Cicero’s Gift became the second shock winner at this year’s QIPCO British Champions Day as he defied odds of 100/1 for trainer Charlie Hills in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (sponsored by QIPCO).
Despite being the lowest rated of the 16 runners, Cicero’s Gift made good progress up the far rail to lead passing the furlong pole and saw his race out strongly under Jason Watson to win by a length and a quarter.
The Lion In Winter (12/1), also racing on the far side of the track, produced his best performance of the season in second, while Alakazi (22/1) stayed on down the middle to edge out Docklands for third. The 13/8 favourite Field Of Gold held every chance but could not find the gears to challenge late on.
Hills, whose father Barry passed away in June, said: “Amazing, I am speechless to be honest with you. It has been a really tough year for us at home, but we are a tight family and we’ve stuck strong. The old man would be looking down and would be so chuffed, I’d say. He’d be terribly proud of his family – Michael, Richard, George, we’re a good unit and always try to do the best for each other. I think he’d be over the moon. It is fantastic for Jason, too.
“I have always believed in the horse, but I thought he’d want a bit more cut in the ground than this. The race has worked out perfectly. We thought, ‘oh, there’s been a 200/1 winner already, so that counts us out!’
“The owners are a yard syndicate we set up to try to buy a few horses. We had this race in mind all year. We hoped it would be softer than it was today, but this was his end goal. He is getting better – he was very unsound at one point and had to have a whole year off, but Ian Wright [veterinary surgeon] did a fantastic job with him, and it’s taken a lot of patience. He is very talented, but he hasn’t been the soundest.
“When he won his second race, he beat Docklands giving him nine pounds, and Docklands is a very good horse. We will really look forward to next year. It has been a tough year, but hopefully this will help us spring forward to next year. It is a great meeting, this, every race is top drawer, and just to be part of it makes me very proud.”
Watson said: “I am very lucky to be riding this horse today and a massive thank you to connections and to Charlie who has been a big supporter of mine this season. Nicola, who has been at Charlie’s for a long time and rides Cicero’s Gift every day, said he is in the best form of his whole life – so credit to her and the team at home.
“You don’t expect this to be happening to you! I thought the luck of the day had struck out when the 200/1 winner came in earlier. It means a lot. You need a lot of support. My mum and dad have been good supporters of mine over the years. I didn’t grow up in this industry. It was really difficult for me when I was younger to have the success that I did and then lose it pretty quick. I have been trying to build on it the last few years to get back to the position I know that I’m capable of and I hope today I’ve proved to some people that I’m as good as I used to be.
“I had a job [with Roger Charlton] at a young age, and people kept on saying that I was very young at the time and probably couldn’t handle the job. That always struck a chord with me because I felt that, in my first year with Charlton as a professional, we had a very good year. We had Group Ones together, and the way the season ended – it was to do with my age, I think, and my maturity at the time, being a bit naive to the sport. But I always felt I should be in the game at a very high level, and that’s what I try to prove.”
The Lion In Winter’s rider Christophe Soumillon said: “He jumped out the gates really well, I was travelling very easily all the race, and he quickened up very well.”
Johnny Murtagh said of Alakazi: “Very happy with his run. I am delighted. He had a good spot all the way, it looked like when he came out that he was going to get there – I’m so proud of him. He ran great and it’s another step up from his run in the Group Two. I believe he is a Group One horse and I think he showed that today.”
Alakazi’s jockey Ben Coen added: “Really happy with him. He jumped and travelled, quickened up – I thought I was going to be bang there. It was a big run and he’s an improving horse, so looking forward to next year.”