Sir Henry Cecil's chances of landing his 11th trainers' title and his first since 1993 will hinge entirely on results on the richest day in UK racing history at Ascot on October 15.
Photo by Racing and Sports
Cecil currently lies in fourth place on the table, about £850,000 behind the leader Richard Hannon.
However cecil has four heavyweight Ascot contenders for QIPCO Champions Day - Frankel, Twice Over, Midday and Vita Nova – and could carry off a prizemoney haul of £1,725,605 if they were to achieve their best possible placings.
It would give the Cecil team more than half the day's £3 million total prize fund.
Despite strong opposition in the shape of French raider Immortal Verse and perhaps the fast improving Excelebration in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, the mighty Frankel must have a tremendous chance of extending his unbeaten record to nine races and lifting the first prize of £567,100 in the richest mile race ever run in England.
Twice Over and Midday, first and second in the Juddmonte International Stakes at York last month, are both likely to run in the G1 QIPCO Champion Stakes.
Twice Over is chasing a record-equalling third successive Champion Stakes victory, having won the last two runnings at the race's former venue at Newmarket.
With £737,230 for first place and £279,500 for the runner-up in the Champion Stakes, a repeat of that York one-two would net the master of Warren Place a further £1,016,730 in the richest horse race ever to be run in Britain.
Before either of those races is run, the Yorkshire Oaks runner-up Vita Nova could bring in another £141,775 if successful in the QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes.
Another award could also be heading Cecil's way at Ascot.
He currently heads the QIPCO British Champions Series trainers' leaderboard with six winners, one ahead of Mahmood Al Zarooni.
If Cecil retains his lead he will receive a specially crafted trophy and a cheque for £25,000 for the charity of his choice.
