British Champions Long Distance Cup: Runners and Riders

Trueshan is the headline act in his quest to make it four successive wins in the British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot for Alan King and Hollie Doyle. 

British Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday afternoon is the culmination of the Flat season and it's a stunning six-race card that includes four Group 1s, with the very best horses, jockeys and trainers competing for £4 million in prize money, making this Britain's richest raceday.

The Long Distance Cup opens the Ascot card and the two-mile contest carries a top prize in excess of £283,000.

Here's our look at the runners and riders for the Champions Day opener. 

What	Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup
Where	Ascot Racecourse, Berkshire
When	1.15, Saturday 21st October, 2023
How to watch	bet365 Sports Live Streaming, ITV, Sky Sports Racing & Racing TV
Odds	Kyprios 6/5, Trueshan 7/4, Coltrane 13/2, Sweet William 10/1, Trawlerman 20/1

1. Broome

Current Odds - 40/1
Jockey - Dylan McMonagle
Trainer - Aidan O'Brien

Broome is a nine-time turf winner, highlighted by his Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud success in 2021. Successes have been harder to come by since, though he did win a Meydan Group 2 in the spring over two miles.

He hasn't threatened in major staying races in Britain this season, leaving him with plenty to find against peak-form Coltrane and Trueshan. 

2. Coltrane

Current Odds - 13/2
Jockey - Oisin Murphy
Trainer - Andrew Balding

Coltrane is a smart and consistent stayer, boasting eight wins from 16 career starts on turf and has only finished out of the frame in three of those. One of those was last month at Doncaster when Trueshan won the 2m2f soft-ground Doncaster Cup.

He has previously won the Lonsdale Cup at York over this sort of trip, but suspicions are that he requires better ground than what appears likely.

3. Kyprios

Current Odds - 6/5
Jockey - Ryan Moore
Trainer - Aidan O'Brien

This son of Galileo enjoyed an unstoppable season in 2022, winning all six starts including the Ascot Gold Cup, Goodwood Cup, Irish St Leger and the Prix Du Cadran (2m4f, soft) - by a whopping 20-lengths.

A setback contributed to a delayed return and, after 344 days off, he was only second in last month's Irish Leger behind Eldar Eldarov. 

4. Stratum

Current Odds - 100/1
Jockey - William Buick
Trainer - Willie Mullins

Stratum is without a victory since the Queen Alexandra Stakes at Royal Ascot in June 2022 (only seventh of nine this summer) and trailed home in last month's Irish Cesarewitch at the Curragh over a similar trip on soft going.

5. Sweet William

Current Odds - 10/1
Jockey - Robert Havlin
Trainer - John & Thady Gosden

Progressive this season at four, Sweet William has won his first three races of 2023 including the Summer Handicap at Glorious Goodwood over 1m6f on heavy ground.

A close second under a penalty next time in York's Ebor and finishing second to Trueshan in the Doncaster Cup suggests he has a bright future in this sphere.

6. Trawlerman

Current Odds - 20/1
Jockey - Frankie Dettori
Trainer - John & Thady Gosden

Trawlerman was third in this race a year ago behind Trueshan, having won the Ebor previously. He's back for another crack now and has landed wins at Salisbury (1m6f, good to firm) and in a Listed Newmarket event (2m, good to firm) by very wide margins on his last two starts.

7. Trueshan

Current Odds - 7/4
Jockey - Hollie Doyle
Trainer - Alan King

He has won this race three years in a row and is now looking to move within one of Further Flight's 1990's five-in-a-row.

A couple of early-season disappointments left connections at a crossroads, but he has since burst back to his best with wins at Doncaster and Longchamp in September.

8. Maxident

Current Odds - 100/1
Jockey - Owen Lewis
Trainer - Dominic Ffrench-Davis

A gelded son of Nathaniel who won a Leicester novice (1m4f heavy) on debut in April, Maxident was well held in two further starts in that sphere and again when fourth of five in last month's handicap bow at Haydock (1m6f, soft) off a mark of 83. However, it will be one for the ages if he can stun this field.

Any odds displayed were correct at the time of writing and are subject to fluctuation.

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.