For punters looking for an Australian odds comparison there is no better place than Sportsbet, as many punters found out over the weekend.

The first feature to take to the track was the Group Two Furious Stakes (1400m) as race four.

Gai Waterhouse had a solid run from More Strawberries who secured her maiden win. The filly overcame the odds to defeat the Peter Snowden-trained duo of Divorces and Parables.

Runner up Divorces was convincing in what was her first up run for the spring, whereas stablemate Parables was the pre race favourite with SportsBet and didn’t create much of a threat.

The headlining event of the day – the Group Two Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) – was the fifth race of the day, and saw some great racing.

It was once again a Waterhouse-trained runner to claim the victory, this time Theseo.

The winner was guided by Nash Rawiller in the saddle, and has given Waterhouse the confidence she may finally achieve her career ambition – to win the Cox Plate.

Theseo managed to hold off a strong finish from the Group Two Warwick Stakes (1200m) winner Metal Bender, which finished back in second in a fantastic race for spectators.

There were another six superb races which took to the Randwick Racecourse and formed the Carnival, which will head to the Rosehill Gardens Racecourse next week.

So if you would like to follow any of the runners’ spring campaigns then head to SportsBet for the latest and more lucrative odds online.

2010 Furious Stakes Results

2010 Chelmsford Stakes Results

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:

Trained by Bart Cummings, who is at St Vincent’s Private Hospital due to an illness, Dariana started slow but came home strong on the last day of the Sydney Racing Carnival.

Trained by Bart Cummings, Dariana started slow but came home strong on the last day of the Sydney Racing Carnival.

Al Dhafra was the favourite heading into the 2010 Frank Packer Plate, but the Guy Walter-trained gelding was disappointing on the Royal Randwick Racecourse and finished fourth and heads to the paddock for a spell.

Euphemism, trained by Peter Snowden finished second by half-a-length while Viking Hero rounded out the top three finishers.

Dariana looks set to travel to Queensland and compete in the Brisbane racing carnival, with the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2400m) on the 5^th of June a strong possibility, with two wins from just six races as the filly sets out her first campaign.

Also taking place on Saturday alongside the 2010 Frank Packer Plate was the Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m), the Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) and the Group 2 Emancipation Stakes (1600m).

2010 Frank Packer Plate Results

A surprise 15-horse capacity field of eager two-year-olds has been announced as the final field for this Saturday’s $300,000 Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick.

One of four Group 1 features to light up the track at the final Sydney autumn carnival meeting, the 2010 Moet & Chandon Champagne Stakes is shaping up to be one of the most hotly contested affairs on the day and is due to jump at 2:15pm as race four.

There is any number of real chances in the juvenile showdown, including the current pre-race favourite Sasa sitting at $4.20 with IASbet.

The Tim Martin-trained Encosta De Lago filly has had just three career starts to date for one win but has received plenty of love from the punter’s backing her to soar out of barrier nine and lead all the way.

Close second favourite at $4.40 is the talented Beneteau in barrier five. Trained by Paul Messara, who is seeking just his second Group 1 win as a trainer following his success in the Coolmore Classic with stable reject Alverta, Beneteau ran an impressive fifth to Crystal Lily last start in the world’s richest race for two-year-olds, the Golden Slipper.

With five career starts to his name, including an unlucky third in the Blue Diamond Stakes, Beneteau has strong claims on Saturday.

Other exciting prospects in the 2010 Champagne Stakes include last start Group 1 AJC Sires Produce Stakes victor Yosei drawn ideally in barrier one, the Bart Cummings-trained Fernhill Handicap winner Kudakulari also drawn well in three, and consistent Show A Heart colt and Magic Millions winner Toorak Toff out wide in barrier 10.

Top trainers with multiple Champagne Stakes runners this year include Peter Snowden with Skilled (barrier 11) and Divorces (barrier 13); and Rosehill-based trainer David Payne represented by Praecido (barrier seven), long-priced filly Bombay (barrier 15) and Iron Lace (barrier eight) gaining a start following the scratching of Peter Moodys’ Another Sunday.

The feature race at Randwick on Saturday will be the $400,000 Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m), while other highlights will include the coveted $350,000 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) and the $300,000 All Aged Stakes (1400m).

The News page on this site has detailed previews and the final fields for all of these great Randwick races running on Saturday.

To read more about the 2010 Champagne Stakes click on the race name, or visit Races.com.au for all of Australian racing’s up-to-date news, previews and results.

*UPDATE: Leading trainer Anthony Cummings now has two runners starting in tomorrow’s Champagne Stakes after his emergency Shadows In The Sun gained a start following the scratching of the David Payne-trained Bombay.

2010 Champagne Stakes Final Field & Barriers

Keshi ($4.60) took out the second race of the day, the Oncidon Handicap (1100m) a length ahead of the Gai Waterhouse-trained Tell Tale ($16) with Dublette a short neck back for third.

Snowden now leads with 39 wins ahead of Waller with 37. Waterhouse is still in contention sitting in third with 32 wins.

Snowden’s success did not stop there however, he also went on to train third-placegetter in race four, Shameless, who came in 1 ¾ lengths behind the winner Trauma before taking out the final race of the meeting with Brasileira.

The favourite at $4.20, Brasileira crossed the line first ¾ of a length ahead of Brisk Crown with the Anthony Cummings-trained Togha in third.

Chris Waller did have some success on the day, taking out the opening race at the Randwick meeting.

It was a fast finishing and entertaining start to the day as Waller’s Key West ($16) defeated the Gai Waterhouse-trained Samui Lad ($12) by a mere short half head with the favourite at $1.40, St Augustine, coming in a long head back for third.

He also placed second with Needwood Lad in the sixth race, 2 ½ lengths behind the David Payne-trained Buccaneers Prize.

Prolific trainer Gai Waterhouse has a few handy gallopers competing at Randwick on Saturday, including her strong stayer Lorne Dancer in the opening race, the Randwick Betting Auditorium Handicap (1600m). Lorne Dancer is currently second favourite at $3.20 behind the John O’Shea-trained Informality at $2.70.

Waterhouse’s other strong chance at the meeting is with three-year-old Kinnersley in race five, the Naturalism Handicap (1600m). Kinnersley is the clear favourite in the betting markets at $3.40 following his sensational win at the same track on New Year’s Day, and will start from barrier four.

Judicial in race two, the Mahogany Handicap (1200m) is the other last-start victor for Waterhouse backing up on Saturday. Judicial is currently second favourite at $3.50 behind the Peter Snowden-trained Killian at $2.50.

Talented jockey Hugh Bowman has picked up the rides for the Waterhouse at Randwick, following the stable’s two other star riders, Nash Rawiller and Blake Shinn, both engaged at the Gold Coast Magic Millions this weekend.

Bowman will also mount two-year-old Spot The Rock in his debut in the Autumn Carnival Package On Sale Now Handicap (1000m) for trainer Tim Martin from barrier one; the Chris Waller-trained Bright Mind in the Eremein Handicap (2000m); Visa Lisa in the Octagonal Handicap (1200m); and Ourbillydakid in the closing race of the day the BIG6 Jackpot Today Handicap.

The Randwick Racecourse gates open at 11:30am and the first race of the eight-event programme is due to commence at 1:10pm.

Randwick Race Programme – Saturday January 9:

The first major event, the Carrington Stakes, took place as race five on the day. The Clarry Conners-trained mare Court ($4), ridden by Glyn Schofield, claimed victory by 1.8m with Prince Braeman ($4.40) in second while Pins On Parade ($3.70) finished third. The odds-on favourite, Dorf Command ($3.40), following the scratching of early favourite News Alert at the gates, could only manage fourth place. It was an impressive comeback for Court, following a poor ninth place in her previous start in the Razor Sharp Handicap on December 19.

The Listed Tattersall’s Club Cup followed as race six, where Rainbow Styling ($3.10) won a length ahead of runner-up Hairy ($14), with the Peter Snowden-trained Spinney ($9) in third. The winner, ridden by Jim Cassidy, ran a sharp 2:04.89 over the 2000m staying event. It was a fantastic turn of luck for Cassidy, who just moments earlier had lost his ride in the Carrington Stakes when hot favourite News Alert was scratched following the rider’s concerns over the horse’s action.

It was a disappointing finish for the $3 favourite, Gai Waterhouse’s Rabbuka who came in sixth. Waterhouse saw plenty of other success on the day however, taking out the opening two races of the day. The trainer won the TAB Jackpots Today Handicap with Kinnersley and the Zephyr Bay Handicap with Power And Glory.

The next race meeting scheduled at Randwick is tomorrow, January 6 followed by a raceday this Saturday, January 9. This Wednesday the action takes place at the Randwick’s Kensington track. Gates open at 12:15pm while racing will take place from 1:53pm until the last race of the day jumps at 5:40pm. On Saturday, gates open at midday and the first race of the day starts at 1:10pm.

Randwick Race Results – Friday January 1:

The opening race on a mega eight-race programme, this year’s Villiers Stakes’ nominations are in and the 17 hopefuls include a top quality collection of runners including Ipswich Cup winner Our Lukas.

Queensland trainer Robbie Heathcote is vying for his first Sydney victory with Our Lukas in the Villiers on Saturday after coming an unlucky second in the Listed Heritage Stakes in September with Funtantes.

Our Lukas is also nominated for an Open Handicap event at Doomben on Saturday, with Heathcote making his decision on which race to run the dual Listed winner in later in the week.

Peter Snowden, coming off a sensational set of four victories at Rosehill last weekend, has three runners nominated, Gosford Cup winner Spinney, Offenders and Togni as he attempts his first Villiers victory.

Meanwhile the prolific Gai Waterhouse is expected to pay up for both her nominees Rockwood and Rabbuka as she aims for a second win in the race following her victory back in 2005 with Aqua D’Amore.

The trainer dominating the Sydney trainer’s premiership this season with 33 city winners to date, Chris Waller will also face off against Snowden and Waterhouse on Saturday when he starts Love And Kisses in the Villiers. Waller has also won the race once before in 2007 by protest with Honor In War.