The VRC Champions Stakes, QIPCO British Champions Day and Longines Irish Champions Weekend
Located at Flemington, the VRC Champions Stakes is a Group One Thoroughbred horse race run under Weight for Age conditions. Held every year, the race attracts an excellent field of quality horses.
Qipco British Champions Day
Taking place at Ascot, QIPCO British Champions Day is one of the most important events on the Flat calendar. It features the world's top horses and is the culmination of the QIPCO British Champions Series. A total of PS4.1 million prize money will be awarded across six races, making it the richest day of horse racing in the UK. It will also feature an unprecedented array of equine talent.
The racecard will feature four Group One races and a two-mile Group Two race. There are also two top-grade handicaps and a one-mile handicap.
The winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes will receive PS1 million in prize money. Meanwhile, the winner of the QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup will take home PS2 million.
The Champion Stakes will also be a major feature on the day, with a record-breaking crowd expected at Ascot. Frankie Dettori will ride Inspiral, a miling mare who is aiming for a poignant Group 1 victory.
William Buick, who has ridden more than 150 winners, will be presented with the trophy for champion jockey. He will also have a chance to claim the trainers' title. His stable has secured 157 winners so far this season, but he faces a challenge from his stablemate, William Haggas.
The four-year-old Shadwell gelding Baaeed is set to make his final start of the season. He is unbeaten in his 10 starts so far, and will face Adayar in the QIPCO Champion Stakes. It's his last chance before he heads to stud.
During the past few years, British Champions Day has raised the profile of Flat racing. It attracts the best horses and stables from the UK and France. It also hosts a variety of historic races from Ascot and Newmarket.
VRC Champions Stakes 2022 field
Previously known as the Mackinnon Stakes, the VRC Champions Stakes is a 2000m weight-for-age race held on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival. The race is run by the Victoria Racing Club and is a key lead-up to the Cox Plate. The race will be held on Saturday, 5 November 2022 at Flemington racecourse.
The VRC Champions Stakes is a popular race for older horses. Of the 18 Champions Stakes winners, 11 have been aged six or older. Most winners were sprinters in handicaps. The race has been run since 1861.
Currently, there are 15 early entries for the VRC Champions Stakes. Early favourites include the reigning Cox Plate champion, Godolphin's Anamoe. The Melbourne Cup winner, Mark Zahra, is expected to ride the horse.
The 2022 field has a good weight-for-age line-up, with a number of top WFA gallopers in the race. Other notable entries include Cascadian, Rubitano and My Oberon. These horses have run well in both the Craven Plate and the Hill Stakes.
Some other potential runners include I'm Thunderstruck, Private Eye and Tuvalu. These horses have all won big races at Randwick, but have not run at the Flemington course. Hopefully they will be able to make a big impression in the VRC Champions Stakes.
The final field for the 2022 VRC Champions Stakes will be released on Wednesday of race week. There are some early betting favourites, including Cox Plate runner-up I'm Thunderstruck.
The 2022 VRC Champions Stakes is a three-million dollar race. The prizemoney will be distributed to places 1-8, with the first eight getting a share of $3 million. There is also a $1 million bonus available for the winner.
Longines Irish Champions Weekend
Taking place on the 9th and 10th of September, the Longines Irish Champions Weekend is a two-day international racing festival that features an impressive range of races. Featuring a variety of races across both Leopardstown and Curragh, the event is recognised as one of the best international racing festivals. It will also include some of the biggest names in the business and an impressive range of food and beverages.
Throughout the weekend, visitors can look forward to a wide range of entertainment including live music and a fashion show. The Longines Irish Champions Weekend will also be the showcase for some of the best racing action of the year. It will also feature a number of Group One races.
The G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes will be the final Classic of the season. The race is a five-furlong contest and will feature a number of Irish and foreign horses. The winner will receive the largest prize purse of any five-furlong Classic in Ireland.
The G1 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes will feature a small field of horses. The race is a one-mile and two-furlong contest and will feature two French horses as well as a few Irish names. It is the second highest rated race in the Longines World Thoroughbred Rankings.
The G1 Coolmore America "Justify" Matron Stakes is a race that consistently ranks as one of the best in the world. This prestigious event is run over a mile and a half at Leopardstown and has been given a boost by Coolmore. Coolmore's Ashford Stud in Kentucky has been home to a number of Triple Crown winners including American Pharoah and Justify.
The Longines Irish Champions Weekend is a two-day event that features an impressive range of races and a number of other enthralling events. Taking place at Leopardstown and Curragh, the Longines Irish Champions Weekend is recognised as one of the most popular and successful racing festivals in the world.
Scratchings in the Champions Stakes
Having been run at Newmarket in 1877, the Champions Stakes has grown into a prestige race. Its prize purse is no less than PS1.3 million, making it the biggest prize in Australian racing. The race is the apex of the Melbourne Cup carnival, and attracts the cream of the classics. This year, the field will consist of 16 runners plus four Emergencies.
There have been many winners in the past, but none have been quite as impressive as the recent Champion Stakes winner, Zaaki. This is the first horse to win back-to-back Champions Stakes in 41 years. Its performance has been lauded as a model of consistency and the likes. Its impressive record of winning in all three of its runs speaks for itself.
Scratchings are a fact of life on a race day, but they don't have to be the bane of your luck. There are a few sites online that offer tips on how to avoid a snafu. One of the better sites is TAB. Their website is a wealth of information. They offer a comprehensive list of scratchings on race day, and have a number of useful tips on the most efficient route to the barrier. The site also offers a free Champions Stakes betting guide, which can be used to ensure that you're always getting the best odds.
In addition to a comprehensive list of the best bookmakers in the country, TAB also offers a number of other betting tips for the upcoming race. They include: avoiding chasing the leaders, selecting the right horse for you, and ensuring that you aren't taking too much risk on any one horse. They are also great sources of up-to-date odds and information, and you can get a free copy of their racing calendar when you sign up.
Trainer Aidan O'Brien
Counted among the world's greatest horse trainers, Aidan O'Brien has won numerous classics in Europe. But, in recent years, he's forged a reputation for dominating middle-distance colts. He has also won five races in England, and is a leading contender for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Aidan O'Brien started his career as a top-rated Irish trainer in 1996. His first winner came the day he was licensed. It was Desert King in the Irish 2,000 Guineas at Curragh. He then won seven races in the Oaks. He then shifted to flat-racing after retiring the top jumper Istabraq in 2000.
O'Brien has won 15 races so far this season. He also has an entry in the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes and the British Champions Sprint Stakes. His other runners include Stone Age, Broome and the Investec Oaks winner Together Forever.
Aidan O'Brien is Ireland's longest-serving champion trainer, having been champion for five years. He was the youngest trainer to hold the title when he won it in 1996. He has won seven times in the Oaks, and has also won the 1,000 Guineas, 2,000 Guineas and the Derby. He has also won a number of other top races in Europe.
O'Brien has also won five races in England, and has two entries in the British Champions Fillies & Mares and the British Champions Sprint Stakes. He also has another horse, Broome, in the Hardwicke Stakes. He has also trained nine horses in four different countries.
Aidan O'Brien is currently tied with Bobby Frankel for the most Group One wins in a calendar year. The pair have a combined 86 wins, but Aidan has won more than twice as many Group Ones as his rival.