The Champion Stakes at Ascot takes centre stage this weekend, promising one of the most competitive renewals in recent memory. The £1.3 million contest headlines the prestigious Champions Day card, which features five Group One races for the first time, solidifying its position as Britain’s richest and most glamorous day of flat racing.
This year’s race is shaping into a mouth-watering clash, led by Ombudsman and Delacroix, two of the world’s top-rated horses. Ombudsman, the current global number one following his commanding performance in the International Stakes at York, will seek revenge against Delacroix, who defeated him in both the Eclipse and the Irish Champion Stakes. Adding further intrigue are Calandagan, the King George winner, Almaqam, who also holds a victory over Ombudsman, and last year’s Irish Champion winner, Economics.
Beyond the headline event, Ascot’s Champions Day will feature a seven-race programme for the first time, boosted by a new £250,000 two-year-old race. The upgraded Long Distance Cup now joins the elite Group One ranks, ensuring the day showcases racing’s full range of talent and distance specialists. With a dry and settled weather forecast, conditions are expected to be ideal—something that has often eluded this meeting, which has seen “soft” going in most previous editions.
The supporting races also promise star quality. Field Of Gold, joint-second in the global rankings, leads the field in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, while Lazzat, one of the world’s top sprinters, targets the Champions Sprint. Trawlerman, the highest-rated stayer in the world, is expected to dominate the Long Distance Cup despite a small field.
Yet, despite its prestige and depth, Ascot’s Champions Day continues to face challenges in cementing its status on the international calendar. Sandwiched between France’s Arc weekend and the Breeders’ Cup in the US—both offering higher prize money and guaranteed firm ground—its timing limits global participation. Ireland’s Champions Festival in September occupies a more favourable slot, leaving Ascot to battle for attention.
Still, with its richest-ever card, a stellar lineup, and conditions that favour fast, thrilling racing, the 2025 edition of Champions Day stands as one of the most exciting in the event’s history. Racing fans, both at Ascot and around the world, are in for a classic showdown worthy of the title “Champion.”
