Saturday Bets! 2025 Spring Champion Stakes
- Nic Ashman
- Oct 22
- 4 min read
Updated: Oct 23
SHANGRI LA BOY is looking to become the 14th 3YO to complete the Gloaming - Spring Champion Stakes double when he lines up at Randwick this Saturday.
The Spring Champion Stakes, first run in 1971 and won by GAY ICARUS, is a Group 1 2000m race for three-year-olds at Randwick under set weights. It became Sydney’s spring equivalent of the Derby when the AJC Derby shifted to autumn and now sits a week before the Victoria Derby. Elevated to Group 1 in 1979, it’s produced some elite stayers. Four horses have done the Spring Champion–Victoria Derby double — STYLISH CENTURY, NOTHIN’ LEICA DANE, MONACO CONSUL and ACE HIGH.
R8 MOËT & CHANDON SPRING CHAMPION STAKES (2000 m)
1 121 ATTICA A.Hyeronimus (13) ($3.70)
2 311 SHANGRI LA BOY N.Rawiller (2) ($3.50)
3 1933 SAN GIOVANNI A.Adkins (5) ($20)
4 X213 OFFICIATE K.McEvoy (4) ($26)
5 X116 MASTER OF THE AIR T.Berry (12) ($23)
6 6X04 FEDERALIST T.Schiller (14) ($15)
7 X817 CHAMPAGNE HERO R.Bayliss (11) ($16)
8 3159 TAMBELOA J.Ford (6) ($81)
9 2X11 SOUTHERN PRINCE T.Sherry (7) ($29)
10 X222 CRUSADER VOYAGE D.Gibbons (3) ($34)
11 5629 WITHIN THE LAW J.Collett (15) ($4.80)
12 1348 QUEEN OF CLUBS A.Morgan (8) ($20)
13 3412 THE PEARLS T.Clark (1) ($16)
14 6134 SHEEZA DIVA R.King (9) ($34)
15 3132 PINOT NERO G.Buckley (10) ($151)
NIC ASHMAN'S SPEED MAP
"CHAMPAGNE HERO crosses and leads and that allows SHANGRI LA BOY to stay to the outside of THE PEARLS thus forcing ATTICA to sit outside lead. He has the early speed figures to be there and if he doesn't roll forward then the Waterhouse/Bott duo get control of the race."
Here are the historical stats and trends since 2017 to help you land the winner of the 2025 edition:
MARKET
Since 2000, favourites have won 10 times — Platinum Scissors (2002), Vanbrugh (2015), Yankee Rose (2016), Shadow Hero (2019), Montefilia (2020), Profondo (2021), Tom Kitten (2023), El Castello (2024) among them.
Favourites (≤ $4) — 10 winners
Profit on $100 win bets on every favourite = +$150 overall
Single-figure odds ($4.50–$9.50) — 10 winners
Double-figure odds ($10 +) — 4 winners (Teranaba 2006, Monaco Consul 2009, Hampton Court 2014, Maid of Heaven 2018)
Worth noting punters have nailed this race of late with 8 of the last 10 favs saluting.
LEAD-UP RACE
The Gloaming Stakes dominates the modern history of this race. It’s produced 13 of the last 25 winners including the last 4.
Winning lead-ups since 2000:
Gloaming Stakes (13) — Platinum Scissors (2002), Niello (2003), Savabeel (2004), Erewhon (2010), It’s A Dundeel (2012), Complacent (2013), Vanbrugh (2015), Ace High (2017), Shadow Hero (2019), Profondo (2021), Sharp ‘N’ Smart (2022), El Castello (2024)
Newcastle Spring Stakes (5) — Universal Prince (2000), Viking Ruler (2001), Hotel Grand (2005), Teranaba (2006), Sousa (2008) *note - this has become trickier to do with the Spring Champion being pushed back on the calendar in recent times.
Flight Stakes (2) — Yankee Rose (2016), Montefilia (2020)
Dulcify Quality (1) — Hampton Court (2014)
Other (NZ form or minor Sydney races) (2) — Monaco Consul (2009), Doctor Doom (2011)
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LAST-START PLACING
22 of the 25 winners since 2000 finished Top 3 in their previous start.
15 winners came off a victory (often in the Gloaming or Newcastle Spring).
7 winners finished 2nd or 3rd last start.
Only 3 winners finished worse than 3rd: Universal Prince (5th), Teranaba (8th), and Maid Of Heaven (6th).
AGE & SEX PROFILE
It’s a race for 3YOs and the colts dominate.
3C (Colts) — 17 wins
3G (Geldings) — 5 wins (*Erewhon, Doctor Doom, Shadow Hero, Sharp ‘N’ Smart, Montefilia [filly])
3F (Fillies) — 3 wins (Yankee Rose, Maid of Heaven, Montefilia)
BARRIERS
Slight advantage to being draw towards the inside as it gives these youngsters the chance to drop the head quickly, conserve energy and run the trip right out, often at their first crack.
From 2000–2024:
Barriers 1–4 — 11 winners (Vanbrugh 1, Ace High 1, Shadow Hero 2, Profondo 2, Tom Kitten 2, El Castello 1, plus several others early 2000s)
Barriers 5–8 — 8 winners
Barriers 9+ — 6 winners (Savabeel 9, Teranaba 8, Maid of Heaven 11, etc.)
TRAINERS
Since 2000, a handful of stables have dominated this race:
Anthony Cummings — 3 wins (Hotel Grand 2005, Teranaba 2006, El Castello 2024)
Peter Snowden / Team Snowden — 3 wins (Sousa 2008, Complacent 2013, Erewhon 2010)
James Cummings / Godolphin — 1 win (Tom Kitten 2023)
David Payne — 2 wins (Ace High 2017, Montefilia 2020)
Gai Waterhouse — 2 wins (Platinum Scissors 2002, Hampton Court 2014)
JOCKEYS
Since 2000, several riders have made their mark:
Josh Parr — 3 wins (Hampton Court 2014, Shadow Hero 2019, El Castello 2024)
Hugh Bowman — 2 wins (Erewhon 2010, Sharp ‘N’ Smart 2022)
Chris Munce, Kerrin McEvoy, Craig Williams, James McDonald — all feature on single wins.
WHO TICKS THE BOXES?
The historical profile says you want:
A colt
Drawn barrier 1–4
Top-3 finish last start (preferably a win in the Gloaming)
Single-figure odds
SHANGRI LA BOY
TBF DATA SELECTION
NO. 1 ATTICA
NIC ASHMAN'S TIP
NO. 2 SHANGRI LA BOY save on NO.14 SHEEZA DIVA
"The Gloaming Stakes has provided 13 Spring Champion winners. Rated well this year."
Listen to NIC ASHMAN'S FEATURE RACE TIPS and TRACKWALKER INFO via the Podcast below
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