QIPCO British Champions Sprint Stakes
Group 1, Ascot 14:00
£600,000 added,
3yo plus,
6f, Class 1   
Saturday 15th October 2016

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1 The Tin Man 13/2
2 Growl 50/1
3 Brando 14/1
NR: Mobsta (IRE)
13 ran Distances: 1l, shd, ½l
TIME 1m 12.15s (fast by 0.45s)

The Tin Man, trained in Newmarket by James Fanshawe, won the QIPCO British Champions Sprint Stakes for the Fred Archer Racing syndicate.

The Tin Man

The Tin Man
As Fanshawe put it: "They have owned two horses - this one, who will be rated about 120 after this race, and the other rated 57."

Fourth in this race last year - when Muhaaarar won - The Tin Man had not won at the top level before, but being a four-year-old gelding he could race on for many years. A 13/2 shot, ridden by Tom Queally, he scored by a length and a short-head from Growl (50/1) and Brando (14/1), and became Fanshawe's second victory in the race - Deacon Blues, a half-brother to The Tin Man, won it in 2011, and the stable also landed the 2013 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes with Seal Of Approval.

Fanshawe said: "He's been a very difficult horse to get right this year - in the Spring he didn't really thrive, and while I thought I'd got him right for Royal Ascot it didn't work out. Then the ground came up soft at Haydock [Sprint Cup] and so this is the first time this year we've had a really clear run with him, although it's easy to say in hindsight.

"It's been a really big team effort to get him right for today. Jacko [his wife] started the Fred Archer Syndicate - Archer built my yard. He's a very exciting horse and on his day he's very good, but you've got to get them right.

"It's great for Tom [Queally] who has been a big help to the yard this year - he rode him really coolly and stuck to the way he said he would ride him and it's great to see him riding a Group One winner again.

"It's also great for my son Tom [19], who rides the horse out every day - he's at the University of Pegasus Stables!"

The Richard Fahey-trained Growl was a fast-finishing length-second, outrunning his odds of 50/1.

Growl
© Racehorse Photos

Growl
Graham Lee settled Growl in midfield early on in the six-furlong contest but made stealthy progress inside the final furlong, scything through the field to fbe a fast-finishing second.

The four-year-old, stepping up to Group One company for the first time today, has been improving all year and finished a length and a quarter-second to Brando in the Ayr Gold Cup in September.

Fahey said: "I was delighted with that performance. I would like to see the race again as I had four runners in the race so I don't know where he came from.

"Graham said he was always travelling really well and I thought he was going to run a big race so it is a great result. It was a huge run and we are happy."

Fahey suggested a possible trip to Dubai next year could be on the cards for the four-year-old son of Oasis Dream. He remarked: "Marwan [Koukash, owner] mentioned Dubai for him when I spoke to him just now and that could be an option. He seems to go on any ground as well which helps.

"His run shows what a tough race the Ayr Gold Cup is to win and he has improved again today."

Graham Lee, Growl's jockey, said: "He has run a brilliant race. Everything went perfect for him in the race, we had a great run through and he has run a great race at a huge price."

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Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes (Group 2)
£600,000 added, 3yo plus, 6f, Class 1
13 ran
Going: Good

Pos Dr D Horse SP Jockey Weight Trainer Age
1st (3) The Tin Man 13/2 T P Queally
9-2
J R Fanshawe 4
2nd (8) 1 Growl 50/1 G Lee
9-2
R A Fahey 4
3rd (7) s.h Brando 14/1 T Eaves
9-2
K A Ryan 4
4th (2) ½ Signs Of Blessing (IRE) 9/1 S Pasquier
9-2
Francois Rohaut 5
5th (1) s.h Don't Touch 33/1 T Hamilton
9-2
R A Fahey 4
6th (6) Librisa Breeze 6/1 R Winston
9-2
D K Ivory 4
7th (9) Quiet Reflection 4/1j D C Costello
8-12
K R Burke 3
8th (4) ¾ Jack Dexter 100/1 D Tudhope
9-2
J S Goldie 7
9th (5) Mr Lupton (IRE) 33/1 J P Spencer
9-1
R A Fahey 3
10th (10) ¾ Shalaa (IRE) 4/1j L Dettori
9-1
J H M Gosden 3
11th (11) 5 Twilight Son 5/1 R L Moore
9-2
H Candy 4
12th (14) nk Mecca's Angel (IRE) 8/1 P Mulrennan
8-13
M Dods 5
13th (13) Donjuan Triumphant (IRE) 40/1 Alexis Badel
9-1
R A Fahey 3
WN (12) Mobsta (IRE) 66/1 P J Smullen
9-2
M R Channon 4

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