Five experts provide their best ante-post tip for the rest of the Flat season - including a 16-1 shot in the Sprint Cup
Glorious Goodwood and the Galway festival have been and gone but there is plenty of top-class racing to come in the final three months of the Flat season. Here our experts provide their best ante-post fancy for the rest of the campaign . . .
Quickthorn
Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup, 2.25 York, August 25
Odds: 6-1
By Charlie Huggins, reporter
Vauban leads the market for the Lonsdale Cup at a general 3-1 but given he has now qualified for the Melbourne Cup courtesy of Monday’s Group 3 success in the Ballyroan, it seems unlikely he will run.
Gregory is next in the betting at 9-2 but Richard Brown, racing adviser to owners Wathnan Racing, indicated recently the Great Voltigeur is the more likely engagement for the St Leger favourite should he turn up on the Knavesmire.
Wathnan Racing could be represented by Gold Cup hero Courage Mon Ami, who is a 5-1 chance, but Quickthorn looks a better bet based on the current prices.
Quickthorn won this race last year by 14 lengths and, after beating subsequent Group 2 winner Israr in a York Listed event, produced a sensational performance to land the Goodwood Cup. Quickthorn was eight lengths clear of Courage Mon Ami in that Group 1 and is sure to go off shorter than 6-1 if the staying contest cuts up as expected.
Spycatcher
Betfair Sprint Cup, 3.35 Haydock, September 9
Odds: 16-1
By Jack Haynes, reporter
This sprinter has posted his top four Racing Post Ratings this year and his best two runs have come on soft and very soft ground at Deauville.
The last two Sprint Cups have been run on good to firm but the previous five runnings before 2021 took place on soft or heavy ground and those conditions could aid a peak performance from Spycatcher.
The Karl Burke-trained five-year-old was a short-head second in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville most recently, and the way he travelled through the race suggested a slight drop back to 6f would be perfect. He has fair each-way claims at double-figure odds.
Desert Hero
Betfred St Leger, 4.20 Doncaster, September 16
Odds: 7-1
By Liam Headd, reporter
This William Haggas-trained three-year-old proved he was no flash in the pan after his Royal Ascot success when producing a career-best effort to land his first Group victory in the Gordon Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.
Having won on fast ground at Ascot and slower ground at Goodwood, it appears conditions won't be an issue for him on Town Moor, and although he is yet to run over the 1m6f trip, Desert Hero is related to Group 2 winner Dartmouth, who won over this distance.
Owned by the King and Queen, the son of Sea The Stars is open to plenty more improvement and is a genuine contender for the final Classic of the season.
Ace Impact
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, 3.15 Longchamp, October 1
Odds: 5-1
By Maddy Playle, reporter
I'm not usually interested in putting up favourites for big races months out but I was so impressed by Ace Impact's win in the Prix du Jockey Club in June and it doesn't take much imagination to see him going off shorter than the 5-1 currently available.
Jean-Claude Rouget won the Jockey Club with the subsequent Arc winner Sottsass in 2019 and Ace Impact broke his track record at Chantilly, showing an incredible burst of acceleration and resolute staying power to run down the talented colt Big Rock, with the fourth Feed The Flame and fifth Epictetus since boosting the form in the Grand Prix de Paris and Thoroughbred Stakes.
That win came over 1m2½f and Ace Impact looked to relish every yard of it, while his sire Cracksman stayed 1m4f well and flourished towards the autumn of his three-year-old campaign. A winner on heavy and good, you needn't worry about what the ground will be, either.
With Equinox staying at home and Paddington unproven at the trip, the unbeaten Ace Impact looks the only potential superstar in the line-up, so hopefully he can further enhance his Arc credentials when he returns to action in the Prix Guillaume d'Ornano next week.
Vadeni
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, 3.15 Longchamp, October 1
Odds: 25-1
By Phill Anderson, tipster
There’s no doubt Vadeni has been disappointing in two runs this season, but he’s consequently been completely disregarded in the betting for this year’s Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
The four-year-old only went down by half a length in the big race last year and he’s had excuses in both runs this season, probably needing his reappearance before he was found to be coughing after his run in Ireland in May.
He’s versatile regarding ground, and for a horse that has been there and very nearly done it, he looks overpriced at 25-1 and makes each-way appeal.
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