A look behind the Zipping Classic

ZIPPING CLASSIC – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

* Group Two, 2400m, $300,000, weight-for-age. Run at Sandown on Saturday, November 18, 4pm

HISTORY

* First run in 1888 as the Williamstown Cup and won by Mara

* The race moved to Sandown after the Williamstown racecourse burned down in 1947 and was renamed the Sandown Cup in 1963

* Was the Sandown Cup until 1998 before being called the Sandown Classic

* Became the Zipping Classic in 2011 in honour of Zipping, Lloyd Williams’ gelding, who won the race four consecutive times from 2007 to 2010

* Group Two since 1979

* Run on a long straight with an uphill run home

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* Beautiful Romance won in 2016 in a photo-finish from Almoonqith, while early favourite, 2015 winner, Who Shot Thebarman ran fifth

NOTABLE WINNERS

* Light Fingers (1966), Arwon (1980), Sydeston (1989), Pompeii (1994), Count Chivas (1995), Star Binder (1997), Shy Heights (2001), Roman Arch (2005), Zipping (2007-10), Americain (2011)

TALKING POINTS

* Six-time Melbourne Cup winning owner Lloyd Williams part-owns three horses in the race – last year’s Melbourne Cup winner and race favourite Almandin, as well as The Taj Mahal and Assign

* Damien Oliver will be back aboard Almandin after missing last week’s Melbourne Cup because of an improper riding suspension incurred in last month’s Cox Plate

* The Darren Weir-trained Big Duke, who was fourth in the Melbourne Cup last start, is second favourite at $3.30, just ahead of the Williams-owned The Taj Mahal ($3.70)

* The Robbie Laing-trained So Si Bon was a late nomination and will be running in the race for the second time after finishing fourth last year as a three-year-old

* Other than Zipping, two horses in history have won the race twice: Second Wind (1930 and 1931) and Morse Code (1950 and 1952)

* In 1902 Eleanor won a run-off after a dead-heat with Vanity Fair, and three years later Demas won a run-off after a dead-heat with Aurate