The very first running of the AJC Champagne Stakes was in 1966 over 1400m and won by Fishook, which would win the Sydney Cup the following season as a three-year-old.

The next fourteen runnings would be held over 1000m until Spinningdale prevailed over 1200m in 1881.

1882 saw Navigator win over 1000m and then the race went back to 1200m for the next eighty-eight years.

Anjudy won over 1600m in 1972 and the open juvenile G1 feature has remained at that distance ever since.

Some notable types have won the Champagne Stakes before going onto greater heights, whether it is on the track or at stud.

Florence (1870), Robinson Crusoe (1876), Chester (1877), Bargo (1884), Uralla (1885), Acmena (1894), Coil (1896), Malt King (1909), Furious (1921), Heroic (1924), Manfred (1925), Hall Mark (1933), Ajax (1937), High Caste (1939), Flight (1943), True Course (1950), Todman (1957), Sky High (1960), Vain (1969), Baguette (1970), Vivarchi (1976), Luskin Star (1977), Rose Of Kingston (1981), Red Anchor (1984), Bounding Away (1986), Tierce (1991) and Intergaze (1996).

Todman, Sky High, Vain, Baguette, Luskin Star and Tierce are more modern successful sires noted at being speedsters and producing slick young horses.

Vain won the 1969 Champagne Stakes by 10 lengths and ran a stunning 1:09.2.

Sky High, an AAMI Golden Slipper winner too as a juvenile, would sweep all before him as a three-year-old and win the VRC Derby, an All-Aged Stakes and an Epsom Handicap, amongst many wins.

He was the first of two former Slipper winners to stand at George Ryder-controlled stud but surprisingly was not popular with local broodmare owners.

Two year later he would be sold to stud in America and do extremely well including leaving the half million-dollar earner Autobiography.

The Champagne Stakes being run over 1600m, was a chance on the final day of the AJC carnival for the two-year-olds that were not just speed horses, to show their worth.

It probably was not until the 1980's onwards that we saw the AAMI Golden Slipper winner struggle to take out this race, with just three completing the double.

Bounding Away (1986), Tierce (1991) and Burst (1992) are the three dual winners.

A glimpse towards the three-year-old classics was clearly taking place and the dominant Red Anchor for trainer Tommy Smith in 1984 was a grand example.

He would win a Caulfield Guineas, VRC Derby and W.S. S. Cox Plate in the spring as a three-year-old.

Sky Chase in 1987 went on to greater deeds as a three-year-old and as a sire, with the son of Star Way (GB) leaving the heavenly racehorse Saintly, a winner of the Australian Cup, W.S. Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup in 1996.

The 1990 winner of the Champagne Stakes was a Marscay filly called Triscay, and as a three-year-old she would win the AJC Oaks, Queensland Oaks and the Australian Guineas.

Intergaze won in 1996 and would prove to be a durable racehorse winning a further seven G1 races including a Canterbury Guineas as a three-year-old and then as an older horse two Queen Elizabeth Stakes, an Underwood Stakes, an Australian Cup and an All-Aged Stakes, to pick out a few highlights.

The last five or six years has seen a return to the more sprinter-miler at best winners.

Logic tells you sheer brilliance of your year can get you to win over 1600m but not necessarily mean a middle distance or further career would come thereafter.

Since the inception of the race it has not been too many years between hardly heard of sorts since, until a juvenile of the highest order goes on to win the Champagne Stakes.

The stamina influence has been bred out of our two-year-olds thanks largely to the influence George Ryder and his vision bestowed on the breeding and racing circles.

The AAMI Golden Slipper is the richest juvenile race in the world and the need to breed speed has often been associated with greed but no one in thoroughbred racing denies you go where the money is.

The late 1800's and first half of the twentieth century saw stamina and longevity, a key trait amongst the great gallopers, but for the last three decades concentration on the big purses for young horses and then stud potential is the ultimate consideration.

Thoroughbred racing though has the habit of throwing up exceptions to the rule however and the makings of a future staying star as a three-year-old and older horse, is usually found in the latter part of the season.

Autumn and winter campaigns are often the making of many an improving two-year-old towards his three-year-old career and even further towards Cup and WFA racing as an older horse.

The 1600m Champagne Stakes allows juveniles to find their probable calling and give rise to a spring campaign as a miler, middle distance or staying three-year-old.

Its place on the racing calendar, is as important long term, as any other G1 juvenile feature but for vastly different reasons.