Keep Busy's CV, and with the rain sure to have improved her chances of landing this prize then Quinn's four-year-old filly can land a shock win here, and at 9/1 looks the value play.

14:40 Ascot - ABF/BGC Cumberland Lodge Stakes

Owen Burrows will be hoping that HUKUM can bounce back from a shock defeat in the September Stakes at Kempton Park last time out by claiming glory in the Group 3 Cumberland Lodge Stakes at Ascot at 14:40. The four-year-old son of Sea The Stars had previously racked up a brace of wins in the John Smith's Silver Cup at York, and then he stepped up to Pattern company by landing the Geoffrey Freer Stakes in fine style.

He struggled to deal with the stop-start nature of the September Stakes, where he was beaten by Hamish, but a return to Ascot - a track he finished third at in the Hardwicke Stakes at the Royal meeting in June - could see him return to form. He will have a lively opponent in the shape of recent Ebor runner-up Quickthorn, but that raider may find the step up to Group company tough, and Hukum can show his class by landing this prize.

14:55 Newmarket - Kingdom Of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes

There's a stunning renewal of the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday afternoon, with a host of top class fillies and mares aiming to grab victory in the prestigious event. Heading the betting at the time of writing is the Richard Hannon-trained Snow Lantern, who showed she was a class act when she stormed to glory in the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket earlier in the season. Beating MOTHER EARTH that day by half-a-length, it's that pair that could serve up another enthralling duel at Flat HQ, and the Aidan O'Brien-trained raider just sits behind Hannon's charge in the betting.

O'Brien's star filly has been a real model of consistency this season, and showed when winning the 1000 Guineas at the start of the campaign that she is a proven Group 1 filly, and like Snow Lantern, will be another that enjoys a return to Newmarket racecourse. Both fillies have contested a host of top races this season, but weighing up their records it's Mother Earth that just seems to have a little more consistency on the big stage, and while Mother Earth needs to bounce back from a shock defeat in the Matron Stakes, the Ballydoyle raider can recapture the winning thread by seeing off the likely staying-on Snow Lantern.

15:05 Longchamp - Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Sunday)

Charlie Appleby will unleash a magnificent duo at Sunday's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe with Derby and King George hero Adayar and Irish Derby and St Leger hero Hurricane Lane locking horns in the French Group 1 showpiece. The Godolphin duo will have a tough task to down the Dermot Weld-trained Tarnawa, who is a top-class mare that warrants respect, but it could be the Appleby pair that fight it out.

Of the pair, it's worth siding with ADAYAR, who was simply sensational when romping to a four-and-a-half length victory in the Derby, while he built on that display when he downed a class act in the shape of subsequent Juddmonte International winner Mishriff in the King George at Ascot. Hurricane Lane oozes stamina having won the Leger over 1m 6f, but it could be that Adayar just has that extra bit of speed that could put the race to bed in the closing stages.

So, with Appleby set to dominate the race, it's Adayar that can storm to glory and enhance his already lofty reputation.