Phar Lap Stakes

Winners and Past Results

The Phar Lap Stakes is a Group 2 race for three year olds and is run under set weight conditions. This 1500 meter event is held every year by the Australian Turf Club at Rosehill Racecourse in March. Free $250 Bet That Can't Lose

Scheduled during the Autumn Racing Carnival, the race offers a prize worth $175,000. The Phar Lap Stakes is usually scheduled on the same day as the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Classic and the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes.

Named after probably the most famous horse and a symbol of Australian horse racing, Phar Lap, the stakes was established in 1985 in honor of the only horse in history to be the favorite in three successive Melbourne Cups. He won thirty seven of his fifty one starts and four of these thirty seven wins came on continuous days during the Flemington Spring carnival in 1930, which included the Melbourne Cup.

The Phar Lap Stakes usually finds more talented gallopers, mainly due to the level weight conditions of the event. The event is usually won by a more than handy galloper, rather than a topliner. The set weight conditions offer the most talented horses the advantage and the winner most often than not, will certainly compete in the Group 1 events later in the year. This race has proven to be a good guide to the upcoming group races, meant for three year olds. Horses from here go on to compete in a number of events ranging from the Group 1 Doncaster Handicap to the Group 1 ATC Australian Derby.

Recent winners of the event have been Blackie in 2011, Tickets in 2010 and Heart of Dreams in 2009. Some of the winners who have done well for themselves in recent years are Tickets in 2010, Heart Of Dreams in 2009, Apache Cat in 2006, and Arlington Road in 2002.

2012 Phar Lap Stakes

Benfica and Wild And Proud were the early leaders but Colorado Claire had them in her sights all the way and never let them get too far ahead. Coming around the turn and into the straight, jockey James McDonald was able to steer Colorado Claire into a gap between the leaders and set sail for home. The mare looked under threat from Rekindled Alliance and Wild And Proud, who just didn't give up and came again in the last 100 metres, but Colorado Claire showed plenty of guts to hold them off, winning by a neck over Rekindled Alliance. Wild And Proud hung on for a meritorious third.

2012 Phar Lap Stakes result

1. Colorado Claire
2. Rekindled Alliance
3. Wild And Proud

Then came:

4. Free Wheeling
5. Huegill
6. Fontelina
7. Benfica
8. Isopach
9. That's The One
10. Niconoise
11. Aeronautical