Champions Day: watch how it unfolded and data nuggets
By Andy Stephens
Last Updated: Sat 17 Oct 2026
Enjoy all the wonderful action at Ascot on Saturday as it happened, plus see what the RaceiQ data revealed on a day when blue was the colour and the title race was left unresolved.
WINNER: NIGHT IN VEGAS
Time Index: 7.7 (the meeting average was 6.8)
Top Speed: 40.51mph (4th)
0-20mph: 2.43 (7th)
Fastest Furlong: 11.27sec (F4, 6th)
Finishing Speed Percentage: 101.49% (best)
The remarkable Night In Vegas conjured a 12.43sec final furlong to snatch the spoils on the line.
He had been only eighth with two furlongs to run and did well to bag his fourth big prize since late August.
The money-making machine has now won £725,399 this year.
No two-year-old in history of the sport has ever won anything like that across British juvenile races.
WINNER: MOUNT ATLAS
Time Index: 6.9
Top Speed: 37.99mph (3rd)
0-20mph: 2.91sec (6th)
Fastest Furlong: 12.13sec (6F, 8th)
Finishing Speed Percentage: 103.85% (best)
Mount Atlas had not seemed to get home over 2m in the Lonsdale Cup at York, when third, but it was a different story here.
PJ McDonald bided his time on him before putting his foot down on the accelerator in the final three furlongs.
His mount responded with splits of 12.16sec (second best); 12.35sec (second best); and 12.72sec (much the best). His Finishing Speed Percentage of 103.85% was a full 1% better than anything else.
Mount Atlas nudged 38mph in the seventh furlong but had plenty in the tank for when it mattered most.
His win also kept the title race alive. Andrew Balding, his trainer, would end the day with Aidan O'Brien in his sights, with the bookamkers making O'Brien 4-7 to prevail, and Balding 5-4.
WINNER: ALMERAQ
Time Index: 7
Top Speed: 40.94mph (8th)
0-20mph: 2.68sec (12th)
Fastest Furlong: 11.23sec (F4, 8th)
Finishing Speed Percentage: 101.63% (best)
All hail Almeraq, the champion sprinter of 2026.
There was a sense if inevitability about it all from a little way out as the Shadwell-owned star took aim at front-running Paborus.
The latter put up a courageous effort to hold him off but in the final furlong it was one-way traffic. Almeraq completed it in 12.13sec, whereas Paborus could only manage 12.42sec.
Breaking the race down to six individual furlong-by-furlong races, Almeraq was 10th, 7th, 12th, 8th, 1st and 1st.
It was similar to when he won at Royal Ascot in June, but this time he had a little more to spare.
His winning time was 72.2sec, compared to 71.82sec on a livelier surface in June.
WINNER: MINNIE HAUK
Time Index: 7.2
Top Speed: 40.39mph (best)
0-20mph: 2.64sec (5th)
Fastest Furlong: 11.23 (F2, best)
Finishing Speed Percentage: 104.29% (best)
Minnie Hauk’s powers had looked on the wane but she had a favourable draw and took full advantage of a subdued display by Kalpana.
It was a dominant display by the Frankel filly as she sat in the slipstream of Sugar Island, ger stablemate, before powering to the front in the final two furlongs.
She hit the highest speed of the race (40.39mph) in the second furlong but the initial solid pace dropped then dropped significantly. Between furlongs five and nine, she did not have to run a splits quicker than 12.99sec, 13.34sec, 13.28sec, 12.80sec and 12.47sec to hold her prominent pitch.
Minnie Hauk sealed things by being quickest in each of the final two furlongs.
Kalpana’s awkward draw in stall 1 was compounded by an unusually slow start. Usually swift away, she was slowest to 20mph on this occasion and that set the tone for a dull display by the King George winner, who was attempting to win this for the third successive year.
WINNER: TALK OF NEW YORK
Time Index: 5.8
Top Speed: 40.62mph (best)
0-20mph: 2.24sec (2nd)
Fastest Furlong: 11.32sec (F6, 3rd)
Finishing Speed Percentage: 101.25% (2nd)
Talk Of New York has been something of a work in progress this season but looked the finished article here.
Too keen for his own good on occasions, he settled well in mid-division under William Buick and then eased through the gears in the second half of the race.
He was marginally fastest in the fifth furlong (11.82sec) with his 11.32sec sixth furlong moving him from sixth to second. His penultimate furlong of 11.95sec allowed him to turn the screw - Rayif was the only other to dip under 12sec but was playing catch-up – and his final furlong of 12.7sec was more than enough to secure the spoils.
Rayif was one of the day’s big eye-catchers, zooming from eleventh to third in the final two furlongs. He was fastest in each of the final three furlongs but had been set a lot to do.
WINNER: OMBUDSMAN
Win time: 2m 4.22s (-0.50s vs Par)
Time Index: 6.2
Top Speed: 39.48mph (2nd)
Fastest Furlong: 1.58sec (F9, 2nd)
Finishing Speed Percentage: 106.07% (best)
Ombudsman and Calandagan dominated for the second year in a row, but the tables were emphatically turned.
Twelve months ago, Ombudsman had tried to pounce on Calandagan in the closing stages and been turned away. This time, it was vice versa.
It looked like Calandagan might retain his crown when unleahsing a very fast penultimate furlong of 11.34sec. It was 0.24sec quicker than the winner and took him almost upsides.
But he could not sustain that burst with Ombudsman’s final furlong of 11.95sec being 0.44sec (about two and a half lengths) swifter than his old rival. It meant the exceptional winner had reeled off seven successive fast furlongs.
Enjoy our RaceiQ pace maps
Related posts
Five horses to follow at Ascot: 5-2 winner for starters!
Dave Nevison's Champions Day tips: 11-1 Ascot nap plus other bets
Ryan Moore column: views on my Champions Day rides at Ascot
Martin Dixon's Inside Angle: 33-1 Ascot tip and more
Oisin Murphy: Hopes high for my two key Champions Day rides
Todays top offer
Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets + Money Back as a Free Bet if 2nd to SP Fav with BOYLE Sports
T&Cs Apply
18+. New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Account & Payment method restrictions apply. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. T&C's apply. 18+. IRE/NI & UK online only. Max Free Bet £/€10. Win or win part of e/w outright singles. 5+ runners. 1st bet on each race. Free/void/antepost bets don't qualify. In event of a dead heat, offer won’t apply. Applies to First Past the Post result. Unnamed 2nd Favs don’t qualify. Acc & Payment restrictions apply. T&Cs apply.
Claim Now
Featured offers
Get 50% back up to £50 with QuinnBet
T&Cs Apply
Claim Now
New UK Customers Only. Bet £10+ on any sportsbook markets at odds of evens (2.00) or greater. Get 50% back of your first day’s losses as a Free Bet up to £50, valid for 7 days. 18+ GambleAware.
Bet £10 get £40 in free bets with Kwiff
T&Cs Apply
Claim Now
New UK customers. Place a £10 real money bet at min. 2.0 odds within 5 days of deposit. Get 4 x £10 Free Bets: 1 Single, 2 Accas & 1 Bet Builder (min. 3 selections each). Excludes cashout, E/W, Multis, Ineligible Markets & Odds Boosts. Credited after bet settlement. 7-day expiry. T&Cs apply. 18+ GambleAware
Bet £10 get £30 in Free Bets with talkSPORT BET
T&Cs Apply
Claim Now
New Customers. Opt in, deposit and bet £10+ on any horse racing markets within 7 days of sign up. Get 3 x £10 Free Bets for set horse racing markets. Bonuses expire in 7 days. T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. 18+ GambleAware
Bet £20 and Get £40 in Free Bets with Unibet
T&Cs Apply
Claim Now
18+. GambleAware.org. New GB customers only. Min £20 debit card or instant banking transfer deposit. Place a £20+ bet on Horse Racing at min odds 2/5 (1.4) each leg for 4x £10 Free Bets (can be used on Racing Bet Builder). Claim within 30 days. Valid for Horse Racing only. Geographical restrictions and Further T&C’s apply
Copyright 2026 Racing TV - All Rights Reserved.
Please bet responsibly
Copyright 2026. All rights reserved