2022 Darley Champions Sprint Barrier Draw & Final Field

Justin Darcy

Editor

Last updated: Tue 01 Nov 2022 23:38

Justin Darcy 01 Nov 2022

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The barrier draw has been conducted for the 2022 Darley Champions Sprint
15 runners make up the final field
The Darley Champions Sprint is the Group One sprint for the best horses in the land

Nature Strip won the 2021 Darley Champions Sprint. (Getty)

The 2022 Darley Champions Sprint is a Group One 1200m sprint run on the last day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

We see the clash of Everest winner Giga Kick (barrier seven) and world champion sprinter Nature Strip (barrier 12) down the famous straight.

A sight for sore eyes, Giga Kick will be looking to storm home late while Nature will be out in front and looking to secure his title has the best sprinter in the country.

We can't forget about ripping little mare Bella Nipotina (barrier four) who won her first Group One in dominant fashion in the Manikato Stakes last start.

Masked Crusader (barrier 11) would be a chance if he found his very best form from last year while Kiwi star Levante (barrier 14) has to be a place chance with her strong form.

Darley Champions Sprint 2022 Barriers & Final Field

No	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight
1	NATURE STRIP	Chris Waller	James McDonald	12	58.5kg
2	MASKED CRUSADER	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	TBA	11	58.5kg
3	THE INFERNO	Cliff Brown	John Allen	1	58.5kg
4	ROTHFIRE	Robert Heathcote	Luke Nolen	8	58.5kg
5	PAULELE	James Cummings	TBA	9	58.5kg
6	FRONT PAGE	Geoff Duryea	Ben Melham	3	58.5kg
7	THE ASTROLOGIST	Leon & Troy Corstens	Nash Rawiller	10	58.5kg
8	BALLER	Tony Gollan	Mark Zahra	5	58.5kg
9	BELLA NIPOTINA	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	Ms Jamie Kah	4	56.5kg
10	SEPTEMBER RUN	Chris Waller	Damien Oliver	13	56.5kg
11	ROCH ’N’ HORSE (NZ)	Michael Moroney	Jamie Mott	6	56.5kg
12	LEVANTE (NZ)	Ken & Bev Kelso	Michael Dee	14	56.5kg
13	ARGENTIA	Anthony & Sam Freedman	TBA	15	56.5kg
14	GIGA KICK	Clayton Douglas	Craig Williams	7	53.5kg
15	LOFTY STRIKE	Julius Sandhu	Craig Newitt	2	53.5kg

Darley Champions Sprint Winners

The Darley Champions Sprint was inaugurated in 1960 and became a Group One race less than 20 years later.

The race is considered Melbourne’s best sprint races and one is Australia’s finest short course events.

Run under weight-for-age conditions, the Darley Champions Sprint has gone by the names the Patinack Farm Classic, the Darley Classic and the Salinger Stakes over the journey.

The stake of $2 million is enough to attract the big players and after being originally run on the first day of the carnival, it was changed to the final day in 2006.

One of the most famous wins came from Black Caviar who recorded back-to-back wins in 2010 and 2011.