Three of the world’s top-rated racehorses – Ombudsman, Delacroix and Calandagan – will meet in a blockbuster Champion Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.
Ombudsman, primary within the rankings, swooped late to beat Delacroix (rated joint sixth) within the Coral-Eclipse Stakes earlier than the tables have been turned within the Juddmonte Worldwide – and the pair now meet for a 3rd time.
King George winner Calandagan, who’s joint ninth within the international rankings, joins them, together with final 12 months’s Irish Champion Stakes winner Economics who races for the primary time in a 12 months.
The Champion Stakes (16:05 BST) headlines 5 top-level Group One contests on a seven-race card on Qipco British Champions Day – the nation’s richest raceday with a complete of £4.35m prize cash on provide.
Ombudsman’s stablemate Subject Of Gold will run within the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes for coach John Gosden, whose robust hand on the day additionally options Gold Cup victor Trawlerman within the Lengthy Distance Cup.
Homeowners Godolphin ran a pacemaker to help Ombudsman within the Juddmonte at York and achieve this once more within the £1.3m Champion Stakes, with Satan’s Advocate supplemented at a value of £75,000.
French challenger First Look is one other supplementary entry whereas different main contenders embrace Dante and Nice Voltigeur winner Delight Of Arras and Almaqam, who beat Ombudsman earlier within the season.
