The British Champions Series is a series of 35 top British flat races, which culminates in a day-long festival of championship races, known as British Champions Day. It was inaugurated in the 2011 season to draw together some of Britain's key flat races into a meaningful championship, with the hope of generating coverage and stimulating interest among the more casual sports fan.[1] It was believed to have achieved its aims based on an increase of 7% attendance at the race days that were part of the 2011 series, as opposed to a 3.9% increase in attendances across the season's race programme as a whole.[2]
The championships have been sponsored by the Qatari investment group QIPCO since its inception in 2011. In June 2015 QIPCO renewed their sponsorship until at least 2024 in a deal worth more than £50m, the biggest sponsorship deal ever for British horse racing.[3]
The series is split into five divisions - Sprint, Mile, Middle Distance, Long Distance and Fillies & Mares. This series includes all Group One races in Great Britain, except those limited to two year old horses.
| Race | Date | Distance | Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| King Charles III Stakes | Mid June | 5 furlongs | Ascot |
| Commonwealth Cup | Mid June | 6 furlongs | Ascot |
| Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes | Mid June | 6 furlongs | Ascot |
| July Cup | Mid July | 6 furlongs | Newmarket |
| Nunthorpe Stakes | Late August | 5 furlongs | York |
| Haydock Sprint Cup | Early September | 6 furlongs | Haydock |
| British Champions Sprint Stakes | Mid October | 6 furlongs | Ascot |
| Race | Date | Distance | Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2,000 Guineas | Early May | 1 mile | Newmarket |
| Lockinge Stakes | Mid May | 1 mile | Newbury |
| Queen Anne Stakes | Mid June | 1 mile | Ascot |
| St. James's Palace Stakes | Mid June | 1 mile | Ascot |
| Sussex Stakes | Late July | 1 mile | Goodwood |
| Sun Chariot Stakes | Early October | 1 mile | Newmarket |
| Queen Elizabeth II Stakes | Mid October | 1 mile | Ascot |
| Race | Date | Distance | Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coronation Cup | Early June | 1 mile 4 furlongs | Epsom |
| Epsom Derby | Early June | 1 mile 4 furlongs | Epsom |
| Prince of Wales's Stakes | Mid June | 1 mile 2 furlongs | Ascot |
| Eclipse Stakes | Early July | 1 mile 2 furlongs | Sandown |
| King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes | Late July | 1 mile 4 furlongs | Ascot |
| Juddmonte International Stakes | Mid August | 1 mile 2 furlongs | York |
| Champion Stakes | Mid October | 1 mile 2 furlongs | Ascot |
| Race | Date | Distance | Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yorkshire Cup | Mid May | 1 mile 6 furlongs | York |
| Ascot Gold Cup | Mid June | 2 miles 4 furlongs | Ascot |
| Goodwood Cup | Early August | 2 miles | Goodwood |
| Lonsdale Cup | Late August | 2 miles 1/2 furlong | York |
| Doncaster Cup | Mid September | 2 miles 2 furlongs | Doncaster |
| St. Leger Stakes | Mid September | 1 mile 6 furlongs | Doncaster |
| British Champions Long Distance Cup | Mid October | 2 miles | Ascot |
| Race | Date | Distance | Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 Guineas | Early May | 1 mile | Newmarket |
| Epsom Oaks | Early June | 1 mile 4 furlongs | Epsom |
| Coronation Stakes | Mid June | 1 mile | Ascot |
| Falmouth Stakes | Mid July | 1 mile | Newmarket |
| Nassau Stakes | Early August | 1 mile 2 furlongs | Goodwood |
| Yorkshire Oaks | Mid/Late August | 1 mile 4 furlongs | York |
| British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes | Mid October | 1 mile 4 furlongs | Ascot |