Reel and Winter remain in Champion

Aidan O'Brien's pair Highland Reel and Winter are among a stellar cast of 14 Group One winners remaining in contention following the latest forfeit stage for the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot on October 21.

Winter unsuccessfully stepped up to a mile and a half in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe last weekend, while her stablemate Highland Reel missed the Chantilly showpiece but is in the Gigaset Cumberland Lodge Stakes at Ascot this Saturday.

Decorated Knight and Poet's Word, the first two home in last month's Irish Champion Stakes, are other likely contenders, while Winter is also in the Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on the Champions Day card.

She is one of 29 horses in the QEII, a list that is headlined by Richard Fahey's stable star Ribchester.

The Godolphin-owned colt is officially rated Europe's best miler and sets a very high standard having won three Group One races this season.

His opponents could include Churchill, Barney Roy and Al Wukair - the first three home in this year's 2000 Guineas.

Andrew Balding is set to saddle last week's fast-improving Joel Stakes winner Beat The Bank, as well as Here Comes When, who inflicted a shock defeat on Ribchester in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.

"Beat The Bank is an intended runner. Here Comes When is in good form and goes straight to the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes," said Balding.

"We were thinking of running him (Here Comes When) in Italy (after Goodwood), but decided we were best keeping him fresh for Champions Day."

A total of £4.3 million in prize-money will be up for grabs on Britain's richest raceday, which is taking place for the seventh time.

There are 35 individual Group One winners entered across a card that consists of four Group Ones, a Group Two and the richest one-mile handicap in Europe - the Balmoral Handicap Stakes.

Harry Angel is rated the best sprinter in the world on official ratings following his stunning displays in the July Cup at Newmarket and Sprint Cup at Haydock.

Clive Cox's three-year-old is one of five Group One winners among a total of 25 horses going forward for the Qipco British Champions Sprint.

The four other top-level scorers in the field are Caravaggio, who beat Harry Angel in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, Karl Burke's Commonwealth Cup and Sprint Cup heroine of last year, Quiet Reflection, the James Fanshawe-trained The Tin Man, who won this race 12 months ago and the Diamond Jubilee at Royal Ascot in June, and Limato from Henry Candy's yard.

Big Orange and Order Of St George fought out an epic battle for the Gold Cup in June and could clash again in the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup.