racing_news/

Fame And Glory Strikes Long Distance Gold
15/10/11

1 Fame And Glory 3/1
2 Opinion Poll 12/5F
3 Colour Vision 10/1
10 ran Distances: 1¼l, nse, shd
TIME 3m 26.50s (slow by 4.00s)

Fame And Glory (3/1) kicked off the inaugural QIPCO British Champions' Day with a gutsy run under an inspired Jamie Spencer that brought an inspiring victory in the Group Three QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup over two miles.

Fame And Glory
© Racehorse Photos

Having decided the early pace was not to his liking, Spencer drove his mount to the lead with a mile and a half remaining and kicked clear of his rivals at the top of the Ascot straight. With runner-up Opinion Poll bearing down on him, closely pursued by third-placed Colour Vision and Nehaam, Fame And Glory dug deep for his rider's urgings and landed the spoils by a length and a quarter.

Fame And Glory, victorious over Opinion Poll in the Group One Gold Cup over a further half-mile at Royal Ascot in June, could well be back at the course for that contest next June, with Stan James shortening him to 5/2 favourite from 7/2.

The Montjeu entire headed to QIPCO British Champions Day with questions to answer after failing to win in two starts since his Gold Cup triumph, most recently when a disappointing fourth in the Group One Irish St Leger over a mile and three quarters at the Curragh in September.

A delighted O'Brien said: "It is very special to win here. Everybody knew that his big, main issue this year was the Ascot Gold Cup here and we trained him very hard for that. He was so courageous and gave it all that day, so in respect to the horse, we had to give him a break and be kind and gentle to him afterwards. We chased him hard for the Gold Cup and you don't want to do that twice to a horse.

"He had his two lovely runs after but we left a little bit for today. He has so much class and when he needed it to day it was there - Jamie gave him a marvellous ride. It's great to be back here, it's a great meeting and it's great timing.

"He is a horse that had a mile and a quarter class - Group One winner - and he's a two and a half-mile Gold Cup winner, so stamina is not a bother for him as he showed in the Gold Cup and class isn't either. Jamie just got him into a rhythm and the rest is history, he gave him a great ride.

"After winning the Gold Cup here, you would imagine that he was on such a level of fitness for that that he probably wasn't at that Gold Cup level today. We were hoping that he wouldn't have to be.

"It would be great to come back for the Gold Cup in June. That's a decision for the boys, Dr Hay and everybody. We are just privileged to be part of the team."

Part-owner John Magnier, commented: "It was a good training performance by Aidan. When you train a horse to win a Gold Cup, you have to have them so supremely fit - it takes a lot out of them. He obviously got him back up to that level of fitness today.

"You have got to hand it to Jamie, it was a great ride. There is no better man than him on his day."

Position	Horse Trainer	Jockey Weight	Starting Price Beaten Distance
1	Fame And Glory A P O'Brien	J P Spencer 9st 0lbs	3 - 1 Winner
2	Opinion Poll M Al Zarooni	L Dettori 9st 0lbs	12 - 5 1 1/4 length
3	Colour Vision M Johnston	S De Sousa 8st 3lbs	10 - 1 Nose
4	Nehaam J H M Gosden	R Hills 9st 0lbs	12 - 1 Short Head
5	Times Up J Dunlop	E Ahern 9st 0lbs	10 - 3 2 1/4 lengths
6	Eternal Heart M Johnston	J Fanning 8st 3lbs	50 - 1 3 3/4 lengths
7	Polly's Mark C G Cox	G Mosse 8st 11lbs	28 - 1 1 1/4 length
8	Darley Sun S bin Suroor	William Buick 9st 0lbs	28 - 1 Short Head
9	Motrice Sir Mark Prescott	S Sanders 8st 11lbs	12 - 1 8 lengths
10	Chiberta King A M Balding	J Fortune 9st 0lbs	33 - 1 22 lengths

SPENCER OVERJOYED AFTER FAME AND GLORY WIN

Jockey Jamie Spencer had the honour of riding the first QIPCO British Champions Day winner after scoring on the aptly-named Fame And Glory.
The Aidan O'Brien-trained colt won the QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup over two miles, and the jockey was praised by the winning connections for showing initiative early in the contest.

Spencer said: "We were always going to be relatively positive - I didn't know whether Darley Sun was in the race as a pacemaker for Opinion Poll because he needs pace, and Jimmy [Fortune on Chiberta King] said he would go a good one so I followed him, but once we turned to go by the stands his horse was very idle and reluctant to race. At that point I slipped by him and let my fellow use his stride."

Fame And Glory was well beaten in the Irish St Leger on his previous run, and Spencer said: "Without wishing to sound patronising, how could Aidan O'Brien achieve that turnaround in form? I was so gutted at the Curragh because he was odds-on favourite and expected to win and nothing happened.

"He was electric today and every time another runner came to me it was like they carried a buzzer that was setting him alight and he was shooting on ahead again. He was entitled to idle a bit once he got into the shadow of the last 100 yards.

"It's a great day's racing and I hope everybody grasps it. We owe

QIPCO a lot of thanks and should praise them because without them we wouldn't have such an exciting day. Apart from Royal Ascot I cannot remember being so excited about a forthcoming meeting. You need the horses, but it's an amazing day."

Of Fame And Glory's reception by the crowd, Spencer said: "Everybody appreciated the horse today - it was a Group 1 race run under a Group 3 banner. These horses have been running against each other all year and that performance should see my horse as leading stayer. I'm delighted to be part of it.

"Somebody had to ride the first [QIPCO] Champions Day winner and I'm thrilled to have done it."