Inaugurated 1946 Sponsor QIPCO Distance 6f (1,207 metres) | Race type Flat / Thoroughbred Website Ascot | |
Location Ascot Racecourse
Ascot, England | ||
The British Champions Sprint Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in October. In 2015 it was run as a Group 1 race for the first time.
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History
The event was established in 1946, and it was originally called the Diadem Stakes. It was named after Diadem (foaled 1914), a winner of several of Ascot's leading races. For a period it was staged in October, and it later moved to September.
The current system of race grading was introduced in 1971, and the Diadem Stakes initially held Group 3 status. It was promoted to Group 2 level in 1996. It had a prize fund of £100,000 in 2010.
The race was given its present name and switched to October in 2011. It became part of the newly created British Champions Day, and its purse was increased to £250,000. It now serves as the sprint-category final of the British Champions Series. In August 2014 the European Pattern Committee announced that the race would be upgraded to Group 1 status from its 2015 running.
Winners since 1979
a The 2005 edition was held at Newmarket.
Earlier winners
* The 1956, 1960 and 1963 runnings took place at Kempton Park.
† The 1975 race was a dead-heat and has joint winners.