The winner of the King Edward VII Stakes at the same track in June will face 11 rivals in the final all-aged British Group 1 race of the season as he bids to provide France with an eighth victory on British Champions Day and join names such as Cirrus Des Aigles (2011), Almanzor (2016) and Sealiway (2021) as a winner of the Qipco Champion Stakes.

Speaking during the past week, Francis-Henri Graffard, Calandagan’s trainer, said:

“Everything is well with Calandagan and he looks in very good shape. He has had a bit of time since York and, provided all goes well between now and Champions Day, he will be spot on for the Champion Stakes.”

Economics, winner of the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown last month when beating Auguste Rodin, is the main market challenger to the French-trained Aga Khan-owned colt.

Los Angeles, winner of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby and third placed in the recent Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp, is one of two Aidan O’Brien-trained runners in the one mile two furlong contest.

He will be ably backed up by Continuous, winner of the 2023 St Leger at Doncaster, but who finished disappointingly at ParisLongchamp on his most recent run.

The Qipco British Champion Stakes, one of four Group 1 races on the Ascot card on Saturday, goes to post at 3.55pm – the penultimate race of a six-race card, with over £4 million in prize money available on the day.

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Marquand had earlier won the Group 1 Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron Stakes aboard Porta Fortuna for Donnacha O’Brien, but this time he teamed up with British-based trainer William Haggas to claim the €1.25 million race.

The son of Night of Thunder held off last winner’s Auguste Rodin and Ryan Moore as the Aidan O’Brien-trained runner failed by a neck at the line to win a seventh Group 1 race.

The Japanese runner, Shin Emperor, was third a further three-quarters of a length behind the runner-up.

Economics becomes the first British-trained winner of the Group 1 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes since Oisín Murphy guided Roaring Lion to victory for John Gosden in 2018.

Interestingly, this afternoon was Economics’ Group 1 debut and he becomes the first horse since Pentire in 1995 to break their Group 1 maiden in the Irish Champion Stakes.

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