Expert prediction
British Champions Day Picks for All Ascot Races This Weekend (Oct 17)
Pick rationale
Analysis & key factors
One of the most significant weekends of horse racing in the United Kingdom is set for October 17, as the champions for the 2026 flat season will be crowned at British Champions Day at Ascot. Billy Loughnane will be named Champion Jockey for the first time ahead of notable rides at the Breeders’ Cup later this month.
Meanwhile, a competitive field will also go to post in this weekend’s big betting race, the G1 Champion Stakes. You can find our British Champions Day horse racing picks for all races at Ascot on October 17 here.
How to Watch Horse Racing From Ascot in the U.S.?
- When: Saturday, October 17, 2026
- Where: Ascot Racecourse, England
- How to Watch: FOX Sports, FanDuel TV
British Champions Day Horse Racing Schedule & Picks
Saturday, October 17, 2026 Races & Picks
| Race | Time | Pick |
|---|---|---|
| British Champions Day Two-Year-Old Conditions Stakes | 7:55 AM ET | Night In Vegas |
| Group One British Champions Long Distance Cup | 8:30 AM ET | Highwayman |
| Group One British Champions Sprint Stakes | 9:05 AM ET | Coppull |
| Group One British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes | 9:40 AM ET | Kalpana |
| Group One Queen Elizabeth II Stakes | 10:20 AM ET | Zeus Olympios |
| Group One Champion Stakes | 11:00 AM ET | Ombudsman |
| Balmoral Handicap | 11:35 AM ET | Hickory |
ALSO SEE: Breeders’ Cup Classic Picks, Odds, Leading Contenders, Betting Insights & Analysis
Best Horse Racing Picks for British Champions Day This Weekend
Kalpana (Group One British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes)
It will be incredibly difficult to oppose the Andrew Balding runner, especially considering that the race is likely to be crucial in determining the Champion Trainer.
The five-year-old is back at her beloved Ascot, having won this race 12 months ago. She has looked better than ever this season, which includes the notable scalp of Calandagan when landing the Group One King George and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in July. She followed that up with a more workwommanlike performance to see off Sparan Nua in the Group One Yorkshire Oaks when Colin Keane likely got to the front sooner than he was expecting.
Produced a decent enough effort last time when fifth in the Group One Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, beaten only three lengths by Daryz. She followed up from last year’s Arc emphatically, and another repeat is hard to rule out.
Ombudsman (Group One Champion Stakes)
A star-studded field will line-up in the G1 Champion Stakes at Ascot this weekend, as Calandagan bids to record back-to-back wins in the race.
However, Ombudsman has prioritized a run in this race instead of a journey to the Breeders’ Cup, and he could provide the logical play to give John & Thady Gosden a third win in the race since 2017. The five-year-old is a different animal around Ascot, having won the G1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes in back-to-back years at Royal Ascot. He never gave his true running in the G1 Juddmonte International earlier in the season, beaten four lengths by Item.
Has been put away with this race in mind since, and if he gets his ideal good ground, he could be the outstanding chance, especially given that Calandagan will be without his usual jockey Mickael Barzalona.
How to Bet On Our British Champions Day Horse Racing Picks
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