ITV Racing Tips on October 17th - British Champions Day Selections
Ascot’s British Champions Day 2026 will feature a packed card with five Group One races, a competitive conditions race, and the Balmoral Handicap. Key tipping selections include Night In Vegas (12:55pm), Daiquiri Bay (1:30pm), Prince Of India (2:05pm), Believed (2:40pm), Zeus Olympios (3:20pm), Ombudsman (4:00pm), and Gavriel—alongside Excellent Believe (4:35pm). The article provides best-value betting choices along with analysis for each contest, helping punters navigate one of the racing calendar’s most prestigious events.
- Free tips for every race on British Champions Day 2026
- Five Group One races will be run at Ascot on Saturday 17th October
- Daiquiri Bay, Prince Of India and Zeus Olympios feature in our tips for Ascot
- British Champions Day Schedule
- 12:55pm Ascot - Two-Year-Old Conditions Stakes Tips
- 1:30pm Ascot - Long Distance Cup Tips
- 2:05pm Ascot - Champions Sprint Stakes Tips
- 2:40pm Ascot - Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes Tips
- 3:20pm Ascot - Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Tips
- 4:00pm Ascot - Champion Stakes Tips
- 4:35pm Ascot - Balmoral Handicap Tips
- Champions Day 2026 Tips Summary
Ascot Tips
The Champion Jockey and Champion Trainer will be crowned at Ascot on Saturday, as the famous Berkshire racecourse stages British Champions Day.
Five fantastic Group One races feature on Saturday's card at Ascot, as well as a lucrative conditions race and the Balmoral Handicap. Here are our best betting tips for every race on British Champions Day 2026.
British Champions Day Schedule
| Time | Title |
|---|---|
| 12:55pm | Qatar Racing British Champions Day Two-Year-Old Conditions Stakes (Class 2) 6f |
| 1:30pm | Qatar Racing British Champions Long Distance Cup (Group 1) 2m |
| 2:05pm | Qatar Racing British Champions Sprint Stakes (Group 1) 6f |
| 2:40pm | Qatar Racing British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (Group 1) 1m4f |
| 3:20pm | Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Group 1) 1m |
| 4:00pm | Qatar Racing Champion Stakes (Group 1) 1m2f |
| 4:35pm | Balmoral Handicap (Class 2) 1m |
Ascot Tips - Saturday 17th October
12:55pm Ascot - Two-Year-Old Conditions Stakes Tips
Saturday's card opens with a superb juvenile contest. Group and Listed winners feature in the field, along with big money spinners and the beaten favourite for this year's Middle Park Stakes. Pace looks to have been drawn on either flank, so there's should be no excuses as far as track position is concerned, and a decent case can be made for most of the leading contenders.
NIGHT IN VEGAS (13/2) has notched up almost £600k in prize money this season, winning two valuable Auction Stakes at Newmarket, plus the £300k 2-Y-O race at Doncaster. The handicapper has refused to budge his mark of 102 for those victories, which I think is pretty unfair, given that Night In Vegas has beaten future Listed winners and Group race placers in those lucrative contests.
When Eve Johnson Houghton's juveniles get on a roll, she's brilliant at helping them maintain that momentum. Charlie Bishop's mount has landed a lovely central draw in stall five, and from there he'll be able to ride the race as he likes.
1:30pm Ascot - Long Distance Cup Tips
Scandinavia's absence gives an open feel to this year's Long Distance Cup. Caballo De Mar is a worthy favourite, having beaten the Ascot Gold Cup winner in France last time out. However, I'd rather roll the dice with Ebor winner DAIQUIRI BAY (10/1).
Alan King's four-year-old is unbeaten this season, winning all three of his starts. Daiquiri Bay won nicely at Newmarket on his reappearance before a narrow success in the Copper Horse Handicap here during the Royal Meeting. King's star then managed to get over to the stands' rail from stall one in the Ebor before holding Hopewell Rock and Opportunity at bay in the closing stages to land that lucrative handicap.
Daiquiri Bay has improved with each start this season, and King's gelding is bred to handle this two-mile trip. It's a big leap from handicaps to Group One company, but I fancy Daiquiri Bay can cope with this rise in class.
2:05pm Ascot - Champions Sprint Stakes Tips
Almeraq produced one of the performances of the season when demolishing his rivals in the Sprint Cup at Haydock. Ground conditions were ideal for William Haggas' top sprinter that day, and he won't get that sort of ground on Champions Day. Let's not forget, though, that Almeraq did beat some top-quality international sprinters in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes on fast summer ground, so there's no reason to suggest that the favourite won't deal with Saturday's going.
The unpredictable nature of this contest is enough to make me swerve the favourite, though, and I've landed on PRINCE OF INDIA (20/1). Pat Dobbs seemed to think he had the Bengough Stakes sewn up two weeks ago as his mount loomed into contention. That was until Hidden Force burst onto the scene late on, and Marco Botti's sprinter couldn't wrestle back the advantage as the winner lugged left across the runner-up during the final furlong.
Prince Of India didn't run badly on his sole Group One start this season, finishing two and a half lengths adrift of Comanche Brave in the July Cup. Botti's four-year-old bolted up in a Listed sprint two starts back and shaped extremely well in the Bengough. Prince Of India is a former Shergar Cup winner who loves genuinely good ground. He could be a major player in Saturday's big sprint.
2:40pm Ascot - Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes Tips
Over to the fillies and mares now, and all eyes will be on Kalpana as she tries to complete a hat-trick in this Group One. BELIEVED (20/1), however, has been on the upgrade throughout the season, and I fancy Johnny Murtagh's raider could outrun her lengthy odds.
Second to Johanna Walsh in a maiden at Leopardstown, Believed romped to victory on her first crack at a mile and a half at Dundalk before running a blinder when third behind Enceladus and Al Azd in the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot. Believed then couldn't justify a short price in the Marble City Stakes, finishing a close third to Nil Bua Gan Dua, but made up for that loss by storming home to win the Give Thanks Stakes at Cork.
I thought Ben Coen's mount was much the best on the day, and the Give Thanks form was boosted when Amelia Earhart placed in the St Leger. I'm expecting a big run from Johanna Walsh after that blip in the Yorkshire Oaks, but Believed is twice her price, and I'm confident Murtagh's filly is capable of contending at the highest level.
3:20pm Ascot - Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Tips
Unlike the other supplementary entries for Champions Day, Talk Of New York has risen to the head of the QEII betting since being added to the field. Hawk Mountain seems likely to act as a pacemaker for the strong-staying Gstaad, but a fast pace should suit Charlie Appleby's Joel Stakes winner too.
ZEUS OLYMPIOS (10/1) comfortably beat Opera Ballo in last year's Joel Stakes, and Karl Burke's gelding seems to be peaking for the end of the season once again.
Clifford Lee's mount wasn't at his best on his first three starts this term but proved he could handle the track at Ascot by claiming a cosy victory in the Summer Mile here in July. Burke's star was made to wait a little longer for his maiden Group One win, as Rayif pounced late to beat Zeus Olympios in the Jacques Le Marois.
Burke will have been mightily encouraged by that performance, though, and he's been training Zeus Olympios for Champions Day ever since. On his last two runs, odds of 10/1 are far too generous.
4:00pm Ascot - Champion Stakes Tips
Read our full guide to the 2026 Champion Stakes to find out who we're backing in the main event at Ascot.
Visit our Champion Stakes Live Stream page if you want to watch any race on Champions Day via a mobile or tablet.
4:35pm Ascot - Balmoral Handicap Tips
I generally prefer horses drawn high on the straight course at Ascot, and GAVRIEL (5/1) looks to have landed himself a nice position in stall 18. John and Thady Gosden's lightly raced three-year-old won his race on the stands' side in the Cambridgeshire but crossed the line half a length behind Pierre Royal in fourth, as the low-drawn runners dominated.
Considering that was only his second-ever start in a handicap, Gavriel acquitted himself brilliantly on the biggest stage of his career. The handicapper's decision to up his rating by just two pounds seems rather lenient, and I can't let this talented colt go unbacked as he drops down to a mile.
One who interests me in the lower stalls is EXCELLENT BELIEVE (18/1). Colin Keane's mount was a massive eye-catcher at the Curragh three weeks ago, where the top weight repeatedly found trouble and hit the line still full of running back in third.
Excellent Believe began the season with Jack Channon, having reached a rating of 108 last season. Stephen Thorne looks to have helped this four-year-old rediscover his spark, judging by his two starts since making the move to Ireland, and there's no doubt that Excellent Believe is well treated off this rating of 99.
Champions Day 2026 Tips Summary
| Time | Track | Tip 1 | Tip 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12:55pm | Ascot | Night In Vegas (13/2) | |
| 1:30pm | Ascot | Daiquiri Bay (10/1) | |
| 2:05pm | Ascot | Prince Of India (20/1) | |
| 2:40pm | Ascot | Believed (20/1) | |
| 3:20pm | Ascot | Zeus Olympios (10/1) | |
| 4:00pm | Ascot | Ombudsman (9/4) | |
| 4:35pm | Ascot | Gavriel (5/1) | Excellent Believe (18/1) |
Verdict
Champions Day Top Tips:
Gavriel
4:35pm Ascot
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Night In Vegas
12:55pm Ascot
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Zeus Olympios
3:20pm Ascot
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Prince Of India E/W
2:05pm Ascot
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