Champagne Stakes Tips & Betting Preview

Some classy horses have taken this race over the years including Poet’s Voice, Toronado, and Emotionless, with Godolphin taking it four times (two each for Saeed Bin Suroor and Charlie Appleby), and the Hannon yard three times. This season Godolphin had a few entered up to run but now rely on the two starting with the Charlie Appleby trained D’Bai (9/1) who has cheek pieces in place for the first time this afternoon. A son of top sire Dubawi he was runner up on his debut behind Dubai Hero at Newmarket before winning his maiden by a short head at the same track last time out at odds on, but he will need to improve considerably on that effort this afternoon though it seems safe to assume he is working well at home to take up an entry of this high standard.

Two improvers next, starting with Rivet (5/4) who caught the eye when taking his maiden by close to three and a quarter lengths at York in what looked a competitive event before the stalls opened. Held up early in the race he was bought with a well-timed run by jockey Frankie Dettori that day to win going away despite hanging badly, and deserves a chance at the big time in a race that has cut up to look a lot weaker than most years. With the William Haggas yard in good form he should improve again on what we have seen to date and looks well worthy of carrying our money this afternoon.

We are never stupid enough to ignore a Richard Hannon juvenile and he has entered Majeste (6/1) here as the son of Acclamation also looks to follow up a maiden win with something a lot more important. After a debut second at Windsor he stepped up in a Class Four at Newbury to win by a couple of lengths staying on more than quickening up, and it would be a surprise to us were he to bother the major players here.

With the virus seemingly a thing of the past Saeed Bin Suroor will want to kick on for the rest of the season and he has the second Godolphin horse (who will carry the first colours) with Thunder Snow (3/1). He certainly has the better form of the two so far with a win al Leicester and a second to War Decree in the Group Two Vintage Stakes at Glorious Goodwood sandwiching a sixth of eighteen to Caravaggio in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot and if the Helmet colt can repeat his latest start this afternoon he will be there or thereabouts as the leaders flash past the line.

Lastly, trainer John Ryan is responsible for the second highest rated runner here with Grey Britain (28/1) who was last seen finishing fifth to the classy Blue Point at York when sent off a 50/1 chance and finishing close to six lengths behind the winner. Prior to that run he won a Lingfield maiden by a couple of lengths and much as we would love to see him run well, he ought to be outclassed here and may struggle against some of the improving sorts yet to get an official rating.