Royal Ascot winners to gain automatic starting berths at Breeders' Cup

The winners of four races at Royal Ascot will earn automatic starting spots in the 2018 Breeders' Cup at Churchill Downs as part of the North American meeting's 'Win and You're In' programme.

The Queen Anne winner will get an automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Mile, the Prince of Wales's Stakes winner will gain entry to the Turf, the Norfolk Stakes will lead into the new Juvenile Turf Sprint and the Diamond Jubilee Stakes links with the Turf Sprint.

All four races will be broadcast in the US as part of NBC's Royal Ascot coverage.

July's King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes already carries an automatic spot in the Turf, bringing the total number of Ascot races leading into the Breeders' Cup to five.

In all, more than 80 international races link with the meeting as part of a series called the Breeders' Cup Challenge.

Breeders’ Cup president and chief executive Craig Fravel said: "There's nothing quite like the excellence, tradition and prestige of Royal Ascot and we're so proud and delighted that the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, Queen Anne, Norfolk and the Diamond Jubilee will be a part of the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Challenge series as we continue to encourage international participation for the World Championships.

"We thank our partners at Ascot for working with us in accomplishing this goal, and look forward to the outstanding coverage from the NBC Sports Group of these fixtures, and extensive coverage of the Royal Ascot races in June."

Nick Smith, Ascot's director of racing and communications, added: "We’re delighted to be participating in the Breeders’ Cup ‘Win & You’re In’ programme with races from Royal Ascot for the first time.

"These are pivotal race meetings in our respective jurisdictions and natural targets for the very best racehorses in the world.

"It’s particularly pleasing to be involved from the start with the development of the new Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. It'll provide an excellent new opportunity for European juveniles."

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