Craven Plate

Winners and Past Results.

The Australian Turf Club hosts the Craven Plate, a Group 3 open race at the Randwick Racecourse in October during the spring racing carnival in Sydney. FREE $200 Bet That Can't Lose

Horses travel over a distance of 2000 meters in this weight for age race that attracts prize money worth $125,000.

The Epsom Handicap and the Group 1 Metropolitan Handicap are slotted what is the biggest day of the spring carnival. Punters have a packed race card to spread their bets over other Group 1 races as well, which include the Flight Stakes and Spring Champion Stakes. The race suits staying types who compete in the last weight for age race of the spring carnival. The Group 2 Hill Stakes held at Rosehill Racecourse in September usually attracts in-form sprinters for the Craven Plate, which serves as a good form guide.

Some of the better middle distance and staying types may come via the Group 1 George Main Stakes held at Randwick a week earlier. Most recently, European import, My Kingdom of Fife, was runner up in the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes at Randwick before romping home in style in the 2011 Craven Plate.

The Craven Plate was first held way back in 1869 with Yattendon recorded as the first winner. It remained a principal race until 1984 and was then a listed race till it achieved Group 3 status in 1993.

Among the outstanding horses to etch their name on the plate as much as three times in its early years include The Barb, the mighty Phar Lap, Peter Pan, Tim Whiffler, Carbine, Chatham, Windbag, Duke Foote, Prince Darius, Summer Fair and many more.

As a Listed race, Hayai scored back to back victories while Mummify in 2005, Lorne Dancer in 2008, and C'est le Guerre in 2010 are among the recent winners. Following his 2005 victory, Mummify ran a spirited race carrying top weight in the Caulfield Cup right from the start but was forced into third place after shattering a sesamoid bone on his foreleg, following which he had to be euthanized.

In 2010, C'est le Guerre ran 5th in the Group 2 Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington Racecourse before winning the Craven Plate. In 2009, Miss Marielle won the Group 2 Hill Stakes at Rosehill in September prior to finishing a clear winner in the Craven Plate.

2011 Craven Plate

My Kingdom Of Fife was highly fancied before this race and being spoken of as a Cox Plate contender afterwards. The European import raced back in the early stages and it was not until they were 500 metres from home that he started to move forward. Five wide at the turn, My Kingdom Of Fife launched his final run which took him to a clear lead and an easy win over Shootoff with another big gap to Gazza Guru in third.

2011 Craven Plate result

1. My Kingdom Of Fife
2. Shootoff
3. Gazza Guru

Then came:

4. Syreon
5. Older Than Time
6. Zara Dancer
7. Bid Spotter
8. Lorne Dancer
9. Viking Legend