Racing’s thrilling flat season finale QIPCO British Champions Day took place at Ascot on Saturday.

In front of just over 29,000 spectators in the sunshine, the day certainly lived up to it’s billing and delivered a wonderful day’s racing.

The highlight of the afternoon was the Group 1 QIPCO Champion Stakes. Before the off the talk around the racing circles was about two horses. The French trained Calandagan along with the unbeaten British hope Economics.

By the end of the race it was a 40-1 shot that was celebrating in the shape of Anmaat who overcame trouble in running to produce one of the biggest shocks of the day.

In what proved to be an eventful race, Anmaat, like eventual runner-up Calandagan, was unable to get a clear run as the field bunched up early in the home straight.

However, under jockey Jim Crowley he managed to extricate the six-year-old with time to spare to collar the favourite Calandagan in the final stages. The winning margin was half a length with northern raider Royal Rhyme two lengths further back in third.

Anmaat, who landed last year’s Group 1 Prix d’Ispaghan, disappointed on his previous start when finishing down the field in the Group 2 Prix Dollar.

Charyn secured his third Group 1 prize of the season with an eye-catching performance in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

The son of Dark Angel needed to dig deep when French raider Facteur Cheval mounted a strong challenge entering the final furlong. However, under strong driving from Silvestre de Sousa’s urgings he pulled away to score by two lengths.

Perfect Kyprios remains king of the staying division by making it seven wins from seven starts this year with a two-and-a-quarter-length victory in the Group 2 QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup.

The odds on favourite was always looking comfortable under Ryan Moore who had the race won entering the final furlong.

James Fanshaw continued his love of the Qipco British Champions Sprint with his third success in the race by saddling Kind Of Blue to victory. The progressive three-year-old held off the challenges of Swingalong and Flora Of Bemuda to score for the first time at Group level in the colours of owners Wathnan Racing.

Aside from six excellent races in the afternoon, Oisin Murphy was presented with his fourth Champion Flat Jockey trophy having previously won in 2019, 2020 and 2021.

The likeable Irishman ended the campaign on 163 winners, more than 50 clear of his closest challenger Rossa Ryan.

Aidan O’Brien wrapped up his seventh British Flat Trainer’s Championship. Although the season officially runs from January 1 to December 31, O’Brien leads the standings by more than £3 million.

The Champion Apprentice title was a two-horse race between Sean Dylan Bowen and Joe Leavy with the pair neck and neck entering the final week, but Bowen bagged crucial winners in the last 48 hours to finish top with 45 successes in his first season riding in England.

By Peter Moore