The British Champions Long Distance Cup opens Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday, and 12 horses remain in the two-mile Group 1 after Monday’s confirmation stage. Aidan O’Brien has four of them, headed by Gold Cup winner Scandinavia, and the ground is currently good. Here are the main storylines.

Scandinavia v Caballo De Mar: round three

Scandinavia arrived at Longchamp for the Prix du Cadran on 3 October on an eight-race winning streak. He had won the Gold Cup, the Goodwood Cup and the Irish St Leger this season, and he was sent off at 1/6 to add another Group 1. However, George Scott’s Caballo De Mar had other ideas, holding on by a neck to win the race for the second year running.

That was a remarkable turnaround from Royal Ascot, where he had been virtually pulled up distressed in the Gold Cup. He has since won the Doncaster Cup as well as the Cadran, and Scott is not getting carried away. “I won’t lie, I was hoping to run into Jan Brueghel rather than Scandinavia again!” he said. “Although we just about beat him in Paris, I think it will be very tight.”

Scott believes the ground in Paris was softer than the official description, and Scandinavia will have conditions to suit back at a track where he has already won the Gold Cup. On that basis, Ryan Moore’s mount is entitled to come out on top.

Highwayman: from 250/1 shot to Classic winner & Ascot contender

The most intriguing runner is Highwayman, who was supplemented on Monday at a cost of £37,500. In June, Joseph O’Brien’s colt was beaten at 250/1 in a Naas maiden. He has not been beaten since, winning a maiden at Killarney, a 22/1 success at Leopardstown and then the St Leger at 11/1. That Doncaster win made history, as Saffie Osborne became the first woman to ride a British Classic winner.

A Melbourne Cup trip was considered, but connections opted for Ascot instead, and stable jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle is set to take over after returning from injury on Monday. “It’s a step up to go against the older horses and up further in distance,” O’Brien said. “Hopefully, he can cope with it.”

He beat two of Aidan O’Brien’s runners at Doncaster. Amelia Earhart was third, beaten almost seven lengths, and Pierre Bonnard was sixth.

Gregory and the rest

The John and Thady Gosden-trained Gregory is the dark horse in the race for connections who won this race twice with the now retired Trawlerman in the last three years. The six-year-old was off the track for 21 months between September 2024 and June, but he has returned with two Listed wins at York and Newmarket. He was fifth in the Doncaster Cup on his last start before that layoff, and this is the toughest test of his comeback.

Queenstown was third in the Cadran and second in the Irish St Leger, so he sets a decent standard for the places. William Haggas’ Opportunity, Alan King’s Daiquiri Bay and Ralph Beckett’s Amiloc are also among the confirmations.

British Champions Long Distance Cup racecard

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