The culmination of the all-age Group 1 season is the Champion Stakes at Ascot in October. The race is the inspiration for British Champions Day, a six-race extravaganza at the Berkshire venue that brings a rounded conclusion to the flat season in earnest.

Six runners have been declared for the 2026 Champion Stakes at 4.00pm on Saturday 17th October. You can see the full field, with their jockeys, trainers and latest odds, in the racecard below.

16:00 Ascot

Qatar Racing Champion Stakes (Group 1)

• Going Good
• Distance 1m 1f 212y
• Class Class 1
• Race Type Flat Turf
• Surface Turf
• Runners 6
• Win Time 2m 4s

Prize Money

• 1st £737,230
• 2nd £279,500
• 3rd £139,880
• 4th £69,680
• 5th £34,970
• 6th £17,550

GG Edge Standard Compact

Win% is implied from the betting forecast

1st 5 (2) 4 tips Ombudsman OUR TIP W: 9st 7lb Age: 5 yo Colt

5/4 (Won)

J: William Buick T: John & Thady Gosden

OR: 132 RPR: 140 Form: 2-1114

GG Racing Score 83% Ability 10/10 Draw — Jockey 6/10 Trainer 7/10 Course 6.7/10 Distance 10/10

2nd 3 (4) 8 tips Calandagan W: 9st 7lb Age: 5 yo Gelding

5/2

J: Christophe Soumillon T: F-H Graffard

OR: 127 RPR: 138 Form: 1-1412

GG Racing Score 60% Ability 8/10 Draw — Jockey 2/10 Trainer 4/10 Course 10/10 Distance 4/10

3rd 2 (5) 1 tip Bay City Roller W: 9st 7lb Age: 4 yo Colt

17/2

J: Oisin Murphy T: George Scott

OR: 124 RPR: 132 Form: -22122

GG Racing Score 16% Ability 2/10 Draw — Jockey 4/10 Trainer 0/10 Course — Distance 0/10

4th 1 (1) 1 tip Almaqam W: 9st 7lb Age: 5 yo Colt

12/1

J: Kieran Shoemark T: Ed Walker

OR: 124 RPR: 134 Form: 3-1424

GG Racing Score 23% Ability 4/10 Draw — Jockey 0/10 Trainer 2/10 Course 1.7/10 Distance 2/10

5th 6 (3) Constitution River W: 9st 3lb Age: 3 yo Colt

9/2

J: Ryan Moore T: A P O’Brien

OR: 123 RPR: 135 Form: -11133

GG Racing Score 80% Ability 6/10 Draw — Jockey 10/10 Trainer 10/10 Course — Distance 8/10

6th 4 (6) Devils Advocate W: 9st 7lb Age: 4 yo Gelding

80/1

J: Robert Havlin T: John & Thady Gosden

OR: 109 RPR: 120 Form: 7-2477

GG Racing Score 38% Ability 0/10 Draw — Jockey 8/10 Trainer 7/10 Course 1.7/10 Distance 6/10

Non-runners

Best Secret

+o+e Betting Returns

	Payout
Exacta	£4.00
Straight Forecast	£4.42
Trifecta	£13.50

Selections

D Express:

Calandagan

Daily Mail:

Calandagan

Daily Mirror:

Calandagan

Daily Record:

Calandagan

NEWMARKET:

Ombudsman

POSTDATA:

Almaqam

RP RATINGS:

Ombudsman

SPOTLIGHT:

Ombudsman

TOPSPEED:

Bay City Roller

Telegraph:

Ombudsman

The Guardian:

Calandagan

The Star:

Calandagan

The Sun:

Calandagan

The Times:

Calandagan

Who are the Top Three Favourites to Win this Year’s Champion Stakes?

These are the three horses at the head of the betting for the 2026 Champion Stakes.

Calandagan

The defending champion beat Ombudsman in this race last year and has won the Dubai Sheema Classic and the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in 2026. He was second to Kalpana in the King George on his last run, and Christophe Soumillon rides for Francis-Henri Graffard.

Ombudsman

The top-rated runner on 132, Ombudsman has won the Dubai Turf and a second Prince of Wales’s Stakes this year. He was fourth in the Juddmonte International last time, and William Buick rides for John & Thady Gosden.

Bay City Roller

George Scott’s colt won the Coronation Cup at Epsom, with Calandagan fourth, and was second to Daryz in the Arc 13 days before this race. Oisin Murphy rides.

Our tip for the Champion Stakes is below, with the best odds available.

16:00 Qatar Racing Champion Stakes (Group 1)

Ombudsman

J: William Buick

T: John & Thady Gosden

Result

1st 5/4

Champion Stakes Horse Entries & Selections

Horses in the Champion Stakes must be aged three or older in order to take part, with the Classic generation receiving a 4lb allowance from their elders and fillies and mares getting 3lb. A maximum field of 16 can go to post, but only one renewal in the past decade has seen more than ten line up at the start.

Which Trainers Have Historically Had the Most Success in the Champion Stakes?

Having been established in 1877, the Champion Stakes has a long and illustrious history. The leading trainer was the fabled Alec Taylor Jr, a master of his craft in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He sent out eight winners of the contest, including the great Sceptre in 1903.

Among more recent trainers, the late Sir Henry Cecil claimed the race on five occasions, including memorably in 2012 in his final full year as a trainer when Frankel, the apple of his eye, concluded his unbeaten career with victory at Ascot. His widow Lady Jane Cecil secured an equally emotional triumph two years later with Noble Mission.

Aidan O’Brien has only ever won the race once when Magical scored in 2019.

Runners & Riders Past Winners