HIGHWAYMAN & TWO OTHER RACES THAT SPARK MY INTEREST.

For me, the most interesting race today at Ascot is the Champions Long Distance Cup. As with the Stayers Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, could they have come-up with a more imaginative title for the race? Sems not. Did they ever consider naming it after one of the great Ascot Gold Cup winner of history or simply named it the Ascot Cup or The Ascot Trophy. Anyway, that is today'smain moan out of the way, let's proceed with due reverence for the event.

Highwayman is the horse I am most looking forward to. Now with Dylan Browne-Mcmonagle on board, it will be interesting to see if a further step up in trip will eke-out even more improvement in him, which will be needed as this race is a stone better than the St. Leger that has immortalised him. It is also a more competitive race without Scandanavia, as he would have dominated both the thoughts of punters and pundits and the end of the race. It is perfectly possible that the  race might provide three or four legitimate Ascot Gold Cup contenders for next season, including, hopefully, Highwayman. Daiquiri Bay looks a horse on the up and up and might become a replacement, if there ever could be a replacement for Alan King, for Trueshan, a three-time winner of this race. Queenstown keeps improving and I have a thought that Amelia Earhart might relish races over 2-miles and further. Caballo De Mar is not easy to predict, though he would be stayer of the year without Scandanavia, and Gregory, who is fresh after only one run this season, might also stamp his credentials as an Ascot Gold Cup contender.

No complaints from m, by the way, that the stable jockey is back on Highwayman. As Saffie said at Doncaster, 'I only met him today and I might never ride him again but I know I will love him forever.' I suspect Highwayman will never mean as much to D.B.M. as he does to Saffie, though if he becomes the leading stayer next season with a row of cup wins to his name, even someone as calm and professional as Dylan might express a modicum of love for the horse.

The other two races that spark my interest today are the Fillies and Mares race and the pointless 2-year-old race. The former, for me, is all about Kalpana. If her trainer Andrew Balding is to claim the trainers title, Kalpana just has to win. Placed money is no good to Balding. There are dangers, the race is no shoo-in as forever well she ran in the Arc, that was only two-weeks hence and the likes of Johanna Walsh and Danielle come into the race comparatively fresh. For the majority of this race I will have my fingers crossed, forever hoping to see Colin Keane sitting quietly, quietly improving his position to win on the bridle. If Balding can come away from Ascot this evening within less than a hundred-thousand in arrears of Aidan, he will still have a squeak of taking the title. Of course, the Futurity at Doncaster is usually a gift for Ballydoyle, so I hope Balding has a good one lined-up to take Aidan on. I also hope Balding has one for the November Handicap on the last day of the turf. Those two races are vital for Balding to become champion. He then has the best of two-months to gain the deficit on the all-weather, where he will not have Aidan to contend with.

The race I would like ditched is the two-year-old conditions race. If there is a need for a two-year-old race on Champions Day, why not the Royal Lodge or Middle Park, races of substance, or even Europe's most valuable nursery. Anway, Night In Vegas is my interest here and I hope he wins for Eve Johnson Houghton. Zavateri later on, not so much as he should be racing next season, not covering mares. Not that the Qatar Racing British Champions Day Two-Year-Old Conditions Stakes - again, could they have not come-up with a more imaginative and memorable title, The Frankel, for instance - will be easy-peasy for Night In Vegas. Inner City Blues and Confucious could still be classic horses next season and Satellite of Love and Speed of Sound could both be Commonwealth Cup types come Royal Ascot. My hope is, though, for Eve Johnson Houghton to gain some beforehand consolation through Night In Vegas for the disappointment waiting for her  with Zavateri who I have put a hex on due to his owners regrettable decision to retire a horse who loves to race.