British Champions Day | Horse Racing Free Tips

Foundation Date For Addeybb

Multiple Group 1 winner Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) will forego entries at Ayr and Newbury this weekend and instead target next Wednesday's Listed Foundation S. at Goodwood, where rainfall is expected. The 7-year-old gelding with an affinity for soft ground has not been seen since finishing second to St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr})-and ahead of world co-top rated Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB})-in the G1 Eclipse S. on July 3. Addeybb is on course for a title defense of the G1 Champion S. at Ascot on Oct. 16.

“The ground wasn't soft enough for Addeybb this weekend but he needs a run, so we've put him in at Goodwood on Wednesday,” said trainer William Haggas. “He'll almost nearly have to run there, but I didn't want to flog him up to Ayr when the forecast I saw said the rain, which they thought was coming on Friday, has dissipated now. It's a shame, but Goodwood will be fine, hopefully. They are due some rain at the weekend and I'm hoping they get plenty.”

Haggas also issued an update on Shadwell's unbeaten star 3-year-old Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who won the G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp on Sept. 5.

“Baaeed is in good shape and aiming for the QEII,” said Haggas. “We're planning to run at Ascot, but if it's bottomless we may have to think again. He's been fine since the race and I think that race will have done him good and I'm happy with him.”

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Back To A Mile For Alcohol Free

G1 Coronation S. and G1 Sussex S. winner Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never) will revert to the mile distance over which she won those two features for the Oct. 16 G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. after beating just one home in Wednesday's G1 Juddmonte International over a mile and a quarter. The 3-year-old filly, who also won last year's G1 Cheveley Park S., was racing beyond a mile for the first time.

“Going up to a mile and a quarter was always going to be a punt,” said trainer Andrew Balding. “She looked like she had come there and was only going to be beaten a couple of lengths into second. Having looked like she was going to get placed, she didn't quite get home over the last 100 yards, but we have learned something from it. She was fine this morning. She will have a little holiday now as she has been busy enough. She is entered in the [G1] Sun Chariot, but the plan is to come back and have a go at the Queen Elizabeth II S. at Ascot on Champions Day.”

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Champions Day Likely To Be Palace Pier’s Swansong

Trainer John Gosden has said that Qipco British Champions Day, where Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) has entries in the G1 Champion S. and G1 Queen Elizabeth II S., is likely to be the 4-year-old's swansong before he goes off to stud.

Palace Pier, last year's champion 3-year-old off wins in the G1 St James's Palace S. and G1 Prix Jacques le Marois, is a perfect four-for-four in 2021. Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum's bay won the G2 bet365 Mile, G1 Lockinge S. and G1 Queen Anne S. before defending his title in last weekend's Marois over this season's G1 2000 Guineas and St James's Palace S. winner Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}).

Referring to the fact that an illness has forced Palace Pier to miss last month's G1 Sussex S., Gosden told talkSPORT, “We just managed to get to the [Marois]–he would have been 80-odd per cent ready, he was 10 days short, so two pieces of work really. He was on the wing so a little bit out on his own. He went a length up and then sort of thought he'd done his job, but Kevin [Manning on runner-up Poetic Flare] did a clever job under that rail, going on the quicker ground and was coming back at him.

“The class of Palace Pier got him through, as Frankie [Dettori] said. We were thrilled to win off an inadequate prep. We'll see where we go, it will probably be Champions Day and then off to stud.”

Palace Pier's only loss in 10 starts came when he was third over the soft going in last year's QEII, and Gosden said the ground will play into the decision of whether the horse tries 10 furlongs for the first time in the Champion or sticks to the mile.

“I mentioned 10 furlongs as a possibility and he is in both races, but if it's very soft it would be unlikely,” Gosden said. “If it's good then it would be fascinating, he'd have nothing to lose.”

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Provision Made For Champions Day Course Switch

A provision has been made that will allow officials to move races on the round course to the inner track at Ascot on British Champions Day should the ground have 'heavy' in the going description at morning inspection. The previous rule stated that the inner course, which is normally used only for jumps races, could only be considered in an abandonment situation.

The course will be inspected by Clerk of the Course Chris Stickels as per usual on the morning of the race. If he gives “heavy” in the going description or indeed chooses not to do so in a marginal call, an independent panel will also assess the ground. The panel will decide whether there is heavy anywhere on the outer course, which would trigger the switch.

The inner track was used for the fixture in 2019, but went ahead as planned on the outer course last year despite conditions being very soft.

Nick Smith, director of racing and public affairs at Ascot, said, “Using the cambered outer course with wider bends is obviously the ideal on Qipco British Champions Day. However, following discussions with the BHA, there is agreement that racing on heavy ground, if it can be avoided, is best for the day as a whole. Importantly, we are not setting out to penalise horses that prefer cut in the ground, which more often than not will be the prevailing conditions in autumn. In all likelihood, when heavy is in the going description on the outer course, the inner course will still be predominantly soft. Given the potential sensitivity around a switch of surfaces in a marginal situation, Chris has recommended that an independent panel verifies his assessment on the day.”

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