All eyes on Ascot as fascinating Champions Day brings Flat season to crescendo

Monday

Musselburgh hosts the premier fixture of the day with two classy contests – a 5f conditions stakes (2.00) and a 7f 0-100 handicap (2.30).

We also find out the confirmations for Saturday’s Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot and more yearlings go under the hammer at Tattersalls in Newmarket.

Tuesday

Darver Star, who progressed from handicaps to finish second in the Irish Champion Hurdle and third in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, makes an eagerly anticipated debut over fences at Punchestown in the 2m1f beginners chase (1.40).

Racing Post Arkle on the agenda for Champion Hurdle third Darver Star

At Leicester, Top Of The Pops, a Kingman half-brother to King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Poet’s Word, is set to run for the first time in the mile novice (2.45).

Wednesday

Quality races on the Flat and over jumps in Britain and Ireland. Over jumps, A Wave Of The Sea and Sizing Pottsie are in line to contest the Grade 3 Idealgraphix.ie Branding Irish Racecourses Novice Chase (2.50) at Punchestown.

Sizing Pottsie: high-class chaser may returnCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

On the Flat, Bath hosts a Listed race and so does Nottingham, where John Gosden also has a couple of intriguing potential debutants – Zagato, a colt by Frankel out of Izzi Top, and Missile, a daughter of Dubawi and Ribbons.

Thursday

The final fields will be unveiled for Qipco British Champions Day as the excitement for the meeting ratchets up another notch.

The Listed TRM Waterford Testimonial Stakes at the Curragh (1.30) is the highlight from the day's fixtures.

Friday

The late, great Pat Smullen is remembered at Dundalk with the Group 3 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Pat Smullen Mercury Stakes (7.15) run in his honour.

Pat Smullen: will be remembered at Dundalk this weekCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

At Fakenham, Next Destination is a fascinating potential runner with the eight-year-old, now trained by Paul Nicholls and last seen winning a Grade 1 at the 2018 Punchestown festival, entered for a 3m novice chase (2.40).

Saturday

The big finale of the British Flat season takes place at Ascot with £2.5 million up for grabs. Four Group 1s, a Group 2 and a top handicap bid to send out a strange Flat season with a bang.

Sunday

Kempton hosts one of the early highlights of the core jumps season with two Listed races, including the 2m hurdle regularly won by The New One in previous years.

Silver Streak, who went on to be second to Epatante in the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle, was successful in the contest last season.

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