The Flat season reaches its peak on Saturday at Ascot, with British Champions Day staging five Group 1 races across a seven-race card. Final declarations were made on Thursday morning, and the headline act is a rematch in the Champion Stakes between last year’s winner Calandagan and Ombudsman.
Our in-house tipster Steve Chambers previews all the action and provides his selections for a cracking day’s racing at the Berkshire track.
Below is the full race schedule, followed by our previews and selections for four of the day’s big races.
British Champions Day Race Schedule: Saturday 17th October
| Time | Race | Grade | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12.55pm | Qatar Racing British Champions Day Two-Year-Old Conditions Stakes | Class 2 | 6f |
| 1.30pm | Qatar Racing British Champions Long Distance Cup | Group 1 | 1m7f 209y |
| 2.05pm | Qatar Racing British Champions Sprint Stakes | Group 1 | 6f |
| 2.40pm | Qatar Racing British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes | Group 1 | 1m3f 211y |
| 3.20pm | Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Sponsored By Qatar Racing) | Group 1 | 1m |
| 4.00pm | Qatar Racing Champion Stakes | Group 1 | 1m1f 212y |
| 4.35pm | Balmoral Handicap (Sponsored By Qatar Racing) | Class 2 Handicap | 1m |
1.30pm – British Champions Long Distance Cup (Group 1)
Caballo De Mar is entitled to be the market leader for the Long Distance Cup at 1.30pm, but George Scott’s stable star had a tough race to down Scandinavia in the Prix du Cadran at Longchamp only two weeks ago. With the Ballydoyle adversary not taking him on here, Scott’s charge will have to down another from Aidan O’Brien’s yard in Queenstown, who was third in the Prix du Cadran.
However, the pair could be vulnerable to GREGORY, who is a former Queen’s Vase hero back in 2023. Off the track for over 18 months, the John & Thady Gosden-trained raider has scorched back into the limelight with a brace of listed wins. This is much tougher, but he’s had over three weeks since his last run, so should be in perfect conditions to try and land this coveted staying prize.
3.20pm – Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Group 1)
A vintage, wide open renewal of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes takes place at 3.20pm. All eyes will be on the likes of Talk Of New York, Gstaad and Rayif, as that triumvirate of elite milers do battle. However, it could be the day that MORE THUNDER gets his name in lights on the biggest of stages.
A multiple Group 2 winner, he’s often found one too good at the highest level, as showed when he was runner-up in the Queen Anne Stakes back at the Royal meeting in June. However, this race could set up nicely with him with Talk Of New York and Gstaad kicking for home a long way out. If More Thunder can stalk them in behind and unleash his customary late surge then he could well get his nose in front on the line.
4.00pm – Champion Stakes (Group 1)
Calandagan brushed aside Ombudsman with relative ease in the Champion Stakes last season. Now the pair are set for another epic encounter in the Group 1 showpiece at 4.00pm and are the likely two to be fighting out the finish.
Nevertheless, Aidan O’Brien continues to try CONSTITUTION RIVER at this elite level, and in receipt of 4lbs from his elders he could well spring a little surprise. With the aforementioned pair likely to be stalking each other he could well go under the radar. Sublime when winning the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown earlier in the campaign, a repeat of that effort should see him on the vicinity here.
