| Location | Ascot Racecourse Ascot, England |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1946 |
| Race type | Flat / Thoroughbred |
| Sponsor | Qipco |
| Website | Ascot |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 6f (1,207 metres) |
| Track | Turf, straight |
| Qualification | Three-years-old and up |
| Weight | 8 st 12 lb (3yo); 9 st 0 lb (4yo+) Allowances 3 lb for fillies and mares |
| Purse | £250,000 (2011) 1st: £141,925 |
The British Champions Sprint Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres) each year in October
The event was originally named after Diadem, a successful filly foaled in 1914. She won several of Ascot's leading races, including the Coventry Stakes, the King's Stand Stakes (twice) and the All-Aged Stakes.
The Diadem Stakes was established in 1946, and the inaugural running was won by The Bug. When the present system of race grading was introduced in 1971, the event was classed at Group 3 level. It was promoted to Group 2 status in 1996.
The Diadem Stakes was replaced by the British Champions Sprint Stakes in 2011 as part of the inaugural British Champions' Day at Ascot. The race was given an increased prize fund and similar conditions to a Group One race.[1]
Contents |
Most successful horse (2 wins):
Leading jockey (7 wins):
Leading trainer (4 wins):
| Year |
Winner |
Age |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Time |
| 1979 | Absalom | 4 | Lester Piggott | Ryan Jarvis | |
| 1980 | Sovereign Rose | 3 | Willie Carson | Dick Hern | |
| 1981 | Moorestyle | 4 | Lester Piggott | Robert Armstrong | |
| 1982 | Indian King | 4 | Greville Starkey | Guy Harwood | |
| 1983 | Salieri | 3 | Lester Piggott | Henry Cecil | |
| 1984 | Never So Bold | 4 | Steve Cauthen | Robert Armstrong | |
| 1985 | Al Sylah | 3 | Tony Murray | Harry Thomson Jones | |
| 1986 | Hallgate | 3 | Greville Starkey | Sally Hall | 1:15.32 |
| 1987 | Dowsing | 3 | Pat Eddery | Jeremy Tree | 1:14.67 |
| 1988 | Cadeaux Genereux | 3 | Pat Eddery | Olivier Douieb | 1:15.91 |
| 1989 | Chummy's Favourite | 4 | Frankie Dettori | Neville Callaghan | 1:14.25 |
| 1990 | Ron's Victory | 3 | Freddy Head | Alain Falourd | 1:12.66 |
| 1991 | Shalford | 3 | Tony Cruz | Richard Hannon | 1:18.95 |
| 1992 | Wolfhound | 3 | Steve Cauthen | John Gosden | 1:17.20 |
| 1993 | Catrail | 3 | Michael Roberts | John Gosden | 1:15.63 |
| 1994 | Lake Coniston | 3 | Pat Eddery | Geoff Lewis | 1:14.35 |
| 1995 | Cool Jazz | 4 | Corey Nakatani | Clive Brittain | 1:18.56 |
| 1996 | Diffident | 4 | Frankie Dettori | Saeed bin Suroor | 1:15.36 |
| 1997 | Elnadim | 3 | Richard Hills | John Dunlop | 1:12.56 |
| 1998 | Bianconi | 3 | Johnny Murtagh | Aidan O'Brien | 1:13.98 |
| 1999 | Bold Edge | 4 | Dane O'Neill | Richard Hannon | 1:20.12 |
| 2000 | Sampower Star | 4 | Frankie Dettori | Saeed bin Suroor | 1:17.29 |
| 2001 | Nice One Clare | 5 | Johnny Murtagh | Pip Payne | 1:17.60 |
| 2002 | Crystal Castle | 4 | Kieren Fallon | John Hammond | 1:13.40 |
| 2003 | Acclamation | 4 | Frankie Dettori | Gerald Cottrell | 1:12.60 |
| 2004 | Pivotal Point | 4 | Seb Sanders | Peter Makin | 1:13.55 |
| 2005 | Baron's Pit [1] | 5 | Johnny Murtagh | Amanda Perrett | 1:10.74 |
| 2006 | Red Clubs | 3 | Michael Hills | Barry Hills | 1:13.71 |
| 2007 | Haatef | 3 | Richard Hills | Kevin Prendergast | 1:13.96 |
| 2008 | King's Apostle | 4 | Liam Jones | William Haggas | 1:14.20 |
| 2009 | Sayif | 3 | Richard Hills | Peter Chapple-Hyam | 1:12.57 |
| 2010 | Lady of the Desert | 3 | Richard Hughes | Brian Meehan | 1:14.13 |
| 2011 | Deacon Blues | 4 | Johnny Murtagh | James Fanshawe | 1:12.55 |
1 The 2005 edition was held at Newmarket.
* The 1956, 1960 and 1963 runnings took place at Kempton Park.
* The 1975 race was a dead-heat and has joint winners.