Eclipse Stakes

The Eclipse Stakes is a Group 3 quality handicap that takes place at Sandown racecourse each November in Melbourne at the tail end of the Melbourne spring racing carnival. The race is run over a distance of 1800 metres and worth $125,000 in prizemoney. The 2011 Eclipse Stakes was won by Rothera from Folding Gear with Ulundi third.

The Eclipse Stakes has traditionally been held the Saturday following Gr2 Sandown Classic day and a decision was made to bring the race back one week this year to make four group races on Sandown's biggest race day of the year.

Eclipse Stakes info
Date:	Saturday 17th November 2012
Track:	Sandown racecourse, Melbourne
Distance:	1800 metres
Race Type:	Quality Handicap
Status:	Group 3
Prizemoney:	$125,000
2011 Winner:	Rothera

The Eclipse Stakes is one of the last group three races of the spring in Melbourne and over recent years the race has been run over distances ranging from 1800m to 2100m due to the race now taking place at Sandown rather than Caulfield. When the race was ran at Caulfield the traditional distance was 2000m and now it is run at Sandown over the closest available distance on the respective circuits.

Sandown has two tracks, the Hillside circuit which has an 1800m start and the Lakeside circuit which does not. The reason it is sometimes run over 2100 metres is that the meeting can be held on the Lakeside circuit, which does not have an 1800m start.

The Eclipse Stakes is run over a middle distance and typically attracts horses coming back in distance from the longer races over the Flemington carnival and might also suit mares who contested the Gr3 Matriarch Stakes on Emirates Day.

The long Sandown straight with its tough uphill run home can test a horse's mettle in the run to the line and this race suits horses who are solid conveyances at the distance.

Rothera (2011) finished 14th of 15 starters beaten more than 16 lengths in the Gr3 Chatham Stakes over 1400m at Flemingon on his way to taking out this race and recent Eclipse Stakes winners have been Viking Hero (2010) and Bashful Girl (2009).

Spring Carnival Guide
Zazzman (2003) won the Queen Elizabeth Stakes & Eclipse Stakes double in 2003 and it is worth noting that top class gallopers Super Impose (1998) and Fields of Omagh (2001) both won this race and then went on to win the WS Cox Plate in later years.

2011 Eclipse Stakes result
1. $21.00 Rothera 56.0 Luke Nolen
2. $9.50 Folding Gear 53.0 Brenton Avdulla
3. $16.00 Ulundi 53.0 Chris Symons

then followed
4. $6.00 Lord Pyrus 54.5 Danny Nikolic
5. $6.00 Extra Zero 56.0 Craig Williams
6. $11.00 Ginga Dude 58.0 Michael Walker
7. $13.00 Majestic Music 54.0 Craig Newitt
8. $11.00 Platinum Passion 53.0 Ms Lisa Cropp
9. $9.50 Belgietto 53.0 Dwayne Dunn
10. $81.00 Riceman 53.0 Peter Mertens
11. $4.80 Erewhon 53.5 Kerrin McEvoy

Margins: 1 1/4 len, long neck
Time: 1:52.18

Eclipse Stakes recent winners & placegetters
Year	Winner	2nd	3rd	Time
2011	Rothera	Folding Gear	Ulundi	1:52.1
2010	Viking Hero	Davcon	Niblick	1:55.2
2009	Bashful Girl	Rose Syrah	Down Under Boy	1:49.8
2008	Eskimo Dan	Instructor	Sentire	2.15:5
2007	Like It Is	Shinzig	Hidden Strings	1:50.4
2006	Utility	Douro Valley	Flash Trick	1:52.0
2005	Aqua D'Amore	Stamen	Wild Classic	2:14.5
2004	Requisite	Fonome	Caveat Emptor	1:49.6
2003	Zazzman	Chairman'S Choice	You Little Beaut	2:03.8
2002	Damaschino	Another Warrior	British Buska	2:02.1
2001	Fields Of Omagh	Thong Classic	Aquiver	2:11.1
2000	Tickle My	The Collector	Aka Bilk	2:07.0
1999	Taberann	Jaimestown	Sly Sandra	2:10.2
1998	Prime Address	Zerpour	Make A Scene	2:11.6
1997	Burning Embers	Miss Tessia	Maximai	2:02.7
1996	Gold City	Hurricane Storm	Tristolier	2:10.7
1995	Broann	Top Rating	Circles Of Gold	2:10.9
1994	Innocent King	Bon Precieux	Idea	2:02.2
1993	Palareign	Corndale	Southern States	2:03.7
1992	Fraar	Excited Angel	Beret Rouge	2:07.6
1991	Luisant Bijou	Gamine	Pressman'S Choice	2:01.5
1990	Gamine	Eastern Classic	City Gossip	2:11.7
1989	Eastern Classic	Akatarawa	Cool Rocking Daddy	2:01.1
1988	Super Impose	Crown Ridge	Be Reasonable	2:11.6