Inaugurated 1861 Sponsor Moët & Chandon (2016) Surface Turf | Distance 1,600 metres | |
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The Champagne Stakes is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 horse race for two year old Thoroughbreds at set weights run at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia over a distance of 1,600 metres during the Sydney Autumn Carnival. Prize money is A$500,000.
Contents
Race history
The inaugural running of the race was on the second day of the Australian Jockey Club Autumn Meet in 1861 as the fourth race on the six race card. The winner was Exeter trained by the famous trainer of the time Etienne de Mestre. The race became the premier AJC sprint race for two-year-olds for nearly 80 years. With the introduction of the richer Golden Slipper Stakes in 1957, the AJC decided on extending the distance of the race to 1 mile (1972) and in such creating a natural progression for elite two year old races that is now known as the Juvenile Triple Crown – Golden Slipper Stakes, Sires Produce Stakes (ATC) and Champagne Stakes.
Six two-year-olds have won the Triple Crown:
Baguette (1970), Luskin Star (1977), Tierce (1991), Burst (1992), Dance Hero (2004), Pierro (2012)
Race records
The record time for the race when the distance was 6 furlongs was by Vain in 1969 when he won by 10 lengths in a time of 1:09.40. At the time Vain became the richest money earning two year old in Australia.
The record time for the current 1600 metres distance is 1:34.75 set by Dance Hero in 2004.