Champion Stakes Guide

Trainer - William Haggas

Jockey - James Doyle

The gelding is well known for how much enjoys the rain and testing conditions and that is exactly what he will get at the weekend and this has been the main thought process behind the gamble on him seeing him steam in to 11/4 from 10/1 this week.

During his career the five year old son of Pivotal has won seven times with his best performances coming in the Listed Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Rose Of Lancaster Stakes this season.

Both those runs had plenty in common with the main factor being the ground conditions being very wet and perfect for Addeybb but there is the big question that needs answering this weekend that is he really a Group One horse.

Trainer - Sir Michael Stoute

Jockey - Jim Crowley

This four year old colt will need to seriously up his game to be involved here with modest performances in big races against some of these rivals.

The more the rain the better chance you would think got this horse with him having previous of winning on soft and even finished a good third on heavy ground in the past.

He needs to recapture his form when third to Enable in the Coral Eclipse at Sandown to pose a threat here but Jim Crowley does take the ride and is in fine form.

Trainer - John Gosden

Jockey - Frankie Dettori

The five year old heads to Champions Day fresher than many of the other horses missing a lot of the Autumn events with her main target being the Champion Stakes on Saturday.

Her last two performances put her in good stead to go well this weekend with two starts ago landing the Group One Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud over in France.

She backed that up over there again in the Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville on heavy ground showing she will revel in the muddy conditions and is a big player if being on her game after a small break.

Trainer - Mitsuru Hashida

Jockey - Oisin Murphy

Japan's big race chance on Saturday falls in the hands of Deirdre again who showed she has the talent togo and win a Group One race in England when landing the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood two starts ago.

Since then she went to Leopardstown and finished a never nearer fourth in the Irish Champion Stakes and has some big form to reverse with Magical if to get back to winning ways.

Trainer - Aidan O'Brien

Jockey - Seamie Heffernan

I Can Fly looks to be the second string in O'Brien's assault on the contest with the four year old filly being less than impressive in big races this season.

She will have to improve a huge amount to even think about getting in places let alone win the race but last year at this meeting she was a very narrow second in the QE II Stakes to Roaring Lion.

That came on soft ground and she also put in her best performance this season at Ascot in the Group Two Duke Of Cambridge Stakes when third also on soft ground and it could bring the best out of her.

Trainer - Aidan O'Brien

Jockey - Donnacha O'Brien

The current favourite for the contest is Magical who currently tops the Cartier horse of the year awards after being superb this season.

The four year old filly has won two Group Ones in Irish Champion Stakes and Tattersalls Gold Cup whilst also posting three seconds in other black type races.

Most of those seconds have come behind the illustrious Enable who will not stand in her way on Saturday and she has the leading form heading into the contest.

The only negative could be how fresh she is after her fifth in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe just two weeks ago but on form looks the one to beat.

Trainer - Andrew Balding

Jockey - Silvestre De Sousa

Fox Tal is a very surprising addition to the race with little experience in Group one contests and having never run on any ground with soft ground in the description could make him vulnerable.

Andrew Balding has been very patient with this Sea The Stars colt has only ran once this season winning nicely at Doncaster in a Class 2 event.

He looks out of his depth in this field but should be the freshest horse going to post that might see him have an edge on some of the field.

Trainer - James Fanshawe

Jockey - Daniel Muscutt

Pondus looks like another horse who is in for hard afternoon showing recently that he has not been good enough to win Group Three contests so what makes him worthy of a Group One title?

The softening ground may be a positive with the colt taking to heavy ground and also winning in soft conditions but that looks the only positive for the three year old who looks out of his depth in a Group One.

Trainer - John Gosden

Jockey - Rob Havlin

The final runner of the day is John Gosden's second string who on her own merits is a smart three year old filly that does have credentials at Group One level but needs to be better than she has been.

Three starts ago she won nicely at Saint Cloud in Group Two and was inches away from landing her first back type win of her career in the Nassau Stakes when just being chinned on the line by Deirdre.

Her latest showing was well below her recent form when only beating home two runners in the Group One Prix de l'Opera on very soft ground.

She has won on good to soft but it does suggest the less rain the better for her chances.