The Spring Champion Stakes at a glance
THE SPRING CHAMPION STAKES – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Group One, 2000m, $500,000, set-weight, three-year-olds. Run at Randwick on Saturday, October 7, 4.10pm
HISTORY
* First run in 1971 and won by Gay Icarus
* Prior to 1978 it was run in autumn as the Australasian Champion Stakes
BIGGEST NAMES TO WIN IT
* Yankee Rose (2016), It’s A Dundeel (2012), Tie The Knot (1997), Nothin’ Leica Dane (1995), Stylish Century (1989), Beau Zam (1987), Sir Dapper (1983) and Kingston Town (1979)
TALKING POINTS
* Ace High is the $3.50 favourite to win after a 1-1/4 length victory in the Group Three Gloaming Stakes (1800m)
* Godolphin’s Sanctioned was runner-up in the Gloaming Stakes on September 23, and is at $4.40 with the TAB
* It will be the second Group One start for Chris Waller-trained colt Tangled, on the third line of betting at $5.50
* The three leading colts mean Yankee Rose (first in 2016) is likely to hold her spot as the only filly to have ever won, with Coral Coast ($16) of Melbourne trainer Stuart Webb the only filly in Saturday’s field of 10
HISTORY SAYS
* The Gloaming Stakes at Rosehill is the traditional lead-up race and has produced the winners of three of the past five Spring Champion Stakes: It’s A Dundeel (2012), Complacent (2013) and Vanburgh (2015)
* Those without the double – Sweynesse (2014) and Veladero (2016) – came third and fourth respectively in the Spring Champion
KEY QUOTES
* “We’re happy, he’s ticking over. I’d think he’ll be thereabouts for sure” – Ace High’s trainer David Payne
* “He’s not really banking on luck. He makes his own luck by putting himself there. I know he can stay and a few others have a little bit of a question mark” – Ace High’s jockey Tye Angland
* “In five starts to date he’s not shirked the task once. He’s finished in the placings every time” – trainer James Cummings on Sanctioned, his top Godolphin runner in the Spring Champion ahead of Astoria
* “His run on Saturday was the run of a winner” – Tangled’s trainer Chris Waller