British Champions day: See winners on Saturday undercard

The Group 1 British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes turned into a one-horse show from the two-furlong pole as market leader Kalpana ($4.70) quickened away in brilliant style to win the race for a second successive year Saturday at Ascot.

Following her seventh in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) earlier this month, Kalpana produced her best performance of the season and, in doing so, boosted Andrew Balding’s trainers’ title hopes.

Always ideally placed on the heels of the leader under Colin Keane, Kalpana kicked clear in the straight and never looked like being caught. Estrange stayed on well into second after waiting for a run, two and a half lengths behind the winner, while French raider Quisisana finished third.

Balding said: “That was really good. Kalpana has had a frustrating season but looked right back to her best there. Things haven’t quite gone how we wanted them to this year, but that was a pretty good performance.

“It was always a bit of a risk running her back quickly, but maybe we have underdone her all year? You never know, she seems to thrive on it. We had the full support of Barry Mahon and the Juddmonte team, which makes a big difference. When they’re right behind you, which they invariably are, it makes life a lot easier.

“I thought that Colin got her in the perfect position and watching it I didn’t have many anxious moments. It was a strong performance. We thought if she was anywhere near her best, she had an outstanding chance.

“Champions day is a really good way to end our season and it has become an important focal point for every trainer. To get a winner is special.”

Colin Keane said, “Kalpana is very deserving of her win. It was brilliant. She has been very consistent all year. Obviously, the last day in France was a little bit disappointing, but fair play to Andrew and the team for bouncing her back quick – if you had seen her beforehand, you would not have thought that she only ran a couple of weeks ago.

“We were going steady, and the brilliant thing about her is that she’s good from the stalls and will shut down wherever you put her. She relaxes, conserves energy, and when you ask her, she is good and genuine. She is a dream to ride.”

“This is massive,” Barry Mahon of Juddmonte said. “This is one of the biggest days of the year in British racing and to be here with a filly like that is amazing. The owners are here and it’s nice to be able to take part – and to have a winner is extra special.

“Kalpana is tough. It didn’t work out for her in the Arc. The owners are sportsmen and said roll the dice if Andrew is happy and he gave us the green light on Wednesday, and thank God he did.”

David O’Meara, trainer of Estrange, said, “We kind of feared coming down the that the draw (post 1) wouldn’t be helpful, and we would have preferred being down a box or two to have a smoother run. Danny had to force his way out, which wasn’t ideal, but I thought she finished the race well and was gaining on Kalpana near the line. I think they (Chris Richardson and Patricia Thompson of Cheveley Park Stud) are talking about whether she stays in training now. She has only competed in two Group 1s and has finished second in them both, so I’m sure she has got one in her.”

Estrange’s jockey Danny Tudhope said, “Obviously, the winner got the run of the race, whereas I had to sit and suffer, really, and kind of force my way out. I think I would have been closer if I had a smoother run of the race.”

Trawlerman takes Long Distance Cup

Trawlerman cemented his status as the leading stayer around with a gritty success over stablemate Sweet William in the Group 1 British Champions Long Distance Cup.

In a strongly run race, William Buick kicked for home on Trawlerman ($3.00) approaching the home turn and, although Sweet William made good headway in the straight, a length and a half separated the John & Thady Gosden-trained duo at the line.

Godolphin’s star stayer, winning this race for a second time after his defeat of Kyprios in 2023, is unbeaten domestically this year after wins in the Henry II Stakes (G3), Gold Cup (G1) and Lonsdale Cup (G2).

“I think Trawlerman was at his imperious best in the Gold Cup,” John Gosden said. “I think today he might not totally be… Sweet William ran a blinder. They are two lovely horses, 7 years old and 6 years old, great staying horses. They are part of the family.

“When they go to take a breather, that’s when Trawlerman says ‘no, we’re running two miles at a proper gallop, we’re not fiddling about’. He probably idled a bit, but the other horse was running on, so it was a great performance from both of them.

“Sweet William has won the Doncaster Cup two years running, and the crowd gave a hell of a roar, because they saw the pink colors coming, and thought we’re going to have a hell of a battle. There was a moment when I thought Sweet William might get it, and then didn’t. At the furlong pole I thought he might.

“They are two fabulous horses. We will put them away now, bring them out next year and get a run in before the Gold Cup. That would be the plan. Trawlerman is a relentless galloper and I couldn’t be more thrilled with him. It is late in the year for him – he has been on the go for a long time, but it was a great performance.”

“Trawlerman is a superstar,” Buick said. “I am delighted for him that he can cap his year off in such style. He goes out there, wears his heart on his sleeve and is a proper horse – he is a joy to ride.

“We always have a very open mind (with regard to tactics), the only thing we want is some pace and, if there’s not a good pace, he can make his own running. Al Qareem took us along for the first part of the race and we took it up from half a mile out. This is proper racing, championship racing.

“Trawlerman is the champion stayer and did what we expected of him. I think he is a better horse than he was last year. Frankie (Dettori) won this race on him a couple of years ago and it’s my turn right now. I am very fortunate to be the one riding him.”

Sweet William’s jockey Robert Havlin said: “Passing the two, I thought this was his day, but he just got a little bit tired inside the last furlong.”

Karl Burke said of the third Al Qareem, “He is a fantastic horse. I have just said to the owners that he’s within 10 lengths of the best two stayers in Europe. We were chancing our arm a bit; with five runners, we’ve picked up nearly £60,000 again today, he’s just an absolute star for the yard.

“I would say that will be it for him this year. He has had a hard campaign and we will give him a nice holiday now, then bring him back and hopefully do it all again next year. He loves it here and hopefully we can come back and defend the race (Cumberland Lodge Stakes) he has won three years on the bounce.”

124-1 Powerful Glory upsets Sprint

Powerful Glory produced one of the greatest shocks in horse racing history with a remarkable last-gasp success in the Group 1 British Champions Sprint. He was the longest shot in the field, 124-1 in the pari-mutuel pool and 200-1 in British markets.

The lightly raced winner was the beneficiary of another masterful ride on Ascot’s straight course from Jamie Spencer, who smuggled the three-year-old into contention in the near side group before getting up to collar 2/1 favourite Lazzat in the final strides.

Winner of the Mill Reef Stakes (G2) last year, Powerful Glory usurps 150-1 Sussex Stakes scorer Qirat as the longest-priced winner of a Group 1 race in the UK. The son of Cotai Glory required wind surgery earlier in the year and lined up after finishing last of five in a conditions race at Beverley.

This was a second British Champions Sprint victory for trainer Richard Fahey, who lifted the prize in 2018 with Sands Of Mali, and a second for Spencer, who gave Maarek a similarly brilliant ride in 2012.

Fahey said, “Powerful Glory was undefeated as a two-year-old, including in the Mill Reef on ground no doubt he hated. The plan was to get him ready for the Commonwealth Cup, but we had our prep and he completely emptied, so we did some investigations and he had a tiny wind issue. Of course, we had to do the operation and recuperation.

“This race closed ages ago, so even after that first disappointing run, I had made the entry. I would have loved to get a run into him and the only one I could find was a five-furlong race at Beverley. I had to run him, and fair play to Sheikh Rashid, I said, ‘sir, the horse will need this badly’. I always love to get a run into them after a wind operation, to get a bit of confidence into them that they are right now. You could say he was disappointing, but I was delighted, if that makes sense, as he was staying on again at the end of a sharp five at Beverley.

“Since Beverley, he has been training extremely well. I am not saying I thought he would come here and nearly win, but I knew he would do his best and, when I saw 200-1, I nearly had a bet. I don’t bet, but I nearly had a bet. We have seen the real Powerful Glory today, and he has only had four starts.

“I am delighted for everybody; it has been tricky for us this year, and to finish with a Group One is fantastic, especially for Sheikh Rashid, who has been a huge supporter for me. It is always great to reward owners that are faithful to you.”

“I am lost for words,” Spencer said. “Powerful Glory is a good horse and travelled nicely. I thought I was going to be placed and all of a sudden I thought I actually have a chance. He jinked a little bit left and I had to put my whip away and I thought ‘oh, I pray I’ve held on’. Just shocked really. James (Doyle) was second and he is one of my best friends – disbelief!

“I have known Richard a long time – great guy, great trainer, and it’s a good result for him too. I thought this morning when I saw the horse was 80/1, well, Khaadem was 80/1, so you never know. But not in your wildest dreams are you expecting to win after finishing last in a five-runner conditions race, but that’s what the good trainers do, they turn the screw.

“The horse felt really good going down; from the minute I got on him, he felt good and had his ears pricked. For the first couple of furlongs, I was getting him settled because they split into groups and I was trying to get cover. But from two out I thought, ‘I’m going to run a good race’, and then actually, ‘I’ve got a good chance of winning now’. It is a different set of emotions as the race progressed, I am just glad that it worked out. I haven’t got much road left in me. I doubt I’ll have another one (at that price)!”

Jerome Reynier said of Lazzat, “Nineteen runners, some horses a bit everywhere, and James was telling us that if there was only one group, maybe he would have won, but he was kind of on his own on the other side of the track and that wasn’t easy to manage his effort. He will have a bit of a break, then prep for the early season next year – if we want to go to Saudi in February, you need to be ready quickly! We shall see, there’s a few options on the international stage, you’ve got Saudi and the Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai. There’s not much going on in Europe for the first couple of months, so we will see with the connections what’s the best thing to do.”

Lazzat’s jockey James Doyle said, “When Jamie Spencer is on the straight course, he can create a bit of magic, and I think you’ve just seen it there. Full credit to Lazzat, he’s gone down on his sword, he didn’t do a lot wrong at all. I was happy throughout, he was very controllable and in a good rhythm today. I was never quite comfortable with what was going on – when you split into two groups like that, the far side were with me, then they go ahead of me, and it’s always difficult to gauge where you’re at. I do feel if we had come in one cluster up the middle, it would have suited my fellow a bit better, but it would have probably not suited the winner.”

Quinault’s rider Sean Levey said, “He has run the best race he has this year. It is always difficult to do it the way he does, in the way his running style is, but he’s got nice patter.”

Cicero's Gift (89-1) stuns in Queen Elizabeth II

Cicero’s Gift became the second shock winner at this year’s British Champions day, as the Charlie Hills trainee paid his World Pool backers $181.20 in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

Despite being the lowest rated of the 16 runners, Cicero’s Gift made good progress up the far rail to lead passing the furlong pole and saw his race out strongly under Jason Watson to win by a length and a quarter.

The Lion In Winter, also racing on the far side of the track, produced his best performance of the season in second, while Alakazi stayed on down the middle to edge out Docklands for third. Favored Field Of Gold held every chance but could not find the gears to challenge late on and finished fifth.

Hills, whose father Barry passed away in June, said, “Amazing, I am speechless to be honest with you. It has been a really tough year for us at home, but we are a tight family and we’ve stuck strong. The old man would be looking down and would be so chuffed, I’d say. He’d be terribly proud of his family – Michael, Richard, George, we’re a good unit and always try to do the best for each other. I think he’d be over the moon. It is fantastic for Jason, too.

“I have always believed in the horse, but I thought he’d want a bit more cut in the ground than this. The race has worked out perfectly. We thought, ‘oh, there’s been a 200-1 winner already, so that counts us out!’

“The owners are a yard syndicate we set up to try to buy a few horses. We had this race in mind all year. We hoped it would be softer than it was today, but this was his end goal. He is getting better – he was very unsound at one point and had to have a whole year off, but Ian Wright (veterinary surgeon) did a fantastic job with him, and it’s taken a lot of patience. He is very talented, but he hasn’t been the soundest.

“When he won his second race, he beat Docklands giving him nine pounds, and Docklands is a very good horse. We will really look forward to next year. It has been a tough year, but hopefully this will help us spring forward to next year. It is a great meeting, this, every race is top drawer, and just to be part of it makes me very proud.”

Watson said, “I am very lucky to be riding this horse today and a massive thank you to connections and to Charlie who has been a big supporter of mine this season. Nicola, who has been at Charlie’s for a long time and rides Cicero’s Gift every day, said he is in the best form of his whole life, so credit to her and the team at home.

“You don’t expect this to be happening to you! I thought the luck of the day had struck out when the 200-1 winner came in earlier. It means a lot. You need a lot of support. My mum and dad have been good supporters of mine over the years. I didn’t grow up in this industry. It was really difficult for me when I was younger to have the success that I did and then lose it pretty quick. I have been trying to build on it the last few years to get back to the position I know that I’m capable of and I hope today I’ve proved to some people that I’m as good as I used to be.

“I had a job (with Roger Charlton) at a young age, and people kept on saying that I was very young at the time and probably couldn’t handle the job. That always struck a chord with me because I felt that, in my first year with Charlton as a professional, we had a very good year. We had Group 1s together, and the way the season ended, it was to do with my age, I think, and my maturity at the time, being a bit naive to the sport. But I always felt I should be in the game at a very high level, and that’s what I try to prove.”

The Lion In Winter’s rider Christophe Soumillon said: “He jumped out the gates really well, I was travelling very easily all the race, and he quickened up very well.”

Johnny Murtagh said of Alakazi: “Very happy with his run. I am delighted. He had a good spot all the way, it looked like when he came out that he was going to get there – I’m so proud of him. He ran great and it’s another step up from his run in the Group Two. I believe he is a Group One horse and I think he showed that today.”

Alakazi’s jockey Ben Coen added: “Really happy with him. He jumped and travelled, quickened up – I thought I was going to be bang there. It was a big run and he’s an improving horse, so looking forward to next year.”