Ascot free racing tips: Three each-way prospects to watch in wide open Champions Day finale

16:35 Ascot: Balmoral Handicap (1 mile straight)

None of the first three home in last year’s renewal are in today’s field, but Bopedro is back again after catching the eye with a never-nearer fourth of 20, and today his mark of 96 is six pounds better off than 12 months ago.

Bopedro hasn’t managed to win so far this season, but he arrives on the back of his best performance since his big run in this race last year, and significantly, that latest effort also came on this track, and it was also on soft ground.

It came two weeks ago in the very valuable BetMGM Challenge Cup, a heritage handicap which took place over the straight seven furlongs here, when despite being outpaced over the shorter trip, Bopedro rallied strongly and came home in third 18, just a head behind the runner-up, Qirat, who was the well-fancied favourite.

On his last run over a straight mile, which came on the flat, galloping track at Doncaster just last month, Bopedro finished a close runner-up of 14 in a competitive Class 2 handicap, and he looks to be improving enough to go one better today. 

Best Bet : Bopedro each-way in the 16:35 at Ascot

• Preview and tip provided CD Systems Daily Bargain on Tipstrr

Toimy Son comes here off the back of a solid season that has yielded a win and four frame finishes in his eight outings since April.

David Menuisier’s five-year picked a good race in which to visit the winner’s enclosure, beating the closest of his 15 rivals to land the prestigious Golden Mile at Glorious Goodwood in August.

After finishing fourth at the same track next time out, he was last seen finishing a very decent third of 31 in the Cambridgeshire, posting a brilliant career-best effort to finish best of the higher-drawn pack.

He runs off the same mark here, and although he is drawn in stall 17, he has pace setters all around him, so hopefully returning jockey Oisin Murphy can get him to track the lower stalled runners and get a favourable tow into the race. 

Next Best Bet : Toimy Son each-way in the 16:35 at Ascot

• Preview and tip provided by TommyTheTipper on Tipstrr

Deeper still in the betting, our outsider punt is Star Of Orion, a consistent type who tends to go well in the mud and was last seen tackling seven furlongs at this venue 14 days ago, when he shaped up very well to finish seventh of 18 in the Challenge Cup.

Eve Johnson Houghton’s six-year-old ran better than the bare result suggests in a race that lacked the ideal pace, but he looks well worth his place in this contest with conditions in his favour and a race that will suit his racing style.

He has run in a big-field scenario before and there is plenty to suggest that this race might play well to his strengths, and with plenty of bookies offering extra places, he ticks enough boxes to be worth a a cautious each-way play at such heft odds.

Outsider punt : Star Of Orion each-way in the 16:35 at Ascot

• Preview and tip provided David Xristo on Tipstrr

 

READ MORE: Saturday’s best free horse racing tips from Ascot