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The Caulfield Classic – registered as the Norman Robinson Stakes and currently known as the Neds Classic for sponsorship purposes – is a Group 3 event for three-year-old staying types run at Caulfield Racecourse in mid-late October on the same day as the first leg of the Spring Cups double – Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m).

Run over a testing 2000m, the Caulfield Classic is one of four staying events on the program, making this a great day for staying events. The Caulfield Classic field is comprised strictly of three year olds who compete under set weight conditions. For this reason, high quality horses generally rise to the top of the results.

With $250,000 in prize money on offer, the Caulfield Classic draws three-year-olds that could continue onto the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington on the first day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival. Polanski (2013) was the last horse to complete the Caulfield Classic – Victoria Derby double.

More recently in 2019 (the 100th edition of the event) the Caulfield Classic runner-up Warning went on to take out the VRC Derby next start.

Three-year-olds in the Caulfield Classic field may be backing-up on the quick turnaround after contesting the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) the Saturday prior.

The 2020 Caulfield Classic ran on Saturday October 17, 2020 at Caulfield Racecourse and was won by Albarado in a diving finish. 

Caulfield Classic 2020
Date:	Saturday October 17, 2020
Track:	Caulfield Racecourse
Distance:	2000m
Race Type:	3YOs Set Weights
Status:	Group 3
Prize Money:	$250,000

2020 Neds Classic Results

• 1st: #2 Albarado
• 2nd: #10 Let’s Karaka Deel
• 3rd: #9 Hit The Shot

The Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young-trained Savabeel colt Albarado ($4.80) looked gone on the straight but fought back and dug deep for a tough win over Let’s Karaka Deel ($4.40F) in the Caulfield Classic 2020 results.

Click here to read more on the gutsy Neds Classic win by VRC Derby-bound Albarado.

Colour	Finish	No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Margin	Bar.	Weight	Penalty	Starting Price
	1	2	ALBARADO (NZ)	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	Mark Zahra		8	57kg		$4.80
	2	10	LET’S KARAKA DEEL (NZ)	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	John Allen	0.2L	9	57kg		$4.40F
	3	9	HIT THE SHOT	Matt Cumani	Fred W Kersley	0.3L	6	57kg		$10
	4	8	REDWOOD SHADOW (NZ)	Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)	Jye McNeil	0.4L	11	57kg		$6.50
	5	11	TOUR OF DUTY	Michael Moroney	Michael Dee	0.9L	2	57kg		$17
	6	5	CETSHWAYO	Danny O’Brien	Jamie Kah	2.9L	4	57kg		$6
	7	1	CELESTIAL SOL	Chris Waller	Craig Williams	3.9L	1	57kg		$14
	8	12	MR ROGER (NZ)	Richard Laming	Luke Currie	4.65L	3	57kg		$71
	9	6	TRODAIRE	Lloyd Kennewell	Craig Newitt	5.4L	5	57kg		$31
	10	3	THE PRES	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	Hugh Bowman	5.5L	10	57kg		$8
	11	7	EL SANTO	Dan O’Sullivan	Billy Egan	15.5L	7	57kg		$81
		13	TOKEN SPIRIT	Robbie Griffiths	Damian Lane		0
		4	JOHNNY GET ANGRY (NZ)	Denis Pagan	Lachlan King (a)		0

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

2020 Caulfield Classic Betting

The Caulfield Classic 2020 odds will be detailed below complete with links to the race sponsor’s markets so you can back your Caulfield Classic Tips in at the best prices this season through Ladbrokes.com.au.

2020 Caulfield Classic Field

The 2020 Caulfield Classic field and barrier draw is set for release on the Wednesday leading up to Caulfield Cup Day and will be detailed in full below once announced by Racing Victoria.

The Caulfield Classic 2020 final field features 13 Derby–bound three-year-olds led in betting by the untapped Let’s Karaka Deel and Albarado both tipped to handle the rise in grade.

• Update: #4 Johnny Get Angry (2) and #13 Token Spirit (3) have been scratched from the field.

Click here to read more on the key hopes in the Caulfield Classic 2020 field & betting markets. 

No	Last 10	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight	Penalty	Hcp Rating
1	3×165257	CELESTIAL SOL	Chris Waller	Craig Williams	1	57kg		64
2	12×383	ALBARADO (NZ)	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	Mark Zahra	10	57kg		67
3	6x57x13476	THE PRES	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	Hugh Bowman	12	57kg		62
4	03294	JOHNNY GET ANGRY (NZ)	Denis Pagan	Lachlan King (a)	2	57kg		64
5	81	CETSHWAYO	Danny O’Brien	Jamie Kah	6	57kg		67
6	58×12	TRODAIRE	Lloyd Kennewell	Craig Newitt	7	57kg		62
7	54103	EL SANTO	Dan O’Sullivan	Billy Egan	9	57kg		62
8	31	REDWOOD SHADOW (NZ)	Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)	Jye McNeil	13	57kg		63
9	184	HIT THE SHOT	Matt Cumani	Fred W Kersley	8	57kg		63
10	210	LET’S KARAKA DEEL (NZ)	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	John Allen	11	57kg		62
11	2×762	TOUR OF DUTY	Michael Moroney	Michael Dee	4	57kg		65
12	9414	MR ROGER (NZ)	Richard Laming	Luke Currie	5	57kg		62
13	817	TOKEN SPIRIT	Robbie Griffiths	Damian Lane	3	57kg		62

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

2020 Caulfield Classic Nominations

Nominations on the Caulfield Classic in 2020 close the Monday of race week and will be published below once announced.

Twenty-one young stayers make-up the 2020 Neds Classic nominations including Danny O’Brien’s all-in Victoria Derby favourite Young Werther.

	Last 10	Horse	Sex	Age	Trainer	Ballot	Weight	Penalty	Hcp Rating
1	5x860x7541	TANKER	G	3	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	1	57kg		72
2	2021×78	ALCYONE	C	3	James Cummings	2	57kg		69
3	12	YOUNG WERTHER (NZ)	G	3	Danny O’Brien	3	57kg		68
4	81	CETSHWAYO	G	3	Danny O’Brien	4	57kg		67
5	3×165257	CELESTIAL SOL	C	3	Chris Waller	5	57kg		64
6	12×383	ALBARADO (NZ)	C	3	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	6	57kg		67
7	8x325x21	NAMAZU	C	3	James Cummings	7	57kg		63
8	03294	JOHNNY GET ANGRY (NZ)	G	3	Denis Pagan	8	57kg		64
9	233441	CONFRONTATIONAL	C	3	Jason Warren & Dean Krongold	9	57kg		63
10	6x57x13476	THE PRES	G	3	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	10	57kg		62
11	58×12	TRODAIRE	G	3	Lloyd Kennewell	11	57kg		62
12	8210	OCEANOGRAPHY (NZ)	C	3	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	12	57kg		62
13	54103	EL SANTO	G	3	Dan O’Sullivan	13	57kg		62
14	31	REDWOOD SHADOW (NZ)	G	3	Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)	14	57kg		63
15	210	LET’S KARAKA DEEL (NZ)	C	3	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	15	57kg		62
16	9414	MR ROGER (NZ)	G	3	Richard Laming	16	57kg		62
17	2×762	TOUR OF DUTY	C	3	Michael Moroney	17	57kg		65
18	184	HIT THE SHOT	C	3	Matt Cumani	18	57kg		63
19	817	TOKEN SPIRIT	C	3	Robbie Griffiths	19	57kg		62
20	565	SWINDON LASS	F	3	Matthew Brown	20	55kg		59
21	5	LITERATI	G	3	Symon Wilde	21	57kg		59

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

Caulfield Classic History

Early in 2014, the Melbourne Racing Club (MRC) announced that they would be replacing the Norman Robinson Stakes with the Caulfield Classic, a new event that would boast a massive $750,000 prize money with an additional $250,000 to first place if they also won either the Thousand Guineas or the Caulfield Guineas. However, the Caulfield Classic will still share the history of the Norman Robinson Stakes.

Caulfield Classic prize money is currently down to $250,000 for 2020 due to COVID-19 reductions.

When the race was first inaugurated in 1978, it was held over 2000m and ran as a listed race. For 1998 and 1999, the Caulfield Classic ran as a Group 3 event, and then for five years up until the 2005 edition the race held Group 2 status. Since 2005 however, it has remained at Group 3 following a downgrade. It is likely that the new injection of prize money in 2014 will result in the race being upgraded again.

The Caulfield Classic has been known by several other names in the past, including the Norman Robinson Stakes, Wallace Stakes and Steeves Lumley Stakes.

The Caulfield Classic is a good lead-up event to the Victoria Derby.

Notable Caulfield Classic winners include Nothin’ Leica Dame (1995), King Delamere (1983), Hvasstan (2012), Polanski (2013) and Cliff’s Edge (2017).

Caulfield Classic results since 2000 are below.

Caulfield Classic Results

Year	Place	Horse	Time
2020 Caulfield Classic	1st	Albarado	2 minutes 7.94 seconds
	2nd	Let’s Karaka Deel
	3rd	Hit The Shot
2019 Caulfield Classic	1st	Thought Of That	2 minutes 2.88 seconds
	2nd	Warning
	3rd	Brilliant Venture
2018 Caulfield Classic	1st	Thinkin’ Big	2 minutes 6.79 seconds
	2nd	Chapada
	3rd	Sikorsky
2017 Caulfield Classic	1st	Cliff’s Edge	2 minutes 2.48 seconds
	2nd	Tangled
	3rd	Main Stage
2016 Caulfield Classic	1st	Good Standing	2 minutres 4.3 seconds
	2nd	Rocketeer
	3rd	Inference
2015 Caulfield Classic	1st	Sacred Eye	2 minutres 3.20 seconds
	2nd	Lizard Island
	3rd	Etymology
2014 Caulfield Classic	1st	Fontein Ruby	2 minutes 3.8 seconds
	2nd	Crafty
	3rd	Firehouse Rock
2013 Caulfield Classic	1st	Polanski	2 minutes 02.5 seconds
	2nd	San Diego
	3rd	Epic Saga
2012 Caulfield Classic	1st	Hvasstan	2 minute 03.8 seconds
	2nd	Honorius
	3rd	Electric Fusion
2011 Caulfield Classic	1st	Sabrage	2 minutes 03.0 seconds
	2nd	Sangster
	3rd	Niagara
2010 Caulfield Classic	1st	Retrieve	2 minutes 08.3 seconds
	2nd	Almindoro
	3rd	Digital Fortress
2009 Caulfield Classic	1st	Shamoline Warrior	2 minutes 03.9 seconds
	2nd	Onemorenomore
	3rd	Gathering
2008 Caulfield Classic	1st	Pre Eminence	2 minutes 04.3 seconds
	2nd	Miss Scarlatti
	3rd	Paddy O’Reilly
2007 Caulfield Classic	1st	Pillar Of Hercules	2 minutes 04.5 seconds
	2nd	Down Under Boy
	3rd	Villian
2006 Caulfield Classic	1st	Get Square	2 minutes 03.6 seconds
	2nd	Ulfah
	3rd	Sir Lago
2005 Caulfield Classic	1st	Pendragon	2 minutes 03.5 seconds
	2nd	Headturner
	3rd	Replicator
2004 Caulfield Classic	1st	Cedar Manor	2 minutes 04.5 seconds
	2nd	Court Ricardo
	3rd	King Durham
2003 Caulfield Classic	1st	Casual Pass	2 minutes 04.5 seconds
	2nd	Our Court
	3rd	Face Value
2002 Caulfield Classic	1st	Platinum Scissors	2 minutes 02.3 seconds
	2nd	Hydrometer
	3rd	Aint Here
2001 Caulfield Classic	1st	Amalfi	2 minutes 05.3 seconds
	2nd	Grey Song
	3rd	Tully Zeal
2000 Caulfield Classic	1st	Royale Exit	2 minutes 01.2 seconds
	2nd	Hit The Roof
	3rd	Adolescence