Sprint heavyweights going toe to toe for championship honours

1.55 Ascot
Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes (Group 1) | 6f | 3yo+ | ITV/Sky

"For the very few in attendance and the thousands watching around the world, ladies and gentlemen, from Ascot racecourse, let's get ready to rumble.

"Six furlongs of racing for the sprint championship of Britain."

This is a clash that would be fitting for the immortal words of legendary Boxing announcer Michael Buffer because we have three genuine stars lining up to be crowned sprint champion.

Dream Of Dreams should probably be considered the lineal champion and there is a pretty strong consensus he should be undefeated this season. He only narrowly failed to land the knockout blow when beaten a fast-diminishing head in the Diamond Jubilee at the royal meeting over course and distance in June and has since steamrollered all-comers.

He had his rivals on the ropes from an early stage when bolting up by seven lengths in the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes over 7f at Newbury in August, achieving a Racing Post Rating of 124. That is the highest figure on offer and one the challengers can only aspire to.

However, while he landed his first Group 1 over this 6f trip in the Sprint Cup at Haydock last time, he recorded a lower RPR of 122 that day. That is his best figure at this distance, but he might need to improve if he is to fend off the younger Oxted.

Oxted has the best figure in this race over six furlongs and it was achieved on his latest start too, when he ran away with the July Cup at Newmarket back in July.

An RPR of 123 puts him 1lb ahead of Dream Of Dreams if they both reproduce their last-time-out Group 1 wins and Oxted has had wind surgery since his last run too. Already a big improver this season, any further progress would make him a serious contender.

It's not just a duel, though, because there's a mighty mare lining up in the shape of One Master.

She made it three straight wins in the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp under Pierre-Charles Boudot two weeks ago, recording a career-best RPR of 118 in the process.

That gives her between 5lb-6lb to find with Dream Of Dreams and Oxted, but she receives a 3lb sex allowance from her male counterparts and is unlikely to go down without a fight.

It should be a fantastic spectacle, so let's just hope for a nice clean fight and may the best man (or woman) win.
Analysis by Graeme Rodway

One Master bids to go one better

Turn back the clock 12 months and you may recall there were plenty of people who expected One Master to take advantage of the extremely testing underfoot conditions over 6f in this race.

Sent off 4-1 joint-favourite, she managed to beat the other major fancied contenders, Advertise and Hello Youmzain, Cape Byron and The Tin Man, but went down by a length to the unheralded 33-1 shot Donjuan Triumphant.

She did not enjoy the smoothest of passages on that occasion, having her run interrupted on two occasions, and emerged with tremendous credit over a trip clearly short of her best.

Since then she has mainly plied her trade back at 7f and landed the Group 1 Prix de la Foret at Longchamp last time after gallant placed efforts in York and Doncaster Group 2s.

Her credentials are there for all to see, but trainer William Haggas is cautious about the drop back to sprinting.

"She's only managed to win once over six furlongs," he warned. "And that was a maiden during her three-year-old days.

"However, she goes there in good shape and ran a great race in it last year. She's a very genuine filly who loves heavy ground. It will be hard for her to win, but I'm sure she'll run a good race."

Dream Of Dreams sets the standard on this year's sprinting form, but that was the case with Advertise last year.

One Master had Advertise's measure that day, and it would be no real surprise if she ploughed through the mud to sink Dream Of Dreams this time.

What they say

Roger Varian, trainer of Cape Byron
He returns to his beloved Ascot in great form despite his lengthy absence. He is no stranger to success in Berkshire having won the Victoria Cup, the Wokingham and the Group 3 Bengough Stakes last season and, with a fine record fresh, we would hope he heads to the race with a live chance of mixing it with the likes of Dream Of Dreams and One Master. The forecast ground is a slight negative, but otherwise we're very pleased with him.

Bruce Raymond, racing manager to Saeed Suhail, owner of Dream Of Dreams
He's in top form. He breezed the other day under Ted Durcan and went particularly well. I think he's better than these, and if he gets beat it will be because of the ground. We know he goes on soft, but we're not sure about very heavy ground.

Alastair Donald, racing manager to King Power Racing, owners of Happy Power and Art Power
Happy Power is in great form. We felt it was worth rolling the dice and dropping back to six furlongs on a stiff track and very soft ground. You can forget Art Power's York run. He should enjoy the track and ground. He did a bit too much of the donkey work at Haydock and ran on again when beaten. Hopefully we'll get a lead this time. He's a young, improving horse. I think we'll finish closer to Dream Of Dreams this time than we did at Haydock.

Roger Teal, trainer of Oxted
I'm really happy with him. The ground will be a bit different to what he normally runs on. He had a nice stretch on grass on Tuesday and handled the conditions. He's had a small ulcer removed from the back of his throat since his last run – it didn't cause him any problems, but we've had to declare it as a wind op.

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Speak In Colours
Speak In Colours is a model of consistency. He's run well over this course and distance in the past. He wouldn't want the ground too heavy, but should run a good race.

Paddy Twomey, trainer of Sonaiyla
She's travelled over well. It's been a great year with her – she's danced every dance and done what we wanted her to do. I think she's in good form and hopefully she can run a great race. We're hoping for the best.

Aidan O'Brien, trainer of Lope Y Fernandez
We'd planned on running him over seven furlongs in France but obviously we didn't get to. We are thinking of going to the Breeders' Cup Mile with him and with the ease in the ground over six furlongs at Ascot it will be stiff and it will nearly be like seven for him. Hopefully he runs well.

For all our exclusive free bet offers and must-have daily promotions click the free bets button or go to racingpost.com/freebets