Qipco British Champs Unveil Plans
With entries for the five Group Races on Qipco British Champions Day set to close on 2nd August, plans for the brand new day at Ascot on Saturday 15th October have been announced.
The aim for the inaugural Qipco British Champions Day is a sell-out crowd of 30,000 – Ascot’s capacity for an autumn raceday without the provision of substantial temporary facilities.
Rod Street, chief executive of British Champions Series, said: ‘We see a sell-out crowd of 30,000, which is around double the number of people that enjoyed the Champion Stakes at Newmarket in 2010, as a very appropriate first year target for what will be by far the richest raceday ever staged in this country’.
‘Most of our hospitality facilities, including the entire Ascot pavilion which can accommodate over 1,000 people for lunch, have already been sold which is fantastic news and we expect ticket sales to start moving swiftly once our database marketing campaign starts later this month’.
‘Our message is that if you want to be part of this exciting new event and see some of the stars of the season chasing the £3m in prize money on QIPCO British Champions Day, then book your tickets in advance because there must be a strong chance that we’ll sell out before the day’.
Tickets are priced at £45 for Premier admission and £26 for Grandstand admission, with a 10% advance booking discount available and greater reductions for group bookings of 10 or more people – under 18’s will be admitted free.
Although only two of the Qipco British Champions Day races are officially Group 1 races, all five have Group 1 conditions in that there are no weight penalties to be carried in the two Group 2 races and one Group 3 contest – all have a Group 1 level of prize money.
Street added: ‘Our message to owners and trainers with Group 1 middle distance fillies and mares, stayers and sprinters is that these are Group 1 races in all but name’.
‘They have Group 1 prize money and conditions, which we hope will attract top class fields, enabling us to achieve Group 1 ratings and have them elevated to Group 1 status as soon as possible’.
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