Champagne Stakes

Winners and Past Results for the Champagne Stakes

Hosted by the Australian Turf Club towards the end of April during the autumn racing carnival in Sydney, the ATC Champagne Stakes is an open race for two year old horses held at the Randwick Racecourse in Sydney.

The 1600 meter event is run at set weight conditions on the same day as other Group 1 races such as the ATC Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Sydney Cup, and All Aged Stakes. Top class two year old milers compete for prize money worth $400,000.

The Sires Produce Stakes held on Derby Day is a warm up race for more than handy sprinters on the same track a fortnight earlier.

Several top class sprinters have won the Sires Produce and Champagne Stakes double over the last decade. Assertive Lad, Viscount, Victory Vein, Hasna and Dance Hero achieved the feat between 2000 and 2004, followed by Helmet in 2011. Third placed in 2009, Manhattan Rain ran an impressive second in the Group 1 W.S. Cox Plate at Moonee Valley in spring.

The Champagne Stakes began as a principal race way back in 1864 and was elevated to Group 1 in 1980. Notable milers to win the Stakes in recent times include Assertive Lad in 2000, Dance Hero in 2004, Samantha Miss in 2008, Skilled in 2010, and Helmet in 2011. Set weight conditions of 56.5 kilograms for colts and geldings and 56.5 kilograms for fillies suit the more than handy crop of milers. Top two year old horses to crack the mile may also move on to the Group 1 VRC Crown Oaks and the Cox Plate. Winner in 2008, Samantha Miss, placed well in the Cox Plate and later won the Crown Oaks.

The AJC Champagne Stakes is the final leg of the triple crown for two year olds which includes the Golden Slipper Stakes and AJC Sires' Produce Stakes. Although the race had changed distances several times it has remained a 1600 meter race since 1972.

Among the outstanding gallopers to win the Champagne Stakes earlier on are Ajax in 1937, Todman in 1957, Storm Queen in 1966, Baguette in 1970, and Red Anchor in 1984. The top two year olds to win the trip crown include Baguette and Luskin Star in 1970 and 1977 respectively. Tierce, and Burst repeated the feat in 1991 and 1992, while Dance Hero was the last to take home all three prizes in 2004.

Among the most successful trainers is Bart Cummings with four Champagne Stakes to his credit.

2013 AJC Champagne Stakes

The favourite, Guelph, made an average start and got a long way back. At the other end of the field, Jim Cassidy on Fuerza took the lead upon settling then tried to steal a march on the rest of the field by sprinting clear with 600 metres to go. Equator and Shahad led the chase, but Fuerza had four lengths on them as they began the run home. Fuerza seemed to tire which brought Equator right into the equation before Guelph flew home down the centre of the track to go past Equator. Fuerza found a second wind and never gave it away but Guelph's momentum was enough to draw level and then shade Fuerza right on the finishing post.

2013 AJC Champagne Stakes result

1. Guelph
2. Fuerza
3. Equator

Then came:

4. Drago
5. Fast 'N' Rocking
6. Criterion
7. Charlie Boy
8. Havana
9. Scandiva
10. Star Wars
11. Riocetto
12. Champollion
13. Shahad