We had an amazing day of racing in Australia on Saturday and at Ascot in the UK overnight the champagne racing continued with British Champions Day featuring a blockbuster card of five Group I races with some familiar names and two newly minted G1 winners.
The highlight at Ascot was the Qatar Racing Champion Stakes (1m2f) with a showdown between Night of Thunder stallion Ombudsman running for Godolphin and 2025 European Horse of the Year Calandagan, who won this race last year.
They ran the quinella last year, but the John and Thady Gosden trained Ombudsman turned the tables this time for William Buick to win by a commanding three and three-quarter lengths.
WHAT A HORSE! ?? OMBUDSMAN WINS THE QATAR RACING CHAMPION STAKES! https://t.co/shBm5WT1pb
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 17, 2026
Ombudsman was purchased for 340,000 guineas from the Tattersalls October Book 2 Yearling Sale for Godolphin by Stroud Coleman Bloodstock.
His overall record stands at 10 wins from 14 starts and his victory will ensure his sire Night of Thunder is Champion Sire in the UK for 2026.
The Group I Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (1m) produced another victory for Godolphin but this time with homebred Wootton Bassett 3YO colt Talk of New York trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by William Buick.
The supplementary entry pays dividends! ?? TALK OF NEW YORK wins the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes! https://t.co/Clw2EIsJWs
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 17, 2026
A Group II winner previously and competitive with the best of his generation, Talk of New York scored a career best win when beating Group I winners Ten Bob Tony and Rayif to win by a length and a quarter.
He is the 23rd G1 winner for the late Wootton Bassett and is the best of three winners from three to race from Group winning Shamardal mare Usherette.
The Group I British Champions Filly and Mare Stakes (1m4f) was won by Team Coolmore with last year’s Champion 3YO Filly Minnie Hauk back to her best for Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore after an unplaced run in the Arc.
Minnie Hauk wins the Qatar Racing British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes Sending our thoughts to connections of Danielle, who suffered an injury in the closing stages. https://t.co/QwrYVAOYob
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 17, 2026
By champion sire Frankel, Minnie Hauk was purchased by MV Magnier for €1.85million at the Goffs Orby Sale from the Camas Park Stud draft and topped the sale. MV Magnier purchased her ayearling half-sister by Justify at the same sale this year for €1.4million.
Bred by Ben Sangster, Minnie Hauk has won seven of 15 starts and is a half-sister to Group II winner Tilsit from blue-blood Dansili mare Multilingual, a sibling to 2014 European Horse of the Year and champion sire Kingman and Group IIII winner Remote from Group I winner Zenda.
The Group I British Champions Sprint Stakes (6f) was won by Dark Angel stallion Almeraq, a homebred for Shadwell trained by William Haggas and ridden by Tom Marquand.
He is the horse that beat Satono Reve and Australia’s champion sprinter Joliestar at Royal Ascot and claimed his third G1 sprint victory this year when taking out this with a late surging win.
Almeraq chases down Paborus to win the Qatar Racing British Champions Sprint Stakes! ?? @TomMarquand @WilliamHaggas https://t.co/8hRdfPl8xM
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 17, 2026
Almeraq has six wins from 10 starts and is the best of two winners from Manaajim, an unraced half-sister by Muhaarar to Group I winning sprinter Fairyland and Group winning mare Now or Later, who came to Australia winning the Group II VRC Blazer Stakes.
She is now at stud here with Yulong and produced her first foal this spring, a colt by Lucky Vega (IRE).
It’s a high class European speed family with third dam Land of Dreams a brilliant Group winning sprinter and dam of 2011 Champion Sprinter Dream Ahead, who shuttled to Australia for seven seasons.
Almeraq is another multiple G1 winner for Dark Angel, who is having a growing influence in Australia through his son Harry Angel (IRE), while his Champion Miler Charyn (IRE) is an exciting new addition for Cambridge Stud in New Zealand this spring.
The Group I British Champions Long Distance Cup (2m) was won by Mount Atlas, a 33-1 shot trained by Andrew Balding and ridden by PJ McDonald.
A HUGE result for @AndrewBalding2! MOUNT ATLAS strikes in the Qatar Racing British Champions Long Distance Cup... https://t.co/uB1e1jOV0T
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 17, 2026
The five year old gelding by Epsom Derby winner Masar has been super consistent this year and had not missed a place in five runs coming into this and duly stepped up again for a three-quarter length win.
Mount Atlas has five wins from 19 starts and is the first G1 winner among three stakes-winners sired by Masar and is the best of three winners from Highland Pass, a winning half-sister top Group I winner Elm Park.
