The Oakleigh Plate is a Group 1 Open Handicap race held annually each February at Caulfield racecourse in Melbourne during the Melbourne autumn racing carnival. The race is run over a distance of 1100 metres and worth $350,000 in prizemoney. The 2011 Oakleigh Plate was won by Eagle Falls from Avenue with Hinchinbrook third.
Held on the Melbourne Racing Club's biggest race day of the autumn, Blue Diamond Stakes day, the Oakleigh Plate takes place alongside feature autumn races, the Gr1 Blue Diamond Stakes & Gr1 Futurity Stakes.
The Oakleigh Plate is the premier handicap sprint event of the Caulfield autumn racing carnival and always attracts a classy field of sprinters. Final acceptances usually sees a capacity field of horses entered, with many genuine chances and the winner hard to find, unless there is an outstanding galloper going around. Class gallopers Starspangledbanner (2010), Weekend Hussler (2008), Fastnet Rock (2005) and Schillaci (1992) have all won this event in recent times.
The Gr3 Rubiton Stakes on CF Orr Stakes day at Caulfield is a likely lead-up race to this event, along with the Gr1 Lightning Stakes at Flemington. Sparticus (1997) was the last horse to win the Rubiton Stakes & Oakleigh Plate double, while Fastnet Rock (2005) was the last galloper to snare the Lightning Stakes & Oakleigh Plate double.
Sprinters tackling this race may then continue on to the Gr1 Newmarket Handicap down the Flemington straight 1200m course on Super Saturday of Racing. Weekend Hussler (2008) was the most recent galloper to take out the Oakleigh Plate & Newmarket Handicap double, while Swiss Ace (2009) ran second in the Newmarket after winning this event.
Eagle Falls (2011) finished unplaced in the Rubition Stakes on his way to winning this race and recent Oakleigh Plate winners include Starspangledbanner (2010) and Swiss Ace (2009).
2011 Oakleigh Plate result
1. $21.00 Eagle Falls 57.0 D Oliver
2. $12.00 Avenue 55.0 L Nolen
3. $26.00 Hinchinbrook 53.0 C Newitt
then followed
4. $26.00 Varenna Miss 53.0 S King
5. $13.00 Solar Charged 53.0 G Boss
6. $5.50 Undeniably 53.5 C Brown
7. $17.00 Response 55.0 C Williams
8. $71.00 General Truce 53.5 N Hall
9. $101.00 Panipique 53.0 M Walker
10. $21.00 Reward For Effort 56.5 S Scriven
11. $81.00 Keano 53.5 S Baster
12. $19.00 Shellscrape 56.0 N Rawiller
13. $51.00 Cardinal Virtue 53.0 J Winks
14. $5.00 Catapulted 58.0 M Rodd
15. $11.00 Faster Son 53.0 J Cassidy
16. $9.00 Set For Fame 55.0 B Melham
17. $10.00 First Command 57.5 D Dunn
