British Champions Sprint Stakes


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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.

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. The race was upgraded to Group 1 status from its 2015 running.

Records
Most successful horse (2 wins):
 * Set Fair – 1952, 1954
 * Jack and Jill – 1958, 1959

Leading jockey (7 wins):
 * Lester Piggott – Abergwaun (1971), Home Guard (1972), Saritamer (1974), Swingtime (1975, dead-heat), Absalom (1979), Moorestyle (1981), Salieri (1983)

Leading trainer (4 wins):
 * Walter Nightingall – Set Fair (1952, 1954), Jack and Jill (1958, 1959)
 * Vincent O'Brien – Abergwaun (1971), Home Guard (1972), Saritamer (1974), Swingtime (1975, dead-heat)

Earlier winners

 * 1946: The Bug
 * 1947: Djelal
 * 1948: Combined Operations
 * 1949: Solonaway
 * 1950: Abadan
 * 1951: Ki Ming
 * 1952: Set Fair
 * 1953: Rose Coral
 * 1954: Set Fair
 * 1955: Pappa Fourway
 * 1956: King Bruce
 * 1957: Arcandy
 * 1958: Jack and Jill
 * 1959: Jack and Jill
 * 1960: Zanzibar
 * 1961: Satan
 * 1962: La Belle
 * 1963: Sammy Davis
 * 1964: Ampney Princess
 * 1965: Majority Blue
 * 1966: Lucasland
 * 1967: Great Bear
 * 1968: Secret Ray
 * 1969: Song
 * 1970: Realm
 * 1971: Abergwaun
 * 1972: Home Guard
 * 1973: Boldboy
 * 1974: Saritamer
 * 1975: Roman Warrior / Swingtime
 * 1976: Honeyblest
 * 1977: Gentilhombre
 * 1978: Creetown