Group One Champion Stakes Ascot Guide 2024

Seven-year-old Iresine arrives at Ascot this weekend for the Champion Stakes on the back of finishing first of five in the Group Two Prix Foy at ParisLongchamp last month. She's won six times in the last couple of years in France.

She's been super consistent throughout her career, including victory in the G1 Prix Ganay so she should compete well on her first start in the UK.

Anmaat is the next horse in the Group One Champion Stakes, trained by Owen Burrows. The six-year-old won a G1 at Longchamp in the last few years but arrives here on the back of finishing fifth in a G2 at the same course.

Before that, he won five of her last seven runs, including the G3 Rose Of Lancaster and also another G1 at Longchamp in May. He could go well if in the same form but was poor last time out.

Nashwa is a smart filly who has won three Group One races in her career, but has lost her way of late. Her last six outings figures-wise read 323695, with the ninth and fifth-place finishes coming this term at Meydan and Newmarket.

Her last win in the Falmouth Stakes was over a year ago and she's struggled to replicate the form of a few years ago this time round. Competitive on her day but she needs big improvement.

Four-year-old Royal Rhyme travels to Ascot on the back of finishing seventh of eight in the G1 Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown last month. The colt last won in May this term, in a G3 race at Sandown.

Since then, he is on the back of a poor run of form, consisting of finishes of fifth here, last of four at York, sixth of 13 at the same course and that outing at Leopardstown lto. Not discounted at higher odds.

The market outsider for the Group One Champion Stakes at Ascot this weekend is Novus. The four-year-old not long ago won a Listed race at Goodwood but was well held when 13th in a G3 at Newmarket lto.

It would be a huge surprise if the filly managed to win here off a price of 100/1. Nothing recently suggests this is a level she can compete at.

Aidan O'Brien's first runner in the Group One Champion Stakes is Continuous, a four-year-old colt who won the G1 St Leger at Doncaster last September, ahead of 11/4 favourite Arrest.

He's not been in the same form since, winning just once at Curragh in the Group Three Royal Whip Stakes back in August. A 15th-place finish at ParisLongchamp lto does not give punters too much encouragement either.

Richard Hannon's three-year-old Persica is next up, with the colt winning his latest outing at Ayr in a Listed outing last month. He also boasts a third-place finish at Windsor and another win at Sandown over the last few months as well.

He has really stepped up as a three-year-old and can continue to progress here with a good run, but this is a much bigger test for him.

Harry Charlton saddles King's Gambit in the Group One Champion Stakes at Ascot this Saturday, who finished third of five in the G2 Voltigeur Stakes at York in August. He's performed well at this sort of level in recent times, finishing in the top three of races three times in a row.

Both his wins have come at Newbury in lesser contests than this, and this is much tougher.

Aidan O'Brien's number one hope for the Champion Stakes on Champions Day at Ascot is Los Angeles. The three-year-old boasts five wins in his career so far, including success at York and Curragh. Both of those came at Group One and Group Two level.

He arrives here on the back of finishing third at Longchamp in a G1 lto. He should be there or thereabouts.

The favourite for the Champions Stakes at Ascot is Calandagan, trained by Francis Graffard. The three-year-old has never finished out of the top three in races since his debut, including victories at Chantilly, ParisLongchamp (twice) and Royal Ascot.

The latter of those victories came in a G2 race here in June, when he was priced at 11/2. He's the one to beat here on form, if handling the ground.

The penultimate runner in the Group One Champion Stakes is See The Fire, trained by Andrew Balding. The three-year-old finished second in a Group One race at Goodwood back in August, behind Aidan O'Brien's Opera Singer.

Since then, she finished first at York in the Group Three Strensall Stakes, and a good third in the G1 Chariot at Newmarket earlier this month. Back in open company here, which is tougher.

The final runner in the Group One Champion Stakes at Ascot this weekend is Economics, trained by William Haggas. The three-year-old arrives at Champions Day after four straight wins this term, at Newbury, York, Deauville and Leopardstown.

After finishing fourth on debut at Newmarket, he is looking for a fifth win in a row and he should be able to compete for that here after winning the Group One Irish Champion Stakes lto.