The key facts

  • Ombudsman won the British Champion Stakes, taking revenge on Calandagan for last year's defeat
  • Minnie Hauk returned to form, winning the Mares and Fillies Stakes 13 days after the Arc
  • Mount Atlas at odds of 33/1 sensationally won the Long Distance Cup

The main race of the day

Ombudsman brilliantly won the British Champion Stakes on Saturday on British Champions Day at Ascot, taking revenge on the French star Calandagan, who had beaten him in the same race a year earlier. It was Ombudsman's fifth Group 1 victory — he beat Calandagan by three and three-quarter lengths in front of a full house. Third home was Bay City Roller, who had been second in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe two weeks earlier. Trainer John Gosden, who works in partnership with his son Thady, called the performance 'special, from a special horse'. Jockey William Buick, for whom it was a second win of the day, said: 'He is truly outstanding. He's the kind of horse that makes your heart beat faster!'

Minnie Hauk's return

Aidan O'Brien celebrated a Group 1 victory thanks to the filly Minnie Hauk, who won the British Champions Mares and Fillies Stakes. After a brilliant previous season in which she was only beaten by Daryz in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, she had underperformed this year, and two weeks ago she finished only tenth when Daryz took his second Arc. Jockey Ryan Moore noted: 'She produced her best result of the whole year — a great effort just 13 days after the Arc. Not much had gone right all year, but today she did everything perfectly. She had more class than the rest.'

Other races

Half an hour later Moore's smile gave way to disappointment: favourite Gstaad finished only eighth in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. The race was won by Talk of New York under Buick from Charlie Appleby's stable. 'He is a very capable horse — a slow learner, but he has really come into his own,' said the 38-year-old Norwegian jockey Buick.

Almeraq and the sensation of the day

Almeraq confirmed his status as Britain's best sprinter, beating Paborus in the British Champion Sprint — his third Group 1 win of the season. Trainer William Haggas recalled that a year ago the horse suffered a bad fall at York, as a result of which jockey Jim Crowley was forced to retire through his injuries. 'I think he's the best sprinter around. I don't know whether he will go to stud at the end of the season — I think he will, but nobody has spoken to me about it, so I live in hope. I don't ask!' said Haggas. Earlier, the sensation of the day came from Mount Atlas at odds of 33/1, who got the better of O'Brien's hardened Queenstown in the British Champions Long Distance Cup. Trainer Andrew Balding had only one regret: 'It's a pity my mum isn't here — she's gone to watch ice hockey. She would have been thrilled, because she's the one who raised him.'