British Champions Day: Magical, Serpentine, Palace Pier & Stradivarius to run at Ascot

Last year's victor Magical will be joined by Derby-winning stablemate Serpentine in the big race at British Champions Day on Saturday.

The Aidan O'Brien-trained pair line up in the Champion Stakes at Ascot where rivals will include the 2019 runner-up Addeybb, plus Mishriff and Pyledriver.

O'Brien's Circus Maximus will take on Palace Pier in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Britain's richest raceday.

The meeting, staged for the 10th time, is being held behind closed doors,

Total prize money of £2.5m, down from £4.2m last year because of the Covid-19 pandemic, will be on offer.

Conditions are likely to be testing with the ground on Thursday morning described as soft, heavy in places.

Champion Stakes contenders Serpentine and Japan both missed out on running in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe for O'Brien because of concerns around contaminated feed.

The main supporting race is the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, in which O'Brien's Circus Maximus attempts to reverse form with Deauville conqueror Palace Pier.

All times BST

13:20 Long Distance Cup, two miles - Triple Ascot Gold Cup winner Stradivarius could kick off a big day for trainer John Gosden, although Dermot Weld sends over Irish St Leger winner Search For a Song.

13:55 Champions Sprint Stakes, six furlongs - Oisin Murphy, on track to be champion jockey for the second consecutive year, rides Dream Of Dreams. Murphy has been allowed to continue riding while he awaits the B sample result after testing positive for cocaine. He denies ever taking the drug.

14:30 Fillies and Mares Stakes, one mile and two furlongs - Hollie Doyle seeks her first top-level Group One win on Dame Malliot after breaking her own record on Wednesday for winners ridden in a year by a woman. Victory would be an emotional swansong for trainer Ed Vaughan, who is giving up his licence.

15:05 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, one mile - The unbeaten Palace Pier, currently rated the second best racehorse in the world behind Ghaiyyath, runs for Gosden.

15:40 Champion Stakes, one mile and two furlongs - Magical is likely to be sent off favourite and the five-year-old, who had seemed set for retirement a year ago, could still run in the Breeders' Cup meeting in the United States three weeks later.

16:15 Balmoral Handicap, one mile - Raeeq and Tempus are among the leading contenders in the concluding race.