Art Power can land Sprint on the best day of racing in Europe this season

The naysayers have always had the soft ground stick to beat Champions Day with, but that might not be the case this weekend and, as Andre Fabre quite rightly pointed out last week, what’s the problem with soft ground anyway?

Ascot looks like being on the soft side of good on the weekend, which will make conditions quicker than some of Glorious Goodwood, quicker than some of Royal Ascot and certainly quicker than it was on Arc day. As a consequence there is every chance of it being the single best day of racing anywhere in Europe this season, with virtually all the horses you would want running at the meeting potentially turning up.

Not only do we have the prospect of the best mile race with Palace Pier taking on Baaeed, but the Champion Stakes itself looks like being the best mile-and-a-quarter race run all season too, as Mishriff is due to take on Derby winner Adayar and the new kid on the block Dubai Honour.