A RECORD £4.35m will be up for grabs when the stars of the equine world battle it out at QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot Racecourse on Saturday.

The richest raceday in Britain marks the end of the QIPCO British Champions Series, covering the five categories of sprint, mile, middle distance, long distance, and fillies and mares.

Ascot Gold Cup winner Stradivarius – who has stormed to four major Champions Series victories already this year – goes for the opening Long Distance Cup, though faces strong rivals in St Leger winner Kew Gardens, and the Willie Mullins-trained Thomas Hobson, winner of the Doncaster Cup.

Librisa Breeze will aim to defend the Champions Sprint Stakes run over 6f, though last year’s runner-up and 2016 winner, The Tin Man, will be aiming for revenge after adding the 32Red Sprint Cup to his trophy cabinet earlier this year.

The four-year-old filly, Hydrangea, who impressively won the Fillies and Mares Stakes in 2017 will be returning to defend her crown, though the John Gosden-trained, Lah Ti Dar, who secured victory at the York Ebor Festival by an extraordinary 10 lengths, will also be seeking victory in the 1m 4f contest.

The richest mile race in Europe with a prize fund of £1.1m, the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, is set to feature some outstanding horses including French sensation, Recoletos, who is heading over to Britain for only the third time following victory in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp.

Another live chance is Eve Johnson Houghton’s Accidental Agent, who won the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot at the huge price of 33/1 earlier this year.

There is £1.3m on offer in the Champion Stakes, the most valuable mile and a quarter race (1m 2f) in Europe, is set to be a cracker, with the world’s leading three year-old, Roaring Lion – whose victories this year include the Juddmonte International Stakes and the Coral-Eclipse – set to square off against reigning champion Cracksman.

After the racing, award-winning singer-songwriter, Ella Eyre, and chart-topping DJ-producer, Jax Jones, will headline the official after party.

Queen Anne enclosure tickets start at £35. Doors open 10.30am.