Champions Day 2009
Saturday 17th October 2009.
This is the day that has it all. With six Group races - two Group 1s, two Group 2s and two Group 3s - plus the totesport Cesarewitch Handicap and a million pounds in prize money, it is the highest class raceday in the British flat racing calendar. What a way to celebrate autumn at the Home of Racing!
An array of top-class performers - both equine and human - will gather on The NatWest Rowley Mile, Newmarket, on Saturday 17th October for one of the biggest days in racing’s calendar.
The stars of the sport will assemble at The Home of Racing for a card that features the best of the best. Two Group 1s – the highest class of competition – three Group 2s, a Group 3 and one of the Turf season’s biggest handicaps, the totesport Cesarewitch will be run on The Course of Champions..
Champions’ Day really is a must-attend event. Why? The atmosphere crackles, the scene is colourful and the action is sizzling. In short, Champions’ Day provides an unforgettable experience every year.
It is one of very few days in the year where there is a sense of history in the making as the champion two-year-old is more often than not defined in the £270,000 Darley Dewhurst Stakes. For example, 2007 winner of a vintage renewal was New Approach, who stormed to success in the 2008 Derby and then returned on Champions Day 2008 to take the Emirates Airline Champions Stakes.
The significance of the Darley Dewhurst Stakes cannot be overstated. The winner often winters as the favourite for the following year’s opening Classic, the Stan James 2000 Guineas, staged back at The NatWest Rowley. In the past, such greats as The Minstrel, El Gran Senor, Zafonic and Rock Of Gibraltar have all triumphed in the Dewhurst Stakes.
Taking pride of place is the £375,000 Emirates Airline Champion Stakes which, despite its proximity to the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in Paris and the Breeders' Cup in the USA, continues to attract, year-on-year, a fantastic international line-up of stars. The cosmopolitan nature of the race has been underlined by the fact that France has provided the last three winners in the shape of Pride, Literato and New Approach.
Look further back through the record books and it becomes clear that this is an event won by just about all of racing’s major personalities. Legendary trainer Henry Cecil saddled Indian Skimmer (1988) and Bosra Sham (1996) ahead of their respective success. The great jockeys such as Lester Piggott and Sir Gordon Richards have their names on the roll of honour. In short, the Emirates Champion Stakes matters.
There is a stunning supporting card, too. For example, the growing stature of the Rockfel Stakes is illustrated by the fact that its respective 2005 and 2006 winners Speciosa and Finsceal Beo came back to the Course of Champions the next year to race to glory in the Stan James-sponsored 1000 Guineas.
Champions’ Day on Saturday 17th Octrober simply can’t be missed. The two-day Champions’ meeting gets underway on Friday 16th October with the Group 3 Georgia House Stud Darley Stakes being the highlight, accompanied by two Listed races.
Come and celebrate racing’s heroes and champions at Newmarket’s autumn showpiece – Champions’ Day.