Champions Day Preview 2025

Qipco British Champions Day is upon us once again and it promises to be a fitting finale to the flat season. Ascot hosts a brilliant six-race card packed with quality, featuring some of the best horses in training from both Britain and Ireland.

12:55pm THE QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS LONG DISTANCE CUP
TRAWLERMAN has been an absolute model of consistency this season and it’s hard to look past him in this. He’s unbeaten in three starts in Britain this year, starting with a dominant display at Sandown before producing a record-breaking performance to win the Gold Cup here at Ascot by seven lengths. He backed that up in typical fashion with another polished success in the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup at York in August, where he once again got the better of his old rival and stablemate Sweet William who reappears again in this. However, the main danger may come from Ballydoyle’s Stay True who is a late supplement following a credible third behind stablemate Scandinavia in the St Leger.

1:30pm QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS DAY TWO-YEAR-OLD CONDITIONS STAKES
Words Of Truth will be a warm order to land the odds in this newly made race which has turned out to be extremely competitive. Charlie Appleby’s Mill Reef winner was the beneficiary of Into The Sky’s wayward running in the closing stages and William Buick was able to keep his mount straight and true to get up in the closing stages to win. Both Poatan and Brussels are closely matched on their run in a similar race at Doncaster so I think the value lies with recent York winner DIVISION who looked a class apart on the Knavesmire last weekend. It is a quick turnaround but the manner that he won at York suggested he was a cut above his rivals and he gets the nod to go in again.

2:05pm THE QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS SPRINT STAKES
LAZZAT was brilliant when landing the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes here at Royal Ascot in June, travelling powerfully and quickening away to beat a strong field that includes several of his rivals again this weekend. That performance marked him out as a top-class sprinter and although he’s been beaten on his last two starts, I’m inclined to forgive those runs. Montassib has to be given respect given the way he finished the race off at Newbury last time out when falling out of the stalls, he won’t be able to win if he does that but will definitely be doing his best work late on. So too will Rayevka who I believe has a huge each-way shout after she was supplemented late on.

2:45pm THE QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS FILLIES & MARES STAKES
KALPANA looks the one they all have to beat as she bids to defend her crown in this. Last year’s winner has once again enjoyed a strong campaign, finishing runner-up in the Yorkshire Oaks before running with plenty of credit in the Arc where she wasn’t disgraced in seventh against the best in Europe. Back at Ascot, a track that clearly brings out the best in her, she could take plenty of catching. Estrange looks the main danger after missing the Arc due to a minor setback, while Quisisana brings solid French form to the table. One Look also adds intrigue for Paddy Twomey and could easily outrun her odds, but Kalpana’s proven Group 1 class and her record here make her the standout choice to go back-to-back.

3:25pm THE QUEEN ELIZABETH II STAKES
We finally see the return of FIELD OF GOLD who will be looking to make amends after his extremely disappointing effort at Goodwood last time out. He did pick up a knock afterwards which may have been the reason for his poor run, but if you can forgive him that alone, he could destroy this field. He takes on both Rosallion and Fallen Angel, proven Group 1 performers, with the former looking to get rid of his seconditis bug that he seems to have picked up this season. Docklands is also worth a mention given his Royal Ascot success and must be taken seriously.

4:05pm THE QIPCO CHAMPION STAKES
Arguably the race of the season, the Champion Stakes brings together the very best middle-distance horses in training and it promises to be a classic. I’m with DELACROIX who has really come of age this year and looks primed to sign off his campaign in style. His performance in the Coral Eclipse was top drawer, showing a devastating turn of foot to collar Ombudsman late on, and he confirmed that effort when running a huge race in the Irish Champion Stakes, travelling powerfully before asserting when it mattered. He’s proven adaptable in terms of trip and ground, and this stiff finish at Ascot should play right to his strengths. Ombudsman is a worthy rival after their ongoing rivalry this summer, while Calandagan, the King George winner, adds real depth to an already stacked field. But Delacroix looks to be improving with every start, and with the way he’s been finishing his races, I can see him landing the knockout blow in what could be the race of the season.