British Champions Day: Cracksman among 49 entries for the Champion Stakes
John Gosden's colt won £1.3m the race by seven lengths at Ascot last season
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.
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.
TRIP DOWN UNDER Emotionless set for a crack at the Caulfield Cup in Australia
"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.