16:05 Ascot

Saturday 18 October 2025

All12:5513:3014:0514:4515:2516:0516:40

Qipco Champion Stakes (Group 1)

Off time: 16:06 | Winning time: 2m 3.19s

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Selected odds by:

(1)

Almaqam⁴¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: K Shoemark| T: E Walker| OR: 117| BF| D

28/1

All wins on good or softer. Really smart effort when proving 1¾ lengths too strong for Ombudsman in Brigadier Gerard at Sandown (1¼m, good to soft) in May. Hasn't confirmed that improvement when defeated at Group 2 level twice since but it was firmish ground on both occasions.

Form: 32-3123

(7)

Calandagan⁸⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: M Barzalona| T: F Graffard| OR: 125| C| D

15/8

Second in first 4 Group 1s (including to Anmaat in this last year) before landing a breakthrough success at the top level in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in June. A second quickly followed when too strong for Kalpana in the King George here (1½m, good to firm) in July. Looks sure to go well again.

Form: 22-2211

(10)

Economics³⁶⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: Tom Marquand| T: W J Haggas| OR: 123| D

12/1

Battled gamely to fend off Auguste Rodin in the 2024 Irish Champion at Leopardstown but reportedly bled when ending his 3-y-o campaign with below-par sixth in this race and not seen since. His yard's excellent form is a positive but some performance if he can win this after a year off.

Form: 4/11116-

(5)

First Look¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: James Doyle| T: A Fabre| OR: 115| D

33/1

It took a bit of time for him to build on last year's French Derby second but he's thriving now, completing a hat-trick when seeing off Bay City Roller in the Prix Dollar at Longchamp (1¼m, soft) a fortnight ago. A big career best will be needed to extend the winning sequence to 4, though.

Form: 6-23111

(2)

Fox Legacy⁷⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: P J McDonald| T: A M Balding| OR: 116| D

28/1

Much improved since joining the Andrew Balding stable, landing John Smith's Cup at York before running out an impressive 5½-length winner of a 9f conditions race at Glorious Goodwood. Likely capable of even better but this demands a good deal more.

Form: 74-1611

(9)

Ombudsman⁵⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: W Buick| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 128| BF| CD

13/8

Announced himself at the top level when producing a superb turn of foot to win Prince of Wales's over C&D in June. Collared close home by Delacroix in the Eclipse at Sandown but comfortably took his revenge on that rival in the International at York, scoring by 3½ lengths. The one to beat.

Form: 11-2121

(3)

Prague^t²²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: Benoit D L Sayette| T: Dylan Cunha| OR: 107| D

80/1

Produced a really smart effort when winning the Group 2 Joel at Newmarket (1m, soft) last autumn but hasn't come close to reproducing that level in a handful of starts this year. Big outsider.

Form: 0-54554

(6)

Almeric²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: Oisin Murphy| T: A M Balding| OR: 117| D

18/1

Unbeaten in 3 outings since his debut, including listed races at Newmarket (9f, soft) and Ayr (1¼m, good to soft) this season 5 months apart. This is a jump in class but he's an exciting prospect who surely has more to offer.

Form: 41-11

(4)

Delacroix³⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: C Soumillon| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 126| D

11/2

Bounced back quickly from a disappointing run in the Derby when defeating Ombudsman by a neck in the Eclipse at Sandown. Below par when 3½ lengths behind that same rival in the Juddmonte at York but right back on song when showing an electric turn of foot to see off Anmaat in the Irish Champion.

Form: 119121

(11)

Devil's Advocate^p³⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: R Havlin| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 109| D

66/1

Smart performance when defying a mark of 104 in a 1¼m handicap at the Doncaster St Leger meeting. Supplemented into this for £75,000 at the start of the week and here to fulfil pacemaking duties for Ombudsman.

Form: 1-64041

(8)

Mount Kilimanjaro³⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: Wayne Lordan| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 108| D

50/1

His success in the Dee Stakes at Chester in May shows he's smart but used as a pacemaker for Delacroix in the Irish Champion and will presumably perform the same role again.

Form: 12-3168

Forecasts

Ombudsman (13/8), Calandagan (15/8), Delacroix (11/2), Economics (12/1), Almeric (18/1), Almaqam (28/1), Fox Legacy (28/1), First Look (33/1), Mount Kilimanjaro (50/1), Devil's Advocate (66/1), Prague (80/1)

Although OMBUDSMAN was beaten by Delacroix in the Eclipse it was a quick turnaround for Godolphin's charge after his big performance in the Prince of Wales's and he re-established himself as the one to beat in this division when readily seeing off the same rival at York. Aidan O'Brien's charge has won well at Leopardstown since but it could still be that the chief threat emerges from last year's runner-up Calandagan, who showed a sharp turn of foot to win the King George here in July.