The rain is due to clear towards the end of the week but the ground is sure to be soft at best at Ascot on Saturday for Champions' Day for which Gallic raider Cirrus Des Aigles, looking for a second win in the race, is 6/4 favourite for the feature Champions' Stakes with Free Eagle 5/2 and Noble Mission 9/2.
The ground, at the time of writing, is forecast to be on the fast side of good at Wetherby today where the feature race is the Bobby Renton Handicap Chase. In the absence of Distime Foundation Man (4.00) would be a very confident selection were it not for the form of the Jonjo O'Neill yard whose last fifteen runner have lost and some of them have performed well below average.
The selection goes well fresh and seemed to find the 2m 6f trip just too far when finishing runner up here back in March from a 7lb lower mark. He wouldn't want the ground to turn soft but genuine good ground would be ideal for this son of Presenting. Scotch Warrior will appreciate the step back up in trip whilst Shadrack would certainly enter calculations if the ground deteriorated significantly given two soft ground wins at Sedgefield back in May.
Nikos Extra (2.50) is a stone higher than winning at Bangor back in August but is still well treated on his best form for Alan King and should have the race run to suit given Oyster Shell is likely to try and make all and make it a proper test on his seasonal reappearance. The latter is only 3lb higher than when scoring at Ludlow but tight tracks might serve him best and Nikos Extra is taken to run him down with Toledo Gold another confirmed front-runner in the line-up.
Tidal Way (3.25) was still going well enough when coming down three out at Bangor last time having been well backed and not asked a serious question when unseating Kielan Woods. Noel Fehily takes the ride today and the jockey has been on board for all the grey's three career wins to date.
Lady Buttons (4.35) finished runner up in the Aintree Mares' Bumper at the Grand National meeting and makes her hurdle debut this afternoon on a track where she was unbeaten (2 from 2) in Bumpers. This 2m 4f trip should be ideal although she won't have it all her own way with a couple of interesting recruits from the flat and Kim Bailey's Bumper winner Gaelic Myth in opposition.
I am sure there is more to come from Presence Felt this season over fences and he ran his best race last term, arguably, first time out at Warwick over timber. He has yet to prove he stays this extended 3miles, however, and preference is for Perfect Candidate (5.05) from the Fergal O'Brien yard a winner here back in the spring over timber and one with limited but enough fencing experience to suggest he is up to winning a chase off his current mark.
At Kempton this evening I would expect to see an improved run from Jazzi Top (7.15) who was a beaten favourite at Newmarket on debut for John Gosden when not appearing to act on the undulations but still running a race full of promise. The contest was won by subsequent UAE Oaks winner Shuruq two years ago and this looks a very hot race with many of the leading Newmarket yards represented.
At Lingfield Foreign Diplomat (2.00) has the worst of the draw but should be able to make it third time lucky having finished third in a valuable maiden at York on debut before failing to cope with soft ground at Newbury last time. Gosden's Defence Event looks the obvious danger on breeding and has the plum draw in one but the selection has the experience and Frankie Dettori is back on board having ridden the colt on debut on the Knavesmire.
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