The Coolmore Stud Classic is a Group 1 Handicap race held each March at Rosehill Racecourse in Sydney. Run over 1500 metres and worth $600,000 in prizemoney, the Coolmore Stud Classic is an important part of the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival. This event has been run since 1973, although it has been through a number of name changes over this time.
Special Offer: $250 Coolmore Stud Classic FREE BET – Sportsbet
The Coolmore Stud Classic is run together with the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes, on a specially themed Ladies Day at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse. This event was originally run as a Principal Race between 1973-1978, graduating to a Group 2 race in 1979 and a Group 1 race in 1986. It has always been run over its current distance of 1500 metres.
Registered as the Thomas Arthur David (TAD) Kennedy Stakes, this event has been named after various sponsors for much of its history. Between 1973-1974 this race was called the Fillies and Mares Classic, becoming the NSW Thoroughbred Breeder’s Stakes between 1975-1976, the Marlboro Classic between 1977-1978, the Rosemount Wines Classic between 1979-1985, the Orlando Classic between 1986-1988, the Orlando Wines Classic between 1989-1991, the Winfield Classic between 1992-1995, and the Coolmore Classic from 1996 onwards.
A number of notable horses have won this event over the years, including Typhoon Tracy in 2009, Tuesday Joy in 2007, the mighty Sunline in 2000 and 2002, and Emancipation in 1984. In recent years, winners of the Coolmore Stud Classic have included Alverta in 2010, Aloha in 2011, Ofcourseican in 2012, and Appearance in 2013.
The fastest recorded race time for this event is 1:27.21 in 1998, with Shindig taking the honours. Jim Cassidy has managed to win four times as a jockey, on Satin Sand in 1986, Kapchat in 1994, Flitter in 1995, and Shamekha in 2004.
In the news:
The most anticipated period in John O’Shea’s training career is also turning into one of the most testing.
O’Shea, who will replace Peter Snowden as head trainer for Darley Australia in May, lost his second potential autumn carnival star in the space of two days when White Sage broke down on Thursday.
White Sage, an acceptor for the Group One Coolmore Classic at Rosehill on Saturday, went amiss on the training track at Randwick.
The mare, who started her racing career with five-straight wins, landed awkwardly during a routine gallop and suffered a leg fracture.
O’Shea said the four-year-old would be retired.
“It’s an unfortunate part of what we do,” he said.
“You hold your breath every time you send your good horses out to work along and this time it didn’t end up going our way.”
White Sage’s retirement follows Bernabeu’s injury during a piece of fast work on Tuesday morning.
The three-year-old was being put through a special gallop when he faltered at the 200m.
He suffered breaks to sesamoid bones in his off foreleg and remains on the critical list at a Randwick veterinary clinic.
