Ascot Champions Sprint: Don't be colour blind to 2024 winner at 10/1

This article was prompted by the news story that appeared today on At The Races regarding the plans of Wathnan Racing for the Ascot Champion's Sprint in just over one month's time.

The main thrust of the story was that Lazzat, brilliant winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes over course and distance at Royal Ascot in June, would be firmly pointed back to Ascot for the big sprint on Champions Day. He is currently 7-1, which is not a bad price (strictly win only!) for a horse with such talent to bounce back to form. We doubt he will be anything like that big a price on the day, so it makes an obvious back-and-lay opportunity for those so inclined.

But the newsflow over Jerome Reynier's gelding was not what prompted us to write this. Racing manager Richard Brown has admitted that Lazzat's herculean effort on fast ground on a hot June day may be taken more out of him that connections thought at the time. And further down in the At The Races article, he confirmed that Wathnan would be three-pronged in the big sprint at Ascot next month, with both Kind of Blue and Flora of Bermuda set to line up as well. And of the pair, it's Kind Of Blue we think is now the bet at a standout 10/1 with Bet365 for the following reasons:

• Excellent course and distance form: impressive fourth in last year's Commonwealth Cup (just the third start of his career), winner of this race four months later

  
  

• Lightly raced this season, and close to something like his best last time out in the Sprint Cup at Haydock

  
  

• Peaked in the autumn last year: his best three races on both Timeform ratings and speed figures have come in September or October

  
  

• Has never let backers down at Group 1 level, winning or placing (per bookmaker terms on the day) in all four attempts at the highest level, with form figures of 4 - 2 -1 -2

  
  

• Handles all ground types from "soft" through to "good to firm"

  
  

• Stable has been slow to find its best form this season, but is now firing in the winners

In summary, Kind of Blue ticks almost every box that can be ticked as an antepost prospect. For sure, his fellow Wathnan runners pose a threat but they have more question marks. Lazzat has to bounce back, and Wathnan's third arrow for the race – Flora of Bermuda – has long been considered by many to be "deserving" of a Group 1 victory at some stage, but somehow specializes in finding trouble in running. Indeed, she has won just one of her last 12 races, and that was at listed level. What's more, there are all sorts of doubts over the participation of the other horses at the top of the betting: - Plans for More Thunder are very fluid (also entered in QEII over a mile on same day, may be tempted to head to France for the G1 Prix du Foret over seven furlongs, would be a doubtful runner on soft ground anyhow); - Big Mojo would be a huge doubt on soft ground. We believe connections are likely to target the Breeder's Cup Turf Sprint just two weeks later, with the possibility of a Prix d'Abbaye run a month earlier (which would be a fortnight before this race); - Commonwealth Cup winner Time For Sandals is by all accounts finished for the season;

- Connections of Woodshauna have expressed a preference for fast ground for their G1 Prix Jean Prat winner, and it is our understanding that this French horse will be heading to the US next for the Coolmore Turf Mile in early October. If he wins or come close the Breeders Cup Mile beckons, if he disappoints a tilt at the Champions Sprint two weeks later looks unlikely (and he would in any case be a bigger price); - Montassib has not been seen since disappointing in this race last year and may or may not make a reappearance in a listed race at Ayr this Saturday (48-hour declarations will come out the day after this article is published).

We see Kind of Blue's price going only one way, and can readily envisage him starting in the region of 5/1 come 18 October. The each-way angle appeals strongly in race where multiple defections from the top ten in the betting are likely.

Recommendation: Back Kind of Blue each-way at 10/1 with Bet365 to win the Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot on 18 October. We see 8/1 as minimum acceptable price at this stage.