QIPCO British Champions Day

 

Overview of QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot, covering its history and a detailed preview of the 2025 meeting on Saturday 18 October:

History of QIPCO British Champions Day

  • Inception (2011): British Champions Day was launched in 2011 as a new October fixture at Ascot, designed to be the culmination of the British flat racing season. It merged several historic races—Ascot’s Diadem Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, along with Newmarket’s Champion Stakes, Jockey Club Cup, and Pride Stakes—into a single finale event.

  • British Champions Series: The Day originally served as the grand finale to the British Champions Series, composed of five divisions: Sprint, Mile, Middle Distance, Long Distance, and Fillies & Mares. This series ran through the season, culminating with the finals on Champions Day.

  • Prize Money Milestones: The event quickly positioned itself as the richest day in UK flat racing. By 2016, total prize money exceeded £4 million.

  • Upgrades and New Additions:

    • The British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (formerly the Princess Royal Stakes or Pride Stakes) was elevated to Group 1 status in 2013 and incorporated as a final in its category.

    • The British Champions Long Distance Cup, formerly the Newmarket Jockey Club Cup, was transferred to Ascot in 2011, beginning with Group 2 status and was upgraded to Group 1 in 2025.

  • Recent Changes:

    • In early 2025, the British Champions Series was discontinued, and Champions Day was revamped to stand alone as the marquee single-day event.

    • The 2025 card expands to seven races, including a brand-new 2-year-old conditions race over six furlongs with a £250,000 prize purse.

    • The total prize fund for the day will be a record £4.35 million, and the event now boasts five Group 1 races, thanks to the Long Distance Cup’s promotion and the inclusion of more premium races.

Preview of QIPCO British Champions Day – Saturday 18 October 2025

General Event Details

  • Date: Saturday, 18 October 2025

  • Times:

    • Gates Open: 10:30

    • First Race: 12:55

    • Last Race: 16:40

    • Gates Close: 19:00

  • Prize Fund: Approximately £4.35 million across seven races.

The Seven-Race Card

  1. 2YO Conditions Race (6 furlongs)

    • Prize: £250,000

    • Newly introduced in 2025, open to two-year-olds.

  2. QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup

    • Distance: 2 miles (approx.)

    • Prize: £500,000

    • Elevated to Group 1 status for 2025. Will attract leading stayers and those with Gold Cup form.

  3. QIPCO British Champions Sprint Stakes

    • Distance: 6 furlongs

    • Prize: £500,000

    • A high-speed Group 1 sprint showdown.

  4. QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes

    • Distance: 1m 4f (approx.)

    • Prize: £500,000

    • Showcases top-class female middle-distance horses.

  5. Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Sponsored by QIPCO)

    • Distance: 1 mile

    • One of the Championship Day’s prime features, previously elevated in prize to become a major mile contest. Likely the mile crown jewel of the afternoon.

  6. QIPCO Champion Stakes

    • Distance: 1m 2f (approx.)

    • Prize: £1.3 million (the highest purse on the day)

    • Undoubtedly the marquee middle-distance race of the meeting.

  7. The Balmoral Handicap (Sponsored by QIPCO)

    • Traditionally rounds out the day; likely a valuable large-field handicap.

Entries and Potential Stars

  • Top entries confirmed (as of early August 2025):

    • Calandagan, Field Of Gold, Trawlerman, Delacroix, Ombudsman – headlining the entry list across various races.

  • For example:

    • Calandagan could seek a rematch with Anmaat (2024 Champion Stakes winner) – they clashed already in 2024.

    • Trawlerman, a Gold Cup-type stayer, is among the stayers entered for the Long Distance Cup.

  • A total of 38 entries are registered for the Champion Stakes alone.

Summary: What to Expect in 2025

  • A record-breaking, revamped race-card with seven races and five Group 1s, including the new juvenile event, offering unmatched depth and quality.

  • A prize fund of £4.35 million, reinforcing its status as Britain’s richest raceday.

  • Stellar fields in the top-tier races, featuring several high-profile horses with prior Group 1 form.

  • The Champion Stakes (£1.3m) stands out as the feature finale, with other lucrative and high-stakes races preceding it.

  • The Long Distance Cup’s elevation to Group 1 will attract a field of elite stayers, providing added prestige to the staying division.

 

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