Champion Stakes

The Group 1 Champion Stakes is the feature race on British Champions Day at Ascot.

The Champion Stakes takes place on Saturday 21st October 2023.

It was transferred from Newmarket in 2011 and was Britain’s richest horse race in 2013 with prize money of £1.3 million.

Famous winners include Sir Ivor (1968), Brigadier Gerard (1971, 1972), Pebbles (1985) and Frankel (2012).

Find out more about The Champion Stakes:

Champion Stakes

Race Overview – The Champion Stakes

The Champion Stakes is an all-aged race over ten furlongs and is the highlight of Champions Day at Ascot in October.

Ascot is one of the fairest racecourses in Britain and there are no excuses for beaten horses in this event.

The going can be quite testing at this time of year so the race can produce an occasional upset.

Famous Champion Stakes Winners & History

The Champion Stakes was first run in 1877 at Newmarket with victory going to the four-year-old Springfield.

Tristan won the race for a record three successive seasons from 1882 to 1884, remarkably adjudged to have dead-heated for two of those wins.

The Champion Stakes quickly became established as a target for Classic winners and famous early winners include Rockfel (1938), Nearula (1953) and Petite Etoile (1959).

In 1970, English Triple Crown winner Nijinsky (4-11 favourite) suffered a shock defeat here to Lorenzaccio. The Champion Stakes was immediately classed as a Group 1 when the race grading system was introduced in 1971.

Brigadier Gerard won it in 1971 and 1972 while subsequent dual winners include Triptych (1986, 1987) and Alborada (1998, 1999).

Triptych was one of several high-class mares to win here, including Time Charter (1982) and Pebbles (1985).

Clive Brittain trained Pebbles for Sheikh Mohammed who bought the 1000 Guineas winner from Captain Marcos Lemos. She became the first British-trained winner of a Breeders’ Cup race when taking the Breeders’ Cup Turf under Pat Eddery.

The late Khalid Abdullah enjoyed a great run of success in the Champion Stakes, winning it four times between 2009 and 2014.

Twice Over (2009, 2010), Frankel (2012) and Noble Mission (2014) all carried his famous pink, white and green colours to victory.

Frankel’s victory was his fourteenth and final racecourse appearance. Sir Henry Cecil let him take his chance despite the very testing conditions. He was not at his brilliant best but still proved too good for reigning champion Cirrus des Aigles.

There was an emotional win in 2014 for Frankel’s younger brother, Noble Mission, trained by Henry’s widow Lady Cecil.

Key Champion Stakes Trials for the Champion Stakes

The most informative races for the Champion Stakes in recent seasons have been the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp.

Both Magical (2018) and Sealiway (2021) had finished out of the money in the Arc on their previous start before winning here.

Almanzor won the Irish Champion Stakes in good style before following up in this race for France in 2018. Magical (2020) followed the same route but finished third when attempting to repeat her 2019 success.

Champion Stakes Betting Trends

There have been five winning favourites of the Champion Stakes in the past twelve seasons; Frankel (2-11), Almanzor (11-8), Cracksman (13-8 and 5-6) and Magical (Even money).

Twice Over (2010) and Farhh (2013) both started as second favourites with the remaining five winners all outside the first three in the betting.

The longest-priced winners during that period were Cirrus des Aigles (2011) and Sealiway (2021) who both returned at 12-1.

Fascinating Rock was a 10-1 chance when scoring for Dermot Weld and the late Pat Smullen in 2015.

Champion Stakes Stats

There has been no dominant age group in recent years.

Almanzor, Cracksman and Sealiway won as three-year-olds but there have been plenty of winners aged four and five.

Addeybb won the race as a six-year-old for William Haggas and Tom Marquand in 2020. He was the first to do so since Pride (2006) but you have to go way back to the seven-year-old Bendigo (1887) to find the previous winner older than five.

This is a contest for top-class horses with all but one of the last twelve winners having already won at least once in a Group 1 or Group 2 race.

A rating of 117 or higher is usually required to win the Champion Stakes.

Noble Mission and Sealiway were both on that mark while Frankel (140) was the highest-rated horse going into the race, almost a stone higher than any other winner during that period.

Champion Stakes 2023 Odds

Below are the 2023 odds for the Champion Stakes:

Qipco Champion Stakes
  • Date: Saturday 15th of October 2022
  • Time: 16:20
  • Details: 7 Runners
Baaeed
1/4
Adayar
7/2
Bay Bridge
8/1
Royal Champion
25/1
Stone Age
50/1
Mac Swiney
66/1
High Definition
100/1

Champion Stakes Tips

Below are our tips for the Champion Stakes 2023:

  • 2 points to win for TBC at odds of TBC
  • 1 point each way for TBC at odds of TBC

Champion Stakes Previous Winners

Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Time
1877Springfield4Tom Cannon Sr.James RyanJ H Houldsworth
1878Jannette3Fred ArcherMathew Dawson6th Viscount Falmouth
1879Rayon d'Or3J GoaterTom JenningsFrederic de Lagrange
1880Robert the Devil3E RossiterCharles BlantonCharles Brewer2:10.0
1881Bend Or4Fred ArcherRobert Peck1st Duke of Westminster2:23.6
1882[a](dh)TristanThebais44Fred ArcherGeorge FordhamTom JenningsAlec Taylor Sr.C J LefevreWilliam Stirling Crawfurd
1883Tristan5Frederic WebbTom JenningsC J Lefevre
1884[a](dh)TristanLucerne64Frederic WebbTom Cannon Sr.Tom JenningsAlfred HayhoeC J LefevreLeopold de Rothschild
1885Paradox3Fred ArcherJohn PorterWilliam Broderick Cloete
1886Ormonde3Fred ArcherJohn Porter1st Duke of Westminster2:19.0
1887Bendigo7John WattsCharles JousiffeH T Barclay
1888Friar's Balsam3George BarrettJohn PorterSir Frederick Johnstone
1889Gold3D HuntTom JenningsPrince Soltykoff
1890Amphion4Tom Cannon Sr.J ChandlerGeneral Byrne2:10.2
1891Orion3George BarrettJohn Porter1st Duke of Westminster
1892Orme3George BarrettJohn Porter1st Duke of Westminster2:18.8
1893Le Nicham3Tommy LoatesAlfred HayhoeLeopold de Rothschild
1894La Fleche5John WattsRichard MarshMaurice de Hirsch
1895Laveno3F FinlayJames RyanJ H Houldsworth
1896Labrador3Mornington CannonJohn Porter1st Duke of Westminster
1897Velasquez3Charles WoodW Walters, Jnr.5th Earl of Rosebery
1898Velasquez4Charles WoodCharles Wood5th Earl of Rosebery
1899Dieudonne4Mornington CannonRichard Marsh8th Duke of Devonshire
1900Solitaire4Lester ReiffF W DaySir Ernest Cassel
1901Osboch3Danny MaherRichard Marsh4th Baron Wolverton
1902Veles4Skeets MartinRobert Sherwood Jr.Sir R W Griffith
1903Sceptre4F W HardyAlec Taylor Jr.Sir William Bass
1904Bachelor's Button5William HalseyCharles PeckSolomon Joel
1905Pretty Polly4Danny MaherPeter GilpinEustace Loder
1906Polymelus4Danny MaherCharles PeckSolomon Joel
1907Galvani3Bernard DillonPeter GilpinEustace Loder
1908Llangwm3Danny MaherWilliam WaughB Walker
1909Bayardo3Danny MaherAlec Taylor Jr.Alfred W. Cox
1910Lemberg3Danny MaherAlec Taylor Jr.Alfred W. Cox
1911Lemberg4Frank WoottonAlec Taylor Jr.Alfred W. Cox
1912Stedfast4Frank WoottonGeorge Lambton17th Earl of Derby
1913Tracery4Albert WhalleyJohn WatsonAugust Belmont Jr.
1914Hapsburg3Cornelius FoyWilliam HalseySir Ernest Cassel
1915Let Fly3Fred RickabyF LeaderWilliam Hall Walker
1916Clarissimus3Frank BullockWilliam Waugh7th Viscount Falmouth
1917Gay Crusader3Steve DonoghueAlec Taylor Jr.Alfred W. Cox
1918My Dear3Steve DonoghueAlec Taylor Jr.Alfred W. Cox
1919Buchan3Jack BrennanAlec Taylor Jr.Waldorf Astor
1920Orpheus3Felix Leach Jr.Felix LeachHugo Cunliffe-Owen
1921Orpheus4H GrayFelix LeachHugo Cunliffe-Owen
1922Franklin4Steve DonoghueRichard Dawson5th Earl of Carnarvon
1923Ellangowan3Charlie ElliottJack Jarvis5th Earl of Rosebery
1924Pharos4Tommy WestonGeorge Lambton17th Earl of Derby
1925Picaroon3Frank BullockAlec Taylor Jr.Alexander Robb Cox
1926Warden of the Marches4Joe ChildsFred Darling5th Earl of Lonsdale
1927Asterus3Charlie ElliottSam DarlingMarcel Boussac
1928Fairway3Tommy WestonFrank Butters17th Earl of Derby
1929Fairway4Tommy WestonFrank Butters17th Earl of Derby
1930Rustom Pasha3Harry WraggRichard DawsonAga Khan III
1931Goyescas3Charlie ElliottBasil JarvisMarcel Boussac
1932Cameronian4Gordon RichardsFred DarlingJohn Arthur Dewar
1933[a](dh)DasturChatelaine43Michael BearyGordon RichardsFrank ButtersFred TemplemanAga Khan IIIErnest Thornton-Smith
1934Umidwar3Freddie FoxFrank ButtersAga Khan III
1935Wychwood Abbot4Dick PerrymanTed LeaderO Watney
1936Wychwood Abbot5Dick PerrymanTed LeaderO Watney
1937Flares4Harry WraggCecil Boyd-RochfortWilliam Woodward Sr.
1938Rockfel3Harry WraggOssie BellHugo Cunliffe-Owen
1940Hippius3Eph SmithJack Jarvis6th Earl of Rosebery
1941Hippius4Eph SmithJack Jarvis6th Earl of Rosebery
1942Big Game3Gordon RichardsFred DarlingKing George VI
1943Nasrullah3Gordon RichardsFrank ButtersAga Khan III
1944Hycilla3Billy NevettCecil Boyd-RochfortWilliam Woodward Sr.
1945Court Martial3Cliff RichardsJoe Lawson2nd Viscount Astor
1946Honeyway5Eph SmithJack Jarvis1st Baron Milford
1947Migoli3Gordon RichardsFrank ButtersAga Khan III
1948Solar Slipper3Eph SmithF SmythJ McGrath
1949Djeddah4Charlie ElliottCharles SemblatMarcel Boussac
1950Peter Flower4Bill RickabyJack Jarvis6th Earl of Rosebery
1951Dynamiter3Charlie ElliottCharles SemblatMarcel Boussac
1952Dynamiter4Charlie ElliottJ GlynnMarcel Boussac
1953Nearula3Edgar BrittCharles ElseyWilliam Humble
1954Narrator3Frank BarlowHumphrey CottrillMajor L B Holliday
1955Hafiz3Roger PoinceletAlec HeadAga Khan III
1956Hugh Lupus4Rae JohnstoneNoel MurlessLady Vernon
1957Rose Royale3Jean MassardAlec HeadPrince Aly Khan
1958Bella Paola3Guy LequeuxFrançois MathetFrançois Dupré
1959Petite Etoile3Lester PiggottNoel MurlessPrince Aly Khan
1960Marguerite Vernaut3Enrico CamiciUgo PencoMarchesa della Rochetta
1961Bobar3Maxime GarciaRobert CormeMme G Courtois
1962Arctic Storm3Bill WilliamsonJohn OxxMrs E Carroll
1963Hula Dancer3Jean DeforgeEtienne PolletGertrude Widener
1964Baldric3Bill PyersErnest FellowsDorothy Jackson
1965Silly Season3Geoff LewisIan BaldingPaul Mellon
1966Pieces of Eight3Lester PiggottVincent O'BrienComtesse de la Valdene
1967Reform3Scobie BreasleySir Gordon RichardsMichael Sobell2:08.46
1968Sir Ivor3Lester PiggottVincent O'BrienRaymond Guest2:12.62
1969Flossy3Jean DeforgeFrançois BoutinHenry Berlin2:07.06
1970Lorenzaccio5Geoff LewisNoel MurlessCharles St George2:06.80
1971Brigadier Gerard3Joe MercerDick HernJean Hislop2:17.90
1972Brigadier Gerard4Joe MercerDick HernJean Hislop2:07.40
1973Hurry Harriet3Jean CruguetPaddy MullinsMalcolm Thorp2:08.41
1974Giacometti3Lester PiggottRyan PriceCharles St George2:09.30
1975Rose Bowl3Willie CarsonFulke Johnson HoughtonJane Engelhard2:05.24
1976Vitiges3Pat EdderyPeter WalwynMrs Marc Laloum2:06.50
1977Flying Water4Yves Saint-MartinAngel PennaDaniel Wildenstein2:06.80
1978Swiss Maid3Greville StarkeyPaul KellewayMax Fine2:03.80
1979Northern Baby3Philippe PaquetFrançois BoutinAnne-Marie d'Estainville2:03.95
1980Cairn Rouge3Tony MurrayMichael CunninghamD. Brady2:05.73
1981Vayrann3Yves Saint-MartinFrançois MathetHH Aga Khan IV2:08.50
1982Time Charter3Billy NewnesHenry CandyRobert Barnett2:10.76
1983Cormorant Wood3Steve CauthenBarry HillsBobby McAlpine2:07.95
1984Palace Music3Yves Saint-MartinPatrick BianconeNelson Bunker Hunt2:01.04
1985Pebbles4Pat EdderyClive BrittainSheikh Mohammed2:04.79
1986Triptych4Tony CruzPatrick BianconeAlan Clore2:09.49
1987Triptych5Tony CruzPatrick BianconeAlan Clore2:10.98
1988Indian Skimmer4Michael RobertsHenry CecilSheikh Mohammed2:10.51
1989Legal Case3Ray CochraneLuca CumaniSir Gordon White2:02.95
1990In the Groove3Steve CauthenDavid ElsworthBrian Cooper2:05.67
1991Tel Quel3Thierry JarnetAndré FabreSheikh Mohammed2:01.93
1992Rodrigo de Triano3Lester PiggottPeter Chapple-HyamRobert Sangster2:02.46
1993Hatoof4Walter SwinburnCriquette HeadMaktoum Al Maktoum2:06.80
1994Dernier Empereur4Sylvain GuillotAndré FabreGary Tanaka2:05.65
1995Spectrum3John ReidPeter Chapple-HyamLord Weinstock2:02.55
1996Bosra Sham3Pat EdderyHenry CecilWafic Saïd2:03.71
1997Pilsudski5Michael KinaneMichael StouteLord Weinstock2:05.46
1998Alborada3George DuffieldSir Mark PrescottKirsten Rausing2:03.69
1999Alborada4George DuffieldSir Mark PrescottKirsten Rausing2:05.57
2000Kalanisi4Johnny MurtaghSir Michael StouteHH Aga Khan IV2:05.59
2001Nayef3Richard HillsMarcus TregoningHamdan Al Maktoum2:07.72
2002Storming Home4Michael HillsBarry HillsMaktoum Al Maktoum2:01.42
2003Rakti4Philip RobinsonMichael JarvisGary Tanaka2:03.34
2004Haafhd3Richard HillsBarry HillsHamdan Al Maktoum2:06.90
2005David Junior3Jamie SpencerBrian MeehanRoldvale Ltd2:05.43
2006Pride6Christophe LemaireAlain de Royer-DupréNP Bloodstock Ltd2:06.81
2007Literato3Christophe LemaireJean-Claude RougetHervé Morin2:04.24
2008New Approach3Kevin ManningJim BolgerPrincess Haya of Jordan2:00.13
2009Twice Over4Tom QueallyHenry CecilKhalid Abdullah2:01.31
2010Twice Over5Tom QueallyHenry CecilKhalid Abdullah2:08.54
2011Cirrus des Aigles5Christophe SoumillonCorine Barande-BarbeJean-Claude Dupouy2:02.52
2012Frankel4Tom QueallySir Henry CecilKhalid Abdullah2:10.22
2013Farhh5Silvestre de SousaSaeed bin SuroorGodolphin Racing2:12.02
2014Noble Mission5James DoyleJane CecilKhalid Abdullah2:11.23
2015Fascinating Rock4Pat SmullenDermot WeldNewtown Anner Stud Farm2:06.31
2016Almanzor3Christophe SoumillonJean-Claude RougetEcurie Antonio Caro2:05.94
2017Cracksman3Frankie DettoriJohn GosdenAnthony Oppenheimer2:11.75
2018Cracksman4Frankie DettoriJohn GosdenAnthony Oppenheimer2:08.79
2019Magical4Donnacha O'BrienAidan O'BrienSmith / Magnier / Tabor2:08.42
2020Addeybb6Tom MarquandWilliam HaggasSheikh Ahmed al Maktoum2:12.29
2021Sealiway3Mickael BarzalonaCedric RossiLe Haras De La Gousserie2:08.31
2022Bay Bridge4Richard KingscoteSir Michael StouteJames Wigan & Ballylinch Stud2:09.46

Champion Stakes Previous Result

Top Trainers and Jockeys of the Ascot Champion Stakes

The most successful trainer in the history of the race is Alec Taylor Junior who saddled eight winners between 1903 and 1925.

Frankel provided Sir Henry Cecil with his fifth and final Champion Stakes winner.

Magical (2019) is the only winner to date from 15 runners in this race for the powerful Aidan O’Brien stable.

It is a similar story as far as jockeys are concerned with the all-time record still shared by Danny Maher (1901-1910) and Charlie Elliot (1923-1952) with six winners apiece.

Tom Queally won it three times in four seasons aboard Twice Over (2009, 2010) and Frankel (2012).

Apart from Queally, only Christophe Soumillon (2011, 2016) and Frankie Dettori (2017, 2018) have managed to record two victories in the race in recent years.

It is one of the few Group 1 races to evade Ryan Moore to date.

Betting on the Champion Stakes

There is a lively ante-post betting market on the Champion Stakes, an obvious end-of-season target for top ten furlong horses. Bookmakers usually offer special enhanced odds on the favourite for new customers ahead of this race.

The mile-and-a-half Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe can lure away some leading contenders so it is best to keep a close eye on running plans.

Magical and Sealiway both showed that it is possible to win here after a tough race in France.

French raiders have a good recent record in this race and are always worth noting.

Popular Questions

What Are the Important Facts About The Champion Stakes Race?

Here are interesting facts about The Champion Stakes Race:

  • The Champion Stakes is run at Ascot Racecourse, England
  • The Champion Stakes is for horses aged 3 and over
  • The Champion Stakes is a Group 1 horse race in Great Britain
  • The Champion Stakes distance is 1 mile and 2 furlongs

Summary of The Champion Stakes

The Champion Stakes provides a fitting climax to the flat turf season for the best middle-distance horses in Europe.

Many star names have won this race, most famously Frankel who ended his career unbeaten after his fourteenth win here in 2012.

Ascot Champions Day Related Articles

Find out more about all the races at Ascots Champions Day:

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