UK: O'Briens Look Set To Dominate

Tuesday, 19 June 2012: Seven QIPCO British Champions Series races will be run at this week's incomparable Royal Meeting, including a scintillating trio on the opening day tomorrow, with Aidan O'Brien and Joseph O'Brien looking well on course to extend their leads in the Trainer and Jockey of the Series tables.

Aidan is set to saddle the favourite in four of the races courtesy of Power, So You Think, Fame And Glory and Maybe, with Joseph set to ride three of them (Jamie Spencer rides Fame And Glory).

The meeting will get off to the best possible start with the world's best horse, Frankel, bidding to make it eleven on the bounce in the Queen Anne Stakes, the third race in the Series' Mile division, at 2.30pm.

The O'Briens supply his main opponent in the shape of Excelebration, who has finished behind the Sir Henry Cecil-trained superstar on four occasions, including a five-length hammering in the JLT Lockinge Stakes last month.

The top sprinters from Britain (Bated Breath), Ireland (Sole Power), France (Wizz Kid) and Hong Kong (Joy And Fun and Little Bridge) lock horns with one of Australia's best (Ortensia) in an ultra-competitive King's Stand Stakes at 3.05pm, while Power gives the O'Briens their best chance of a first-day winner as he bids to back up his Irish 2000 Guineas victory in the St James's Palace Stakes, the fourth Mile race, at 3.45pm.

On Wednesday, the middle distance horses take centre stage in the 150th Anniversary of the Prince of Wales's Stakes with So You Think looking to go one better than he managed last year for the O'Briens against the Queen's Carlton House and French challenger Reliable Man.

Thursday will see the stayers under the spotlight in the Royal Meeting's Long Distance highlight, the Gold Cup, with Fame And Glory seeking back-to-back victories for Aidan O'Brien.

The Coronation Stakes in the Fillies & Mares category follows on Friday, when Maybe is expected to be the number one O'Brien challenger, while Saturday's big highlight is the Royal Meeting's other major sprint, the Diamond Jubilee Stakes, in which the sensational unbeaten speed merchant, Black Caviar, will have her first race outside Australia as she seeks victory number 22 in her remarkable career.

TRAINER OF THE SERIES (AFTER 8 RACES)
TRAINER POINTS
1 Aidan O'Brien 120
2 Ed Dunlop 30
3= Sir Henry Cecil 20
3= Roger Charlton 20
3= John Gosden 20
6= Nicolas Clement 10
6= Richard Fahey 10
6= Edward Lynam 10
6= Hughie Morrison 10
6= David Lanigan 10

JOCKEY OF THE SERIES (AFTER 8 RACES)
JOCKEY POINTS
1 Joseph O'Brien 75
2 Ryan Moore 35
3= Tom McLaughlin 20
3= Tom Queally 20
3= George Baker 20
3= Seamie Heffernan 20
7= Olivier Peslier 10
7= Jimmy Fortune 10
7= Tony Hamilton 10
7= Paul Hanagan 10
7= Darryll Holland 10
7= William Buick 10
7= Ted Durcan 10

Points are awarded on a 20-10-5 basis to the jockeys and trainers of the first three horses in each QIPCO British Champions Series race. In the event of a tie, the number of winners (and, if necessary, second places) will be taken into account. The Jockey and Trainer of the Series will be presented with a specially commissioned trophy on QIPCO British Champions at Ascot on Saturday 20 October.