About
Champion Stakes is British horse race restricted to three-years-old and above thoroughbreds. The 2,012-metres race is held every October at Ascot Racecourse, England. With a reward of £1.3m, the Group 1 flat horse race is the most valuable in its category in Europe.
History
The first Champion Stakes race was run at Newmarket in 1877. The first jockey to win the competition was Tom
Cannon, Sr. riding Springfield. The race was elevated to Group 1 in 1972.
In the 2010 and 2011 series, the race joined the Breeders’ Cup Challenge thereby giving its winner an automatic
ticket to Breeders’ Cup Turf. The race is sponsored by QIPCO. In 2011, it was moved from Newmarket to Ascot racecourse.
Records
Danny Maher and Charlie Elliott are the most successful jockeys, with six wins each. Maher’s last win came in 1910
riding Lemberg while Elliot recorded his last one 1952 with Dynamiter.
Trister is the only horse that has won three times. In 1882, it won with Fred Archer. Frederic Webb rode this
horse to victory in 1883 and 1884.
Alec Taylor, Jr. has recorded eight wins making him the most successful trainer. His last victory came in 1925.
However, since 1972, Patrick Biancone is the only trainer who has won three times. He triumphed with Palace Music (1984) and Triptych in 1986 and 1987.
Previous Winners
On October 21, 2017, Frank Dettori, riding Cracksman won that year’s Champion Stakes at Ascot. Jockeys Andrea Atzeni and R. Moore finished second and third respectively riding Poet’s World and Highland Reel.
Tom Queally has been one of the most successful jockeys at Champions Stakes. In 2009 and 2010, he won riding on Twice Over. In 2012, he won with Frankel. In 2016, Christopher Soumillon took the top spot riding Almanzor. This was the second win by the Belgian jockey at the event, having recorded similar results in 2011 riding Cirrus des Aigles.