British Champions Day once again delivered one of the most thrilling fixtures of the year as the stars of 2024 gathered in Berkshire for one last hurrah on home soil. The home team were, of course, strongly represented across the six-race card, but they would need to be in peak form to repel a squadron of talented Irish raiders and a crack team of French performers.
As expected, Ireland struck gold in the opening Group 2 Long Distance Cup (a race surely due for a Group 1 upgrade) as the mighty Kyprios made it a perfect seven from seven in 2024. However, that was as good as it got for the overseas contingent. Eighteen Irish or French runners lined up across the four Group 1s on the card – all were put in their place by the following quartet of stars, who ensured that the four biggest prizes remained on home soil.
Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes – Kind Of Blue
| Position | Horse | Trainer |
|---|---|---|
| Winner | Kind Of Blue | James Fanshawe |
| Second | Swingalong | Karl Burke |
| Third | Flora Of Bermuda | Andrew Balding |
Only making his debut in April 2024, this James Fanshawe star quickly proved to be a notch above Novice level when rattling off eye-catching wins in his first two appearances. Stepped up to Group 1 company on only his third start, he was without a win in four starts since but had certainly been knocking on the door – going down by just a head in the Group 3 Phoenix Sprint Stakes and beaten by that same margin in the Group 1 Sprint Cup last time out. Today was to be his day.
Running in the colours of Wathnan Racing for the first time, the mount of James Doyle travelled ominously well before kicking on a furlong from home and holding on from the gallant Swingalong, who finished second in a Group 1 for the third time this season.
The broodmare Persario has certainly been good to the Fanshawe yard in this event; her sons Deacon Blues and The Tin Man landed the 2011 and 2016 editions, whilst her daughter Blues Sister is the dam of Kind Of Blue.
Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes – Kalpana
| Position | Horse | Trainer |
|---|---|---|
| Winner | Kalpana | Andrew Balding |
| Second | Wingspan | Aidan O’Brien |
| Third | Tiffany | Sir Mark Prescott |
Bluestocking has carried the famous Juddmonte silks with distinction this season – most notably in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe – and on the evidence of this Group 1 affair, the legendary operation may have another superstar filly on their hands.
Long held in high regard by connections, Kalpana arrived seeking a hattrick following wins in the Listed Glasgow Stakes and Group 3 September Stakes. Those efforts saw her sent off favourite on the day, but she had questions to answer stepping up to Group 1 company for the first time and facing much the softest ground of her career to date. She answered them with aplomb – cruising into contention on the home turn and quickening up past the Aidan O’Brien-trained Wingspan for a comfortably two-length success.
This represented a first win in the race for Andrew Balding and capped off a memorable season for his Kingsclere operation. A notable moment for rider William Buick, who rode his first Group 1 winner for the trainer who gave him his big break as a 16-year-old apprentice.
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes – Charyn
| Position | Horse | Trainer |
|---|---|---|
| Winner | Charyn | Roger Varian |
| Second | Facteur Cheval | Jérôme Reynier |
| Third | Tamfana | David Menuisier |
Since the launch of British Champions Day in 2011, French or Irish runners have claimed this prize on six occasions. Both nations were strongly represented once again, with the French sending Group 1 winners Facteur Cheval and Metropolitan into battle and the talented Henry Longfellow carrying the hopes of Ireland.
However, it was the Roger Varian-trained Charyn who headed the market, and deservedly so on 2024 form. Winless in 2023, this five-year-old showed the benefit of retaining faith and keeping a horse in training with Group 1 triumphs in the Queen Anne Stakes and the Prix Jacques Le Marois. If replicating those efforts, he was the one to beat but needed to bounce back from a soft ground defeat in the Prix du Moulin at Longchamp.
Any doubts appeared to be answered at the furlong pole as Charyn cantered into contention before moving two lengths clear on the bridle. However, one final challenge emerged in the shape of a charging Facteur Cheval, who briefly drew level, only for Charyn to display heart to match his class for a gutsy two-length success. One more run may await in Japan, after which the son of Dark Angel will retire to a well-deserved life at stud.
Qipco Champion Stakes – Anmaat
| Position | Horse | Trainer |
|---|---|---|
| Winner | Anmaat | Owen Burrows |
| Second | Calandagan | Francis-Henri Graffard |
| Third | Royal Rhyme | Karl Burke |
Three down and one to go, but the feature event of the day appeared the trickiest for the home team, with five of the 11-runner field hailing from Irish or French yards. Included in that number was the heavily backed favourite Calandagan, who had found only City Of Troy too good in the Juddmonte International.
In a messy race, it appeared that our Gallic cousins were about to strike in this event for the fourth time since 2011 when Calandagan muscled to the front inside the final furlong – particularly as Irish Champion Stakes winner and second favourite Economics found disappointingly little when asked. With the Karl Burke-trained Royal Rhyme fading into third close home, what could come out of the pack to challenge the market leader?
The unexpected answer to that question was the 40/1 chance Anmaat, who left his previous outing in France well behind to finish like an express train for Owen Burrows and Jim Crowley, rediscovering his Group 1 winning form from the Prix d’Ispahan in May 2023. You could have heard a pin drop in the betting ring, but this shock result made it a perfect four from four for the hosts in the races that mattered most.
