Ascot's Champion Stakes: Runner-by-runner Guide Saturday is headlined by the Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot, with the Champion Stakes at 4.05 the headline act on a stunning card with five Group 1 races. Ombudsman, Delacroix and Calandagan are set to lock horns in a spectacular Champion Stakes, the feature event with more than £1.4million in prize money. Here's a look at the 11 runners set to go at Ascot in the big race. Almaqam Ed Walker's four-year-old son of Lope De Vega got the better of Ombudsman in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown in May but hasn't quite gone on from that in a pair of Group 2 assignments since at York (second) and Longchamp (third). More needed now in elite company once again. Calandagan A hugely likeable and consistent French performer who hasn't been out of the first two in his 11 runs since debut, mixing with the best at home and in Britain. Last spotted winning the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot in July, he was second in this race 12 months ago and his trainer won the Arc this month. Economics William Haggas' charge was only sixth in this race a year ago on soft ground (started second-favourite) and has been off the track since. He was progressing fast prior to that, but this would be a herculean training performance. First Look Another for France, this time for Andre Fabre. He's on a roll in his native land this season and was an impressive winner of the Group 2 Prix Dollar at Longchamp this month but he has more on his plate now. Fox Legacy This Andrew Balding-trained son of Lope De Vega has won lesser races at York and Glorious Goodwood on his most recent starts but he lags behind the best of these on ratings and is untested in Group-race company. Ombudsman An outstanding son of Night Of Thunder for the John & Thady Gosden operation, he's 6-8 in his career, though his defeats were behind today's rivals Almaqam and Delacroix, latterly in a fantastic finish to the Eclipse at Sandown in July. He avenged that in the Juddmonte International at York most impressively in August and will look to confirm that form in this trilogy meeting. Prague A Group 2 winner at Newmarket last year over a mile on soft going, Dylan Cunha's five-year-old son of Galileo is 0-5 this year in lesser company than this and is the lowest rated of the contenders here. Almeric A progressive three-year-old son of Study Of Man, he's a second contender for trainer Andrew Balding and easily won the Listed Doonside Cup at Ayr over this trip on soft ground last month on only his fourth run. Enters the big league now but it's hard to say how good he can be and he's the least exposed runner. Delacroix Disappointed as favourite in the Epsom Derby after successive wins in trials at Leopardstown but has bounced back since. He came from a long way back with a dazzling late burst to claim Ombudsman in the Eclipse but was put in his place by the same rival next time at York. He really dug in to win the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown last time and now bids to become the fourth horse this century to do the double here. Devil's Advocate A second runner for John & Thady Gosden, the gelded son of Too Darn Hot won a decent Doncaster handicap last month at the St Leger Festival but Rab Havlin's partner may be here as a pacemaker. Mount Kilimanjaro Likewise, the second Ballydoyle runner has a lot to find with these on ratings. He set the fractions in front last month before stablemate Delacroix came through to win the Champion Stakes.
