Champagne Stakes Tips & Preview 2023

Looking for Champagne Stakes tips and best bets? We dissect times and form to find the winner of the 2023 Champagne Stakes at Randwick.

CHAMPAGNE STAKES BETTING SNAPSHOT

The two-year-olds stretch out over the 1600m in the Champagne Stakes and it is Militarize and Don Corleone that dominate the market with bet365 after the barrier draw at the $2.40 and $3.60 respectively. 

That pair provided the quinella in the Inglis’ Sires (1400m) on Day One of The Championships at Randwick. Tom Kitten backs up after winning the Fernhill Handicap (1600m) at the track and trip last weekend and is a $10 chance, while Pier Pressure ($12), Amur ($13) and Bases Loaded ($16) head the rest of the 12-horse field. 

CHAMPAGNE STAKES FORM ANALYSIS

The Inglis’ Sires is the obvious form reference for this and Militarize settled just worse than midfield on the Heavy 9 track that day before working into it and exploding in the straight to win by nearly four lengths. 

The Chris Waller-trained galloper went 6.2 lengths faster than standard benchmark, which are the best last start figures of any runner. Don Corleone stuck on gamely and lost no admirers. He produced the fastest 400m to 200m split and the second fastest last 200m behind Militarize. 

Pier Pressure was solid in the run home to finish just under five lengths from the winner. She might have a bit of scope out to the 1600m but has ground to make up. Hard to make a case for Bases Loaded, who led and was beaten nearly seven lengths. 

Five runners are on the one-week back up after battling it out in the Fernhill Handicap at Randwick last weekend. The winner. Tom kitten, went just 2.5 lengths slower than standard benchmark. That was on the back of a very slow tempo up front and the Godolphin contender produced the fastest last 400m and 200m. He can raise the bar and is worth thought. 

The others to come out of the Fernhill are Make A Call, Townsend, Tannhauser and Kintyre with that quartet running 2nd to 5th respectively. Hard to make a call on them as they all need to produce a big personal best. Betting might be the best guide, especially for Tannhauser, who is working up to a win but might need longer. 

Amur is the second of the Godolphin contenders and is another last start winner, joining his stablemate, Tom Kitten. The son of Snitzel has won three of five and claimed the TL Ballieu Handicap (1400m) on March 25 at Rosehill, going 4.9 lengths faster than standard benchmark, which is the second best last start figure of any runner and the third best that any runner in this race has produced. That came on a Good surface and he produced the fastest last 200m. 

CHAMPAGNE STAKES TIPS AND BEST BETS

Militarize is a clear top pick and had the measure of his rivals in the Inglis’ Sires. Can’t see any of the beaten brigade turning things around here. The Sires has usually been the best guide for this race and form and figures from this year’s edition would suggest that is the case, certainly when comparing the Fernhill Handicap runners. Joao Moreira rides and can capture another Sydney Group 1. Best Value lies with Amur. He has improved his figures with every start and is bred to get through the ground. Worth something at the each-way quote.