Doneraile jockey Darragh O'Keeffe out in front of Paul Townend

There is a terrific conclusion to the flat season with Ombudsman and Delacroix going head to head in the Champions Stakes at Ascot tomorrow. 

A stellar field has been assembled with some of the season's top performers set to clash in what promises to be a thrilling Group One encounter on an excellent card. It is a real battle between the Aidan O’Brien team and the Gosdens. Prince of Wales's Stakes and Juddmonte International winner Ombudsman has emerged as a real top-notcher this season for John and Thady Gosden. However, he was denied what would have been a hat-trick of Group One wins by Aidan O’Brien's Delacroix in a thrilling Coral-Eclipse.

Ombudsman gained revenge at York but Delacroix has since won the Irish Champion Stakes in great style. They are likely to be joined by King George hero Calandagan for Francis-Henri Graffard, who has won big races all over Europe this season including the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe with Daryz.

Doneraile rider Darragh O’Keeffe is currently leading the Jockeys Championship and is almost 20 winners ahead of his rivals Paul Townend and Jack Kennedy. There is certainly a long way to go to the season finale at the Punchestown Festival but the North Cork man is certainly laying down a marker. 

O’Keeffe rode a 50/1 winner on Saturday, enjoyed another winner on home soil at Mallow on Sunday and a double during the week for his boss Henry De Bromhead at Punchestown. Both Gameball and Heartwood look exciting prospects for the season ahead. De Bromhead likes to get his horses out early and have them ready for the earlier graded meetings at Down Royal, Punchestown and Fairyhouse.

Stumptown will be aimed at a repeat win in Cheltenham’s Cross Country Chase rather than the Grand National following his historic success in the Velka Pardubicka on Sunday. 

Gavin Cromwell’s eight-year-old won twice over Cheltenham’s inside track last season before finishing lame at Aintree when he was a well-fancied 10-1 shot. Cromwell is well and truly a trainer on the rise and Stumptown became the first Irish-trained horse to win the famous race at the weekend and whatever he does in the future, he will always have a place in the record books.

Cromwell said: "We had a great experience in the Czech Republic over the weekend with Stumptown winning the Pardubicka. It was a fantastic day to be a part of. It’s a very unique race, the crowd and atmosphere was fantastic, and it was even better to win the race.

There were three scary moments for us during the race, any one of which could’ve seen Keith Donoghue unseated, but luck was on our side. 

"Keith was brilliant on him, and he showed again just how invaluable his experience is in cross-country races. It was a long, tough race with lots of travelling involved, so Stumptown will have a good break now.

“Getting him back to the Cheltenham Festival is the end goal for this season. Where we go in between now and then, I’m not too sure. He’ll take a while to get over a tough race with three days of travelling, so we won’t be running him back too soon.” 

Cromwell could be celebrating a unique double with Ballysax Hank running in the American Grand National Hurdle at Far Hills in New Jersey on Saturday.

Wayne Lordan really is Mr Dependable. He rode a nice double during the week at Dundalk. Lordan was aboard Whistling Jamesie for Natalia Lupini and gave a textbook ride despite his 20/1 starting price. A wall of horses held chances charging to the final furlong, but it was Whistling Jamesie who finished off best of all down the outer to claim the honours by half a length.

Assistant trainer Craig Bryson said: "We think the Polytrack worked the oracle and we had worked him here a few times because we are close by and he always worked nicely around here.

PROGRESSIVE

"His early runs we were disappointed, we always thought we were just teaching him. He came out of the breeze ups and getting him to do things right. Progressing with racing and we think he handles the Polytrack very well. 

"We thought seven furlongs would have been better, but he got away with the six furlongs here today. He's a big, long-moving horse and we were worried today, wide draw, and Wayne Lordan did well to break and get over. The last half furlong he stuck at it very well.” 

Lordan landed the preceding race on the card through Valiant Force for Adrian Murray. The 15/8 favourite was a comfortable winner in the end after Lordan had to use all his experience after his mount got upset in the stalls.