Jockeys and trainers set for Qipco British Champions Series title race

The QIPCO British Champions Series will be crowning a “Jockey of the Series” and “Trainer of the Series” when it concludes at QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot on 15 October 2011.

Both awards will be based on the number of victories achieved during the 35 race series – 30 races prior to QIPCO British Champions Day, beginning with the QIPCO 2000 Guineas this Saturday (30 April), and five on the big day itself.  If there is a tie for the number of winners, second places will be taken into account; if there is still a tie, third places will also be taken into account and fourth places, etc. if necessary.

These new jockey and trainer competitions will provide exciting season-long championships that fans can follow race-to-race. Leader boards for both championships will be updated after each race and published on the official Series website – www.britishchampionsseries.com

The winning jockey and trainer will be presented with their specially-commissioned trophies on the inaugural QIPCO British Champions Day, the richest fixture in British racing history.  Both winners will be asked to nominate a charity, with each charity receiving a cheque from the British Champions Series for £25,000.

Chris McFadden, Chairman of British Champions Series Limited, said: “These awards will go to the jockey and trainer who have had the most success at the elite level of British flat racing, across the world class races that make up the QIPCO British Champions Series. I am certain that they will become highly coveted accolades. 

“They are very different to the existing jockeys’ and trainers’ championships which span the entire Flat racing season, encompassing every single race, and it will be fascinating to see if the same jockey and trainer that dominate the flat season as a whole can also do so at the elite QIPCO British Champions Series level.”

The QIPCO British Champions Series website will also feature horse ranking tables in each of the five categories – Sprint, Mile, Middle Distance, Long Distance and Fillies & Mares.  These will be according to the horses’ official international ratings, based on their best racecourse performances and compiled by the world’s racing authorities.  While these ratings will not be specific to the QIPCO British Champions Series, they will indicate the best horses that are competing in the Series races.

McFadden added: “We have long thought that the official industry-endorsed ratings could perhaps be better presented and their relevance explained. By producing tables by category and throwing more light on them in the context of the QIPCO British Champions Series, we hope that this important part of the racing and breeding industry’s horse grading system might gain a higher profile away from the expert audience.”