Spring Champions Stakes race info, past winners & 2023 preview

The Spring Champion Stakes 2023 unfolded on Saturday, October 28, 2023, Picture Shutterstock

This article is in partnership with Ladbrokes.

The Spring Champions Stakes, a pivotal Group 1 racing event for three-year-old thoroughbred horses, takes place annually on a Saturday in late October as part of the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.

In 2022, the horse Sharp 'N' Smart emerged as the victor of this race.

The race serves as a precursor to the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) held at Flemington, with many of the young horses likely to compete there. The prize money for this race doubled in 2022 to a total of $2 million, and the race is conducted over a distance of 2000m at the Royal Randwick Racecourse.

Two Spring Champion Stakes winners, Monaco Consul (2009) and Ace High (2017), have gone on to win the Victoria Derby. Additionally, Prized Icon, who came third in the Spring Champion Stakes in 2015, secured victory in the VRC Derby in the same year. The Spring Champion Stakes race concludes the Group 1 racing for the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival.

Sharp 'N' Smart, the winner of the Spring Champion Stakes in 2022, ran up to the second place in the Victoria Derby results. The Spring Champion Stakes Day coincides with the day Melbourne hosts the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m).

The Group 3 Gloaming Stakes (1800m) at Rosehill, held earlier in the spring, is a key event leading into the Randwick Group 1. The Gloaming Stakes - Spring Champion Stakes double has been achieved by horses such as Sharp 'N' Smart (2022), Shadow Hero (2019), Ace High (2017), and Vanbrugh (2015).

Two weeks prior to the Spring Champion Stakes Day in 2023, the $20 million The Everest race, known as the world's richest turf race, will take place. The Spring Champion Stakes Day also features the $2 million The Invitation (1400m) race for fillies and mares and the newly renamed Group 2 $1 million Callander-Presnell (1600m) - previously known as the Stan Fox Stakes.

In 2020, Montefilia, the winner of the Spring Champion Stakes, made history as the first Flight Stakes winning filly to achieve a back-to-back victory. She further validated the Spring Champion Stakes form by placing third in the VRC Oaks that spring and finishing third in the subsequent autumn's Rosehill Guineas. The following year, the Flight Stakes winner, Never Been Kissed, came in second in the 2021 Spring Champion Stakes results.

The latest edition of the Spring Champion Stakes took place on Saturday, October 28, 2023, in Sydney, coinciding with the day Melbourne hosted the $5 million Cox Plate at The Valley. On this day, racegoers witnessed the favourite, Tom Kitten ($2.50F), from the Godolphin stable, storming to victory.

2023 Spring Champion Stakes results

The Spring Champion Stakes 2023 unfolded on Saturday, October 28, 2023, with the final results and order of finishing available here post-race. Tom Kitten, the 2023 Spring Champion Stakes victor, outperformed his competitors, clinching a well-deserved Group 1 victory in Sydney. The camera lens of Steve Hart captured his triumphant moment beautifully. Tom Kitten emerged first (#2), followed by Cap Ferrat (#8) in second place, and Ganbare (#3) bagging third.

Tom Kitten, trained by James Cummings and under the expert guidance of jockey Adam Hyeronimus, delivered an exceptional race performance, winning with ease and setting the bar high for the upcoming VRC Derby bid on November 4 at Flemington. The odds-on favourite at $2.50, Tom Kitten demonstrated his racing prowess in the 2023 Spring Champion Stakes.

The 2023 Moët & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes results, as of October 28, 2023, are as follows: Tom Kitten (#2), trained by James Cummings and ridden by Adam Hyeronimus, led the pack at 56.5kg and a starting price of $2.50.

He was followed by Cap Ferrat (#8, 56.5kg, $15.00), trained by Chris Waller and ridden by Kerrin McEvoy, who finished 3.7L behind. Ganbare (#3, 56.5kg, $14.00), trained by G Waterhouse & A Bott and ridden by Brett Prebble, finished third, 4.6L behind.

The remaining horses followed, with Tutta La Vita (#12) in fourth place, Port Lockroy (#6) fifth, Raf Attack (#1) sixth, Kintyre (#4) seventh, Ravello (#7) eighth, Ramble On (#11) ninth, Glad You Think So (#5) tenth, Medatsu (#10) eleventh, and Long Genes (#9) twelfth.

2023 Spring Champion Stakes odds

Here are the final odds for the 2023 Moët & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes, which began on October 28, 2023:

Raf Attack, ridden by Regan Bayliss and trained by G Waterhouse & A Bott, had odds of 7.00 for a win and 2.25 for a place. Tom Kitten, the eventual champion, ridden by Adam Hyeronimus and trained by James Cummings, entered the race with odds of 2.50 for a win and 1.30 for a place. Ganbare, ridden by Brett Prebble and trained by G Waterhouse & A Bott, held odds of 14.00 for a win and 3.70 for a place. Kintyre, ridden by Dylan Gibbons and trained by Gary Portelli, had odds of 23.00 to win and 5.50 for a place.

Glad You Think So, ridden by Jean Van Overmeire and trained by J G Sargent, had odds of 19.00 to win and 4.60 for a place. Port Lockroy, ridden by Ryan Maloney and trained by Annabel Neasham, had odds of 8.50 for a win and 2.60 for a place.

Ravello, ridden by Tommy Berry and trained by John O'Shea, was listed at 23.00 for a win and 5.50 for a place. Cap Ferrat, ridden by Kerrin McEvoy and trained by Chris Waller, was listed at 15.00 for a win and 3.80 for a place. Long Genes, ridden by Tyler Schiller and trained by Edward Cummings, held odds of 61.00 for a win and 11.00 for a place. Medatsu, ridden by Josh Parr and trained by Chris Waller, had odds of 16.00 for a win and 4.00 for a place.

Ramble On, ridden by Jay Ford and trained by Kerry Parker, entered with odds of 151.00 for a win and 21.00 for a place. Finally, Tutta La Vita, ridden by Jason Collett and trained by Chris Waller, was listed at 6.00 for a win and 2.05 for a place.

Spring Champion Stakes Race info

The Spring Champion Stakes unfolded on October 28, 2023, which was a Saturday. The grand event took place at the esteemed Royal Randwick Racecourse. The competition involved a challenging distance of 2,000 metres.

The race conditions stipulated set weights and were exclusively open to three-year-olds. The stakes were high, as this was a Group 1 status race, with a hefty prize purse of $2,000,000 up for grabs. This prestigious race has a rich history, with its inaugural run dating back to 1971.

Make sure to to ensure you make the most informed betting decisions. Stay updated on all the latest news and analysis leading up to the race, including interviews with trainers and jockeys, track conditions, and previous results. The Spring Champion Stakes is not one to be missed, as it showcases some of Australia's best three-year-old talent racing towards glory in a thrilling display of speed, stamina, and determination.

Spring Champion Stakes betting

Betting for the Spring Champion Stakes initiates shortly after nominations are accepted, providing all-in odds prior to the finalisation of the official lineup. The odds for the Spring Champion Stakes become more stable once the contenders are announced, offering bettors a safer gamble at a comparatively prudent rate.

The odds are typically influenced by the top-ranking participants from the preceding Gloaming Stakes, making the Gloaming Stakes to Spring Champion Stakes betting option quite popular.

Three-year-old horses with a proven track record of 1800m or more and impressive recent performances in the Sydney spring are usually the prime picks for betting in the Spring Champion Stakes. However, recent records suggest that favourites have not been faring well. Prior to Vanbrugh's win in 2015, the last favourite to clinch victory was Platinum Scissors (2002), trained by Gai Waterhouse.

The tide turned for punters' choices with Ace High's success in 2017, followed by Shadow Hero in 2019. Montefilia, Profondo, and Tom Kitten, the favourites in 2020 and 2023, respectively, have reinstated the winning streak for the punters' selections over recent years.

Past Spring Champion Stakes winners

The history of Spring Champion Stakes winners and place-getters provides a fascinating look into the competitive spirit of this celebrated race.

In 2023, Tom Kitten took the title, followed by Cap Ferrat and Ganbare, with a race time of 2:01.28. The previous year, 2022, saw Sharp 'N' Smart in first place, Elliptical in second, and She's Extreme in third, clocking in at 2:07.5. Profondo, Never Been Kissed, and Alegron made up the top three in 2021 with a time of 2:01.7. Montefilia led in 2020, followed by Lion's Roar and Bucharest, finishing in 2:01.4.

In 2019, Shadow Hero outran Castelvecchio and Battenburg, concluding the race in 2:00.7. Maid Of Heaven, Aramayo, and Thinkin' Big held the top three positions in 2018, clocking in at 2:05.5. Ace High took home the trophy in 2017, followed by Tangled and Sully in a time of 2:03.9. Yankee Rose, Swear, and Prized Icon were the top performers in 2016, finishing in 2:02.4. In 2015, Vanbrugh outran I'm Belucci and Man Of Choice, with a time of 2:02.8.

Going further back, the winners and place-getters continued to showcase their racing expertise, with Universal Prince, Falls The Shadow, and Go Bint leading the race in 2000, concluding in 2:05.1. It is clear from this historical data that the Spring Champion Stakes has a tradition of fierce competition and thrilling performances.

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