British Champions Sprint Stakes Tips & Betting Preview

Class from start to finish this afternoon and we have some of the best sprinters on the planet in action here as they look to end their season with a bang. Despite the betting suggesting otherwise this could be closer than some think though we do fully understand that if there is a dark horse then John Gosden’s Shalaa (11/2) in the one as the three-year-old son of Invincible Spirit looks for his seventh win in a row. Last season’s top two-year-old after Group One wins at Deauville in the Prix Morny and Newmarket in the Middle Park Stakes, his problems since have been well documented with a pelvic injury and he finally made it back to the track at the beginning of the month in the Group Three Bengough Stakes over this course and distance, though we have to add that he failed to impress and was more workmanlike that exhilarating but then again he was having his first run for just over a year and John Gosden made it quite clear on race day that he would improve considerably for the race. Race fit now and with no Limato he looks the one to beat this afternoon in a fascinating renewal.

With Limato sadly out of the contest Henry Candy relies on Twilight Son (7/1), though to be fair that is some horse to have as your back up. Admittedly he has only won a single race this season but it was the Group One Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in a blanket finish where he showed speed and heart to come out on top by a neck. With six wins from nine starts at the age of four suggests he may even be able to improve again but we can’t help but wonder if this was a second thought and worry whether his training regime centred around an attack on this race.

Having just looked at the weather forecast there is some rain predicted and if it gets to Berkshire in time (and it hasn’t yet) and there is enough of it, then Karl Burke will unleash Quiet Reflection (11/4) who gets four pounds from our selection. On her ground she is close to unstoppable and has won four of her five races this season with the only loss on her record a third to Limato at Newmarket in the July Cup on good to firm ground. Last time out she took the Group One Sprint Cup Stakes on soft ground at Haydock by an easy length and three quarters and if the rains fall her chances can only increase.

We can’t possibly let this preview pass without at least a mention for Mecca’s Angel (9/1) who is a classy sprinter over five furlongs but not guaranteed to get this trip at all. Last time out she was good third to Marsha in the Prix de l’Abbaye on Arc day and to be fair she does look a doubtful stayer yet on breeding she may be even better over further and although we won’t be backing her today, we will be watching her efforts with great interest.

To round things off, how about French raider Signs Of Blessing (16/1) as a serious each way hope at a decent price?  Last time out the five-year-old gelding saw off Donjuan Triumphant by a length and a quarter at Deauville in the Group One Prix Maurice De Gheest in August and was only a neck and a short head behind Twilight Son and Gold-Fun in the diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot and deserves a little more respect than the bookmakers are currently sending his way and clearly deserves his place in our race preview for now.