FOX Sports To Present Live Coverage Of Saturday’s British Champions Day

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced it has partnered with FOX Sports to present live coverage and analysis of QIPCO British Champions Day from historic Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, England.

Saturday's special broadcast of Great Britain's richest race day will air on FS2 from 8 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Eastern, and feature four classic Group 1 turf races, headlined by the £1.1 million Queen Elizabeth II, sponsored by QIPCO, and the £1.2 million QIPCO Champion.

Post time for the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II, sponsored by QIPCO, for 3-year-olds and up going 1 mile set will be 10:10 a.m.; with the Group 1 QIPCO Champion for 3-year-olds and up at 10 furlongs set for 10:50 a.m.

Coverage will include two other Group 1 races, the £500,000 QIPCO British Champions Sprint for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs at 9 a.m.; and the £500,000 QIPCO British Champions Fillies and Mares for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/2 miles (1 mile and 4 furlongs) scheduled for 9:35 a.m.

Two additional turf races will also be featured – the Group 2, £500,000 QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup for 3-year-olds and up going 2 miles, which has a post time of 8:25 a.m.; and the broadcast's final race, the £200,000 Balmoral Handicap, sponsored by QIPCO, for 3-year-olds and up at 1 mile. Post time for the Balmoral Handicap is 11:30 a.m.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont Park, and the best way to bet every race of the meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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Addeybb On Course To Bid For Repeat In QIPCO Champion Stakes

Last year's winner Addeybb is firmly on course for a bid to become the second dual winner of the QIPCO Champion Stakes since it was moved to Ascot in 2011 as the centerpiece of QIPCO British Champions Day. The Champion Stakes is a “Win and You're In” for the Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 6.

Addeybb is set to face stellar opposition, with Cazoo Derby and King George VI & Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes winner Adayar still a possible runner, alongside Juddmonte International winner Mishriff and the winners of many more of the world's top middle-distance races.

William Haggas, who also plans to run the talented but frustrating Al Aasy and the supplemented three-year-old Dubai Honour, reports the popular 7-year-old “in as good shape as we could possibly have him”. If successful he would become the Champion Stakes' oldest winner since 1887, when Bendigo won a Newmarket running of the race at the same age.

Addeybb, who was also second to Magical two years ago, is among 14 possibles for the race, 10 of whom are already winners at Group 1 level.

Haggas said: “We are very pleased with Addeybb's condition. We'd like rain for him, and the more the better, but it doesn't look as if we are going to get it. I'd be surprised if it was quick ground though, as it was so wet there at the last meeting, and he'll run.

“I'd have loved him to have had a run, as it's a top, top race, but he goes well fresh and he can win off a lay-off. His last two weeks have been really good.”

He added: “Dubai Honour is a nice young horse who has won two Group 2s. He's doing very well physically and he's a pretty useful horse. This will be a big rise in class for him but we've got nothing to lose. I'm running Al Aasy too, and he's not without hope, dropping back in trip. Everyone questions him bar me, but he's a very, very talented horse.''

Mishriff was down the field 12 months ago but has had a massive year, taking his earnings past the £11m mark with wins in the Saudi Cup, the Dubai Sheema Classic and the Juddmonte International as well as places behind St Mark's Basilica in the Coral-Eclipse and Adayar in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes.

John Gosden, who is now in partnership with son Thady and is looking to add to his two runaway wins with Cracksman, has freshened Mishriff up since his stunning six-length defeat of Alenquer and Love in the Juddmonte International at York and is pleased to see the ground drying up.

Gosden said: “We've been happy with Mishriff since York and we are looking forward to running him again. It's always one race at a time, but we wanted to space his races in case we go on to run later in the year, possibly at the Breeders' Cup.

“It looks like being a good race and we should get better ground than last year, when he really didn't like it. He can handle soft, but last year it became specialists' ground. Full marks to all of the winners that day, but it's hard to quicken on that stuff.”

A decision upon the participation of Adayar is unlikely to be made until later in the week, but the Charlie Appleby-trained Qatar Prix De L'Arc De Triomphe fourth would be a fascinating contender for Godolphin, who were last successful with Farhh in 2013. Only Sir Ivor (1968) and New Approach (2008) have won both the Derby and the Champion Stakes in more than 50 years.

Aidan O'Brien, who won with Magical two years ago, can choose between two outstanding fillies in Love and Snowfall, both of whom are dual Classic winners, but they have also been confirmed for the QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes. O'Brien has also confirmed his Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes winner Bolshoi Ballet.

Other possibles include the Irish 2000 Guineas winner Mac Swiney and the high-class French three-year-old Sealiway, who was one place behind Adayar in the Arc, having won a Group 1 on the same weekend 12 months previously, plus Qatar Nassau Stakes winner Lady Bowthorpe, who has also been confirmed for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (sponsored by QIPCO).

Full Entries

  • Addeybb (IRE)
  • Al Aasy (IRE)
  • Euchen Glen (GB)
  • Helvic Dream (IRE)
  • Mishriff (IRE)
  • Lady Bowthorpe (GB)
  • Love (IRE)
  • Adayar (IRE)
  • Bolshoi Ballet (IRE)
  • Dubai Honour (IRE)
  • Foxes Tales (IRE)
  • Mac Swiney (IRE)
  • Sealiway (FR)
  • Snowfall (JPN)

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Qatar Racing Becomes BC Sprint Title Sponsor; Two WAYI Races Added for Champions Day

Breeders' Cup and Qatar Racing have entered into a multi-year partnership that designates Qatar Racing as the official partner of the $2-million GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, starting with this year's running at Del Mar Nov. 6. The deal also adds two races to the 2021 Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” Challenge Series–the G1 QIPCO Champion S. and G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. (Sponsored by QIPCO), to be held on British Champions Day Saturday, Oct. 16 at Ascot Racecourse, will offer automatic berths into the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf and GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile, respectively.

“The Breeders' Cup is one of the most famous race meetings in the world, and to have the QIPCO Champion Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes as 'Win and You're In' races on QIPCO British Champions Day will only help to evolve the prestige of the day,” said Chairman of Qatar Racing, Sheikh Fahad bin Abdullah Al Thani. “Qatar Racing is also delighted to be sponsoring the Breeders' Cup Sprint as we continue to raise the profile of Qatar Racing as an international brand and off the back of our growing success in America with the likes of Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) winning the [GI Kentucky] Oaks last year.”

“This exciting partnership reinforces our shared commitment with Qatar Racing to promote the best Thoroughbred racing in the world to new and growing audiences,” said Drew Fleming, Breeders' Cup President and CEO. “Qatar Racing is guided by a deep passion for Thoroughbred racing, making them an excellent partner in our efforts to continuously elevate the prestigious status of the World Championships to audiences across the globe.”

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Gosdens Have Five Leading Contenders For Saturday’s Rich British Champions Day

A glittering cast is on course to illuminate the 10th anniversary of QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday after the five-day confirmations were revealed on Monday.

There are highlights at every turn, as befits Britain's most valuable raceday, which this year offers prize money of £4,091,250 (US$4,726,641), up 61 percent on last year's totals. The QIPCO Champion Stakes is set to be the richest race in the UK this year with £1.2 million (US$1.39 million) in prize money, with the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (sponsored by QIPCO) also run for in excess of £1 million (US$1.16 million).

In total, 26 Group 1 winners remain engaged and between them they have won 56 races at the highest level. Eight Classic winners remain in contention to run – including three of this year's British Classic winners in Mother Earth, Snowfall and Adayar.

It could be a momentous afternoon for John Gosden, now training in partnership with his son Thady, as he is set to saddle five leading contenders in six races – Stradivarius (QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup), Free Wind (QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares), Palace Pier (Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (sponsored by QIPCO)), Mishriff (QIPCO Champion Stakes) and Sunray Major, favorite for the Balmoral Handicap. The Champion Trainer will be seeking to add to his haul of eight winners on QIPCO British Champions Day – the same tally as Aidan O'Brien.

“QIPCO British Champions Day has become the definitive season-ending meeting. It's wonderfully sponsored and a great event, with Group 1s from six furlongs to a mile and a half, as well as a very valuable Group 2 for stayers, but I think what's most interesting to me is that it attracts a much younger crowd,” Gosden said.

“I've said this before, but it's very noticeable as you go through the grandstand that a lot of them are in their teens, twenties and thirties, and that's so important to our business if we are not going to wind up irrelevant. Ascot has a different feel on QIPCO British Champions Day, and that's a great positive. The more we can encourage it the better.”

William Haggas, who won last year's QIPCO Champion Stakes with Addeybb, is another big fan of the meeting. He said: “QIPCO British Champions Day is a huge and momentous occasion. It's the culmination of a long season in Britain. Everyone wants to win there.”

The going at Ascot is currently Good to Soft, Soft in places on the straight course, and Soft, Good to Soft places on the round course. The latest Going Stick readings were 7.7 (straight) and 5.4 (round).

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