Calandagan draws clear to win the Champion Stakes

Ascot World Pool tips: Graham Cunningham's Champions Day preview

Horse Racing

Fri October 16, 2026 · 6h ago

Graham Cunningham sets the scene for Ascot on Champions Day before underlining his World Pool plays.

Caland again the call as equine stars align for Champs Day

The World Pool’s European tour for 2026 comes to an end at Ascot on Saturday and the five G1 contests on Qatar Racing British Champions Day will divide opinion.

Almeraq and Kalpana have something to spare if they produce their very best, but the QEII looks much more open and last year’s Champion Stakes principals Calandagan and Ombudsman have a couple of new shooters to contend with this time around.

History shows that all things are possible on the last major day of the European Flat season.

Key form players will surely have a big say in multiple races, but Saturday’s fields are deep enough to offer loads of Quinella potential for those who look beyond the obvious.

1.30: LONG DISTANCE CUP (3200m)

Can the giantkiller strike again?

No strong view here as the horse who beat Scandinavia in France recently takes on an intriguing mix of relative newcomers to the G1 staying scene.

Caballo De Mar’s gutsy Cadran success means he is unbeaten in three G1s at Longchamp, but he’ll need to be very tough to hit that level again just two weeks on and Gregory and Highwayman look solid alternatives.

Gregory has returned from a long absence in tremendous form, winning a couple of Listed races and powering clear at Newmarket last month, while Highwayman steps up in trip after winning the St Leger emphatically.

If pushed, I’d take Gregory on top with Highwayman as the danger. But this looks wide open, with several of the longer shots hard to rule out, and the 6/1 about the Gosden beast is long gone now.

2.05: CHAMPIONS SPRINT (1200m)

Almeraq wins the Sprint Cup

Will Almeraq cement his champion sprinter status?

On balance, he looks very hard to oppose.

True, this race has thrown up a series of shocks, peaking with Powerful Glory’s 200-1 success twelve months ago, and conditions will be faster than when ALMERAQ pulverised his Haydock Sprint Cup rivals last month.

But the Haggas colt showed he handles a faster surface when getting up late to thwart a global quartet at Royal Ascot and this weekend’s main danger disappeared when Donnacha O’Brien decided not to run fellow dual G1 winner Comanche Brave.

The Quinella spots are up for grabs and PABORUS, best of the rest at Haydock when well clear of the others, makes more appeal than most. But Almeraq looked every inch a top sprinter at Haydock and I reckon he can prove himself a worthy king of the 1200m division again.

2.40: FILLIES & MARES (2400m)

What can beat Kalpana as she bids to win this for a third time?

Perhaps a little fatigue is setting in after some demanding assignments, including when scrambling home in the Yorkshire Oaks and a below-par fifth in the Arc.

But Kalpana has made smart rivals look ordinary in this race for the last two years and her King George defeat of Calandagan – and the 124 rating she achieved there – makes her a must for Quinella slips.

Now to find the strongest alternative.

Sparan Nua charged late to get within a short head of Kalpana at York and Lilt will attract support after chasing home Thundering On over 2000m at the Curragh, but the Oaks winner’s stablemate JOHANNA WALSH looks the one to capitalise if the favourite doesn’t bring her A-game.

Still lightly raced after just six runs, this filly thrived during the summer and took advantage of Thundering On’s absence to win the Irish Oaks with real authority. Holding ground seemed to find her out at York but she looks well worth another chance to prove that she’s very much at home in G1 company.

3.20: QEII STAKES (1600m)

Ten Bob Tony (right) gets the better of More Thunder (left) and Opera Ballo at Royal Ascot

Is Gstaad poised to bounce back?

Talk of the Guineas, St James’s Palace and Sussex runner-up moving up to 2000m for the Champion Stakes has come to nothing and he sticks at a mile for a QEII that could prove every bit as open as early 3/1 the field quotes suggest.

On balance, I’m inclined to pass on Gstaad, who may have been rusty after a break in the Moulin but didn’t go like a horse who’s ready to win a race like this.

But the Quinella looks worth a crack here and TEN BOB TONY, TALK OF NEW YORK and ZEUS OLYMPIOS are the trio who make most appeal.

Ten Bob Tony extended his run of fine efforts in high-class company with an excellent second to up-and-coming Eredenali in the Moulin and his 50/1 Queen Anne success shows that a strong gallop over Ascot’s straight mile suits him very well indeed.

He looks a solid win and place option, while Talk Of New York looks well worth this return to G1 company after a runaway Newmarket win and Queen Anne fourth Zeus Olympios is another to have on your side at double figure odds after racing closer to the pace than the winner when pipped by Rayif in the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville.

4.00: CHAMPION STAKES (2000m)

Same again for the Calandagan v Ombudsman rematch?

Bay City Roller adds a new layer of intrigue after his gallant Arc second and Constitution River can’t be ruled out if he can iron out the kinks in his racing manners that proved costly in defeat at York and Leopardstown.

But last year’s principals stand out at their best and, for all that Ombudsman was commanding over course and distance at Royal Ascot, I suspect CALANDAGAN can emulate Cracksman as a dual winner of this Ascot autumn highlight.

It’s true to say the French raider hasn’t quite hit his very best this year – including when chasing Kalpana home in the King George – but Saturday’s conditions look perfect and the fact that Ombudsman has Devil’s Advocate to make the pace again helps him, too.

His sustained turn of foot can settle things late with Soumillon replacing the suspended Barzalona, while Ombudsman and Constitution River are the two to side with if you’re aiming to snag the Trifecta.

4.35: BALMORAL HANDICAP (1600m)

Hungry Haggas to strike again in the nightcap?

Most of the most appealing form contenders are drawn middle to high in the Champs Day nightcap and SCOVILLE tops the short list ahead of GAVRIEL, EBT’S GUARD and EXCELLENT BELIEVE.

Gavriel is still on the up after his honourable Cambridgeshire fourth, while last year’s runner-up Ebt’s Guard is a byword for consistency and Excellent Believe has caught the eye with no luck on both his starts since joining progressive Irish handler Stephen Thorne.

All three have plenty to recommend them but William Haggas has won two of the last five Balmorals and SCOVILLE clicked in style at Doncaster, ridden with much more restraint than when seventh in the Hunt Cup in June then quickening smartly to beat the bang-in-form Moonfall and Ebt’s Guard with a little in hand.

A 4lb rise for that looks very fair indeed. Add in the prospect of further progress now connections have found the best way to ride him and Scoville looks sure to give his followers a big run for their money.

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Ascot World Pool tips: Graham Cunningham's Champions Day preview