Newmarket staged their Champions Day last Saturday with seven races, the showpiece being the Champion Stakes which New Approach won decisively for Princess Haya of Jordan. New Approach was purchased by Sheikh Mohammed for his wife at the end of last season. Can another shrewd purchase for her in Ravens Pass (pictured) complete a memorable double at Santa Anita tonight and win the Breeders Cup Classic. This race will be the last one of a nine race card. Ravens Pass has got better with each run this season, but has never run over tonights distance of one mile two furlongs. His price of 10/1 on offer at the moment looks tempting as an each way bet. He has the mighty American horse Curlin to beat. With Sheikh Mohammed wanting his jockey Frankie Dettori on board, I am sure we are going to see a big run tonight. Lets hope they are successful. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

The lure of Champions Day at Newmarket with two Group 1's, three Group 2's, one Group 3 and the Cesarewitch Handicap means we will be neglecting our seats at Ipswich Town Football Club. The feature race of the afternoon, the Champion Stakes, looks as though it should go the way of New Approach (pictured winning the Derby). As usual the Cesarewitch will be the big betting race of the afternoon. The draw does seem to make a difference in this race with its large fields and the statistics show that the winner has been coming from those drawn 18 and above in the last few years. The winner could well be trained by a National Hunt trainer again this year. The two I like the look of are Arc Bleu from the canny Tony Martin yard and Mamlook from the David Pipe yard. Of course cases can be made out for quite a few of the runners and it promises to be an exciting race. For all the runners and riders with the jockeys colours click on the sporting life. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

In my blog of a year ago on the Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe I did list the past winners since 1959 and reminisced some of the great winners of this race, which in my opinion is the greatest flat race of the season. Soldier of Fortune was my hope for the race twelve months ago so I will not be deserting him this year. The softer the going the better for him. If there is a deluge of rain at Longchamp then Duke of Marmalade will not take his chance leaving Johnny Murtagh to take the ride on Soldier of Fortune. The quirky Papal Bull very nearly upset the "Duke" at Ascot and will get the strong handling he requires from the in form Jimmy Fortune. I beleive he is worth having a small saver on. Earlier in the afternoon that tough filly Lush Lashes (pictured) runs in the Prix De L'Opera, one of five Group 1's at Longchamp on Sunday, a race for 3 yo+ fillies and mares over one and a quarter miles. If Nahoodh wins at Newmarket on Saturday Lush Lashes will probably be a warm favourite for this. For all the runners and riders for Longchamp together with the jockeys colours click on the sporting life. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

We are into the third day of Newmarket Cambridgeshire Meeting where there has been some terrific racing so far. The Group 1 race this afternoon is the Sun Chariot Stakes worth £200,000.00. Darjina comes over from France and will run provided we do not get a deluge of rain as happened on her last visit at the July Meeting. Nahoodh (pictured) won the Falmouth Stakes in her absence that day and has shown she acts on any going. She very nearly got the better of Lush Lashes last time and if still in that sort of form should go close to winning this race. For all the runners and riders with the jockeys colours click on the sporting life. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".