ROARING LION heads a star-studded cast for Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot next Saturday.

John Gosden’s colt is set to go head to head with stablemate Cracksman in the Qipco British Champions Stakes, as long as the ground doesn’t come up too soft side. If too much rain does fall at Ascot, the Irish Champions Stakes winner could revert to racing over a mile in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

In the case of Cracksman, whatever ever happens, next Saturday will be the four-year-old’s last run. Not seen since finishing a well-beaten second to Poet’s Word in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes last Saturday, Anthony Oppenheimer’s colt will be attempting to make it back-to-back wins in this race, following a scintillating seven-length win last season. Sir Michael Stoute’s Crystal Ocean is also in contention to run.

French raider and dual Group 1 scorer this season Recoletos is the current favourite for the QEII. However, connections of Laurens are set to supplement the five-time Group 1 winner which should shake up the market. Following wins in the Matron Stakes and Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket, Karl Burke’s filly has become a fan’s favourite and she would be a star attraction on the day.

Recoletos disappointed in the Queen Anne Stakes on his last appearance but there were excuses for that effort and he bounced back to finish a creditable second to Alpha Centauri at Deauville before landing the Group 1 Prix du Moulin at ParisLongchamp, where he had Expert Eye, likely to reoppose again, in third.

Next Saturday will prove significant in deciding who will win the British trainers’ championship. Aidan O’Brien is £900,000 in front of John Gosden but the latter has a strong hand in three races on the card - the aforementioned Champion Stakes, the Champion Fillies & Mares and the Champions Long Distance Cup.

Lah Ti Dar is as short as 6/4 for the Fillies & Mares following her St Leger second to Kew Gardens while Stradivarius will bid to end a magic season with a win in the Group 2 two-mile contest. O’Brien’s likely best chances could be in both of those races. He could take on Stradivarius with Arc fifth and seventh, Capri and Kew Gardens, while Magic Wand is a possible runner in the Fillies & Mares.

The other Group 1 on the card, the British Champions Sprint, looks a more open race and is set to feature two previous winners - Librisa Breeze and The Tin Man. The latter tops the betting following his win in the Sprint Cup at Haydock while the race could see the return of Harry Angel who has lost his way this season and would be bidding to win at Ascot on his sixth visit to the track.

STARS AIMING FOR ASCOT

STRADIVARIUS: Looks to crown a perfect season in the Long Distance Cup

LAH TI DAR: St Leger second will be back against her own sex in the Fillies & Mares

ROARING LION: Top three-year-old colt will run in either the Champion Stakes or the QEII

LAURENS: Set to seek her fifth Group 1 win of the season in the QEII

CRACKSMAN: Can he bounce back to his best in the Champion Stakes?