QIPCO British Champion Series launching first Hall of Fame for British Flat Racing

QIPCO British Champions Series, the UK's premier Flat racing series, has today announced that it is launching the first official Hall of Fame for British Flat Racing, which will honour the champions of the sport. The QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame will be unveiled this coming Monday 26 April, just ahead of the QIPCO Guineas Festival at Newmarket, when the inaugural Hall of Famers will also be announced.

Launching to mark the 10th anniversary of QIPCO’s sponsorship of the British Champions Series which began in 2011, the Hall of Fame will immortalise the Modern Greats of British Flat racing – human and equine - from 1970 onwards. Membership of the Hall of Fame will become one of the highest accolades within the sport, reflecting extraordinary achievements and contributions to British Flat racing, while providing a reason to celebrate horseracing’s most famous stars.

New Hall of Famers will be inducted at two separate points during the Flat racing season: ahead of the QIPCO Guineas Festival at Newmarket (May) and QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot (October), marking the beginning and end of the QIPCO British Champions Series.

The Hall of Fame will exist online at Horseracinghof.com, where a range of expertly-curated written, pictorial and video content will pay tribute to Hall of Famers, as well as figures of historical importance. While the Hall of Fame itself will focus on the Modern Greats of 1970 onwards, the website will also tell racing’s story, from its origins in the 17th century and up to today, highlighting the sport’s rich history and the contributions of the stars of yesteryear who laid the foundations for modern racing.

Initially, visitors to the site will be able to register their details to receive updates as content is added, including the announcement of the initial inductees ahead of the QIPCO Guineas Festival. Throughout the summer and in advance of further inductees being announced ahead of QIPCO British Champions Day, the site will be updated with features by racing historians and journalists on some of racing’s most important moments and influential figures from the 17th to 20th centuries.[1]

Sheikh Fahad bin Abdullah Al-Thani, Director of QIPCO Holding, said: “My Brothers and I are passionate about British flat racing and its rich history and heritage which makes it the envy of other racing jurisdictions the world over. We are delighted to announce the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame, which will honour the tremendous contributions made to British Flat racing and will celebrate our most significant and important stars and their achievements. When I first got involved in British racing, I was captivated by racing’s rich history and I hope that the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame will engage and excite existing and new fans by shining a light on the sport’s most important figures.”

Rod Street, Chief Executive Officer of QIPCO British Champions Series, said: "British Champions Series, which showcases the finest flat racing, is the perfect home for a Hall of Fame. Over the past decade, QIPCO have been dedicated and committed partners of British Racing and our thanks go to them for their support of the QIPCO British Champions Hall of Fame and for helping to make this a reality. Our racing is the best in the world and we are delighted to be able to honour our greats through this exciting new initiative."

Hall of Famers will be selected from four different categories – Horses, Jockeys, Trainers and Major Contributors, such as owners, breeders and other leading figures. The overall number of inductions made on each occasion will remain flexible, though at least one horse, one jockey and one trainer will be inducted into the Hall of Fame each year (with the option to include a major contributor if appropriate).

Inductions into the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame will be decided by an independent panel of horseracing experts, who will agree which horses and individuals are to be given the honour of being inducted. The panel will also agree an annual shortlist of horses to be put to the public vote, with the winning horse also joining the Hall of Fame in October each year. Members of the Hall of Fame judging panel for 2021/22 are:

-Martin Mitchell, Former Tattersalls Bloodstock Director

-Emma Berry, European Editor, Thoroughbred Daily News

-Brough Scott, Racing Broadcaster and Journalist

-Jamie Lynch, Racing Broadcaster and Journalist

-James Delahooke, International Bloodstock Agent

-Lydia Hislop, Racing Broadcaster and Journalist

-Alan Byrne, Editor-in-Chief, Racing Post

-Ruth Quinn, Racing Director, BHA

Brough Scott said: “I am really thrilled and honoured to have been asked to be part of the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame Judging Panel. Most of all because I have long believed in the idea and am really grateful for QIPCO and the British Champions Series to have brought it about.

“Being inducted into the Hall of Fame will be a true accolade at the pinnacle of the sport and I look forward to the panel’s discussions on who is to be honoured in this way.”

In keeping with other major sports, Hall of Famers will be honoured with a prestigious memento to mark their membership of the Hall of Fame. Unique within British racing, this will be in the form of a specially commissioned and bespoke medal designed by Asprey to mark their achievement.