Looking Ahead to QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot.

The epic grand finale of the flat racing season at the iconic Ascot Racecourse is edging ever closer, with the action set to get underway later this month.

All eyes will be on the historic Ascot Racecourse when the 2024 edition of the long awaited and highly prestigious QIPCO British Champions Day, also known as Ascot Champions Day, takes place once more at this iconic venue on Saturday 19th October 2024.

Gates will open at 10:30am, with the first race of an action packed day set to get underway at 1:20pm. The action will then come to a close with the final race at 4:35pm.

With the prize money for all of the races amounting to no less than £4 million overall, this is officially the richest British race day. This event will also see some of the best horses in jockeys compete, and there will be a number of Group 1 contests for all those in attendance to enjoy throughout the day.

Just like the most recent Champions Day back in 2023, there will be a total of 6 races across the afternoon in 2024. They are as follows: QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup (Group 2, 1:20pm), QIPCO British Champions Sprint Stakes (Group 1, 1:55pm), QIPCO British Fillies & Mares Stakes (Group 1, 2:35pm), Queen Elizabeth II Stakes sponsored by QIPCO (Group 1, 3:15pm), QIPCO Champion Stakes (Group 1, 3:55pm), and finally the Balmoral Handicap Stakes Sponsored by QIPCO (Group 2, 4:35pm).

Below are the highlights of all of the races from last year’s Champions Day at Ascot Racecourse (via Ascot Racecourse on YouTube):

Here, we are taking a look at the races to come on Champions Day at Ascot Racecourse this October, with the action set to get underway in less than two weeks as of the time of writing.

QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup (Group 2) – 1:20pm

As ever, the Long Distance Cup will be the race to get the afternoon’s racing underway at Ascot this year. It is open to horses aged 3 or older, and it is run over a distance of approximately two miles. The prize money on offer to the winner of this race this year is set to be no less than £450,000.

The most recent winner of the Long Distance Cup back in 2023 was Trawlerman, who was ridden by iconic Jockey Frankie Dettori. After an enthralling and highly competitive race, the Italian was able to beat runner up Ryan Moore on board Kyprios to the win by the narrowest of margins. Robert Havlin and Sweet William came in third.

QIPCO British Champions Sprint Stakes (Group 1) – 1:55pm

Next up will be the 2024 QIPCO British Champions Sprint Stakes, which is run over a total distance of six furlongs with participating horses aged 3 or older. The prize money on offer this year for the victor will be marginally more than the Long Distance Cup at £500,000.

Art Power, ridden by Jockey David Allan and trained by Tim Easterby, came out on top in the most recent running of this race back in 2023. After making a strong start to the race, the leader of the field was reeled in by pre-race favourite Kinross with Frankie Dettori coming very close to another victory. Allan did manage to hold on to the win in the end. The top three on the day was rounded off by Clifford Lee’s Spycatcher in third.

QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (Group 1) – 2:35pm

The halfway point in the action on the 2024 British Champions Day at Ascot Racecourse will be the QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes. The race distance will be a mile and approximately four furlongs, with this race also worth an incredible £500,000 in prize money for the winner, with all horses to be aged 3 or older.

Back in 2023, the pre-race favourite Jackie Oh came in third place, with the winner actually being Poptronic who was ridden to victory on this occasion by Jockey Sam James. Runner-up Bluestocking, ridden by Rossa Ryan, passed Jackie Oh into second place in the final 110 yards before narrowly missing out on victory. Jackie Oh came in third place.

Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Sponsored by QIPCO (Group 1) – 3:15pm

Up next is the race that offers the second most prize money for the winner – £1.1 million. The 2024 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, will see a strong field of three year old horses race over a distance of a straight mile.

Last year, an enthralling race ended in what was a comfortable victory for a Christopher Head trained Big Rock, who was ridden to glory by Aurelien Lemaitre. It was Facteur Cheval who came in second place whilst Chris Hayes’ Tahiyra had to settle for a third place finish in the end.

It was a commanding performance from Aurelien Lemaitre and Big Rock with the winner of this race in no doubt throughout.

QIPCO Champions Stakes (Group 1) – 3:55pm

The penultimate race of the day will be the 2024 QIPCO Champions Stakes, which also has the most prize money on offer, with the winner being awarded a sensational prize of no less than £1.3 million. The field of horses aged 3 or older will go head to head in a contest which will be run over a distance of one mile and about two furlongs at Ascot Racecourse.

In the 2023 running of the Champions Stakes, it was the pre-race favourite King Of Steel who came out on top, with Frankie Dettori coming out on top in a race for the second time in that afternoon alone. The Italian Jockey was able to hold off stern competition from runner-up Via Sistina, ridden by Oisin Murphy, who finished narrowly behind Dettori after the race winner took the lead late on in the race.

Balmoral Handicap Stakes Sponsored by QIPCO (Group 1) – 4:35pm

The sixth and final race to be taking place at the 2024 QIPCO British Champions Day is the latest renewal of the Balmoral Handicap Stakes, sponsored by QIPCO. This Group One contest will be run over a total distance of a straight mile, with prize money worth £200,000 set to be awarded to this year’s winner.

The winner, The Gatekeeper, was ridden by Jockey Joe Fanning whilst being trained by Charlie Johnston. The Gatekeeper led by three lengths in the final furlong, before going on to win the race with runner-up Ropey Guest close behind. Docklands, with Jockey Hayley Turner on board, came in third place.

The pre-race favourite, James Doyle’s Awaal, had to settle for what was a 12th place finish in the end.

Excitement and anticipation are building rapidly ahead of what promises to be a day full of enthralling racing and a sensational atmosphere with thousands of racegoers in attendance at one of the world’s most famous and historic racecourses on Saturday 19th October 2024.

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