Breeders Classic 2019

The Breeders Classic has been renamed as the Hot Danish Stakes and now runs at Royal Randwick in November as part of The Everest Carnival 

The Breeders Classic was one of the first Group 2 races held during the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival on a Saturday in mid-February each year. Open only to mares aged four-years-old and above, it was originally run as a sprint showdown over 1200m at set weights plus penalties.

Offering a total of $200,000 in prize money, the Breeders Classic was one of two Group races held at Randwick that meeting along with the Group 3 Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) for three-year-olds. Mares in the Breeders Classic field often targeted the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) held at Rosehill Gardens the following month and the last to complete the double was Alverta (2010).

The latest edition of the Breeders Classic ran in February 2019 before it was renamed The Hot Danish Stakes later that year and moved to November. 

2019 Breeders Classic Results

• 1st: Champagne Cuddles
• 2nd: Cool Passion
• 3rd: Alassio

Breeders Classic Race Facts

• Date: Saturday February 9, 2019
• Track: Warwick Farm Racecourse
• Distance: 1200m
• Conditions: Set Weights + Penalties – Mares 4YO&Up
• Status: Group 2
• Prize Money: $200,000
• First Run: 1996
• Last Run: 2019 – then moved to November and renamed The Hot Danish Stakes

Breeders Classic Betting & Odds

With so many of the mares in the race returning to the track, the Breeders Classic odds were often dominated by proven first-up performers. Breeders Classic betting also often favoured mares with winning form at the track / distance and any nice types trained by Chris Waller who had a gun record in the race.

Breeders Classic Field

Amicus won the 2016 Breeders Classic at odds of $9.50 for top Sydney trainer Chris Waller. Photo Credit: Steve Hart.

The Breeders Classic field featured a host of sprinter / miler mares each autumn, many kicking off their carnival campaigns in the race.

It was the first Group race for mares-only in the metropolitan Sydney race scene for the year and usually attracted a class line-up of female gallopers heading towards other features including the Coolmore Classic at Rosehill in March.

Breeders Classic Tips

Breeders Classic tips included looking for mares that came off a nice trial win ahead of a first-up run in the early Sydney Autumn showdown.

Mares with proven ability at Warwick Farm over the 1200m were also worth backing, as were the defending champions with both Steps In Time (2012-13) and Catkins (2014-15) going back-to-back in the race in recent years.

Breeders Classic Form Guide

The Breeders Classic form guide detailed all the must know information for punters including saddlecloth numbers, jockeys, trainers and the barriers for all the mares in the field. Trainer Chris Waller hasda strong record in the Breeders Classic in the past half-a-decade and any mares from his stable were often worth looking for on the form.

Looking back at mares that ran in Melbourne’s Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m) at Flemington during the spring the season prior was also a good form line to follow in the Breeders Classic, the form of which recently held with the 2018 Breeders Classic winner Prompt Response who finished fourth in the previous spring’s Myer Classic.

Breeders Classic Results

The Breeders Classic results were been dominated by classy mares in recent history with notable winners including Hot Danish (2009), More Joyous (2011), Steps In Time (2012-13) and Catkins (2014-15).

Past Breeders Classic Winners