It’s British Champions Day! Join Sky Sports Racing from Ascot for a stellar day of horse racing, featuring the Champion Stakes…

4.05 Ascot – World class horses face-off in Champion Stakes

A sensational clash between three of the world’s elite horses headlines today’s meeting as Calandagan, Ombudsman & Delacroix top a stellar Qipco Champion Stakes field.

The John and Thady Gosden team have taken this prize on two occasions with Cracksman scoring in 2017 and 2018, with Ombudsman popular to strike under William Buick. The winner of six of his eight starts, he is currently rated the world’s best turf horse and having bounced back from defeat behind Delacroix at Sandown, he ran out a decisive winner of the Juddmonte International. He has obvious claims at a course that suits, as shown by his incredible run through traffic in the Prince of Wales’ Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained Delacroix has enjoyed a splendid campaign, winning a pair of Group 1s including when beating off Ombudsman in the Eclipse at Sandown. He bounced back from defeat in the Juddmonte to claim the Irish Champion Stakes and connections are confident he can give a good account under Christophe Soumillon. This will be his last race before retiring to Coolmore Stud, so the Ballydoyle ownership will be keen to enhance his value with one last top-level success.

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Calandagan, who was second in this race in last year, will bid to go one better for Arc-winning duo Francis-Henri Graffard and Mickael Barzalona. He drops back to 10 furlongs but could prove the value selection at current prices.

Economics makes his long-awaited return from injury for William Haggas, whilst Almeric and Almaqam look the picks at each-way prices.

3.25 Ascot – Field Of Gold and Rosallion lock horns in QEII

All eyes will be on Field Of Gold as he looks to bounce back to form in a mouth-watering Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

John and Thady Gosden’s three-year-old announced himself as a potential superstar when sauntering clear of a quality field in the St James’s Palace Stakes at the Royal meeting but could only manage fourth when odds-on at Goodwood in July. The world’s joint-second best horse has not been seen since and has a bit to prove as he faces his elders once again under Colin Keane.

Rosallion was a dual Group 1 winner as a three-year-old but is yet to win in five starts this summer. A runner-up on three occasions including when narrowly failing to reel in Sahlan in the Prix du Moulin, he will hope for a clear passage and land what many feel is another deserved top-level success. He failed to get going until it was too late the last day at York and there will be even less margin for underperforming this afternoon.

Fallen Angel is a five-time Group 1 winner, and she bids to land a four-timer having scored on her last three starts against her own sex.

Queen Anne hero Docklands – who famously beat Rosallion by the finest of margins in the Royal Ascot curtain-raiser – ranks a key player for Harry Eustace. Of the others, the in-form Never So Brave and The Lion In Winter are worth a mention in a world class contest.

2.05 Ascot – Last year’s hero Kind Of Blue faces Lazzat

Last year’s winner Kind Of Blue faces 19 rivals in a typically open-looking British Champions Sprint Stakes.

The James Fanshawe-trained four-year-old narrowly beat off Swingalong and the reopposing Flora Of Bermuda in last year’s renewal and looks an obvious contender under Daniel Muscutt. The Fanshawe team have taken this prize on three occasions and any rain that falls would be a plus.

Lazzat powered clear of a useful field in the Queen Elizabeth Jubilee Stakes in June but has failed to follow up the last twice. Jerome Reynier’s stable star will be hard to beat if at his best but has question marks to answer after his latest disappointment. However, Wathnan number one James Doyle’s decision to ride him over Kind Of Blue can only be seen as a positive.

Montassib would have preferred a slower surface, but he caught the eye when third over five furlongs at Newbury and rates a huge danger for William Haggas.

Others to note include Haydock Sprint Cup winner Big Mojo. Mick Appleby’s speedball has course and distance form and is likely to be in the mix, despite being drawn in the unfavourable stall 20.

Also on British Champions Day…

Having won the Long Distance Cup in 2023 before being beaten by the great Kyprios a year later, this year’s Gold Cup champion Trawlerman looks to have a free shot at winning back his crown in the opener to today’s card at 12.55pm. Sweet William chased him home in the Lonsdale Cup recently and will likely pose the biggest threat, whilst Al Qareem is fond of this track and is not without a chance. With that said, if Trawlerman runs to form there should be nothing standing in his way.

The new Qipco British Champions Day Two-Year-Old Conditions Stakes (1.30pm) is likely to see Words Of Truth go off a short-priced favourite for William Buick and Charlie Appleby. Division is also chasing four consecutive wins though, so don’t rule him out.

Kalpana looks the classiest of the runners assembled for the Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes, and should claim this if enjoying a better trip than when she encountered traffic problems the last day in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Estrange and the hat-trick seeking Waardah also hold claims, whilst Quisisiana is ready to go again after similar disappointment at ParisLongchamp earlier this month.

Native Warrior carries the 6lb penalty in the Balmoral Handicap, but will be wary of William Haggas’ Crown Of Oaks, who struck gold on his last visit to Ascot back in September. Twenty take their chance here, with Arisaig holding each-way claims for Charlie Johnston.

Elsewhere on home soil…

Newton Abbot is the venue for today’s National Hunt offering, with Courageous Strike a real player for Paul Nicholls in the Wollens Full Spectrum Law Handicap Hurdle, having made a progressive start to his career over obstacles.

The Paul Ferguson’s Jumpers To Follow Intermediate Chase (4.55pm) – won by Bravemansgame in 2021 – is the stage for Blueking d’Oroux‘s first start over the larger obstacles. The Ditcheat yard are very excited about his prospects and he should go off a strong favourite.

What about internationally?

Ka Ying Rising looks to test his credentials as one of the world’s best sprinters in The TAB Everest from Randwick at 6.15am. Imperious in Hong Kong for David Hayes thus far, this will be a real test.