Group One Doncaster Mile facts and figures
THE DONCASTER MILE
* A race synonymous with Randwick. Usually the world’s richest Group One mile at $3 million but prize money has been halved for year because of the coronavirus pandemic and reduced wagering income
HISTORY
* Highlight of first day of The Championships at Randwick.
* First run in 1866 when won by Dundee and has since been won by many of the finest horses to grace the Australian turf.
* Named after the famous racecourse in England’s north.
* Regarded as Australia’s premier mile race, past winners include Wakeful (1901), Chatham (1934), Hall Mark (1935), Fine And Dandy (1961, 1963), Time And Tide (1965), Tobin Bronze (1967), Gunsynd (1972), Emancipation (1983), Super Impose (1990-91), Sunline (1999, 2002), More Joyous (2012) Winx (2016) and Happy Clapper (2018).
* The late TJ Smith and his daughter Gai Waterhouse are the most successful trainers having each won seven times.
* Six horses have won back-to-back Doncasters: Mildura (1940-41), Blue Legend (1946-47), Slogan II (1956-57), Tudor Hill (1959-60), Super Impose (1990-91) and Pharaoh (1994-95), Sacred Falls (2013-14).
* The fastest recorded time is 1:33.7 by Belmura Lad in 1979.
TALKING POINTS:
* Chris Waller is looking to join TJ Smith and Gai Waterhouse with seven wins as trainer. He has won with Winx (2016), Kermadec (2015), Sacred Falls (2013-14), Rangirangdoo (2010) and Triple Honour (2008).
* Waller has already made history with the first four home in 2014 – Sacred Falls, Royal Descent, Weary and Hawkspur.
* Waller has a possible nine runners this year – Kolding, King’s Will Dream, Mister Sea Wolf, Yulong Prince, Imaging, Star Of The Seas, Night’s Watch, Shared Ambition and Reloaded (3rd emergency)
* There are three three-year-olds in the field – Brandenburg, Prince Fawaz and Reloaded
* Three-year-olds have a strong modern day record winning six of the past 13.
* Gai Waterhouse is aiming to become the first trainer to win eight with Con Te Partriro and second emergency Wolfe, who she now trains in partnership with Adrian Bott
* Glen Boss has ridden a record seven winners and is on three-year-old Brandenburg
*Boss’ winners are: Sprint By (1996), Private Steer (2004) and three-year-olds Racing To Win (2006), Haradasun (2007), Triple Honour (2008), Kermadec (2015) and Brutal (2019).
WHAT CONNECTIONS ARE SAYING
“He’s got good Randwick form, good Randwick form over a mile and he’s down in the weights. He’s looking good” Quackerjack’s trainer Mark Newnham
“Glen Boss had his choice of a few and he got off him after the Ryder and said he wouldn’t be on anything else” Brandenburg’s trainer John Sargent
“I’m not too concerned about the barrier. I didn’t want him buried away on the rail anyway. “He’ll go back to the second half and just be running on late. I’m sure he can run a nice race. “If it’s good enough to win a Doncaster, I don’t know.”
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