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IT WAS supposed to be the big send-off for Frankie Dettori, but that now remains in doubt for the Champions Day card at Ascot, as does the set-up of the afternoon; with a doubt about which course and on what going they will do battle on. 

I am a huge fan of Frankie as a jockey and the joy he brings to the everyday fan of this magnificent sport, but the will-he-won’t-he circus and the furore about him getting appearance money to appear at certain race tracks for the final time is irksome.

The former has snowballed into a circus and the latter point leaves a hugely sour taste in the mouth.

The likes of Piggott, Carson, Cauthen and Eddery never did that.

Doesn’t Frankie have enough millions to live on for both himself and his immediate family and way beyond?

In these troubled financial times I think it takes the you-know-what out of the hard-working man and woman struggling to make ends meet.

Yes, we all need to know our worth in the marketplace we have found ourselves in, but there are limits and I think he is taking the pi** here.

And so on to the racing, which if it survives the weather, is going to be a grind for all six races, whether at five furlongs or two miles, on the straight or the round track.

I thought the weakest market leaders were in the Fillies and Mares over a mile-and-a-half at 2.25, and at double-figure prices I suspect we could see both Irish challenger, Term of Endearment and French raider RUE BOISSONADE run huge races and seasonal bests and it is the latter who I favour.

She has been running in some of the top fillies’ events this season, seemingly just getting going too late on several occasions, best seen when a running on fourth in both the Prix Vermeille and then the Prix Royallieu.

After only five runs in the past season, she arrives here relatively fresh and I think a real stamina test over this trip, on this ground with the uphill finish will see her in the first three at the very least. Some bookmakers are offering first four and first five which is certainly the way to go.

I don’t really have a strong view on the opening event at 1.15, the Stayers, but if forced to pick I would fancy TRUESHAN to take care of the former Ascot Gold Cup hero Kyprios, but I must admit it is a race I would rather watch than play in.

The Sprint at 1.50 looks wide open and with the price now having gone about the mud lark Vadream, I have looked elsewhere for a bit of each-value in the form of the Maurice de Gheest runner-up SPYCATCHER, a race he should have won.

I am happy to forgive his third to Sandrine in the Park Stakes at Doncaster, as it is beyond his best trip, and firmly believe he will reverse form with the filly here back down to six furlongs on deep ground.

If you fancy a poke at a big-price speedster then I couldn’t put you off Art Power who will love the conditions and has a fair record at the Berkshire track.

The QEII Stakes at 3.05 sees Paddington try and put the cherry on his seasonal cake with a fifth Group One win and he is the rightful favourite, but I couldn’t even think of backing him at around 11/8 on this ground and the play against him at triple-figure odds could be HI ROYAL.

He was only two-and-three-quarter lengths off the Irish ace in the Curragh 2,000 Guineas and before that a length-and-three-quarters off Chaldean in the Newmarket one-mile classic.

Yes, he has been well-below par on his past two starts and need to bounce back, but I am prepared to have a small each-way wager at massive odds.

I think that the Champion Stakes at 3.45 is at the mercy of last year’s winner BAY BRIDGE, if he has not gone over the top following a more than fair run in the Arc at Longchamp last time out.

That day he raced way too freely on the heels of the leaders and the ground would have been fast enough. This is his set-up, and I expect him to see off the three-year-olds King of Steel and Horizon Dore.

There have already been some massive ante-post moves for the only handicap on the card, the Balmoral at 4.25 with the weather forecast offered up from the middle of last week.

The likes of Lincoln-winner Migration and fourth home that day and beaten favourite, Al Mubhir, have both been slashed in the marketplace and I couldn’t put you off either, but RAADOBARG smacks me as being of immense value at around 25/1.

The ground dried up too much for him seven days ago in the Darley Stakes at Newmarket, but he was still a fair third, but this will surely be more his cup of tea — the more rain the better.

He hasn’t won for 14 starts, but a handicap mark of 107 is certainly playable and I will be having a solid each-way play on him with some layers offering five and six places.

Away from Ascot, I will be holding out for the final race of the day at Wolverhampton (8.30) where top-weight DEVASBOY has solid claims now that he is down to a handicap mark of just 67, last win off 74, has a good draw and the make-up of the race should suit him as well.

Earlier on at the Dunstall Park track I shall also be having an investment on the likes of KINGWELL at 4.12 and then HARBOUR VISION in the extended mile handicap at 4.50.

You can forget the latter’s last run as there was no pace in the race and he pulled too hard, but this is his easiest task for a long, long time.