Qatar Racing will succeed its parent company, QIPCO, as title sponsor of British Champions Day, the single most valuable day in the British racing calendar with total prize-money of £4.35 million.QIPCO announced earlier this year an extension of their support of British horse racing's flagship raceday until 2028. This new agreement will see the headline sponsorship switch to become Qatar Racing British Champions Day, including individual sponsorship of all seven races.Announcing the new arrangement, HH Sheikh Fahad Al Thani paid tribute to his family's longstanding commitment to the sport and to QIPCO's pivotal role in establishing British Champions Day as one of the world's premier racing events.He said, “Whilst the title sponsorship will transfer to Qatar Racing for the next three years, this reflects the continued commitment of my brothers to British racing and in particular that of QIPCO chairman HH Sheikh Hamad Al Thani. Since the inaugural QIPCO British Champions Day in 2011, our family's ambition has been to support the very best of British racing and that commitment remains as strong as ever.”Nick Smith, co-chair of British Champions Series Ltd and Director of Racing and Public Affairs at Ascot Racecourse, added, “We are hugely grateful to HH Sheikh Hamad Al Thani and HH Sheikh Fahad Al Thani for their longstanding support of the day, which staged the world's joint top-rated race last year. We look forward to building on the success of British Champions Day under its new brand name.”The announcement is made on the same day that early closing entries are published for the five Group 1 races on the card, with many of the stars of 2026 in contention to run at Ascot on Saturday, October 17.A bumper 45 entries have been made for the Qatar Racing Champion Stakes, which tied with the Japan Cup in the battle for the Longines World's Best Horse Race Award in 2025. The entries include last year's one-two, Calandagan (Gleneagles) and Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder), as well as leading three-year-olds Constitution River (Wootton Bassett) and Diamond Necklace (St Mark's Basilica).Aidan O'Brien's unbeaten filly Diamond Necklace is also among 36 entries for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Sponsored by Qatar Racing) over a mile, alongside fellow Group 1 winners Bow Echo (Night Of Thunder), Blue Bolt (Blue Point), Docklands (Massaat), Gstaad (Starspangledbanner), Precise (Starspangledbanner), Ten Bob Tony (Night Of Thunder), Thesecretadversary (St Mark's Basilica) and True Love (No Nay Never).Elsewhere, two-time winner and recent King George heroine Kalpana (Study Of Man) spearheads 48 entries for the Qatar Racing British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes, while the Qatar Racing British Champions Long Distance Cup could see Scandinavia (Justify) and Trawlerman (Golden Horn) renew their rivalry after they featured among 38 entries.Completing the list of Group 1 races on the card is the Qatar Racing British Champions Sprint Stakes, with Almeraq (Dark Angel), Comanche Brave (Wootton Bassett), Mission Central (No Nay Never) and Venetian Sun (Starman) – the winners of the four Group 1 sprints held so far this season in Britain – headlining the 42 contenders.The post Qatar Racing to Become Title Sponsor of British Champions Day appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.