Calandagan wins after 200-1 and 100-1 Ascot shocks

Calandagan landed nan large title connected British Champions Day, Powerful Glory made history pinch a 200-1 triumph and Cicero's Gift was different daze victor astatine 100-1.

French challenger Calandagan, ridden by Mickael Barzalona for trainer Francis-Henri Graffard, won nan Champion Stakes from Ombudsman astatine Ascot.

Powerful Glory, ridden by Jamie Spencer for trainer Richard Fahey, hit 2-1 favourite Lazzat into 2nd successful nan Champions Sprint Stakes.

Powerful Glory is nan longest-priced victor of a top-level British Group One race, 3 months aft Qirat group a grounds by winning nan Sussex Stakes astatine Goodwood astatine 150-1.

Spencer came pinch a precocious surge connected his equine to triumph connected Britain's richest title day, pinch 66-1 changeable Quinault 3rd successful nan 19-runner contest.

"I americium mislaid for words," said Spencer.

"Powerful Glory is simply a bully equine and travelled nicely. I thought I was going to beryllium placed and each of a abrupt I thought I really person a chance."

There was different large upset pinch 100-1 chance Cicero's Gift winning nan Queen Elizabeth II Stakes nether Jason Watson for trainer Charlie Hills.

A tearful Watson came location up of The Lion In Winter and Alakazi to declare his first Group One triumph since 2019.

Much of nan talk successful nan build-up to nan Champion Stakes was astir Ombudsman and Delacroix - gathering for nan 3rd time, pinch nan people 1 apiece - and their trainers.

Delacroix's trainer Aidan O'Brien had suggested John Gosden, who trains alongside boy Thady, liked to "whinge" sometimes aft races.

Gosden, who had alluded to O'Brien fielding aggregate runners successful immoderate large races, said his comments had "irked" his Irish counterpart.

But they were some retired of luck arsenic 15-8 changeable Calandagan, runner-up past year, prevailed by 2 and a 4th lengths from Ombudsman, pinch Almaqam 3rd and Delacroix fourth.

It was different large triumph successful nan Aga Khan's colours for Graffard and Barzalona, who won nan Prix de l'Arc de Triimphe pinch Daryz 2 weeks ago.

"He's a very bully horse. It's a joyousness to thrust successful these colours and I'm very proud to beryllium portion of nan team," said Barzalona.

Powerful Glory had been good beaten successful his 2 erstwhile races this season, though had won connected some starts past year, including nan Group Two Mill Reef Stakes.

"I americium not saying I thought he would travel present and astir win, but I knew he would do his champion and, erstwhile I saw 200-1, I astir had a stake and I don't bet," said Fahey.

"We person seen nan existent Powerful Glory coming - and he has only had 4 starts."

Powerful Glory, owned by Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum, earned astir £320,000 connected a time which boasts wide prize money of £4.35m.

Earlier, Trawlerman hit stablemate Sweet William successful a Long Distance Cup one-two for nan Gosdens.

Kalpana, ridden by Colin Keane, defended her Fillies and Mares Stakes title for trainer Andrew Balding.

Meanwhile, Oisin Murphy was crowned champion jockey for a 5th clip aft a turbulent year.

Murphy was fined £70,000 and fixed a 20-month driving prohibition for drink-driving aft crashing a car into a character successful April.

The jockey, who has well-documented intoxicant issues, apologised for what happened.

"I surely had a constituent to beryllium that I was capable to do my occupation pinch things going connected externally, and that's what motivated maine and fuelled maine to nan title title," he said.

"Like anyone pinch an addiction, you person to activity very difficult astatine it. And, unluckily for me, I relapsed and I've had to salary nan value for it since."