IT was as if Noble Mission sensed the importance of the occasion as he launched himself past the Ascot winning post ahead of Al Kazeem in the Qipco Champion Stakes.

Frankel's full brother, trained by Lady Cecil, stirred up memories of the late Sir Henry Cecil, who brought the curtain down on the career of the equine legend in the same race two years ago, months before his death.

For the final couple of furlongs it looked as if the revitalised Al Kazeem would wreck the "fairytale", as the pair fought tooth-and-nail. But James Doyle found that vital neck more than Al Kazeem and George Baker, who high-fived his friend after they had crossed the line in virtual unison.

Doyle adopted the same approach that has seen the five-year-old Noble Mission (7-1) make such progress this season, sending him to the front immediately. Al Kazeem (16-1) was always on his tail and they were the only two really to feature.

"I was interviewed before the race and I said it would be a fairytale to win," Lady Cecil said. "That's what it feels like to me. We hardly dared to dream. We knew he was in great shape, but it was a tough race. It makes it so much more special that he is Frankel's brother.

"It was nerve-racking, that last little bit, but James rode a brilliant race. I had my head in my hands because I didn't think he would hang on, but he was so brave."

Noble Mission was given a warm welcome back to the winner's enclosure and Lady Cecil said: "I know a lot of that was for Henry, it's so wonderful. You can still feel all the love that everyone has for Henry."

Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for Khalid Abdullah, a loyal supporter of the Cecil family, said: "What a happy day, it's the emotions of the whole thing, with Jane, and the history of Champions Day with Henry, and the brother of Frankel. It's just an unbelievable story.

'I actually wanted to run Noble Mission in a race in America, but the Prince said, 'No, save him for Champions Day'."

The only blot for Doyle was a seven-day ban (November 1, 3-8) and £10,000 fine for over-use of the whip.

Roger Charlton could not have been prouder of Al Kazeem, who returned to training after proving subfertile at stud and was beaten under six lengths in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. He said: "What can you say? He didn't get the credit for the Arc run, and he's run as well as he ever has today. I thought after the Arc he'd be a Cup horse for next year, but he can go a mile-and-a-quarter or a mile-and-a-half. He'll have entries for Hong Kong and Dubai, and we'll see."

Lightly-raced Free Eagle (5-2) stuck on well for third, and while Cirrus Des Aigles (7-4 favourite), a former winner back for a fourth tilt, was only fifth, the French flag had been flying earlier when Charm Spirit made a power-packed late surge to take the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, Freddy Head's prolific colt becoming the race's first winner from across the Channel for 21 years.

Olivier Peslier managed to find a gap on the three-year-old and had enough in hand to hold off the unlucky-in-running Night Of Thunder. The 5-1 shot got home by half a length from the 2-1 favourite, trained by Richard Hannon, with Night Of Thunder's stablemate Toormore (25-1) third.

Charm Spirit was fifth behind Night Of Thunder in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, but has since won four races on the spin, three at the highest level. The high-class colt, who may now go to stud, was last seen in action in the Prix du Moulin at Longchamp, where he defeated the Hannon-trained Toronado by a head, with Night Of Thunder a close-up third.

Head said: "It's fantastic. I'm delighted, I could not ask for more. He ran a great race and was given a great ride by Olivier Peslier. He's not a horse that can win by five lengths, but you can't beat him. He showed he can really stay - he's a real fighter.."

Hannon said of his duo: "I think they were probably slightly unlucky, but that's racing. They both stay in training and that gives us a lot of hope for next year."

Night Of Thunder's rider Richard Hughes said: "I had a chance in the final furlong but Charm Spirit was very tough. You've got to be quick to take those gaps."

The champion jockey picked up a four-day whip ban, to be served on November 1 and 3-5.