History Of The Champion Fillies Stakes
14 November, 2018
Thoroughbred
CHAMPION FILLIES STAKES OVERVIEW
- The first Champion Fillies Stakes was run in 1946 and won Burabudy, a filly trained by H.W.Campbell and ridden by Bob Morley.
- The fillies sire was Lawmaker, her dam, Winbyie and the inaugural race was run in a time of 1.39.00sec.
TRAINER
- Ted McAuliffe, Len Morton and Colin Hayes have won the Champion Fillies Stakes on four occasions.
- McAuliffe enjoyed success with Prediction (1950), Copper Beech (1953), Blue Rose (1960) & Astra Vista (1962).
- Hayes won his first Champion Fillies with Fondness (1974) and followed up with a trifecta in the mid-1980s: Frivolous Lad (1982), Taj Bell (1983) & Entrancing (1984).
- Hayes’ son David joined his father on the Champion Fillies Stakes honour roll when he prepared Catechuchu in 2007.
- Surfside Lady (1988) launched Morton’s quartet of winners. Zabanella followed in 1993, Mercurial Madam (1996) and Ellendale (2000).
- Morton’s son Dan ensured the family connection continued when he prepared Samovare in 2016.
- Grant Williams has recorded three winners: Dreamaway (2011), Delicacy (2015) & Perfect Reflection (2017).
- Williams’ partner and co-trainer Alana rode runaway winner of the 2004 Champion Fillies Stakes: Stormy Nova for trainer, Vern Brockman.
JOCKEYS
- Frank ‘Tiger’ Moore, Frank Treen, Mark Sestich and Paul Harvey share the Champion Fillies Stakes riding record with four wins.
- Moore became the first hoop to go back-to-back when he combined with Jennie (1949) and Prediction (1950). Dawdie gave him a third victory in 1955 before winning his fourth aboard, Polo Jane (1969).
- Treen took out his first Champion Fillies on Chestnut Lady (1952), Maniana (1954), Muette (1965) & Fair Dollar (1966) followed.
- Sestich enjoyed a dominant period in the 80s, winning three races on All There Is (1981), Another Omen (1987), Lady Of Battle (1989) before landing his fourth aboard Zabanella (1994).
- Harvey piloted home Mercurial Madam (1996), Spirit Lady (2004), Eight Till Late (2011) and Fuddle Dee Duddle (2012).
- William Pike and Jason Brown are one win away from sharing the Champion Fillies race record.
- Pike scored his wins on Danebeela (2008), Dreamaway (2010) and Perfect Reflection (2015).
- Brown combined with Strip The Moon (1990), Chancery Star (1992) and Prime Again (1993).
BARRIERS
- Barrier three and five have been successful on seven occasions.
- Barrier two has won six times.
- Barrier one has recorded five wins.
LEAD-UP RACES
- Since 2000 and the past 18 editions of the Champion Fillies Stakes, six have come through and won their previous race. Perfect Reflection was the last to achieve the double when she took out the Belgravia Stakes in 2015.
- Five have been placed including four out of the past eight years and two in succession: Art Series (2017) and Samovare (2016).
- Since 2000 no horse has finished further back than seventh at their previous start before going on to win the Champion Fillies Stakes.
MARGIN
- The Vern Brockman-trained Stormy Nova holds the biggest winning margin since 2000 when she romped in by 4 ¼ lengths.
FAVOURITES
- The Champion Fillies Stakes has generally not been a kind race for favourites with two winners in the last decade: Miss Rose De Lago (2013) and Delicacy (2014).
ON PACE
- The Champion Filles has traditionally been won by horses in the front half of the field. In the past decade only two backmarkers have been successful: Fuddle Dee Duddle (2012) and Eight Till Late (2011).
Julio Santarelli