British Champions Day 2026
Saturday, 17 October 2026
The last big Saturday of the British flat season. Qatar Racing takes over as title sponsor from 2026, and the card carries five Group 1s and around £4.4 million in prize money.
| Date | Saturday 17 October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Course | Ascot |
| Group 1s | Five, after the Long Distance Cup was upgraded in 2025 |
| Prize fund | About £4.4 million (Qatar Racing's three-year deal covers 2026 to 2028) |
The card
| Race | Grade | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Champion Stakes | Group 1 | 1m 1f 212y |
| Queen Elizabeth II Stakes | Group 1 | 1m |
| Champions Sprint | Group 1 | 6f |
| Fillies & Mares Stakes | Group 1 | 1m 3f 211y |
| Long Distance Cup | Group 1 | 1m 7f 209y |
| Balmoral Handicap | Handicap | 1m |
| Two-year-old conditions race | Conditions | 6f |
Recent Champion Stakes winners
| Year | Winner | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Calandagan | Francis-Henri Graffard | Mickael Barzalona |
| 2024 | Anmaat | Owen Burrows | Jim Crowley |
| 2023 | King of Steel | Roger Varian | Frankie Dettori |
- Mid-October ground at Ascot can be anything from good to heavy, so check the going on the morning.
- The Champion Stakes was run on Ascot's inner course in 2023 and 2024.
Our record at Ascot
Every single we've tipped at Ascot since October 2025, settled against the official result. Winners and losers.
| Date | Race | Selection | Price | Result | P/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-04 | 2.30 Ascot | Shimmering Shadow | 4/1 | lost | −3.00 |
| 2026-07-25 | 2.55 Ascot | Extremely Zain | 3/1 | lost | −3.00 |
| 2026-07-25 | 1.45 Ascot | Alta Regina | 9/2 | lost | −2.00 |
| 2026-07-11 | 1.55 Ascot | Behike | 4/1 | placed | 0.00 |
| 2026-07-10 | 2.35 Ascot | Flann Sunna | 15/8 | won | +5.62 |
| 2026-06-17 | 2.30 Royal Ascot | Wild Blossom | 12/1 | lost | −2.50 |
Our tips for Champions Day
Members get our selections in Telegram on the day, each with a price and a stake. When we give a tip away it goes on the free tip page, on X @The_Gallop_uk and to our email list.
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Every tip, every race day
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Race details checked against the racecourse's own site. Fixtures can change because of the weather; check before you travel or bet.