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The Group 2 2017 Zipping Classic, also known as the Sandown Classic, is a 2400m staying event held at Melbourne’s Sandown Racecourse – now known as Ladbrokes Park – after the Flemington four day Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Worth $300,000 in prize money, the weight-for-age event is held on the same day as the Group 2 Sandown Guineas (1600m) and the Group 3 Sandown Stakes (1500m).

Many of the horses that run in the Sandown Classic will come via the Group 2 Moonee Valley Cup or the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes, as well as the iconic Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) run over the two miles at Flemington on the first Tuesday of November.

The 2017 Zipping Classic was the feature race of Zipping Classic Day run on Saturday November 18, 2017 and was won by The Taj Mahal.

Zipping Classic 2017
Date:	Saturday November 18, 2017
Track:	Sandown Racecourse
Distance:	2400m
Race Type:	Weight-for-age
Status:	Group 2
Prize Money:	$300,000

2017 Zipping Classic Results

• 1st: #8 The Taj Mahal
• 2nd: #1 Almandin
• 3rd: #2 Big Duke

See below for the full Zipping Classic 2017 Results & Finishing Order, following the link to read more on the runaway 3.5 length win by the imported The Taj Mahal who easily accounted for his former Melbourne Cup winning stablemate Almandin (2nd) and the always-honest Darren Weir-trained stayer Big Duke who ran third as the beaten favourite.

Place	#	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Margin	Br.	Weight	SP
1	8	THE TAJ MAHAL	Robert Hickmott	Ben Melham	–	5	56.5kg	$5
2	1	ALMANDIN	Robert Hickmott	Damien Oliver	3.5L	1	59kg	$3.30
3	2	BIG DUKE	Darren Weir	Damian Lane	4.75L	3	59kg	$2.70
4	4	BERISHA	Robert Smerdon	Mark Zahra	5.15L	7	59kg	$15
5	6	SO SI BON	Robbie Laing	Noel Callow	5.9L	6	58kg	$17
6	7	CONSOMMATEUR	Michael Kent	Michael Dee	6L	8	57kg	$21
7	5	DANDY GENT	Terry & Karina O’Sullivan	Dean Yendall	6.1L	4	59kg	$101
8	3	ASSIGN	Robert Hickmott	Kerrin McEvoy	7.1L	2	59kg	$16

2017 Zipping Classic Tips

• 1st: #2 Big Duke
• 2nd: #1 Almandin
• 3rd: #4 Berisha

Read our full Zipping Classic 2017 Tips & Betting Preview by following the link, the Races.com.au team tipping the Darren Weir-trained Melbourne Cup fourth placegetter BIG DUKE ($3.30) who has been outstanding all season. Race favourite ALMANDIN ($2.60) was forgivable in the same two mile classic he won in 2016 and is better coming back to WFA, while BERISHA ($14) looks value for a place hitting peak fitness.

2017 Zipping Classic Betting Odds

The latest Zipping Classic 2017 odds will be listed below complete with links to the markets at Ladbrokes.com.au for you to back our insider Zipping Classic Betting Tips at the right price.

2017 Zipping Classic Field

The Zipping Classic field usually features some talented stayers looking for a final spring Group win. Because the race takes place so late in the spring racing carnival, the Zipping Classic field attracts a host of horses well into their preparation and with plenty of form to look to, including that out of the Melbourne Cup.

The official 2017 Zipping Classic field and barriers are released on the Wednesday prior to the race and will be published in full below.

The Zipping Classic 2017 Final Field attracted only eight acceptors including three for owner Lloyd Williams led by last year’s Melbourne Cup champ Almandin drawn barrier one. Melbourne Cup fourth placegetter Big Duke for Darren Weir is in gate three, while late entry So Si Bon gets the chance to return to form in a final run for 2017.

Read more on the 2017 Zipping Classic Field of Eight Stayers.

#	Form (Last 10)	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight	Hcp. Rating
1	65111×2140	ALMANDIN (GER)	Robert Hickmott	Damien Oliver	1	59kg	111
2	13×5502144	BIG DUKE (IRE)	Darren Weir	Damian Lane	3	59kg	107
3	210x71x045	ASSIGN (IRE)	Robert Hickmott	Kerrin McEvoy	2	59kg	103
4	73×0000295	BERISHA	Robert Smerdon	Mark Zahra	7	59kg	95
5	6x68830x49	DANDY GENT	Terry & Karina O’Sullivan	Dean Yendall	4	59kg	82
6	30×2283300	SO SI BON	Robbie Laing	Noel Callow	6	58kg	95
7	3x3116x598	CONSOMMATEUR (NZ)	Michael Kent	Michael Dee	8	57kg	92
8	2244692504	THE TAJ MAHAL (IRE)	Robert Hickmott	Ben Melham	5	56.5kg	103

2017 Zipping Classic Nominations

The Zipping Classic 2017 Nominations will be announced on the Monday leading-up to Zipping Classic Day at Ladbrokes Park, Sandown, and will be published in full below once released.

The original 2017 Zipping Classic nominations attracted just nine runners, but after entries were extended, a further two stayers are now also entered for the mile and a half showdown. Owner Lloyd Williams, whose galloper Zipping won the race four times and is name the event’s namesake, has the bulk share of Zipping Classic horses in 2017 including last year’s Melbourne Cup winner Almandin.

2017 Zipping Classic Day

Sandown Zipping Classic Day is the feature race day of the year at Sandown’s Ladbrokes Park and it marks the end of the annual Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival. With six Group status races, including the Group 2 Sandown Zipping Classic (2400m) and Group 2 Sandown Guineas (1600m), and four Listed races on the all Black-Type 10 race card – Sandown Classic Day offers top quality racing for fans and punters alike.

Many horses contesting races on Sandown’s Zipping Classic Day have run in some of the main events during the Spring Racing Carnival, including the Melbourne Cup.

Sandown Classic History

The Sandown Classic was first run in 1888 and won by Mara however it was originally named the Williamstown Cup before becoming the Sandown Cup and eventually the Sandown Classic. Over the years, the race distance has increased from 11 furlongs to 12 furlongs and 13 furlongs. Second Wind managed to win the event twice in 1930-31, however the true champion of this race is Zipping with four consecutive wins from 2007 to 2010. Zipping’s four straight wins in the Sandown Classic means that the gelding joins Manikato, Tie The Knot and Lord as the only horses to win the same group race consecutively four or more times.

In 2006, Gallant Guru managed to win the Sandown Classic/Queen Elizabeth Stakes double while Sydeston won the Sandown Classic/Cathay Pacific Airways Cup double in 1989.

Recent Sandown Zipping Classic Winners

Year	Place	Horse	Time
2018 Zipping Classic	1st	TBD	TBD
	2nd	TBD
	3rd	TBD
2017 Zipping Classic	1st	The Taj Mahal	2 minutes 30.09 seconds
	2nd	Almandin
	3rd	Big Duke
2016 Zipping Classic	1st	Beautiful Romance	2 minutes 29.05 seconds
	2nd	Almoonqith
	3rd	Big Orange
2015 Zipping Classic	1st	Who Shot Thebarman	2 minutes 29.1 seconds
	2nd	Tall Ship
	3rd	Do You Remember
2014 Sandown Classic	1st	Au Revoir	2 minutes 32.1 seconds
	2nd	Epingle
	3rd	Prince Of Penzance
2013 Sandown Classic	1st	Sertorius	2 minutes 30.97 seconds
	2nd	Epingle
	3rd	Queenstown
2012 Sandown Classic	1st	Tanby	2 minutes 32.01 seconds
	2nd	Exceptionally
	3rd	Precedence
2011 Sandown Classic	1st	Americain	2 minutes 37.87 seconds
	2nd	Manighar
	3rd	Mourayan
2010 Sandown Classic	1st	Zipping	2 minutes 39.49 seconds
	2nd	Exceptionally
	3rd	Manighar
2009 Sandown Classic	1st	Zipping	2 minutes 32.2 seconds
	2nd	Purple
	3rd	Master O’Reilly
2008 Sandown Classic	1st	Zipping	2 minutes 35 seconds
	2nd	Douro Valley
	3rd	Red Ruler
2007 Sandown Classic	1st	Zipping	2 minutes 33.7 seconds
	2nd	Jukebox Johnny
	3rd	Baughurst
2006 Sandown Classic	1st	Gallant Guru	2 minutes 30.8 seconds
	2nd	Casual Pass
	3rd	Show Barry
2005 Sandown Classic	1st	Roman Arch	2 minutes 33.7 seconds
	2nd	Grey Song
	3rd	Expunge
2004 Sandown Classic	1st	Count Ricardo	2 minutes 37.9 seconds
	2nd	Fantastic Love
	3rd	Media Puzzle
2003 Sandown Classic	1st	Legible	2 minutes 29.8 seconds
	2nd	Distinctly Secret
	3rd	Zazzman
2002 Sandown Classic	1st	Hail	2 minutes 27.9 seconds
	2nd	Hill Of Grace
	3rd	Grey Song
2001 Sandown Classic	1st	Sky Heights	2 minutes 28.3 seconds
	2nd	King Keitel
	3rd	Cinder Bella
2000 Sandown Classic	1st	Brave Chief	2 minutes 24.3 seconds
	2nd	Forgotten Hero
	3rd	Pasta Express