Shadwell Estate Company’s Anmaat (IRE) overcame trouble in midstretch to cause a major upset in the QIPCO British Champion Stakes (G1) at Ascot on QIPCO British Champions Day. The victory earned the 6-year-old son of Awtaad (IRE) an automatic berth into the $5 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) through the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In.

The QIPCO British Champion Stakes was one of two Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series races to take place at Ascot on Saturday, along with the QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (G1). The Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 82 Graded/Group stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, scheduled to be held at Del Mar on Nov. 1-2.

In the feature race of the day, Anmaat, who was sent off at 40-1 despite already being a Group 1 winner, was settled towards the rear of the field. The Aidan O’Brien-trained Continuous (IRE) ensured a strong gallop at the head of affairs. As the field turned into the home straight, the Jim Crowley-ridden Anmaat and the 3-2 favorite Calandagan (IRE) were met with a wall of horses in front of them and looked to have no way through.

Economics (GB) was first to make his challenge and was joined by rank outsider Persica (IRE). Eventually, Calandagan and Anmaat were able to come with a run and the pair flew home with the Owen Burrows-trained 6-year-old able to edge out his French rival by a half- length. The Karl Burke-trained Royal Rhyme (IRE) was a further 1 ¾ lengths back in third.

After winning the race for the first time in dramatic fashion, winning jockey Jim Crowley said: “The first half of the race went perfect. We just had to work our way through and were completely stopped. I won’t tell you what I was thinking at that point but when he got the gap it was extraordinary the way he picked up.”

Remarkably, this is the first Group 1 winner Jim Crowley has ridden this season.

He added: “He’s gone under everybody’s radar; it was touch and go whether we ran in this race. It’s a great comeback from him.”

Trainer Owen Burrows is no stranger to Group 1 success in these silks having trained all five of his Group 1 winners for Shadwell.

He said: “It just went wrong in France a couple of weeks ago and I think Jim (Crowley) will admit that wasn’t his finest hour. How he’s won it has surprised me more than anything. I put my binoculars down halfway up the straight, I thought he had no chance. To pick up in this ground like that I thought was a heck of a performance.”

Anmaat covered the 1 ¼ miles in 2:08:96 over a course listed as Soft.

Kalpana takes step up to Group 1 company in her stride in QIPCO British Champion Fillies & Mares Stakes

The rapidly improving Kalpana (GB) produced a stunning turn of foot to land the 1 ½-mile QIPCO British Champion Fillies & Mares Stakes (G1), securing an automatic entry into the $2 million Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1).

Sent off the 7-2 favorite for trainer Andrew Balding with William Buick in the saddle, the daughter of Study of Man (IRE) came into this contest off the back of a taking success in the Unibet September Stakes (G3).

The Aidan O’Brien-trained Wingspan (IRE) made the early running while Kalpana was settled handily in fifth. The order of the field remained the same throughout with Tiffany (IRE) sitting just off the pace under Luke Morris in second. As the field turned for home, Kalpana began to make her move on the outside and soon headed the front-running Wingspan. Passing the furlong pole, the 3-year-old Kalpana shot clear of her rivals in impressive style to go on and win by 2 lengths from Wingspan. The latter stayed on for second, finishing 3 lengths in front of Tiffany.

Speaking after securing a first win in this contest, trainer Andrew Balding said: “She’s so relaxed and a brilliant filly. It’s been a pretty steep trajectory from Wolverhampton to here. I very much hope she’ll stay in-training, that was always the plan. Juddmonte are an amazing operation, and they thoroughly deserve the success they have.”

Kalpana completed the 1 ½ mile race in 2:29:57

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders’ Cup will pay the entry fees for the Challenge Series winners to start at this year’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships. Breeders’ Cup will also provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winners must be nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program by the Championships’ pre-entry deadline of Oct. 21 to receive the rewards.