Saturday Racing Tips – 17th October 2026: Ascot

We’re only interested in one meeting this week – the Qatar Racing British Champions Day. 

ITV Racing takes us to Ascot for the full day of racing with 7 events. We’ve reviewed all the televised races and picked five of our favourites to be in the running. 

See the latest horse racing odds on LiveScore Bet 

Saturday Racing Tips Summary

Below are our expert picks for Saturday's Racing, including our top choice for each featured race. 

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13:30 – Qatar Racing British Champions Long Distance Cup (Ascot) – Daiquiri Bay

• 2m – Flat Turf, Group 1, Class 1 (3yo+)

• Runners: 10 (MAX 14)

• Going: Good 

Racing gets underway today with the Qatar Racing British Champions Day Two-Year-Old Conditions Stakes (12:55), and while I’m sure it’ll be a fantastic competition, it’s not one we’re particularly interested in. 

Instead, we’re skipping the opener in favour of the Qatar Racing British Champions Long Distance Cup (13:30). There are some big names in this one, including Joseph Patrick O'Brien’s Highwayman (10/3) and John & Thady Gosden’s Gregory (7/2). 

However, I’m most interested in Alan King’s Daiquiri Bay (10/1). He’s won three major staying handicaps this season, including the Ebor. He’s already won the Copper Horse Stakes at Royal Ascot this season and, after a break following his Ebor win, he's fresh and arriving in peak condition.

Table: Recent Form of Daiquiri Bay

Back Daiquiri Bay at the latest odds with LiveScore Bet.

14:05 – Qatar Racing British Champions Sprint Stakes (Ascot) – Paborus 

• 6f – Flat Turf, Group 1, Class 1 (3yo+)

• Runners: 16 (MAX 20)

• Going: Good 

Next up is the Qatar Racing British Champions Sprint Stakes, a 6f flat turf race with all eyes focused on William Haggas and Almeraq (11/8). 

With such a short-priced early favourite, the rest of the field is wide open, making our pick, Paborus (14/1), super competitively priced. We’re most interested in his time out at Haydock, where he finished second behind Almeraq. He headed 1f out but was ultimately beaten.#

Jockey Daniel Tudhope will be wise of Tom Marquand in this one, giving him, I think, the best chance of the rest. 

Table: Recent Form of Paborus

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14:40 – Qatar Racing British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (Ascot) – Coedana

• 1m4f – Flat Turf, Group 1, Class 1 (3yo+)

• Runners: 13 (MAX 14)

• Going: Good 

Next up: the Qatar Racing British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes, and we’ve picked a little out of the ordinary (perfect for an EW wager).

Edward Bethell’s Coedana (25/1) is our pick – a horse in the bottom four of the runners, but we think she’s enormously underestimated. Andrew Balding’s Kalpana (11/8) is the favourite in this one, but following a fifth-place finish at Longchamp on October 4th, some punters have lost confidence

Coedana, on the other hand, remains unbeaten in two starts with Connor Beasley aboard. She’s improved steadily through the season and, if we get a repeat of Kalpana's poor running, could very well be in with a shot. 

Table: Recent Form of Coedana

Back Coedana at the latest odds with LiveScore Bet.

15:20 – Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Ascot) – Ten Bob Tony

• 1m (Straight) – Flat Turf, Group 1, Class 1 (3yo+)

• Runners: 11 (MAX 20)

• Going: Good 

The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Sponsored By Qatar Racing) is next on the card, and there’s an enormous £1,100,000 guaranteed for the top 6 runners. 

A P O'Brien’s Gstaad (3/1) and Charlie Appleby’s Talk Of New York (10/3) will undoubtedly command the betting in this one – but I’m taking a liking to Ed Walker’s Ten Bob Tony (8/1).

The 5-year-old made headlines earlier in the season after winning the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot at 50/1. But despite what some may say, he’s no one-trick pony, and he’s continued to perform creditably in elite company since that breakthrough. 

The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes will be a step up for him, but what a story it would be. 

Table: Recent Form of Ten Bob Tony

Back Ten Bob Tony at the latest odds with LiveScore Bet.

16:00 – Qatar Racing Champion Stakes (Ascot) – Almaqam

• 1m2f – Flat Turf, Group 1, Class 1 (3yo+)

• Runners: 6 (MAX 14)

• Going: Good 

Our last race of the day is the Qatar Racing Champion Stakes, with just 6 runners currently entered and £1,300,000 up for grabs. 

It’s no surprise, then, that some big names are in the lineup. F-H Graffard’s Calandagan (2/1) and John & Thady Gosden’s Ombudsman (2/1) are the joint early favourites. But George Scott’s Bay City Roller (6/1) and A P O’Brien’s Constitution River (13/2) follow shortly behind. 

We, however, are sticking with Ed Walker in this one and his entry – Almaqam (15/2). He won the Tattersalls Gold Cup in Ireland earlier this season, beating Bay City Roller and finished third in last year's Champion Stakes behind Calandagan and Ombudsman. 

At 15/2, we think he looks underpriced and a perfect candidate for an Each-Way wager. 

Table: Recent Form of Almaqam

Back Almaqam at the latest odds with LiveScore Bet.

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