Cracking card for Qipco British Champions Day

With three Group One races and £4,000,000 in prize money the stage is set for some memorable action, and a big crowd is expected to attend the famous racecourse while millions watch on television.

Three horses who have recorded wins in previous years at the meeting join the line-up, headed by French challenger Cirrus Des Aigles, who runs in the Gr.1 QIPCO Champion Stakes. Now aged eight, but apparently as good as ever, his clash with the lightly-raced three-year-old Free Eagle, the dual Group One winner Noble Mission and last year's Derby hero Ruler Of The World is a race to savour.

Seal Of Approval defends the Gr.1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes, while Maarek, who won the Gr.2 QIPCO British Champions Sprint Stakes two years ago, could regain the prize under Jamie Spencer. He will wear a hood to go into the stalls after some tardy starts of late.

Seal Of Approval wins last year's QIPCO Fillies and Mares Stakes

The Gr.2 QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup sees a rematch between Leading Light and HM The Queen's Estimate - they were first and second in the Gold Cup at the Royal Meeting - and also includes a challenge from Pallasator, one of two runners for Qatar Racing on the card. Trained by Sir Mark Prescott, Pallasator is ridden by Andrea Atzeni; the pair won at Newmarket last time out.

Atzeni also rides the Qatar Racing-owned Brendan Brackan in the Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, in which QIPCO 2000 Guineas winner Night Of Thunder is a leading hope, and the Freddy Head-trained Charm Spirit is chasing a fourth straight win. The son of top stallion Invincible Spirit is owned by Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani, Sheikh Fahad's father, and will be ridden by Olivier Peslier.