Ascot Champion Stakes: Take the reformed wild boy at 25/1

Where do you start with Pride of Arras?

What do you do with form figures of 1 - 1 - 17 - 10 - 1 ?

This season’s version has been the one of the most wildly unpredictable horses in training – or has a certain operation now cured that problem?

But let's start with basics. Pride of Arras is trained by Ralph Beckett, one of the best in the business. He had just the one start as a two-year-old in 2024, taking apart a Sandown maiden by more than three lengths.

But even in this first cosy victory, there was more than a hint that this fellow was not straightforward. Racing Post commentary: "In touch with leaders, lost ground home turn, ran green 3f out, headway from over 1f out, soon ridden, led inside final furlong, kept on well".

No more runs as a juvenile.

In 2025, he announced himself as one of the most exciting colts in training when he ran out an emphatic winner of the Dante Stakes at York in May, scything through the field for an easy win in what is typically the most competitive Epsom Derby trial of them all (form looked dreadful for a while but has improved in the last month).

With Pride of Arras now two from two, it was only logical that he would start as one of the Derby favourites. Second favourite on the day in fact, at 4/1.

But it all went horribly wrong on the Downs. Racing Post analysis for Pride of Arras, 15:30 Epsom, first Saturday in June: "Bumped start, raced wide, pulled hard, midfield, weakening when slightly hampered over 3f out." He finished 17th of 18, beaten a sobering 50 lengths. Blimey.

Anyhow, on to the Irish Derby (commentary from same source): "In rear, outpaced 3f out, weakened over 1f out, eased inside final furlong". Beaten 20 lengths. Oh dear, oh dear. Here he didn't have any excuse. No being "bumped", no pulling hard, no crazy cambers. Was he gone at the game?

No, Pride of Arras had various "issues", according to the stable. Predominantly, it seems, of the male behavioural variety, as the decision was made to geld him in the aftermath of the Curragh flop.

No longer an entire, he returned after a decent break in the G2 Great Voltigeur at York over 12 furlongs. He was overlooked in the betting at 12/1 (perhaps understandably given his previous two runs) but won the race impressively: "Midfield, headway from over 3f out, ridden on outer from over 1f out, led 1f out, kept on well."

Maybe the form of that race isn't up to much. The runner-up and fourth home could only finish 4rd and 5th in the St Leger after all. But equally, perhaps judging Pride of Arras as a 12-furlong horse is missing the point. His pedigree suggest it's very much as far as he wants to go. And just like the Dante in May, he won the Voltigeur with his turn of foot.

Beckett's gelding is now confirmed as being trained for the Champion Stakes over 10 furlongs at Ascot in mid-October. Make no mistake, this will be a hot race, and he doesn't appeal as a likely winner of it. But we do think he is mispriced at 25-1. Like the rest of the world, we have no idea of quite how good this son of New Bay might actually be. But at that kind of price, it make sense to find out.

Pride of Arras has never run on truly soft ground, so that may well be a new test as autumn progresses with the potential for softening terrain. But his sire was outstanding on multiple occasions on soft ground, and it's interesting that the dam ran her best races at both two and three with plenty of give underfoot.

As another factor, he is unbeaten fresh, and we like the fact that he has had a decent break going into this challenging Group 1 target: It may not be coincidental that his two flops have come after short three-week turnarounds.

In summary, at 25/1 we think this lad could have a part to play in the big one at Ascot on 18 October. We doubt he will anything like that price on the day (he is already 16/1 in many places), and think he's a long-shot worth playing not least because there are numerous horses ahead of him in the betting who look very doubtful participants.

With Pride of Arras being firmly pointed to the race and having no other seasonal targets, we'll take the each-way angle, as 5/1 to place is very attractive.

Recommendation: Back Pride of Arras each-way at 25/1 with Paddy Power and Skybet to win the Champion Stakes at Ascot on Saturday 18 October.