# Champion Stakes

The Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile 1 furlong and 212 yards (2,004 metres), and it is scheduled to take place as part of British Champions Day each year in October.

## History

The event was established in 1877, and it was originally held at Newmarket. The inaugural running was won by Springfield. By the end of the century it had been won by five Classic winners.
The present system of race grading was introduced in 1971, and the Champion Stakes was classed at the highest level, Group 1.
The race was included in the Breeders' Cup Challenge series in 2009 and 2010. The winner earned an automatic invitation to compete in the Breeders' Cup Turf.
The Champion Stakes was transferred to Ascot in 2011. It became part of a newly created fixture called British Champions Day. It now serves as the middle-distance final of the British Champions Series.
With an increased prize fund of £1,300,000, the Champion Stakes was Britain's richest horse race in 2011. The status was reclaimed by The Derby in 2012.

## Records

Most successful horse (3 wins):
* Tristan – 1882, 1883, 1884
Leading jockey (6 wins):
* Danny Maher – Osboch (1901), Pretty Polly (1905), Polymelus (1906), Llangwm (1908), Bayardo (1909), Lemberg (1910)
* Charlie Elliott – Ellangowan (1923), Asterus (1927), Goyescas (1931), Djeddah (1949), Dynamiter (1951, 1952)
Leading trainer (8 wins):
* Alec Taylor Jr. – Sceptre (1903), Bayardo (1909), Lemberg (1910, 1911), Gay Crusader (1917), My Dear (1918), Buchan (1919), Picaroon (1925)
Leading owner (6 wins):
* HH Aga Khan III – Rustom Pasha (1930), Dastur (1933, dead-heat), Umidwar (1934), Nasrullah (1943), Migoli (1947), Hafiz (1955)
Dam of two winners:
* Kind- Frankel (2012) Noble Mission (2014)

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Time |
| 1877 | Springfield | 4 | Tom Cannon Sr. | James Ryan | J H Houldsworth | |
| 1878 | Jannette | 3 | Fred Archer | Mathew Dawson | 6th Viscount Falmouth | |
| 1879 | Rayon d'Or | 3 | J Goater | Tom Jennings | Frederic de Lagrange | |
| 1880 | Robert the Devil | 3 | E Rossiter | Charles Blanton | Charles Brewer | 2:10.0 |
| 1881 | Bend Or | 4 | Fred Archer | Robert Peck | 1st Duke of Westminster | 2:23.6 |
| 1882 (dh) | Tristan Thebais | 4 4 | Fred Archer George Fordham | Tom Jennings Alec Taylor Sr. | C J Lefevre William Stirling Crawfurd | |
| 1883 | Tristan | 5 | Frederic Webb | Tom Jennings | C J Lefevre | |
| 1884 (dh) | Tristan Lucerne | 6 4 | Frederic Webb Tom Cannon Sr. | Tom Jennings Alfred Hayhoe | C J Lefevre Leopold de Rothschild | |
| 1885 | Paradox | 3 | Fred Archer | John Porter | William Broderick Cloete | |
| 1886 | Ormonde | 3 | Fred Archer | John Porter | 1st Duke of Westminster | 2:19.0 |
| 1887 | Bendigo | 7 | John Watts | Charles Jousiffe | H T Barclay | |
| 1888 | Friar's Balsam | 3 | George Barrett | John Porter | Sir Frederick Johnstone | |
| 1889 | Gold | 3 | D Hunt | Tom Jennings | Prince Soltykoff | |
| 1890 | Amphion | 4 | Tom Cannon Sr. | J Chandler | General Byrne | 2:10.2 |
| 1891 | Orion | 3 | George Barrett | John Porter | 1st Duke of Westminster | |
| 1892 | Orme | 3 | George Barrett | John Porter | 1st Duke of Westminster | 2:18.8 |
| 1893 | Le Nicham | 3 | Tommy Loates | Alfred Hayhoe | Leopold de Rothschild | |
| 1894 | La Fleche | 5 | John Watts | Richard Marsh | Maurice de Hirsch | |
| 1895 | Laveno | 3 | F Finlay | James Ryan | J H Houldsworth | |
| 1896 | Labrador | 3 | Mornington Cannon | John Porter | 1st Duke of Westminster | |
| 1897 | Velasquez | 3 | Charles Wood | W Walters, Jnr. | 5th Earl of Rosebery | |
| 1898 | Velasquez | 4 | Charles Wood | Charles Wood | 5th Earl of Rosebery | |
| 1899 | Dieudonne | 4 | Mornington Cannon | Richard Marsh | 8th Duke of Devonshire | 2:19.40 |
| 1900 | Solitaire | 4 | Lester Reiff | F W Day | Sir Ernest Cassel | 3:10.00 |
| 1901 | Osboch | 3 | Danny Maher | Richard Marsh | 4th Baron Wolverton | 3:10.80 |
| 1902 | Veles | 4 | Skeets Martin | Robert Sherwood Jr. | Sir R W Griffith | 3:05.40 |
| 1903 | Sceptre | 4 | F W Hardy | Alec Taylor Jr. | Sir William Bass | |
| 1904 | Bachelor's Button | 5 | William Halsey | Charles Peck | Solomon Joel | |
| 1905 | Pretty Polly | 4 | Danny Maher | Peter Gilpin | Eustace Loder | |
| 1906 | Polymelus | 4 | Danny Maher | Charles Peck | Solomon Joel | |
| 1907 | Galvani | 3 | Bernard Dillon | Peter Gilpin | Eustace Loder | |
| 1908 | Llangwm | 3 | Danny Maher | William Waugh | B Walker | |
| 1909 | Bayardo | 3 | Danny Maher | Alec Taylor Jr. | Alfred W. Cox | |
| 1910 | Lemberg | 3 | Danny Maher | Alec Taylor Jr. | Alfred W. Cox | |
| 1911 | Lemberg | 4 | Frank Wootton | Alec Taylor Jr. | Alfred W. Cox | Walkover |
| 1912 | Stedfast | 4 | Frank Wootton | George Lambton | 17th Earl of Derby | 2:06.80 |
| 1913 | Tracery | 4 | Albert Whalley | John Watson | August Belmont Jr. | 2:06.60 |
| 1914 | Hapsburg | 3 | Cornelius Foy | William Halsey | Sir Ernest Cassel | |
| 1915 | Let Fly | 3 | Fred Rickaby | F Leader | William Hall Walker | |
| 1916 | Clarissimus | 3 | Frank Bullock | William Waugh | 7th Viscount Falmouth | |
| 1917 | Gay Crusader | 3 | Steve Donoghue | Alec Taylor Jr. | Alfred W. Cox | |
| 1918 | My Dear | 3 | Steve Donoghue | Alec Taylor Jr. | Alfred W. Cox | |
| 1919 | Buchan | 3 | Jack Brennan | Alec Taylor Jr. | Waldorf Astor | |
| 1920 | Orpheus | 3 | Felix Leach Jr. | Felix Leach | Hugo Cunliffe-Owen | |
| 1921 | Orpheus | 4 | H Gray | Felix Leach | Hugo Cunliffe-Owen | 2:05.80 |
| 1922 | Franklin | 4 | Steve Donoghue | Richard Dawson | 5th Earl of Carnarvon | 2:07.60 |
| 1923 | Ellangowan | 3 | Charlie Elliott | Jack Jarvis | 5th Earl of Rosebery | |
| 1924 | Pharos | 4 | Tommy Weston | George Lambton | 17th Earl of Derby | 2:16.60 |
| 1925 | Picaroon | 3 | Frank Bullock | Alec Taylor Jr. | Alexander Robb Cox | 2:07.80 |
| 1926 | Warden of the Marches | 4 | Joe Childs | Fred Darling | 5th Earl of Lonsdale | 2:04.00 |
| 1927 | Asterus | 3 | Charlie Elliott | Sam Darling | Marcel Boussac | 2:09.80 |
| 1928 | Fairway | 3 | Tommy Weston | Frank Butters | 17th Earl of Derby | |
| 1929 | Fairway | 4 | Tommy Weston | Frank Butters | 17th Earl of Derby | 2:13.40 |
| 1930 | Rustom Pasha | 3 | Harry Wragg | Richard Dawson | Aga Khan III | 2:08.60 |
| 1931 | Goyescas | 3 | Charlie Elliott | Basil Jarvis | Marcel Boussac | 2:05.20 |
| 1932 | Cameronian | 4 | Gordon Richards | Fred Darling | John Arthur Dewar | 2:05.60 |
| 1933 (dh) | Dastur Chatelaine | 4 3 | Michael Beary Gordon Richards | Frank Butters Fred Templeman | Aga Khan III Ernest Thornton-Smith | 2:06.80 |
| 1934 | Umidwar | 3 | Freddie Fox | Frank Butters | Aga Khan III | 2:03.80 |
| 1935 | Wychwood Abbot | 4 | Dick Perryman | Ted Leader | O Watney | 2:07.80 |
| 1936 | Wychwood Abbot | 5 | Dick Perryman | Ted Leader | O Watney | 2:10.80 |
| 1937 | Flares | 4 | Harry Wragg | Cecil Boyd-Rochfort | William Woodward Sr. | 2:14.60 |
| 1938 | Rockfel | 3 | Harry Wragg | Ossie Bell | Hugo Cunliffe-Owen | 2:05.80 |
| 1940 | Hippius | 3 | Eph Smith | Jack Jarvis | 6th Earl of Rosebery | 2:10.40 |
| 1941 | Hippius | 4 | Eph Smith | Jack Jarvis | 6th Earl of Rosebery | 2:10.80 |
| 1942 | Big Game | 3 | Gordon Richards | Fred Darling | King George VI | 2:08.20 |
| 1943 | Nasrullah | 3 | Gordon Richards | Frank Butters | Aga Khan III | 2:06.40 |
| 1944 | Hycilla | 3 | Billy Nevett | Cecil Boyd-Rochfort | William Woodward Sr. | 2:04.60 |
| 1945 | Court Martial | 3 | Cliff Richards | Joe Lawson | 2nd Viscount Astor | 2:13.80 |
| 1946 | Honeyway | 5 | Eph Smith | Jack Jarvis | 1st Baron Milford | 2:07.00 |
| 1947 | Migoli | 3 | Gordon Richards | Frank Butters | Aga Khan III | 2:04.20 |
| 1948 | Solar Slipper | 3 | Eph Smith | F Smyth | Joseph McGrath | 2:05.00 |
| 1949 | Djeddah | 4 | Charlie Elliott | Charles Semblat | Marcel Boussac | 2:09.20 |
| 1950 | Peter Flower | 4 | Bill Rickaby | Jack Jarvis | 6th Earl of Rosebery | 2:06.60 |
| 1951 | Dynamiter | 3 | Charlie Elliott | Charles Semblat | Marcel Boussac | 2:06.80 |
| 1952 | Dynamiter | 4 | Charlie Elliott | J Glynn | Marcel Boussac | 2:08.60 |
| 1953 | Nearula | 3 | Edgar Britt | Charles Elsey | William Humble | 2:09.09 |
| 1954 | Narrator | 3 | Frank Barlow | Humphrey Cottrill | Major L B Holliday | 2:06.20 |
| 1955 | Hafiz | 3 | Roger Poincelet | Alec Head | Aga Khan III | 2:15.64 |
| 1956 | Hugh Lupus | 4 | Rae Johnstone | Noel Murless | Lady Vernon | 2:08.66 |
| 1957 | Rose Royale | 3 | Jean Massard | Alec Head | Prince Aly Khan | 2:12.36 |
| 1958 | Bella Paola | 3 | Guy Lequeux | François Mathet | François Dupré | 2:08.72 |
| 1959 | Petite Etoile | 3 | Lester Piggott | Noel Murless | Prince Aly Khan | 2:30.16 |
| 1960 | Marguerite Vernaut | 3 | Enrico Camici | Ugo Penco | Marchesa della Rochetta | 2:13.03 |
| 1961 | Bobar | 3 | Maxime Garcia | Robert Corme | Mme G Courtois | 2:08.53 |
| 1962 | Arctic Storm | 3 | Bill Williamson | John Oxx | Mrs E Carroll | 2:08.54 |
| 1963 | Hula Dancer | 3 | Jean Deforge | Etienne Pollet | Gertrude Widener | 2:04.92 |
| 1964 | Baldric | 3 | Bill Pyers | Ernest Fellows | Dorothy Jackson | 2:04.00 |
| 1965 | Silly Season | 3 | Geoff Lewis | Ian Balding | Paul Mellon | 2:06.48 |
| 1966 | Pieces of Eight | 3 | Lester Piggott | Vincent O'Brien | Comtesse de la Valdene | 2:11.08 |
| 1967 | Reform | 3 | Scobie Breasley | Sir Gordon Richards | Michael Sobell | 2:08.46 |
| 1968 | Sir Ivor | 3 | Lester Piggott | Vincent O'Brien | Raymond Guest | 2:12.62 |
| 1969 | Flossy | 3 | Jean Deforge | François Boutin | Henry Berlin | 2:07.06 |
| 1970 | Lorenzaccio | 5 | Geoff Lewis | Noel Murless | Charles St George | 2:06.80 |
| 1971 | Brigadier Gerard | 3 | Joe Mercer | Dick Hern | Jean Hislop | 2:17.90 |
| 1972 | Brigadier Gerard | 4 | Joe Mercer | Dick Hern | Jean Hislop | 2:07.40 |
| 1973 | Hurry Harriet | 3 | Jean Cruguet | Paddy Mullins | Malcolm Thorp | 2:08.41 |
| 1974 | Giacometti | 3 | Lester Piggott | Ryan Price | Charles St George | 2:09.30 |
| 1975 | Rose Bowl | 3 | Willie Carson | Fulke Johnson Houghton | Jane Engelhard | 2:05.24 |
| 1976 | Vitiges | 3 | Pat Eddery | Peter Walwyn | Mrs Marc Laloum | 2:06.50 |
| 1977 | Flying Water | 4 | Yves Saint-Martin | Angel Penna | Daniel Wildenstein | 2:06.80 |
| 1978 | Swiss Maid | 3 | Greville Starkey | Paul Kelleway | Max Fine | 2:03.80 |
| 1979 | Northern Baby | 3 | Philippe Paquet | François Boutin | Anne-Marie d'Estainville | 2:03.95 |
| 1980 | Cairn Rouge | 3 | Tony Murray | Michael Cunningham | D. Brady | 2:05.73 |
| 1981 | Vayrann | 3 | Yves Saint-Martin | François Mathet | HH Aga Khan IV | 2:08.50 |
| 1982 | Time Charter | 3 | Billy Newnes | Henry Candy | Robert Barnett | 2:10.76 |
| 1983 | Cormorant Wood | 3 | Steve Cauthen | Barry Hills | Bobby McAlpine | 2:07.95 |
| 1984 | Palace Music | 3 | Yves Saint-Martin | Patrick Biancone | Nelson Bunker Hunt | 2:01.04 |
| 1985 | Pebbles | 4 | Pat Eddery | Clive Brittain | Sheikh Mohammed | 2:04.79 |
| 1986 | Triptych | 4 | Tony Cruz | Patrick Biancone | Alan Clore | 2:09.49 |
| 1987 | Triptych | 5 | Tony Cruz | Patrick Biancone | Alan Clore | 2:10.98 |
| 1988 | Indian Skimmer | 4 | Michael Roberts | Henry Cecil | Sheikh Mohammed | 2:10.51 |
| 1989 | Legal Case | 3 | Ray Cochrane | Luca Cumani | Sir Gordon White | 2:02.95 |
| 1990 | In the Groove | 3 | Steve Cauthen | David Elsworth | Brian Cooper | 2:05.67 |
| 1991 | Tel Quel | 3 | Thierry Jarnet | André Fabre | Sheikh Mohammed | 2:01.93 |
| 1992 | Rodrigo de Triano | 3 | Lester Piggott | Peter Chapple-Hyam | Robert Sangster | 2:02.46 |
| 1993 | Hatoof | 4 | Walter Swinburn | Criquette Head | Maktoum Al Maktoum | 2:06.80 |
| 1994 | Dernier Empereur | 4 | Sylvain Guillot | André Fabre | Gary Tanaka | 2:05.65 |
| 1995 | Spectrum | 3 | John Reid | Peter Chapple-Hyam | Lord Weinstock | 2:02.55 |
| 1996 | Bosra Sham | 3 | Pat Eddery | Henry Cecil | Wafic Saïd | 2:03.71 |
| 1997 | Pilsudski | 5 | Michael Kinane | Michael Stoute | Lord Weinstock | 2:05.46 |
| 1998 | Alborada | 3 | George Duffield | Sir Mark Prescott | Kirsten Rausing | 2:03.69 |
| 1999 | Alborada | 4 | George Duffield | Sir Mark Prescott | Kirsten Rausing | 2:05.57 |
| 2000 | Kalanisi | 4 | Johnny Murtagh | Sir Michael Stoute | HH Aga Khan IV | 2:05.59 |
| 2001 | Nayef | 3 | Richard Hills | Marcus Tregoning | Hamdan Al Maktoum | 2:07.72 |
| 2002 | Storming Home | 4 | Michael Hills | Barry Hills | Maktoum Al Maktoum | 2:01.42 |
| 2003 | Rakti | 4 | Philip Robinson | Michael Jarvis | Gary Tanaka | 2:03.34 |
| 2004 | Haafhd | 3 | Richard Hills | Barry Hills | Hamdan Al Maktoum | 2:06.90 |
| 2005 | David Junior | 3 | Jamie Spencer | Brian Meehan | Roldvale Ltd | 2:05.43 |
| 2006 | Pride | 6 | Christophe Lemaire | Alain de Royer-Dupré | NP Bloodstock Ltd | 2:06.81 |
| 2007 | Literato | 3 | Christophe Lemaire | Jean-Claude Rouget | Hervé Morin | 2:04.24 |
| 2008 | New Approach | 3 | Kevin Manning | Jim Bolger | Princess Haya of Jordan | 2:00.13 |
| 2009 | Twice Over | 4 | Tom Queally | Henry Cecil | Khalid Abdullah | 2:01.31 |
| 2010 | Twice Over | 5 | Tom Queally | Henry Cecil | Khalid Abdullah | 2:08.54 |
| 2011 | Cirrus des Aigles | 5 | Christophe Soumillon | Corine Barande-Barbe | Jean-Claude Dupouy | 2:02.52 |
| 2012 | Frankel | 4 | Tom Queally | Sir Henry Cecil | Khalid Abdullah | 2:10.22 |
| 2013 | Farhh | 5 | Silvestre de Sousa | Saeed bin Suroor | Godolphin Racing | 2:12.02 |
| 2014 | Noble Mission | 5 | James Doyle | Jane Cecil | Khalid Abdullah | 2:11.23 |
| 2015 | Fascinating Rock | 4 | Pat Smullen | Dermot Weld | Newtown Anner Stud Farm | 2:06.31 |
| 2016 | Almanzor | 3 | Christophe Soumillon | Jean-Claude Rouget | Ecurie Antonio Caro | 2:05.94 |
| 2017 | Cracksman | 3 | Frankie Dettori | John Gosden | Anthony Oppenheimer | 2:11.75 |
| 2018 | Cracksman | 4 | Frankie Dettori | John Gosden | Anthony Oppenheimer | 2:08.79 |
| 2019 | Magical | 4 | Donnacha O'Brien | Aidan O'Brien | Smith / Magnier / Tabor | 2:08.42 |
| 2020 | Addeybb | 6 | Tom Marquand | William Haggas | Sheikh Ahmed al Maktoum | 2:12.29 |
| 2021 | Sealiway | 3 | Mickael Barzalona | Cedric Rossi | Le Haras De La Gousserie | 2:08.31 |
| 2022 | Bay Bridge | 4 | Richard Kingscote | Sir Michael Stoute | James Wigan & Ballylinch Stud | 2:09.46 |
| 2023 | King of Steel | 3 | Frankie Dettori | Roger Varian | Amo Racing Limited | 2:08.42 |
| 2024 | Anmaat | 6 | Jim Crowley | Owen Burrows | Shadwell Estate Company Ltd | 2:08.96 |
* 1 2 3 The 1882, 1884 and 1933 races were dead-heats and have joint winners
* 1 2 3 The 2019, 2023 and 2024 editions were held on Ascot's inner course over 1 mile and 2 furlongs