QIPCO is to relinquish its sponsorship of the British Champions Series, the 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket, and the King George meeting at Ascot. It will, however, remain involved as the principal backer of British Champions Day and as a partner of Ascot Racecourse to 2026.
David Redvers, Qatar Racing's Manager, and the sponsor's representative said, “Their Royal Highnesses Sheikhs Hamad and Fahad Al Thani's earliest involvement in British Racing came with the commitment to helping promote the top-tier of the sport. They remain proud of the success of QIPCO British Champions Day – which is a rare innovation in racing. In addition to cementing the day's status in the world horseracing calendar, we are thrilled to have grown a new, younger audience to attend the races that day, showcasing the sport we have to offer to the fans of the future.”
QIPCO British Champions Day, which this year takes place on Saturday, October 19, features four Group 1 races and prize-money of £4 million.
Redvers continued, “We wish to concentrate our focus on developing British Champions Day, along with our partnership with Ascot at the Royal meeting. We feel we have helped to develop the series in the last 14 years and are proud that it has over one million followers on social media platforms and has delivered The Hall of Fame and Club 26, which recently celebrated its 10,000th member in just over a year since it was launched. We will continue to be huge advocates of British Champions Series. We are also proud to have helped Newmarket maintain the importance of the Guineas Festival during our involvement, which includes record prize-money for the two Classic races.”
QIPCO was the inaugural sponsor of British Champions Day in 2011 when significant changes were made to the autumn racing programme in the UK, including the transfer of the G1 Champion Stakes from its traditional home in Newmarket to Ascot. The withdrawal of the sponsorship of the first two Classics of the season will be a significant blow to Newmarket Racecourses, which form part of the Jockey Club's portfolio of 15 tracks.
Amy Starkey, managing director at Jockey Club Racecourses, said, “On behalf of everyone at Newmarket Racecourses and The Jockey Club, I would like to thank QIPCO for their sustained support and passion for the 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas across the last 14 years.”
Rod Street, the chief executive of British Champions Series, added “Since 2011, QIPCO has provided a significant financial contribution to British racing, helping us to pay out £47 million in prize-money since the inception of QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot each October. We are delighted QIPCO has chosen to continue to support this important day, reflecting our shared belief that Britain is home to the best racing in the world and merits a world-class season finale.
“We will be seeking new partners for British Champions Series from 2025. QIPCO has helped us to build a valuable asset, which enables partners to be associated with the very best of British racing from the first Classic race of the season, through the summer and up to Champions Day – 26 Group 1 fixtures in all.”
British Champions Day is owned by British Champions Series Limited. Its shareholders include The Jockey Club, Ascot Racecourse, Great British Racing, Arena Racing Company, Goodwood, Newbury and York Racecourses.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
