Sunday 1 October 2017 10:38, UK
We pick out five things that you cannot afford to miss in the racing week ahead.
Saturday's Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket is without doubt the highlight of the weekend, with another top-class field likely to assemble in search of Group One honours. John Gosden's So Mi Dar has had only a limited number of opportunities this season and this mile heat would provide her with another shot at that elusive top-level victory.
Established in 1993 when little-known Beverley-based trainer Alf Smith sent out Cape Merino to victory, the totepool Two-Year-Old Trophy has provided more than one fairytale success. Some of the bigger trainers have subsequently landed this richly-endowed prize, but it should be remembered the six-furlong event has produced a class horse or two as well. Limato was a memorable victor in 2014 while Tim Easterby has had two Group One winners land the prize in Pipalong (1998) and Somnus (2002).
Ascot has only Champions Day to look forward to before the close of the season, so the two-day fixture over Friday and Saturday signals the end of normal service, so to speak. The Gigaset Cumberland Logde Stakes and the John Guest Bengough Stakes on Saturday provide the Pattern-race action, while there are some competitive little heats on Friday, too. It is then all systems go to the Flat finale on October 21.
The annual spectacle that is the Velka Pardubicka takes place at Pardubice racecourse on Sunday. Dating back to 1874, the famous Taxis fence, which consists of a one-metre deep and four-metre long ditch with a 1.5 metre high hedge, has struck fear into the heart of more than one rider. A total of 31 obstacles and an extended four-and-a-quarter miles are all that stands between the contenders and glory. Good luck.
There is likely to be plenty of action away from the track this week as book one of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale runs from Tuesday to Thursday, with huge amounts of money set to change hands. Glorious Journey, a Group Three winner in France for Charlie Appleby in September, was one of the joint sale-toppers last year at a cost of 2.6 million guineas. The cheque books of the leading players are sure to be out again at a sale which saw Al Naamah fetch 5 million guineas back in 2013.
Monday: BATH, Newton Abbot, Stratford.
Tuesday: AYR, KEMPTON, Sedgefield, Southwell.
Wednesday: Bangor, KEMPTON, NOTTINGHAM, SALISBURY.
Thursday: CHELMSFORD, Huntingdon, LINGFIELD, Warwick.
Friday: ASCOT, CHELMSFORD, Fontwell, Hexham.
Saturday: ASCOT (ITV4), Fontwell, NEWMARKET (ITV4), REDCAR (ITV4), WOLVERHAMPTON.
Sunday: Kelso, Uttoxeter.
