Your guide to the key races, star horses and best tips on Champions Day

The Flat season finishes on a high on Saturday with six brilliant races to look forward to on Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot.

Saturday's Ascot cards | Saturday's Ascot tips | Watch In The Know

Saturday's TV races

1.25 Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup (2m, Group 2) ITV/Sky

2.00 Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes (6f, Group 1) ITV/Sky

2.35 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (1m4f, Group 1) ITV/Sky

3.10 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (1m, Group 1) ITV/Sky

3.50 Qipco Champion Stakes (1m2f, Group 1) ITV/Sky

4.30 Balmoral Handicap (1m) ITV/Sky

All races can be watched live for free via Racing Post cards – simply log in to a funded bookmaker account to access the stream

Saturday's key races

There is a huge amount of class throughout the card at Ascot, in particular the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (3.10), which is primed to be one of the races of the season.

The clash is highly anticipated between Palace Pier, who is already the king of the mile division, and Baaeed, the three-year-old who is on the up and remains unbeaten.

Palace Pier: leading miler faces tough test at Ascot against the progressive BaaeedCredit: John Walton (Getty Images)

It is far from a two-horse race, with this season's 1,000 Guineas winner Mother Earth and 2,000 Guineas runner-up Master Of The Seas featuring alongside top-level winners Alcohol Free, Lady Bowthorpe, Benbatl and Lord Glitters, plus last year's winner The Revenant.

The Champions Stakes (3.50) is another poised to be one of the highlights of the year with Mishriff, Adayar, Addeybb and the improving Dubai Honour in the reckoning.

Saturday's big story

A double for Oisin Murphy put him in within touching distance of the British Flat jockeys' championship but his pursuer William Buick has five rides and is three winners away.

Buick has particularly strong chances with Creative Force, Adayar and Master Of The Seas but Murphy could well improve on his tally with Dragon Symbol the pick of his four mounts.

The bookmakers suggest Murphy's title is all but secured, with Paddy Power offering odds of 1-40, but there has been plenty of twists in this battle already and there's still time for one more.

Saturday's best bet

3.50 Ascot

Looks by far the most solid of the four short-priced favourites on the card as he has been primed solely for this while main rival Adayar had a hard race in the Arc just 13 days ago.

Mishriff ran a career best when winning the Juddmonte International at York last time and should prove very hard to beat if in similar form over his best trip.
Paul Kealy

More tipping

Saturday's star horses

It is not just the aforementioned Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and Champion Stakes which features star quality, with plenty of big names in action.

Snowfall looked extraordinary when a wide-margin winner of the Oaks earlier this season – followed up by two more Group 1 wins – and she sets a high standard in the Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (2.35).

The progress of Rohaan has been one of the stories of the season and he looks to cap it off with a top-level breakthrough. That will not be easy with top performers Dragon Symbol, Art Power and Creative Force in the Champions Sprint Stakes (2.00) line-up.

Elsewhere, leading stayers Stradivarius and Trueshan are back in action after their clash in France in the Champions Long Distance Cup (1.25).

Saturday's race previews:

1.25 Ascot: Stradivarius and Trueshan take to the stage again in classy Champions Day opener

2.00 Ascot: 'He does everything easily' – Starman absence means sprint crown is up for grabs

2.35 Ascot: 'She'll be difficult to beat' – can Snowfall bounce back to her best at Ascot?

3.10 Ascot: Palace Pier v Baaeed: 'It looks the hottest QEII I've seen in a while'

3.50 Ascot: Champion Stakes: Appleby, Gosden and Haggas on their leading Group 1 contenders

4.30 Ascot: which of the Gosden pair might prevail in a competitive running of the Balmoral?

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