Found will need a significantly smoother run than at Longchamp a fortnight ago if she is to become the first filly or mare in almost a decade to land the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

Aidan O'Brien's three-year-old looked every inch a Classic contender as a two-year-old, but her season has so far been a story of several near-misses and bad luck.

Narrowly beaten in the Irish 1,000 Guineas and the Coronation Stakes, Found deservedly got off the mark in the Royal Whip in August before finding only Golden Horn too strong in a controversial climax to the Irish Champion Stakes.

Connections took enough encouragement to have another go at John Gosden's superstar in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, but while Golden Horn confirmed himself the best of his generation, Found suffered major interference and passed the line seemingly full of running in ninth place on a day when closers ridden off the pace failed to land a blow.

Dropped back to a mile and a quarter on her return to Ascot, she finds another top-class Gosden inmate lying in wait in the form of Jack Hobbs as she bids to become the first member of the distaff division to taste Champion Stakes glory since Pride in 2006.

O'Brien said: "She ran a very good race the last day and just didn't get much luck in the race.

"She seems to handle most types of ground."

Kevin Buckley represents owner-breeders Coolmore and is keeping his fingers crossed Found gets the rub of the green.

He said: "Found had quite an easy race in Arc.

"She was racing on the inside against the rails and when she was about to make her move she got quite a hefty bump. Ryan (Moore) was fairly tender on her after that.

"She's a versatile filly, ground-wise.

"When she won the Royal Whip at the Curragh that was on soft ground and, equally, she's won on good to firm, so versatility is the key with her."

Having chased home Golden Horn in the Dante at York and the Derby, Jack Hobbs enjoyed his day in the sun in the Irish Derby before being given a summer break.

A routine comeback victory at Kempton left him perfectly placed for a strong finish to the campaign and Ascot, rather than Longchamp, was chosen as his destination.

Gosden, who also runs intended pacemaker Maverick Wave, is confident the drop in distance is not a major issue for Jack Hobbs, but his wide starting berth in stall 12 of 13 may be more of a concern.

"We deliberately freshened him up after the Irish Derby. He's a big, rangy colt that didn't want a lot of hard racing through the summer," said the Clarehaven trainer.

"Any horse that goes on a Classic programme, they're really on the go from 1 February, so he'd done enough by the time he got to the end of June.

"I was pleased with his comeback at Kempton. It was a nice race and a nice day out for him.

"He won over a mile and a quarter first time out and was still a bit green and a little bit lost in the Dante.

"He has a lot of tactical speed and his father (Halling) was best at a mile and a quarter."

Jack Hobbs is one of two Godolphin representatives in the field, with Saeed bin Suroor's Racing History a potential dark horse.

Although untried at this level, the Pivotal colt is unbeaten in three starts this year, completing his hat-trick in the Winter Hill Stakes at Windsor, and is a full brother to 2013 Champion Stakes winner Farhh.

"Racing History is working well, is in good form and is ready to go. He's taking on better horses - top horses - on Saturday, but we give him a real chance," said Bin Suroor.

"He has won three consecutive races and won very well last time in the Winter Hill Stakes, but the key for him is that we are looking for rain - the softer the better for him.

"We won this race with his brother, Farhh, two years ago, although Farhh was a five-year-old when he won it, so was older and stronger.

"Racing History is only three but is improving all the time and will stay in training next season."

David Simcock is "quietly confident" about the chances of The Corsican.

The four-year-old is another horse coming slightly back in trip after a smart display in last month's Legacy Cup at Newbury.

Simcock said: "The fact that we're improving and the fact he does handle ground on the soft side - we're just quietly confident in the horse.

"We like the horse a lot, I think he's getting quicker and he's improving all the time.

"I think Jack Hobbs is the standout horse and I think he's a fair way above the majority of the field.

"It's not going to be a formality for any horse. It's been a long season for all of them."

James Fanshawe's Group One-winning mare Ribbons arrives in good form, having returned to winning ways in the Blandford Stakes at the Curragh last month.

Dan Downie, racing manager for owners Elite Racing Club, said: "It's a tough race and she's going to have to step up again, but she does seem in really good form.

"Most of the boxes are ticked - the ground will suit her, the trip suits her and she's had plenty of time since the Curragh.

"We're really looking forward to it and I'm expecting her to run very well."

Vadamos is a fascinating contender for French maestro Andre Fabre, having won his last two starts at Chantilly and Baden-Baden.

Fabre said: "Vadamos has been in good form since his Baden-Baden win. He has been working well, that is why we have let him take his chance on Saturday.

"This is a big step up in class but he goes well enough at home to suggest that he should be competitive.

"He has only run twice for me, so I still have no idea what his favoured ground might be.

"His breeding suggests that this step up to a mile and a quarter will be no problem and he won over a mile and half in 2014."