Back
25 Jan 2022

Three QIPCO British Champions Series races in World’s Top 10

Sealiway

Three QIPCO British Champions Series races were today named in the World’s top 10 contests of 2021 in the Longines World’s Best Horserace rankings. 

The 10th anniversary running of QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot last year was the only raceday to have two races in the World’s top 10, with the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (sponsored by QIPCO) and the QIPCO Champion Stakes in tied sixth position. The former was rated the best mile race in the world and saw an enthralling duel between Baaeed and Palace Pier, while French raider Sealiway emerged victorious in the latter, which was also the richest race in the UK last year. 

The King George VII & Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes at Ascot, which is part of the Middle Distance category of the QIPCO British Champions Series, saw powerhouse Adayar pull away from the likes of Mishriff and Love, was third in the rankings and the highest-rated race in the UK this year. 

The Gold Cup at Ascot, part of the Long Distance category of the QIPCO British Champions Series and won last year by Subjectivist, was the top-rated race in the World in the extended distance category. 

The top 10 of the Longines World’s Best Racehorse rankings were dominated by horses that competed in last year’s QIPCO British Champions Series, with five Series competitors in the top 10. 

Three QIPCO British Champions Series horses shared the runner-up spot with a rating of 127 in Adayar, the first horse to complete the Cazoo Derby and King George VI & Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes double in 20 years, runaway Juddmonte International victor Mishriff and comfortable Coral-Eclipse winner St Mark’s Basilica. 

The unbeaten Baaeed and Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes at Newbury winner Palace Pier shared sixth spot alongside Torquator Tasso (Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe) and Golden Sixty (Longines Hong Kong Mile) with a rating of 125. 

This year’s QIPCO British Champions Series begins with the first British Classic of the year, the QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday 30th April.