Danehill Stakes

The Danehill Stakes is a Group 2 event for three-year-olds that takes place at Flemington racecourse each September during the Melbourne spring racing carnival. The race is run over a distance of 1200 metres and worth $250,000 in prizemoney. The 2011 Danehill Stakes was won by Sepoy from Hallowell Belle with Unique Quality third.

The race has also been known as the 'Black Douglas', 'Hilton on the Park', 'Chivas Regal' and 'L'oreal Plate' and is held on the same day as the Group 2 Makybe Diva Stakes.

Danehill Stakes info
Date:	Saturday 8th September 2012
Track:	Flemington racecourse, Melbourne
Distance:	1200 metres
Race Type:	3yo - Set Weights + Penalty
Status:	Group 2
Prizemoney:	$250,000
2011 Winner:	Sepoy

The Danehill Stakes is a 3yo event run down the 1200 metres straight course at Flemington and takes place under much the same conditions as the HDF McNeil Stakes one week earlier at Caulfield, except down a straight track rather than around a turn.

Horses who can handle the straight track may back up from the McNeil Stakes and contest the Danehill Stakes, however the last horse to win both races in the same season was Gold Ace back in 1995.

The race is usually taken out by a more than handy three-year-old rather than a topliner, although some quality gallopers have won the race over the years including the brilliant Sepoy (2011), champion mare Black Caviar (2009), Fastnet Rock (2004), Falvelon (1999), Armidale (1996) and Gold Ace (1995).

Sepoy (2011) won the listed Vain Stakes over 1100m at Caulfield prior to scoring in this event and recent Danehill Stakes winners include Soul (2010) and Black Caviar (2009).

Spring Carnival Guide
Sepoy (2011) managed to win the Gr1 Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley his next start, while Hallowell Belle (2nd in 2011) finished second in the Gr1 Flight Stakes at Randwick in Sydney on Epsom Day. Mosheen (5th in 2011) won the Gr2 Edward Manifold Stakes the following month at Flemington on Turnbull Stakes Day.

Buffering (2nd in 2010) won the Gr2 Roman Consul Stakes the following month at Randwick, while General Truce (3rd in 2010) finished third in the Gr2 Schillaci Stakes at Caulfield.

Black Caviar (2009) has gone on to become the best galloper in the country and in the spring of 2010 she managed to win the Schillaci Stakes & Gr2 Schweppes Stakes at Moonee Valley and the Gr1 Patinack Farm Classic at Flemington.

Wanted (2nd in 2009) went on to run placings in the Schillaci Stakes and Gr1 Patinack Farm Classic later in the spring before having a top autumn of 2010 culminating in a win in the Gr1 Newmarket Handicap at Flemington in March.

Time Thief (2nd in 2008) ran second to Whobegotyou in the Gr1 Caulfield Guineas the following month at Caulfield.

Scenic Blast (2nd in 2007) went on to finish 2nd to the classy Weekend Hussler in the Caulfield Guineas and then ran a top 3rd in the Gr1 Coolmore Stud Stakes over this course & distance. Purrealist (3rd in 2007) went on to win the Gr3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude that same spring.

2011 Danehill Stakes result
1. $1.14 Sepoy 58.0 K McEvoy
2. $12.00 Hallowell Belle 53.0 L Nolen
3. $61.00 Unique Quality 55.0 P Mertens

then followed
4. $41.00 Masthead 56.5 C Williams
5. $11.00 Mosheen 53.5 D Nikolic
6. $51.00 Absalon 55.5 B Rawiller
7. $51.00 Grand Britannia 55.0 G Boss
8. $201.00 Mister Milton 55.0 D Oliver

Margins: len, long neck
Time: 1:08.71

Danehill Stakes recent winners & placegetters
Year	Winner	2nd	3rd	Time
2011	Sepoy	Hallowell Belle	Unique Quality	1:08.7
2010	Soul	Buffering	General Truce	1:11.6
2009	Black Caviar	Wanted	Rarefied	1:09.9
2008	Aichi	Time Chief	Niccconi	1:10.4
2007	Tan Tat de Lago	Scenic Blast	Purrealist	1:10.9
2006	The One	Anamato	Sharkbite	1:10.4
2005	Jet Spur	Queen of the Hill	Stratum	1:09.5
2004	Fastnet Rock	Brannigan	Assafa	1:09.2
2003	Abdullah	Critical List	Bronc	1:12.0
2002	Planchet	Blur	Choisir	1:08.7
2001	Chongtong	North Boy	Spectatorial	1:09.0
2000	St Petersburg	Cosset	Ceffyl	1:10.4
1999	Falvelon	Cullen	Fappianos Son	1:09.2
1998	Point Danger	Jumalique	Shovhog	1:10.3
1997	Dantelah	Special Dane	Accuse	1:12.3
1996	Armidale	Regal Centre	Spartacus	1:08.1
1995	Gold Ace	Wavetree	Padre	1:09.4
1994	Daring Hombre	Minyama DH 2	Verdetto DH 2	1:08.8
1993	Dancing Dynamite	Sequalo	Alannon	1:08.7
1992	Kenfair	Inject	Campbell Fever	1:11.8
1991	Umatilla	Star Video	In The Bahamas	1:08.6
1990	Wrap Around	Final Card	Premier Copper	1:09.0
1989	Gin Rhythm	Impressionalism	Sir Fear	1:09.2
1988	Speeding Free	Leica Western	Scollata	1:11.6