Chatham Stakes

The Chatham Stakes is a Group 3 open handicap race held at Flemington racecourse annually during the Melbourne spring racing carnival in late October or early November. The race is run over a distance of 1400 metres and worth $250,000 in prizemoney. The 2011 Chatham Stakes was won by Woorim from Thankgodyou'rehere with Toorak Toff third.

A number of difference sponsors have put their name to the Chatham Stakes over the years and the race has previously been known as the 'Ellerston Capital Stakes', 'Yallambee Stud Stakes', 'HKJC plate', 'Great Western' and 'AAMI Business Insurance Stakes'. It was run as the 'Tab.Com.au Stakes' for the 2011/2012 racing season.

The Chatham Stakes is held on Derby day which is the first day of the four day Melbourne Cup Carnival featuring four Group 1 races, including the AAMI Victoria Derby, Coolmore Stud Stakes, Mackinnon Stakes, and Myer Classic.

Chatham Stakes info
Date:	Saturday 3rd November 2012
Track:	Flemington racecourse, Melbourne
Distance:	1400 metres
Race Type:	Open Handicap
Status:	Group 3
Prizemoney:	$250,000
2011 Winner:	Woorim

The Chatham Stakes is named after dual WS Cox Plate winner Chatham and is generally a race for more than handy types who are typically competitive in these types of races but not up to the higher class races on offer throughout the spring.

The Chatham Stakes is usually the last race on the program on Derby Day and will typically assemble a capacity field of horses with a high number of them having genuine chances, making it a tough betting race for punters to get out on.

Horses contesting this race might consider going on to tackle the Gr1 Emirates Stakes on the final day of the Flemington carnival or the Gr3 Sandown Stakes the following week at Sandown racecourse.

Woorim (2011) ran sixth in the Gr1 Toorak Handicap over 1600m at Caulfield on his way to an authoritative win in this event and recent Chatham Stakes winners include Poor Judge (2010) and Centennial Park (2009).

Spring Carnival Guide
Sniper's Bullet (3rd in 2009) travelled to Perth during the summer carnival to win the Gr1 Railway Stakes & Gr1 Kingston Town Classic double.

All Silent (2008) managed to win the Chatham Stakes & Emirates Stakes double in the same year while Valedictum (3rd in 2005) won the Emirates the same year before finishing 3rd the following year in 2006.

Scenic Peak (2001 & 2003) won the Emirates Stakes in 2002 and Bezeal Bay (1998) went on to win the Emirates Stakes the same year.

2010 Chatham Stakes result
1. $12.00 Woorim 56.0 Michael Rodd
2. $10.00 Thankgodyou’rehere 56.5 Damien Oliver
3. $8.00 Toorak Toff 59.0 Craig Williams

then followed
4. $51.00 Spacecraft 53.0 Craig Newitt
5. $13.00 Amaethon 54.0 Chris Symons
6. $4.00 Launay 54.0 Kerrin McEvoy
7. $51.00 Chasm 53.5 Danny Nikolic
8. $41.00 Chosen To Fly 53.0 Peter Mertens
8. $16.00 Budriguez 55.0 Corey Brown
10. $18.00 Largo Lad 55.5 Steven Arnold
11. $21.00 Happy Zero 59.0 Dwayne Dunn
12. $13.00 Doubtful Jack 55.5 Ben Melham
13. $7.00 Niblick 53.5 Nicholas Hall
14. $20.00 Rothera 55.5 Luke Nolen
15. $26.00 Listen Son 53.5 Glyn Schofield

Margins: 2 len , 2 1/4 len
Time: 1:23.51

Chatham Stakes recent winners & placegetters
Year	Winner	2nd	3rd	Time
2011	Woorim	Thankgodyou'rehere	Toorak Toff	1:23.5
2010	Poor Judge	Demerit	Centennial Park	1:25.7
2009	Centennial Park	McClintock	Royal Ida/Snipers Bu	1:22.2
2008	All Silent	Sniper's Bullet	Stickpin	1:22.4
2007	Count To Zero	Spielmeister	Royal Ida	1:23.7
2006	Malcolm	Mr Ubiquitous	Live In Vain	1:22.9
2005	Rockford Bay	Zankel	Valedictum	1:22.2
2004	Great Is Great	Amtrak	Regent Street	1:22.7
2003	Scenic Park	Lord Volksraad	Shogun Lodge	1:24.0
2002	To Be Fair	Palladium Star	Tarcoola Midnight	1:22.3
2001	Scenic Park	Desert Eagle	Super Impressive	1:21.3
2000	Matter Of Honour	Typhoon Barney	Aka Bilk	1:23.8
1999	Black Bean	Bonotto	Northern Song	1:22.5
1998	Bezeal Bay	Pleasure Giver	Rancho Spark	1:20.8
1997	Confiscate	Crows Before Dawn	Jugulator	1:24.7
1996	Headstrong	Monopolize	Hero Wind	1:21.6
1995	Final Temp	Regal Half	Sir Boom	1:26.4
1994	New Smyrna	Money Spider	Natural Elegance	1:24.0
1993	Cocky Beau	My Wanderin' Star	Ghost Story	1:24.5
1992	Let's Hurry	Prince Of Praise	Sir Bituate	1:24.6
1991	Blue Boss	Overpitch	Pontormo	1:22.0
1990	Power Of Destiny	Procol Harum	Looks Great	1:23.0
1989	Swiftsynd	Royal Creation	Prince Anton	1:21.4
1988	Bowie	Jet Fighter	Prismatic Star	1:21.9