British Champions Series

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The British Champions Series is a series of 35 top British flat races, which culminates in a day-long festival of championship races, known as British Champions Day. It was inaugurated in the 2011 season to draw together some of Britain's key flat races into a meaningful championship, with the hope of generating coverage and stimulating interest among the more casual sports fan. [1] It was believed to have achieved its aims based on an increase of 7% attendance at the race days that were part of the 2011 series, as opposed to a 3.9% increase in attendances across the season's race programme as a whole. [2]

Contents

The championships have been sponsored by the Qatari investment group QIPCO since its inception in 2011. In June 2015 QIPCO renewed their sponsorship until at least 2024 in a deal worth more than £50m, the biggest sponsorship deal ever for British horse racing. [3]

The series is split into five divisions - Sprint, Mile, Middle Distance, Long Distance and Fillies & Mares. This series includes all Group One races in Great Britain, except those limited to two year old horses.

Races

Sprint

RaceDateDistanceCourse
King Charles III Stakes Mid June5 furlongs Ascot
Commonwealth Cup Mid June6 furlongs Ascot
Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes Mid June6 furlongs Ascot
July Cup Mid July6 furlongs Newmarket
Nunthorpe Stakes Late August5 furlongs York
Haydock Sprint Cup Early September6 furlongs Haydock
British Champions Sprint Stakes Mid October6 furlongs Ascot

Mile

RaceDateDistanceCourse
2,000 Guineas Early May1 mile Newmarket
Lockinge Stakes Mid May1 mile Newbury
Queen Anne Stakes Mid June1 mile Ascot
St. James's Palace Stakes Mid June1 mile Ascot
Sussex Stakes Late July1 mile Goodwood
Sun Chariot Stakes Early October1 mile Newmarket
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Mid October1 mile Ascot

Middle Distance

RaceDateDistanceCourse
Coronation Cup Early June1 mile 4 furlongs Epsom
Epsom Derby Early June1 mile 4 furlongs Epsom
Prince of Wales's Stakes Mid June1 mile 2 furlongs Ascot
Eclipse Stakes Early July1 mile 2 furlongs Sandown
King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes Late July1 mile 4 furlongs Ascot
Juddmonte International Stakes Mid August1 mile 2 furlongs York
Champion Stakes Mid October1 mile 2 furlongs Ascot

Long Distance

RaceDateDistanceCourse
Yorkshire Cup Mid May1 mile 6 furlongs York
Ascot Gold Cup Mid June2 miles 4 furlongs Ascot
Goodwood Cup Early August2 miles Goodwood
Lonsdale Cup Late August2 miles 1/2 furlong York
Doncaster Cup Mid September2 miles 2 furlongs Doncaster
St. Leger Stakes Mid September1 mile 6 furlongs Doncaster
British Champions Long Distance Cup Mid October2 miles Ascot

Fillies & Mares

RaceDateDistanceCourse
1,000 Guineas Early May1 mile Newmarket
Epsom Oaks Early June1 mile 4 furlongs Epsom
Coronation Stakes Mid June1 mile Ascot
Falmouth Stakes Mid July1 mile Newmarket
Nassau Stakes Early August1 mile 2 furlongs Goodwood
Yorkshire Oaks Mid/Late August1 mile 4 furlongs York
British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes Mid October1 mile 4 furlongs Ascot

See also

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References

  1. "British Champions' Series launched to broaden appeal". BBC Sport. 23 September 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  2. "British Champions' Series organisers buoyed by new figures". Sport Business. 13 October 2011. Archived from the original on 24 April 2013. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  3. "British Champions Series secures record sponsorship deal". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 June 2015.