Ascot tips: Calandagan backed to retain Champion Stakes title
Ahead of a huge British Champions Day, Kate Tracey was joined by Declan Rix and Sam Boswell to discuss the best betting angles ahead of a plethora of Group 1 contests; Watch the episode in full on the At The Races YouTube channel
Friday 16 October 2026 12:58, UK
With British Champions Day looming, the Weekend Winners panel returned to reveal their top tips for a stellar afternoon at Ascot.
The team paid particular attention to the Qatar Racing Champion Stakes, which sees Calandagan return to defend his crown against Prince Of Wales's Stakes winner Ombudsman, who represents John and Thady Gosden.
Arc runner-up Bay City Roller also lines up after an excellent showing at ParisLongchamp, whilst Constitution River will look to rediscover his scintillating early season form, which included glory in the French Derby and Coral-Eclipse. Tattersalls Gold Cup winner Almaqam is the fifth runner with a chance, with Devil's Advocate expected to set a strong gallop from the outset for Godolphin.
Declan Rix...
"I don't think Calandagan has been at his best this season - the old Calandagan would have picked up Kalpana [in the King George]. However, it's so hard for horses when they've been campaigned globally and that's all caught up with him. He's probably a six or seven pound worse horse this year, but I think that's because of all the travel.
"I'm hoping the break since the King George has invigorated him and I'm going to put my faith in the magic man, Francis-Henri Graffard with him getting him back to his best. I think the faster the ground the better for him, though I would say when he beat Ombudsman last year, he [Ombudsman] wasn't at his very best. However, he also comes here off the back of a below-par run.
"It has the look of a trappy race and in last year's race they went a million miles per hour. Listening to William Buick earlier this week, it sounds like Devil's Advocate will go forward but it could be more tactical than last year's race, as they want to bring out that speed in Ombudsman, having played into Calandagan's hands last year."
Kate Tracey...
"I can't let go of Constitution River! We're definitely getting a price about him at 11/2. It was quite something to win from stall 15 in the Prix du Jockey Club and then to go to Sandown, taking on his elders and winning the Coral Eclipse in devastating style - that cemented him as a worldie at that stage.
"We had York - that was horrible - when his pacemaker disappeared, although he still finished ahead of Ombudsman. Last time out at Leopardstown was more deflating than York but he's subsequently had his excuses for that.
"I'm still hoping we get to see him back to his Chantilly or Sandown performances. He was captivating, wasn't he?"
Sam Boswell…
"I came back to Calandagan here and he's had some doubters mention 'has he been the same horse since coming back from Japan?' He's a great horse and like great boxers, great horses come back from defeats. Because of the track at Epsom you can put a line through his performance there.
If they've got Japan in their sights again, I can understand why they want to come back here. Christophe Soumillon comes in for the ride with Mickael Barzalona banned, but that's not a concern."
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