(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

Dubai's powerful racing interests are geared up to continue their golden run at Ascot this Saturday as Qipco British Champions Day, the glittering and official finale to the flat racing season, takes centre stage.

This year's expanded card features seven races, including five Group 1 contests that bring together some of the finest stayers, sprinters, milers, and middle-distance specialists from across the UK and Europe, setting the stage for an afternoon of pure racing theatre.

Recommended For You Commvault announces expanded local partnership with HPE at Gitex Global UAE: Gold prices cross Dh500 per gram for the first time ever

As many as 11 horses will represent Dubai connections across the glittering card, underlining the emirate's deep-rooted commitment to British racing. Among them are powerful contenders 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 bringing formidable bloodlines and world-class form to Ascot's famous turf.

With a record £1.3 million on offer, the prestigious QIPCO Champion Stakes stands as the centrepiece of British Champions Day.

Often described as the crown jewel of British flat racing, the Champion Stakes is where the season's leading middle-distance horses meet for one final showdown. First run in 1877, the 2,000-metre contest has produced legends such as Nayef (2001), Frankel (2012), and Cracksman (2017-18), cementing its reputation as the race where champions prove their class.

All eyes will again be on Godolphin's Ombudsman, who spearheads the Dubai challenge in a race that was first run in 1877 at Newmarket Racecourse but was later moved to Ascot in 2011 as part of the inaugural British Champions Day card. The seven-year-old son of 2,000 Guineas winner Night Of Thunder has won two of his four starts this season, including posting major victories in the Prince of Wales's Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot and the Juddmonte International (G1) at York.

Trained by the father-son team of John and Thady Gosden at the famous Clarehaven Stables in Newmarket, Ombudsman renews his fierce rivalry with Aidan O'Brien's Delacroix, a duel that has defined this year's racing narrative. With both stables holding one victory apiece in their previous encounters, Saturday's clash promises to be a fitting decider.

Summing up Godolphin's expectations was the stable's managing director, Hugh Anderson.

“There is no man better at setting out a challenging campaign for a fabulous racehorse than John, and we look forward to hopefully some good results in the autumn,” he said earlier this month.

The Gosdens also saddle another major Godolphin player, Trawlerman, who is unbeaten in three starts, including a glittering Royal Ascot Gold Cup victory. He looks the horse to beat in the grueling 3,000m Long Distance Cup, the afternoon's opening Group 1 at 3:55 (UAE).

The seven-year-old's form and stamina could hand Dubai the perfect start to the day.

Commenting on the Godolphin pair and his other runners, Gosden told Sun Racing:“They're all coming up to their races well, I'm very happy with them. They are in their last pieces of their preparation now, so fingers crossed they'll all be there.”

Adding an extra layer of intrigue to the Champion Stakes, Major General Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Chief of Dubai Police and Public Security, will also be represented through the Ed Walker-trained Almaqam.

Sheikh Ahmed, who owns the Jebel Ali Stables and its home track, Jebel Ali Racecourse in Dubai, has two other strong contenders on the day, with Quddwah set to contest the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Group 1), while Waardah lines up in the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (Group 1), bidding to complete a memorable hat trick for trainer Owen Burrows.

Adding further depth to the Dubai contingent are runners representing Epsom Derby-winning owners Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum and Saeed Suhail, who are both fielding runners with genuine winning credentials.

With depth in every division and form to match, British Champions Day 2025 has all the makings of another red-letter day for Dubai-owned runners, who have enjoyed a richly rewarding season on British turf.

British Champions Day 2025

When: Saturday, October 19, Ascot

What: 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.

MENAFN16102025000049011007ID1110208338