Quinault is a winning machine

The Challenge Cup offers seven furlong specialists the chance to win a huge £92,772 first prize tomorrow. The place money is good too with prize money up for grabs for the first six placed runners.

The straight course at Ascot is a specialist course with the sand based turf drying out quickly while the stiff finish tests the stamina reserves. It's a very fair course with little bias and the key is to be drawn close to the pace.

Quinault looks the only front runner in this valuable heritage handicap. The good ground and the ability to dominate this race on the front end could prove crucial to Quinault winning again. He won nicely from Popmaster here over this trip last Month with the runner up going on to win at listed level subsequently.

Quinault has been raised 5lbs to a mark of 102 but I think this horse will be a pattern class horse next season. He has already surpassed his connections expectations showing good speed to win seven of his last eight races with most of those wins over 6 furlongs. On breeding he should stay a mile and he looks sure to run another big race for good five-pound claimer Luke Catton.

Biggles has a good chance if returning to the form that saw him win the Bunbury Cup easily at the Newmarket July Festival. Previous to that win in the Bunbury Cup he caught the eye when getting no luck in running under Ryan Moore in the Buckingham Palace Stakes over course and distance.

Rossa Ryan rides tomorrow and is a very capable jockey. Biggles needs to be delivered late with one clean run so hopefully Rossa can position him for that to happen from stall 8. I like those drawn low as to my eyes Quinault is the only front runner in this race and he is drawn in stall 1. Biggles excels over the 7-furlong trip and goes on most ground except for good to firm. I think he is overpriced for a horse that won a Bunbury cup by two lengths off a 5lb lower mark.

As mentioned above course form is a major positive and both Quinault & Biggles have proven form on the straight course at Ascot. As you can imagine there are dangers eveywhere with such good prize money on offer. The likes of Fresh (poorly drawn), Baradar (poor draw and high in ratings), Popmaster & Hickory were all on the shortlist.

Ascot 3:35

0.5 point each way Quinault 7/1 Bet365 & Betfred, both 5 places.

0.5 point each way Biggles 11/1 Skybet 6 places else 12/1 Bet365, Unibet, William Hill & 888sport, all 5 places.

Past Results

Click to see past Big Saturday Race Preview Tips results