Search

Type atleast three letters to find.

Spring Champion Stakes

Australia | FEATURE RACE GUIDE

History

TOM KITTEN winning the Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick in Australia.
TOM KITTEN winning the Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick in Australia. Picture: Steve Hart

The Spring Champion Stakes is a Group 1 race run under Set Weights conditions for three year olds at Randwick conducted by the Australian Turf Club.

The Spring Champion Stakes is run over 2000m. It was first run in 1971 and was won by Gay Icarus.

When the AJC Derby was moved to the Autumn, this race became the Spring equivalent at Randwick. The race was always run on Epsom day but was pushed back one week to make a better fit for the Derby bound stayers. Now it is run a fortnight later making it a week prior to the Derby.

The Spring Champion Stakes was known as the Australasian Champion Stakes before the Spring move.

Has always been at 2000m bar for the one running on the Kensington track in 2001 when at 1800m won by Viking Ruler.

The Spring Champion Stakes was a Principal Race until graded at Group 1 in 1979.

Those to do the Spring Champion/Victoria Derby double are Stylish Century, Nothin' Leica Dane, Monaco Consul and Ace High.

Those to do the Spring Champion/ATC Australian Derby (Autumn) double are Kingston Town, Beau Zam, Fairway, Universal Prince and Dundeel.

Savabeel won the Cox Plate three weeks after the Spring Champion but couldn't win the Derby a week later.

Gloaming Stakes/Spring Champion double – Kingston Town, Best Western, Sir Dapper, Magic Of Sydney, Tie The Knot, Fairway, Dundeel, Complacent, Vanbrugh, Ace High, Shadow Hero, Sharp 'N' Smart.

In 2016, Yankee Rose became the first filly to win the Spring Champion. Only two years later Maid Of Heaven would become the second and then two more years to Montefilia again. Montefilia did become the first Flight Stakes winner to do the double.

2020 saw the subsequent Randwick Guineas winner beat the Rosehill Guineas winner and the Australian Derby winner was back in 5th.

Profondo, by Deep Impact, won the Spring Champion of 2021 at just his third start.

The 2007 race was not held due to the Equine Influenza break out.

The Spring Champion Stakes was worth $2,000,000 in 2024.

Notable winners of the Spring Champion Stakes include Tom Kitten (2023), Sharp 'N' Smart (2022), Montefilia (2020), Shadow Hero (2019), Ace High (2017), Yankee Rose (2016), It's A Dundeel (2012), Monaco Consul (2009), Hotel Grand (2005), Savabeel (2004), Niello (2003), Platinum Scissors (2002), Universal Prince (2000), Fairway (1999), Tie The Knot (1997), Nothin' Leica Dane (1995), Danewin (1994), Coronation Day (1992), St Jude (1990), Stylish Century (1989), Beau Zam (1987), Sir Dapper (1983), Best Western (1981) and Kingston Town (1979).

The 2023 Spring Champion Stakes was won by Tom Kitten from Cap Ferrat and Ganbare.


Racing and Sports

Previous Spring Champion Stakes Winners

Date Horse Jockey WT Trainer BP
TOM KITTEN (AUS) 3C
HARRY ANGEL (IRE) - TRANSFERS (AUS) STREET CRY (IRE)
ADAM HYERONIMUS 56.5 JAMES CUMMINGS 1
SHARP 'N' SMART (NZ) 3G
REDWOOD (GB) - QUEEN MARGARET (NZ) SWISS ACE (AUS)
HUGH BOWMAN 56.5 GRAEME & DEBBIE ROGERSON 8
PROFONDO (AUS) 3C
DEEP IMPACT (JPN) - HONESTY PREVAILS (AUS) REDOUTE'S CHOICE (AUS)
ROBBIE DOLAN 56.5 RICHARD LITT 9
MONTEFILIA (AUS) 3F
KERMADEC (NZ) - BANA WU (GB) SHIROCCO (GER)
JASON COLLETT 54.5 DAVID PAYNE 1
SHADOW HERO (AUS) 3G
PIERRO (AUS) - SOOKIE (AUS) CASINO PRINCE (AUS)
J PARR 56.5 MARK NEWNHAM 2
MAID OF HEAVEN (AUS) 3F
SMART MISSILE (AUS) - ST. THERESE (AUS) DEHERE (USA)
RACHEL KING 54.5 MARK NEWNHAM 6
ACE HIGH (AUS) 3C
HIGH CHAPARRAL (IRE) - COME SUNDAY (AUS) REDOUTE'S CHOICE (AUS)
T ANGLAND 56.5 DAVID PAYNE 4
YANKEE ROSE (AUS) 3F
ALL AMERICAN (AUS) - CONDESAAR (AUS) XAAR (GB)
D YENDALL 54.5 DAVID VANDYKE 8
VANBRUGH (AUS) 3C
ENCOSTA DE LAGO (AUS) - SOHO SECRET (AUS) LUCKY OWNERS (NZ)
G SCHOFIELD 56.5 CHRIS WALLER 6
HAMPTON COURT (AUS) 3C
REDOUTE'S CHOICE (AUS) - ROSES 'N' WINE (CAN) BROKEN VOW (USA)
J PARR 56.5 MS G WATERHOUSE 7
COMPLACENT (AUS) 3C
AUTHORIZED (IRE) - INSOUCIANCE (AUS) QUEST FOR FAME (GB)
C REITH 56.5 PETER SNOWDEN 1
DUNDEEL (NZ) 3C
HIGH CHAPARRAL (IRE) - STAREEL (NZ) ZABEEL (NZ)
JAMES MCDONALD 56.5 MURRAY BAKER & ANDREW FORSMAN 4
DOCTOR DOOM (AUS) 3G
DOMESDAY (AUS) - ORCYM (AUS) ORPEN (USA)
R M QUINN 56.5 G H WALTER 5
EREWHON (AUS) 3G
COMMANDS (AUS) - PSEUDONYM (AUS) QUEST FOR FAME (GB)
HUGH BOWMAN 56.5 PETER SNOWDEN 2
MONACO CONSUL (NZ) 3C
HIGH CHAPARRAL (IRE) - ARGANTE (NZ) STAR WAY (GB)
J FORD 56.5 MICHAEL MORONEY 4
SOUSA (NZ) 3C
GALILEO (IRE) - LIBERTY SONG (IRE) LAST TYCOON (IRE)
C W BROWN 56.5 PETER SNOWDEN 8
TERANABA (AUS) 3C
ANABAA (USA) - TRISTERA (AUS) SIR TRISTRAM (IRE)
L V CASSIDY 56.5 ANTHONY CUMMINGS 8
HOTEL GRAND (AUS) 3C
GRAND LODGE (USA) - TERRESTIAL (AUS) STAR WATCH (AUS)
J FORD 56.5 ANTHONY CUMMINGS 10
SAVABEEL (AUS) 3C
ZABEEL (NZ) - SAVANNAH SUCCESS (AUS) SUCCESS EXPRESS (USA)
C MUNCE 56.5 GRAEME ROGERSON 9
NIELLO (AUS) 3C
OCTAGONAL (NZ) - SHADEA (NZ) STRAIGHT STRIKE (USA)
C W BROWN 56.5 JOHN HAWKES 7
PLATINUM SCISSORS (AUS) 3C
DANEHILL (USA) - SHANTHA'S CHOICE (AUS) CAN'T FIGHT FATE (AUS)
J CASSIDY 56.5 MS G WATERHOUSE 10
VIKING RULER (AUS) 3C
DANEHILL (USA) - TRISTALOVE (NZ) SIR TRISTRAM (IRE)
L BEASLEY 55.5 CLARRY CONNERS 2
UNIVERSAL PRINCE (AUS) 3C
SCENIC (IRE) - BISCAY BIRD (AUS) BLUEBIRD (USA)
J SHEEHAN 55.5 BEDE MURRAY 10

Related News

2024 Spring Champion Stakes: Race History

Good staying form can come from the Spring Champion Stakes run at Randwick on Saturday.

Swiftfalcon on song for G1 Spring Champion

Gloaming Stakes runner-up Swiftfalcon on target for Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes tilt.

El Castello stamps Spring Champion qualities

Anthony Cummings back to the fore as El Castello shows his class in Gloaming Stakes.

Time for Tenbury to step up

Gloaming to decide whether Tenbury Wells goes to Spring Champion or Derby.

Gloaming test for Neasham 3YOs

1800m Rosehill contest to determine Spring Champion Stakes fate of Neasham trio

Ladbrokes Blog: 2024 Hill Stakes Day Preview

The action returns to Rosehill Gardens on Saturday and some quality black type events headline the ten-race program. Hill Stakes Day might not boast a Group 1 feature, but several races on the program almost always figure as key form indicators for the remaining weeks of both the Sydney and Melbourne Spring.

2024 Gloaming Stakes: Race History

A great guide to the Spring Champion comes in the Gloaming Stakes run at Rosehill on Saturday.

Airman claims Everest scalps in Premiere

A look at some of the other angles from Epsom Handicap day at Randwick.

Group One Preview with Chris Scholtz - Epsom Handicap

Chris Scholtz looks at Saturday’s Epsom Handicap at Randwick, one of Australia’s most historic races.

Turnbull test for resurgent Sharp ‘N’ Smart

Graeme Rogerson has seen promising signs that Sharp ‘N’ Smart is rediscovering the form that earned him Horse of the Year honours as a three-year-old, but Saturday’s Gr.1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington will put his resurgence to the test.

Team Rogerson back with Sharp ‘N’ Smart

Smart ‘N’ Smart returns to Flemington for the first time since his defeat as a three-year-old in the Victoria Derby.

Easter sale-topper provides Spring Glow

Easter sale-topper striving to join select group in Flight Stakes

Hawkesbury, Thursday: Colt can progress to stakes ;evel

Brad Widdup, back home after an American trip to the Keeneland yearling sales, is looking to Tenbury Wells ($2.90 favourite on TAB) to stamp himself as Gloaming Stakes material.

Hawkesbury Preview: Thursday, 26th September 2024

Brad Widdup, back home after an American trip to the Keeneland yearling sales, is looking to Tenbury Wells to stamp himself as Gloaming Stakes material.