Pony Racing Championship Confirmed For Ascot Debut
A New Race Opens Champions Day Card
A new pony race will open the card at Ascot Racecourse on 17 October 2026, when the Pony Racing Championship (branded the Qatar Racing Pony Racing Championship) is run for the first time on British Champions Day (run commercially as Qatar Racing British Champions Day). The race is open to ponies measuring 148cm and under, and its addition gives a group of young riders the chance to compete on what is widely regarded as the richest raceday on the British calendar.
The Pony Racing Championship is scheduled to run as the opening contest on the Champions Day card, forming part of the Dragon TV & Film Racecourse Series 2026, a programme organised by the Pony Racing Authority (PRA). Restricted to ponies of 148cm and under, the race gives its young competitors a rare opportunity to ride at Ascot, one of the sport's most prestigious and closely watched venues, ahead of the day's principal contests.
Its inclusion on Champions Day marks the first time the fixture has featured on this particular card. Pony racing has long served as an entry point for riders who go on to build professional careers, and a number of the sport's current leading names passed through the same grassroots system before progressing to the top level of the profession. Placing the Pony Racing Championship at the start of such a high-profile programme highlights that pathway and the young talent currently coming through it, while also giving the riders' families a day out at one of the sport's flagship venues.
Redvers Praises Work Behind The Scenes
David Redvers, Bloodstock and Racing Manager for Qatar Racing, said Sheikh Fahad and the wider Qatar Racing team were delighted to bring the Pony Racing Championship to Ascot for the first time this year. He credited the work carried out behind the scenes to arrange the fixture, and said the aim was to further enrich the occasion while showcasing the next generation of talented riders. Redvers added that he expected the day to be one the young competitors and their families would never forget.
Billy Loughnane, champion of the 2022 All-Weather Pony Racing Series and currently leading the British Flat Jockeys Championship, said pony racing had given him a strong foundation early in his career. He pointed to the experience of riding a variety of different ponies, and to learning the mechanics of races and competition from a young age, as lessons that had stayed with him throughout his rise through the sport.
Loughnane added that the chance to ride in a pony race on such a major card would be a significant moment for the young competitors involved, describing Ascot as a stage they would remember for a long time. He observed that pony racing has already produced a number of jockeys now riding professionally, and suggested that some of the riders taking part next month could go on to follow the same route into the sport.
Doyle Recalls Her Own Pony Club Roots
Hollie Doyle, a four-time winner on Champions Day and a former member of the Pony Club herself, said opportunities of this kind carry real importance for young riders. She explained that pony racing builds many of the fundamental skills needed for a career in the saddle, while also fostering a passion for the sport that can last a lifetime. Doyle said competing at Ascot on Champions Day would leave a lasting impression on the young riders taking part, and welcomed the fact that this stage of the sport's pathway was being recognised on such a significant occasion.
Lucinda Campbell-Dutton, Chief Executive Officer of the Pony Racing Authority, thanked Sheikh Fahad, Qatar Racing and Ascot Racecourse for making the opportunity possible. She described the chance to stage the Pony Racing Championship as part of Champions Day as an outstanding and exciting development for both the PRA and the riders competing in the 148cm and under category, and said the PRA was looking forward to staging the event at Ascot for the first time next month.
The Pony Racing Championship will be run as the opening race on the Champions Day card at Ascot Racecourse on Saturday 17 October 2026.