About the race
The British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes is run over a mile and a half (2,400 metres) on turf at Ascot on British Champions Day in October, and is restricted to fillies and mares aged three and upwards. Wikipedia records that it was established in 1946 as the Princess Royal Stakes, later ran at Newmarket as the Pride Stakes, returned to Ascot under its present name in 2011 and became a Group 1 race in 2013. For 2026 it is sponsored by Qatar Racing and worth £500,000, and it is set for Saturday 17 October.
On 18 October 2025 Kalpana, owned by Juddmonte, trained by Andrew Balding and ridden by Colin Keane, won the race for the second year running, with Estrange second and Quisisana third. The IFHA ranked it joint 92nd in the world for 2025. Kalpana went on to win the 2026 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.
The 2025 running
| Date | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 October 2025 | Kalpana | Colin Keane | Andrew Balding | Juddmonte |
From the official result.
Recognition and facts
- Race day
- Qatar Racing British Champions Day, Saturday 17 October 2026, 2.40pm
- Raceday owner
- British Champions Series Ltd; The Jockey Club is the majority shareholder
- 2026 early closing entries
- 48 (published 4 August 2026)
- IFHA ranking for 2025
- Joint 92nd in the world, race rating 116.00
Questions readers ask
When is the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes run?
On British Champions Day at Ascot in October. The 2026 running is scheduled for Saturday 17 October 2026 at 2.40pm.
What is the prize fund of the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes?
£500,000 for the 2026 running, according to British Champions Day.
Who won the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes in 2025?
Kalpana, ridden by Colin Keane and trained by Andrew Balding for Juddmonte, won on 18 October 2025.
Sources
The rank and rating are from the IFHA's LONGINES World's Top 100 Group/Grade 1 Races 2025, published 21 January 2026, which ranks races by the ratings of their first four finishers. Other facts are from the pages listed below.
- IFHA: LONGINES World's Top 100 Group/Grade 1 Races 2025 (published 21 January 2026)
- Race Information, British Champions Day
- Past results: The Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes 2025, British Champions Day
- QIPCO extends British Champions Day sponsorship to 2028, Ascot Racecourse
- Qatar Racing to become title sponsor of British Champions Day, Ascot Racecourse
- British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes, Wikipedia