Muhaarar and Tropics set for Champions Day re-match

Could rising star of the sprint scene, Muhaarar, plunder another valuable Ascot prize in the QIPCO British Champions Sprint? Image copyright of Racingfotos.com  

Upgraded from Group 2 since last year and given a massive 71 per cent prize money injection to reach its current value of £600,000, the QIPCO British Champions Sprint has been rewarded with the attraction of a Singapore raider, Emperor Max, and the bright young thing of European sprinting, Muhaarar, among its 48 entries.

Emperor Max will be only the second Singapore-trained horse to run in Britain – the first, Bocelli, finished down the field in the 2001 renewal of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

Twice runner-up in Singapore’s top sprint, the KrisFlyer International Sprint, Emperor Max is owned and was bred by a pair of brothers, Gordon and Ernie Yau, who fell in love with British racing when studying at medical school in London.

“We love Emperor Max, he is like one of the family,” said Gordon Yau.

“We know it is a big ask for him to perform to his best after travelling around the world and racing on an undulating track for the first time,” Ernie Yau added. “But he never lets us down and it will be a great honour to have the horse that we bred competing at the prestigious QIPCO British Champions Day.”

The hopes of Ireland may centre around two previous winners of this race – Gordon Lord Byron (in 2014) and Maarek (2012), whilst sprint specialist Edward Lynam holds three entries with Anthem Alexander, Fort Del Oro and Gathering Power, and Dermot Weld enters Mustajeeb.

Trainer Charlie Hills holds the key to the home challenge with his stable star, Muhaarar, potentially joined by three other runners, Magical Memory, Strath Burn and Cotai Glory.

Muhaarar has already landed two QIPCO British Champions Series events this summer in the Commonwealth Cup and the Darley July Cup. And the other trio are classy performers too – Magical Memory ran away with the Stewards’ Cup last Saturday while Strath Burn and Cotai Glory are both Group 3 winners.

Hills said: “The boost in status and prizemoney has definitely made the QIPCO British Champions Sprint an even more attractive target and it is under serious consideration for Muhaarar. He is already a course and distance winner and soft ground would be fine for him.”

“Magical Memory has come out of the Stewards’ Cup really well but this would represent a big step up for him, so we will look for a Listed or Group 3 race beforehand. Strath Burn and Cotai Glory are three-year-olds going in the right direction and if things go right for them between now and October we may have a look at this race for them too.”

Head to the Ascot website to buy tickets to see the speedsters in action on Champions Day. 

The full entries for the QIPCO British Sprint are:

Absolutely So (IRE), Adaay (IRE), Aeolus (GB), Anthem Alexander (IRE), Astaire (IRE), Cappella Sansevero (GB), Charming Thought (GB), Code Red (GB), Cotai Glory (GB), Coulsty (IRE), Danzeno (GB), Due Diligence (USA), Eastern Impact (IRE), Emperor Max (AUS), Fort Del Oro (IRE), Gammarth (FR), Gathering Power (IRE), Gordon Lord Byron (IRE), Great Minds (IRE), Heaven’s Guest (IRE), Hot Streak (IRE), Huntsmans Close (GB), Interception (IRE), Intransigent (GB), Ivawood (IRE), Jack Dexter (GB), Lancelot du Lac (ITY), Lightning Moon (IRE), Limato (IRE), Maarek (GB), Magical Memory (IRE), Majestic Queen (IRE), Markaz (IRE), Mattmu (GB), Muhaarar (GB), Music Master (GB), Mustajeeb (GB), Naadirr (IRE), Pearl Secret (GB), Robert Le Diable (FR), Son Cesio (FR), Strath Burn (GB), The Tin Man (GB), Tiggy Wiggy (IRE), Tropics (USA), Twilight Son (GB), Waady (IRE), Wet Sail (USA).