FOR the seventh time in his career, Aidan O’Brien will officially be crowned Britain’s champion trainer this afternoon, and a winner on today’s Qipco British Champions Day card at Ascot would certainly put a bow on a cracking campaign.

If there is one surprising statistic surrounding this meeting, however, it’s that Ballydoyle have drawn a blank at today’s finale fixture since Magical’s victory in the 2019 Champion Stakes. The bases have been loaded with an eight-strong attack for the 2024 card, though.

Irish Derby winner Los Angeles, who caught the eye finishing off strongly for fourth in the Irish Champion Stakes before his admirable Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe third 13 days ago, will bid to upset French ace Calandagan and Leopardstown scorer Economics in the feature Qipco Champion Stakes (3.55).

O’Brien told The Irish Field: “It didn’t really suit him to make the running in the Arc; he just seemed to get left there and when you’re in front in those types of races, sometimes you can be a bit of a sitting duck on that soft-ish ground. Thankfully, he came out of it very well and ran a very good race.”

Stablemate Continuous never figured in the Arc after a troubled trip and also makes a quick turnaround.

Speaking to the Qipco British Champion Series, O’Brien added: “It was a bit of a non-event for Continuous as he ran into the horse who was injured coming down the hill. He’s had an easy season and his action suggests he’ll handle the ground, even though he handles fast ground as well.”

Prix du Cadran star Kyprios has already earned champion stayer status for 2024 and is odds-on to plunder the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup (1.20) for the first time.

Leading stayer

“He’s come back from France well and we are very happy with him. He obviously hasn’t done much since, but he seems to be in good form,” said O’Brien.

On the stable’s other challenger, The Euphrates, he added: “He ran very well in the Irish St Leger [when fourth] and then won the Irish Cesarewitch. We think he’s very much on the upgrade.”

Henry Longfellow is out to turn the tables on Charyn in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (3.15), having finished behind that rival when the pair were second and third in a tactical Prix du Moulin last time.

“He just hasn’t had the rub of the green this season,” said O’Brien. “We don’t think we’ve seen the best of him. We’re very happy with his work and he has form with ease in the ground.”

On his Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (2.35) squad, O’Brien added: “The Prix de l’Opera [when 10th] was a bit of a non event for Content, as it was back to a mile and a quarter and they went very slow. She always wears earplugs, but in France you aren’t allowed to run in earplugs unless you wear a hood, so she obviously had to wear both, which might have been too much for her. We put her run there down to a combination of all those things, and we have to put a line through it.

“Grateful is a classy filly with an unbelievable pedigree. Christophe gave her a brilliant ride when she won the Prix de Royallieu. That was over a mile and six furlongs, but this race will ride like more than a mile and a half as it will be so testing. Hopefully she’ll run well again.

“Wingspan is on the upgrade big time. Ryan felt she was a little bit unlucky a few times, but she’s definitely improving and her mum, Hydrangea, won this race, so she got the mile and a half.”