British Champions Day at Ascot takes place on the 18th October 2025 and will again showcase some of the best flat horses in training, with over £4.35 million in prize money on offer. The card features five Group 1 races, plus a new two-year-old conditions contest, making it the richest day in British racing.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the ante post betting markets for the day and highlight the leading contenders from most hotly anticipated races. So grab your form guides and load up on some sign up offers from bonusfinder.ie and let’s get stuck in.
British Champions Long Distance Cup
Seven-year-old Trawlerman (6/4) is set to begin this competitive two-mile race as the bookies’ favourite. Ascot regulars will remember his superb performance in the Gold Cup back in June, in which he beat Illinois by seven lengths.
That contest was half a mile longer, though, and the reduced trip will likely benefit Illinois (5/1), who rarely puts in a bad shift. Across his last nine starts, the son of Galileo has not finished outside the top two. He did, however, lose to stablemate Scandinavia (4/1) last time out, despite the three-year-old being slightly hampered mid-way through the contest.
Still only three years old, Scandinavia would be an unusually young winner of this contest. The last three-year-old winner was Akmal back in 2009. So, the safer bet here does appear to be on backing Trawlerman to extend his winning streak.
British Champions Sprint Stakes
Get ready for a wide-open Sprint Stakes renewal with no clear favourite among the early entries. Lazzat had been a clear market leader, trading as low as 2/1, but his price has shot up following a surprise defeat at Haydock’s Sprint Cup. Setting off as the even-money favourite, the four-year-old had a clear run but finished fifth as Big Mojo took the glory. This has propelled Big Mojo (8/1) to one of the top Sprint Stakes contenders. Although this was his first Group 1 win, he did register a quick time at Haydock, suggesting it was no fluke.
Also present at Haydock was Flora Of Bermuda, who exceeded expectations when finishing third. Had the Andrew Balding-trained filly enjoyed a clear run, she would have surely finished very close to Big Mojo. As such, expect her to be in the mix for this six-furlong contest. Final mention goes to More Thunder (8/1), who also impressed last time out, comfortably winning a Grade 2 contest at Newbury. Although his last two starts have been over seven furlongs, he enjoys a good six-furlong record, including a second-place finish in Ascot’s highly competitive Wokingham Stakes.
British Champions Fillies’ & Mares’ Stakes
Reigning champion Kalpana (5/1) is set to defend her crown in this race, something only two horses have successfully managed since the race began in 1946. She secured glory in style last year but has been without a win since. In her defence, she has raced in some extremely high-class events and has come close, such as when second in June’s King George. The only disappointing loss was during the recent September Stakes, but this was on Kempton’s all-weather course.
While Kalpana’s winning drought continues, the opposite is true for Aidan O’Brien’s Minnie Hauk (5/1), who has now won five races on the bounce. Impressively, the three-year-old completed the Oaks hat-trick (Epsom, Yorkshire, Irish), so this 1m 4f test will suit her perfectly. In current form, you would be brave to bet against her. We expect Adventure (8/1) to push her very close, though, following consistently impressive performances over this trip in France.
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes
Having emphatically won the St James’s Palace Stakes at Ascot just months ago, Field of Gold (9/4) became an obvious choice for this contest. He seems less of a sure thing now, though, following a surprise defeat in the Sussex Stakes. Despite setting off as the 1/3 favourite, the grey colt didn’t look his usual self and finished fourth. A simple one-off bad day? Perhaps, but you can see why bettors might want to look elsewhere.
Rosallion (8/1) is still seeking his first win of the season, but he’s been very unlucky. He’s suffered several narrow defeats, including at the Sussex Stakes. Not one to put in a bad shift, this reliable four-year-old will stand every chance. The red-hot Never So Brave (10/1) also offers appeal, but his limited one-mile experience could work against him.
Champion Stakes
Choosing between Ombudsman (2/1) and Calandagan (7/2) is no easy task, with the pair boasting serious Champion Stakes credentials. Both four-year-olds have extremely impressive Grade 1 records and have performed well at Ascot before. The trip perhaps favours Ombudsman, who has been competing at 1m2f all season, whereas Calandagan has been a 1m4f regular.
As for other contenders, Anmaat (8/1) did beat Calandagan when winning this race last year. No seven-year-old has won this race since 1877, however, and a recent two-length defeat to Ombudsman suggests he will not retain his title.