Aidan O’Brien’s Juddmonte International winner Japan is the 4/1 favourite at BetVictor for the Champion Stakes at Ascot in mid-October although if you feel Mark Johnston’s Elarqam was unlucky at York – as connections certainly do – then he might be a shade overpriced at 10/1 (from 14s) for the 10f Group 1 contest – the highlight of Champions Day.

There is a £20,000 Conditions event at Chelmsford this afternoon and Charlie Appleby saddles the well-bred newcomer State Crown (3.00) and it might be worth noting that the Godolphin juvenile had four entries this week – all on an artificial surface.

John Gosden’s grey Light Angel has a 7lbs penalty for scoring at Newbury back in May, but he finished last of five at Newmarket last time when pulling goo hard. He is best judged on his second in a Newmarket nursery on his penultimate start when he finished behind an Appleby runner. The Godolphin handler should certainly know where he stands with the Gosden 2-y-old.

The maiden Restless Rose (2.30) looked ready for a step back up to 6f when a close third at Windsor last time and I felt she would have gone very close with a clear passage inside the final furlong. Both her career wins have come over today’s 6f trip including over C&D and she has won from a higher mark in the past. James Doyle takes over in the saddle on Stuart Williams’ filly who has an excellent draw in stall two.

Mister Chiang (4.00) couldn’t act on the soft ground at Ripon last time but he wouldn’t be the first Mark Johnston inmate to bounce back after a poor run. Note the selection broke his maiden tag on his only all-weather start here over a mile back in December.

If the first-time blinkers work the oracle on Tronador (4.30) then he must go close in the 10f handicap. David Lanigan’s three-year-old was well backed on his handicap debut but fell out of the stalls and he was reluctant to race for the first furlong before running on to finish a never nearer third.

Black Caspian (2.10) finished runner up at Haydock last time but the winner – Lord Of The Lodge – franked the form in no uncertain terms when second to Threat in the Gimcrack Stakes at York last week. The selection is no world beater, but he is well drawn in stall one – as long as the ground remains good – and is taken to make it third time lucky in Carlisle’s 6f Novice event.

A draw in stall 10 tempers confidence in We Owen A Dragon (3.40) owned by BetVictor Brand Ambassador Michael Owen’s Racing Club but, if today’s race were run 48 hours later, he would be carrying an additional 6lbs having been raised that amount for finishing second at Leicester last time. That was a career best effort from Tom Dascombe’s three-year-old who has had just the six career starts.

At Sedgefield this evening I hope to see Stream Lady (6.20) go one better than when runner up at Uttoxeter on debut for David Pipe and Tom Scudamore. The selection won at Plumpton over hurdles over 3m 1f and this winning point-to-pointer jumped well on her chase debut. Stamina looks her forte.

Desert Point (6.50) is improving over timber and a 7lbs penalty is unlikely to stop him following up last week’s Southwell win if in the same mood. The selection is 5lbs “well in” this afternoon having been raised 12lbs by the handicapper for his latest success – such was the ease of that victory.

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