Tag Archive for: champions day

Romantic Warrior reigns again but Golden Sixty upset

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Romantic Warrior lit up Champions Day at Sha Tin but there was a shock defeat for fellow Hong Kong hero Golden Sixty.

In testing conditions, the former had to do it the hard way after being forced very wide on the turn for home, as rank outsider North Bridge tried to steal it from the front.

Japanese challenger Prognosis then made his move and looked to be travelling strongly, but 9/10 favourite Romantic Warrior dug deep on the outside and powered through to get up by a neck and land a third straight FWD QEII Cup triumph.

Winning jockey James McDonald said of Danny Shum’s six-year-old: “I can’t believe this horse, I’ve got no words for him. It brings a tear to my eye how good he is and I’ll never ride another one like him.

“He was beaten at the 600, but he just finds a way – he’s incredible. I had 10 riders against me and was done no favours at all, and he’s pulled out a run like that.

“There wasn’t one part of the race where I was happy. I was in a rhythm but I was deep and not in a good spot, then he was off the bridle and struggling in the ground, but he just picked up – I’m just in disbelief.”

The William Haggas-trained Dubai Honour came home in seventh place under Tom Marquand.

A large crowd was earlier left stunned when local legend Golden Sixty could only finish fourth behind 117-10 chance Beauty Eternal in the FWD Champions Mile.

Zac Purton was allowed to track across from a wide draw and take up an early lead on Beauty Eternal and he then steadied the pace.

The John Size-trained five-year-old quickened up well from the front and was always in control of proceedings down the home straight, scoring by a length and a half from Red Lion.

Golden Sixty, bidding for a fourth consecutive victory in this contest, settled in a handy position but struggled to produce his trademark late turn of foot on rain-softened ground, while Archie Watson’s British raider Brave Emperor was back in ninth.

Purton said: “There was no pace in the race, which gave us the opportunity to lead, and I just thought this guy would like being on the fence, because he’s got that tendency to hang in all the time.

“He just got into a lovely rhythm, controlled the race and I thought the only chance I had to beat Golden Sixty was to try to put a gap on them and see how we went. Today was his day.

“I’ve always felt like there was just that little bit more there but he just wants to do so many things wrong in his races and he can’t let down to his full potential, but today we saw that on the rail.”

Jockey Vincent Ho said of Golden Sixty: “He ran well. The ground was not in our favour. When I hit the straight, I could already feel he could not pick up with his usual turn of foot.

“I know it’s a bit difficult. It is what it is, we can’t fight the weather. I was in a great position and everything was close to the speed, but still we couldn’t improve on that ground.”

Invincible Sage (59-10) enjoyed a smooth success in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize, picking off the favourite California Spangle with ease around a furlong out before prevailing by a length and a half for David Hall and Hugh Bowman.

The winning rider said of the Australian import: “He is up to top class now. I think a rain-affected track may have assisted his performance, but even on a dry track I think we would have seen a winning performance today.”

George Boughey’s Believing finished back in ninth under Harry Bentley, who reported: “She was slightly slow away and then just couldn’t get going on the ground. She was never really comfortable.”



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Ascot beckons for Paddington following York defeat

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Paddington is set to head straight to Qipco Champions Day after suffering his first defeat of the season at York on Wednesday.

Aidan O’Brien’s colt has enjoyed a fantastic campaign, winning his first six starts including Group One victories in the Irish 2,000 Guineas, the St James’s Palace, the Coral-Eclipse and the Sussex Stakes.

He was a warm order to secure a fifth top-level win in the space of three months in the Juddmonte International, but was beaten into third place by Mostahdaf, after which his trainer blamed himself for going to the well once too often.

Speaking at the Curragh on Saturday, O’Brien reported his star three-year-old to be none the worse and he will now enjoy some well deserved downtime before being prepared for the autumn.

“Paddington is good, he’s fine. In all fairness to him he’s answered every call and even at York he answered it,” said the Ballydoyle handler.

“He’ll have a little break now and we might look at going back to Ascot with him. We’ll give him a little chance and he’ll come back like a new horse.

“We’ve fairly put it up to him for a baby three-year-old. Frankie (Dettori, rider of Mostahdaf) knew he was going to get him on his knees because he was after getting beat twice by him by following him.”

Paddington is entered in the Qipco Champion Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on October 21, with O’Brien hinting a return to a mile for the latter contest could be the favoured option.

He added: “Either the Champion or the mile, whatever the lads decide. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s the mile as he has loads of speed.

“He gets a mile and a quarter, but it might be just class that makes him get it.

“He could be a miler, only that I’ve been stretching him and he wasn’t getting a choice. At his best he might be a miler, but it will depend on what the lads decide to do.”



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Dettori eager for horses to be the headline act on Champions Day

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Frankie Dettori is keen for the equine stars to be the focus of attention on Qipco Champions Day, despite the fact the Ascot extravaganza will also be his swansong on European soil.

The entries for the five main races on the October 21 card were published on Tuesday, with the brilliant Paddington headlining a stellar cast

Having secured his fourth Group One victory of the season in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood last week, Aidan O’Brien’s three-year-old has been entered for the both the £1.3million Qipco Champion Stakes and the £1.1million Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

Paddington and Ryan Moore after winning the Sussex Stakes
Paddington and Ryan Moore after winning the Sussex Stakes (Andrew Matthews/PA)

The three remaining Pattern races – the Long Distance Cup, the British Champions Sprint and the Fillies & Mares Stakes – each offer a total prize fund of £500,000, meaning prize money for Champions Day totals £4.1million, cementing its position as the richest raceday in the British calendar.

Entries also include the unbeaten Prix du Jockey Club winner Ace Impact and the last two Betfred Derby winners in Auguste Rodin and Desert Crown, as well as other Group One stars in the shape of the impressive Prince of Wales’s winner Mostahdaf and star sprinter Shaquille, winner of both the Commonwealth Cup and the July Cup this season.

But for all the brilliant action set to take place on the track, for many the star attraction will be Dettori, who is set to make his final appearance in Britain and Europe before retiring from the saddle later in the year.

He said: “Qipco British Champions Day is a great concept with great prize money. Racing for the kind of money which the rest of the world is doing more regularly.

“It was very hard to pick my last day riding in England. I had thought about Newmarket the week before but Ascot is my favourite track with so many great memories. It is going to be a special day and my family is going to be there.

“I don’t want to take the gloss off the day. The day is about the best day’s racing and not about my last day riding here before I go to America for the Breeders’ Cup and then Australia and Hong Kong before retiring at the end of the year.”

Reflecting on some of his Champions Day highlights, the 52-year-old added: “It was very good last year with Emily Upjohn coming back to win (the Fillies & Mares) after a long layoff and then Kinross, my favourite horse, winning first the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp and then 13 days later the British Champions Sprint.

“Another highlight was Cracksman, who gave me a first win after years of trying in the Champion Stakes in 2017 and won it again the next year.”



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Younger racegoers targeted in Champions Series initiative

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A new initiative has been launched by Qipco British Champions Series aimed at attracting younger racegoers to top Flat meetings during the summer.

‘Club 26’ is a free-to-join club for people aged between 18-26, with initial ticket offers announced being £10 general admission for club members to the Qipco Guineas Festival at Newmarket on May 6-7 and British Champions Day at Ascot in October.

Further discounted offers will be announced, while club members can benefit from behind-the-scenes tours and raceday previews.

Rod Street, chief executive of Qipco British Champions Series, said: “Our objective is to get a younger audience closer to horse racing, by involving them in some of the best Flat racing occasions in the calendar. Horse racing 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.

“We believe the initial offer is fantastic value and there will be more to come as the British Flat racing season goes on.”

Sheikh Fahad, director of Qipco and whose colours were carried to 2000 Guineas glory by Kameko in 2020, said: “We are passionate about attracting young people to horse racing as future fans and participants and are very proud to launch Club 26 ahead of the Qipco Guineas Festival.

“We have lots of exciting plans for the Club and hope it educates and encourages more 18-26 year olds, who are key to the future of this sport, to come racing.”



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