Press Release from Sunday: QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS DAY CAPACITY INCREASED TO 32,000 FOLLOWING INITIAL SELL-OUT 1,500 tickets to a new Champions Bar facility, which includes access to the Premier Admission lawn, to go on sale tomorrow Following a sell-out of the original QIPCO British Champions Day capacity of 30,500 this weekend, four weeks in advance of Britain's richest raceday, British Champions Series is pleased to announce that 1,500 additional spaces have been created at Ascot on Saturday 20 October. They are in a bespoke new temporary facility, the Champions Bar, to the west of the main grandstand. In all this increases capacity to 32,000 and that will be the cut off for admission on the day when five championship races will be run for prize money of £3m and the world's best racehorse, Frankel, is expected to have the last race of his spectacular, unbeaten career. Admission to this new facility, which consists of a Grandstand ticket and a Champions Bar badge, is priced at £36, or £10 to existing Grandstand ticket holders, and will allow access to the Premier Admission lawn as well as the private marquee. For every upgrade sold to existing Grandstand ticket holders, a general Grandstand ticket will become available, so 1,500 additional racegoers can be accommodated on site. Tickets will go on sale at 9am tomorrow (Monday 24 September) on this Ascot ticket hotline only: 0844 346 3000. A maximum of four tickets will be sold per caller. Rod Street, Chief Executive of British Champions Series, said: "Notwithstanding the obvious additional interest generated by the Frankel factor, it is still a remarkable landmark for us to have sold out our original 30,500 capacity in year two of QIPCO British Champions Day so early. "We have worked closely with Ascot to decide on the final capacity of 32,000. The customer experience is paramount and the priority for us is that racegoers - many first time or not regular visitors - have an enjoyable and comfortable day and want to come back. "On top of the high-class racing action, we are going to have some superb attractions on the day and would like to encourage racegoers to arrive early and enjoy the occasion."
It will be interesting to see how it goes this year. Last year was really good but we had Frankel and So you Think along with bravura performances from Dancing rain, Deacon Blues and Fame and Glory. The weather was absolutely fantatstic for October too. One can only wonder what the contrast will be like when there's heavy rain or it's freezing and there's very few decent horses around because they all went to the Arc or are being prepared for the Breeders Cup instead. I'm still not convinced of the wisdom of this concept to be hinest - happy to be proved wrrng though.
This gave me a kick up the backside to finally get my ticket! Managed to get grandstand tickets too as some people had upgraded to the new area so their grandstand tickets became available! Was a cracking day last year! Helped by me having the winner of every race except for the apprentice hadicap! I do love it when the form book works out!
Updated Press Release: CHAMPIONS BAR SOLD OUT 400 Grandstand tickets remain before total sell-out declared All 1,500 tickets to the Champions Bar, a new facility created at Ascot on QIPCO British Champions Day have now been sold, leaving just over 400 Grandstand tickets to be sold for Britain's richest raceday on Saturday 20 October. Grandstand Admission had sold out last weekend, but the 400 tickets that are now available have been generated as a result of existing Grandstand ticket holders upgrading to the Champions Bar. These remaining tickets are available to buy online at www.ascot.co.uk Rod Street, Chief Executive of British Champions Series, said: "In only its second year, we're delighted that QIPCO British Champions Day is approaching a total sell-out. "Our focus is now on providing a superb day of top-class racing, supported by some truly interesting and relevant attractions. "Come early and bring your kids - all under 18s get in free when accompanied."
The last time that I saw Frankel was at York for the Juddmonte International and that will be the last time. Increasing the capacity at Ascot will just mean that it is more overcrowded. It does not address the atrocious design of the course facilities nor does it address the ridiculous overcrowding on the London to Ascot train service. On my two most recent visits it has been standing room only on the trains. They will be levered in like sardines in October. Include me out. I cannot think of any reason right now why I will ever visit Ascot again. Next year the attendance figure will be down markedly on this year and they are unlikely to ever peak at this level again. Just like York will never better this yearâs attendance.
Jesus wept - how many members of this forum were at York that day? Have to agree with you though - i don't mind Ascot for certain meetings but whatever haoppens on Champions day can't possibly compare with how good that Judmont day was - it really was amazing.
Champions Day is a fantastic concept but maybe at the wrong (or at least difficult) time. We need to consider the Arc. Like it or not it is a race with a glittering history and the Champion Stakes and the Arc are possibly extracting from one another as it stands. If we can somehow accommodate both it would be awesome. Two things stand out for me though in recent years: small field King Georges and small field Eclipses. A Champions Stake over 10f should be there to entice horses who ran very well or won Guineas races in the UK/IRE/FR, and to likewise attract Derby winners along with Premier 4 year old middle distance horses. A Champions Day could be framed around the King George, but it has the issue of being a 12f race rather than the 10f that brings together the Guineas and Derby horses. The issue with Sandown is that we'd have to move their race and/or abolish the Eclipse, which is harsh on them.
I see the way you're thinking toppy, but I like the way that Champions Day is a season ending event, a big finale kinda thing. I would have thought a better approach might be to put it back a fortnight, so that Longchamps isn't too close - but that might result in some dodgy ground in mid-november/a very long season for some of the top horses. It might clash more with the Breeders Cup, but IMO that would be less of a waste...
Perhaps the thing to do is move Champions Day forward a month to the middle of September (better ground and weather). The problem is that they would have to get the French and the Irish to agree to that and it is hard to see them agreeing because of the Irish Champion Stakes and the Prix du Moulin, which both benefited from the QEII being moved back to October to join the Champion Stakes. I am not a fan of most things that Racing For Change cooked up and the post-Frankel era may see attendances seriously deteriorate at this one.
The Arc will always be the end of the season highlight...imo the best all aged race in the world. I was at the Kerry National in 1993 on a wet Wednesday in September and there were 27,000 patrons on a course,which at the time,raced once a year. Champions day had still tickets left for a 32,000 crowd yesterday. Strange. People like competition...the Ryder Cup proved that..unreal...going to a foreign country against the odds and facing up..(doubt with Poulters dodgy eye he'll have much shed time but his stock will be triers) The big race this Autumn will be in Paris,not Berkshire,and the best horse should be there...shame. Tiger Woods is missing the Open next year to play in a pro-am to beat the guys he already has 6 times over....we'll all be there to coo and clap at his superiority..
