British Champions Sprint Stakes
| Location | Ascot Racecourse Ascot, England |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1946 |
| Race type | Flat / Thoroughbred |
| Sponsor | Qipco |
| Website | Ascot |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 6f (1,207 metres) |
| Track | Turf, straight |
| Qualification | Three-years-old and up |
| Weight | 8 st 12 lb (3yo); 9 st 0 lb (4yo+) Allowances 3 lb for fillies and mares |
| Purse | £250,000 (2011) 1st: £141,925 |
The British Champions Sprint Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres) each year in October
The event was originally named after Diadem, a successful filly foaled in 1914. She won several of Ascot's leading races, including the Coventry Stakes, the King's Stand Stakes (twice) and the All-Aged Stakes.
The Diadem Stakes was established in 1946, and the inaugural running was won by The Bug. When the present system of race grading was introduced in 1971, the event was classed at Group 3 level. It was promoted to Group 2 status in 1996.
The Diadem Stakes was replaced by the British Champions Sprint Stakes in 2011 as part of the inaugural British Champions' Day at Ascot. The race was given an increased prize fund and similar conditions to a Group One race.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Records
Most successful horse (2 wins):
- Set Fair – 1952, 1954
- Jack and Jill – 1958, 1959
Leading jockey (7 wins):
- Lester Piggott – Abergwaun (1971), Home Guard (1972), Saritamer (1974), Swingtime (1975, dead-heat), Absalom (1979), Moorestyle (1981), Salieri (1983)
Leading trainer (4 wins):
- Walter Nightingall – Set Fair (1952, 1954), Jack and Jill (1958, 1959)
- Vincent O'Brien – Abergwaun (1971), Home Guard (1972), Saritamer (1974), Swingtime (1975, dead-heat)
[edit] Winners since 1979
1 The 2005 edition was held at Newmarket.
[edit] Earlier winners
- 1946 - The Bug
- 1947 - Djelal
- 1948 - Combined Operations
- 1949 - Solonaway
- 1950 - Abadan
- 1951 - Ki Ming
- 1952 - Set Fair
- 1953 - Rose Coral
- 1954 - Set Fair
- 1955 - Pappa Fourway
- 1956 - King Bruce *
- 1957 - Arcandy
- 1958 - Jack and Jill
- 1959 - Jack and Jill
- 1960 - Zanzibar *
- 1961 - Satan
- 1962 - La Belle
- 1963 - Sammy Davis *
- 1964 - Ampney Princess
- 1965 - Majority Blue
- 1966 - Lucasland
- 1967 - Great Bear
- 1968 - Secret Ray
- 1969 - Song
- 1970 - Realm
- 1971 - Abergwaun
- 1972 - Home Guard
- 1973 - Boldboy
- 1974 - Saritamer
- 1975 - Roman Warrior / Swingtime *
- 1976 - Honeyblest
- 1977 - Gentilhombre
- 1978 - Creetown
* The 1956, 1960 and 1963 runnings took place at Kempton Park.
* The 1975 race was a dead-heat and has joint winners.
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.britishchampionsseries.com/races/october/15/the-qipco-british-champions-sprint-stakes.html
- galopp-sieger.de – Diadem Stakes.
- horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Diadem Stakes (2009).
- pedigreequery.com – Diadem Stakes – Ascot.
- The Breedon Book of Horse Racing Records. Breedon Books. 1993. p. 190. ISBN 1-873626-15-0.
