Ascot, Berkshire, Eng. – Racing’s star couple stole the show on QIPCO British Champions Day as Hollie Doyle and Tom Marquand both rode doubles on a thrilling day of top-class action.
Addeybb took the most prestigious and valuable race on the card when landing the Group 1 QIPCO Champion Stakes under Marquand for William Haggas. He streaked clear of the field in the closing stakes and in doing so avenged his second place to Magical last year who was third this time around with Skalleti splitting the pair.
Earlier in the day it was Marquand’s partner Doyle who had grabbed the headlines with a ground-breaking double, including her first Group 1 success.
She became the first female jockey to ride a winner on QIPCO British Champions Day when she started the day off in style on Trueshan in the QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup. In the colors of the Barbury Lions for trainer Alan King, the four-year-old scored at Group 2 level at the first time of trying, routing the field to win by a wide margin from Search For A Song and Fujaira Prince.
Doyle followed that up with a gutsy, tenacious ride on Glen Shiel to land her first ever Group 1 race in the QIPCO British Champions Sprint, getting the better of the fast-finishing Brando by the barest of margins. It was also a first top-level victory for trainer Archie Watson and a huge success for owners Hambleton Racing.
Doyle had to settle for second in the QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes as Wonderful Tonight and William Buick proved too strong for Dame Malliot. It was a first winner of any kind at Ascot for trainer David Menuisier and also a first domestic Group 1 success for the Sussex-based Frenchman.
The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Sponsored by QIPCO) also went the way of the French as The Revenant went one better than last year to win by a head from Roseman with red-hot favorite Palace Pier back in third. It was a first Champions Day success for jockey Pierre-Charles Boudot and trainer Francis-Henri Graffard who campaigned the Dubawi gelding perfectly to secure the prize.
The concluding Balmoral Handicap (Sponsored by QIPCO) was won by the Jessica Harrington-trained Njord who darted clear off a strong pace under man-of-the-moment Marquand to see off the challenge of Solid Stone and Greenside.
News and photo: Ascot Racecourse
