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British Champions Day

Confirmed runners and riders for Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday

King Of Steel: too strong for Via Sistina
King Of Steel winning last year's Champion StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

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
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.



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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


Exclusive Sky Bet offer: get £50 in free bets for Champions Day

Sky are offering new customers £50 in free bets when you place a £10 bet on horse racing.

You can follow these simple steps outlined below to grab £50 in free bets to place on the big races at Ascot on British Champions Day on Saturday. It's fast, secure and straightforward.

  1. Head over to Sky Bet today through this link and click the 'Get Bonus' button
  2. Sign up for a new account, and create your username and password
  3. Place a qualifying bet of minimum £10 at odds of 1/1 or greater
  4. Get £50 in free bets to use on horse racing

Exclusive Sky Bet sign-up offer: your key terms and conditions

It's worth taking a few minutes to read through the terms and conditions associated with the new player promotion before signing up with Sky Bet. Doing so will help you get a better grasp of the details of the Sky Bet's Champions Day betting offer and what's expected of you as a new player.

  • New customers only
  • First single and each-way bet only
  • Odds of 1/1 or greater
  • 5 x £10 bet tokens
  • Free bet stakes not included in returns
  • Free bets for horse racing only
  • Free bets are non-withdrawable
  • Free bets expire after 30 days
  • Eligibility restrictions and further T&Cs apply
  • 18+, gambleaware.org

Read this next:

Who will win the 2024 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and Qipco Champion Stakes based on previous trends? 


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