Co-trainer Peter Snowden celebrated his incredible fifth success in the Group 1 $500,000 Champagne Stakes (1600m) in 2021 with jockey James McDonald guiding Captivant to a beautifully-timed win in the two-years-old feature at Randwick.
Captivant was excellent from barrier one winning the 2021 Champagne Stakes on All Aged Stakes Day. Photo: Steve Hart.
After wins with Skilled (2009), Helmet (2011) and Guelph (2013) in the time-honoured mile classic, Snowden teamed up with his son Paul to take out last year’s race with King’s Legacy completing the Inglis Sires’ – Champagne Stakes double in 2020.
The Snowdens returned again continuing their outstanding record of producing well-bred juveniles at the right time as Capitalist colt Captivant became the 26th Champagne Stakes winner to come out of the Sires’ lead-up.
A $550,000 purchase as a yearling, the now valuable stallion prospect improved on his third to Anamoe over the 1400m in that ‘The Championships’ race and was impressive winning the Champagne over a mile.
McDonald had Captivant settled towards the back half of the field as Maurice’s Medad set a strong pace up front looking to go all-the-way.
It was last weekend’s Fernhill Handicap winner Converge for Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott who looked the danger at the top of the straight giving chase and moving past the front-runner inside the 300m.
It was the backmarkers Captivant and the Tommy Berry-ridden favourite Hilal down the outside for Hawkes Racing however who fought it out the final furlong after giving serious chase.
On the line Captivant off the better run from the inside alley had enough to hold out the top elect by a half-length, while Converge was brave also finishing off strongly in third to round out the 2021 Champagne Stakes trifecta.
For McDonald it was his 52nd Group 1 victory, but first in the Champagne Stakes, that for many of the top two-year-olds will serve as a lead-up into Brisbane’s Group 1 $1 million J.J. Atkins (1600m) at Eagle Farm on June 12.
2021 Champagne Stakes Results
| Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Penalty | Starting Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | CAPTIVANT | Peter & Paul Snowden | James McDonald | 1 | 56.5kg | $4.80 | |||
| 2 | 2 | HILAL | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Tommy Berry | 0.3L | 4 | 56.5kg | $4.20F | ||
| 3 | 3 | CONVERGE | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tim Clark | 1.8L | 3 | 56.5kg | $5.50 | ||
| 4 | 5 | I’VE BEAN THERE | Stuart Kendrick | James Orman | 2L | 7 | 56.5kg | $61 | ||
| 5 | 10 | PORT LOUIS | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Hugh Bowman | 2.2L | 14 | 56.5kg | $5 | ||
| 6 | 6 | MAURICE’S MEDAD | Bjorn Baker | Ms Rachel King | 3.3L | 2 | 56.5kg | $18 | ||
| 7 | 7 | ARNAQUEUR | Jean Dubois | Andrew Adkins | 4.5L | 6 | 56.5kg | $31 | ||
| 8 | 14 | GIN MARTINI (NZ) | John Sargent | Brenton Avdulla | 4.7L | 8 | 54.5kg | $10 | ||
| 9 | 8 | AKAHATA (NZ) | Bjorn Baker | Craig Williams | 5.6L | 12 | 56.5kg | $41 | ||
| 10 | 13 | QUEEN OF WIZARDRY | Annabel Neasham | Ms Jamie Kah | 5.8L | 9 | 54.5kg | $13 | ||
| 11 | 4 | DAILY BUGLE | Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock | Luke Currie | 6L | 10 | 56.5kg | $71 | ||
| 12 | 12 | LEASE | Anthony Cummings | John Allen | 8.6L | 11 | 56.5kg | $151 | ||
| 13 | 11 | WOLFBURN | Bjorn Baker | Joshua Parr | 9.2L | 5 | 56.5kg | $81 | ||
| 14 | 9 | PATTON | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Jason Collett | 9.4L | 13 | 56.5kg | $151 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
