Bumper fields are still to be expected on Champions Day this weekend, with at least nine declarations in every race set to be held this Saturday, 19th October at Ascot. Among them are the Group 1 Champion Stakes, with an eagerly-awaited clash between Economics and Calandagan confirmed, as well as the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, the mile championship in which the division’s leading European star Charyn could close out a remarkable season.
Two other Group 1s, as well as the Group 2 Long Distance Cup and Balmoral Handicap, will fill out the day. With so many champions to be crowned, here are some of the runners likely to take part.
Champion Stakes Runners 2024
12 remain in the Qipco Champion Stakes, as only Aidan and Joseph O’Brien removed confirmations for the penultimate race on the card and the jewel in the crown of British Champions Day. The likes of Almanzor, Cracksman and Magical have won this in the last decade, and Economics is set to bid for the honour of joining them on the roll call.
The son of Night Of Thunder has gone through this season unbeaten, stepping gradually through the grades. That process culminated in a first top level success when powering through the field to win the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown. Further improvement looks likely given the manner of his previous successes too.
He will be joined by Calandagan for Francis-Henri Graffard. Almanzor and Sealiway have taken this for France since 2016 and Graffard’s charge was a wildly impressive winner at Royal Ascot before pushing City Of Troy all the way in the Juddmonte International Stakes. As a gelding, he could not run in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, but could confirm his burgeoning status here.
Others in the lineup include Arc third Los Angeles as Aidan O’Brien chooses to turn him around quickly after this gallant third in the Arc, another French-trained gelding in the seven-year-old Iresine, who is also a two-time Group 1 winner, and progressive youngster King’s Gambit. Group 1 winners Continuous and Nashwa also join the fray.
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Runners 2024
All but three confirmations stood their ground for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, with 13 among the hopefuls for milers’ championship. The clear standout is Roger Varian’s Charyn, who has twice won Group 1s this season and whose only two defeats have come when failing to peg back tearaway front runners in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury and the Prix du Moulin at Longchamp.
Without such pace biases, he would likely be unbeaten this term and sets a stern standard. However, Tamfana is an upwardly mobile filly who broke through at the top tier with a convincing two-length victory in the Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket earlier in October. The 1000 Guineas fourth will get 6lb from the favourite.
Last year’s runner-up Facteur Cheval was part of a Franch one-two 12 months ago, and other challenges for the continent include French 2000 Guineas hero Metropolitan, though a pair of unexposed four-year-olds in Prague and Quddwah are the most intriguing candidates sliding slightly below the radar.
Former Winners Open Card in Long Distance and Sprint Trophies
Defending champions Trawlerman and Art Power return in the Long Distance Cup and British Champions Sprint Stakes respectively. However, the former contest could be all about Kyprios, Aidan O’Brien’s staying monolith who has returned to the peak of his powers this season. Trawlerman downed him by a neck a year ago, but he is six unbeaten since then.
Having won at 40/1 last season, Art Power is a similar price to repeat the trick this term having not won since. His neck winning margin came over Kinross, but the veteran is back for one more crack as he seeks to regain his 2022 title.
The sprint is an open contest though, and every confirmation stood their ground meaning that Purosangue and Wiltshire were balloted out as the two lowest-rated runners.
Among those in the field, Haydock’s Sprint Cup winner Montassib arrives on a high, while Mill Stream has also scored at Group 1 level over 6f this season. Three-year-olds Kind Of Blue and Flora Of Bermuda could be joined by another in their age bracket if Beauvatier travels across from France. There are still 22 potential runners in the race.
Kalpana in but Juddmonte Face Nervous Wait with Qirat
Both the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes and Balmoral Handicap had seen Juddmonte-owned three-year-olds at the top of their respective betting markets. In the Group 1 contest, Kalpana is a warm order to cap her fantastic improvement in the second half of the season for Andrew Balding. She has won her last two starts by more than nine combined lengths and looks to have plenty more up her sleeve.
Sir Mark Prescott has campaigned Tiffany in Germany as much as Great Britain this year, though that has paid off, with the daughter of Farhh securing debut Group 2 honours at Baden-Baden in August. Meanwhile, Content may have disappointed at the Arc meeting, but had won the Yorkshire Oaks prior when staying 1m4f very thoroughly; she is an obvious threat for Ballydoyle, though with 19 still confirmed for the Fillies & Mares, there could be dangers lurking further down the betting too.
In the concluding Balmoral Handicap, 20 starting places were easily filled, leaving ante-post market leader Qirat narrowly outside as 21st on the list. Trained by Ralph Beckett, the son of Showcasing has contested numerous big handicaps this season, landing one such race at Goodwood in August, and has continued to progress.
Nevertheless, the market is extremely open as expected. Another three-year-old in Thunder Run likely to inherit favouritism for Karl Burke. He has won three of his five starts to date and is a likely progressive type, though it is currently 8/1 the field at best odds.