World-Class Entries Across the Card
The £1.3 million QIPCO Champion Stakes remains the crown jewel of the day, once again drawing international elite over ten furlongs. French star Calandagan, runner-up last year and recent King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner, returns for redemption. Trainer Francis-Henri Graffard also fields Goliath and the unbeaten Daryz, both of whom add intrigue to the contest.
Expected to join the fray are Delacroix, Ombudsman, Los Angeles, and defending champion Anmaat, making it a Champion Stakes worthy of its billing.
Field Of Gold Headlines the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes
Dual Classic winner Field Of Gold spearheads the 38-strong entry for the £1.1 million Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (sponsored by QIPCO). The three-year-old star will be tested by Queen Anne winner Docklands, Lockinge victor Lead Artist, Sussex Stakes hero Qirat, and recent Prix Rothschild winner Fallen Angel. Jerome Reynier’s persistent campaigner Facteur Cheval, second in the last two renewals, could make another bid for glory.
Upgrades for the Long Distance Cup
Now elevated to Group 1 status, the QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup boasts increased prize money of £500,000. 2023 winner Trawlerman is set to defend his title for John & Thady Gosden, alongside stablemates Courage Mon Ami, Sweet William, and French Master. From Ballydoyle, Aidan O’Brien sends forward Scandinavia, Illinois, and the exciting Jan Brueghel, all looking to emulate last year’s winner, Kyprios.
Sprint Stakes Flooded with Talent
The QIPCO British Champions Sprint Stakes has drawn 53 entries, its largest field in over a decade. Leading the charge is French sensation Lazzat, winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes. Fellow French raiders Beauvatier, Daylight, Topgear, and Woodshauna bolster the foreign challenge.
Among the British sprinting elite are American Affair, Time For Sandals, No Half Measures, and Witness Stand, fresh off a big win in the Lennox Stakes. Veteran Kind Of Blue, winner in 2024 and trained by James Fanshawe, returns in pursuit of another Group 1 title for a barn steeped in sprinting success.
Fillies & Mares Set for a Shake-Up
The QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes has attracted 41 entries, led by reigning champion Kalpana, though her main target may be the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Aidan O’Brien enters dual Oaks winner Minnie Hauk and Whirl, fresh off her Nassau Stakes triumph. William Haggas introduces promising three-year-old Aeolian, half-sister to Royal Ascot victor Desert Hero, and owned by Their Majesties The King & Queen.
Trainers Eye the Big Stage
Jamie Insole (Witness Stand): “We could run him in the Foret and still make Champions Day. A stiff six on slower ground at Ascot suits him well. Just being part of this day would be huge for the yard.”
Harry Eustace (Docklands, Time For Sandals): “This meeting is where we want to be. Docklands has the Ascot form, and Time For Sandals could join him if she stays sharp. It would be thrilling to have both represent us.”
Karl Burke (Fallen Angel, Al Qareem, Royal Champion): “Fallen Angel may take in the Matron and Sun Chariot before the QEII. Al Qareem loves the ground at Ascot, perfect for the Long Distance Cup. And Royal Champion is now the highest-rated horse I’ve trained—he’s likely heading to the Champion Stakes.”
New Format for 2025
For the first time, the day begins with the British Champions Day Two-Year-Old Stakes, a six-furlong juvenile race worth £250,000. The Balmoral Handicap, one of the richest mile handicaps in Europe, wraps up the seven-race card.
British Champions Day remains a magnet for the sport’s elite and a dramatic curtain-call for the UK’s flat season. With prize money at an all-time high and stars from both hemispheres converging on Ascot, this year’s edition is set to deliver racing at its most electrifying.
For upcoming races and updates, check out the Ascot Racecourse website. For international racing news and features, visit the international section on RaceBuzz.
