Aidan O’Brien is looking forward to settling the score when the Delacroix vs Ombudsman trilogy heads into its next chapter in the Qipco British Champions Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

Delacroix got the better of the argument thanks to a last-gasp success in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown when the pair first met earlier in the year, but John and Thady Gosden's Prince Of Wales's Stakes hero readily equaled the tally thanks to an impressive display in the Juddmonte International Stakes on the Knavesmire.

The duo will lock horns for the third time this season come Saturday afternoon, with Delacroix, who did hold an entry in the QEII earlier on the card, declared amongst an eleven-strong field as he attempts to become just the seventh horse in history to complete the Irish and English Champion Stakes double after his sensational performance at Leopardstown.

"We had our eye on this race, but it was just whether the lads were going to decide to go or not," explained O'Brien.

"It looks like at the moment we're going to get good ground for this meeting, which might have swayed the lads. Everything has been great; we've been happy with him since Leopardstown."

Aidan O'Brien's three-year-old was never able to land a blow when the pacesetting B blew this year's Juddmonte International wide open and once again connections of Ombudsman have opted to use a pacemaker, with stablemate Devil's Advocate set to take up the front-running duties for team Godolphin.

On the prospect of facing Ombudsman once more with a confirmed pacemaker, O'Brien said: "Absolutely, we're delighted about it really (facing Ombudsman again). I suppose the Eclipse was a normal race really, he just had a lot to overcome and he did.

"York was a bit of a farce really. You wouldn't see those kind of races in small conditions races, let alone a big Group 1 but it happened, and things do happen in racing.

"I suppose it's the six-million-dollar question (on what they will do tactically). It will be interesting. All the pacemakers can do is do their job and then obviously it's up to everyone else to follow them and if they decide not to it'll be the same again as York.

"The plan at York was that we would follow the pacemaker if nobody else would going to. It didn't obviously work that way.

"We'll just have to watch and see what happens. Nobody wants that to happen again (at York), but hopefully it's a properly run race.

"It's a very competitive race and like we always do, we treat every horse with the utmost of respect."

Reflecting on what it's been like to be a part of the narrative behind the Delacroix vs Ombudsman rivalry, he added: "this is what everyone does it for and this is what our lads do it for. Everyone wants to see the best taking each other on the big days, with the racing being as competitive and as fair as possible.

"That's what everyone is doing it for, owners, breeders, spectators, punters, that's what you want. Win, lose, or draw, to be part of it and have a chance. Then we all have an idea of where the horses are at that time.

"It's where everyone wants to be Ascot and it's a great day's racing."