Golden moments from ten years of QIPCO British Champions Series

FRANKEL
QIPCO 2000 Guineas, Newmarket
April 30, 2011

There have been 348 races under the QIPCO British Champions Series umbrella and the very first – Frankel’s demolition of a dozen rivals in the QIPCO 2000 Guineas – could not have been more stunning.

Tom Queally was encouraged by Sir Henry Cecil to let Frankel use his long stride and the jockey needed no second invitation on his exuberant partner, opening up a 15-length lead by halfway.

It seemed Frankel might be doing too much too soon but the 1-2 favourite kept galloping and won by six lengths from Dubawi Gold. Only once in the race’s history has there been a bigger winning margin.

Frankel would finish his flawless career unbeaten in 14 races, winning nine Group 1 QIPCO British Champions Series contests.

BLACK CAVIAR
Diamond Jubilee Stakes, Royal Ascot
June 23, 2012

The darling of Australian racing ventured to British shores as a six-year-old, having won each of her previous 21 races.

The Black Caviar team celebrate victory in the 2012 Diamond Jubilee StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker

She stood out among 14 runners and went off 1-6 favourite under Luke Nolen. Black Caviar powered through the six-furlong feature and quickened a length clear but then Nolen took things easy and, briefly, it looked as though her 100 per cent record was going to be punctured.

French challenger Moonlight Cloud began to gain fast but Nolen gave Black Caviar another shake of the reins and she pulled out a bit more to prevail by a head. Black Caviar ended her career undefeated in 25 races, 15 at the highest level.

ROARING LION
Juddmonte International, York
August 22, 2018

Roaring Lion’s constitution and courage knew no bounds. He ran nine times in 2018, every time in Group company and on seven occasions at the highest level.

The dashing grey just came up short in the QIPCO 2000 Guineas and Derby but wins in the Coral-Eclipse, Juddmonte International, QIPCO Irish Champion Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes sealed his reputation as one of the season’s glittering stars.

Roaring Lion defeats a field packed with talent in the 2018 Juddmonte InternationalCredit: Getty Images

His performance at York was his finest, as he raced clear of a deep field that included six other Group 1 winners. Roaring Lion made them look ordinary and won by almost four lengths from Poet’s Word. The runner-up had landed the Prince of Wales’s Stakes and King George VI & Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes that summer.

ENABLE
King George VI & Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes, Ascot
July 27, 2019

Enable made history last year by winning the King George a record third time but it was her second success under Frankie Dettori in the mid-season showpiece 12 months earlier that will live longest in the memory.

Enable (far side) gets the better of Crystal Ocean in a titanic struggle for the 2019 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker

A top-class field of 11 lined up and the early exchanges did not go to plan for Dettori as Enable, seeking an 11th successive win, was obliged to race wide and in rear. By two out, Enable had muscled her way to the front only for Crystal Ocean, who had won the Prince of Wales’s Stakes on his previous start, to draw alongside.

The pair had a fabulous tussle but Enable edged ahead to win by a neck. Waldgeist, who would win the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe later that year, was third, with Anthony Van Dyck, the Derby winner, behind.

STRADIVARIUS
Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup, Goodwood
July 28, 2020

The wonderful Sea The Stars had finished his career by the time the QIPCO British Champions Series was launched in 2011, but his offspring continue to make an impact, none more so than super stayer Stradivarius, who has already accumulated a record 13 wins in races that form the Series.

Stradivarius (nearside) displays a terrific burst of speed to capture the 2020 Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup from Nayef Road and SantiagoCredit: Edward Whitaker

Stradivarius’s amazing haul includes three Gold Cups at Royal Ascot, plus a record four victories in the Goodwood Cup, a race first run more than 200 years ago.

He rewrote the record books as a six-year-old after it momentarily looked as though he was caught in a pocket at a key stage, Stradivarius produced his customary turn of foot when switched. He won by a length from Nayef Road, with Irish Derby winner Santiago third.

Welcome to the giants’ Hall of Fame

This week, QIPCO British Champions Series announced that Lester Piggott, widely considered the greatest jockey of all time, and Frankel, the highest-rated racehorse in history, have become the first members of the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame.

Launched to mark the tenth anniversary of QIPCO’s sponsorship of British Champions Series, the first official Hall of Fame for British Flat racing sets out to immortalise the modern greats of the sport, human and equine, from 1970 onwards.

On the basis of their giant status and huge achievements, Piggott and Frankel are indisputably worthy of becoming the first QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Famers.

An 11-time champion jockey and winner of 30 British Classics, Piggott is one of the most recognised names in racing. Called the ‘Long Fellow’ due to his height, Piggott’s first win came at the age of 12 at Haydock in 1948. In a career spanning 50 years he rode 4,493 winners, including many all-time greats of the turf, among them Nijinsky, the last horse to win the Triple Crown of 2000 Guineas, Derby and St Leger in 1970.

Lester Piggott poses with the medal marking his induction to the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of FameCredit: Lorenz Richard

Piggott, now aged 85 and based in Switzerland, received a specially commissioned medal marking his induction into the Hall of Fame.

“It’s an honour to become the first jockey – the first person – inducted to the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame,” Piggott said. “I’m truly delighted to receive this medal.

“I feel fortunate to have spent many brilliant years riding such incredible horses and I’m touched to see my story so well preserved through this initiative. The Hall of Fame is a terrific concept and something racing has deserved for many years. Our sport has an incredible history and I hope this provides an opportunity for many others to learn about it.

“It’s only right that Frankel is the first horse in the Hall of Fame. He did everything so easily and was the best by far during his time. He is the one horse I wish I could have ridden.”

As the highest-rated horse in history, unbeaten in 14 starts and with ten Group 1 races to his name, Frankel’s name penetrated the public consciousness in a way few Flat racing horses achieve.

Sheikh Fahad presents Frankel with his QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame medalCredit: Dan Abraham

Trained by the late, great Sir Henry Cecil, Frankel was simply on a different level and revelled in blitzing rivals with speed and an incredibly huge stride.

There were memorable displays over a mile in the QIPCO 2000 Guineas of 2011 and Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2012; his seven-length win in the Juddmonte International over a mile and a quarter is regarded as his best.

Douglas Erskine Crum, chief executive of Juddmonte, the racing and breeding operation owned by the family of Frankel’s late owner Prince Khalid Abdullah, said: “On behalf of Prince Khalid’s family, for Frankel to be the first horse inducted to the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame is testament to Prince Khalid’s passion and vision.

“It is his legacy that Frankel should be the first recognised, with Lester Piggott, who rode Prince Khalid’s first winner, Charming Native, at Windsor in May 1979.

“All at Juddmonte are delighted to be a part of this exciting new venture for British racing and thank Sheikh Hamad and Sheikh Fahad of QIPCO for their generous partnership with this prestigious accolade.”

The next Hall of Famers will be decided by a panel of experts and will be announced ahead of QIPCO British Champions Day.

To find out more about the Hall of Famers visit horseracinghof.com

Read more about Frankel's 2,000 Guineas triumph in the Big Read, exclusive to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers, and other fantastic Big Reads here:

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