Three Champions Day races switched from Round to Inner Flat Course at Ascot

Jon Vine

Editor

Last updated: Fri 20 Oct 2023 12:31

Jon Vine 20 Oct 2023

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Breaking news ahead of Champions Day on October 21st
The Long Distance Cup, Champion Fillies & Mares and the Champion Stakes have been switched from the Round course to the Inner Flat course
The Champions Sprint, Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and Balmoral Handicap remain on the Straight Track

Ascot racecourse rain. (Getty)

Three Champions Day races have been moved to the Inner Flat Track at Ascot on Saturday, as Storm Babet continues to cause havoc in the UK.

Horses racing has been feeling the effects of Storm Babet this week. Thursday's jumps meetings at Haydock, Uttoxeter and Fakenham were lost to the storm, while Market Rasen and Stratford have already abandoned their Saturday meetings.

On Friday morning, an inspection was called at Ascot ahead of British Champions Day. The going on the Round course was soft, heavy in places, while the straight course was described as soft.

With the prospect of more rain to come over the next 24 hours, organisers have decided the Round course will not be fit for racing come Saturday afternoon. The decision has been made to move the Long Distance Cup, Champion Fillies & Mares and the Champion Stakes to the Inner Flat Course, which was described as good, good-to-soft on Friday.