'It's the race of the season and it's not even close' | Our podcast team discuss the QIPCO British Champion Stakes

Graham Cunningham - 'I'm an Ombudsman'

It’s tremendous, there’s no two ways about it. It’s Aga Khan Studs v Godolphin and Ballydoyle. It’s Barzalona versus Soumillon and Buick. It’s Appleby versus O’Brien and Graffard. And it’s three horses who are all in the prime of their lives and rated 125-plus. It’s a spectacular race and it’s got some depth in numerical terms with a pacemaker that should give us a really good spectacle. This is the race of the season and it’s not even close. I’m an Ombudsman. I came away from the Eclipse thinking he was probably a better horse than Delacroix and I came away from York thinking he definitely is.

David Johnson - 'Things get really confusing...'

I find it really difficult to unravel. I must be a really fickle person as I watch the Juddmonte and want to side with Ombudsman. Then I go back and watch the Eclipse and Irish Champion and want to be with Delacroix. Then things get really confusing when I watch Calandagan winning the King George. There’s a fag paper between them, it’s that kind of race, it will come down to a bit of luck, who gets the best ride, and while I don’t have a strong view from the betting side, I can’t wait to tune in.

Billy Nash - 'Will Aidan mess with Gosden?'

A couple of weeks back, if you’d told me Delacroix was running this weekend I would’ve assumed it would be in the QEII. He’s a very valuable commodity to Coolmore and I don’t think he’ll add to his value too much by winning this. If he had won a QEII like his sire Dubawi, then that would boost his stallion earning potential, so I am surprised he is running in this race. What it tells me is that he must be flying at home. It’s a cracking race. When Ombudsman has looked good he has looked really good. And I wonder if Aidan will run all five just to mess with John Gosden? Will Team Ballydoyle be against Ombudsman? That probably won’t happen, but it’s a cracking Champion Stakes, a proper race, hopefully it’s a clean race and we get a good winner one way or the other.

Matt Brocklebank - 'I want an each-way bet at a big price'

You asked how we split them and it has to be according to the prices. 3/1 about Calandagan could be the value, he’s been sent off 6/4, 11/10, 8/13, 1/2 and 11/10 on his last five starts, all in Group 1 company, and he’s now 3/1 having won his last two. I'd be leaning towards him at the top of the market. I would mention Fox Legacy as well with Andrew Balding trying to climb the ladder in the trainers' championship. He runs Almeric as well, but Fox Legacy is my each-way pick. We’ve seen big prices win this race – 40/1, 12/1, 10/1 in recent years – it’s the ex-Stoute angle again and he beat Liberty Lane handsomely at Goodwood last time. I want an involvement in such a great race and Fox Legacy each-way ticks a lot of boxes for me.

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