Champions Day lives up to the hype

Billed as an historic day since the beginning of the flat season Qipco British Champions Day, the richest racing day ever to be staged in the UK, certainly lived up to the hype. Frankel, the main attraction in a plethora of horses from the top rung of racing’s quality ladder. The stunning weather at Ascot was more like what you would expect at the Royal meeting, Matt Chapman of At The Races put it into context “when god woke up this morning he thought ‘Qipco British Champions Day!’”.

PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

There was an atmosphere of expectation for every race, and the crowd of c. 27,000 expectations were warranted. Fame and Glory the Ascot Gold Cup winner galloping back to form to hold any challenges, a sprint field of contenders who had contested Europe’s best sprint races all season and was won easily by favourite Deacon Blues, Dancing Rain a dual Oaks winner posted a heroic performance to make all in the Filly and Mares race, the almighty Frankel cosily sealed his title of champion miler, and the Champions stakes, said by some to be the best contest for many a year consisting of 25 Group 1 titles between the dozen strong line up including eight time top level victor and eventual runner up So You Think, Twice Over who had won the race as many times as his name suggests just two in a stellar field. The winner Cirrus Des Aigles however was gaining his first Group1 win as he mowed down the Aussie import to earn a celebration from the flamboyant Christophe Soumillon.

The issue in the preceeding days had been put to the back of people’s minds, then the whip rules cracked their way back into focus, Soumillon was adjudged to have hit Cirrus Des Aigles six times in the last furlong, one more than permitted but one less than allowed in the whole race. The Belgian was given a five day ban and a fine of over £50k in his share of the prize money. French based Soumillon was clearly incensed by the decision: "I'm very, very, very embarrassed for British racing. The people and the fans have been let down.

"This is 2011, we are civilised people, it's not the 1800s, we can't be treated like this. The rules can change, but not like this, you can't chop our heads and legs off.

Christophe Soumillion

PICTURE: Masakazu Takahashi

"I am not here to whip horses, I'm here to make the horse run his best. These whips are soft and maybe I should have hit him earlier. You're going flat out, there is a huge crowd here and advertising everywhere, how are you meant to see a tiny furlong marker.

"For the sake of 20 yards, I've been punished and lost £50,000, my valet will be paid, so will my agent, but I will not. This will have a big impact on my title challenge in France also.

"In what other sport do you see such big punishments for a little offence? It doesn't happen to Michael Schumacher or Zinedine Zidane, and they earn ten times what we do.

"I heard about this a week ago - how can I adapt my riding style in a week? The last time I rode in this country was a month ago. It's different in this country to everywhere else, I ride in many countries - we need international guidelines like they have in every other sport.

The lack of clarity and the difficulty in understanding the logic of the rules is reiterated by Soumillon. "I've hit my horse six times, that's less than seven, yet I get banned and all my money taken”. He said that he would take legal action against the new rules. "You can't take money earned off people like this. I will get a good lawyer and we will see."

There was compensation awaiting Soumillon at Woodbine on Sunday when he rode the French filly Sarah Lynx to victory in the Pattison Canadian International Stakes. John Hammond’s charge stormed to victory leaving last year’s winner Joshua Tree and Aidan O Brien’s Treasure Beach four lengths in her wake. Ironically had the race taken place in the UK the stewards may perhaps have had a look at his use of the whip (non-excessive as it was).

Everyone involved in racing is looking forward to the issue of the whip rules being resolved as soon as possible. There is a meeting today between jockeys and BHA officials and we all look to a successful compromise being made.

Qipco British Champions Day was a success and plans are already in place to boost the status of some of the races to Group1 status for 2012.