A deep dive into the Spring Champion Stakes

Cover image courtesy of Sportpix

The race was the Australasian Champion S., a 2000-metre contest designed to attract the best of the 3-year-olds and it did just that for its inaugural running with Gay Icarus recording a dominant victory as the 11-8 favourite - providing popular jockey Mick Mallyon with a feature success at his very first Randwick ride!

A month earlier, the gelding cared for by farmer and hobby trainer Cyril Beechey, had taken on and defeated the older horses in the G1 Australian Cup. And he would go onto spring success - taking out, under the steadier of 57.5kg, in a particularly strong running of the G1 Caulfield Cup before striking interference as favourite in the G1 Melbourne Cup.

Having a new race won by such an outstanding galloper certainly helped cement its place in the calendar and it continued to be contested and won by classy gallopers as an autumn event.

In 1978 it was run twice, its last autumn running taken out by Lefroy (NZ) who went on to G1 Queensland Derby success whilst its first spring running taken out by Just A Steal (Steel Pulse {GB}).

The following year saw the introduction of the Pattern racing system and the Spring Champion S. - for the first time an official Group 1 race - was taken out by a horse winning his very first elite-level race.

In a style that surprised his trainer Tommy Smith who admitted he did not realise just how talented his charge was - “I thought he would win,” he told the press, “but not so easily.”

Bart Cummings had something to say that day too... “you have a champion there,” he told Smith.

Quite the judge was Bart, the horse of course being the legendary Kingston Town (Bletchingly).

Since those early years the Spring Champion has been won by a number of horses who have gone on to win at Group 1 level on multiple occasions... Prince Majestic (NZ) (Noble Bijou {USA}), Taras Bulba (NZ) (Oncidium {GB}), Cheyne Walk, Beau Zam (NZ), Stylish Century, St Jude, Kinjite (NZ), Danewin, Tie The Knot (Nassipour {USA}), Veloso (NZ), Fairway (Danzero), Universal Prince, Niello, Dundeel (NZ) and Montefilia (Kermadec {NZ}).

Four have gone on to win that spring's G1 VRC Derby - Stylish Century, Nothin' Leica Dane, Monaco Consul (NZ) and Ace High whilst another four won the following autumn's G1 AJC Derby - Beau Zam, Fairway, Universal Prince and Dundeel (NZ). And Sharp 'N' Smart (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) took his winning form home to take out the G1 New Zealand Derby.

Thirty-one of its winners have stood at stud with 25 of those horses siring stakes winners; 10 of whom have been represented by Group 1 winners with three standouts...

Danewin

Strongly fancied on the back of his Listed Dulcify Quality victory, the Bob Thomsen-trained bay - successful in 1994 - was the first of Danehill's (USA) five Spring Champion winners. And it was the first big win for a horse who would go onto another four victories at that level en route to a stud career hindered by fertility issues. Dying three years ago at the age of 29, Danewin sired 30 stakes winners with his five Group 1 winners including the outstanding gallopers Theseo and County Tyrone.

Savabeel

This member of the Graeme Rogerson stable was coming off a second to Al Maher in the G2 Gloaming S., appreciating the step up to 2000 metres when proving too good for Outback Prince in the 2004 running. That form was not generally considered strong enough for the G1 WS Cox Plate and he was sent out double-figure odds. Settling third, he hooked out before the turn with Fields Of Omagh (Rubiton) on his back. He was in front entering the straight and just kept kicking. Second in the VRC Derby and the G1 CF Orr S. at his next two starts, he retired to Waikato Stud in 2005 from where he has been so well-represented by 135 stakes winners including 32 Group 1 winners. And one of those - the triple Group 1 winner Sangster (NZ) - was third behind Doctor Doom (Domesday) in the 2011 Spring Champion.

Dundeel

Known as It's A Dundeel (NZ) when winning his four races including the G3 Gloaming S. leading into this race in 2012, the member of the Murray Baker stable got up in close finish with another future successful sire in the shape of Proisir. Two starts later he was an unplaced favourite in the VRC Derby but he would go onto another five Group 1 victories including the ATC Derby and, at his finale, the rich Queen Elizabeth S. Retired to Arrowfield Stud in 2014, he has sired 25 stakes winners - seven of whom are Group 1 winners including Saturday's Cox Plate contender Militarize (NZ).

Table: Other Spring Champion winners to have sired Group 1 winners

The handsome 2021 winner Profondo is the most recent Spring Champion winner to head to stud, serving his first book of mares at Windsor Park Stud. Rich Hill Stud is home to the 2017 winner Ace High whose oldest progeny (three of whom are winners) are three.

Three fillies have won the Spring Champion. The 2020 winner Montefilia is still racing, the 2018 winner Maid Of Heaven (Sebring) had her second foal - a Palace Pier (GB) filly - in mid-September whilst the 2016 winner Yankee Rose (All American) has done Australian breeding proud by producing, as her second foal, Japan's Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn})... winner of five of her six starts including her last four at Group 1 level.

Gallery: The three fillies to have won the Spring Champion S., images courtesy of Sportpix

The quality of the Spring Champion fields has ebbed and flowed over the years - as we all know some 3-year-old crops are stronger than others. It started with a bang, has had quiet times, but keeps popping up as a source for classy winners.

And some pretty nice horses have finished in the placings too - such as the multiple Group 1 winners Taj Rossi, All Shot (NZ) (Idomeneo {GB}), Lord Dudley, Denise's Joy (Seventh Hussar {Fr}), Ming Dynasty (Planet Kingdom), So Called (NZ), Belmura Lad (NZ) (Belmura {GB}), Mighty Kingdom, Grosvenor (NZ), Handy Proverb, Shogun Lodge (Grand Lodge {USA}) and Criterion (NZ).

A recent Spring Champion running of note was the 2022 edition which provided the next start winners of both the VRC Derby and the G1 VRC Oaks - Manzoice (Almanzor {Fr}) who got too far back, finishing eighth - and She's Extreme (Extreme Choice) who boxed on for a game third.

Gallery: Runners in the 2022 edition of the Spring Champion S. who won Group 1s at their next starts, images courtesy of The Image Is Everything

The 2006 race also proved a nice form reference, the race won by Teranaba seeing Tuesday Joy (NZ) (Carnegie {ire}) finish fourth (winning the G2 Wakeful S. at her next outing), Viewed (Scenic {Ire}) seventh, Danewin's son Theseo 10th and Empires Choice (Redoute's Choice) 13th.

Up-and coming stallions Sweynesse and Prized Icon have also been in the placings in recent years as was Brave Warrior when second to Danewin in 1994. And there was a notable fourth behind Kinjite back in 1991 - the mighty grey Subzero (Kala Dancer {GB}) who was having his first Group 1 outing.

This year's field

A rematch of the first three home in the G2 Gloaming S. is the highlight of this year's Spring Champion running - Raf Attack (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}), Tom Kitten (Harry Angel {Ire}) and Cap Ferrat (Snitzel) again taking each other on.

Always in control leading throughout from a good gate, Raf Attack has drawn out wider this time but he looks ready for the 2000 metres and he is from an in-form family with his dam's half-brother Brave Mead (Brave Smash {Jpn}) impressive saluting at Caulfield last weekend.

And his grandsire Deep Impact (Jpn) was represented by the 2021 winner Profondo.

Tom Kitten has the inside gate which may not suit as he is a horse who can get himself into tricky spots! He certainly has the talent though and he hails from the family of a previous winner of this race - the 2002 victor Platinum Scissors.

Gallery: A rematch of the first three home in the G2 Gloaming S. is the highlight of this year's Spring Champion running

This is also the family of Redoute's Choice, whose son Hampton Court won this in 2014.

And Redoute's Choice is the grandsire, via Snitzel, of Cap Ferrat. Snitzel is yet to sire a Spring Champion winner but we know he can get a 2000-metre horse and this fellow has some nice stamina in his family... his grandam being the G3 Tesio S. winner Valkyrie Diva (Jade Robbery {USA}), half-sister to the mighty Makybe Diva (GB) (Desert King {Ire}).

Two horses from differing form lines add interest to the race - the New Zealander Medatsu (NZ) (Staphanos {Jpn} - another Deep Impact horse) who impressed at her local debut for the Chris Waller stable. He also trains the race's sole female contestant Tutta La Vita (The Autumn Sun) who caught the eye with her strong-finishing G1 Flight S. third. She seeks to become the second big-race winner for her dam, being a half-sister to the G1 Robert Sangster S. winner Secret Agenda (Not A Single Doubt).

Another interesting running of a race which has intrigued from day one!