UK: Queally And Dettori Battle Out Title

Direct Aid For Africa (DAFA) is set to benefit to the tune of at least £12,500 if either Tom Queally or Frankie Dettori is crowned top jockey in the QIPCO British Champions Series after the final five races are run on QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot this Saturday, 15 October.

The Jockey of the Series will be presented with a specially crafted trophy and a cheque for £25,000 for the charity or charities of his choice after the final race, the QIPCO Champion Stakes, has been run.

Both are currently locked together on five victories apiece after the 30 races run so far, with Queally's biggest contributor, Frankel (who has supplied him with three wins), looking his best chance to add to that tally in Saturday's Queen Elizabeth II Stakes sponsored by QIPCO. He also has the probable favourite, Vita Nova, in the QIPCO British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes and star mare Midday in the QIPCO Champion Stakes.

Likewise Dettori's biggest contributor, Opinion Poll (who has supplied him with two wins and a second place), appears to be his best chance to enhance his total in the QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup which opens the QIPCO British Champions Day race programme. Dettori is also likely to partner the highly-regarded Dubai Prince in the QIPCO Champion Stakes and Meeznah in the QIPCO British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes.

Queally currently edges the battle on the strength of his three second places to Dettori's two, but a victory or second place for likely favourite Opinion Poll would take Dettori into the lead.

If successful, Queally would donate £15,000 to DAFA (Direct Aid For Africa), a charity founded by Newmarket trainer Barney Curley in 1996 to improve the lives of people in the Third World through a range of projects focusing on health care, education and self-help, £5,000 to the Jack And Jill Foundation, which provides care and support for children with severe neurological development issues in his native Ireland, and £5,000 for Save Historic Newmarket, which was formed in 2008 in order to protect and preserve the unique identity of the home of British horseracing.

Dettori would give £12,500 to DAFA and £12,500 to the Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy, which helps young people with special needs to relate more successfully to others and have greater and more appropriate control over their own lives through an interaction with horses.

William Buick has four wins to his name and will be hoping to add to that with Gertrude Bell in the QIPCO British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes and Nathaniel in the QIPCO Champion Stakes, but he has just the one second place and will therefore need two victories without reply from Queally or Dettori to take the inaugural title.

JOCKEY OF THE SERIES

JOCKEY WINS 2nds 3rds

2 Frankie Dettori 5 2 2

4 Richard Hughes 2 2 2

In the event of a tie for the number of winners, the number of seconds and thirds

CECIL LOOKING GOOD FOR TRAINERS' TITLE

With six victories to his name, Sir Henry Cecil leads Mahmood Al Zarooni by one winner in the Trainer of the Series table, but with one more second place to his name as well and Frankel, Vita Nova, Twice Over and Midday running for him on QIPCO British Champions Day, he looks nailed on for the inaugural title.

As with the Jockey of the Series, the trainer will receive a special trophy and a cheque for £25,000 for the charity or charities of his choice.

Al Zarooni is set to be represented in two races – with Opinion Poll in the QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup and Dubai Prince and Casamento in the QIPCO Champion Stakes – and would need to win them both without reply from Cecil to top the table.

TRAINER OF THE SERIES

TRAINER WINS 2nds 3rds

2 Mahmood Al Zarooni 5 2 0

4 John Gosden 3 1 2

6 David Simcock 2 0 1

In the event of a tie for the number of winners, the number of seconds and thirds