Jaysella’s Ascot Champions Day Racecard for Saturday 17th October 2026

Jaysella’s Ascot Champions Day Racecard for Saturday 17th October

Qatar Racing British Champions Day Two-Year-Old Conditions Stakes 12.55
Arapaho Gold
Well, a bit of a cracker to get things going on Champions Day, but it’s Arapaho Gold to hit the jackpot for me! Let’s face it, Michael Dods star sprinting Juvenile has only got one blot in the form book this term, and that was a neck third to my nap, Charlie Appleby’s Nabati in the Mill Reef. Hardly a bad race then, was it? Before that, Arapaho Gold had struck in the Gimcrack at York, and the Rose Bowl back at Newbury when he were ahead of Nabati that time, so all in all some rock solid form. Now then, this ain’t no walkover despite me blowing Arapaho Gold’s horn, cos you’ve always gotta take note of Eve Johnson Houghton’s two year olds, so Night In Vegas, who seems to get better every time must be on your list. Much is thought of Charlie Appleby’s Blue Point colt, Inner City Blues, but he couldn’t justify favouritism in the Middle Park at Newmarket so has something to prove here, so Clive Cox’s Satellite Of Love could be a danger after taking the Two Year Old Trophy at Redcar. Yeah, a great race to open the card, but the high and middle draws are the place to be, so Arapaho Gold’s draw in 10 looks ideal, Satellite Of Love is good to go in 7, but Inner City Blues and Night In Vegas get 2 & 5. Arapaho Gold to gild his season with a Group One win here, with Night In Vegas pushing hard.

Qatar Racing British Champions Long Distance Cup (Group 1) 1.30
Highwayman
The bookies don’t give money away do they? so they ain’t taking no chances with Gregory splitting the top two in the betting, Highwayman and Caballo De Mar. I mean, it’s really impressive what John & Thady Gosden have done to get Gregory back after such a long layoff to win twice this summer, but I reckon he’s up against it here with Joseph O’Brien’s St Leger winner Highwayman and George Scott’s Caballo De Mar. Now for me, and Caroline too, these are two trainers that are the cream of the crop, and just a look back at both of their seasons will show you that, and it’s especially for the middle distance and staying races that they both excel. So, Caballo De Mar case for: a winner of three Group Ones, took the Prix du Cadran at Longchamp just two weeks ago and has Oisin Murphy along for the ride. Nine outta ten! Now, Highwayman, case for: won the St Leger under the brilliant Saffie Osborne, looks better the further he goes and could have loads of untapped potential, plus Dylan Browne McMonagle is back in the saddle to try a nab the four-timer on this exciting three year old. Nine & a half!! I do think that Caballo De Mar has had a long season, and just two weeks after the Prix du Cadran could be just a stretch – after all he’s not a New Bay gelding, right? Hum Ha, lah de dah, Highwayman to commit daylight robbery on the two older horses Caballo De Mar and Gregory, with Joseph O’Brien and Dylan Browne McMonagle deserving nothing less!

Qatar Racing British Champions Sprint Stakes (Group 1) 2.05
Almeraq
Gonna be fast and furious, this Champions Sprint Stakes, but the hot favourite is Almeraq, and I reckon that’s pretty well justified with form over plenty of these. For all that, if there’s any rain about on Friday night or Saturday morning, that ain’t gonna do no harm, but seeing as he rocked up in the Queen Elizabeth Jubilee at Ascot’s Royal do on good to firm, shouldn’t be a crucial factor anyhow. Stall 8 is just fine from my chair, and I’d think that Tom Marquand will follow the usual playbook on the strong travelling Almeraq, sit in behind the leaders as the race unfolds, and make his move after passing the 2 furlong pole. I can see Clive Cox’s Coppull being right up there with the pace, with Andrew Balding’s Marvelman sure to set the early fractions, but this is gonna be a very hot finish and both might struggle to see this out. So, I’d guess that the French raider, Samangan would be a very interesting one, with form over William Haggas’s Division, a great draw in 15 where he can sit in behind Marvelman and Christophe Soumillon getting the leg-up a big plus point. Marco Botti’s Prince Of India could be a dark horse, only that he’s a bay colt of course!! but a tempting each wayer while Almeraq is very hard for me to go against. Good luck!

Qatar Racing British Champions Filles & Mares Stakes (Group 1) 2.40
Jaysella: Kalpana (nap)
Just about the best filly in racing over this middle distance trip anywhere in Europe, that’s what I think of her. Caroline might not agree, but we’ll get to her in a bit! But Kalpana already has four Group Ones in her form book, has won this race the last two years, and has never been out of the first three in six races here at Ascot, and now lines up against her own sex after a fine fifth in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Come on yall, what’s not to like huh? Well, I guess the Irish raiders are the ones we gotta look at, and that’s Jim Bolger’s Sparan Nua, Aidan O’Brien’s Minnie Hauk and Joseph O’Brien’s Johanna Walsh. I reckon Sparan Nua gave Kalpana a hell of a fright when storming through on the inside late on in the Yorkshire Oaks, and to be honest that went down to the nod crossing the line, so Spartan Nua for me is the danger and a cracking each way bet. Yep, Kalpana to make it a hat-trick of wins to make this race her own, with Sparan Nua gonna be closely watched by Colin Keane, and Minnie Hauk bound to be in the mix. Caroline?

Caroline: Johanna Walsh (nap)
Oh Jaysella, what a lovely little battle we’ll be having between ourselves for this Fillies & Mares contest. But, I’m telling yuzz all that I think Kalpana could be up there to be shot down, after that hard race in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe just thirteen days back, so for me it’s Johanna Walsh that will be the big beneficiary. Anyhows, it was a bit of a stamina test in that Yorkshire Oaks, with the pacemaker Sugar Island bolting off at the front on ground giving to yielding, so back on this better surface and some more conventional tactics, I think we’ll be seeing Johanna Walsh at her best, with fresher legs over Kalpana perhaps? I do think Jim Bolger’s Sparan Nua could have more to come, but Johanna Walsh must be the one for me to get ahead of Kalpana, though I’ll admit this will be close.

Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Sponsored By Qatar Racing) (Group 1) 3.20
Jaysella: Gstaad
Of course, Aidan O’Brien ain’t gonna give up his title as the British Flat Trainer Champion easily, as he goes for the hat-trick, and I reckon Gstaad is his best of the day. Never runs a bad race does Gstaad, so this could be a crowning glory for his Classic season, taking this Queen Elizabeth II on Champions Day having already taken the Irish 2,000 Guineas. We’ve gotta put a line through his run in the Prix du Moulin at Longchamp last time, with the yard recovering from an infection which has been well documented in the racing press, but all that’s sorted now according to Aidan O’Brien, so I’ll chance a return to Classic glory and put Gstaad ahead of Charlie Appleby’s Talk Of New York and French raider Rayif in a fascinating clash. And this is one helluva Group One, with Zavateri, hold up hero More Thunder and Queen Anne winner Ten Bob Tony all in the mix, plus the Frenchie. But, for me Gstaad coming out on top in a blanket finish is my reading of it. Caroline, your thoughts?

Caroline: Gstaad
Oh yes Jaysella, it has to be Gstaad for me, but this is a very hot contest. I will be telling yuzz that Gstaad has everything to win this, with course form from the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, where the brilliant Bow Echo just held him to win by a matter of inches, and of course, Talk Of New York was back in third, so it will be a tight one. Aidan O’Brien will be confident of Gstaad now the yard is in better fettle, so Gstaad gets my vote.

Qatar Racing Champions Stakes (Group 1) 4.00
Jaysella: Ombudsman (nb)
Oh yes, what a race this Champions Stakes, but I’ve gotta go with Ombudsman against last year’s winner Calandagan. But, Aidan O’Brien thinks Constitution River has every chance, despite considering dropping him back to a mile for the Queen Elizabeth, and with Bay City Roller running a blinder to be runner-up to Daryz in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe last time, what a race!! What a race!! Calandagan won it last year, and was at the very top of his game then, but if Francis-Henri Graffard’s main aim is the Japan Cup, the Calandagan could be on a slow boil, and that’s where I reckon John & Thady Gosden will benefit. Ombudsman has won twice over this course and distance, so with Bay City Roller likely to be setting the fractions from the front, Calandagan could use up plenty in the middle part of the race and be set up for a late charge from Ombudsman. Caroline?

Caroline: Constitution River (nb)
Oh Jaysella, Constitution River has been the jewel in the crown for Aidan O’Brien this year, and I do think he’s been underrated for this Champions Stakes. He did win the French Derby over this sort of trip, and was just a touch unlucky I thought in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown the last day, just caught close to the line, but it has been well received that the yard was under a bit of a cloud just then, so I can give you full confidence that Constitution River will be back on song on Saturday. Yes, I do agree that Ombudsman will be fully primed to wrest this title from Calandagan, and this is going to be a very interesting three way split, but Constitution River gets my vote.

Balmoral Handicap (Sponsored By Qatar Racing) 4.35
Hickory
Well, it’s a bit of a dream ticket for lovely Saffie Osborne to win on Hickory before she takes her favourite horse home to the paddocks, but why not believe in the dream? One thing’s for sure, Saffie loves Hickory, and Hickory loves Ascot, winning here four times before, including twice this season, so I’ve got every hope the dream comes true. Gavriel for John & Thady Gosden and Stephen Thorne’s Excellent Believe could go close, but I’ll raise my stick to Hickory and Saffie Osborne for the closer!