Drawing the curtain down on another fantastic flat racing season, British Champions Day at Ascot always promises to be a great meeting with the world’s best horses competing for the top prizes on offer, and this year’s festival certainly didn’t disappoint!
After a nail-biting race for the Champion Jockey accolade, Oisin Murphy was crowned the winner of the award at Ascot for the third successive season, narrowly beating William Buick, while it was also a mixed day for those who follow the horse racing tips with a good mix of favourites and outsiders making the headlines.
So, without further ado, let’s take a look back at all the action from British Champions Day. Read on to find out more!
British Champions Long Distance Cup (Group 2)
The meeting kicked off with the Long Distance Cup, the only Group 2 race of the day, and Hollie Doyle and Trueshan defended their crown with an emphatic victory in the two-mile outing from even money. In midfield for much of the race, the five-year-old started to make moves around the outside on the final bend and was in the lead by the two-furlong marker — an advantage Trueshan hold on to for the rest of the race to beat 50/1 shot Tashkhan by a length and a half. The legendary Stradivarius was back in third as his future looks in doubt.
Sprint Stakes (Group 1)
One of the most exciting races of the day, flat racing’s best sprinters compete for the six-furlong Sprint Stakes and Creative Force landed the £300,000 prize purse this year. Doyle was in contention for back-to-back wins in the saddle of 22/1 chance Glen Shiel, heading inside the final furlong. However, the Charlie Appleby-trained Creative Force proved too strong and went on to win by a length. Favourite Art Power was back in fourth behind Minzaal.
Fillies and Mares Stakes (Group 1)
Aidan O’Brien’s Snowfall was heavily expected to win the Fillies and Mares Stakes, setting off as the 8/11 odds-on favourite. However, it was another poor performance from the three-year-old, who is now on a three-race streak without victory. Instead, it was a two-way battle between Eshaada (16/1) and Albaflora (3/1), with the former ultimately getting over the line by a shorthead clear of his rival after a hotly-contested final furlong.
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Group 1)
Watching on from the Royal Enclosure at Ascot, we’re sure Her Majesty would have thoroughly enjoyed this year’s thrilling renewal of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. Settled in midfield, just off the tail of favourite Palace Pier, Jim Crowley began to ask more of Baaeed at around the two-furlong pole, and he was just edging in to the leader around a furlong later. The closing stages were hard fought between Baaeed and Palace Pier, but the former held on to win by a neck — taking his record to six wins from as many races.
Champion Stakes (Group 1)
There were plenty of big names on show for the meeting’s biggest race, the Champion Stakes — including Mishriff, Adayar and defending champion Addeybb. However, it was the French-bred Sealiway that nabbed the mammoth £700,000-plus top prize. In the lead one furlong out, the Cedric Rossi-trained horse was hard pressed by Dubai Honour as the finish line approached but the William Haggas-trained horse didn’t have enough in the tank and Sealiway held on to win by little less than a length.
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Aldaary won the concluding Balmoral Handicap from 7/2 with 40/1 shot Symbolize and 66/1 outsider Magical Morning coming home in second and third respectively.
