Cover image courtesy of Sportpix
Randwick on Saturday will host the third and final leg of the Sydney triple crown - the G1 Champagne S. And while none of the 11 combatants are in a position to join Pierro, Dance Hero (Danzero) and other legendary juveniles who swept the three Sydney Group 1s (the Golden Slipper S., the Sires’ Produce S. and the Champagne S.), there is still plenty at stake.
Following the scratching of Amur (Snitzel), we are left with nine colts and two fillies, and all bar Militarize (NZ) (Dundeel {NZ}) are chasing a maiden Group 1 success; a feat that would instantaneously make them an elite breeding proposition.
Should he win on Saturday, Militarize will become the 42nd horse to complete the Sires’-Champagne double (the most recent was King’s Legacy in 2020).
Notable winners
The race has a long and proud history. It was first run in 1861 and won by Exeter, while other names on the honour roll include Ajax, Sky High and Vain. And in 1957, Todman reversed the Sires’ Produce result, defeating the great Tulloch (NZ).
It was initially conducted over a sprint trip and has had many distance changes.
Gallery: Some of the notable winners of the G1 Champagne S.
Over the past 20 years, eight fillies have won the Champagne S., with the most recent being She’s Extreme (Extreme Choice) in 2022. Between 2013-15, the girls were dominant, with Guelph (Exceed And Excel) taking the honours in 2013, Go Indy Go (Bernardini {USA}) victorious 12 months later and Pasadena Girl (NZ) (Savabeel) the heroine in 2015.
Exceed And Excel has sired two winners - Helmet in 2011 and Guelph, as did the great Redoute’s Choice - Samantha Miss in 2008 and King’s Legacy. The latter is also the damsire of Padasena Girl and the 2017 victor, The Mission.
The Champagne S. is often a race where post-racing careers are made.
In 2001, Viscount won the first of his three Group 1s. He went on to sire 17 stakes winners and three Group 1 winners, including the brilliant sprinter Rocket Man.
Viscount, winner of the G1 Champagne S. in 2001 | Image courtesy of Sportpix
Samantha Miss was also a triple Group 1 scorer and her maiden triumph in top company came in the Champagne S. She has thrown the Group 2 victress Miss Fabulass (Frankel {GB}).
Guelph, the 2013 winner, has thrown two stakes winners, including Encryption, who now stands at Eureka Stud.
While Pierro is one of the most accomplished stallions to win the event, and one of the most impressive triple crown winners, there are smart young sires coming through.
Castelvecchio, winner of the G1 Champagne S. in 2019 | Standing at Arrowfield Stud, image courtesy of Sportpix
In 2019, a beautifully bred son of Dundeel (NZ) named Castelvecchio (NZ) was much the best. He has since taken up residency at Arrowfield Stud, with his first yearlings well recieved at the recent Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, selling for an average of $200,000.
The following year, King’s Legacy won the first of two Group 1s and he is now a member of the star-studded roster at Coolmore Stud, while 2021 hero Captivant covered 127 mares at Kia Ora Stud last spring.
This year’s field
Remarkably, five of the runners will race in the China Horse Club silks. They are Don Corleone (Extreme Choice), Militarize, Bases Loaded (Deep Field), Make A Call (Extreme Choice) and Tannhauser (Dundeel NZ}).
The quintet is raced by the Newgate Farm and China Horse Club syndicate. Partners in most, if not all of their horses, include Trilogy Racing, Go Bloodstock (Sir Owen Glenn), Starlight Racing (Jack Wolf), Horse Ventures (Matthew Sandblom), Grant Bloodstock, Aston Bloodstock (Wilf Mula), Nick Vass Bloodstock, Carpe Diem (Ken Lowe), G1G (Tracy Vogel) and Aristia Park (John Guscic).
Militarize ploughed through the wet a fortnight ago to claim a dominant victory in the Sires’ and he again looks hard to hold out. The step up to 1600 metres should pose no challenge to the Chris Waller-trained colt, who again has the services of Joao Moreira.
Gallery: The quintet to run in China Horse Club's silks in the G1 Champagne S.
Militarize is one of three sons of Dundeel lining up in the $600,000 feature, with the other two being the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Townsend and Waller’s Tannhauser.
Second in the Sires’ was the Team Snowden-trained Don Corleone, who has been one of the most consistent 2-year-olds this season. He will make it back-to-back Champagne triumphs for Newgate Farm’s freak stallion Extreme Choice, should he be first across the line.
Godolphin homebred Tom Kitten (Harry Angel {Ire}) is on the back-up from his victory in the Listed Fernhill H. last week and a win would hand his sire a maiden Group 1 success in his first Australian crop. Nash Rawiller stays aboard the James Cummings-trained colt.
Tom Kitten, winner of the Listed Fernhill H. | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
One of the two fillies in the race is the Kris Lees-trained Pier Pressure, who ran third in the Sires’, and the team at Novara Park in New Zealand are sure to be watching her with great interest. She is by Press Statement, the long-time Vinery Stud resident, who will stand at Novara Park (near Cambridge) this breeding season.
Of the seven 2-year-olds that were sold at public auction, Make A Call made the most money, with the Extreme Choice colt realising $825,000, which topped the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale. Bred by Neil Osborne and consigned by Mane Lodge, the colt is from the six-time winner To Dubawi Go (Dubawi {Ire}) and she herself is a half-sister to the stakes-performer Nisos (Excellent Art {GB}).
