British Champions Day at Ascot: Champion Stakes, Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and more – live

Ombudsman, the 5-4 favourite, emphatically reversed the form from last year's Champion Stakes with a three-and-three-quarter length defeat of Calandagan in the feature race on Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday.

William Buick was always travelling well aboard the favourite as his pacemaker, Devil's Advocate, cut out the early running, and Ombudsman responded instantly when his rider asked for a finishing kick. Calandagan, who was slow from the stalls, made some inroads into his lead from the rear approaching the furlong pole but Ombudsman then kicked again to put the result beyond doubt.

Ombudsman may now retire to stud as one of the top-rated horses in world racing although John Gosden, who trains the five-year-old with his son, Thady, also floated a possibility afterwards that he could have a swansong in the Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland in two weeks' time.

“He's the right type of horse and I think the track would suit him,†Gosden said, “so it's a possibility. We don't have to make a rapid decision.â€

Ombudsman's success completed a double for the Godolphin operation in the two most valuable races on the card, following a win for Charlie Appleby's Talk Of New York in the preceding Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

“It's exciting,†Appleby said. “He's a three-year-old, he's not done too much wrong in his career apart from immaturity early on, but thankfully that looks like it has been ironed out and he's progressing with age.

“That will be him finished for this year, he'll head into winter quarters and you'll see him again next spring.â€

Aidan O'Brien's two fancied runners in the feature events, Constitution River (Champion Stakes) and Gstaad (QEII), both failed to fire, but the reigning champion trainer had earlier swapped Group One wins with his big rival for this year's championship, Andrew Balding.

O'Brien's Minnie Hauk took the Fillies & Mares Stakes, a race in which Balding's mare Kalpana was the well-beaten favourite, while Mount Atlas sprang a 33-1 shock for the Balding stable in the Long Distance Cup.

As a result, Balding is less than £80k behind O'Brien in the title race, which runs until 31 December, and while O'Brien may have runners only at Doncaster's Futurity Trophy meeting between now and the end of the year, Balding can target the extensive all-weather programme to close the gap.

O'Brien, who would have been almost unbackable had he taken out one of the feature events, is quoted at around 4-7 to win a third consecutive title, while Balding can be backed at around 5-4.

It's been some day for William Buick, who has just reeled off a 206-1 treble in the last three races on the card. A fine afternoon for Andrew Balding too, as a first trainers' title is now tantalisingly within reach after Aidan O'Brien's biggest guns failed to fire.

There's so much for the capacity crowd to mull over as they start to stream out through the gates and head for home.

1. FIFTH COLUMN 22-1, 2. Indalo 16-1, 3. Ebt's Guard 11-1, 4. Scoville 4-1 fav, 5. Jagged Edge 25-1. 20 ran.

They're intwo groups with the stands' side in front, Scoville going well in that group and Hickory is last in that group too …

One and a half out, stands' side has it, Scoville bang there but here's Fifth Column in Godolphin blue, he's hit the front and the other closers won't get to him – it's a treble for William Buick in Godolphin blue.

Off and running in the Balmoral Handicap!

Scoville is a solid 4-1 favourite, with Gavriel at 5-1 and Hickory, who was at double-figure odds when I tipped him yesterday, attracting plenty of support down to 11-2 (though I think that's more to do with him also being the Pricewise pick in this morning's Racing Post).

For the final time today, here's the betting on the Balmoral Handicap via the Oddschecker operation:

Scoville 7/2

Gavirel 4/1

Hickory 9/1

Ebts Guard 17/2

Indalo 12/1

Excellent Believe 12/1

Bullet Point 14/1

BAR 14/1

4.35 Balmoral Handicap, 1m (straight)

The traditional getting out (of trouble) race on Champions Day is the season's final charge down the Ascot straight mile, and while there's a cutaway around three furlongs out that tends to leave them racing down the middle, I tend to work on the basis that the normal rule about looking for high-drawn closers is still the best way to go.

There are quite a few to choose from, but I'm going to row in with the admirable Hickory, a definitive Ascot specialist, who hold-up style makes him a potent opponent over eight furlongs here in particular.

John Gosden is talking about Ombudsman's future in the winner's enclosure. An immediate retirement to stud is one possibility, but Gosden will also suggest a supplementary entry for the Breeders' Cup Turf, over a mile-and-a-half, at Keeneland in two weeks' time.

Constitution River, meanwhile, beat only the pacemaker home and picked up £34,970 for finishing fifth. Advantage Andrew Balding in the trainers' title race.

Ombudsman returns to a rousing reception from a sell-out crowd. Around 10,000 of the 30k+ in attendance are students or under-25s, incidentally, which can only be good news for the future of Britain's second-most popular spectator sport.

That result can only confirm Ombudsman's position near the head of the world rankings, although the Breeders' Cup or Japan Cup could yet produce a serious rival for the Racehorse of the Year Award.

All the money for Ombudsman was, well, right on the money. He was always travelling well and perfectly placed to challenge in third as Devil's Advocate and Bay City Roller set a decent pace, and William Buick just had to choose his moment to press the button.

Calandagan came from a few lengths further back but just didn't have the acceleration that carried him past Ombudsman 12 months ago.

1. OMBUDSMAN 5-4 fav, 2. Calandagan 5-2, 3. Bay City Roller 17-2. 6 ran.

Turning for home already, Ombudsman launches his challenge, Calandagan off in pursuit, it's the 1-2 from last year but the other way around …

Final furlong, Ombudsman finds more, Calandagan won't catch him and Ombudsman is going clear … revenge for Ombudsman in the Champion Stakes!

Ombudsman is perfectly poised at halfway, little change in the overall order.

Now they head into the final half-mile, Calandagan is still last.

Calandagan held up last, Ombudsman is third. Constitution River is taking a strong hold on the outside.

Bay City Roller and Devil's Advocate lead early …

Off and running in the Champion Stakes!

The runners are arriving at the start for the Champion Stakes and there's plenty of money for Ombudsman, he's down to 6-4 with Calandagan at 5-2. Consitution River, meanwhile, was a bit scratchy on the way to post and he's out to 4-1.

It was a beautiful October afternoon here earlier but the weather has taken a definite turn. Dark clouds overhead and a hint of some rain in the air.

The runners are in the paddock before the Champion Stakes and I've just watched them take a couple of turns around. There's no faulting any of them, but Ombudsman would perhaps be a marginal paddock pick if only because he is so relaxed and moves so well.

Here's the latest Champion Stakes betting from Oddschecker:

Ombudsman 13/8

Calandagan 5/2

Constitution River 5/1

Bay City Roller 15/2

Almaqam 12/1

Devils Advocate 150/1

4.00 Champion Stakes, Group One, 1m 1f 212yd

So it's down to the Champion Stakes now for Aidan O'Brien if he's going to carve out a serious lead in the trainers' title race.

There are just six runners for the feature event on the card, but since five of them are among the top 20 in the current world rankings that can hardly be a cause for complaint.

All bar the pace-making Devil's Advocate go to post with a realistic chance of success – and some of us are old enough to remember Richard Hills making all on the 66-1 chance Maroof back in 1994 – while the likely favourite, after steady support this morning, is John & Thady Gosden's Ombudsman, an impressive winner of the Prince of Wales's Stakes over this course and distance back in June.

He renews rivalry with Calandagan, last year's winner, who had nearly three lengths to spare at the line. Another of today's runners, Almaqam, was a four-length third.

Aidan O'Brien relies on Constitution River, the French Derby and Eclipse Stakes winner. He's been a bit below his midsummer pomp on his last two starts but that was true of plenty of runners from the stable at the time and he would be a huge player on his Eclipse winning form.

Last but by no means least among the main contenders is Bay City Roller, who ran a huge race from a horrible draw to finish second in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in Paris 13 days ago. He is a huge credit to the George Scott stable and never seems to run a bad race.

In the final reckoning though, I've plumped for Calandagan to return to his decisive winning form 12 months ago. He arrives after a near-identical preparation and won with something to spare last year.

Another twist in the trainers' title race, albeit a negative one. There was prize money down to sixth there, but Gstaad got nothing at all in eighth. Few would have seen that coming.

Gstaad was never travelling at all, but Talk Of New York was going best from some way out having settled much better than has sometimes been the case in the past. Once William Buick brought him through to the lead, there was only going to be one winner.

Ten Bob Tony ran his usual solid race to finish second, and Rayif came from a long way back to take third.

1. TALK OF NEW YORK 3-1, 2. Ten Bob Tony 7-1, 3. Rayif 10-1. 11 ran.

Needle Match goes on with Hawk Mountain to set the pace, Gstaad perfectly poised in fourth …

Dancing Gemini close up, More Thunder and Rayif to the rear, Talk Of New York going notably well …

Two out, Talk Of New York strikes for home, Gstaad is going nowhere …

More Thunder and Rayif finishing well, so too Ten Bob Tony but Talk of New York has this in safe keeping, he's made his Group One debut a winning one!

Off and running in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes!

It's now 7-4 Gstaad, he's shortening all the time. Talk Of New York is 3-1 and it's 7-1 bar the two.

A deer – yes, a deer – was bouncing around on the rail near the start for this race and threatening to cause a delay, but has now been ushered away into the woods.

More money for Gstaad, he's priced up at around 9-4 now in the ring and the runners are starting to go to post for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

Here's the latest betting on the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes via Oddschecker:

Gstaad 11/4

Talk of New York 4/1

More Thunder 13/2

Rayif 15/2

Ten Bob Tony 8/1

Zeus Olympios 10/1

Zavateri 12/1

BAR 12/1

Danielle pulled up quickly after that last race and has been taken back to the stables for examination. More news as and when.

3.20 Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Group One, 1m (straight)

Aidan O'Brien's first big chance to put the trainers' title to bed comes via his three-year-old Gstaad, who has supported down to favourite today and goes to post as the top-rated runner in the field on Timeform's figures.

He has been an exceptional servant to the yard with wins including the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf last year and the Irish 2,000 Guineas earlier this season, but spent much of the first part of the campaign trying, and failing, to cope with the outstanding, and now sadly retired, Bow Echo.

Minnie Hauk has now broken the O'Brien Group One jinx on Champions Day, and Gstaad has an obvious chance to further relegate that very un-O'Brien-like losing streak to the pages of history.

Charlie Appleby's Talk Of New York is next in the betting, and fully deserves this tilt at a Group One after progressing steadily up the rungs of the ladder over the last six months, including an emphatic win in the Joel Stakes last time out.

It would be remiss to ignore Ten Bob Tony, the 50-1 winner of the Queen Anne Stakes here at the Royal meeting, although today's pace may not play quite so well to his hold-up run style.

More Thunder, the half-length runner-up behind Ten Bob Tony in the Queen Anne, and Eve Johnson Houghton's Zavateri, impressive in the Celebration Mile at Goodwood last time, also need considering, but I'll take a chance on another three-year-old, the French-trained Rayif, to further improve Francis-Henri Graffard's record in the UK.

He's 2-2 in Group Ones over a mile, has just half a dozen races in the book in all and has been refreshed by a break since his win in the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville in August

That's also Aidan O'Brien's first Group One winner on Champions Day since Magical's Champion Stakes win in 2019. What's that they say about London buses?

A straightforward win for Minnie Hauk as Kalpana simply failed to fire, no doubt feeling the effects of a long season and a hard race in the Arc 13 days ago.

Ryan Moore was perfectly positioned behind his pacemaker and could pick his moment to go for home in the straight.

A major swing towards Aidan O'Brien in the title race, with two big runners still to come in the next two races, which have a total of £2.4m in prize money to chase.

1. MINNIE HAUK 5-1, 2. Believed 16-1, Lilt 6-1. 12 ran.

Sugar Island continues to lead with Minnie Hauk close behind, Kalapana is up into fifth but isn't travelling like she can …

Into the straight, Sugar Island leads but Minnie Hauk takes over, Kalpana not finding much …

Minnie Hauk goes for home, Kalpana is beaten … Lilt in pursuit of Minnie Hauk but this is going to be a big blow for Aidan O'Brien, Minnie Hauk wins it!

Kalpana was last after a furlong and is now three from the back after half a mile, Aidan O'Brien's runners are 1 and 2 …

Kalapana was slowly away from stall one, she's not going to be perfectly placed …

Off and running in the FIllies and Mares Stakes!

The punters are playing up their winnings from Almeraq, and Kalpana is now an even-money favourite with Minnie Hauk steady at around 9-2. Lilt has also attracted a bit of money to around 17-2 to give William Haggas a quickfire double.