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The Champagne Classic is a Group 2 race for two-year-olds as a lead-up to the JJ Atkins each Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival.
2020 Champagne Classic Results
- 1st: #1 Rothfire
- 2nd: #7 Isotope
- 3rd: #2 Wild Ruler
Champagne Classic News
- 2020 Victory Stakes Day Scratchings: Eagle Farm Track Report
- 2020 Champagne Classic Betting Update: Isotope Nears Odds-On Quote
- Champagne Classic 2020 Field Down to Eight Runners
- All-In Champagne Classic 2020 Odds: Isotope Clear Favourite
- BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes nominations: Waller’s trio top 3 in betting
The Champagne Classic is a Group 2 race held at Doomben or Eagle Farm Racecourse during the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival. Worth $200,000 in prize money, this 1200m set weight race is open only to two-year-olds and is traditionally held on the same day as the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1200m) in mid-May.
For 2020 the Champagne Classic offered $175,000 in prize money and took place on the same day as the Group 2 Victory Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm with the carnival reduced and most Group 1 races including the Doomben 10,000 card cut from the program due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Champagne Classic is regarded as the best lead-up race to the Group 2 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) held two weeks later and juveniles may then progress onto a mile for the Group 1 JJ Atkins (1600m) on Stradbroke Handicap Day in June.
The 2020 Champagne Classic ran on Saturday May 23, 2020 at Eagle Farm as part of Victory Stakes Day and was won by the Robert Heathcote-trained Rothfire.
| Champagne Classic 2020 | |
|---|---|
| Date: | Saturday May 23, 2020 |
| Track: | Doomben Racecourse (Eagle Farm in 2020) |
| Distance: | 1200m |
| Race Type: | 2YO Open Set Weights |
| Status: | Group 2 |
| Prizemoney: | $200,000 ($175,000 in 2020 due to COVID-19) |
2020 Champagne Classic Results
- 1st: #1 Rothfire
- 2nd: #7 Isotope
- 3rd: #2 Wild Ruler
Trainer Robert Heathcote celebrated his third win in the Champagne Classic 2020 with the race day favourite Rothfire ($2.40) taking his record up to five wins from six starts with an all-the-way victory in the JJ Atkins lead-up.
Click here to read more on the official 2020 Champagne Classic results and race review.
| Color | Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Penalty | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
1 | 1 | ROTHFIRE | Robert Heathcote | Jim Byrne | 2 | 57kg | $2.40F | ||
 |
2 | 7 | ISOTOPE | Tony Gollan | Baylee Nothdurft (a) | 1.3L | 5 | 55kg | $2.90 | |
 |
3 | 2 | WILD RULER | Peter & Paul Snowden | Ryan Maloney | 1.4L | 6 | 57kg | $5 | |
 |
4 | 4 | BEYLIKS | James Cummings | Larry Cassidy | 5.4L | 1 | 57kg | $13 | |
 |
5 | 6 | KUKERACHA (NZ) | Chris Waller | Matthew McGillivray | 7.4L | 3 | 57kg | $21 | |
 |
6 | 8 | KABOOM | Darryl Hansen | Robbie Fradd | 16.4L | 4 | 55kg | $31 | |
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Table Credit: Racing Australia
2020 Champagne Classic Odds
The Champagne Classic 2020 odds and betting market links to Ladbrokes.com.au on the two-years-old feature sprint will be available below the week of the race.
Rothfire ($2.40 in 2020) was the last favourite in Champagne Classic betting to salute for the punters.
2020 Champagne Classic Field
The Champagne Classic field attracts the best two-year-old winter gallopers that may have had an earlier Brisbane run in a race like the Listed Dalrello Stakes (1200m) in late April at Eagle Farm and who are targeting a run in the following month’s JJ Atkins field. Another key lead-up into the Champagne Classic field is the Group 3 Ken Russell Memorial Classic and Sizzling (2012) and Pressday (2010) won both races as well as the Group 1 JJ Atkins taking out the winter 2YO triple crown in Queensland.
The official Champagne Classic 2020 field & barriers are set for release on the Wednesday before race day and will be published in full below.
Click here to read more on the key chances in the 2020 Champagne Classic field and betting markets.
Just eight two-year-olds remain in the 2020 Champagne Classic field following the early scratching of the Chris Waller-trained Overlord (5) with Isotope and Rothfire battling for top spot in betting.
2020 Champagne Classic Scratchings: #3 The Drinks Cart (8), #5 Overlord (5) and #9 Written Beauty (7) have all been withdrawn leaving six runners. Jockey Robbie Fradd was originally named to ride The Drinks Cart, but instead moves to partner Kaboom as a late alteration.
Click here for the full Eagle Farm Scratchings & Victory Stakes Day 2020 Track Report.
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11x112x | ROTHFIRE | Robert Heathcote | Jim Byrne (late alt) | 2 | 57kg | ||
| 2 | 1×2 | WILD RULER | Peter & Paul Snowden | Ryan Maloney | 9 | 57kg | ||
| 4 | 3x3x | BEYLIKS | James Cummings | Larry Cassidy | 1 | 57kg | ||
| 6 | 14 | KUKERACHA (NZ) | Chris Waller | Matthew McGillivray | 3 | 57kg | ||
| 7 | 11 | ISOTOPE | Tony Gollan | Baylee Nothdurft (a) | 6 | 55kg | ||
| 8 | 2 | KABOOM | Darryl Hansen | Robbie Fradd (late alt) | 4 | 55kg | ||
2020 Champagne Classic Nominations
The Champagne Classic 2020 nominations close the Monday leading up to Victory Stakes Day and will be available below giving a good early guide to the juveniles out to contest the Group 2 feature sprint.
The 2020 Champagne Classic nominations attracted a dozen juveniles including Tony Gollan’s undefeated Deep Field filly Isotope chasing a third career win and the returning Robert Heathcote-trained Rothfire.
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 436×21 | ANDERS | C | 2 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
| 2 | 3x3x | BEYLIKS | C | 2 | James Cummings |
| 3 | 12x10x31 | GOTTA KISS | F | 2 | Steven O’Dea |
| 4 | 11 | ISOTOPE | F | 2 | Tony Gollan |
| 5 | 2 | KABOOM | F | 2 | Darryl Hansen |
| 6 | 14 | KUKERACHA (NZ) | C | 2 | Chris Waller |
| 7 | 32 | OVERLORD | C | 2 | Chris Waller |
| 8 | 11x112x | ROTHFIRE | G | 2 | Robert Heathcote |
| 9 | 143×1 | THE DRINKS CART | G | 2 | Toby & Trent Edmonds |
| 10 | 2×71312 | TUMBLER RIDGE | C | 2 | Steven O’Dea |
| 11 | 1×2 | WILD RULER | C | 2 | Peter & Paul Snowden |
| 12 | – | WRITTEN BEAUTY | F | 2 | Bryan & Daniel Guy |
Champagne Classic History
The Champgne Classic was first run in 1982 and won by Peand. The race record of 1:09.36 was set by Gold Edition in 2006 and after starting out as a Listed event, gained its Group 2 status for the first time in the same year.
Plenty of top class juveniles have won the Champagne Classic over the years including Daybreak Lover (1983), Chief De Beers (1994), Court (2008), Sizzling (2012) and Braze Beau (2014).
Champagne Classic Winners Since 2000
| Year | Place | Horse | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Champagne Classic |
1st | Rothfire | 1 minute 10.40 seconds |
| 2nd | Isotope | ||
| 3rd | Wild Ruler | ||
| 2019 Champagne Classic |
1st | Dubious | 1 minute 10.14 seconds |
| 2nd | Czarson | ||
| 3rd | Strasbourg | ||
| 2018 Champagne Classic |
1st | Zousain | 1 minute 10.8 seconds |
| 2nd | Mishani Hustler | ||
| 3rd | Blue Book | ||
| 2017 Champagne Classic |
1st | Tangled | 1 minute 11.87 seconds |
| 2nd | All Too Huiying | ||
| 3rd | Italia Bella | ||
| 2016 Champagne Classic |
1st | Winning Rupert | 1 minute 09.5 seconds |
| 2nd | Attention | ||
| 3rd | Souchez | ||
| 2015 Champagne Classic |
1st | Blueberry Hill | 1 minute 09.9 seconds |
| 2nd | Wicked Intent | ||
| 3rd | Pepperano | ||
| 2014 Champagne Classic |
1st | Brazen Beau | 1 minute 09.8 seconds |
| 2nd | Looks Like The Cat | ||
| 3rd | Shaumari | ||
| 2013 Champagne Classic |
1st | Vo Heart | 1 minute 12.15 seconds |
| 2nd | Vilanova | ||
| 3rd | Global Dream | ||
| 2012 Champagne Classic |
1st | Sizzling | 1 minute 09.9 seconds |
| 2nd | Academus | ||
| 3rd | Dances on Stars | ||
| 2011 Champagne Classic |
1st | Free Wheeling | 1 minute 10.5 seconds |
| 2nd | Dr Ichi | ||
| 3rd | Hot Snitzel | ||
| 2010 Champagne Classic |
1st | Pressday | 1 minute 09.9 seconds |
| 2nd | Spirit Of Boom | ||
| 3rd | Buffering | ||
| 2009 Champagne Classic |
1st | Funtantes | 1 minute 9.7 seconds |
| 2nd | Trim | ||
| 3rd | Impulsive Dream | ||
| 2008 Champagne Classic |
1st | Court | 1 minute 10.8 seconds |
| 2nd | Captain Fantastic | ||
| 3rd | Cat D’Antibes | ||
| 2007 Champagne Classic |
1st | Keiki | 1 minute 10.2 seconds |
| 2nd | Key Bar Nights | ||
| 3rd | Diamond Deck | ||
| 2006 Champagne Classic |
1st | Gold Edition | 1 minute 9.3 seconds |
| 2nd | Ghetto Blaster | ||
| 3rd | Silent Power | ||
| 2005 Champagne Classic |
1st | Virage de Fortune | 1 minute 10.3 seconds |
| 2nd | Kincharm | ||
| 3rd | Well Noted | ||
| 2004 Champagne Classic |
1st | Golden Fox | 1 minute 10.3 seconds |
| 2nd | Star Shiraz | ||
| 3rd | Our Sweet Dreams | ||
| 2003 Champagne Classic |
1st | Shamekha | 1 minute 10.8 seconds |
| 2nd | In Top Swing | ||
| 3rd | Sir Success | ||
| 2002 Champagne Classic |
1st | Lovely Jubly | 1 minute 10.5 seconds |
| 2nd | Yell | ||
| 3rd | Verstak | ||
| 2001 Champagne Classic |
1st | Dolce Veloce | 1 minute 9.8 seconds |
| 2nd | Dutch Harry | ||
| 3rd | Jar Jar Binks | ||
| 2000 Champagne Classic |
1st | Chenar | 1 minute 10.4 seconds |
| 2nd | Centona | ||
| 3rd | Rapid Man | ||
