All the ITV racing action this Saturday will come from Ascot, with the Berkshire track holding the latest renewal of the QIPCO British Champions Day. All six races will be televised, with four Group 1s, a Group 2 and a Class 2 Handicap.
- 1:20 Ascot: Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup – Kyprios @ 8/11
- 1:55 Ascot: Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes – Montassib @ 6/1
- 2:35 Ascot: Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes – Kalpana @ 7/4
- 3:15 Ascot: Queen Elizabeth II Stakes – Tamfana @ 4/1
- 3:55 Ascot: Qipco Champion Stakes – Calandagan @ 6/4
- 4:35 Ascot: Balmoral Handicap – Lattam @ 9/1
The opening race of the day is the Long Distance Cup over 1m7½f. Last year, Trawlerman took the stayers’ spoils for John and Thady Gosden ahead of Aidan O’Brien’s Kyprios and Trawlerman’s stablemate, Sweet William. Those three are set to reoppose, with Aidan O’Brien’s charge the favourite after a perfect six out of six this season including the Ascot gold Cup, Goodwood Cup and Irish St Leger.
We move from the longest race of the day to the shortest, with the 6f British Champions Sprint Stakes. Ralph Beckett’s Kinross was edged into second last year by 40/1 shot Art Power and is again amongst the favourites to reclaim the race he won in 2022. The 7-year-old will have Sprint Cup winner, Montassib and July Cup victor Mill Stream to contend with in a strong looking renewal.
Race three is the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes, with Andrew Balding’s adaptable filly, Kalpana, heading the betting in the Juddmonte colours after an impressive win in the September Stakes at Kempton last time out. Yorkshire Oaks winner, Content and Lancashire Oaks winner, Queen Of The Pride will be amongst the challengers.
The championship race for the milers, the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes is next, famously won by Frankel in 2011. Whilst there may not be a contender with quite that quality this year, we will have the Queen Anne winner, Charyn, Sun Chariot winner, Tamfana and the Dubai Turf winner, Facteur Cheval lining up.
The Champion Stakes is the penultimate race and at £1.3m is the richest contest of the meeting. This has been billed as a match between Irish Champion Stakes winner, Economics and Juddmonte International runner-up Charyn but we’ll also see Irish Derby winner Los Angeles taking part in what should be a top-class encounter.
Rounding off the live racing will be the ultra-competitive 1m Balmoral Handicap.