As we gear-up for another cracking afternoon of top-class horse racing action at Ascot on Saturday – we highlight FOUR past Champions Day winners that are trying to win at the meeting again.
FOUR Champions Day Past Winners Back For More In 2025
The term ‘horses for courses’ is often thrown around in the world of horse racing – and there is a good reason for that, especially when it comes to the UK tracks.
Unlike the very similar courses in the US and Australia, the tracks in the UK and Ireland are all unique in their own right.
Yes, some are alike to each other.
But each one will have something different – from being left or right-handed, uphill or downhill and straight or turning.
Therefore, more so than in any other country – when a horse shows a liking for a course in the UK – it can often pay to take note.
This also applies to trainers and connections targeting the same races each season – after knowing what’s needed to take that prize.
With all this in mind, we look at this Saturday’s British Champions Day and highlight FOUR horses that have proven winning form at Ascot and this fixture.
TRAWLERMAN (12:55pm, British Champions Long Distance Cup, 2m)
The ‘boys in blue’ of Godolphin took the Long Distance Cup back in 2023 with Trawlerman – when ridden by Frankie Dettori (watch below).
And now aged 7 years-old is back on Saturday to try and win back his crown.
12 months ago, this John Gosden-trained stayer lost his title to Kyprios, who was giving trainer Aidan O’Brien his first Champions Day winner since 2019.
But with Kyprios now retired, the staying flat division has lacked depth this season.
Which means Trawlerman will be a red-hot favourite with the horse racing betting sites to win this contest for a second time.
He’s also already taken full advantage of Kyprios being retired when winning the Ascot Gold Cup earlier this season and will be back at the Berkshire track on Saturday for the first time since that famous win in June.
Trawlerman will be looking to give the Gosden camp their fifth Long Distance Cup win – having also won it with Capal Garmon (2001), Flying Officer (2015) and Stradivarius (2018).
KIND OF BLUE (2:05pm, British Champions Sprint Stakes, 6f)
The next previous British Champions Day runner that will be out again in 2025 is Kind Of Blue.
He’ll he hoping to defend his 2024 Sprint Stakes crown (watch below) and give trainer James Fanshawe a third success in this Ascot Group One.
The yard also took the prize in 2011 with Deacon Blues and in 2016 with The Tin Man.
Kind Of Blue, however, hasn’t won a race since taking this 12 months ago (4 runs).
But did showed signs a return to form could be around the corner, with a decent second in the Haydock Sprint Cup in early September.
You feel this race would have been the big target again for this Wathnan Racing-owned 4 year-old and with only eleven career runs is still fairly unexposed.
With that recent good run, the bookies are taking no chances on him winning again – making him third favourite behind another Wathnan horse Lazzat.
If he can go in again, Kind Of Blue will be the first ‘back-to-back’ Sprint Stakes winner since Jack and Jill, who won the race in 1958 and 1959.
ART POWER (2:05pm, British Champions Sprint Stakes, 6f)
Sticking with the British Champions Sprint Stake, if Kind Of Blue is to win the race again – he’ll have to also see off another past winner.
Art Power won the 2023 running (watch below) and is expected to line-up again – now aged 8.
That year he was a shock winner at 40/1. Seeing off the 2022 winner Kinross, who was sent off the hot 5/4 favourite, by a neck.
This King Power-owned sprinter will be having his 44th career start (10 wins) and has banked just over £890k in total prize money.
He also heads here in winning form, after making virtually all to land the Group 3 Renaissance Stakes at the Curragh at the end of September over 6f.
We can expect this Tim Easterby sprinter to race up with the pace again but is stepping up in grade again on Saturday.
But on a plus, his last win at the top table came in this ITV Racing scheduled race – two years ago.
His problem though could be his age – all winners since 1960 have been 6 or younger.
So can Art Power turn back the clock and ‘brush’ his rivals away again?
KALPANA (2:45pm, British Fillies & Mares Stakes, 1m4f)
The final previous Champions Day winner to return in 2025 is the Andrew Balding-trained filly Kalpana.
She powered away to win the Fillies & Mares Stakes here last season on soft ground under jockey William Buick (watch below).
Juddmonte retained rider Colin Keane takes over in the saddle and will be looking for his first success on this classy 4 year-old.
Keane has ridden her three times and yet to score.
Kalpana was last seen picking up the 7th place Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe prize money two weeks ago but was seven lengths back that day.
This Study Of Man filly has also not won a race since taking this contest 12 months ago (5 races), but her backers will be hoping the return to Ascot, where she’s 3-1-2, will help
Kalpana also ran a blinder on her last visit to the Berkshire track, when a gusty runner-up in the King George behind Calanagan, who lines-up in the Champion Stakes at 4:05pm, in July.
If she can bounce back to winning ways in the Champions Day race she won last year – she’ll be the first repeat winner since Shebeen in 1974 and 1975.
British Champion Day, Date, Race Times and TV
📅Date: Saturday 18th October 2025
⌚Time: First Race 12:55pm – Last Race 4:40pm
🏇Racecourse: Ascot
📺 TV: ITV / Racing TV
