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]

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

Race Date Distance Course
King Charles III Stakes Mid June 5 furlongs Ascot
Commonwealth Cup Mid June 6 furlongs Ascot
Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes Mid June 6 furlongs Ascot
July Cup Mid July 6 furlongs Newmarket
Nunthorpe Stakes Late August 5 furlongs York
Haydock Sprint Cup Early September 6 furlongs Haydock
British Champions Sprint Stakes Mid October 6 furlongs Ascot

Mile

Race Date Distance Course
2,000 Guineas Early May 1 mile Newmarket
Lockinge Stakes Mid May 1 mile Newbury
Queen Anne Stakes Mid June 1 mile Ascot
St. James's Palace Stakes Mid June 1 mile Ascot
Sussex Stakes Late July 1 mile Goodwood
Sun Chariot Stakes Early October 1 mile Newmarket
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Mid October 1 mile Ascot

Middle Distance

Race Date Distance Course
Coronation Cup Early June 1 mile 4 furlongs Epsom
Epsom Derby Early June 1 mile 4 furlongs Epsom
Prince of Wales's Stakes Mid June 1 mile 2 furlongs Ascot
Eclipse Stakes Early July 1 mile 2 furlongs Sandown
King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes Late July 1 mile 4 furlongs Ascot
Juddmonte International Stakes Mid August 1 mile 2 furlongs York
Champion Stakes Mid October 1 mile 2 furlongs Ascot

Long Distance

Race Date Distance Course
Yorkshire Cup Mid May 1 mile 6 furlongs York
Ascot Gold Cup Mid June 2 miles 4 furlongs Ascot
Goodwood Cup Early August 2 miles Goodwood
Lonsdale Cup Late August 2 miles 1/2 furlong York
Doncaster Cup Mid September 2 miles 2 furlongs Doncaster
St. Leger Stakes Mid September 1 mile 6 furlongs Doncaster
British Champions Long Distance Cup Mid October 2 miles Ascot

Fillies & Mares

Race Date Distance Course
1,000 Guineas Early May 1 mile Newmarket
Epsom Oaks Early June 1 mile 4 furlongs Epsom
Coronation Stakes Mid June 1 mile Ascot
Falmouth Stakes Mid July 1 mile Newmarket
Nassau Stakes Early August 1 mile 2 furlongs Goodwood
Yorkshire Oaks Mid/Late August 1 mile 4 furlongs York
British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes Mid October 1 mile 4 furlongs Ascot

See also

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.
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