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The $1.5 million Group 1-Schweppes All Aged Stakes and $600,000 Gr 1-Moët & Chandon Champagne Stakes feature at Royal Randwick this Saturday on the final day of a record-breaking Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.
Along with four other Group races, Saturday's 10-race card completes six weeks of world-class carnival racing, with more than $41m in prizemoney won.
The Schweppes All Aged Stakes – increased in prizemoney this Carnival by $900,000 – has attracted a stellar field of 12 runners which includes seven individual Group 1 winners including the reigning TAB Everest (Giga Kick) and Golden Rose (Jacquinot) champions, and an international runner from Japan (Ho O Amazon).
The $600,000 Moët & Chandon Champagne Stakes sees Inglis Sires' winner Militarize look to give Sydney's 12-time premiership trainer Chris Waller a clean sweep of the Triple Crown for two-year-olds, with stablemate Tannhauser also lining up.
Australian Turf Club Executive General Manager Racing and Wagering, James Ross said Saturday's meeting capped a highly successful Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival broadcast to more than 60 countries.
"The 160th running of the Schweppes All Aged Stakes is one of the best renewals featuring seven individual Group 1 winners who together have won 16 Group 1 races and career prizemoney of just on $60 million," Mr Ross said.
"This race now worth $1.5 million continues to be one of the strongest and highest rating races each Sydney autumn and it is pleasing to see such a strong line-up of Australian Group 1 winners alongside a Japanese entrant in Ho O Amazon for Yoshito Yahagi and Japanese jockey Ryusei Sakai.
"The Moët & Chandon Champagne Stakes brings together the first three placegetters from the Inglis Sires' and the winners of key pathways in the Fernhill and TL Baillieu to decide the first Group 1 winner for two-year-olds over the mile."
TAB Everest champion Giga Kick for trainer Clayton Douglas and jockey Craig Williams opens a well-backed $3.60-$3 TAB favourite in the Schweppes All Aged Stakes – the three-year old coming off the back of a close second to stunning Furphy TJ Smith Stakes winner I Wish I Win.
Four-time Group 1 winner Zaaki for trainer Anabel Neasham and jockey James McDonald is $4.60-$5.50 second favourite as he looks to smash through $10m in career prizemoney. Zaaki has won four times first-up and is unbeaten over the Royal Randwick 1400m.
Another star three-year-old in Jacquinot (Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr/Chad Schofield) is $8 ahead of last year's second and third placegetters in the TAB Everest in Private Eye (Joe Pride/Brenton Avdulla-$8.50) and Mazu (Peter and Paul Snowden/Sam Clipperton) at $8.
2022 Schweppes All Aged Stakes winner Cascadian for James Cummings and Nash Rawiller is aiming to be the 12th multiple winner in the race's history, and is $11 in early TAB betting.
Militarize for Chris Waller and star international jockey Joao Moreira is a $2.80-$2.30 early TAB favourite as the colt aims to be the 42nd horse to complete the Sires'/Champagne double. Runners from the Inglis Sires' have also produced 17 winners in the past 20 renewals.
Don Corleone (Peter & Paul Snowden and James McDonald) who has run fourth in the Longines Golden Slipper and second in the Inglis Sires' is a well-supported $4.60-$3.50 TAB second pick. Tom Kitten (James Cummings and Nash Rawiller) at $11-$9.50 is next in betting.
Fifteen of the past 20 winners of The Moët & Chandon Champagne Stakes have been in the first three horses in the betting markets.
Saturday also sees four Group 3 races – the $200,000 Toyota Forklifts Frank Packer Plate, $200,000 MostynCopper James H B Carr Stakes, $200,000 TAB Hall Mark Stakes and $200,000 Sharp Extensive IT JRA Plate.
