THERE were a couple of issues arising out of Champions Day. The late off-times was one. The Champion Stakes went off almost 12 minutes late, and that is not good enough for a race that is of major international interest.

Part of the delay was down to Barney Roy initially being saddled with the incorrect saddlecloth, but the previous race, the QE2, scheduled for 3.15pm, actually went off at 3.23:41. That’s eight minutes and 41 seconds late.