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Lammtarra’s ’95 King George Earns Diamonds and Pearls Award

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 Derby, for which he set a track record that was only broken by Workforce in 2010, the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe–a remarkable treble that only the legendary Mill Reef had achieved previously.

Partnered by Frankie Dettori in the King George, Lammtarra defeated old rivals, providing his owner, trainer and jockey with their first win in the race.

On Lammtarra's qualities, Dettori said: “He was a special horse. He was like a lion; he loved a fight and was very tenacious. For me, what a horse. He ran four times, retired unbeaten and won the three best races in Europe.”

Following a brief but brilliant career, the regally-bred 3-year-old retired to stand at Sheikh Mohammed's Dalham Hall Stud near Newmarket.

At the end of the 1996 breeding season, Lammtarra was sold to Japanese breeders for $30million to stand at Arrow Stud. Ultimately, Sheikh Mohammed bought his champion back and, in 2006, Lammtarra returned to Dalham Hall Stud. Lammtarra died in 2014.

This year's King George VI, a QIPCO British Champions Series race, takes place at Ascot at 3.40pm Saturday 29 July.

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QIPCO British Champions Series Launches Club 26

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 Britains 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 Ascot in June, the Qatar Goodwood Festival at Goodwood, the Skybet Ebor Festival at York in August and the St Leger Festival at Doncaster in September.

“We are passionate about attracting young people to horseracing as future fans and participants and are very proud to launch Club 26 ahead of the QIPCO Guineas Festival,” HH Sheikh Fahad bin Abdullah Al Thani, Director of QIPCO, said. “We have lots of exciting plans for the Club and hope it educates and encourages more 18 to 26-year-olds, who are key to the future of this sport, to come racing.”

Rod Street, Chief Executive of QIPCO British Champions Series, said, “Our objective is to get a younger audience closer to horseracing, by involving them in some of the best Flat racing occasions in the calendar. Horseracing takes a bit of understanding, but by involving people more closely in the racing experience, we know the magic can rub off and create lifetime aficionados.”

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All To Play For In The 1000 Guineas

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 Rising Star' Tenebrism (Caravaggio) went through the G1 Cheveley Park S. here in September, but there is a definite question mark over the mile for her and the performance of Flotus (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) here on Saturday was an untimely blow to that form. “She is unproven beyond six furlongs and maybe some have pegged her as a sprinter, but there is only one way to find out and that is on Sunday,” Ryan Moore said. “In terms of raw ability, we are happy with where she sits in the pecking order.”

Will Danehill's Record Fall?

Aidan O'Brien tends to win mile Classics with stouter-bred individuals, which brings in Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) but there is a feeling that the reality of winning a 1000 Guineas will be too much too soon as she builds experience ahead of an Oaks tilt. The Naas maiden winner shaped as the better filly when second to Discoveries (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) on her sole juvenile start and if she has made the leap she will be providing Galileo with the world record of stakes winners. This would be a stage fitting for such a landmark, and Ballydoyle's go-to rider Frankie Dettori only adds to the equation. “We are happy with where she is, as we didn't think we would be in this position with her four weeks ago,” the Ballydoyle handler admitted recently.

Setting The Scene

In an edition dominated by Irish and French-trained fillies, it looks a tall order for the home team to arrest the overseas momentum. The top-rated quartet among them are the quartet who chased home Inspiral in the course-and-distance G1 Fillies' Mile in October, and while Prosperous Voyage (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), 'TDN Rising Star' Cachet (Ire) (Aclaim {Ire}), Mise En Scene (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) and Wild Beauty (GB) (Frankel {GB}) are all solid proposals here they all have something to find. Mise En Scene provides James Ferguson with a first Classic runner and he is understandably hopeful that the Qatar Racing and Racehorse Club-owned G3 Prestige S. winner could be at least a bit player in this play. “I honestly think it is the most open 1000 Guineas I can remember,” he said. “It is wonderful to have a filly this good and she deserves to be the shortest-priced British runner. The fact she has got stamina in her pedigree will help her.”

Guineas Set For Frexit?

This is a big year for Francis-Henri Graffard, who has been handed the golden opportunity of taking over the famous Aiglemont stables, and in Everest Racing, Barbara Keller and David Redvers's Malavath (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) he has a strong chance of making waves in this important monument. Building slowly to a crescendo last term, she went from a soft-ground win in the six-furlong G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte at Chantilly in October to a barnstorming finish when second in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on a firm surface over this trip at Del Mar the following month. She put her compatriot Zellie (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in her place in the Apr. 7 G3 Prix Imprudence at Deauville, which during the 1980s was the launchpad used by Criquette Head for her Guineas heroines Ma Biche and Ravinella and by François Boutin for the great Miesque. “I couldn't have her in better form,” Graffard said. “She came on a lot from her seasonal debut and she's very well. When it comes to the ground, she's a very versatile filly and hopefully she is good enough for a race like this.”

The Supporting Cast

There is abundant intrigue away from the Guineas, with ParisLongchamp staging the G1 Prix Ganay where the G2 Prix d'Harcourt one-two-three Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}), Sealiway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) and Mare Australis (Ire) (Australia {GB}) re-oppose. Sir Michael Stoute, a master in races like the G2 Betfair Exchange Dahlia S., looks to Chris Humber and Hunscote Stud's G3 Pride S. winner Ville de Grace (GB) (Le Havre {Ire}) to provide him with a seventh renewal of Newmarket's nine-furlong test. In Germany, the G3 Bavarian Classic at Munich sees the latest potential Gestut Schlenderhan star step forward in the impressive Dusseldorf scorer So Moonstruck (Ger) (Sea the Moon {Ger}); while John and Thady Gosden who appear to have several Oaks hopefuls and saddle Juddmonte's Crenelle (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in the 10-furlong Listed Pretty Polly S. on the Guineas undercard.

Click here for the group fields.

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Pat Eddery Inducted into QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame

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 in the 'Race of the Century' where his mount triumphed over St Leger winner Bustino (GB) (Busted {GB}) in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. in 1975.

His daughter Natasha Eddery-Dunsdon, a competitive showjumper said, “He was, and always will be, one of the all-time greats. When I think about what he was like as a jockey, I think about his quiet concentration, his focus, the determination to win. That's what set him apart, his desire to win and to beat his comrades–winning was everything to him, second best just wasn't an option.

“He had the best hands of any jockey, he was a kind rider, intuitive, he just connected with horses. If he were riding a puller, he'd simply give the horse the rein and drop his hands on the neck–I've personally tried this and I always get run away with–but they never did that with dad, they just stayed totally relaxed.

“Entering the Hall of Fame would have made him so proud; I only wish he were still here to experience this special moment. It's one myself and my family will cherish.”

Jockey Frankie Dettori said, “We used to call him 'God' because he was like God.”

Four-time champion trainer Richard Hannon, Sr., who Eddery rode for many years, added, “I'm sure Pat would have loved to have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. It's nice to be remembered. He was a very good jockey, he was very good with horses and he had a great memory of them too. If he rode one 18 months before, he'd know exactly all about the horse. He had a great brain.

“You didn't have to tell Pat anything really. He just went out and did his job. As a trainer you do the job to ensure the horse is fit and everything is fine, but he used to go out and do his own thing, however the race worked out. That makes a jockey for me–if the race doesn't go right for you, you think of another way round it.”

Other champions associated with the late jockey included El Gran Senor (Northern Dancer), Zafonic (Gone West), Danehill (Danzig), Sadler's Wells (Northern Dancer) and Warning (GB) (Known Fact). Among his quartet of Arc winners was Dancing Brave (Lyphard) in 1986. He also rode Pebbles (GB) (Sharpen Up {GB}) to victory in the 1985 GI Breeders' Cup Turf and the 1986 Japan Cup winner Jupiter Island (GB) (St. Paddy {GB}), both for trainer Clive Brittain.

His family will be presented with a commissioned medal, designed by Asprey and unique within British racing, which will be displayed as part of a special Hall of Fame exhibition at QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot on Oct. 16.

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