Qipco

It's QIPCO British Champions Day, so it stands to reason that we are talking about autumn soft ground as the European flat season continues to turn on its axis. Where the summer specialists City Of Troy (Justify), Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio) and Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) are missing for varying reasons, the way is open for those who relish the kind of test this surface provides. Every one of the five pattern races on Ascot's fixture boasts at...

A total of 40 networks, covering over 170 territories, will broadcast QIPCO British Champions Day. Racecourse Media Group (RMG) and HBA Media (HBA), working with QIPCO British Champions Series, have secured global coverage of the £4.1m raceday, which includes four Group 1 races. Fox Sports US will showcase the full card for the first time on Fox Sports 1, while ESPN / Disney + and SuperSport will broadcast to their significant South American and African audiences. The Green Channel (Japan) and HKJC, Cable TV, TVB and Now TV (Hong Kong)...

A total of 151 horses remain in the five QIPCO British Champions Day races after the second entry stage, the highest number in the past six years. The event will be staged at Ascot on Saturday, Oct. 19. The G1 QIPCO Champion Stakes sees G1 Irish Champion Stakes hero Economics (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) square off with Franci-Henri Graffard's G1 International Stakes runner-up Calandagan (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}), and Jean-Pierre Gauvin's Iresine (Fr) (Manduro {Ger}). Joseph O'Brien's Group 1 winner Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) remains in the entries,...

Royal Ascot was tremendous in myriad ways. Sun up, crowd up, and a spread of results which drew in some of the world's biggest owners and trainers alongside syndicates and smaller yards. Then on Sunday morning came the news that QIPCO is to significantly reduce its sponsorship of British racing from next year. British Champions Day will still be run in its name, and the company owned by Sheikhs Hamad and Fahad Al Thani will remain as an official partner of Ascot racecourse, but Newmarket's Guineas meeting, Ascot's King George...

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...

Lammtarra's 1995 renewal of the G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S. was named the latest recipient of the QIPCO Diamonds & Pearls Award. Each year, QIPCO, the official sponsor of the King George, honours a vintage renewal of the race. Trained by Saeed bin Suroor, the son of Nijinsky II raced in the colours of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum's nephew, Saeed bin Maktoum al Maktoum. His father, Sheikh Maktoum, bred Lammtarra at his Gainsborough Farm Stud. Undefeated Lammtarra achieved the rare feat of winning the Epsom...

Club 26, a free-to-join club for young people between the ages of 18-26, was launched by the QIPCO British Champions Series on Tuesday. Designed to encourage younger fans to attend Great Britain's Flat racing during the summer, members will receive special perks in the form of reduced general admission prices at 10 different racecourses, as well as behind-the-scenes tours and raceday previews. Club 26 will feature at all 26 QIPCO British Champions Series racedays this year, including the G1 Betfred Derby Festival at Epsom Downs, all five days at Royal...

After the decision to avoid the stress of a G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas examination for Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}), the latest renewal of the Newmarket Classic has become open season for up-and-comers in the miling division. Very few of the 14 left in the race can be safely discounted and with a filly unproven beyond six furlongs at the head of the market, it is fair to say that anything can happen in this one. There were shades of Ravinella (Mr. Prospector) in the way Ballydoyle's number one and 'TDN...

The late Pat Eddery has been inducted into the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame. Eddery, who died in 2015, was named champion jockey on 11 occasions from 1974-1996 and booted home more than 6,000 winners. A total of 4,632 were in Great Britain, a figure exceeded only by the legendary Sir Gordon Richards, who had 4,870. Eddery won 14 British Classics, including three Derbys with Grundy (GB) (Great Nephew {GB}), Golden Fleece (Nijinsky II) and Quest For Fame (GB) (Rainbow Quest). It was aboard Grundy that Eddery rode...

The late sprinter Dayjur (Danzig--Gold Beauty, by Mr. Prospector), European Horse of the Year in 1990, is the first horse to be inducted into the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame by public vote. The Shadwell runner won the majority of the votes over Black Caviar (Aus) (Bel Esprit {Aus}), Lochsong (GB) (Song {GB}) and Moorestyle (GB) (Manacle {GB}). Trained by Dick Hern and ridden by Willie Carson, the $1.65-million 1988 Keeneland July yearling rattled off consecutive victories in the G2 Temple S. at Sandown Park, G2 King's Stand...

Mill Reef (Never Bend), who won the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. 50 years ago, has been honoured with the QIPCO Diamonds & Pearls Award, QIPCO announced on Thursday. Second in the 2000 Guineas, the diminutive Paul Mellon homebred with the big heart would go on to win the Derby and break the course record at Epsom Downs. In the 1971 King George, the Ian Balding trainee drew off to win by six lengths. His regular jockey, Geoff Lewis, stated at the time, "Daylight was second." Retired...

The prize money for the 2021 QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot on Oct. 16 will be raised to £4 million, QIPCO announced on Tuesday. This is a 60% increase on 2020 levels that were reduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The G1 QIPCO Champion S. will be worth £1.2 million, while the G1 Queen Elizabeth S. boasts prize money of £1.1 million. The G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares, G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint and the G2 QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup will each offer prize money...