Heavy ground won't stop headliner Economics running in £1.3m Champions Day highlight

One of the headline acts of Qipco British Champions Day will take his chance at Ascot whatever the weather on Saturday.

Economics is the bookmakers’ favourite to land the £1.3 million Qipco Champion Stakes on Britain’s richest raceday.

He heads William Hill’s market at 5-4 from the French-trained winner Calandagan who is a 7-4 chance.

The going at Ascot is heavy, soft in places, on the round course and soft on the inner track, which will be used if the outer track does not improve by Saturday.

Economics, who is unbeaten in 2024, suffered the only defeat of his career when fourth on his Newmarket debut last year on heavy ground.

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However similar conditions will not deter his trainer William Haggas from running the colt, who beat Auguste Rodin in the Irish Champion Stakes last time.

“I’m not going to pull him out because of the ground,” he said. “He has won on fast ground this year and we’ll see whether he copes with it.

“I think he will be okay because I think he is very versatile but it will be on the top of the list of excuses if it all goes wrong, I suppose.

“I would prefer the outer course but it is what it is. That’s the rule they put in place. I never subscribed to that.

“The inner course is a bit tighter but jumpers go round it. It’ll be fine, absolutely fine.”

Haggas swerved both the Derby and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe with Economics this year but plans to explore middle distances with the colt in 2025.

“Only a fool would run him over anything else at the moment,” Haggas went on. “He’s run four times over a mile and a quarter and he’s done very well.

“Everyone who’s watched him closely believes he might be just as effective at a mile and a half and he will go over a mile and a half next year.

He added: “His work last week was very nice and he is ready to go.”

The trainer also saddles Haydock Sprint Cup first and third Montassib and Unequal Love in the Qipco British Champions Sprint. Cieren Fallon will retain the mount on the stable first string with Tom Marquand on Unequal Love.

“Tom’s our rider but I think it would be harsh to take Cieren off,” said Haggas. “He rode him at Doncaster when he won easily. He rode him at Newcastle when he won easily and at Haydock. Tom’s very understanding.”