Spring Champion Stakes 2023 Barrier Draw & Final Field

Bets.com.au Staff

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Last updated: Wed 25 Oct 2023 01:52

Bets.com.au Staff 25 Oct 2023

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The barrier draw has been completed for the Spring Champion Stakes
The 2023 edition will be run on Saturday, October 28 at Randwick
This $2 million dollar Group 1 headlines a big Sydney meeting
The full field can be found below

Raf Attack has drawn barrier 11 in the Spring Champion Stakes. (Getty)

The Spring Champion Stakes is the premier three-year-old staying contest of the Sydney Spring Carnival and this 2000m Group headlines a strong Randwick card on October 28.

Although he has been costly for punters in his last three appearances following a return victory in the Group 3 Up And Coming Stakes, Tom Kitten (barrier 1) has still finished in the money via the Ming Dynasty, Dulcify and Gloaming Stakes.

After covering ground second-up, the Godolphin colt has been set big tasks from back in the field via his last two outings and all performances indicate that he should run out 2000 metres.

The Waterhouse & Bott-trained Raf Attack (barrier 11) arrives off a third-up victory in the Gloaming Stakes, where he held off a late charge from Tom Kitten.

We've already seen the Satono Aladdin progeny successful over staying distances in Australia, with Pennyweka taking out the Australian Oaks in spring, while Raf Attack is closely related to a Geelong Classic winner (Solemn), so the extra furlong looks okay on breeding.

Ganbare (barrier 4) is also prepared by the Waterhouse & Bott yard and this galloper has won two of four starts this campaign, which includes a Listed triumph in the Dulcify Stakes on September 30.

Tutta La Vita (barrier 5) arrives off a last-start third in the Group 1 Flight Stakes and the sole filly in the field has some recent history in her favour, given three of the last seven Spring Champion winners have been fillies (Yankee Rose - 2016, Maid Of Heaven - 2018 and Montefilia - 2020).

Spelled after a breakthrough win in June, the Autumn Sun filly has won a trial since her latest run on September 30 and she gives the impression that 2000m will suit.

Chris Waller has also accepted with Cap Ferrrat (barrier 9) and the ex-Kiwi Medatsu (barrier 7), with the latter having recorded an impressive Australian debut win at Kembla Grange on September 23.

12 runners make up the final field for the 2023 Spring Champion Stakes.

Spring Champion Stakes 2023 Barriers & Final Field

No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight
1	Raf Attack (NZ)	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Regan Bayliss	11	56.5kg
2	Tom Kitten	James Cummings	Adam Hyeronimus	1	56.5kg
3	Ganbare	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Brett Prebble	4	56.5kg
4	Kintyre	Gary Portelli	Dylan Gibbons (a)	3	56.5kg
5	Glad You Think So	John Sargent	Jean Van Overmeire	2	56.5kg
6	Port Lockroy	Annabel Neasham	Ryan Maloney	8	56.5kg
7	Ravello (NZ)	John O'Shea	Tommy Berry	12	56.5kg
8	Cap Ferrat	Chris Waller	Kerrin McEvoy	9	56.5kg
9	Long Genes	Edward Cummings	Tyler Schiller	10	56.5kg
10	Medatsu (NZ)	Chris Waller	Joshua Parr	7	56.5kg
11	Ramble On	Kerry Parker	Jay Ford	6	56.5kg
12	Tutta La Vita	Chris Waller	Jason Collett	5	54.5kg

Spring Champion Stakes Winners

Starting in 1971, the Spring Champion Stakes has been one of the main three-year-old features of the Sydney spring since it was first run.

This event gained Group 1 status in 1979 and as a 2000m feature run ahead of the Victorian Derby and VRC Oaks, it also acts as a main lead-up to those Melbourne staying features.

Montefilia (2020), Profondo (2021) and Sharp 'N' Smart (2022) have won the last three editions of the Spring Champion Stakes.