What impact could pacemakers have on a star-studded Champion Stakes?

Pacemakers in Group 1s seem to have generated more headlines than usual this year.

In July, 150-1 shot Qirat lined up in the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood to ensure a decent gallop for Juddmonte's Field Of Gold, only to hold on and win by a neck in the biggest shock of the season.

A month later, in York's Juddmonte International, it looked like another 150-1 shot, Birr Castle, was going to pull off a shock when establishing a sizeable lead as pacemaker for Ombudsman, only for Godolphin's favourite to seize control in the closing stages.

Pacemakers have long been used in major races and the Qipco Champion Stakes will be no exception, with Devil's Advocate included as a pacemaker for the John and Thady Gosden-trained favourite Ombudsman and Mount Kilimanjaro in the line-up to aid the challenge of dual Group 1 winner Delacroix for Aidan O'Brien. They will be partnered by Robert Havlin and Wayne Lordan respectively.

Does that mean there will be a repeat of the drama we saw at Goodwood and at York? Classic-winning jockey and ITV Racing pundit Jason Weaver does not think so. He said: "Rab and Wayne's job is to tow them along to help William Buick [on Ombudsman] and Christophe Soumillon [on Delacroix]. York was an extreme. I can’t see that being replicated.

Could Devil's Advocate or Mount Kilimanjaro pull off a Qirat?Credit: Edward Whitaker

“Rab has a couple of good mounts earlier on the card in Sweet William and Siren Suit for the Gosdens, and will have had a taster for the day. He knows what he’s got to do. He knows what tempo he has to set. The same applies to Wayne, who has four rides before the Champion Stakes.”

Weaver recalls riding pacemakers for Luca Cumani’s top-class miler Barathea during his career in the saddle. "I rode one for Barathea at Ascot, which went well,” he said. “Then I rode one in France, and that didn’t go so well. 

"I always highlight what Johnny Murtagh says about riding top-class horses in top-level races when he had the assistance of a pacemaker. He says that if he knew what was going to happen before he went out, that would always make his job so much easier.” 

Havlin has had plenty of experience riding pacemakers in the Champion Stakes. He partnered Maverick Wave in 2017 and 2018, to aid stablemate Cracksman, who won as the hot favourite on both occasions.

The most famous Champion Stakes winner of them all, Frankel, also had the use of a pacemaker in 2012. Bullet Train, sent off at 100-1, was in the race to make life as straightforward as possible for his illustrious stablemate, but plans had to change after Frankel missed the break.

Restrained by Ian Mongan after a furlong, Bullet Train allowed 9-2 shot Cirrus Des Aigles to lead until regaining the advantage and increasing the tempo just after halfway. It all worked out well in the end for Juddmonte when the mighty Frankel cruised into the lead over a furlong out to sign off with his unbeaten record intact.

The Ombudsman and Delacroix teams will both trust that the use of a pacemaker enhances their own chance of success, while racing fans hope their participation results in a thrilling climax to what has long been billed as the race of the season, with the likes of Calandagan, Economics and Almaqam also in the mix.

Delacroix and Ombudsman's rivals have their say on the Champion Stakes

King George winner Calandagan poses a huge threat to Ombudsman and DelacroixCredit: Edward Whitaker

Ed Walker, trainer of Almaqam
He’s in flying form. He looks great. His work has been good. Track and trip are fine, and the ground will be fine for him too. If the ground had been softer that would have enhanced his chance by slowing some of the others down, but he will act well on good ground. This has been the long-term target all season. There will be no excuses. It’s just so cool to be involved in such a mega-race. We come here a bit fresher than some of them. I think he’s a big price at 20-1, I really do.

Francis Graffard, trainer of Calandagan
He is in very, very good shape. I’m happy the ground is on the good side. I hope he can be very competitive against Ombudsman and Delacroix and prove that he is one of the best horses in Europe, which I think he is.

William Haggas, trainer of Economics
It’s a big ask in the best race of the year. He's drawn a bit wide, which doesn’t help. We think he’s done enough to run; whether he’s sharp enough to win, I don’t know. I think he’s a good horse, but he’s been off for a year and is taking on the three best horses in Europe.

Andrew Balding, trainer of Fox Legacy and Almeric
Fox Legacy has really found his feet. He had a couple of races close together and we kept him fresh for this with the thought it would cut up, but it's as deep a Champion Stakes as we've seen for years. He's a capable horse and will give his best. Almeric got an injury earlier in the year and missed the French Derby, which was a shame, but he looked good at Ayr on his comeback. This is in at the deep end, but this is a horse who will be capable of mixing at the top level in time. Whether that's on Saturday, we'll find out.

Thady Gosden, joint-trainer of Devil’s Advocate
Devil's Advocate has improved through the year and is a good performer in his own right and is in there to ensure an even gallop.

More on the Champion Stakes:

Champion Stakes at Ascot: the runners, the odds, the verdict for the race of the 2025 Flat season 

'We're 100 per cent delighted about taking on Ombudsman again' - O'Brien raring to go for Delacroix and Ombudsman's final showdown 

'I'd have liked Ombudsman to be stronger in the betting - but the only one of the big guns who might be punchdrunk is Delacroix' 

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