Qipco

Lammtarra's 1995 renewal of the G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S. was named the latest recipient of the QIPCO Diamonds & Pearls Award. Each year, QIPCO, the official sponsor of the King George, honours a vintage renewal of the race. Trained by Saeed bin Suroor, the son of Nijinsky II raced in the colours of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum's nephew, Saeed bin Maktoum al Maktoum. His father, Sheikh Maktoum, bred Lammtarra at his Gainsborough Farm Stud. Undefeated Lammtarra achieved the rare feat of winning the Epsom...

Club 26, a free-to-join club for young people between the ages of 18-26, was launched by the QIPCO British Champions Series on Tuesday. Designed to encourage younger fans to attend Great Britain's Flat racing during the summer, members will receive special perks in the form of reduced general admission prices at 10 different racecourses, as well as behind-the-scenes tours and raceday previews. Club 26 will feature at all 26 QIPCO British Champions Series racedays this year, including the G1 Betfred Derby Festival at Epsom Downs, all five days at Royal...

After the decision to avoid the stress of a G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas examination for Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}), the latest renewal of the Newmarket Classic has become open season for up-and-comers in the miling division. Very few of the 14 left in the race can be safely discounted and with a filly unproven beyond six furlongs at the head of the market, it is fair to say that anything can happen in this one. There were shades of Ravinella (Mr. Prospector) in the way Ballydoyle's number one and 'TDN...

The late Pat Eddery has been inducted into the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame. Eddery, who died in 2015, was named champion jockey on 11 occasions from 1974-1996 and booted home more than 6,000 winners. A total of 4,632 were in Great Britain, a figure exceeded only by the legendary Sir Gordon Richards, who had 4,870. Eddery won 14 British Classics, including three Derbys with Grundy (GB) (Great Nephew {GB}), Golden Fleece (Nijinsky II) and Quest For Fame (GB) (Rainbow Quest). It was aboard Grundy that Eddery rode...

The late sprinter Dayjur (Danzig--Gold Beauty, by Mr. Prospector), European Horse of the Year in 1990, is the first horse to be inducted into the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame by public vote. The Shadwell runner won the majority of the votes over Black Caviar (Aus) (Bel Esprit {Aus}), Lochsong (GB) (Song {GB}) and Moorestyle (GB) (Manacle {GB}). Trained by Dick Hern and ridden by Willie Carson, the $1.65-million 1988 Keeneland July yearling rattled off consecutive victories in the G2 Temple S. at Sandown Park, G2 King's Stand...

Mill Reef (Never Bend), who won the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. 50 years ago, has been honoured with the QIPCO Diamonds & Pearls Award, QIPCO announced on Thursday. Second in the 2000 Guineas, the diminutive Paul Mellon homebred with the big heart would go on to win the Derby and break the course record at Epsom Downs. In the 1971 King George, the Ian Balding trainee drew off to win by six lengths. His regular jockey, Geoff Lewis, stated at the time, "Daylight was second." Retired...

The prize money for the 2021 QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot on Oct. 16 will be raised to £4 million, QIPCO announced on Tuesday. This is a 60% increase on 2020 levels that were reduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The G1 QIPCO Champion S. will be worth £1.2 million, while the G1 Queen Elizabeth S. boasts prize money of £1.1 million. The G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares, G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint and the G2 QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup will each offer prize money...

This weekend's QIPCO Guineas Festival at Newmarket will mark a handful of milestones, not least being the return to its rightful place on the calendar after the pandemic-ravaged season of 2020. Additionally, this year marks a decade not only since Frankel (GB) scorched up the Rowley Mile to one of the most exciting Guineas wins that likely any of us can remember, but also since the Qatar-based, Al Thani family-owned private investment company QIPCO took up the title sponsorship of the Guineas Festival as well as the QIPCO British Champions...

The QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame, the first official Hall of Fame for British Flat racing honouring the champions of the sport, will be unveiled on Monday, Apr. 26, QIPCO announced on Wednesday. Marking the 10th year QIPCO has sponsored the British Champions Series which started in 2011, the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame will immortalise the modern greats of British Flat racing-both human and equine-from 1970 onward. (Click here to view a highlights reel of modern greats). New members of the Hall of Fame will...

Total prize money for the 10th QIPCO British Champions Day on Oct. 17 was cut to £2.5 million, QIPCO announced on Thursday. The purse reduction is a result of the coronavirus pandemic, but the raceday remains the richest in Great Britain. The G1 QIPCO Champion S. will be run for £750,000, while the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. sponsored by QIPCO will be £650,000. Both the G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares and the G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint S. will be conducted at £350,000 and the G2 QIPCO...

British Triple Crown hero Nijinsky II (Northern Dancer) won the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S. 50 years ago this year, and was awarded the QIPCO Diamonds & Pearls award, Ascot Racecourse and QIPCO announced on Thursday. The award celebrates the winner of a vintage renewal of the King George. Owned by Charles W. Engelhard, Jr. and trained by Vincent O'Brien, the bay delivered as the only 3-year-old in the field, having already claimed victory in the 2000 Guineas, Epsom Derby and Irish Derby. After his King George triumph,...

Bookmakers Betfair and Betway are among the sponsors to join QIPCO in supporting Newmarket's four-day Guineas Festival on June 4 to 7. QIPCO remains the meeting's title sponsor and supports a variety of races over the weekend including the G1 2000 and G1 1000 Guineas. Betfair will support the additional races on the Saturday and Sunday cards, while Betway sponsors the Thursday and Friday cards. Friday's G1 Coronation Cup, moved from Epsom, will be sponsored for the first time by Sam Haggas's Hurworth Bloodstock. The 2000 and 1000 Guineas will...