|Olympians parade as part of the Opening Ceremony
Newly created fanzone for all things equine
Jilly Cooper and Clare Balding sign copies of their latest books
QIPCO British Champions Day, Britain’s richest raceday on Saturday 15th October will get off to a glittering start with an Opening Ceremony, featuring some of Britain’s triumphant Olympians and Paralympians ahead of the first race at 1.25pm.
Sporting soprano Laura Wright will sing live as medal-winning athletes from the hockey, rugby sevens and cycling teams, as well as Olympic Champion Nick Skelton, double Olympic Taekwondo Champion Jade Jones, multiple gold medal winning Paralympic Equestrian rider Natasha Baker and George Nash from the triumphant men’s coxless four boat parade before the crowds. Led by Champions Day hero, Cirrus Des Aigles, who won the day’s feature race, the QIPCO Champion Stakes in 2011, the colours of every QIPCO British Champions Series race winner during the season will also be paraded around the paddock as part of the build-up to an unrivalled British card that features four Group 1s, a Group 2 and the richest mile handicap in Europe.
Away from the track there is also plenty to keep racegoers entertained with children under 18 going free and a newly created fanzone in association with the Pony Club. Here, all young racegoers will get the chance to attend ‘Jockey School’, meet ex-racehorses and ride a pony.
The fan zone will also aim to educate young racegoers on horseracing with painted horse demonstrations and provide information on the opportunities that exist within the sport with stands from Careers In Racing, the Pony Racing Authority, the British Racing School and the day’s official charity, the British Thoroughbred Retraining Centre. Pony Club members will also be able to earn their ‘Horseracing Certificate’ during the day.
For bookworms there will be the chance to stock up on some equine-related literature with Clare Balding signing copies of her children’s book, “The racehorse that wouldn’t gallop” whilst for a slightly older audience, Jilly Cooper will be signing copies of her latest thriller, “Mount.”
One lucky racegoer will also drive away with a new car in a prize draw to take place immediately after the QIPCO Champion Stakes. And, once the action on track has come to a close, racegoers will get to strut their stuff at the official after-party with BBC Radio 2’s Sara Cox and DJ and Producer Sigala hitting the decks.
For tickets to QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday 15th October go to www.britishchampionsseries.com
The action-packed QIPCO British Champions Day Itinerary is as follows:
10.30 Gates Open
10.30–15.30 Fan Zone in Association with the Pony Club, featuring Meet the Racehorse, Jockey School, Pony Rides, Face Painting, Demonstrations & Pony Racing Information
11.45–12.20 Clare Balding signs copies of her latest book, THE RACEHORSE WHO WOULDN’T GALLOP
12.10 Jockey Autograph Signing, featuring the top jockeys from the Stobart Jockeys’ Championship
12.25 Parade of Retrained Racehorses, featuring SUMMONUPTHEBLOOD – who represented Brazil in the Rio Olympics, jumping a clear round in the Cross Country section of the 3-Day Event team, with Carlos Parro
12.35 Opening Ceremony, led by CIRRUS DES AIGLES and featuring representation from all QIPCO British Champions Series race winners in 2016 and a live performance from soprano Laura Wright
12.45 Parade of medal-winning Olympians from Team GB in Rio 2016, with opportunities for autographs
13.15-16.00 Display of Olympic Medals from Rio 2016 and London 2012
13.25 The QIPCO Long Distance Cup (Group 2)
14.00 The QIPCO British Champions Sprint Stakes (Group 1)
14.10-14.30 Jilly Cooper signs copies of her latest book, MOUNT
14.35 The QIPCO British Champions Fillies’ & Mares’ Stakes (Group 1)
15.10 The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (sponsored by QIPCO) (Group 1)
15.45 The QIPCO Champion Stakes (Group 1)
15.50 Win a MINI – free to enter; draw takes place immediately after presentation for the QIPCO Champion Stakes. Winners MUST be present to claim the prize
16.25 The Balmoral Handicap (sponsored by QIPCO)
16.45 The QIPCO After-Party begins in the main Grandstand, featuring Sara Cox and Sigala
16.50 Clare Balding signs copies of her latest book, THE RACEHORSE WHO WOULDN’T GALLOP
About the QIPCO British Champions Series
The QIPCO British Champions Series is designed to throw the spotlight on Britain’s best Flat races and will climax on 15 October 2016 with the richest fixture in British racing history, QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot.
The Series features 35 Flat races staged at ten of the UK’s leading racecourses: Ascot, Doncaster, Epsom Downs, Goodwood, Haydock Park, Newbury, Newmarket’s July Course, Newmarket’s Rowley Mile, Sandown Park and York.
It encompasses the top races at British racing’s key festivals, including the QIPCO Guineas Festival at Newmarket, the Investec Derby Festival at Epsom, Royal Ascot, the Newmarket July Festival, The Qatar Goodwood Festival, the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival at York and the Ladbrokes St Leger Festival at Doncaster.
The QIPCO British Champions Series comprises five easy-to-follow champion categories - Sprint, Mile, Middle Distance, Long Distance and Fillies & Mares.
QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday 15th October is the richest Flat raceday in the British calendar with £4.2m in prize money on offer and boasts a card comprising four Group 1s, a Group 2 and the richest mile handicap in Europe.