Sir Henry looking good for trainers’ title

Sir Henry Cecil with one of his big QIPCO British Champions Day hopes, Midday.  Image courtesy of racingfotos.com.

With six victories to his name, Sir Henry Cecil leads Mahmood Al Zarooni by one winner in the Trainer of the Series table, but with one more second place to his name as well and Frankel, Vita Nova, Twice Over and Midday running for him on QIPCO British Champions Day, he looks nailed on for the inaugural title.

As with the Jockey of the Series, the trainer will receive a special trophy and a cheque for £25,000 for the charity or charities of his choice.

Al Zarooni is set to be represented in two races – with Opinion Poll in the QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup and Dubai Prince and Casamento in the QIPCO Champion Stakes – and would need to win them both without reply from Cecil to top the table.

Cecil is a huge supporter of QIPCO British Champions Day as the spectacular new climax to the season. 

He said: “QIPCO British Champions Day is one of the best things that has come into racing – we need a real champions day.

"We in Europe have probably got the best racehorses in the world so we should have a really good top champions meeting for our horses.

“With top-class horses, they need to be brought to a peak five or six times a year and up until now there was nothing to go for at the end of the end of the season except the Breeders’ Cup, but it’s very hard to go there.

“For example, Twice Over would have to go for a dirt race at the Breeders’ Cup and has never run on dirt before.

“It’s a great achievement to have the day. It was badly needed."

Cecil could yet land his first UK Trainers’ Championship in 18 years if his big guns taste victory on Saturday. 

He currently lies fourth in the table, just over £1.4m behind Richard Hannon, but if Frankel, Vita Nova and one out of Twice Over and Midday were to emerge triumphant, he would net a little more than the current deficit. Perhaps a tall order, but not impossible!

To view the current QIPCO British Champions Series Trainers’ table, CLICK HERE.