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‘Irish Genius’ Vincent O’Brien Inducted Into British Champions Series Hall Of Fame

Legendary trainer Vincent O'Brien, together with three titans of the turf from the 1970s, Brigadier Gerard, Mill Reef and Nijinsky, have been named as the next four stars to be inducted into the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame, which can be found online at Horseracinghof.com.

Launched to mark the 10th anniversary of QIPCO's sponsorship of the British Champions Series, the first official Hall of Fame for British Flat racing sets out to immortalize the Modern Greats of the sport, both human and equine, from 1970 onwards.

On the basis of their undisputed status and achievements within the sport, the quartet will join inaugural inductees Frankel and Lester Piggott in the Hall of Fame, with O'Brien becoming the first trainer to gain membership.

Broadcaster Brough Scott, who undertook his first broadcast for ITV Racing in 1971, the year in which Brigadier Gerard completed his incredible unbeaten 3-year-old season, was part of the independent panel of horseracing experts who agreed on the inductees.

He said: “No racing decade ever had a start like the 1970s. Nijinsky, Mill Reef and Brigadier Gerard – three horses of the century only a year apart. No Derby winner more majestic than Nijinsky, no Arc winner more of a mould-breaker than Mill Reef, no miler more complete than Brigadier Gerard.

“Irish genius Vincent O'Brien added to the magic of that era, setting a standard most could only dream of matching. He changed the racing and training landscape, and his legacy lives on at Ballydoyle and Coolmore – which remain two of the world's greatest racing operations to this day.

“They individually and collectively deserve these places within the Hall of Fame and the panel and I offer our heartfelt congratulations to their connections.”

Trainer O'Brien, who registered a total of 141 Group One wins, with 67 in the UK, died 12 years ago but his influence on the sport will go on forevermore. As well as training six Derby winners and a host of other British Classics, he also landed three consecutive Grand Nationals in the 1950s, making him one of few trainers to succeed in both disciplines at the highest level. He also created the superb training facilities at Ballydoyle and played a pivotal role in the development of Coolmore Stud – two of Ireland's, if not the world's, most illustrious racing operations. Tellingly, the winning machine that Vincent O'Brien helped create and develop continues to flourish to this day.

Brigadier Gerard, Mill Reef and Nijinsky – the last-named trained by O'Brien – all lit up the sport during the early 1970s. Between the three, they won an incredible 40 of their 45 races.

The mighty Brigadier Gerard, ridden by the late Joe Mercer, won 17 of his 18 races and is remembered as one of the greatest milers there has been, although he also shone over further. His record in 1971 was phenomenal, winning all six of his races, and his final resumé contained a British Classic in the 2000 Guineas, two Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and two Champion Stakes victories.

The Ian Balding-trained Mill Reef had to play second fiddle to Brigadier Gerard in the 2000 Guineas of 1971 but, upped in distance, he would never be beaten again. His exploits included outstanding victories in the Derby and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Meanwhile, the majestic Nijinsky, ridden by inaugural Hall of Famer Lester Piggott, made history in 1970 by scooping the Triple Crown. No horse has since achieved this milestone of winning the 2000 Guineas, Derby and St Leger in the same year. Nijinsky went on to become a hugely successful stallion and, to this day, remains the only sire to have a winner of the Derby (Epsom) and the Kentucky Derby in the same year.

Connections of these four stars will receive a specially commissioned medal, designed by Asprey and unique within British racing, to mark their achievement. The four medals will be displayed at Doncaster's Cazoo St Leger day (Saturday 11th September) as part of a QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame exhibition. The exhibition can be found within the racecourse's grandstand in the Grandstand Enclosure.

Achieving a place in the Hall of Fame has become one of the highest accolades within British Flat racing, reflecting extraordinary achievements and contributions to the sport. Launched to mark the start of this year's QIPCO British Champions Series, a number of additional inductions will be announced in the build-up to QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot (Saturday Oct. 16), including one horse chosen by the public (vote here) which is open until Sept. 24.

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Owner Nielsen Hopes ‘That Rarest Of Horse’ Stradivarius Gets Clear Sailing In Goodwood Cup

Owner Bjorn Nielsen has become accustomed to going racing expecting Stradivarius to win during the chestnut's long reign as Britain's outstanding stayer, but things are a little different now as the 7-year-old bids for an unprecedented fifth straight win in Tuesday's Group 1 Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup, the latest leg of this year's QIPCO British Champions Series.

Stradivarius has been beaten on four of his last five starts – admittedly with mitigating factors in terms of distance, ground and most recently at Royal Ascot traffic issues following poor positioning – and he might well not have been favorite but for the injury incurred since by the runaway Gold Cup winner Subjectivist.

Nielsen therefore takes less for granted these days where Stradivarius is concerned, and he admits that it's now one race at a time in terms of his racing career. That said, he is confident that while the much anticipated fourth straight Gold Cup win failed to materialize, this ought to be different – granted clear sailing.

He said: “Most of the time when you go racing as an owner you hope they run well, and you hope maybe they'll win, but Stradivarius is that rarest of horse and it's been the case since he won his first Gold Cup that you go there hoping he isn't going to lose, so the feeling watching a race is the opposite to what it normally is.

“The way it is with him now is that he's always the one they have to beat and they ride to beat him, so a lot of horses will be trying to make sure he doesn't have a good run round. They are going to try to make it difficult for him and that's what happened at Ascot. But if he's out and about he's going to win.”

Nielsen, who saw Stradivarius' beating of recent Gold Cup and dual Goodwood Cup winner Big Orange for his first success in the race as “a changing of the guard”, added: “Stradivarius had worked very well before the Gold Cup and we were pretty confident he was going to run a huge race, but things just didn't work out – no disrespect to Subjectivist, who was well trained, well ridden, and quickened up exactly as we were getting stopped.

“I was really looking forward to the rematch but we'll never know now what might have happened. But Subjectivist wouldn't have been that far ahead of us again turning in if he were here, I'm sure of that.

“There are still some very good horses there though, and any rain is going to suit Trueshan. We can't underestimate Sir Ron Priestley either, who Mark Johnston has supplemented and is no slouch. You are always going to need some luck in running at Goodwood too – things have to go your way.”

Nielsen maintains that 'summer' soft ground is not a problem for Stradivarius, so the very heavy shower which hit Goodwood on Sunday morning and was estimated by clerk of the course Ed Arkell to have possibly brought as much as 10mm of rain hopefully won't harm his chances too much.

However, it was certainly music to the ears of Alan King, whose Trueshan was a deeply impressive seven-and-a-half length winner in 'autumn' soft ground in the QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot in October, when Stradivarius coped much less well.

On hearing news of the of the rain a delighted King said: “That's very good news. I wasn't expecting that much in the morning. I thought the rain that they'd already had would make it safe enough to run, but to see Trueshan at his best it's a case of the more rain the better.”

King added: “Trueshan looked very good at Ascot on British Champions Day and we've been very pleased with him this year. I was very pleased I ran him at Newcastle in the Northumberland Plate, because you can't keep these horses simmering away forever and he had a proper race there. Everything has gone very smoothly in the build up since and we'll see what happens.”

Mark Johnston, a five-time winner of the Goodwood Cup, with Double Trigger (three times), Royal Rebel and Darasim, has paid £25,000 to supplement older half-brother Sir Ron Priestley to fly the flag in place of Subjectivist, and he also saddles last year's length second Nayef Road. However, he is all too aware that neither represents quite the threat to Stradivarius that Subjectivist would have done.

Johnston described the injury suffered earlier this month by Subjectivist, who was ante-post favourite at the time, as “a huge blow”. The 2022 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot is the earliest possible race we might see him in next, he said, and his career will be over if he is sold in the meantime to one of the studs which are currently showing interest.

Subjectivist could hardly have been held in higher regard, for Johnston said: “I'd have put him alongside Attraction and Shamardal as one of the three best I've trained. He was one of those rare horses with which you weren't really concerned about the opposition as he was better than anything out there, and I can't obviously say the same about Nayef Road or even Sir Ron Priestley.”

He added: “We agonised over paying £25,000 to supplement Sir Ron Priestley and I had to convince myself I was doing it for the owner, not myself, as there's some uncertainty about the trip. In the Yorkshire Cup it looked very much as if he didn't stay, but it's hard to equate that with his St Leger second or his Nottingham win, and at the beginning of the year we had no doubt he would stay two miles.

“The other worry is rain, but Charlie (son and assistant), rightly or wrongly, said that on good to firm ground he would put his house on the horse finishing in the first four, which is what we need to get the supplementary fee back.

“Nayef Road's recent runs have been mixed, but in some of them he's shown a glimmer of his best and he deserves to be there on past performance. I don't think any of us would be surprised if he was in the shake up, but he'd need a personal best and Stradivarius to be below form if he were to win.”

Aidan O'Brien, who won two Goodwood Cups with Yeats, saddles last year's Irish Derby winner Santiago, third inlast year's Goodwood Cup, shock Epsom Derby winner Serpentine, who hasn't finished closer than fourth in four races since Epsom, and recent Curragh Cup winner Amhran Na Bhfiann. However, all three were beaten a long way in the Gold Cup.

O'Brien said: “We think coming back to two miles will help Santiago. It was a very good run at Goodwood last year but we are not really sure he gets it (two miles) and he could have to go back to a mile and six or even a mile and a half. He's been very well since Ascot, and I'm very happy with his work.

“Amrhan Na Bhfiann ran in the Gold Cup but has won over a mile and six since. He's a horse we think likes to be ridden forward, although he doesn't have to make the running and we'd be happier if he didn't. He likes a strong tempo and we think coming back to two miles will suit. We maybe made too much use of him over the two and a half miles of the Gold Cup.”

Spanish Mission had Santiago, Sir Ron Priestley and Nayef Road behind when winning the Yorkshire Cup and went on to finish a very respectable third to Subjectivist in the Gold Cup, but trainer Andrew Balding is realistic about his prospects of beating an on-song Stradivarius.

He said: “This has been the plan for a long time and we are really pleased with him – we just wouldn't want too much rain. Stradivarius is a fairly awesome opponent, and if he's anywhere near his best he's going to be very tough to beat, but on his Yorkshire Cup win and his Gold Cup third Spanish Mission ought to be very competitive.”

A field of 11 is completed by the Donnacha O'Brien-trained Listed winner Emperor Of The Sun, who was fifth in the Gold Cup, Ismail Mohammed's Away He Goes, who finished third to Subjectivist at Meydan in March, and the Jamie Osborne-trained Mekong, who was ninth in that Meydan Group 2 and has not raced since.

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‘Complete Package’: 79-Year-Old Trainer Jim Bolger Celebrates Classic Success With Homebred Poetic Flare

The 2021 British Champions Series got off to a thrilling start on Saturday as Poetic Flare broke Godolphin hearts in the final stages to claim the first Classic of the season for Kevin Manning and Jim Bolger. Sired by 2013 QIPCO 2000 Guineas winner Dawn Approach, also trained by Bolger, Poetic Flare emulated his father – but was made to fight all the way by a gallant Master Of The Seas and William Buick.

It meant the QIPCO 2000 Guineas will head back to Ireland, but not to a stable with a trainer named “O'Brien” as many had predicted in the build up. Instead, 79-year-old trainer, owner (via his wife), and breeder Jim Bolger's colt took the prize in a compelling finish which saw Master Of The Seas, Poetic Flare and Luky Vega drawing clear to fight out the closing stages.

It was Master Of The Seas who looked the most likely winner in the final half furlong, however Poetic Flare dug in and got his head down right when it mattered. The photo finish went the way of a delighted Kevin Manning, also Bolger's son-in-law.

For Jim Bolger it means that he picks up the coveted prize for a second time in his training career, having previously won the race in 2013 with Dawn Approach.

“He's the most complete racehorse I've ever had,” Bolger told racingpost.com. “He's the complete package — you couldn't find a fault with him. If he was sent to a new trainer in the morning he'd just pick it up from there.”

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Ten Years On, Fan Engagement A Focus For QIPCO

This weekend's QIPCO Guineas Festival at Newmarket will mark a handful of milestones, not least being the return to its rightful place on the calendar after the pandemic-ravaged season of 2020. Additionally, this year marks a decade not only since Frankel (GB) scorched up the Rowley Mile to one of the most exciting Guineas wins that likely any of us can remember, but also since the Qatar-based, Al Thani family-owned private investment company QIPCO took up the title sponsorship of the Guineas Festival as well as the QIPCO British Champions Series and QIPCO British Champions Day.

Sheikh Fahad al Thani announced his arrival on the British racing scene in a big way in 2010 with the private purchase of that year's G1 2000 Guineas scorer Makfi (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), and within a year had solidified his family's long-term involvement in the business with a series of significant sponsorships.

“Since Sheikh Fahad and his brothers became involved in British racing 10 years ago, they've thrown themselves at every facet of it,” said David Redvers, racing and bloodstock manager for Qatar Racing. “Luckily for British racing their involvement coincided with the debate to begin the British Champions Series and British Champions Day. They leapt at the challenge of sponsoring it because they loved the idea of being able to have a positive effect on the sport.”

The QIPCO British Champions Series comprises 35 of the nation's top flat races throughout the season and aims to promote the best that the sport has to offer. The series kicks off each spring with the Guineas Festival and concludes with QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot in late October. And while the series has been successful in shining the spotlight on Britain's best equine athletes, another important facet of the sponsorship has been a conscious effort to grow the sport's fan base and engage a younger audience. With the exception of 2020, of course, British Champions Day has provided special access to students and pony club members including free or discounted entry, behind-the-scenes tours and special access on site.

“Something that was really important to Sheikh Fahad when we set out with the British Champions Series and QIPCO back in 2011 was that we engaged a new audience-in particular a young audience–with the best racing,” said Rod Street, chief executive of Great British Racing and British Champions Series. “Over the years we've developed the biggest student raceday in the UK at Ascot on QIPCO British Champions Day. Pre-Covid, 2,500 students attended Champions Day.”

“We've been very keen that we make it not just a discounted day out and then we forget all about them,” Street continued. “We've done lots to activate their engagement during the day. We've created a student zone. We do goodie bags for them with a few interesting free gifts; we give away scarves in the Qatar Racing colours so there is a bit of an extra connection to the day. We do guest tipping sessions where we get a couple leading jockeys to talk about the card, and we encourage the students to come and immerse themselves in the raceday and get close to the action.

“It's been really popular. Since we've been doing it now we've moved thousands and thousands of students through. It's the way you build racing fans for the future. Many of them will come and go, but we know that by engaging as many as possible you give yourself the best chance of creating lifelong fans. And as these students go into the workplace and start earning income, they might become syndicate members of the future or fully-fledged owners. It's taken a lot of effort and a lot of investment from QIPCO and ourselves to facilitate it, but Sheikh Fahad has been really passionate about it.”

Simultaneous with the student day on Champions Day is a concerted effort for members of Pony Club of Great Britain, where horse-loving kids are likewise given behind-the-scenes access on a major raceday.

“It all comes down to Sheikh Fahad's support and vision with his brothers, including Sheikh Hamad, the chief executive of QIPCO,” said Street. “They want the day to feel really different, to be something that stands out, and we think we're developing that.”

Street said that QIPCO embodies what a modern-day sponsor looks like. Since launching its racing sponsorship portfolio in 2011, QIPCO has brought Royal Ascot, the Irish Champion S. the Prix du Jockey Club and the Goffs London Sale under its banner.

“QIPCO is a really good example of a partner for the sport, with a vision, and that's a really important point to make,” he said. “I think the old-fashioned approach of someone giving you money and you plastering their name over a few things isn't [how it works] anymore. I think sponsors are partners and they want to grow and develop and be associated with good ideas and progress.”

Sponsorship has been a key topic in racing industry news in recent weeks with the revelation that online car retailer Cazoo has taken on sponsorship of the Derby and St Leger Festivals, and Redvers said it is “critical” for the future of the sport that racing develop partnerships with leading mainstream brands.

“You have to take a world view now rather than just a domestic one, and it's been one of the great frustrations about British racing that it's struggled to gain mainstream sponsorship here,” he said. “If anything it's almost been tainted by the sport's relationship with bookmakers that bookmakers tend to be the big raceday sponsors, because racing here is perceived to be so tightly interwoven with the gambling industry, which is crazy when you consider that there is so much more to the sport. It's fascinating now to see that sponsorship costs are coming down quite steeply–because of lack of demand as a result of the pandemic, partially. Big races are becoming more affordable to sponsor, so maybe it'll open back up again to more mainstream sponsors.”

Redvers said that the tendency of the British ownership ranks to be dominated by a few superpowers has also potentially deterred mainstream brands.

“If you look at Australian racing or Hong Kong racing, they've got massive international elite brands sponsoring those race meetings, because they have a much wider demographic of owners and fans,” he said. “I think that's something in which we're still miles behind in the UK, because we've historically relied on a handful of very, very big owners. The broad appeal for a wider cross-section of the public isn't there like it is in Australia because we lag behind so badly on syndication and the way in which syndicates are looked after at the races. Hopefully, there will be a fresh review of all of those operations as we come out of the pandemic and people will look to build it back a bit better.”

Street concurred, “The sport needs a broad array of sponsors. QIPCO has been the facilitator of real change in British racing; the QIPCO British Champions Series shines a light on the really top-class races during the summer. In bringing about QIPCO British Champions Day, it was a finale the season never previously had and it's the richest raceday in the UK. They've shown what a really engaged, invested sponsor can do in terms of being a game-changer.”

QIPCO remains the biggest non-bookmaker sponsor of British racing, and can serve as a blueprint of what is possible in the realm of modern sponsorship.

“It's a hell of an achievement to put 10 years of solid investment into a sport, and there has to be some lasting legacy from that,” said Redvers. “The thing that really excites me about the outcome of our sponsorship is that a young Sheikh and his brothers came in and understood immediately that simplifying things and highlighting what's best about British racing has the effect of engaging a younger audience. When you add to that all of the other initiatives they've put around Champions Day and the Champions Series, that's when you actually see there is a lasting legacy, because the young fan base is growing and growing. That's something they justifiably should be applauded for.”

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