Qipco British Champions Series Media Guide 2019

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QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS SERIES MEDIA GUIDE | 2018 SERIES IN NUMBERS

QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS SERIES MEDIA GUIDE 2019

01 CONTENTS

P03 What is the QIPCO British Champions Series P04 The Road to QIPCO British Champions Day P06 2019 Launch Image P07 John Gosden’s Stable Stars P08 New Kids on the Block P09 Returning Stars P10 The 2018 Series in numbers P12 The Sprint Category P13 The Mile Category P14 The Middle Distance Category P15 The Long Distance Category P16 The Fillies & Mares Category P17 2019 QIPCO British Champions Day P18 2018 Stobart Flat Jockeys’ Championship P19 The Stobart Apprentices’ Championship P20 The Owners’ Championship P21 Title Partner – QIPCO Holding P22 QIPCO British Champions Series Charity Partner: Movember P23 Contact details

BRITISHCHAMPIONSSERIES.COM QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS SERIES MEDIA GUIDE | FOREWORD NOTE

SHOWCASING THE FINEST FLAT RACING

QIPCO British Champions Series showcases 35 of the UK’s finest Flat races, including six of the world’s top 12. The Series features at all of the UK’s most iconic Flat festivals, from the Derby and St Leger, to Glorious Goodwood and Royal Ascot, presenting unparalleled, quality racing across 10 of the country’s finest racecourses.

BRITISHCHAMPIONSSERIES.COM 03 QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS SERIES MEDIA GUIDE | THE ROAD TO QBCD 2019 THE ROAD TO QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS DAY 19TH OCTOBER 2019

MAY

SAT 4TH MAY | NEWMARKET

THE QIPCO 2000 THUR 20TH JUNE | ROYAL ASCOT FRI 21ST JUNE | ROYAL ASCOT THUR 1ST AUG | GOODWOOD WED 21ST AUG | YORK SAT 19TH OCT | ASCOT GUINEAS ROLL OF HONOUR THE GOLD CUP THE THE QATAR THE JUDDMONTE 2019 QIPCO 2018 SAXON WARRIOR ROLL OF HONOUR COMMONWEALTH NASSAU STAKES 2018 STRADIVARIUS INTERNATIONAL BRITISH CUP ROLL OF HONOUR 2018 WILD ILLUSION STAKES ROLL OF HONOUR ROLL OF HONOUR CHAMPIONS SUN 5TH MAY | NEWMARKET WED 19TH JUNE | ROYAL ASCOT 2018 EQTIDAAR 2018 ROARING LION DAY BRITAIN’S THE QIPCO 1000 AUGUST THE PRINCE OF THUR 22ND AUG | YORK RICHEST RACEDAY GUINEAS WALES’S STAKES THE CORONATION £4.3M IN PRIZE MONEY ROLL OF HONOUR FIVE CATEGORY FINALS ROLL OF HONOUR STAKES WED 31ST JULY | GOODWOOD 2018 BILLESDON BROOK 2018 POET'S WORD THE DARLEY ROLL OF HONOUR 2018 ALPHA CENTAURI YORKSHIRE OAKS THE QATAR ROLL OF HONOUR TUE 18TH JUNE | ROYAL ASCOT 2018 SEA OF CLASS FRI 17TH MAY | YORK SUSSEX STAKES SAT 5TH OCT | NEWMARKET SAT 22ND JUNE | ROYAL ASCOT ROLL OF HONOUR 2018 LIGHTNING SPEAR THE QUEEN ANNE FRI 23RD AUG | YORK THE MANSIONBET STAKES THE KINGDOM YORKSHIRE CUP THE DIAMOND OF BAHRAIN SUN ROLL OF HONOUR TUE 30TH JULY | GOODWOOD ROLL OF HONOUR 2018 ACCIDENTAL AGENT JUBILEE STAKES THE COOLMORE CHARIOT STAKES 2018 STRADIVARIUS ROLL OF HONOUR NUNTHORPE ROLL OF HONOUR 2018 MERCHANT NAVY THE QATAR STAKES 2018 LAURENS THE ST JAMES’S GOODWOOD CUP ROLL OF HONOUR SAT 18TH MAY | NEWBURY PALACE STAKES ROLL OF HONOUR 2018 ALPHA DELPHINI 2018 STRADIVARIUS ROLL OF HONOUR THE AL SHAQAB 2018 WITHOUT PAROLE JULY OCTOBER LOCKINGE STAKES SAT 27TH JULY | ASCOT THE WEATHERBYS ROLL OF HONOUR HAMILTON THE KING’S STAND SAT 6TH JULY | SANDOWN 2018 RHODODENDRON THE KING GEORGE VI LONSDALE CUP SAT 14TH SEPT | DONCASTER STAKES ROLL OF HONOUR ROLL OF HONOUR THE CORAL-ECLIPSE & QUEEN ELIZABETH 2018 STRADIVARIUS THE WILLIAM HILL 2018 BLUE POINT STAKES FRI 31ST MAY | EPSOM STAKES ST LEGER STAKES SPONSORED BY QIPCO ROLL OF HONOUR ROLL OF HONOUR SAT 1ST JUNE | EPSOM 2018 ROARING LION ROLL OF HONOUR 2018 KEW GARDENS THE INVESTEC OAKS 2018 POET'S WORD SEPTEMBER ROLL OF HONOUR 2018 FOREVER TOGETHER THE INVESTEC DERBY FRI 12TH JULY | NEWMARKET SAT 13TH JULY | NEWMARKET SAT 7TH SEPT | HAYDOCK PARK FRI 13TH SEPT | DONCASTER ROLL OF HONOUR 2018 MASAR THE TATTERSALLS THE DARLEY THE 32RED THE DONCASTER THE INVESTEC FALMOUTH CORONATION CUP JULY CUP SPRINT CUP CUP STAKES ROLL OF HONOUR ROLL OF HONOUR ROLL OF HONOUR ROLL OF HONOUR 2018 U S NAVY FLAG 2018 THE TIN MAN 2018 THOMAS HOBSON 2018 CRACKSMAN JUNE ROLL OF HONOUR 2018 ALPHA CENTAURI

RACE TYPE RACE TYPE RACE TYPE RACE TYPE RACE TYPE KEY SPRINT MILE MIDDLE DISTANCE LONG DISTANCE FILLIES & MARES

04 QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS SERIES MEDIA GUIDE | THE ROAD TO QBCD 2019

MAY

SAT 4TH MAY | NEWMARKET

RACE TYPE RACE TYPE RACE TYPE RACE TYPE RACE TYPE KEY SPRINT MILE MIDDLE DISTANCE LONG DISTANCE FILLIES & MARES

05 QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS SERIES MEDIA GUIDE | LAUNCH IMAGE

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:

WILLIAM HILL ST LEGER TROPHY JIM CROWLEY/DARLEY JULY CUP TROPHY OISIN MURPHY/JUDDMONTE INTERNATIONAL TROPHY RYAN MOORE/QIPCO 1000 GUINEAS TROPHY WILLIAM BUICK/QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPION STAKES TROPHY ANDREA ATZENI/GOLD CUP TROPHY FRANKIE DETTORI/AL SHAQAB LOCKINGE STAKES TROPHY INVESTEC DERBY TROPHY This weekend’s QIPCO 2000 and 1000 Guineas at Newmarket marks the start of the 2019 QIPCO British Champion Series. To celebrate its launch, QIPCO British Champion Series brought together some of the sport’s leading jockeys along with eight of the most coveted trophies in racing. The image captures the finest of British flat racing and reflects the world-class series sporting action that awaits.

06 QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS SERIES MEDIA GUIDE | JOHN GOSDEN

GOSDEN HAS ANOTHER POWER-PACKED BATTALION READY FOR DUTY

John Gosden heads into the new season without two of his biggest stars of last year but he seems unlikely to spend too much time dwelling on former glories.

Cracksman and Roaring Lion were between them responsible for five of the champion trainer’s 11 QIPCO British Champions Series successes in 2018 and their retirements to the breeding sheds would leave a massive void in most yards.

However, Gosden’s base in Newmarket is still brimming with talent for the months ahead.

Enable and Stradivarius, firmly established as equine A-Listers, have stayed in training, while Gosden’s Classic aspirants are headed by Too Darn Hot, who was unbeaten in four starts in 2018 and crowned champion two-year-old.

The son of Dubawi will not get the chance to give Gosden, 68, a first QIPCO 2000 Guineas triumph at Newmarket on May 4 – the first race in this year’s QIPCO British Champions Series – because of a minor setback but still heads the ante-post betting for the Investec Derby.

Calyx was a brilliant winner of the Coventry Stakes last summer and, like Too Darn Hot, has an unblemished record. He seems likely to start off over sprint distances and could return to Royal Ascot for the Commonwealth Cup.

Dubai Warrior dazzled when winning on his debut at Chelmsford in November and is no bigger than 16/1 for the Derby. He is among any number of Gosden maiden winners of untapped potential.

Enable, winner of her past nine races, needs no introduction and Gosden has suggested she could reappear in the Investec Coronation Cup at Epsom on May 31. Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for owner Prince Khalid Abdullah, has also said the Juddmonte International at York on August 21 “would be on the horizon”.

In between, the QIPCO-sponsored King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot in July would seem a natural target.

Stradivarius seems likely to have a similar campaign to last year when he became only the second horse, after Frankel, to win five Series races in one season. Defences of his titles in the Yorkshire Cup, Gold Cup, Qatar Goodwood Cup, Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup and QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup are on the cards.

Without Parole, the St James’s Palace winner; Lah Ti Dar, runner-up in the William Hill St Leger; and Coronet, placed in seven Group One races, will all be back. Wissahickon, the emphatic Cambridgeshire winner, and Kick On have already got their noses in front this term and are others to note.

07 QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS SERIES MEDIA GUIDE | NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

Numerous exciting new faces are set to grace the QIPCO British Champions Series this summer. The Classic crop look something of a “vintage” and we’ve identified five potential stars among them.

THE SPRINT CATEGORY: CALYX The Kingman colt was a runaway winner over six furlongs on his Newmarket debut and, just ten days later, followed up in the 23-runner Coventry under Frankie Dettori at Royal Ascot despite seemingly being drawn on the “wrong” side. He beat Advertise by a length and that colt went on to win in Group 1 company before chasing home Too Darn Hot in the Dewhurst. A bone injury cut short Calyx’s season but expect him to make up for lost time, either over sprint distances or a mile.

THE MILE CATEGORY: FAIRYLAND The speedily bred Fairyland signed off last year with a neck defeat of The Mackem Bullet in the Group 1 Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket, having previously beaten the same rival by a nose in the Group 2 Sky Bet Lowther Stakes at York. Her pedigree is all about speed and, as such, she is no bigger than 12/1 for the Commonwealth Cup but her connections will no doubt explore her stamina reserves in the early part of the season to see if she has the potential to make into a Classic-winning filly.

THE MILE CATEGORY: TEN SOVEREIGNS Three races over six furlongs in little more than a month yielded three wins and rave reviews for the Aidan O’Brien-trained colt last year. The manner in which he fended off Jash, another exciting youngster, in the Group 1 Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket in late September (pair clear) suggests he will make his mark in the QIPCO British Champions Series sooner rather than later. The attractive son of No Nay Never had earlier won twice at the Curragh and, encouragingly, he has already won on a variety of ground.

THE MILE CATEGORY: TOO DARN HOT Few would dispute he sizzled as a juvenile and many believe he will continue to burn off all-comers this year, despite an early-season setback ruling him out of the QIPCO 2000 Guineas. He won his four races last term by an aggregate of 15 and a half lengths, with his decisive win in the Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket in October – at the principal expense of Group 1 scorer Advertise - confirming his status as champion two-year-old. He is favourite for the Investec Derby and should continue to provide plenty of theatre for Lord and Lady Lloyd-Webber, his owner-breeders.

THE MIDDLE DISTANCE CATEGORY QUORTO A soft tissue injury means the QIPCO 2000 Guineas is off Quorto’s agenda but the unbeaten colt seems sure to make up for lost time in due course. Quorto won over 6f on his debut at Newmarket and then followed up in the Group 2 bet365 Superlative Stakes before landing the Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes – in the process becoming the first juvenile sired by Dubawi to scoop a Group 1 success. Given the stamina in his pedigree who is to say he will not give Godolphin a second successive Derby triumph?

08 QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS SERIES MEDIA GUIDE | THE ESTABLISHED STARS

THE ESTABLISHED STARS

The old guard will present formidable opposition for the new faces emerging on the QIPCO British Champions Series scene. Here are five established stars who will be back to delight racing fans.

THE MIDDLE DISTANCE CATEGORY ENABLE This marvellous mare already has seven Group 1 triumphs on her decorated CV and she’s not finished yet. Three of those wins at the highest level were achieved in QIPCO British Champions Series races in 2017 – the Investec Oaks, QIPCO-sponsored King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Darley Yorkshire Oaks – but unfortunately injury meant she missed intended targets last year before she became a two-time Arc winner and Breeders’ Cup heroine. Expect races such as the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, King George and Juddmonte International to come into the reckoning.

THE MIDDLE DISTANCE CATEGORY MASAR One of the disappointments of last year was that Masar picked up an injury and was unable to race after his decisive success in the Investec Derby, when he finally ended Godolphin’s quest for a winner of the premiere Classic in their famous blue silks. Winners at Epsom who race on as four-year-olds are rare but Sheikh Mohammed clearly believes his colt has unfinished business. Charlie Appleby, the trainer, has already said he would relish a clash with Enable, with the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes a possible target for both.

THE MIDDLE DISTANCE CATEGORY SEA OF CLASS The daughter of Sea The Stars was unraced as a two-year-old but made up for lost time in 2018 with highlights being her last-to-first triumphs in the Darley Irish Oaks at the Curragh and Darley Yorkshire Oaks at York. She also ran a blinder when beaten by a short neck by Enable in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Many racing fans considered her to be an unlucky loser that day and a rematch at some stage in the Series will be worth going a long way to see.

THE LONG DISTANCE CATEGORY STRADIVARIUS Became only the second horse, after Frankel in 2012, to win five Champions Series races in a season last year. He now has a total of six to his name and who is to say he won’t match or even pass the nine that Frankel managed in 2011 and 2012? His connections have already suggested he will have a similar campaign to last year. That means he will seek a historic third successive win in the Qatar Goodwood Cup triumph after he has defended his Gold Cup crown at Royal Ascot.

THE MILE CATEGORY: LAURENS Owner John Dance could have sold Laurens for a fortune at the end of last season because breeders would love to get their hands on his five-time Group 1 winner. However, he has decided to race on with her and we should all be grateful. She has shown top-class form over a mile, as well as a mile and a quarter, giving her proud connections plenty of QIPCO British Champions Series options. The Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes at Newbury has been earmarked as the first Champions Series race for Laurens this season.

09 QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS SERIES MEDIA GUIDE | 2018 SERIES IN NUMBERS

BILLESDON

66-1 BROOK BECAME THE QIPCO 16WINNING BIGGEST 1000 FAVOURITES PRICED WINNER THE OF GUINEAS SIX WERE ODDS-ON £1 MILLION BONUS FOR THE CONNECTIONS OF STRADIVARIUS, FROM WEATHERBYS HAMILTON, AFTER HIS SUCCESSIVE WINS IN FOUR QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS SERIES RACES 2 GREY OR ROAN AGGREGATE CROWD FOR THE WINNERS DAYS OF ALPHA CENTAURI, ROYAL ASCOT, SUCCESSFUL TWICE, AND ROARING LION, WHICH WHO WON CHAMPIONS

FEATURED RACES 9HORSES SERIES THREE TIMES. WON OR WERE 5 8 PLACED AT 5 VICTORIES FOR 33/1 OISIN MURPHY OR WHO BEGAN THE YEAR WITHOUT A BIGGER DOMESTIC GROUP 1 WIN TO HIS NAME INVESTEC DERBY WINNER 1IN THE BLUE SILKS OF GODOLPHIN

MASAR AND WILLIAM BUICK HELPED ERASE THE MEMORY OF 33 PREVIOUS BOYS IN BLUE BEING BEATEN DATING BACK TO 1995.

10 QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS SERIES MEDIA GUIDE | 2018 SERIES IN NUMBERS 8

367 FIRST RUNNERS FOR RUNNERS 28 IN THE AN AVERAGE OF JOHN OTHERS 11 PER RACE GOSDEN WINNERS 11 3 7 SUCCESSES (AND FLYING DISMOUNTS) FOR

PRINCE OF RECORDOF KING GEORGE VI AND QUEENNUMBER ELIZABETH STAKES WALES’S STAKES IN THE LONGINES TRIUMPHS FOR WORLD’S BEST 6SIR MICHAEL STOUTE RACES

AFTER THE WIN OF POET’S WORD 3RD RANKING LIGHTNING

AGE OF AGE SPEAR, 7WHO GAINED A FIRST GROUP 1 IN THE QATAR SUSSEX STAKES AFTER BEING PLACED IN SIX PREVIOUS CHAMPIONS SERIES RACES DURING HIS CAREER

11 QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS SERIES MEDIA GUIDE | THE SPRINT CATEGORY

THE SPRINT CATEGORY: MABS CROSS LEADS THE CHARGE

The seven races that comprise the Sprint category produced seven different winners last year and the good news is that five of them remain in training. The first three home in last year’s King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot THE RACES – Blue Point, Battaash and Mabs Cross – will be back for more, as will Eqtidaar (Commonwealth Cup winner), Alpha Delphini (Coolmore JUNE 18 Nunthorpe Stakes), The Tin Man (32Red Sprint Cup) and Sands Of Mali King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot (QIPCO British Champions Sprint Stakes). £500,000

Of those, perhaps most focus will be on Mabs Cross, who after her JUNE 21 placed effort at Royal Ascot went on to be beaten a whisker in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot Nunthorpe before landing the Prix de l’Abbaye at ParisLongchamp. The £500,000 Michael Dods-trained mare was acclaimed as Cartier Sprinter of the Year JUNE 22 and, given her strong finishes over five furlongs, her connections may Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot well be tempted to give her a try over six furlongs. £600,000

Other older sprinters to keep in mind are Brando, runner-up in the July JULY 13 Cup and Sprint Cup last year (he has now been placed in four Series Darley July Cup at Newmarket races without winning one), Limato, Kachy, plus three sprinters trained £500,000 on foreign shores – City Light (France) Bound For Nowhere (America) and Santa Ana Lane (Australia). AUGUST 23 Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York As always, there will be plenty of fresh talent on the scene. £350,000

Calyx, the dashing Coventry Stakes winner, is unbeaten and already a SEPTEMBER 7 leading contender for the Commonwealth Cup, as is Jash, runner-up to 32Red Sprint Cup at Haydock Ten Sovereigns in the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket in £260,000 October. OCTOBER 19 O’Brien is also responsible for the unbeaten Ten Sovereigns, winner QIPCO British Champions of the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket in October, and Sprint Stakes at Ascot Fairyland, who landed the Sky Bet Lowther Stakes and Juddmonte £600,000 Cheveley Park Stakes.

Both could also be exciting recruits to the sprint division but are being trained for the Classics in the first part of the season.

Sergei Prokofiev, also trained by O’Brien, was a striking winner of the Cornwallis Stakes at Newmarket in October. Having won on his reappearance this term, perhaps he will be a candidate to give his record-breaking trainer a first success in the King’s Stand Stakes – one of the few big races in England and Ireland to have eluded him.

Soldiers Call, trained by Archie Watson, showed himself to be among the fastest two-year-olds last season when scooping the Windsor Castle Stakes and Group 2 Wainwrights Flying Childers Stakes.

12 QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS SERIES MEDIA GUIDE | THE MILE CATEGORY

THE MILE CATEGORY: DOOR OPEN FOR A NEW CHAMPION

No miler put his or her stamp on the category last year and the door is open for one of the Classic generation to emerge as a dominant force. There are certainly no shortage of candidates. Too Darn Hot, Quorto, Calyx, Ten Sovereigns, Skardu and Qabala feature among them and all six are unbeaten.

The emphatic success of Too Darn Hot in the Darley Dewhurst Stakes – when he had Advertise, Anthony Van Dyck and Sangarius behind – cemented his place as champion two-year-old. Unfortunately, he will miss the QIPCO 2000 Guineas after suffering a minor problem this spring but his trainer, John Gosden, has alternative races in mind for him next month.

Gosden has other leading candidates in the Mile category in the shape of Kick On, winner of the bet365 Feilden Stakes on his return, plus Calyx, who beat Advertise in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. The runner-up went on to win in Group 1 company before chasing home Too Darn Hot in the Dewhurst.

Quorto won the Group 1 Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes at the Curragh and Ten Sovereigns struck at the highest level when mastering Jash in the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket. Skardu and Qabala have yet to be tested at Group 1 level but looked top-notch prospects when winning at the bet365 Craven meeting at Newmarket this month. Charlie Appleby, the trainer of Quorto, also has such as Line Of THE RACES Duty, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner, in his team. MAY 4 Magna Grecia however went one better in the Group 1 Vertem QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket Futurity Trophy Stakes at Doncaster at the principal expense of (£500,000) Phoenix Of Spain. MAY 18 Madhmoon impressed in winning both of his races at Leopardstown Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes at Newbury last year and shaped well on his return behind Never No More at (£350,000) the same track. JUNE 18 Accidental Agent and Lord Glitters – the first two home in last St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot year’s Queen Anne Stakes – will be back for more, as will Laurens, a (£500,000) five-time Group 1 winner. JUNE 18 One Master, winner of the Prix de la Foret last term, and I Can Fly, Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot runner-up to Roaring Lion in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, are (£600,000) worth noting, while Zabeel Prince, Dream Castle, Century Dream and Mythical Magic have already shown their wellbeing this year. JULY 31 Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood (£1,000,000)

OCTOBER 5 Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket (£250,000)

OCTOBER 19 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot (£1,100,000) 13 QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS SERIES MEDIA GUIDE | THE MIDDLE DISTANCE CATEGORY

THE MIDDLE DISTANCE CATEGORY: STAR CAST READY TO THRILL

The cast for the Middle Distance category of this year’s Champions Series is likely to have racing fans on the edge of their seats all summer.

Top of the bill will be Enable, who took her haul of Group 1 wins to seven in the autumn by winning a second Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe before famously following up at the Breeders’ Cup.

The John Gosden-trained mare helped illuminate the 2017 QIPCO British Champions Series and it will be fascinating to see which races her connections target.

The Investec Coronation Cup and Juddmonte International seem to be on her agenda. And if Enable attempts to reclaim her King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes crown then a clash with Masar, Sea Of Class and Crystal Ocean could be on the cards. And that is without taking into account possible representatives from a strong crop of three-year-olds.

Sea Of Class won the Irish Oaks and Darley Yorkshire Oaks last year before being edged out by Enable in the Arc, while Crystal Ocean was runner-up to stablemate Poet’s Word in a thrilling King George, returned to winning ways in the bet365 Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown last week..

Masar ended Sheikh Mohammed’s long quest for an Investec Derby winner in the blue colours of Godolphin and is the first Derby winner to be kept in training since Ruler Of The World, who won the premier Classic in 2013. His stablemate, Ghaiyyath, is another to look out for after his taking Group 2 reappearance win at ParisLongchamp. THE RACES Godolphin can also call upon Old Persian and Thunder Snow. Old Persian has been flawless in Dubai this spring, whileThunder Snow MAY 31 returns to British shores as the first two-time winner of the Dubai Investec Coronation Cup at Epsom World Cup. £500,000 Aidan O’Brien has intimated Kew Gardens, the William Hill St Leger JUNE 1 winner, could drop back in distance and he also has fillies such as Investec Derby at Epsom Magical, an impressive winner on her return, and Magic Wand to plot £1,625,000 programmes with.

JUNE 19 In addition to Enable, Gosden has other intriguing candidates in Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot Without Parole and Wissahickon, not to mention, of course, Too Darn £750,000 Hot, the champion two-year-old, who is favourite for the Investec Derby, plus the promising Dubai Warrior. JULY 6 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown Park Quorto, Anthony Van Dyck, Persian King, Magna Grecia and Japan £750,000 are among a number of other three-year-olds with the potential to make an impact. JULY 27 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (sponsored by QIPCO) (Ascot) £1,250,000

AUGUST 21 Juddmonte International (York) £1,000,000

OCTOBER 19 QIPCO Champion Stakes at Ascot £1,300,000 14 QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS SERIES MEDIA GUIDE | THE LONG DISTANCE CATEGORY

THE LONG DISTANCE CATEGORY: WILL STRADIVARIUS AGAIN CALL TUNE?

The Long Distance category of the QIPCO British Champions Series was memorably dominated by one horse last summer.

Stradivarius was in a league of his own and won the first four contests in the category – the Matchbook Yorkshire Cup, Gold Cup, Qatar Goodwood Cup and Weatherbys Hamilton Insurance Lonsdale Cup – THE RACES before being given a breather and then returning to win the final leg, the QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup, at Ascot on QIPCO MAY 17 The Matchbook Yorkshire Cup at York British Champions Day. £260,000 In the process, he became only the second horse, after the mighty Frankel in 2012, to win five QIPCO British Champions Series race in JUNE 20 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot one season. £500,000 It took his overall haul of QIPCO British Champions Series triumphs to six – he also landed the Goodwood Cup in 2017 – and heading JULY 30 Qatar Goodwood Cup at Goodwood into this season he has Frankel’s record haul of nine Series wins in £500,000 his sights.

Stradivarius seems likely to have a similar campaign to last year, when AUGUST 23 Weatherbys Hamilton Insurance Lonsdale his exploits also helped his connections scoop a £1 million bonus Cup at York offered by Weatherbys Hamilton. That is again on the table. £200,000 However, history will be against him. For instance, no horse has retained his Gold Cup crown for a decade; no horse has won three SEPTEMBER 13 Doncaster Cup at Doncaster successive renewals of the Goodwood Cup. £100,000 Rivals he defeated in 2018, at least once, included Vazirabad, Flag SEPTEMBER 14 Of Honour, Torcedor, Desert Skyline, Max Dynamite, Count Octave, William Hill St Leger at Doncaster Clever Cookie, Wicklow Brave, Idaho, Red Verdon and Thomas £700,000 Hobson. OCTOBER 19 The closest any got to beating him was Vazirabad, the prolific French QIPCO British Champions stayer, who got to within three quarters of a length of him in the Long Distance Cup at Ascot Gold Cup. £500,000 Stradivarius may have other French-trained rivals to worry about this term in the shape of Call The Wind, a gelded son of Frankel, Holdthasigreen and Called To The Bar.

Kew Gardens, fluent winner of the William Hill St Leger, would add spice to the division if Aidan O’Brien opts for a Cup campaign, while his stablemates, Southern France and Capri, could also be competitive.

Others who merit consideration include Dee Ex Bee, runner-up in the Investec Derby last year, plus the past two winners of the Melbourne Cup, Rekindling and Cross Counter. The last named, trained by Charlie Appleby, impressed when beating Ispolini, his stablemate, in the Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan last month.

Marmelo, Prince Of Arran and Magic Circle are all fine stayers, while Cesarewitch winners Withhold and Low Sun will not fail through lack of stamina.

15 QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS SERIES MEDIA GUIDE | THE FILLIES & MARES CATEGORY

THE FILLIES & MARES CATEGORY: CLASSIC CROP ARE A PUZZLE

Billesdon Brook, Wild Illusion, Sea Of Class, Laurens and Magical were all winners in this category last year.

The quintet will be seeking more Series glory – not necessarily just in this division – but they will not be winning any of the first three Fillies & THE RACES Mares races because they are exclusively for three-year-olds. MAY 5 Establishing the best juvenile fillies’ last year was a tricky process QIPCO 1000 Guineas at Newmarket but the Classic trials this spring have at least helped establish a clear £500,000 favourite for the QIPCO 1000 Guineas with the unbeaten Qabala, trained by Roger Varian, market leader after her fluent defeat of Mot MAY 31 Juste and Angel’s Hideaway in the Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes at Investec Oaks at Epsom Newmarket. £500,000

The domestic form lines became blurred in 2018 and opinions were JUNE 21 divided as to who had achieved most and who was open to the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot greatest improvement in 2019. £500,000

Pretty Pollyanna was the early pack leader after she followed up a JULY 12 runaway win in the Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes in the Group 1 Darley Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes (Newmarket) Prix Morny in France, at the main expense of Queen Mary winner £200,000 Signora Cabello. AUGUST 1 But then she came up short in two other races at the highest level - Qatar Nassau Stakes (Goodwood) the Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes (fourth behind Fairyland, The £600,000 Mackem Bullet and So Perfect) and bet365 Fillies’ Mile. In the latter she AUGUST 22 was third behind Iridessa and Hermosa. Darley Yorkshire Oaks (York) Just Wonderful lived up to her name when beating Dandhu and Main £350,000 Edition in the Shadwell Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket in September, OCTOBER 19 and her stablemate Fairyland, dug deep for narrow wins in the Sky Bet QIPCO British Champions Lowther Stakes and Cheveley Park Stakes. Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot Skitter Scatter, the emphatic Moyglare Stud Stakes winner, might £600,000 easily make an impact and it will be exciting if the American-trained Newspaperofrecord, the stunning Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’ Turf winner, travels over for the Coronation Stakes.

The older fillies and mares can get involved from the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes onwards.

Being specific about who might run in the fourth race in this category is not straightforward – fillies and mares have more options than their male counterparts – and that goes for last year’s victors.

It is also applicable to the outstanding Enable, who seems more likely to take on the boys in the Middle Distance category of the QIPCO British Champions Series.

Others to consider include the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Veracious as well as Gosden’s Coronet and Lah Ti Dar. The latter was runner-up in the William Hill St Leger and third behind Magical in the QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes.

16 THE ULTIMATE RACEDAY SATURDAY 19TH OCTOBER 2019 ASCOT RACECOURSE

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BRITISHCHAMPIONSDAY.COM17 QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS SERIES MEDIA GUIDE | 2018 STOBART FLAT JOCKEYS’ CHAMPIONSHIP

2018 STOBART FLAT JOCKEYS’ CHAMPIONSHIP

The 2018 Stobart Flat Jockeys’ Championship had a familiar feel from a relatively early stage. Although Silvestre de Sousa’s season was a little slower to get going than he might have hoped, and the year didn’t come without the occasional setback, the flow of winners never stopped.

The Brazilian became Champion Flat Jockey for the second consecutive year and the third time in all, crowned at QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot. Notable highlights in 2018 included two long overdue Royal Ascot winners – his first since 2014 – as well as the Mark Johnston-trained Dark Vision at the Qatar Goodwood Festival.

De Sousa won his maiden jockeys’ title back in 2015 with 132 winners, but surpassed that tally with almost a month still remaining in 2018 and went on to finish with 148 winners, falling seven short of his personal record in 2017.

The name at the top of the championship standings may have been a familiar one, but the challenge from behind came from a new face with Oisin Murphy enjoying his finest year yet in the saddle, both in terms of winners and quality. The 23-year-old registered five QIPCO British Champions Series winners and finished 27 wins behind de Sousa in second place.

2016 Champion Jim Crowley had a strong end to his season to claim third place with 107 winners, while Godolphin-retained James Doyle was one further back in fourth place.

This year will once again be a competitive affair with plenty of jockeys holding viable claims to De Sousa’s title. Alongside Murphy, Crowley and Doyle, 2018 Champion Apprentice Jason Watson will be hoping to be a serious contender after becoming first jockey to trainer Roger Charlton, while Daniel Tudhope, Andrea Atzeni, William Buick and Ryan Moore will also be looking to make the most of the string of horses available to them.

THE FLAT JOCKEYS’ CHAMPIONSHIP 2018 FINAL STANDINGS

RANKING JOCKEY WINS RIDES STRIKE RATE 1 Silvestre De Sousa 148 779 19% 2 Oisin Murpphy 121 708 17% 3 Jim Crowley 107 553 19% 4 James Doyle 106 467 23% 5 Daniel Tudhope 92 552 17% 6 Andrea Atzeni 85 480 18% 7 Joe Fanning 85 578 15% 8 Ben Curtis 83 480 17% 9 Richard Kingscote 79 493 16% 10 Jason Watson 77 463 17%

18 QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS SERIES MEDIA GUIDE | 2018 STOBART APPRENTICES’ CHAMPIONSHIP

2018 STOBART APPRENTICES’ CHAMPIONSHIP

Good contacts, hard work, a shrewd back-up team, undoubted talent and a degree of fortune all contributed to see 18-year-old Jason Watson follow in the footsteps of some of the sport’s greatest talents to be crowned on QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot.

In the last 20 years, the likes of Ryan Moore, Paul Hanagan, William Buick, Hayley Turner and Oisin Murphy have all used the Stobart Apprentices’ Championship as a springboard to hugely-successful careers.

Watson and Scot Jamie Gormley were tied together at the top of the standings at the end of June, but it was the following month onwards that the champion started to put some distance between himself and his rivals, with 11 winners from just 49 mounts at a 22% strike-rate. Owners and trainers started to take notice.

In August, he increased that tally to 20 winners, including victory for Gifted Master in the Unibet Stewards’ Cup at Glorious Goodwood, the biggest winner of his season. Watson went on to claim the Champion Apprentice crown with an impressive 77 wins, finishing in the top 10 of the overall Stobart Flat Jockeys’ Championship.

Rossa Ryan struck a rich vein of form in the final months of the season to finish runner-up, 24 winners be behind Watson.

Based with Richard Hannon, he had rides for a number of other yards in 2018, his biggest success coming at the Ebor meeting at York for John Quinn aboard sprinter El Astronaute.

Other apprentices to have enjoy a particularly successful time in 2018 include Callum Rodriguez, Jamie Gormley and Nicola Currie. All finished the season comfortably inside the top 50 in the overall Flat Jockeys’ Championship standings, surrounded by some well-established names in the sport. All look to have extremely bright futures ahead of them.

RANKING JOCKEY WINS RIDES STRIKE RATE 1 Jason Watson 77 463 17% 2 Rossa Ryan 53 396 13% 3 Callum Rodriguez 45 353 13% 4 Nicola Currie 45 420 11% 5 David Egan 33 229 14% 6 Jamie Gormley 31 249 12% 7 Lewis Edmunds 25 246 10% 8 Ben Robinson 24 211 11% 9 Gabriele Malune 23 238 10% 10 Finley Marsh 21 176 12%

19 QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS SERIES MEDIA GUIDE | OWNERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP

THE OWNERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP GODOLPHIN AND COOLMORE TO RENEW RIVALRY

The Flat Owners Championship begins at the QIPCO Guineas Festival at Newmarket in May and will finish on QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot on October 19.

The latter, Britain’s richest raceday, offers prize-money of £4.3 million and is likely to help determine who ends the campaign as champion owner.

As usual, the dice will be loaded heavily in favour of Godolphin and Coolmore. Both have quality and quantity to their ranks and it will be a surprise if either are upstaged, even if Prince Khalid Abdullah (Enable and Calyx) the Lloyd-Webbers (Too Darn Hot) and Bjorn Nielsen (Stradivarius) give them the odd bloody nose along the way.

2018 STANDINGS

RANKING OWNER LEADING EARNER WINS RUNS PRIZE MONEY 1 Godolphin Masar (IRE) 113 550 £4,499,207.39 2 Qatar Racing Limited Roaring Lion (USA) 18 139 £3,100,024.48 3 Mr D Smith, Mrs J, Ma... Saxon Warrior(JPN) 9 63 £2,935,267.80 4 Mr Hamdan Al Maktoum Battash (IRE) 91 492 2,564,074.91 5 Mr Saeed Suhail Poets Word (IRE) 10 54 £1,555,434.52

20 QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS SERIES MEDIA GUIDE | QIPCO HOLDING

TITLE PARTNER QIPCO HOLDING

The Series is sponsored by QIPCO Holding, one of the leading private, family run, investment companies in Qatar.

Established in 1999 and based in Doha, QIPCO has since developed and diversified its international portfolio of business interests which currently include real estate, construction, oil and gas, trading and services, finance and health services. Among the company’s wide range of interests is a global racing and breeding operation based in Great Britain.

In recent years QIPCO has made a significant investment in horseracing, not only as sponsors but also as owners and breeders through its subsidiary Qatar Racing. Qatar Racing has almost 100 horses in training around the world alongside their successful breeding operation which was established in 2010, following the purchase of the World champion miler Makfi, and is based at Tweenhills in Gloucestershire. The operation currently stands stallions in Britain, France, Australia and New Zealand.

Qatar Investment & Projects Development Holding Company (QIPCO Holding) is owned by six brothers who are members of the Qatari Royal family. The chief executive is Sheikh Hamad bin Abdullah al Thani who together with his brothers are cousins of the emir of the state of Qatar. Since the company’s inception, the group has diversified to form individual subsidiaries each operating independently and specialising in various fields of expertise. For more information please visit https://qipco.com.qa

In 2011 QIPCO became the inaugural sponsors of British Champions Series and in June 2015 a landmark, multi-million pound deal secured QIPCO’s on-going support for the series and British racing for a further ten years until 2024.

As title Partner, QIPCO enjoys exclusive naming rights for the series and full partnerships rights for the £4.35 million QIPCO British Champions Day climax at Ascot, which is set to have increased to £5 million when the new contract expires in 2024. QIPCO is also the official partner of the Guineas Festival at Newmarket’s Rowley Mile Racecourse which launches QIPCO British Champions Series with the QIPCO 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas and is title partner to the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes hosted at Ascot in July. Under the deal signed in 2015, QIPCO is an official commercial partner with Ascot Racecourse, including Royal Ascot.

21 QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS SERIES MEDIA GUIDE | MOVEMBER

TO FIND OUT MORE: britishchampionsseries.com/movember

KNOW THY NUTS Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in young men. The shower is the perfect place to give your nuts a feel. Do it every month and see your GP if something changes.

Movember is the official charity partner of QIPCO British Champions Series

22 QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS SERIES MEDIA GUIDE | CONTACT DETAILS

CONTACTS

NAOMI LAWSON Head of PR, British Champions Series/Great British Racing: email: [email protected] tel: +44 7881 266 359

JOHNNO SPENCE All matters regarding QIPCO Holding email: [email protected] tel: +44 7860 583 307

23 QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS SERIES MEDIA GUIDE | 2018 SERIES IN NUMBERS

VISIT: BRITISHCHAMPIONSERIES.COM