British flat racing’s richest day closes the season at Ascot under a new title sponsor, with five Group 1s among seven races worth £4.35m.
The richest day in British racing closes the Flat season at Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, Berkshire, on Saturday 17 October 2026, with £4.35m across seven races. Five of them are Group 1s.
Ascot has held the fixture every October since 2011. It drew together races that had long closed the season. The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and the Diadem Stakes came from Ascot, and the Champion Stakes, the Jockey Club Cup and the Pride Stakes from Newmarket.
Frankel won the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at the first meeting. A year later he ended his unbeaten career in the Champion Stakes before 32,000 people, a modern autumn record for flat racing in Britain.
The Champion Stakes carries £1.3m and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes £1.1m. Last October Calandagan beat Ombudsman in the Champion Stakes, a race officially rated joint top of every race run worldwide that year. Both horses were among the 45 entries for this year’s running.
This is the first edition under Qatar Racing, the racing and breeding arm of the QIPCO group, which sponsors all seven races. The Qatar Racing Pony Racing Championship is run on the day for the first time.