Ombudsman should arguably be odds-on for the Champion Stakes - and his few dangers may not include Delacroix

This year’s Qipco Champion Stakes has the makings of one for the ages, with Godolphin, Coolmore and the Aga Khan Studs set to face off as three of the best middle-distance turf horses around clash.

It is no shock the market is dominated by their runners, with Ombudsman, who heads the betting at 15-8, followed by his old rival Delacroix (11-4) and last year’s runner-up Calandagan (7-2). Their implied superiority is demonstrated further by the fact it’s 14-1 bar.

All three fulfil some of the stronger trends in the last decade. They are aged three or four (8/10), arrive after breaks of 28 days or more (8/10) and are rated in excess of 120 (8/10) – backing all of those above that threshold blind in that timeframe would have yielded a profit of £11.83.