'I put my binoculars down halfway up the straight and thought we had no chance' - Anmaat flies home to land 40-1 Champion Stakes shock

Victory for 40-1 shot Anmaat might have seemed unlikely before a rough-and-tumble running of the Qipco Champion Stakes, and no-one could deny that he did it the hard way.

A previous winner at the highest level, Anmaat was dwarfed by the considerable shadows of Calandagan and Economics in the build-up but as a chink of light finally opened in front of him with less than a furlong to run, he burst from the pack to claim the £1.15 million feature on Champions Day.

Racing on the tighter inner course at Ascot was always going to change the dynamics of the Champion Stakes to some degree, but it was the compact nature of the field during the race that made for uncomfortable viewing for more than one set of connections.

Runner-up Calandagan, sent off the 6-4 favourite, undoubtedly suffered along the inside rail but Anmaat was just as badly impeded and found himself repeatedly denied any room to manoeuvre.

Even winning trainer Owen Burrows, who described Ascot as his lucky track, thought his good fortune at the royal racecourse had run out but in the nick of time Anmaat and Jim Crowley managed to wriggle free from their shackles to pounce on Calandagan in the dying strides.

"I'll be honest, I put my binoculars down halfway up the straight and thought we had no chance," said Burrows, registering his fifth win at the top level. 

"Then I thought he's getting a bit of room and is going to be placed but, like Jim said, all the time he was locked up he was actually filling up. Sometimes it works in your favour but you do need the luck to get the gap which he got."

Jim Crowley punches the air after winning the Champion StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker

Anmaat's career is one of consistency, reading nine victories from just 15 starts, and neither Burrows nor Crowley lacked faith in the gelded son of Awtaad, who became the longest-priced winner of a race first first run in 1877.

"It's easy for me to say now but I quite fancied him for the Eclipse last year after he'd won [the Group 1 Prix d'Ispahan] in France but he picked up a complex foot injury that kept him off for all of last season and the first part of this," said the Lambourn trainer.

"He disappointed in the Prix Dollar two weeks ago but it was a muddling old race and Jim said he probably could have ridden him a bit better. I've been very happy with him in the two weeks since France and very kindly [owner] Sheikha Hissa said to roll the dice again and she's been vindicated because that was a massive performance.

"This is up there with Hukum winning the King George. Ascot is a lucky place for me and this has to go up there as one of my best days. A few people rang me this morning and couldn't believe the price he was. Last time was the first time he'd ever been out of the first three and I felt he had excuses for that. I'm not a betting man but felt he was a knocking each-way bet."

There was a sense of redemption in the Champion Stakes for winning rider Crowley. The rider does not usually wear his emotions on his sleeve, but he gave a roar passing the post and afterwards revealed defeat on Baaeed in the same race two years ago had left its scars.

"I don't think I'll ever get over Baaeed getting beat to be honest but so many good horses get beat on this day," said Crowley. "When any horse loses his unbeaten record on his last run it's tough. I wouldn't think about it too much but today I did when I walked in, that's for sure. It's lovely to finally get a win in the Champion Stakes."

Crowley added: "I got stuck behind Los Angeles. I was thinking he'd be a great horse to take me into the race but I could see Ryan Moore niggling up the hill and I knew I was in a little bit of trouble. Everyone was so compacted and we were locked up. There was trouble in front of us as well.

"We switched to the inside and, at the last minute, we saw a sniff of a gap and it was an extraordinary performance to pick up on that ground. I think if he'd had a clear run sooner, he'd have been a very impressive winner, although he still was."

Read all our Champions Day reports:

'He's just an unbelievably classy horse' - Kyprios makes it seven from seven this season with comfortable Long Distance Cup win 

'This family has done us tremendously well' - Kind Of Blue gives James Fanshawe third Champions Sprint 

'Maybe next year we can think about the Arc' - Kalpana continues her progression with Group 1 win 

'He's shown he's a true champion' - Charyn confirms his class after seeing off Facteur Cheval in Queen Elizabeth II Stakes 

'I put my binoculars down halfway up the straight and thought we had no chance' - Anmaat flies home to land 40-1 Champion Stakes shock 

'He's been knocking on the door all year' - cards finally fall right for Carrytheone as Soumillon gains more glory in Balmoral 

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