Delacroix set to star on Champions Day at Ascot

DELACROIX can secure victory in the QIPCO Champion Stakes (4.05pm) on British Champions Day at Ascot this afternoon.

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ridden by Christophe Soumillon (left), winning the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown last month DAMIEN EAGER/PA

The Group One feature at the Berkshire track looks an absolute cracker with Aidan O’Brien’s three-year-old locking horns again with the John and Thady Gosden-trained Ombudsman - a winner of the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Juddmonte International at York. While talented French raider and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes winner Calandagan, William Haggas’ returning Economics and the improving Fox Legacy, from Andrew Balding stable, add to the star-studded cast in the 1m2f contest.

All have claims of victory but Delacroix may make it 2-1 in his clashes with Ombudsman.

The son of Dubawi finished only ninth behind stablemate Lambourn when sent off favourite for the Betfred Derby over 1m4f at Epsom in June. But dropped back to the 1m2f over which he impressed in the early-season Classic trials he got the better of Ombudsman, swooping late from an impossible position to win the Group One Coral Eclipse Stakes at Sandown.

Ombudsman took the honours when scoring by three-and-a-half lengths from Delacroix in the Juddmonte on the Knavesmire in August.

While the decider didn’t materialise in Ireland last month, Delacroix landed another Group One victory in the Bahrain Trophy Irish Champion Stakes, beating Anmaat at Leopardstown on Irish Champions weekend.

And on what will likely be his final appearance on the racecourse, Delacroix can get the verdict again against his chief rival - but it is likely to be close and it will be a race well worth watching.

O’Brien stablemate The Lion In Winter - who had been the winter Derby favourite - can finally land another the Group One prize in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Sponsored By QIPCO) (3.25pm).