Aidan O’Brien has given Diamond Necklace three options at Ascot on British Champions Day, which will be run under the Qatar Racing banner on October 17 rather than its parent company, Qipco.
Diamond Necklace has proved the best of her generation so far this season, being unbeaten in her six-race career to date. Having easily dispatched of the smart Friendly Soul on her most recent outing at Goodwood she looks like she will take some stopping wherever she goes.
The daughter of St Mark’s Basilica is in the Champion Stakes over 10 furlongs, the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes over a mile and the Fillies & Mares Stakes over a mile and a half.
Also in the Champion Stakes are Group One winners such as Almaqam, Bay City Roller, last year’s one-two Calandagan and Ombudsman, Arc winner Daryz and classy three-year-olds like Constitution River, Gstaad, Item and Precise.
The QEII has last year’s surprise winner Cicero’s Gift as well as Bow Echo and Blue Bolt, who if both ran would provide a fascinating clash of generations and sexes.
Kalpana heads the 48 in the Fillies & Mares with Minnie Hauk, Estrange and Joseph O’Brien’s Oaks-winning pair of Thundering On and Johanna Walsh engaged.
The Long Distance Cup has the two best stayers in Scandinavia and Trawlerman among 38, along with Caballo De Mar and Limestone, although Constitution Hill does not feature. A total of 42 are in the Champions Sprint, including July Cup winner Comanche Brave.
Regarding the change in sponsorship Sheikh Fahad Al Thani said: “Whilst the title sponsorship will transfer to Qatar Racing for the next three years, this reflects the continued commitment of my brothers to British racing and in particular that of Qipco chairman HH Sheikh Hamad Al Thani.
“Since the inaugural Qipco British Champions Day in 2011, our family’s ambition has been to support the very best of British racing and that commitment remains as strong as ever.”
Nick Smith, co-chair of British Champions Series Ltd and Director of Racing and Public Affairs at Ascot Racecourse, added: “We are hugely grateful to HH Sheikh Hamad Al Thani and HH Sheikh Fahad Al Thani for their longstanding support of the day, which staged the world’s joint top rated race last year. We look forward to building on the success of British Champions Day under its new brand name.”