Patinack Farm Classic

The Patinack Farm Classic is a Group 1 weight-for-age race held at Flemington racecourse during the Melbourne spring racing carnival in November. The race is run over a distance of 1200 metres and worth $1,000,000 in prizemoney. The 2011 Patinack Farm Classic was won by Black Caviar from Buffering with Mid Summer Music third.

The Patinack Farm Classic race conditions altered in 2007 when it changed from a 'handicap' to 'weight-for-age' and the race was moved to Emirates Stakes Day to align with the Global Sprint Challenge.

This change complemented the addition of the Gr1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (formerly Ascot Vale Stakes) for 3yo's onto the Derby Day program. The race now attracts the best sprinters available including well performed three-year-olds from the Coolmore Stud Stakes.

Patinack Farm Classic info
Date:	Saturday 10th November 2012
Track:	Flemington racecourse, Melbourne
Distance:	1200 metres
Race Type:	Weight-for-age
Status:	Group 1
Prizemoney:	$1,000,000
2011 Winner:	Black Caviar

The Patinack Farm Classic has changed in recent times to make it more attractive to international horses as part of the Global Sprint Challenge, and it also provides a good race for three-year-olds who back up after contesting the Coolmore Stud Stakes over the same course and distance on Derby day.

Run down the Flemington straight course with no turns involved, the Patinack Farm Classic is a true speed test where stamina is also required to run out a strong 1200 metres. It has been won by some of Australia's best sprinters over the years. Races such as the Gr2 Schweppes Stakes on Cox Plate Day and the Gr2 Salinger Stakes on Derby Day are ideal lead up races to this event.

The Patinack Farm Classic is a the premier weight-for-age sprint race of the Fleminton spring racing carnival and interestingly enough the winner has broken the Flemington 1200 metres track record multiple times since 1991, which shows the type of class required to claim this event.

To win the Patinack Farm Classic, a horse has to possess both speed to take up a prominent position and strength at the finish when the pressure is on and it's no surprise that only high class gallopers win this event, as history certainly shows.

Brilliant gallopers to to win the Patinack Farm Classic include Black Caviar (2010-11), Miss Andretti (2007), Takeover Target (2005), Hareeba (1994), Special (1988), River Rough (1983-84), Maybe Mahal (1976), Century (1973) and Vain (1969).

Black Caviar (2010-11) won the Gr2 Schweppes Stakes over 1200m at Moonee Valley on Cox Plate day for the second year in a row before scoring successive wins in this event and recent Patinack Farm Classic winners include All Slient (2009) and Swick (2008).

2011 Patinack Farm Classic result
1. $1.05 Black Caviar 56.5 Luke Nolen
2. $41.00 Buffering 58.5 Nash Rawiller
3. $31.00 Mid Summer Music 56.5 Ben Melham

then followed
4. $81.00 Curtana 56.5 Darren Beadman
5. $51.00 Scenic Blast 58.5 Steven Arnold
6. $51.00 Response 56.5 Dwayne Dunn
7. $201.00 Panipique 56.5 Michael Walker

Margins: 2 3/4 len, len
Time: 1:08.32

Global Sprint Challenge
The Patinack Farm Classic Stakes is the second-last leg of the 'Global Sprint Challenge' which is a series of eight sprint races run in Hong Kong, Australia, England and Japan. The Australian legs of the series are the Gr1 Lightning Stakes held at Flemington in January and the Gr1 Patinack Farm Classic held on the final day of the Flemington spring carnival in November.

Global Sprint Challenge races
Gr1 Lightning Stakes - Flemington Racecourse - Australia - January
Gr1 King's Stand Stakes - Royal Ascot - England - June
Gr1 Golden Jubilee Stakes - Royal Ascot - England - June
Gr1 July Cup - Newmarket Racecourse - England - July
Gr2 Centaur Stakes - Hanshin Racecourse - Japan - September
Gr1 Sprinters Stakes - Nakayama Racecourse - Japan - October
Gr1 Patinack Farm Classic - Flemington Racecourse - Australia - November
Gr1 Hong Kong Sprint - Sha Tin Racecourse - Hong Kong - December

The Champion Sprinter trophy is awarded to the connections of the horse that accumulates 42 points or more in a single season, and participates in challenge races in at least three countries. Challenge winners since the Global Series inception have been Cape of Good Hope (2005), Takeover Target (2006), Miss Andretti (2007) Apache Cat (2008), Scenic Blast (2009) and Starspangledbanner (2010).

Patinack Farm Classic recent winners & placegetters
Year	Winner	2nd	3rd	Time
2011	Black Caviar	Buffering	Mid Summer Music	1:08.3
2010	Black Caviar	Star Witness	Ortensia	1:07.9
2009	All Silent	Wanted	Bank Robber	1:08.7
2008	Swick	Turffontein	Sunburnt Land	1:11.0
2007	Miss Andretti	Gold Edition	Stanzout	1:08.9
2006	Dance Hero	Shadoways	Miss Andretti	1:08.6
2005	Glamour Puss	Barely A Moment	Cape Of Good Hope	1:08.9
2004	Takeover Target	Recurring	St Basil	1:08.2
2003	Ancient Song	Into The Night	Blessum	1:11.0
2002	Rubitano	Intelligent Star	Cosmic Strike	1:07.1
2001	Sudurka	Hire	Camena	1:08.4
2000	Easy Rocking	Umrum	Tilt The Scales	1:10.0
1999	Pharein	Toledo	Cannyanna	1:07.9
1998	Flavour	Scandinavia	Towkay	1:09.5
1997	Notoire	Rock You	Flavour	1:11.1
1996	Gold Ace	Seika	Masked Party	1:07.5
1995	Brawny Spirit	Sword	Racers Edge	1:08.4
1994	Hareeba	Khaptingly	Royal Discard	1:09.2
1993	Alishan	Keltrice	Primacy	1:08.6
1992	Unspoken Word	Tanjian Prince	Ghost Story	1:10.6
1991	Final Card	Barrosa Boy	Mr Tiz	1:07.8
1990	Planet Ruler	Redelva	Gypsy Rogue	1:08.1
1989	Planet Ruler	Heavenly View	Glenview	1:08.3
1988	Special	Prismatic Star	Our Westminster	1:09.9