The Canterbury Guineas is one of the few time-honoured events to retain its name since its inception in 1935, when taken out by Hadrian.

The first 21 years of the running of this three-year-old staying classic was contested over 1800m before the one and only time it was held over 2000m.

The year was 1957 and the much-revered Todman, a son of Star Kingdom (IRE) and the Golden Slipper winner from the year previously, prevailed and cemented his place in history.

Todman would end up a proven sire and left the dual G1 winner Imposing, which would leave a plethora of G1 winners himself.

The Canterbury Guineas then reverted back to the 1800m and in 1959 it would be won by Martello Towers, a son of Gaekwar's Pride (GB) that would go on to take out the Sydney three-year-old Triple Crown.

Just how hard it is to win the Canterbury Guineas, Rosehill Guineas and AJC Derby treble is shown that the only other three horses to do it were Mooreland (1943), Imagele (1970) and the great Octagonal in 1996.

The Canterbury Guineas flirted with 1850m at times until 1976 when the 1900m distance was first adopted.

Belmura Lad won it in 1977 and would win the AJC Derby too plus come out over 1980-81 and win a further three times at G1 level.

There was no running in 1978 but the Guineas stayed over the 1900m until 1997-1999, when it went back to 1800m until finally going back to the 1900m, of which it remains today.

The illuminated Canterbury Park track now also now means this race is the only G1 event held under lights in New South Wales.

The last five winners have been Sydney trained three-year-olds, despite much inter-state competition and regular New Zealand visitors taking on the race.

New Zealand trained runners have a good record in the race and went through a golden period in the 80's with Ring The Bell (1981), (Mr) McGinty beating Veloso in (1983), Beechcraft (1984), the top filly Tidal Light (1987) ridden by Lance O'Sullivan.

There was good success in the 90's too with the mighty Veandercross scoring in 1992 for rider Jimmy Walker.

Veandercross beat Naturalism but that horse turned around and beat him in both the Rosehill Guineas and the AJC Derby.

Kingston Bay won in 1993 then Western Red prevailed the following year and the last New Zealand winner and a filly too, was Tycoon Lil in 1998, winning by five lengths for rider Grant Cooksley and trainer Colin Jillings.

Three winners in the last seven years have gone on to take out the AJC Derby, namely Octagonal (1996), Fairway (2000) and Universal Prince in 2001.

Octagonal won the Canterbury Guineas as a 4/9 favourite and then went on to beat Saintly in the Rosehill Guineas and AJC Derby, in what was a very strong three-year-old crop.

Filante and Nothin' Leica Dane were also never far away in those races, to show what a wonderful three-year-old crop it really was that season.

Octagonal developed a cult status, as he cut a swathe through the group races as a three and four-year-old and is now a super sire, leaving potential champions such as Lonhro.

John Hawkes made it three winners in the last eight years, with the filly Fine Society scoring brilliantly last year.

Octagonal and Arena were the two other Hawkes winners, with the latter scoring for Larry Cassidy, and then going on to finish second in the AJC Derby.

Brian Mayfield-Smith, Jack Denham and Colin Jillings have won the race twice since in the last 25 years.

Rare Form (1982) and Riverina Charm (1989) won for Mayfield-Smith, with the latter filly also going on to take out the Rosehill Guineas.

Jimmy Cassidy rode Interstellar (1990) and Brian York was on Fairway (2000) for the Denham stable.

Interstellar ended up as the sire of Yippyio, a multiple group performing stayer for Denham, while Fairway flopped badly in the Rosehill Guineas but came out and won the AJC Derby comfortably after leading, as he had done at Canterbury in the Guineas.

Mr. McGinty and Tycoon Lil scored for Takanini and New Zealand training legend Colin Jillings.

The riders Jimmy Cassidy (Interstellar, Carnegie Express), Grant Cooksley (Kingston Bay, Tycoon Lil) and Brian York (St. Jude, Fairway) have won the Canterbury Guineas twice since 1990.

Some future champions have won the Canterbury Guineas and some have been beaten in it too.

In 1997 Intergaze held out a big powerful late maturing type by the name of Might And Power, who went on to become the most dominant fast stayer of his era with wins in the Caulfield and Melbourne Cup, as a four-year-old.

In 2002 the race was a classic, with the then Gai Waterhouse trained Carnegie Express winning brilliantly for rider Jimmy Cassidy in a messy run race.

Carnegie Express had swept all before him prior and went into the AJC Derby as looking nigh on unbeatable but Don Eduardo, courtesy of a perfectly timed finish from rider Damien Oliver, topped him off near the post to deny him the Triple Crown.

The last five runnings of the Canterbury Guineas have provided two AJC Derby winners and two runners up.

The G1 1900m race, now runner under lights, breaks open the gap between the three-year-olds that can sprint and those that can quicken but stick on as well.

Veandercross and Fairway would go on to place in the Caulfield Cup as older horses with the former sensationally beaten in the hands of Shane Dye, when taken very wide out nearing the turn.

Last year saw the Marscay filly Fine Society come with a withering run from the rear group and actually gap her rivals the last 50m to win by over two lengths for rider Corey Brown and trainer John Hawkes.

The Canterbury Guineas is an important middle distance race for the autumn three-year-olds and a chance to claim the supremacy edge leading into the Rosehill Guineas (2000m) and then the AJC Derby (2400m).