The inaugural British Champions Day, sponsored by Qatar Investment & Projects Development Holding Company (Qipco), was staged at Ascot on October 15, 2011. On a fine autumn day, a sellout crowd of 32,000 gathered to witness Frankel win the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, which, with winning prize money boosted to £567,100, became the most valuable race run in Europe. Sent off at odds of 4/11, Frankel took the lead from his pacemaker, Bullet Train, two furlongs out and drew away, running on powerfully in the closing stages to win by 4 lengths and 3½ lengths from Excelebration and Immortal Verse.
In fact, the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes was one of just two Group 1 races on the card, the other being the Champion Stakes, which was transferred from Newmarket. In chronological order, the supporting races were the Group 3 British Champions Long Distance Cup, formerly the Jockey Club Cup, run at Newmarket, the Group 2 British Champions Sprint Stakes, formerly the Diadem Stakes, the Group 2 British Champions Fillies’ and Mares’ Stakes, formerly the Pride Stakes, also run at Newmarket, and the newly-established Qipco Future Stars Apprentice Handicap. The inaugural winners were Fame And Glory, Deacon Blues, Dancing Rain, Frankel, of course, Cirrus Des Aigles and Edinburgh Knight.
To the credit of the Ascot Racecourse Authority and the sponsors, Qipco, all three championship finals created by adjustments to the existing racing calendar have continued to attract top-class fields since their inception. Their quality has been recognised by the European Pattern Committee, such that the British Champions Long Distance Cup was upgraded to Group 2 status in 2014 and the British Champions Fillies’ and Mares’ Stakes and the British Champions Sprint Stakes were upgraded to Group 1 status in 2013 and 2015 respectively.