Ulysses was a surprise omission as 10 horses were declared in the final field for Saturday's QIPCO British Champion Stakes.
Sir Michael Stoute's Coral-Eclipse winner was pushing Cracksman for favouritism in the antepost markets for Ascot's Champions Day feature but he wasn't among those to stand their ground and looks likely to head straight to the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar.
Cracksman does run, as he bids to provide Frankie Dettori with a first career success in the race, along with the Stoute-trained Poet's Word, while St James's Palace hero Barney Roy takes him on for Richard Hannon and team Godolphin.
Aidan O'Brien didn't declare Churchill, who runs in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes instead, but does field two horses in the shape of Highland Reel, winner of the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at the Royal meeting, and Derby runner-up Cliffs Of Moher.
Dual Classic winner Brametot represents France, while the field is completed by Desert Encounter, Maverick Wave, Success Days and Recoletos.
What connections say
Richard Hannon, trainer of Barney Roy:
"Last year I didn’t have a runner on Champions Day and basically went there for lunch. Runners on that day should be very special; it should be about the top-class horses and that’s what Champions Day has become. The Champion Stakes is a great race and even if I didn’t have a runner in it I would be there to watch it.
“Barney Roy goes there in great nick. I don’t think James [Doyle] did much wrong last time [in the Juddmonte International at York] but we ended up taking each other on [Churchill] two-and-a-half furlongs down and it very much played very much into the hands of Ulysses. I bet he could not believe his luck.
“Other than that our form ties in very closely with Ulysses and there should not be much between them. We certainly won’t go setting it up for him this time. We will get a lead, sit in a little bit.”
James Doyle, jockey of Barney Roy:
"I sat on him at Kempton last week and he did his usual spin round - like he usually does ten or 12 days out from his race - and he seemed perfectly well. It was a nice leg stretch around there and he feels like he has physically improved a touch for his little break since the Juddmonte. I’m quite excited.
“He’s gradually getting the hang of it with each run - he’s quite a slow learner as you saw in the Eclipse when he got a bit lost and hit all the ridges wrong. He’s quite a long-striding horse. In the Eclipse they didn’t go any kind of gallop and I was always gaining on the horses in front of me, so it can prove a little bit tricky.
“We had to ride him a little more aggressively in the Juddmonte from the draw we had and because of the lack of the pace. I suppose we’ll just hope for a bit of pace and I’ll ride him like I did in the St James’s Palace."
Rupert Pritchard-Gordon, Racing Manager for Al Shaqab in France, owners of Brametot:
"Brametot did his last piece of work on Monday morning in Deauville and all the signs are good. He looks like he’s taken the Arc very well and I think a truly run mile and a quarter will really suit him. He comes into the race relatively fresh having only run twice since June and everything points to a good performance.
"Whether he’s good enough to beat the likes of Cracksman we don’t know, but if he repeats his form then he has a solid chance. He’s got such a fantastic turn of foot and is so tough and honest that we felt if he came out of the Arc well then this would be the ideal race. He’s already a dual Classic winner, and we’re hoping he can finish on another high."
Harry Angel leads a classy field of 13 for the QIPCO British Champions Sprint Stakes. Clive Cox's speedball has already beaten his elders twice this season, in the July Cup at Newmarket and the Sprint Cup at Haydock.
His opponents will be clinging to the fact that the only three defeats in his career have all been at Ascot.
Last year's winner The Tin Man, Harry Angel's Commonwealth Cup conqueror Caravaggio and Karl Burke's filly Quiet Reflection will all have their supporters. Big Orange and Order Of St George face a rematch in the Qipco Long Distance Cup following their thrilling duel for the Gold Cup in June.
St Leger third Stradivarius, Doncaster Cup winner Desert Skyline and Mount Moriah represent the younger generation.
Duretto, royal runner Dartmouth and last year's winner Sheikhzayedroad road are also among a field of 13. Journey defends her crown in the Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes but she must take on Bateel, who had her measure in the Prix Vermeille.
Left Hand and The Juliet Rose add further strength in depth to the French challenge, while Journey's trainer John Gosden also runs Coronet and The Black Princess.
Aidan O'Brien is represented by Hydrangea and Wild Irish Rose, with Park Hill winner Alyssa and Andrew Balding's Horseplay completing the 10-runner field.