Ascot 'feeling the pinch' for Champions Day with tickets still available

Qipco British Champions Day is the latest major racing fixture to be impacted by rising household costs, with tickets remaining available for entry to the cheapest Queen Anne enclosure on Saturday.

In a trend that has been mirrored at other racecourses, sales for hospitality and the premier enclosures at Ascot have been robust while those at the lower end have struggled due to a "tightening of the belt", according to British Champions Series chief executive Rod Street.

Street said on Sunday: "The top two enclosures have sold out and they sold out a couple of weeks ago. There's still availability in the Queen Anne enclosure and, like most racecourses through the summer and autumn, it's that third enclosure where the challenges exist.

"I think we're doing better than most days through that period. During the autumn the capacity for Ascot is 30,000 and at this stage we would be expecting a crowd in the mid-20,000s.

"The reality at the moment is that the lower-priced enclosures are feeling the pinch across racing, reflecting a tightening of the belt in that demographic.

"Hospitality has sold out and is performing above expectations this year and the top two enclosures are sold out too, so there is a feeling that the higher levels are holding up better.

"However, sports are having to face the reality of the cost of living crisis and this will go beyond Champions Day and into 2023 for sure."

Rod Street: 'Like most racecourses through the summer and autumn, it's that third enclosure where the challenges exist'Credit: Edward Whitaker

This year's Qipco British Champions Day will be the first to take place since the death of the Queen, and features the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes among the races.

Street confirmed the Queen would be commemorated at the fixture and was hopeful there would be a royal presence at the meeting.

Asked if the royal family would be present, he said: "Such matters are considerably above my pay grade. However, on the basis that this is the first running of the Queen Elizabeth II since Her Majesty's passing, I would be hopeful there would be some representation.

"We'll be holding an exhibition in the main grandstand commemorating the Queen, and there will be something bittersweet about the day in that regard because, as we know, last year's Champions Day was the final time she visited a racecourse."

This year's Champions Day marks ten years since Frankel's final outing in the Champion Stakes, with this year's race favourite Baaeed attempting to emulate the undefeated star by ending his own career unbeaten.

While Street agreed an eyecatching victory for Baaeed would be helpful in sustaining the appeal of the fixture, he pointed to other notable performances on the day since Frankel's last run as an indicator of the meeting's ongoing popularity.

Baaeed: his presence is a huge boost for Champions DayCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

"The day would greatly benefit from a stellar performance from Baaeed, especially if he was given a real run for his money by Adayar, but it doesn't depend on that," he said.

"Even after Frankel, there have been brilliant races with the likes of Noble Mission, Cracksman, Muhaarar, Roaring Lion and the like.

"If you're staging top-quality racing, such as we do on Champions Day, there is always going to be excitement, you just cannot always be sure where from."

The ground at Ascot was described as good on Sunday by clerk of the course Chris Stickels, although the going is likely to be on the easier side of good by the weekend.

He said: "It's good ground at the moment and we may see a little bit of rain tonight, perhaps 2mm. That might tip it across to the easier side of good, but then it's generally dry until Thursday.

"On Friday and Saturday there are some showers forecast with up to 6mm of rain, so it might be good to soft or even soft ground if all the rain arrives. However, the track is in absolutely lovely condition and the forecast is pretty encouraging for the week generally."

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