Ahead of the big race at the weekend at Ascot, you might be slightly shocked how many times Aidan O’Brien has won the Champion Stakes in Britain – as he looks to land the huge Group One prize with his classy 3 year-old Delacroix.
Aidan O’Brien Has Surprisingly Only Won The Champion Stakes Once
Top Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien has been a regular winner of the top Group One races in Britain – especially those run over a mile or further.
He’s won the Epsom Derby a record eleven times and the 2000 Guineas on ten occasions – to name just a few.
Therefore, when looking at how many times Aidan O’Brien has won the Champion Stakes, it might shock you to hear it’s ONLY ONCE.
Yes, the Ballydoyle maestro has only entered the Ascot winners’ enclosure once in this end-of-season highlight on British Champions Day.
Magical has been his only winner to date in 2019 – having had 16 runners in the since 2015 in the 1m2f race (see below).
His Galileo filly beat Addeybb as the hot favourite that year – but the William Haggas horse gained revenge a year later, with Magical only third.
You can see all the Aidan O’Brien Champion Stakes runners over the last ten years below eleven of his 16 horses finishing unplaced.
Champion Stakes Winners Since 2015 and Aidan O’Brien Runners
| Year | Winner | Trainer | Aidan O’Brien Runners (16) |
| 2024 | Anmaat | Owen Burrows | Los Angeles (9th, 13/2), Continuous (10th, 28/1) |
| 2023 | King Of Steel | Roger Varian | Point Lonsdale (4th, 18/1) |
| 2022 | Bay Bridge | Sir Michael Stoute | Stone Age (5th, 40/1) |
| 2021 | Sealiway | Cedric Rossi | No Runners |
| 2020 | Addeybb | William Haggas | Magical (3rd, 15/8 fav), Serpentine (4th, 18/1), Japan (9th, 22/1) |
| 2019 | Magical | Aidan O’Brien | Magical (1st, Evs, I Can Fly (7th, 22/1) |
| 2018 | Cracksman | John Gosden | Capri (4th, 4/1), Rhododendron (5th, 25/1) |
| 2017 | Cracksman | John Gosden | Highland Reel (3rd, 17/2), Cliffs Of Moher (7th, 10/1) |
| 2016 | Almanzor | Jean-Claude Rouget | Found (2nd, 5/2), US Army Ranger (8th 7/1) |
| 2015 | Fascinating Rock | Dermot Weld | Found (2nd, 9/1) |
DID YOU KNOW? We’ve only seen THREE Irish-trained Champion Stakes winners since 1974.
Aidan O’Brien Bids For Only Second Champion Stakes Win With Delacroix
The good news for Aidan O’Brien fans, is he’s got a top chance of doubling his Champion Stakes tally on Saturday – this time with his classy DELACROIX.
This son of Dubawi, who was a beaten favourite in the Epsom Derby in June, has since bounced back to win the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown and the Irish Champion Stakes last time at Leopardstown.
However, sandwiched between those wins was a defeat to Ombudsman, who he meets again for the third time this season with the H2H record standing at 1-1.
But, despite O’Brien only having one British Champion Stakes win to his name – his sole winner, Magical also won the race having landed the Irish version that season.
Can history, therefore, repeat itself?
Delacroix will look to join Magical (2019), Almanzor (2016) and Pilsudski (1997) as the most recent winners to win both the Irish and British Champion Stakes in the same season.
You can find out if he can on Saturday at 4:05pm, with the race also part of a bumper ITV Racing schedule.
At this stage, the best horse racing betting sites have Delacroix as the second favourite behind Juddmonte International winner Ombudsman.
With the 2025 King George hero and last year’s runner-up Calandagan just behind the pair in the market.
While the other possible Aidan O’Brien Champion Stakes runners in 2025 are – Los Angeles, Mount Kilimanjaro, Swagman and The Lion In Winter – who all held their ground at the latest declaration stage.
Champion Stakes Race Time, Date and Prize Money 2025
📅Date: Saturday 18th October 2025
⌚Time: 4:05pm
🏇Racecourse: Ascot
💰Winning Purse: £803,864
📺 TV: ITV / Racing TV
