British Champions Day: Cracksman among 49 entries for the Champion Stakes

MULTIPLE Group 1 winner Cracksman is likely to line up for a defence of his Champion Stakes title.

John Gosden's colt is one of 49 entries for the £1.3m Group 1, which is the feature race on QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot on 20 October.

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The son of Frankel, himself a winner of the Champion Stakes in 2012, won two Group 1's earlier this year before running second in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot.

His owner Anthony Oppenheimer confirmed the horse would be aimed at the valuable race again following a seven-length demolition on soft ground last season.

Oppenheimer said: "Cracksman was absolutely in his element last year and it was a marvellous day.

";There’s no question the race will be considered. I’ve seen him at the stable this week, he looks fantastic and we’re just waiting for the rain.

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"As long as it’s good ground or good to soft, he’ll run, probably. He’s going to run in the Arc, too, but he can do both."

Poet's Word got the better of Cracksman in the Prince Of Wales's and has since won the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, making him the joint highest-rated horse in the world.

He has also been entered by Sir Michael Stoute for the Champion Stakes, as has his stablemate and King George runner-up Crystal Ocean.

Brilliant filly Enable is due to make her comeback to the track in the coming weeks and could take her place in the Champion Stakes field.

Gosden's strong hand in the race also includes the Eclipse Stakes winner Roaring Lion.

Classic winner Saxon Warrior was second to Roaring Lion in that race and heads 16 entries for Aidan O’Brien, along with the likes of top-level winners Capri and Mendelssohn.

O'Brien said: "Saxon Warrior stayed on strongly in the Eclipse at Sandown last time and ran a good race.

"At the moment, we're looking at the Juddmonte International at York for him next and then we will have a better idea of which route to take afterwards.

"He has entries in both the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and the Champion Stakes and could go for either race."

Study Of Man won the French Derby and has been entered by his trainer Pascal Bary, while other Group 1 winners include Recoletos, Benbatl and Latrobe.