Challenge Stakes

Winners and Past Results.

The Australian Turf Club Challenge Stakes is a century-old weight for age open race held at Warwick Farm Racecourse in the south-west suburbs of Sydney. FREE $200 Bet

The Autumn Racing Carnival features a number of races with quality mares and fillies competing in the Group ATC Challenge Stakes. The race held in mid- March is run over a distance of 1000 meters with a total of $175,000 in prize money up for grabs among a field of handy sprinters.

Being a race with level weights, the notable gallopers have a distinct advantage and usually oblige their connections and punters with an impressive run.

The event serves as a lead up to the 1100 meters Group 2 Star Kingdom Stakes on Golden Slipper Stakes Day at Rosehill Racecourse. Some of the runners move on to Randwick for the Group 1 The Galaxy also run over 1000 meters.

The inaugural AJC Challenge Stakes in 1906 was won by a horse named The Pet. The event was a principal race until 1978 after which it was upgraded to Group 2 status. Golden Hop was the first to score back to back victories in 1913 and 1914. Felbeam repeated the feat in 1945 and 1946 followed by San Domenico in 1949 and 1950. Razor Sharp and At Sea stamped their authority on the AJC Challenge Stakes with three consecutive victories from 1982-1984 and 1985-1987 respectively. Cangronde won the 1997 trophy with a repeat performance in 1998 as well. Star Of Florida followed suit in 2003 and 2004. Tar Girl, who clocked 58.5 seconds, is the first recorded winner of the AJC Challenge Stakes in 1966.

The fastest time of 56.2 seconds set by Zephyr Bay in 1975 was eclipsed by De Lightning Ridge in 2010, with a record breaking 55.92 seconds.

The race is a true test for quality sprinters who desire to make it to Group 1 races towards the end of the autumn racing carnival. The Group 1 Lightning Stakes at Flemington Racecourse is what punters ought to pay great attention to, as many horses enter the field in the AJC Challenge Stakes after an outing in Melbourne.

Crack sprinters usually head for a showdown in the TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick Racecourse following a good performance in the race. Bomber Bill, a perennial favorite with the Australian crowd was among a notable winner in the 2002 AJC Challenge Stakes, amassing over $1.8 million in prize money over his career.

2012 Challenge Stakes

Rain Affair was the punters’ favourite, and the talented sprinter did win, but it was a close run thing in the end. The four-year-old went out hard and was joined by Winter King, with the two clearing out from the pack in the mid stages of the race and holding a leading margin of about five lengths at one stage.  After a torrid challenge from Winter King, who eventually faded and dropped back, Rain Affair was ripe for the taking and after kicking at the top of the straight he was attacked by Satin Shoes and Neeson who nearly ran him down yet he was good enough to hold on for a very narrow win. 

2012 Challenge Stakes result

1. Rain Affair
2. Satin Shoes
3. Neeson

Then came:

4. Bel Sprinter
5. Elite Falls
6. Cardinal Virtue
7. Winter King