Qipco British Champions Day: runners and riders for Ascot

Economics and Calandagan will headline the largest Qipco Champion Stakes (3.55) line-up since 2015 after being declared for Saturday's £1.3 million Ascot highlight.

Al Riffa, Luxembourg, Henry Longfellow, Content and Hans Andersen were the only ones not left in at Thursday's final declaration stage, leaving 12 runners, the biggest field since the late Pat Smullen helped Fascinating Rock beat 12 rivals in 2015.

Dermot Weld's Fascinating Rock was the last Irish-trained winner of the race and Aidan O'Brien bids to end that barren spell with Los Angeles and Continuous, who both ran in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Los Angeles will have to reverse the form with Irish Champion Stakes hero Economics, who attempts to follow up in the English equivalent for the William Haggas and Tom Marquand combination who won this Group 1 with Addeybb in 2020.

Economics (left), Calandagan (middle) and Los Angeles clash in the Champion Stakes on Saturday

Francis Graffard has already enjoyed big-race success at Ascot this season with Goliath's King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes victory and his Calandagan returns to the same track as his six-length win in the King Edward VII Stakes at the royal meeting.

Prix Foy winner Iresine also represents France, with Marie Velon bidding to ride a first winner in Britain. Royal Rhyme is the only runner who participated in last year's race and will bid to improve on that fifth-placed effort while Tom Queally, who rode the legendary Frankel to victory in this event in 2012, rides Novus for Gary and Josh Moore.

Nashwa is the other father-and-son-trained mare in the line-up for John and Thady Gosden.

Oisin Murphy has been booked to ride King's Gambit for the first time by Harry Charlton. King's Gambit chased home subsequent Prix Dollar winner Jayarebe over course and distance at Royal Ascot and Andrew Balding's See The Fire, who Murphy has ridden on seven of her nine career starts, will instead be partnered by Daniel Tudhope for the first time.

Ascot switches races to inner track for British Champions Day due to heavy going

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Champion Stakes (3.55) runners and riders

Anmaat Jim Crowley
Continuous Christophe Soumillon
Iresine Marie Velon
Royal Rhyme Clifford Lee
Nashwa Hollie Doyle
Novus Tom Queally
Calandagan Stephane Pasquier
Economics Tom Marquand
King's Gambit Oisin Murphy
Los Angeles Ryan Moore
Persica Sean Levey
See The Fire Daniel Tudhope

Coral: 5-4 Economics, 6-4 Calandagan, 15-2 Los Angeles, 14 Iresine, 18 King's Gambit, 25 Anmaat, 40 Nashwa, See The Fire, 50 Continuous, Persica, Royal Rhyme, 80 Novus

Kyprios goes for Champions Day redemption in bid for unbeaten season

Elsewhere at Ascot, Kyprios will bid for his first win in the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup (1.20) and attempt to make amends for last year's neck defeat to Trawlerman.

O'Brien's star stayer has already emulated his stunning 2022 season by capturing the Gold Cup, Goodwood Cup, Irish St Leger and Prix du Cadran.

The six-year-old's eight rivals include recent Newmarket Listed winners Al Nayyir and Burdett Road.

Queen Anne and Jacques le Marois winner Charyn takes on 12 in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (3.15), including recent Sun Chariot Stakes heroine Tamfana.

Kalpana is the hot favourite for the Fillies & Mares Stakes (2.35) for Andrew Balding and William Buick, while Kinross bids to repeat his 2022 success in the Champions Sprint (1.55) and continue a superb run of from for Arc-winning combination Ralph Beckett and Rossa Ryan. A maximum field of 20 has been declared.

Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup (1.20) runners and riders

Al Nayyir Luke Morris
Alsakib Oisin Murphy
Belloccio Danny Tudhope
Burdett Road Harry Davies
Kyprios Ryan Moore
Sweet William Robert Havlin
Trawlerman William Buick
Caius Chorister James Doyle
The Euphrates Christophe Soumillon

Coral: 4-5 Kyprios, 7-2 Trawlerman, 6 Al Nayyir, 13-2 Sweet William, 25 The Euphrates, 33 Belloccio, Burdett Road, 50 Alsakib, Caius Chorister

Qipco British Champions Sprint (1.55) runners and riders

Annaf Jason Watson
Art Power David Allan
Audience Robert Havlin
Kinross Rossa Ryan
Mill Stream William Buick
Montassib Cieren Fallon
Moss Tucker Billy Lee
Shartash Hollie Doyle
Shouldvebeenaring Sean Levey
Spycatcher Sam James
Vafortino Christophe Soumillon
Beauvatier Alexis Pouchin
Bucanero Fuerte David Egan
Elite Status Clifford Lee
James's Delight Ryan Moore
Kind Of Blue James Doyle
Swingalong Billy Loughnane
Unequal Love Tom Marquand
Vadream Kieran Shoemark
Flora Of Bermuda Oisin Murphy

Coral: 9-2 Kinross, 11-2 Montassib, 8 Mill Stream, 9 Unequal Love, 10 Kind Of Blue, 11 Swingalong, 12 Beauvatier, Flora Of Bermuda, 14 Audience, Elite Status, 16 James's Delight, 20 Art Power, 22 Annaf, Spycatcher, 28 Bucanero Fuerte, Shouldvebeenaring, 40 Shartash, Vadream, 50 Moss Tucker, 66 Vafortino

Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (2.35) runners and riders

Doha Hector Crouch
Quantanamera Stephane Pasquier
Queen Of The Pride Oisin Murphy
Sea Theme Tom Marquand
Sumiha Chris Hayes
Thunder Roll James Doyle
Tiffany Luke Morris
Time Lock Rossa Ryan
Village Voice Cristian Demuro
Content Ryan Moore
Grateful Christophe Soumillon
Kalpana William Buick
War Chimes Billy Loughnane
Wingspan Sean Levey

Coral: 15-8 Kalpana, 7 Content, 15-2 Time Lock, Tiffany, 9 Grateful, 11 Quantanamera, 14 Queen Of The Pride, Sumiha, Village Voice, 16 Wingspan, 20 War Chimes, 25 Doha, 33 Thunder Roll, 66 Sea Theme

Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (3.15) runners and riders

Charyn Silvestre de Sousa
Checkandchallenge Christophe Soumillon
Facteur Cheval Maxime Guyon
Lord Massusus Gary Carroll
Poker Face James Doyle
Prague Danny Tudhope
Quddwah William Buick
Dancing Gemini Tom Marquand
Henry Longfellow Ryan Moore
Ice Max Clifford Lee
Metropolitan Cristian Demuro
Sirona Rossa Ryan
Tamfana Oisin Murphy

Coral: 5-4 Charyn, 7-2 Tamfana, 8 Facteur Cheval, 9 Metropolitan, Prague, 10 Henry Longfellow, 14 Quddwah, 40 Checkandchallenge, Dancing Gemini, 50 Ice Max, Sirona, 66 Poker Face, 100 Lord Massusus

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Published on 18 October 2024inBritish Champions Day