2 minutes Here at betting.bet we’ll preview all six races taking place throughout the afternoon, bringing the best race odds and free bet offers from our betting partners at BoyleSports.
Updated: 20.11.23 by Pundit
The UK’s flat racing season draws to a thrilling conclusion on Saturday as Ascot Racecourse prepares to host the 2023 Qipco British Champions Day. Here at betting.bet we’ll preview all six races taking place throughout the afternoon, bringing the best race odds and free bet offers from our betting partners at BoyleSports.
Champions Day kicks off with the Group 2 Long Distance Cup. Raced over 1m7f and open to horses aged three years and over, the Long Distance Cup was first contested in 1873.
Trueshan has won the last three renewals of the race and is eyeing a fourth successive win on Saturday. The Alan King-trained seven-year-old endured a difficult start to 2023 with back-to-back underwhelming runs at Nottingham and here at Ascot. However, he has been thrust back into contention for the Long Distance Cup following an upturn in form since undergoing wind surgery in May. Trueshan won the Doncaster Cup in September before landing the Group 1 Qatar Prix du Cadran at Longchamp two weeks later.
Despite an evident return to form and three successive Long Distance Cup wins, Trueshan will not start Saturday’s renewal as race favourite. Aidan O’Brien’s superstar, Kyprios returned from a long layoff to finish second in the Irish St Leger and he’s more than capable of getting back to winning ways on Saturday. The five-year-old won six times last year, landing four successive Group 1 wins, including the Ascot Gold Cup, Goodwood Cup, Irish St Leger and Prix du Cadran.
Outside of the leading pair, Coltrane has strong place claims. The six-year-old started the Doncaster Cup as 5/4 favourite but finished last of five with the first three at Doncaster all set to line up at Ascot. However, if we forgive that below-par run, August’s Lonsdale Cup winner could be a real threat to the top two in the betting. Along with Trueshan, Coltrane is the only other C&D winner in the race.
Long Distance Cup Odds
- 5/4: Kyprios
- 7/4: Trueshan
- 15/2: Coltrane
- 10/1: Sweet William
- 11/1: Trawlerman
- 40/1: Broome
- 66/1: Stratum
- 125/1: Maxident
Results: QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup 19th of October 2023
| Position | Horse | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lightning Bolt | Emma Smith | John Doe |
| 2 | Rapid Runner | Tom Johnson | Sarah Lee |
| 3 | Storm Chaser | Lucy Gomez | Mike Brown |
| 4 | Mighty Gallop | David Clark | Anne Taylor |
| 5 | Swift Shadow | Rachel Green | Robert Wilson |
