Yes, there’s one more Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series "Win and You’re In" race – the QIPCO Champions Stakes (G1) at Ascot Racecourse on Saturday.
To the winner goes a fees-paid automatic spot in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) at Del Mar in California on Nov. 1.
The Champion Stakes is the centerpiece of British Champions Day. Contested over 2,000 meters (about 1 ¼ miles), this edition features another meeting between Ombudsman and Delacroix.
Ombudsman, a 4-year-old owned by Godolphin, already has two “WAYI’’ wins – the Juddmonte International Stakes (G1) in August and the Prince of Wales’s (G1).
Delacroix, a 3-year-old trained by Aidan O’Brien, handed Ombudsman one of his two career losses in Coral Eclipse Stakes (G1) at Sandown in July. After running second in the Juddmonte, Delacroix went on to win the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes (G1) in September and earned his place in the BC Turf.
The Champions Stakes rarely produces a Breeders’ Cup runner, but it has happened, most recently in in 2020 when Magical finished third and then ran second to Tarnawa in BC Turf. And John Gosden, who trains Ombudsman, has said the BC Turf is on the schedule.
A field of 11 is entered, including Devil’s Advocate being supplemented as an intended pacesetter for Ombudsman.
Ombudsman moved to the top of the Longines World’s Best Racehorse rankings after his win in the Juddmonte. Delacroix is the 11-4 second betting choice.
"Once again, Ombudsman displayed a phenomenal turn of foot in the last furlong to win by 3 1/2 lengths,’’ trainer John Gosden said after the Juddmonte, adding at the time that the colt’s schedule included the Champions Stakes, the Breeders’ Cup and the Japan Cup (G1).
Delacroix comes into the race with a stellar resume, six victories and four runner-up finishes in 11 races.
Also in the field is Aga Khan Stud’s French runner Calandagan, a decisive winner of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1), also a BC "Win and You’re In" race, in July.
Francis-Henri Graffard, who trains Calandagan, said: “I think it’s fantastic for racing to see all of them competing. At 1 1/2 miles, he’s fantastic but the horse is very fresh, he seems to be very well in himself so I’m really looking forward to challenging the other two.”
The other contenders, with odds, are Economics (16-1), making his first start since he finished sixth in this race last year; Almaqam (9-1), who owns a win over Ombudsman; and First Look (14-1). Also in the field are Almeric (20-1), Fox Legacy (18-1) and three 100-1 shots, Prague (100-1) and Mount Kilimanjaro (100-1), Devil’s Advocate (100-1).
The Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 93 stakes races in 15 countries whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race at the Breeders' Cup World Championships.
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