Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
The G1 Champions Sprint - different names, always a great race
Twelve horses, six Group 1 winners of 10 Group 1 races; this is an elite sprinting event and how exciting it will be to see these talented gallopers dashing down the famous Flemington straight.
A race which has undergone a few changes, such as name (it has been the Craven A, the Pure Pak, the Gadsden, the Salinger, the Patinack Farm, the Darley Classic and the Sprint Classic amongst others) and date (for most of its life run on Derby Day) it has always been contested and won by topliners.
Such as Vain, Dual Choice (Showdown {GB}), Century, Maybe Mahal (Maybe Lad), River Rough (NZ), Special (Habituate {Ire}), Black Caviar (Bel Esprit), Nature Strip (Nicconi) and Imperatriz (I Am Invincible).
Fortuna Racing's Bellatrix Star (Star Witness) is backing up from her game G1 Coolmore Stud S. second last weekend. She is one of the two 3-year-olds taking on the other horses, the G1 Caulfield Guineas winner Private Life (Written Tycoon) the other.
The last of that age to win was Pharein (Phar Feather {USA}) in 1999.
Bella Nipotina, the current favourite for the G1 Champions Sprint at Flemington | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Fighting out favouritism are the horses who finished one/two in the G1 Everest; Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) who has since recorded a soft win in the Russell Balding at Rosehill and Giga Kick (Scissor Kick).
Bella Nipotina is yet to win (from 10 attempts) a race at Flemington whilst Giga Kick has won two of his three starts at headquarters. Overpass (Vancouver), Estriella (I Am Invincible), Stretan Angel (Harry Angel {Ire}) and Bellatrix Star have all also shown a liking for the track whilst Right To Party (Zoustar) loves it; four wins from six starts.
With half the field being last start winners, there is hot competition here with the proven Group 1 sprinters being taken on by the talented up-and-comer Baraqiel (Snitzel), winner of six of his eight starts.
G1 Champions Mile - a successful switch for Declan Bates?
What a spectacle this race provided 12 months ago, Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) backing up from her G1 Empire S. victory to run her rivals rugged. She again takes her place this year, with a different rider in Ben Melham whilst her regular partner Declan Bates has picked up the ride on her last start G2 Damien Oliver H.-winning stablemate Another Wil (Street Boss {USA}).
First run in 1919 as the Cantala S. (undergoing name and date changes since), has on just four occasions won by the same horse twice; Amounis (Magpie {GB}) in 1926 and 1929, Aquanita in 1960 and 1961, Heroic Stone (My Hero {NZ}) in 1965 and 1967 and Seascay (NZ) (Maizcay) in 1994 and 1995.
Pride Of Jenni, the current favourite for the G1 Champions Mile at Flemington | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Last year's runner up Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) and the fourth placed Fangirl (Sebring) also have another crack.
It is not a race often taken by 3-year-olds but Broadsiding (Too Darn Hot {GB}) is doing just that, attempting to become the first of his age to win this race since Silver Bounty (NZ) in 1980.
There are several classy milers here, My Oberon (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) racing in consistent form, Pinstriped (Street Boss) able to get the better of Mr Brightside in the G1 Memsie S. in late August, Antino (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) coming off a stunning win in the G1 Toorak H. and Amelia's Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}) so game in defeat last weekend.
Always a race to attract high-class gallopers, it has been won by the likes of Wenona Girl (Wilkes {Fr}), Vain, Gunsynd, Taj Rossi, Maybe Mahal, Family Of Man, Better Loosen Up (Loosen Up {USA}) and Testa Rossa.
G1 Champions Stakes - Via Sistina the hot favourite
Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel) was a deserved winner of this race last year, on that occasion coming off a G1 Empire Rose S. race second, a race which this time around she was in winning form.
Historically known as the G1 Mackinnon S. and for most of its history run on Derby Day, this 2000-metre weight-for-age contest has on 14 occasions been won by the same horse twice.
And by some rather nice horses too, Atishu attempting to place her name alongside the likes of Wakeful (Trenton {NZ}), Eurythmic (Eudorus {GB}), Phar Lap (NZ) (Night Raid {GB}), Peter Pan, Beau Vite (NZ), Tranquil Star (Gay Lothario {GB}), Comic Court, Rising Fast (NZ) (Alonzo {GB}) and, most recently, Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}).
She has pretty good form for this, and many times would be the favourite but on this occasion, the runaway record-breaking G1 W.S Cox Plate winner Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) is the attention grabber, and rightly so!
Via Sistina (Ire), the current favourite for the G1 Champions Stakes | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Historically Cox Plate winners have a decent record in this race though it has been a little while with So You Think (NZ) the most recent in 2010, before him Better Loosen Up in 1990.
Both of those horses won the Mackinnon on a one-week back up with Via Sistina afforded the luxury of an extra seven days in between runs.
Only one other Cox Plate contestant lines up here, the fifth-placed Docklands (GB) (Massaat {Ire}) but there is plenty of high-class form with last year's G1 Caulfield Cup and G1 Melbourne Cup winner Without A Fight (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) creating plenty of interest with his return.
Duke De Sessa (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) has his first run since his Caulfield Cup success with the popular Harry Coffey retaining the ride. Racing in the same Yulong colours as the favourite is Deny Knowledge (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai) who led throughout to win the G1 Caulfield S. before losing no fans with her Caulfield Cup fifth.
G2 Matriarch S. - marvellous mares form
Speaking of Deny Knowledge, she won this race (when trained by Mick Kent) last year and she is one of this 2000-metre contest's 15 winner to enjoy further stakes-winning success.
Deny Knowledge is one of the six Matriarch winners to take that form to Group 1 level with another being Atishu who won this race two years ago.
A good record for a race first run in 1995 and which has also been a good guide in regards to broodmare success; won by six stakes producing broodmares.
Despite not having won a race since taking out the G1 Surround S. in February 2022, Hinged (Worthy Cause) has opened favourite off consistent form.
Hinged, the current favourite for the G2 Matriarch S. at Flemington | Image courtesy of
She has the services of the in-form James McDonald who won this race aboard Atishu. She is also in the same stable, Chris Waller, as that mare and he also won the race in 2011 with Vintedge (Flying Spur).
It's an even field overall, other chances going to the G2 Tesio S. first five of Lady Jones (Toronado {Ire}) and Lievore (Epaulette), Little Mix (Mahisara), Molly Bloom (NZ) (Ace High) and Firestorm (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}).
Quickster (Shamus Award) finished in front of Hinged in the G3 Angst S. last time out. Her co-trainer Peter Moody is seeking another win in a race he last won in 2007 with Hidden Strings (Weasel Clause) whilst her jockey Luke Nolen was aboard Zayydani (NZ) (Savabeel) three years ago.
G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas - Savaglee odds-on
One of New Zealand's oldest races, first run in 1860, the 2000 Guineas began its life as one of two Derby Stakes races run in New Zealand.
It was contested over that Classic's traditional distance of 12 furlongs up to 1972 at which time the race once known as the Great Northern Derby (first run in 1875) became what is the now the G1 New Zealand Derby.
Since switching the traditional Guineas distance of 1600m in 1973, it has on eight occasions since then been won by horses who have gone on to enjoy Group 1 success in Australia; Little Brown Jug (NZ) (Godavari {Ire}), Surfers Paradise (NZ) (Crested Wave {USA}), Veandercross (NZ) (Crossways {GB}), Turn Me Loose (NZ), Vice Regal (NZ) and Sacred Falls (NZ), Balmerino (NZ) and Fury's Order (NZ).
Savaglee (NZ), the current favourite for the G1 NZ 2000 Guineas at Riccarton | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
It has on two occasions been won by the progeny of Waikato Stud's star stallion Savabeel; by Embellish (NZ) in 2014 and Noverre (NZ) in 2021 and odds-on to add to that record is his in-form son Savaglee (NZ).
Successful at three of his four starts this time in, the Pam Gerard-trained colt has won the G2 James & Annie Sarten Memorial and the G2 Hawke's Bay Guineas at his last two outings and from barrier four is drawn for an ideal run.
A $400,000 yearling bred by Waikato and raced by The Oaks Stud, Savaglee hails from the same family as another horse with a major Group 1 chance on Saturday; the Champion S. runner Atishu.
Savaglee has only seven rivals in the Guineas, amongst those being the up-and-coming filly Love Poem (Snitzel), the last start G3 War Decree S. winner He's Lucid (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}) and the consistent Kiwi Skyhawk (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}).
The juveniles - the R. Listed Inglis Banner and the G3 Golden Gift
There are stakes races for the 2-year-olds in both Melbourne and Sydney; the R. Listed Inglis Banner at Flemington and the G3 Golden Gift at Rosehill.
The second race on the Flemington card, the Inglis Banner has a new home having previously been run at Moonee Valley on W.S Cox Plate Day.
Three of the 11 acceptors have faced the starter before; Leave No Doubt (Doubtland) a Bendigo debut winner, Red Barron (Justify {USA}) backing up from a solid G3 Maribyrnong Plate fifth last Saturday whilst Bubion (All Too Hard) was a game second in the Listed Debutant S. at Caulfield.
Chisholm as a yearling, the current favourite for the R. Listed Inglis Banner at Flemington | Image courtesy of Inglis
Opening up favourite is the race's most expensive purchase, the $500,000 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale graduate Chisholm (I Am Invincible) who debuts off an easy Warwick Farm trial victory. The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained filly is a daughter of the G1 Lightning S. winner Snitzerland (Snitzel) whose son Hard Landing (All Too Hard) was a Group 3 winner at this same track at his debut at two.
The first-season sires represented are Doubtland (Leave No Doubt), Anders (Four On The Floor who has run third in three Mornington jump-outs), Tagaloa (Aliquam, third in an Eagle Farm trial), Earthlight (Ire) (Grammy's Sunshine, a Horsham jump-out winner), Hanseatic (Rohesia, winner of two Flemington jump-outs) and Lucky Vega (Ire) (Within The Law, placed in a couple of NSW trials).
The Rosehill race has more experienced runners with six of the nine having their second starts including the G3 Breeders Plate third placegetter North England (Farnan), the G3 Gimcrack S. runner-up O'Ole (Ole Kirk) and the Warwick Farm winner Icarian Dream (Blue Point {Ire}).
North England, the current favourite for the $1,000,000 Golden Gift at Rosehill | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
One of the three debutants, the Waterhouse and Bott-trained Chicama (Written Tycoon) is this race's most expensive purchases; the half-brother to Shoals (Fastnet Rock) from Redoute's Choice's family secured for $1.35 million at Inglis Easter.
Opening the shortest of the first starters was West Of Swindon (Wootton Bassett {GB}), a $350,000 Magic Millions purchase out of a half-sister to the triple Group 1 winner Fawkner (Reset).
