Randwick Races

The $300,000 Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m), the feature race for two-year-olds at Randwick’s Sydney Cup meeting on Saturday, was decided in a thrilling photo-finish with the Peter Snowden-trained Skilled coming away with the win.

Commands colt Skilled ($10) chased down leader Sasa ($8) in the final strides to win by a head with Snowden’s other runner Divorces ($15) a mere neck back for third.

A photo finish was consulted to decide the winner, with the victory also protested by Sasa’s jockey Tye Angland who said early interference by Skilled forced his mount to race three wide, which lead to his filly’s defeat.

Stewards soon rejected the protest and Skilled’s win stood, giving excited young hoop Joshua Parr his first Group 1 win after being narrowly beaten aboard Skilled two starts back by Yosei in the Group 1 Sires Produce Stakes.

Snowden too was over the moon as the Champagne Stakes victory broke a frustrating succession of 14 black type second placings this Sydney autumn carnival.

After sitting just off the pace, Parr and Skilled made their winning move on the straight, surging up the middle to deny Sasa the win in the closing stages.

Skilled has now saluted in three of his six race starts earning $388,350 in prizemoney to date.

Other feature Group 1 races at Randwick on Saturday included the $400,000 Sydney Cup (3200m) won by possible Melbourne Cup contender Jessicabeel, the $350,000 Queen Elizabeth Stakes where Road To Rock charged home in a commanding win, and the $300,000 Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) taken out by Hot Danish giving the mare her maiden elite level win.

And don’t forget to check out the latest in Australian racing news, previews and results, including those of the 2010 Champagne Stakes, on Races.com.au.

Results of 2010 Champagne Stakes: