Champions Day at Newmarket on Saturday 17th October provides a terrific days racing again with the centre piece being the Emirates Airline Champion Stakes worth £350,000.00. The race is for 3 year olds and above and will be run over 1 mile 2 furlongs. Fame and Glory is the favourite but he disappointed in the Prix de l' Arc de Triomphe two weeks ago and might well be past his best after a long season. Sariska (pictured) comes here a fresh horse. Her last three runs have all been over 12 furlongs. She was just beaten last time by Dar Re Mi in the Yorkshire Oaks. Kieren Fallon comes in for the ride as Jamie Spencer is on "forced holiday". Never on Sunday comes over from France and has smart form over 10 furlongs. The trainer and jockey won this race two years ago with Literato. If Fame and Glory is not at his best Sariska could be the one to topple him and she looks the each way value. The Totesport Cesarewitch worth £160,000.00 is a thorough stamina test run over 2 miles 2 furlongs. Trainers of predominately National Hunt horses have won this race four times over the last six runnings. With a maximum field of 34 runners a draw higher than 18 is an advantage, although old Caracciola came from draw 11 last season. Kieren Fallon comes in for the ride on Fair Along who seems to have been around for ages but is still only seven. He was placed in the race two years ago and Mamlook from the David Pipe yard was placed last year. Those two together with the handicap good thing, Darley Sun, make up my short list. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

The BBC2's coverage last Sunday from Longchamp of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe was terrific for the armchair viewer. Of course the star of the show was Sea the Stars. His performance in the race was staggering. He pulled very hard in the early stages of the race which was reminiscent of New Approach in the English Derby last year. However when asked to go by his jockey Mick Kinane he showed a fantastic turn of foot to cut through the field and win as he wanted. I know Timeform and the official handicapper Phil Smith can only rate him on his winning margin over Youmzain, but for me this horse has acheived more than Sea Bird II and should be rated right up there with him. He has won six Group 1 races in a season which has included the 2000 Guineas, the Derby and the Arc de Triomphe. His win on Sunday was emotional for those of us that love racing and was also good for racing in general. It even got a mention on the National news ! I guess that will be the last we will see of him on the racecourse as I doubt whether he will be sent to America for the Breeders Cup. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".