Saturday racing blog replay | All the news as it unfolded on QIPCO British Champions day at Ascot

Champions Day Blog Replay

All times BST...

1657: It has been a tremendous QIPCO British Champions Day. Cracksman the undoubted star. Frankel's first European G1, Frankie's first Champion Stakes. A QEII-Champion Stakes double for John Gosden, not a bad afternoon's work. Storm Brian brough a bit of darkness hovering above Ascot, but dashing greys Librisa Breeze, Persuasive and Lord Glitters helped to light things up as well. And we haven't even mentioned Aidan O'Brien, who registers a double with Order Of St George and Hydrangea, who brought him level with Bobby Frankel's world record of 25 G1s in a calendar year. He'll have it in his own right soon.

Thanks for joining us, the blog will be back next Saturday. Until then...

1650: Watch Lord Glitters. Just watch him. All that Glitters is gold.

1645: Just a stunning performance from Lord Glitters. That is a Group One horse. David O'Meara has done it with French imports Mondialiste, for the same owners, and Suedois, and this is another top-level winner in waiting. He's won that through pure class. Held up out the back, he was stone last late into the contest but he's come from the back to win in the dying strides like a very classy operator. GM Hopkins ensures John Gosden has trained the runner-up in every single renewal of this race. Four in a row. Incredible scenes. Wow.

1630 Result: Balmoral Handicap

1st LORD GLITTERS 3/1fav
2nd GM Hopkins 20/1
3rd Dark Red 25/1
4th Accidental Agent 12/1

1630: The Balmoral Handicap closes a brilliant card next, though there'll inevitably be a delay again with things running late and plenty to load.

I'll be hoping John Gosden can complete a quick-fire treble here with Linguistic, but Lord Glitters is the one to beat after his fantastic stable debut in the Challenge Cup here a few weeks ago.

David O'Meara's grey heads the betting and it could be a day for the greys following the exploits of Librisa Breeze and Persuasive earlier on the card.

Unsurprisingly, Frankie Dettori is being backed while hes on a roll. Qassem is being nibbled as I type...

1623: Just watched it again with eyes away from Cracksman. Highland Reel has run a phenomenal race on ground he hates. What a horse.

1614: This was class.

1612: A word for his old man, as well, Frankel. The best racehorse we've ever seen, he's proving to be a pretty good stallion as well. That, you sense, is the first of many European Group Ones for his progeny.

1611: And just think. They say he'll be even better as a four-year-old.

1610: I must admit, I thought 13/8 was a terrible price. At this trip, he had plenty to prove. But stamina has been a prerequisite today and in the very testing conditions things have fallen in his favour. And he's proved the doubters wrong in style. It's Frankie Dettori's first Champion Stakes. John Gosden has played a blinder with Enable and Cracksman this season and, whatever you think he should've done, he's come away with the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and Champion Stakes trophies. Sensational training.

1605: Cracksman has absolutely annihilated them in the Champion Stakes. My oh my what a performance. He's just galloped them into the ground and won by half the track, nothing got near him. A brilliant, brilliant performance.

1550 Result: QIPCO Champion Stakes

1st CRACKSMAN 13/8fav
2nd Poet's Word 7/1
3rd Highland Reel 17/2

1559: Almost 10 minutes after the scheduled off time, they're going behind for the Champion Stakes. Cracksman your 13/8 favourite...

1547: The Champion Stakes next and the bookies are 13/8 Cracksman on the back of that Frankie Dettori winner.

Can the son of Frankel deny the son of Excelebration Barney Roy? Can Aidan O'Brien break that world record with Highland Reel or Cliffs Of Moher?

Or can the French finally get on the board today with Brametot? And then there's Poet's Word for Sir Michael Stoute, a typical older, quiet improver. Maybe he's the reason Ulysses is not here...

1540: There will be no Sporting Life Pick 7 champion today, though. Try again next week!

1537: Champions crowned today...

Champion Jockey... Silvestre de Sousa
Champion trainer... Aidan O'Brien
Champion owner... Godolphin

1532: Gosden says: "She's got her ground today and absolutely sluiced through it. It's very important for stud."

1532: The master trainer watches on...

1530: Huge gamble landed in the QEII as the very-well backed Persuasive comes through stylishly under Frankie Dettori to wear down Ribchester and win her first Group One pretty comfortably.

Ribchester was cruising under William Buick and the jockey went for home early, striking the front just inside the final two furlongs while Frankie crept into things in behind.

It's fantastic for Cheveley Park who always seem to roll the dice with their best horses at this time of year but I wonder what Aidan O'Brien will be thinking. His Roly Poly smashed up Persuasive in the Sun Chariot two weeks ago... was this one G1 that got away?

1515 Result: Queen Elizabeth II Stakes

1st PERSUASIVE 8/1
2nd Ribchester 2/1fav
3rd Churchill 9/2

1521: Still not off for the QEII. Just six minutes late so far. They're slowly going behind. They'll be going straight from Ed Chamberlin to the judges houses stage on X Factor on ITV at this rate.

1516: Huge gamble on course on Persuasive. 20/1 into 17/2 for Cheveley Park, John Gosden and Frankie Dettori...

1510: The narrative changes a bit now as it would be typical O'Brien to rock up on Champions Day and nab that world record outright.

Churchill is his best chance in the upcoming QEII, although this could be where Godolphin land a blow of their own with outstanding miler Ribchester heading the market.

Andrew Balding's Here Comes When beat Richard Fahey's horse in awful conditions in the Sussex Stakes, but the stable seem to have an even stronger challenger in the form of improver Beat The Bank.

Another interesting one is French raider Al Wukair, the Guineas third who got back on track at Deauville last time...

1501: Here's the video of Hydrangea winning the Fillies & Mares and equalling that record...

1449: Genius.

1448: "We're a small link in the chain," O'Brien tells Racing UK. Forever modest, but we all know he's one of the most important links there is at Ballydoyle, along with Galileo, for example. It had to be Galileo progeny that brought him level, didn't it, and his daughter Hydrangea has delivered in style on the big stage.

1446: Hydrangea improves for the step up in trip in the Fillies & Mares and she just pulls out more to see off the thriving Bateel in the battle for the line.

And, with that, Aidan O'Brien has won 25 Group Ones in the calendar year. He's equalled Bobby Frankel's 2003 world record and he's time to break it yet this afternoon...

1440 Result: QIPCO Fillies & Mares Stakes

1st HYDRANGEA 4/1
2nd Bateel 7/4 fav
3rd Coronet 11/2

1431: We have a very well-backed favourite in the upcoming Fillies & Mares at 2.40 in the shape of French raider Bateel.

It's easy to see why. She's the best horse in the race, has her ideal conditions and comes into this in the form of her life, beating one of her main rivals today pretty easily last time.

Facile for Bateel?

1415: Librisa Breeze, the beautiful beast...

1410: A magnificent horse race between a handful of Grade A sprinters and it's Ascot specialist Librisa Breeze that finally lands a big one in a thriller. They set it up for him and though Harry Angel was restrained early in a bid not to get involved in a barging match the Ballydoyle contingent did indeed ensure this was run at a good clip. Nothing travelled better than Librisa Breeze, who tanked through the race on ground he likes and he finally got the breaks today, muscling his way past Caravaggio to get in the clear and roar clear for a deserved success. It was too much of a test for Harry Angel today on this ground, with Tasleet and Caravaggio filling the places.

1400 Result: QIPCO British Champions Sprint

1st LIBRISA BREEZE 10/1
2nd Tasleet 10/1
3rd Caravaggio 9/2

1352: It's the Sprint coming up at 2.00 and what an exceptional renewal we have in store. Harry Angel, the brilliant July Cup and Sprint Cup winner takes on his old foe Caravaggio who got the better of him at this track in the Commonwealth Cup. Then we have last year's Commonwealth Cup and Sprint Cup winner Quiet Reflection, as well as Ascot specialist The Tin Man, reigning champion in this race and this year's Diamond Jubilee winner. This is a proper Group One.

1345: And here's the video of those dramatic closing stages in the opener..

1341: Just in time...

1335: Looking at that result you might think it was all pretty straightforward, but that is far from the truth in a highly dramatic start to Champions Day proceedings. It's a real struggle on the ground for many, with Big Orange scrubbed along very early and it was Jessica Harrington's 25/1 chance Torcedor that looked to have the race in the bag inside the final two furlongs.

He kicked a couple of lengths clear and Order Of St George didn't look like making any inroads (traded as high as 220 in-running on Betfair) until the last furlong when his stamina reservations really kicked in. He just got there in time, winning by half-a-length, with Stradivarius running on for third behind poor old Torcedor who looked to have the race in the bag.

1325 Result: QIPCO Long Distance Cup

1st ORDER OF ST GEORGE (4/5fav)
2nd Torcedor 25/1
3rd Stradivarius 4/1

1318: Today's Tips

Plenty of Champions Day advice from our range of tipsters today. Here they are all in one snapshot:

Value Bets
1.25 - Duretto & Dartmouth
2.00 - Librisa Breeze
4.30 - Linguistic

Simon Holt
3.15 - Ribchester
3.50 - Poet's Word
4.30 - The Grape Escape

Catching Pigeons
3.15 - Beat The Bank
3.50 - Cracksman
4.30 - Lord Glitters

Oli Bell
2.00 - Quiet Reflection
3.15 - Beat The Bank
4.30 - Speculative Bid

Mike Cattermole
1.25 - Stradivarius
2.40 - Bateel
3.50 - Poet's Word

1303: So, here we go. Just 25 minutes until the Long Distance Cup. I wonder if the 3YOs can have a major say in this? Both Stradivarius and Desert Skyline have taken advantage of the weight-for-age allowances this season and they get the chance to do so again very shortly...

1300: Frankel spanked Excelebration on the inaugural Champions Day six years ago, but I wonder what will happen in the battle between their sons this afternoon?

Cracksman represents Frankel as the sire looks for his first European Group One from one of his progeny. He's made a great start at stud, but this would be some sweet icing on that early cake.

As for Excelebration, Barney Roy is running for him. He's already won a Group One, in the St James's Palace Stakes, but he does have his stamina, over the combination of 10 furlongs and soft ground, to prove today.

The Champion Stakes isn't just about those two, of course. But the Frankel v Excelebration battle, that the former won emphatically on the track, has extended into the bloodstock world. And we could see a key moment in that match-up in a few hours time.

Here's a reminder of what happened in the dads' race back in 2011:

1235: WIN A £25 FREE BET EASILY KLAXON. We’re giving you the chance to win one of four free £25 bets with Sky Bet via Facebook. Simply like Sporting Life's Facebook page AND share the competition post before commenting with who you think will win the Champion Stakes (click here to view full racecard). We will then randomly pick four of the correct entries to receive a free £25 bet! If you don't have a Sky Bet account yet, you can click here to sign up for free.

1225: A whopping £100,000 up for grabs in the Sporting Life Pick 7 today, all six from Champions Day and one from Catterick.

Click here to play - it's free to play/register for the first time. And if you're struggling with a race or two Alex Hammond is on hand to help...

1215: A round-up from the Sky Bet traders now with market movers from the major meetings and a tip from the trading desk as well. They've turned their back on Champions Day in favour of one of Charlie Longsdon's at Market Rasen...

Ascot

2.40 – Bateel 2/1 from 9/4
3.50 – Brametot 5/1 from 13/2
4.30 – Lord Glitters 7/2 from 9/2

Stratford

2.30 – Miss Night Owl 10/3 from 9/2
4.10 – Wish In A Well 6/1 from 8/1
4.45 – The Black Squirrel 10/3 from 13/2
5.45 – Sultana Belle 5/1 from 28/1

Ffos Las

2.10 – Arian 10/3 from 11/2
4.25 – Clyne 15/8 from 9/4
5.00 – Lime Street 7/2 from 10/1

Trader Tip

Market Rasen 4.00 – Western Miller

Charlie Longsdon’s multiple hurdle winner improved markedly when landing his chase debut with a bold front-running display. Showed plenty of zest with his jumping however fell on his next start when a very warm favourite. Turning out pretty quickly today after that reversal and hopefully can regain winning ways if none the worse for the fall.

1204: The calm before the storm?

1155: There has been more rain at Ascot and it is getting into the ground. The going is now Soft, Heavy in places and clerk of the course Chris Stickels told Racing UK earlier (just before the going change):

"We've had 15mm of rain this week. Actually, this month we’ve only had about 17 mm and most of it has fallen in the last few days.

"When I walked it at 6am we were soft and we’ve had a few showers since so I’ll walk it again shortly. It's borderline heavy now on the round course.

"There are blustery showers forecast all day and we’ve had some this morning I wasn’t expecting.

"We’re expecting it to get quite windy. The gusts are forecast to get up to 45mph nearly. It will affect them, there will be a headwind as they turn in up the straight.

"The far side (strip of ground) is saved from the mile start to the two pole, so the best of the ground will be middle to far side and I’d imagine they'll stay to that area."

So, things to bear in mind this afternoon. It's going to be very testing. If you're going racing, take a mac, not a brolley. Strap your hat under your chin. And consider low numbers (far side) may have a ground advantage in the closing mile handicap.

1145: Storm Brian might be bringing a bit of rain and a bit of wind, but nothing can dampen spirits ahead of a great day's racing like today's. It's QIPCO British Champions Day, I'm Ben Linfoot, and I'll be bringing you all the latest on a card that features Order Of St George, Big Orange, Harry Angel, Caravaggio, Ribchester, Churchill, Cracksman, Barney Roy and Brametot.

There aren't many stars from the European racing scene missing today. Perhaps Enable, Ulysses and Winter, but everything else is here and today is set to do what it has always set out to do and that's crown champions at the end of a long season.

It is a bit more complicated than that, though. This day is all about peaking at the end of a long season and fitness and freshness and being at the top of your game can account for a classier horse with much better form. That's one theory, anyway. Stay tuned for more theories as well as the latest news, previews and more before the action unfolds this afternoon.