1 Champions Day: There has been lots of talk all week about the dearth of quality that is on show at Ascot today, on Champions Day, of all days. No Australia, they say. No Kingman, no Taghrooda, no Treve. It’s the time of the year, they continue, and the softening ground.

Here’s the thing though: the Champion Stakes has always been run at this time of year. It is only the venue that has changed. When Twice Over won the last renewal of the race at Newmarket in 2010, the race was run on October 16th, just two days earlier in the year than this year’s renewal. When New Approach beat Twice Over in the race in 2008 at Newmarket, it was run on today’s date, October 18th. When Literato won it for France in 2007, it was actually run on October 20th, two days later than this year.