Dubai’s influential racing teams are poised to shine at Ascot this Saturday as the Qipco British Champions Day, the dazzling conclusion to the flat racing season, takes the spotlight.
This year’s extended program includes seven races, featuring five Group 1 events that gather elite stayers, sprinters, milers, and middle-distance experts from the UK and Europe, promising an afternoon of thrilling racing drama.
A remarkable 11 horses will represent Dubai interests throughout the prestigious lineup, highlighting the emirate’s strong dedication to British racing. Notable participants include formidable entries from Godolphin, Major General Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Chief of Dubai Police and Public Security, and Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum, each boasting impressive pedigrees and top-tier performances on Ascot’s renowned course.
With a record £1.3 million at stake, the illustrious QIPCO Champion Stakes is the highlight of British Champions Day.
Known as the pinnacle of British flat racing, the Champion Stakes is where the top middle-distance horses of the season meet for a final duel. First held in 1877, this 2,000-metre race has crowned legends like Nayef (2001), Frankel (2012), and Cracksman (2017-18), solidifying its status as a race where champions demonstrate their prowess.
All eyes will be on Godolphin’s Ombudsman, leading the Dubai challenge in a race initially held at Newmarket Racecourse in 1877, later moved to Ascot in 2011 for the first British Champions Day. The seven-year-old son of 2,000 Guineas winner Night Of Thunder has claimed two victories out of four starts this season, including triumphs in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot and the Juddmonte International (G1) at York.
Trained by the father-son duo John and Thady Gosden at Newmarket’s renowned Clarehaven Stables, Ombudsman renews his intense rivalry with Aidan O’Brien’s Delacroix, a clash defining this year’s racing scene. With each stable having one win in their past encounters, Saturday’s matchup promises an exciting conclusion.
Summing up Godolphin’s outlook, managing director Hugh Anderson stated,
“No one is better at orchestrating a challenging campaign for an exceptional racehorse than John, and we anticipate some favorable results this autumn,” he remarked earlier this month.
The Gosdens also present another key Godolphin contender, Trawlerman, undefeated in three starts, including a spectacular Royal Ascot Gold Cup victory. He is the one to beat in the demanding 3,000m Long Distance Cup, the day’s opening Group 1 race at 3:55 (UAE).
The seven-year-old’s form and endurance could provide Dubai with an ideal start to the day.
Commenting on the Godolphin duo and other runners, Gosden told Sun Racing: “They’re all preparing well for their races, I’m very pleased with them. They’re completing their final preparations now, so hopefully, they’ll all perform well.”
Adding intrigue to the Champion Stakes, Major General Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Chief of Dubai Police and Public Security, is also represented by the Ed Walker-trained Almaqam.
Sheikh Ahmed, owner of Jebel Ali Stables and its home track, Jebel Ali Racecourse in Dubai, has two other strong contenders on the day, with Quddwah poised to compete in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Group 1), while Waardah enters the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (Group 1), aiming for a memorable hat trick for trainer Owen Burrows.
Enhancing Dubai’s participation, runners for Epsom Derby-winning owners Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum and Saeed Suhail, both fielding runners with real winning potential, add further depth.
With strength in every division and form to match, British Champions Day 2025 is set to be another milestone for Dubai-owned competitors, who’ve enjoyed a highly rewarding season on British tracks.
British Champions Day 2025
When: Saturday, October 19, Ascot
What: The season-ending highlight of British flat racing, featuring seven races, including five Group 1s and £4.35 million in prize money.
Why it matters: The QIPCO Champion Stakes (£1.3m) crowns middle-distance champions across all divisions and attracts the UK and Europe’s best horses, jockeys, and trainers.
Dubai connections: 11 runners representing Godolphin, Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum aim to extend a hugely successful season on British turf.
