British Champions Day at Ascot is fast approaching, coming up on Oct. 17. (photo credit: Ascot Racecourse).
British Champions Day at Ascot is a fitting finale to the thrilling British Flat season. The world’s leading horses and jockeys make their way to the historic Ascot racecourse in the hopes that they will be crowned the champions of 2020 in the nation’s richest race day.
We have thoroughly scoured the bet exchange ahead of the meeting on October 17th, and put together this in-depth preview ahead of the prestigious 2020 Champions Day. Read on to find out more!
1:20: British Champions Sprint Stakes (Group 1) (British Champions Series) (Class 1) (3yo+) 6f
The six-furlong British Champions Sprint Stakes gets the illustrious Champions Day at Ascot underway. The Sir Michael Stoute-trained Dream of Dreams is the early favourite at 3/1. The six-year-old was narrowly beaten by a head in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot back in June, but has since won the Hungerford Stakes at Newbury, and the Sprint Cup Stakes at Haydock – making him a worthy favourite. Last year’s joint-favourite, One Master, who came second in the race, is an outsider at 10/1. Meanwhile, Space Blues, who has been successful at Haydock, Longchamp, Goodwood, and Deauville already this year, is the second favourite 6/1, whilst Royal Ascot Commonwealth Cup winner Golden Horn is slightly further out at 7/1.
1:55: British Champions Long Distance Cup (Group 2) (British Champions Series) (Class 1) (3yo+) 2m
Horse racing royalty Stradivarius is the outright favourite at 6/4 to win his second British Champions Long Distance Cup in four years. The multiple time Royal Ascot Gold Cup winner first entered the race in 2017 and finished a length behind winner Order Of St George in third. In 2018, Frankie Dettori and Stradivarius bounced back, winning the race by a length and a half. However, last year, the John Gosden-trained thoroughbred was dramatically beaten by the nose of Kew Gardens. Aiden O’Brien-trained Santiago, who won the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot and the Irish Derby at Curragh earlier this year, is worth keeping an eye on at 8/1.
2:30: British Champions fillies & mares Stakes (Group 1) (British Champions Series) (Class 1) (3yo+) 1m4f
The star-studded, early entry, line-up in the British Champions fillies & mares Stakes is enough to make any horse racing fan’s mouth water. This year’s Royal Ascot King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes winner Enable and in-form Love, who has won the 1000 Guineas Stakes, Investec Oaks, and Yorkshire Oaks this year, are the joint-favourites at 4/1, whilst Irish Gold Cup and Irish Champion Stakes winner Magical, who won the race last year, is next in line at 6/1. With those three up against each other, it’s sure to be one of the most exciting races of the day.
3:05: Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Group 1) (British Champions Mile) (Class 1) (3yo+) 1m
Palace Pier is Gosden’s second heavy favourite of the day. The three-year-old is as short as 10/11 to win the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, and his form proves that he is a worthy early market leader. Palace Pier has won all five of his flat outings, three of which have come this season, in the Heed Your Hunch Handicap at Newcastle, the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, and the Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois at Deauville. Pinaturbo, who was beaten by Palace Pier by a length at Ascot earlier this year, is next in the market at 8/1.
3:40: Champion Stakes (British Champions Middle Distance) (Group1) (Class 1) (3yo+) 1m2f
At this point, it’ll come as no surprise that a Gosden-trained horse is currently leading the market, and this time it’s three-year-old Mishriff (3/1). With jockey David Egan in the saddle, Mishriff won the listed Newmarket Stakes back in June, before heading to France, where he won the Prix du Jockey Club and Prix Guillaume d’Ornano – Haras du Logis Saint-Germain at Chantilly and Deauville, respectively. Charlie Appleby-trained Ghaiyyath is next in line at 4/1. The five-year-old has lit up the British flat season this year, winning the Coronation Cup Stakes at Newmarket, the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown, and the Juddmonte International Stakes at York. Magical, Love, and Enable are also early entries for the day’s featured race.
