QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (Group 1)

STAR Catcher (7/4 favourite) provided compensation for John Gosden and Frankie Dettori after the defeat of Stradivarius by winning the Filly & Mare contest, and with it a third Group 1 win of the season, which entitles her to be called a champion despite a lack of domestic classic success, especially as she had stablemate and Oaks winner Anapurna toiling in her wake, just as she had in the Prix Vermeille.

The latter can be forgiven after taking a nasty fall as she came out on to the track and also lost a shoe. Oaks runner-up Pink Dogwood also had excuses having lost her action mid-race.

All three of the winner’s successes at this level have come by small margins, but the ability to battle is an important part of a champion’s make-up, and she does not lack in that department. She withheld the renewed challenge of long-time leader Delphinia (Aidan O’Brien/Seamie Heffernan) by just a short-head with that filly’s eternally luckless stablemate Fleeting (Donnacha O’Brien) again getting the worst of trouble in running to be beaten by less than a length and half into fourth, with Sun Maiden (Sir Michael Stoute/Jim Crowley) splitting the pair with a lifetime best of her own.

Dettori was disappointed to lose out on Stradivarius, but had extra reason to smile after this win, as he explained: “I am still a bit sour about Stradivarius, but the ground is a lot worse than we thought. I am pleased this filly won. She’s lovely, she’s tough, and I think she is going to stay in training. She is a wonderful filly and provided me with my 250th Group 1. I love her.”

Star Catcher was a 17th Group 1 winner of the year for Dettori, while Adam Kirby chalked up his first at this fixture when winning the Balmoral Handicap on the mercurial Escobar, who was not expected to handle conditions by trainer David O’Meara, but defied expectations to go one place better than last year.

“He’s got the talent for group races, but isn’t always the hardiest,” was the honest assessment from the winning trainer.

Briefs

Attendances

The total attendance at QIPCO British Champions Day, 2019, was 29,029. On TV, ITV reported a viewing audience of over a million.