It is the Autumn Racing Weekend Festival at Ascot this weekend, with the feature race on Saturday being the Howden Challenge Cup, a valuable heritage handicap contest over 7f.
There are also two Group 3 races on the card this Saturday, the Cumberland Lodge Stake and Bengough Stakes, and they look like fascinating renewals from the impressive venue that is Ascot Racecourse.
3.35 Howden Challenge Cup (Heritage Handicap, 7f)
POPMASTER comes into this year’s Howden Challenge Cup as the highest-rated runner in the field with a mark of 106.
He is set to go up to an official rating of 109 in the future following his recent success in the Dubai Duty Free Cup Stakes, a Listed race at Newbury over 7f.
The five-year-old has had a consistent campaign this summer, with runner-up finishes in class two handicap events at Newbury and over this C&D. In the latter, he was denied victory by just a neck. With an extra 110 yards in that race, he would have landed the leading prize.
Ed Walker’s gelding will need to carry a 6lb penalty on his back for this assignment, but this is a course he has shown he enjoys. His class will ensure he is in the mix at the finish, despite the top-weight allocation.
With six wins from seven starts in the campaign, Quinault has been one of the stars of the Flat season.
His latest win came over this C&D from a mark of 97. He will need to defy a further 5lb rise in the ratings here if he is to add to his incredible record, but he is a tough horse and he should do battle with Popmaster once again for first place in the Challenge Cup.
2.25 Jim Barry Cumberland Lodge Stakes (Group 3, 1m3f)
AL AASY came within a neck of winning the Group 1 Coronation Cup two seasons ago at Epsom over this 1mf4f.
He has since proven his stamina over this distance, winning a Listed race over this C&D earlier in the season, and then coming home a close second at this level at Leopardstown behind Adelaide River last month.
William Haggas’ gelding will enjoy the good ground at Ascot and he will have an excellent chance of picking up his sixth success at this level in the Cumberland Lodge Stakes.
The Shadwell silks will also be carried in this Group 3 contest by Israr, but with the second cap. John and Thady Gosden’s runner prevailed in the Group 2 Princess Of Wales’s Stakes earlier this season, finishing ahead of former Derby winner Adayar.
He is also the highest-rated runner in this field, so he cannot be discounted, despite a disappointing run at Kempton (1m4f) last time out.
3.00 – John Guest Racing Bengough Stakes (Group 3, 6f)
As a two-time Stewards’ Cup winner and having other major wins at group and listed level, COMMANCHE FALLS often produces his best performances for the big occasions. His latest win came in the Garrowby Stakes at York, his third win in four starts.
Michael Dods’ runner is in the best form of his career and is now up to an official rating of 113. A repeat of his recent performances should be enough to land this Bengough Stakes in what would be his first success at this course.
Dark Trooper has scored over this C&D in each of his last two outings. Ed Walker’s gelding is now entering group company for the first time in his career, and he can show he belongs at this level as he bids for a fifth consecutive victory.
