Thousand Guineas Prelude

Winners and Past Results for the Thousand Guineas Prelude.

The Group 2 Thousand Guineas Prelude is hosted by Melbourne Racing Club during the spring racing carnival in September. The race was elevated from a Group 2 event to a Group 2 in August 2013.

The Thousand Guineas Prelude, three year old fillies trek over 1400 metres of Caulfield Racecourse under set weights & penalties conditions in preparation for the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas held a month later on the same track. The race with $2,000,000 in prize money, is the female equivalent of the Caulfield Guineas Prelude for colts & geldings held a week later. Held on the same day is the Group 1 Underwood Stakes, the Thousand Guineas Prelude attracts more than handy three year old fillies seeking to make it to the big stage. The race is worth $175,000 in prize money although the main attraction for most runners is the opportunity to step up to the Caulfield Guineas.

While many fillies may not claim the Caulfield Guineas some of them have gone on to become stars of the turf over their careers. Among them is Miss Finland who went on to win multiple group races during her career after winning here in 2006.

Fillies may make their way to the Thousand Guineas Prelude via a number of Group races. The Group 3 McNeil Stakes is held earlier at the same track in August over 1200 metres is one of the likely warm up races.

Fillies may fancy their chances in the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes or the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington Racecourse on their way to the Caulfield Guineas after a run in the Thousand Guineas Prelude.

The Thousand Guineas Prelude was first held as the VATC Health Stakes, a listed race, in 1983. It achieved Group 3 status in 2003 and has remained in the same class ever since. It has also been held as the VATC Tranquil Star Stakes, MRC Jumeirah International Stakes and MRC Tranquil Star Stakes. However, it has been held as the Thousand Guineas Prelude since 2007.