Delacroix given go-ahead for Champions Day run

A stellar Qipco British Champions Day is in store at Ascot, with Aidan O’Brien confirming Delacroix will run at the showpiece meeting on Saturday.

The future of the Eclipse and Irish Champion Stakes hero has been the subject of much speculation since his Leopardstown success, with his Coolmore connections keen to emphasise his value to the operation as a stallion.

On the decision to run Delacroix, O’Brien said: “The lads wanted to race and they love racing. Obviously they had to be happy and make the decision, but that’s what they wanted to do and love doing, watching their horses run, and we’re grateful and happy about that.”

He went on: “I think we will supplement Stay True, who ran in the Leger, for the Long Distance Cup, everything has gone well with him since Doncaster.

“It is the plan to run The Lion In Winter in the QEII and he’s been good since his last run in France also.”

Meanwhile John Gosden is relishing the rare prospect of good ground for the showpiece fixture after his A-team of Field Of Gold, Ombudsman and Trawlerman stepped up their preparations for the weekend.

All three will be returning to the scene of their finest hours having landed a blow for the Clarehaven team at Royal Ascot, with Field Of Gold taking to the track for the first time since returning lame when suffering a shock defeat in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

Gosden said: “Field Of Gold is in good order and breezed nicely this morning, we’re happy with him and pointing towards Ascot and the ground looks like it could be on the fast side which is really unusual.

“I think for the first Champions Day in 2011 it was that ground and since then it’s been rather bottomless. We won’t be on the inner turf track as they like to call it this year.

“Ombudsman and Trawlerman also breezed this morning and we were happy with them. It was nice, normal, routine work and it wasn’t trying to find out anything much at this stage, but I was pleased with them all going in.”

O’Brien suggested on Friday that if Delacroix were to go to Ascot, then his preference for his target would be the Champion Stakes over the QEII, meaning a highly-anticipated third clash with Ombudsman is on the cards.

Gosden added: “Who knows who we might take on, but we’ll just get there and see who turns up on the day.”