Aidan O’Brien Runners For Champions Day at Ascot 2024: Which Horses Will Ballydoyle Run?

Ascot racecourse stages one of their premier flat fixtures this Saturday where the best-of-the-best from around Europe will be heading to the Berkshire track in search of winning one of the four Group One races on offer. As the excitement builds, we take a look at the expected Aidan O’Brien runners for Champions Day at Ascot as the Ballydoyle maestro sends his usual army over.

Aidan O’Brien Runners For Champions Day at Ascot Headed By Star Stayer Kyprios

Top Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien will be sending plenty of well-known stable stars to Ascot this Saturday – including his leading stayer Kyprios, who will be looking to win the Long Distance Cup (1:20pm) for the first time.

Kyprios returns to the scene of his Gold Cup win at the Royal Meeting back in June and will be hoping to make amends for his neck runner-up finish in 2023 in the Champions Day opener.

He’ll be taking on the horse that edged him out 12 months ago – Trawlerman – but this Aidan O’Brien Champions Day runner will still be a big fancy with the best horse racing betting sites in the UK to get favourite backers off to the perfect start.

Since his defeat in the Long Distance Cup last season, Kyprios has not looked back – winning ALL six horse racing starts this season, including the Irish St Leger last time out (watch below).

Kyprios, who has already won £2,380,364 in total prize money, will be looking to add another £255,195 here.

DID YOU KNOW? Aidan O’Brien’s last British Champions Day Ascot winner was in 2019 – Magical (Champion Stakes)

Aidan O’Brien Expected To Run Los Angeles In Champion Stakes

The 2024 Champion Stakes (3:55pm) is one the race that carries the most prize money on the day, with £737,230 to the winner, and it’s also expected to be the standout contest this year.

Economics will head the market with the best betting sites in the UK, and will be all the rage after his Irish Champion Stakes win at Leopardstown last month.

The William Haggas-trained 3 year-old be looking to become the first horse to win both the Irish and British Champion Stakes since Magical in 2019.

Aidan O’Brien, who trained Magical, could also run his Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe third Los Angeles in the race after reporting him to have come out of the Paris race well (watch below).

However, that 2019 win for Magical in the Champion Stakes is O’Brien’s only success in this Ascot Group One – but, on a plus – just like Los Angeles – she also ran in the Arc that season before winning this Ascot Group One.

Economics and Los Angeles will also face a stern test from the French raider Calandagan, who was last seen running City Of Troy to a length in the Juddmonte Stakes.

He’ll love the softer/heavy ground and we know he’ll stay – having won the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot back in June. It’s all set up to be a ‘must-see’ renewal.

British Champions Day at Ascot will also be shown LIVE on ITV – with the channel covering ALL six races.

Champions Day Ascot 2024 Race Times and Aidan O’Brien Runners

See below the latest Champions Day runners and entries for Aidan O’Brien – with the final decs announced on Thursday 17th October.

1:20 – Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup (Group 2) (British Champions Series) Cl1 (3yo+) 2m ITV

1:55 – Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes (Group 1) (British Champions Series) Cl1 (3yo+) 6f ITV

2:35 – Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (Group 1) (British Champions Series) Cl1 (3yo+) 1m4f ITV

3:15 – Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Sponsored By Qipco) (Group 1) (British Champions Mile) Cl1 (3yo+) 1m ITV

3:55 – Qipco Champion Stakes (British Champions Middle Distance) (Group 1) Cl1 (3yo+) 1m2f ITV

4:35 – Balmoral Handicap (Sponsored By Qipco) Cl2 (3yo+) 1m ITV

Note: Final Ascot Champions Day runners will be declared on Thursday 17th October 2024.