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QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame Announced

The QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame, the first official Hall of Fame for British Flat racing honouring the champions of the sport, will be unveiled on Monday, Apr. 26, QIPCO announced on Wednesday.

Marking the 10th year QIPCO has sponsored the British Champions Series which started in 2011, the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame will immortalise the modern greats of British Flat racing-both human and equine-from 1970 onward. (Click here to view a highlights reel of modern greats). New members of the Hall of Fame will be inducted twice annually during the Flat season-ahead of the QIPCO Guineas Festival at Newmarket in May and in October in advance of the QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot. The Hall of Fame will exist online, and, in addition to featuring a range of expertly-curated written, pictorial and video content that pay tribute to Hall of Famers, as well as figures of historical importance, will tell racing's story from its beginning in the 17th century to modern day.

Visitors to the site will be able to register their details to receive updates as more Hall of fame content is added, including the inaugural Hall of Fame class prior to the start of the QIPCO Guineas Festival. The site will be updated throughout the summer and fall chronicling some of racing's most important moments and influential figures from the 17th-20th centuries. Visit www.Horseracinghof.com to register.

Sheikh Fahad bin Abdullah Al-Thani, Director of QIPCO Holding, said, “My Brothers and I are passionate about British flat racing and its rich history and heritage which makes it the envy of other racing jurisdictions the world over. We are delighted to announce the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame, which will honour the tremendous contributions made to British flat racing and will celebrate our most significant and important stars and their achievements.

“When I first got involved in British racing, I was captivated by racing's rich history and I hope that the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame will engage and excite existing and new fans by shining a light on the sport's most important figures.”

Rod Street, Chief Executive Officer of QIPCO British Champions Series, added, “British Champions Series, which showcases the finest flat racing, is the perfect home for a Hall of Fame. Over the past decade, QIPCO have been dedicated and committed partners of British Racing and our thanks go to them for their support of the QIPCO British Champions Hall of Fame and for helping to make this a reality. Our racing is the best in the world and we are delighted to be able to honour our greats through this exciting new initiative.”

Each Hall of Fame class will be selected from a quartet of categories-horses, jockeys, trainer and major contributors consisting of owners, breeders and other leading figures. Although the total number of inductees per year will remain flexible, at least one horse, jockey and trainer will join the Hall of Fame annually.

The following independent panel of horseracing experts will select the Hall of Fame members for the 2021/2022 classes:

Martin Mitchell, Former Tattersalls Bloodstock Director
Emma Berry, European Editor, Thoroughbred Daily News
Brough Scott, Racing Broadcaster and Journalist
Jamie Lynch, Racing Broadcaster and Journalist
James Delahooke, International Bloodstock Agent
Lydia Hislop, Racing Broadcaster and Journalist
Alan Byrne, Editor-in-Chief, Racing Post
Ruth Quinn, Racing Director, BHA

There will also be an annual shortlist of horses to be put to the public vote, with the winning horse also joining the Hall of Fame in October each year. Inductees will be honoured with a prestigious medal designed by Asprey to mark their achievement.

Panel member Brough Scott said,”I am really thrilled and honoured to have been asked to be part of the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame Judging Panel. Most of all because I have long believed in the idea and am really grateful for QIPCO and the British Champions Series to have brought it about. Being inducted into the Hall of Fame will be a true accolade at the pinnacle of the sport and I look forward to the panel's discussions on who is to be honoured in this way.”

The post QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame Announced appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Thunder Moon Heads Straight to The Guineas

Group 1 winner Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) will make his next start in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas on May 1. A winner of a maiden at The Curragh in August, the bay stepped up and won the G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. by 1 ½ lengths there in September. He lost his unbeaten record with a third-place finish in the G1 Darley Dewhurst S. behind St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) and Wembley (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), both trained by trainer Joseph O'Brien's father Aidan.

“He's wintered very well,” O'Brien said on Nick Luck Daily on Tuesday morning. “Obviously we put him away after the Dewhurst, but I was very pleased with that run. The ground went a bit slow on us and we probably weren't drawn in the perfect position, but it was a very good run.

“The plan all winter has been to go straight to the Guineas and not have a prep. He's in good shape. His National S. win was a very good performance. It was a very messy race, but he got himself out of trouble and showed a fantastic turn of foot.

“Turn of foot and speed are probably his two attributes, he'd love a bit of firm ground as he's a strong traveller with a turn of foot, which he showed a couple of times last season. It would be pretty important to us that the ground is good or better.”

“I don't know if he's classier [than the two who beat him in the Dewhurst], but I probably feel that we are the quickest horse,” O'Brien added.

“We travelled very well through the Dewhurst and looked the winner, but on the day there was a severe bias to the rail, we were drawn on the other side and also the ground was on the slow side so I thought it was a fantastic run.

“When we broke down the race afterwards we were very proud of his run, we're looking forward to taking them on again on what we hope will be quicker going.

“His pedigree suggests he'll stay further, I'm quite confident about the mile but after that I'm not sure how much further he'd go as he's quite a pacey horse.

“I'd say Declan McDonagh is most likely to ride at Newmarket and we'll go from there, but it hasn't really been discussed yet. I'd imagine it will be Declan as he has a good relationship with him.”

O'Brien's G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas hopeful Pretty Gorgeous (Fr) (Lawman {Fr}), a winner of the G1 bet365 Fillies' Mile, is also in good form. Like her yardmate, she will also not have a prep prior to her run in the fillies' Classic.

“She's in good shape too, I'm pleased with how she's wintered,” O'Brien said. “She's a big, powerful mare and the plan is to go straight there,” he said.

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Feeling the Love

Newmarket's Craven meeting cranks up on Wednesday, with the G1 1000 Guineas aspirants tackling the G3 Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn S. up the Rowley Mile that plays host to the May 2 Classic. As usual, the seven-furlong prep has some genuine prospects for the big occasion including Normandie Stud's TDN Rising Star Love Is You (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), who oozed class when beating the smart Gift List (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) by 3 1/2 lengths in the Listed Radley S. on testing ground over this trip at Newbury in October. Roger Charlton has yet to win the 1000, but the homebred daughter of the G1 Coronation S. heroine Fallen For You (GB) (Dansili {GB}) has the right credentials on pedigree and a convincing performance here will see her offer stern opposition to the ultra-exciting but totally-unproven Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in over three weeks' time.

Jockey Jason Watson is hoping she can continue her trajectory towards the main event. “Love Is You is exciting. She has wintered well and looks great,” he said. “Steve Raymont, who rides her out every day, has been very happy with her. I've not sat on her, but I've confidence in the team and what they think and I think she should run well. Though she has won at Ascot and Newbury, which are pretty level tracks I don't think the track will be an issue as she is quite well-balanced. She won on heavy ground at the end of the season, but I don't think she necessarily needs that ground and I think good ground is what she wants. Stamina will be no issue, while she looks stronger this year and that seems to have increased her speed a bit.”

Also unbeaten is the Sangsters and James Wigan's Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) with vital course-and-distance experience from both her debut and the G3 Oh So Sharp S. in the autumn. Trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam commented, “I feel that Saffron Beach has wintered well and she is training well. She looks fantastic in her coat. She has had no hiccups with her build-up and we have taken her over to the watered gallop two weeks ago to test her. She has developed into a 3-year-old and what she did at two was a bonus.”

Charlie Appleby puts forward Divine Light (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), who also scored over this track and trip on her sole start in October, while John and Thady Gosden supply another unexposed Kingman in Hissa Hamdan Al Maktoum's Chelmsford novice scorer Tawahub (GB). Appleby said, “Divine Light is a sharp filly, with a course-and-distance win under her belt. It looks a competitive renewal of the race and this should tell us where we are with her.”

The card gets underway with the Bet365 British EBF Maiden Fillies' S. for the 2-year-olds, where high-profile freshmen Ribchester (Ire) and Highland Reel (Ire) have representatives, while the Bet365 European Free H. hosts Godolphin's Feb. 25 G3 Meydan Classic winner Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) who beat the fellow Charlie Appleby-trained Master of the Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) there. He will have to be smart to give eight pounds to Eve Johnson Houghton's G3 Horris Hill S. runner-up Percy's Lad (GB) (Sir Percy {GB}), but the latter's trainer issued a note of caution when she said, “A few of mine appear to be needing the run and we have had some disappointing results, but he deserves to be there and he did nothing wrong last season. It was too soft for him at Newbury and we know he stays a mile and that is probably what he wants. I know we are dropping back to seven, but he is working well and I'm happy as I can be.”

In the G3 Bet365 Earl of Sefton S., Frankie Dettori announces his return to home soil as he partners Isa Salman Al Khalifa's impressive Mar. 27 Listed Magnolia S. winner Global Giant (GB) (Shamardal). Now turned 50, Dettori is relishing being back on his territory. “I'm looking forward to riding back in Britain and getting back on Global Giant, who is owned by a good friend of mine Sheikh Isa,” he said. “This looks a good spot for him and nine furlongs should be ideal. It is a good ride to have as my first ride back in Britain this year. I've really been enjoying things and I'm really looking forward to seeing people back at the races here. Fifty is a big number and it does scare me a bit sometimes, but the body feels good at the moment thank God and I'm enjoying my racing.”

The closing 10-furlong handicap has been won by Papal Bull (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}), Main Sequence (Aldebaran) and Old Persian (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and so can carry weight as an early guide to potential. Carrying topweight is Godolphin's Act of Wisdom (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a son of the disqualified 1000 Guineas winner Jacqueline Quest (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) who is on a four-timer for Old Persian's trainer Charlie Appleby.

At Leopardstown, the one-mile Listed Heritage S. sees the return of TDN Rising Star and proven Group 1 performer Lope Y Fernandez (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), who was last seen finishing third in theGI Breeders' Cup Mile in November.

Click here for the group fields.

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Dubawi’s Highland Avenue Takes the Feilden

Successful in two of his first three starts on Kempton's Polytrack, Godolphin's Highland Avenue (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) was particularly impressive when taking the Mar. 3 “Road To The Kentucky Derby” Conditions S. given that he had to overcome a tardy start. Much more sprightly from the break in this debut on turf in Tuesday's Listed Feilden S. at Newmarket, the grey tracked the leading duo before taking over approaching the two-furlong pole. Chased down by stablemate Secret Protector (War Front) from there, he gave generously to win by 1 1/4 lengths as the pair pulled six lengths clear of a smart field. “To be fair, he hasn't done anything wrong in his career and just found it a little bit sharp first time,” jockey James Doyle said of the homebred, whose dam enjoyed her finest hour at this venue when winning the G1 Cheveley Park S. and is a full-sister to the GI E. P. Taylor S. heroine Sheikha Reika (Fr) (Shamardal). “He's a sleeper at home and not flashy in his work, but he'd shown enough and has improved on the track. He quickened up well in the Kentucky Derby race and has mentally improved throughout each run. He'll probably come back in distance after today, I was surprised how well he travelled and he responded a bit sharper than I thought he would. Charlie said we should take our time with him and I think he'll come on massively for that.”

Appleby is keen to avoid over-facing the winner for now and added, “He is doing everything the right way–we are not trying to achieve too much too soon with him. He is very much a horse that might not jump straight into the deep end just yet. Physically, he is a big horse. Each run he is tightening up and skeletally is strengthening up well. He has got to do a stalls test now, as I've taken a ticket with him the last three occasions, but I'm sure it will be fine. The second horse has added substance to it. It was a hard choice for William [Buick], but he had ridden Secret Protector and not this one so he stuck with him. He is a horse that is probably crying out for a bit further. As this horse mentally sharpens up, he will get physically sharper and he will get quicker. At this moment, I think a Guineas might be too much. I don't want to lose this horse just by rolling the dice with him, as he has got an engine.” Lumiere's 2-year-old filly is by Galileo (Ire), while she also has a 2020 filly by Sea the Stars (Ire).

BET365 FEILDEN S.-Listed, £30,000, Newmarket, 4-13, 3yo, 9fT, 1:48.23, gd.
1–HIGHLAND AVENUE (IRE), 126, c, 3, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Lumiere (GB) (Hwt. 2yo Filly-Eng, G1SW-Eng, $329,674), by Shamardal
2nd Dam: Screen Star (Ire), by Tobougg (Ire)
3rd Dam: Actoris, by Diesis (GB)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby; J-James Doyle. £17,013. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0, $62,725.
2–Secret Protector, 126, c, 3, War Front–Eternal Bounty (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). ($800,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Godolphin; B-R. S. Evans (KY); T-Charlie Appleby. £6,450.
3–Royal Champion (Ire), 126, c, 3, Shamardal–Emirates Queen (GB), by Street Cry (Ire). O/B-Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum (IRE); T-Roger Varian. £3,228.
Margins: 1 1/4, 6, HD. Odds: 4.50, 4.50, 2.00.
Also Ran: Youth Spirit (Ire), Fancy Man (Ire), Gentleman Joe (GB), New Treasure (Ire), Arturo Toscanini (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result.

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