2023 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Tips - Are Paddington and Tahiyra worth taking on?

Jon Vine

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Last updated: 20 Oct 2023

Jon Vine 20 Oct 2023

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Odds and predictions for the 2023 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes [Updated 20/10/23]
This Group One takes place on Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday 21st October
We're backing Angel Bleu each-way at 20/1

Expired

Angel Bleu winning at Goodwood back in 2021. (Getty)

The penultimate Group One contest on British Champions Day is the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. Known as the QEII, many of the sport's best milers have won this legendary contest and two of this year's Classic winners currently top the market for Saturday's renewal.

Here's our free guide to the 2023 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, including our best betting tips.

2023 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Odds

You can see the latest odds for the 2023 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes here on our website.

2023 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Tips - Angel Bleu

If this race was being run on decent ground, then I would have no hesitation in siding with Tahiyra over Paddington. Dermot Weld's filly is, in my opinion, the best three-year-old of this generation and I'm hoping that we get to see more of her next season.

That being said, Saturday's card at Ascot will almost certainly take place on very soft or heavy ground and Weld has said that Tahiyra probably won't run if the forecasts are correct. That would leave Paddington sitting at an extremely unappealing price, so I'm more than happy to take the market leader on and look for an each-way alternative.

As I highlighted in my Champions Day Trends, three-year-olds have won seven of the last ten runnings of the QEII. Guineas hero, Chaldean and French raider, Big Rock will bolster the three-year-old contingent on Saturday.

The Guineas form has been let down continuously throughout this season and Chaldean hasn't run for over 100 days. Big Rock's form is a lot stronger, but I'm not convinced that his front-running style will bear fruit - especially if Ryan Moore takes Paddington forward and Hi Royal is allowed to bowl along at the head of affairs.

Soft ground form will be vital on Saturday and one who brings plenty of that to the table is ANGEL BLEU (20/1). Ralph Beckett's colt won all four of his starts on soft or heavy ground as a juvenile, including two Group One victories out in France to complete an excellent two-year-old campaign.

Having been seen on just three occasions as a three-year-old, Angel Bleu has been much more active this term, running six times, including two slightly disappointing runs here at Ascot. Hector Crouch's mount was hampered and outpaced when seventh in the Queen Anne during the Royal Meeting and found himself too far adrift of a red-hot pace when fourth in the Summer Mile.

Angel Bleu did manage to claim a timely victory on his most recent run at Goodwood, where Beckett's four-year-old comfortably saw off two talented three-year-olds in Knight and Charyn to strike in the Celebration Mile. Beckett has had Angel Bleu laid out for the QEII since that victory at the end of August and I could see Hector Crouch's mount running a massive race on suitably bottomless ground.

2023 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Live Stream

If you plan on watching this Group One live on a mobile or tablet, then check out our British Champions Day Live Stream page.

Verdict

Queen Elizabeth II Stakes 2023

Angel Bleu is our each-way selection in the 2023 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

Angel Bleu E/W

2023 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Tips

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