Art Power did it the hard way as he bravely denied Frankie Dettori and Kinross back-to-back victories in the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot.

Making his fifth appearance in this contest, Tim Easterby’s gallant grey was away quickly in the hands of David Allan and soon blazing a trail on the front-end.

Having tracked the pace aboard Kinross, Dettori was nudging his mount into contention two furlongs from home, with a repeat of last year’s race victory looking likely as the stamina of Ralph Beckett’s six-year-old took him to the front inside the final furlong.

However, Art Power refused to lie down and he showed supreme guts to fight back and land a British Champions Day shock at 40-1 and also provide his pilot with a first Group One on British soil.

Kinross could bring the house down on Champions Day when attempting to land back-to-back Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes victories in the hands of California-bound Frankie Dettori.

Ralph Beckett’s popular six-year-old has proven the most versatile of operators throughout his career and dropped back to six furlongs with aplomb to pick up this Group One prize 12 months ago.

He registered further notable triumphs at both Goodwood and York in the summer and having suffered a cruel defeat in defence of his Prix de la Foret crown, now attempts to regain the winning thread at a track he knows well.

The son of Kingman is reported to be in good order since his ParisLongchamp reversal and his Kimpton Down-based handler is keen to see him add to his big-race haul.

“Winning Group Ones wherever they are is nice, but he likes it at Ascot and he will like this ground,” said Beckett.

“He seems in really good shape so hopefully he will run well. Everything has gone very smoothly since France and he’s had no issues.”

It is Kinross’ fifth year in training with Beckett, but it is since switching to the ownership of Marc Chan in 2021 that Dettori has entered the Kinross story.

The duo have have been regular visitors to the winner’s enclosure in recent seasons and Beckett credits the Italian with helping extend Kinross’ years at the top table.

“He’s been a joy to train,” added the trainer.

“They may have a couple of more days together yet, but they understand each other and that is a key part of the horse’s longevity. Frankie knows when to push the buttons on him and that really helps.

“Everyone who has ridden him will tell you he is a joy to ride.”

The guarantee of testing conditions could spell third time lucky for Vadream in a race in which she has performed with credit in recent years.

Charlie Fellowes’ mud-lover has already found the scoresheet twice with the ground in her favour this term and has been primed for this day after a respectable tune-up at the track in the Bengough Stakes.

“She loves Ascot, is in great order and this has been the plan for some time,” said Fellowes.

“I thought her comeback run in the Bengough was absolutely spot-on and on ground that was probably a touch too quick for her. I’m delighted with where she is at the moment.”

Jane Chapple-Hyam’s Mill Stream came of age with a pair of victories at Deauville in the summer and will have the assistance of William Buick for just his second start at the highest level, while another contender set to appreciate conditions is Andrew Balding’s Sandrine.

Owned by Kirsten Rausing, the four-year-old achieved the enviable feat of Group-level victories at two, three and four when successful in the Park Stakes at Doncaster and has been seen to great effect since tried in headgear.

“Sandrine is right back to her best and she hasn’t had a hard season,” said Balding.

“The visor she’s worn at York and Doncaster the last twice has made a big difference, and six furlongs with a bit of give in the ground is ideal for her.”

Prix Maurice de Gheest runner-up Spycatcher was third behind Sandrine on Town Moor and is one of two in the race for Karl Burke alongside stablemate Swingalong, who also has smart sprinting form to her name – finishing third in the Commonwealth Cup, winning York’s Summer Stakes and most recently a respectable fourth in Haydock’s Betfair Sprint Cup.

A place ahead of Swingalong on Merseyside was George Boughey’s Believing who justified connections’ belief when supplemented for her first Group One assignment and is fancied to defy her outsider status once again.

“Believing is a bit of a dark horse, I think,” said Boughey.

“We all at home fancied her a bit more than the general public considering she went off at 66-1 at Haydock. I didn’t supplement her for £20,000 without thinking she had a live chance in a Group One.

“She’s very versatile ground-wise. At the start of the year I was hoping for rain before the Nell Gwyn and she just didn’t stay the seven furlongs, I think – she showed loads of pace.

“I think she comes here in as good a shape physically as I can possibly have her.”

Henry Candy’s Run To Freedom finished second to Kinross in this 12 months ago and again hit the frame in the July Cup earlier in the summer, with David Evans’ Ascot specialist Rohaan the mount of Ryan Moore attempting to better last year’s fourth.

Rohaan spent 224 days out with injury following that Champions Day run and having worked his way back to form throughout the campaign, returned to the scoresheet at his beloved Berkshire venue earlier this month.

“It’s took a long time to get him back from the injury he had and I think every race he has had this season he has got a bit more confidence,” said Evans.

“I think he’s nearly back to how he was last year and apart from Kinross the race looks wide open I think.

“He’s only really disappointed once which was in this race two years back when it was really gluey ground and he couldn’t get out of it.

“We’re looking forward to it and he won well last time which paid for his chance and we’ll enjoy the day out I think. We’ve got a good jockey on his back as well which is always a bonus.”

William Haggas’ Sense Of Duty, who was a sprinter on the up before a setback hindered her progress and kept her on the sidelines for over the year.

She returned to the track over five furlongs at Newbury next month and will now put her credentials to the test in her first taste of Group One action.

“If the weather forecast is correct it may be specialist ground, but we would rather that for her than it be on the quick side,” said Richard Brown, racing manager for owners St Albans Bloodstock.

“She’s a big, very powerful filly who almost looks like a colt. I think she will go through it no problem.

“It’s not the ground we would worry about, more the opposition.”

Excitement is building among connections ahead of Sense Of Duty’s crack at the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

Trained by William Haggas, the daughter of Showcasing racked up four victories on the spin before a setback kept her out of action for over 450 days.

Having looked a sprinter to follow prior to her absence, there was plenty of anticipation ahead of her belated return at Newbury last month.

Although only third when racing over a somewhat inadequate five furlongs on that occasion, the Sense Of Duty team were pleased to get a tune-up into the four-year-old ahead of her Champions Day target where opposition includes defending champion Kinross and Julie Camacho’s dual Group One scorer Shaquille.

“It’s a massive day on Saturday and we’re all very excited,” said Richard Brown, racing manager for owner St Albans Bloodstock.

“Andrew (Stone of St Albans) has most of his family and extended family going and we’re hugely looking forward to it.

“I thought she ran very well at Newbury over the minimum distance which would not have been to her liking, but William was very keen to get a run into her with this being the big aim.

“It looks like it is going to be very soft ground which I don’t think will stop her, I think she will like it and we’re excited but we’re also realistic. It will be a big ask.”

Highclere Thoroughbred Racing are set to head into Saturday’s Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes with two chances of Ascot glory via Spycatcher and Believing.

Both are proven performers on soft ground, so there are no concerns about the rain that is forecast to fall in Berkshire this week.

Spycatcher claimed a Group Three victory at Deauville in July before going down by just a short-head to King Gold in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at elite level there the following month.

Karl Burke’s five-year-old gelding has since been a beaten favourite in the Park Stakes at Doncaster over seven furlongs but is expected to enjoy dropping back down in distance here.

“He’s had a wonderful season and I’ve spoken to Karl, who says he is in great form,” said Highclere’s managing director Harry Herbert.

“He loves this type of ground and a stiff six furlongs on soft going is very much his bag.

“It was unfortunate that he was denied a Group One win at Deauville, it really was just about who was in front on the line.

“Stepping up to seven furlongs last time didn’t work out, but Saturday should be ideal and hopefully he’ll be competitive.”

Believing has also secured a Group Three success this term, landing the Prix Texanita at Chantilly, as well as claiming Listed-class triumphs at Chelmsford and Pontefract.

The George Boughey-trained filly was last seen running a stormer at big odds in the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock, coming home less than a length behind Regional when finishing third of 16.

Herbert added: “Believing has done absolutely nothing wrong all year. She ran a terrific race at Haydock and again showed just how tough she is.

“To pick up a Group Three win in France and then be placed in a Group One is a real thrill.

“She’s a daughter of Mehmas and races like him; she just really puts her head down and has a tremendous attitude.

“You never know with a filly at this time of the year, but we’ll give it a go and hope she’s got one more big run in her.”

Charlie Fellowes is being encouraged by the Ascot weather forecast ahead of Vadream’s tilt at the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes on Saturday.

Fellowes’ five-year-old, who is owned by Coventry City supremo Doug King, has twice run with credit at the end-of-season showpiece, finishing a respectable fifth in 2021 and then a place further back when sixth behind Kinross 12 months ago.

However, both of those appearances on British Champions Day came on good to soft ground and she is yet to encounter her preferred testing conditions at the meeting.

She was seen thriving with plenty of cut in the ground at the beginning of the current campaign when picking up both the Cammidge Trophy and Palace House Stakes and having tuned up for a third crack at this Group One prize with a pleasing effort in the recent Bengough Stakes, her handler is hoping the weather forecasters have got it right.

“We might be in business,” said Fellowes. “I’ve been keeping a close eye on the forecast and every time I look at it, more rain seems to be coming into it.

“It’s a Group One and a very good Group One as always. But as everyone knows, she is excellent when the ground gets horrible.

“This year she has put in three of her best ever runs and if she does what she did at Ascot (last time) and behaves the way she did before the race and is able to jump out and get a position close to the pace like she did there, then she will go there with as good a chance as she’s ever had because she loves that ground and there are not many horses who are as good as her on that ground.”

Mill Stream is on course for one final outing of the season in the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot later this month.

The Jane Chapple-Hyam-trained three-year-old gave a glimpse of his ability when fourth behind Chaldean in the Acomb Stakes as a juvenile, but has thrived over sprinting distances this term and compiled a Deauville double in the summer as he stepped out of the handicap ranks into Pattern company.

He was enterprisingly supplemented by connections for the Betfair Sprint Cup last month and the thriving speedster was not disgraced finishing sixth, beaten just three-and-a-quarter lengths by Regional in his first outing at Group One level.

The Peter Harris-owned son of Gleneagles is now set for another taste of top-table action on British Champions Day.

“He’s really good and is heading for Ascot on October 21, we’re going to give it a go,” said Chapple-Hyam.

“I know it is pretty late for a three-year-old, but he’s in a good place and we’ve had a mild start to October.

“He was just a bit gassy up on the front (at Haydock), but they all were and the times reflected that. But we’re pleased with how he has come out of the race.

“He’s young and he’s still got to mature. He will have a roll out in this race and then we’ve got a nice winter to look forward to him over. He’ll be more mature (next year).

“At three they are just learning to leave the gates and get involved. We’re looking forward to him.”