Feast your eyes on fabulous Frankel

It's the day everybody has been waiting for and hopefully the stars (and sun) will come out to shine at Ascot on Saturday for the revamped British Champions Day which is worth over £3 million.

After lots of reshuffling and tweaks to the racing calendar, the Qipco (Qatar Investment Project Company) British Champion Series has been running throughout the season with races staged over various distances (Mile, Sprint, Middle Distance, Fillies' & Mares and Stayers) all forming part of their respective divisions which culminate with the ‘finals' this weekend.

The Group One Qipco Champion Stakes, which began life at Newmarket in 1877, will carry a purse worth a staggering £1.3 million and surpasses the value of the Epsom Derby (£1.25 million) as the richest race in Britain and it has attracted a stellar line-up of equine talent. Nathaniel, winner of the King George in July, Green Destiny and Dubai Prince represent UAE connections while So You Think could also run.

Grand preparations

The whole day has been exceptionally well promoted and Ascot expects to welcome around 35,000 racegoers to the course. There will also be 75 countries taking the live feed and Dubai Racing Channel will be showing the entire card with presenter Laura King reporting live from the track.

On the six-race programme, the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes ranks highly and sees the fabulous Frankel attempt to retain his position as the highest rated horse in the world.

In all fairness, because of his superiority, the race probably lacks the competitive heat you would hope for but Excelebration rates the biggest threat, while the filly Immortal Verse, who has won her last two starts in Group One class, might be able to take advantage of the three pounds filly weight allowance. But I hope not. I want to see Frankel display even more of his prowess, don't you?

Saturday's card is shaping up to be one of the best in the history of racing in the UK and despite a few moans and groans from those resistant to change, it seems that everybody is now happy to accept the new concept and are just getting on with it.

I really tried not to mention the whip debate this week, but Monday saw the first day the new guidelines were introduced and Richard Hughes was the first rider to fall foul of the rules.

Using his whip as a ‘corrective measure' Hughes struck his mount six times in the final furlong, one more than allowed, and picked up a five-day ban. Kieren Fox however, was guilty of striking his mount 11 times (seven in the last furlong) and was stripped of his riding fee, winning prize money, and handed a 15-day ban.

I'm not saying I agree with the new rules, but they are now in place and must be adhered too. I would simply like to know what planet Mr. Fox has been on for the last six weeks as, judging by his inexcusable actions, it certainly wasn't this one!