A Champions’ Finale: Ascot’s Big Guns Gather for Saturday’s Showdown

This Saturday, Ascot stages one of its most anticipated editions of Champions Day - now expanded to a seven-race card and boasting five Group 1s - and the quality seems every bit worthy of the billing. For those in the game, this is not a mere season-closer: it’s a statement day, a chance for glory, redemption or legacy. Below is a race-by-race guide, with the headline duels and storylines to watch.

12:55 - QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup (G1, ~1m 7f 209y)

After its elevation to Group 1 status, the Long Distance Cup seeks to justify its new billing. Trawlerman is the short-priced favourite (market indicates 1-2 in some books) following dominant runs this season, including a Royal Ascot winner, and he now faces just four rivals. His principal threats may include Sweet William, Stay True, Al Qareem, and Saratoga. The question: can any of them sustain the strength and stamina under Ascot’s finish against a Trawlerman who’s looked comfortable over this route? It may come down to whether any late rallyer can exploit a moment of lull.

1:30 - Two-Year-Old Conditions Stakes (non-G1, but high class)

A recent addition to the card, worth £250,000, this race gives juveniles one last shot on a big stage. Words Of Truth, a Godolphin runner, leads the declarations. Also entered is Division, who won at York last week in top form. For punters and insiders, this race is a soft-spot for spotting forward-moving types and emerging patterns in two-year-old pedigrees that may feature again next season.

2:05 - Champions Sprint Stakes (G1, 6f)

A typically deep and chaotic sprint division and this year is no different, with several interesting entries and a surprise supplement. Lazzat is the likely headline name: the Wathnan runner has had a strong season and looks a leading contender. But French-trained Rayevka has also been supplemented late, adding a fresh angle. Other major threats: Kind of Blue, Montassib, Flora of Bermuda, and Big Mojo. Expect pace battles, twists in the last furlong - this one has upset potential.

2:45 - Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (G1, ~1m 3f 211y)

A divisional decider for fillies and mares, and Kalpana has drawn attention as market leader. She returns only 13 days after racing in the Arc, which is a bold scheduling call. Her rivals include Estrange, Waardah, One Look, Ballet Slippers, and Quisisana. The key is whether she retains her freshness and retains her finishing kick over this trip at Ascot, especially against mares who may prefer a more patient pace. Estrange is the horse who skipped the Arc and is a big danger.

3:25 - Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1, 1m / “Champions Mile”)

This race brings back a familiar face: Field of Gold, running after a disappointing showing in the Sussex Stakes. He faces 15 rivals - including Rosallion, Docklands, Fallen Angel - those who have notched seconds but not quite broken through. If Field of Gold can recapture his Royal Ascot form, this is his chance for redemption. But the depth of the field means he cannot afford even a middling day.

4:05 - Champion Stakes (G1, ~1m 2f / 10f)

This is the headline, the one everyone will be watching. With Ombudsman, Delacroix, and Calandagan all confirmed, it could live up to the “race of the season” narrative. Ombudsman arrives off a win in the Juddmonte International and has been declared favourite by many. Delacroix turns up fresh, having won the Irish Champion Stakes, and with form over Ombudsman earlier in the year - the rivalry is real. Calandagan, a King George winner and ultra-consistent performer, adds the international angle. Economics makes his long awaited return and has the form to trouble the principles if ready to go. A cracking quality field is completed by other runners including Almaqam, First Look, and Almeric. Tactical speed, pace matchups, and positioning will be decisive. If Delacroix and Ombudsman stamp their class, Calandagan could pounce if either missteps.

4:40 - Balmoral Handicap (Class 2 / big field finale)

A classic closure to a top-class day, and one that often springs surprises. The weights look full, and Holloway Boy tops the list. With big fields and varied conditions, a savvy punter or a sharp outsider could pull off something memorable in the lucky last. Native Warrior and Crown Of Oaks head the early betting and both are significantly improving.

Final Word

Champions Day 2025 is shaping up as more than a swansong; it feels like a battleground. Between the headline matchups, the hunts for redemption, and the chance that a fresh or underrated horse breaks through, there’s tension in every Group 1. For insiders, it’s a test - of judgement, of nerves, and of stamina over one final spectacular afternoon.