A STAR-STUDDED cast is on course to light up QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday after the five-day entries were revealed on Monday.

The ninth edition of Britain’s richest raceday, which boasts prize-money of more than £4 million, is again packed full of quality from start to finish.

No fewer than 25 Group One winners remain in the mix, with this year’s Classic winners Hermosa, Magna Grecia, Anapurna, Phoenix Of Spain and Star Catcher set to be joined by star names such as Benbatl, Stradivarius, Magical, Japan, Coronet, Advertise, Hello Youmzain, One Master and The Tin Man.

There will also be an international flavour with the darling of Japan, Deirdre, set to be joined by contenders from Ireland and France.

The past three winners of the QIPCO British Champions Sprint Stakes are set to clash when Sands Of Mali, Librisa Breeze and The Tin Man are challenged by Advertise, Brando, Hello Youmzain, Mabs Cross and One Master, while super stayer Stradivarius heads 14 entries left in the QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup.

The John Gosden-trained five-year-old scooped last year’s renewal and has not lost since finishing a close third to Order Of St George in the 2017 running.

His rivals on Saturday will include Cleonte, Max Dynamite, Royal Line, Dee Ex Bee and Kew Gardens.

Gosden and Aidan O’Brien have dominated the past three renewals of the QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes and the pair again look to hold the aces.

Gosden has three contenders to shuffle in Anapurna, Sparkle Roll and Star Catcher, with the latter the bookmakers' favourite, while O’Brien – who has won the past two runnings – has Delphinia, Fleeting, Hermosa, Pink Dogwood, Magical and South Sea Pearl engaged.

Other interesting contenders include Antonia De Vega, easy winner of her only race at Newbury this season, and the progressive Tarnawa.

The final contest of this year’s 35-race QIPCO British Champions Series is the £1.3 million QIPCO Champion Stakes, the most valuable mile and a quarter race staged in Europe, where leading contenders include Magical, Addeybb, Japan, Coronet and Deirdre.