Last year's victor Fascinating Rock heads a powerful Irish contingent for the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot on October 15th.

The winners of 79 Group 1 races, including 15 European Classics, feature among a record number of entries for QIPCO British Champions Day.

With £4.2 million in prize money, it features four Group 1 races and a Group 2 and the 256 entries - up 10.8% on last year and exceeding the previous highest number in 2013 of 245 - are brimming with quality.

Dermot Weld's charge, successful at the meeting last year, was last seen beating old adversary Found in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh in May, while dual Derby winner Harzand gives Weld another string to his bow.

Found could bid to gain revenge as she is among a strong Ballydoyle team along with The Gurkha, who could do battle with Hawkbill again, having chased that rival home in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown.

Also included for O'Brien are Epsom Derby second and third US Army Ranger and Idaho, as well as the outstanding filly Minding, who gained her sixth success at the highest level when landing the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood last week.

The winners of 79 Group 1 races, including 15 European Classics, feature among a record number of entries for QIPCO British Champions Day.

With £4.2 million in prize money, Britain’s richest raceday is the only time during the season that a British card features four Group 1 races and a Group 2 and the attached 256 entries - up 10.8% on last year and exceeding the previous highest number in 2013 of 245 - are brimming with quality.

The Gurkha and Galileo Gold head 40 entries for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot.

Hugo Palmer's 1000 Guineas hero Galileo Gold narrowly got the better of the Aidan O'Brien-trained French Guineas winner The Gurkha in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, but roles were reversed in last week's Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.

Ribchester, owned by Godolphin and trained by Richard Fahey, won the Jersey Stakes at the Royal meeting before flying home to finish third in the Sussex and connections are keen on an appearance at Ascot on October 15.

Fahey said: "It was a fantastic race (at Goodwood) and Ribchester ran a blinder. He's progressing all the time and has come out of the race in good order. The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes is obviously a race we are all keen on.

"For his next run we are looking at the Prix Jacques le Marois (Deauville, August 14), or he could go back to Goodwood for the Celebration Mile (August 27).

On the prospect of meeting The Gurkha and Galileo Gold again, the trainer added: "I'm not saying we would beat them, but you wouldn't be afraid to take them on again."

With a total prize fund of £1.1million up for grabs, the QEII is the richest mile race in Europe.

Belardo and Gabrial, who filled the places behind Solow in last year's running, are entered again. The former won the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury in May and was runner-up to Tepin in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Minding has been given the option of dropping back to a mile, while Qemah, winner of the Coronation Stakes and Prix Rothschild on her past two starts, is among five possible French challengers.