Why Mishriff's connections have chosen the right race in the Champion Stakes

It is becoming the received wisdom that Mishriff should have run in the Arc. Perhaps he should have as the Disneyfication of this year's running, which supposedly left the heroine with a clear run at history, did the race no favours in the end.

That Mishriff runs in the Qipco Champion Stakes instead has always struck as the right decision, irrespective of the reasons. His last two wins have been in France, the Prix du Jockey Club and Prix Guillaume d'Ornano, and both performances have been marked primarily by a change of gear rather than sticking on.

Striding figures agree with this assessment. Mishriff is more 1m2f than 1m4f and will be fine under the conditions too – yes, some of his best runs have been on heavy, but he has been impressive on good to soft and even good to firm.