William Reid Stakes

The William Reid Stakes is a Group 1 Weight-for-age race held each year in February at Moonee Valley racecourse in Melbourne. It is run over the sprint distance of 1200 metres and is worth $500,000 in prizemoney. The 2011 William Reid Stakes was won by Black Caviar from Crystal Lily with Hinchinbrook third.

Previously run as the 'Australia Stakes' since 1996, the William Reid Stakes reverted back to its original race name during the 2010/2011 racing season.

William Reid Stakes info
Date:	Friday 23rd March 2012
Track:	Moonee Valley racecourse, Melbourne
Distance:	1200 metres
Race Type:	Weight-for-age
Status:	Group 1
Prizemoney:	$500,000
2011 Winner:	Black Caviar

The William Reid Stakes is a good horse's race and attracts high quality weight-for-age sprinters every year, who may come from races like the Gr1 Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield in February or the Gr1 Newmarket Handicap on Super Saturday at Flemington earlier in March.

Horses tackling this event may have previously contested the weight-for-age Gr1 Lightning Stakes on their way to this race and in recent times both Apache Cat (2008) and Miss Andretti (2007) won the Lightning Stakes before being going on to win the William Reid Stakes.

Over the years some champion sprinters have won this race, including Black Caviar (2011), Apache Cat (2008-09) & Miss Andretti (2007) most recently, while horses of the calibre of Hareeba (1995), Redelva (1991) and Zeditave (1989) have saluted in this event in the not so distant past.

Champion sprinter Manikato won this race five years in succession from 1979-1983 in a feat that is unlikely to ever be equalled and the Gr 1 Manikato Stakes in September at Moonee Valley is named in honour of the great galloper.

Black Caviar (2011) won the Newmarket Handicap in a canter at Flemington prior to scoring an easy victory in this event and recent William Reid Stakes winners have been Turffontein (2010) and Apache Cat (2008-09).

2011 William Reid Stakes result
1. $1.09 Black Caviar 56.5 L Nolen
2. $15.00 Crystal Lily 54.0 S Baster
3. $31.00 Hinchinbrook 56.0 B Rawiller 3.

Then followed:
4. $101.00 Perturbo 58.5 B Melham
5. $41.00 True Persuasion 58.5 C Newitt
6. $16.00 Master Harry 56.0 D Oliver
7. $61.00 Das Machen 56.5 Dale Smith

Margins: 1-3/4 len, 1-1/4 len
Time: 1:10.00

Other group races on William Reid Stakes night at Mooney Valley are the Gr2 Sunline Stakes & Gr2 Moonee Valley Oaks (Fillies Classic).

William Reid Stakes recent winners & placegetters
Year	Winner	2nd	3rd	Time
2011	Black Caviar	Crystal Lily	Hinchinbrook	1:10.0
2010	Turffontein	Wanted	Sniper's Bullet	1:11.6
2009	Apache Cat	Vormista	Time Thief	1:09.6
2008	Apache Cat	Stanzout	Monet Rules	1:09.6
2007	Miss Andretti	Any Suggestion	Rewaaya	1:10.2
2006	Virage De Fortune	Rewaaya	Undue	1:10.0
2005	Cape Of Good Hope	Super Elegant	Spark Of Life	1:10.3
2004	Regimental Gal	Our Egyptian Raine	Legally Bay	1:10.3
2003	Yell	Dash For Cash	Spinning Hill	1:10.5
2002	Toledo	Show A Heart	North Boy	1:11.8
2001	Bomber Bill	Scenic Warrior	Nina Haraka	1:11.4
2000	Miss Pennymoney	Redoutes Choice	St Chrisoph	1:10.7
1999	Grand Archway	Theatre	Flavour	1:10.9
1998	Stella Cadente	Al Mansour	Spartacus	1:11.7
1997	Spartacus	Mahogany	Khaptingly	1:10.3
1996	Strategic	Ranchos Coup	Brawny Spirit	1:11.0
1995	Hareeba	Spanish Mix	Schillaci	1:07.9
1994	Lady Jakeo	Hareeba	Primacy	1:09.1
1993	Spanish Mix	Schillaci	Tanjian Prince	1:08.8
1992	Wrap Around	Storaia	Jakpil	1:09.2
1991	Redelva	Mister Till	With Me	1:09.6
1990	Lightning Bend	Strawberry Ranch	Stylish Century	1:09.0
1989	Zeditave	Vo Rogue	Special	1:09.5
1988	Vo Rogue	Military Plume	Groucho	1:09.9