Sandown Guineas

The Sandown Guineas is a Group 2 race for three-year-olds that takes place at Sandown racecourse each November towards the end of the Melbourne spring racing carnival. The race is run over a distance of 1600 metres at set weights and worth $350,000 in prizemoney. The 2011 Sandown Guineas was won by So Swift from Niagara with Galah third.

Held on the Melbourne Racing Club's major meeting of the year at Sandown, the race takes place alongside the Gr2 Sandown Classic, Gr3 Sandown Stakes and Gr3 Eclipse Stakes.

Sandown Guineas info
Date:	Saturday 17th November 2012
Track:	Sandown racecourse, Melbourne
Distance:	1600 metres
Race Type:	3yo - Set Weights
Status:	Group 2
Prizemoney:	$350,000
2011 Winner:	So Swift

The Sandown Guineas is the last prestigious 3yo set weights race of the Melbourne spring racing carnival and can quite often unearth a new star of the turf. It has been won by some nice types over the years including Over (1999), Sedation (1998), King Ivor (1996) and Durbridge (1990).

Races like the Gr3 Carbine Club Stakes at Flemington on Derby day is the ideal lead-up to this race as it's run over the same distance and 3yo gallopers who finish strongly in that race are always well suited to this event.

The long Sandown straight has a tough uphill run home and suits strong three-year-olds who can run a very solid mile. Any horses with weaknesses seeing out the trip will quite often be found out in the run to the line.

So Swift (2011) won a Maiden event over 1400m at Hamilton in Western Victoria before scoring in this event and recent Sandown Guineas winners include Pressday (2010) and Kidnapped (2009).

Spring Carnival Guide
The race is best suited to above average 3yo horses who are not strong enough to win a Gr1 race over the Caulfield or Flemington carnival and this event gives them a chance to pick up a good quality group race during the spring.

2011 Sandown Guineas result
1. $19.00 So Swift 56.5 Craig Williams
2. $7.00 Niagara 56.5 Nash Rawiller
3. $3.60 Galah 56.5 Kerrin McEvoy

then followed
4. $9.00 Highly Recommended 56.5 Luke Nolen
5. $5.00 Mahisara 56.5 Michael Rodd
6. $21.00 First Course 56.5 Dwayne Dunn
7. $41.00 Covered In Class 56.5 Brad Rawiller
8. $9.00 Amah Rock 56.5 James Winks
9. $101.00 King’S Shilling 56.5 Jamie Mott
10. $13.00 Red Rain 56.5 Chris Symons
11. $61.00 Westsouthwest 56.5 Michael Walker
12. $26.00 Grand Britannia 56.5 Hugh Bowman
13. $301.00 Kobe Queen 54.5 Ms Lisa Cropp

Margins: Nose, short 1/2 head
Time: 1:38.84

Sandown Guineas recent winners & placegetters
Year	Winner	2nd	3rd	Time
2011	So Swift	Niagara	Galah	1:38.8
2010	Pressday	Chasse	Bigelow	1:42.7
2009	Kidnapped	Majestic Music	Turf Express	1:36.2
2008	Caymans	Marveen	Lucky Thunder	1:38.0
2007	Schilling	Masked Assassin	Wind Shear	1:38.6
2006	Sender	Flame Of Sydney	Wordsmith	1:34.8
2005	Cayambe	Zigotto	Aztec Smytzer	1:39.4
2004	Binding	Barely A Moment	Al Maher	1:42.5
2003	Pay Keys	Ikes Dream	Delzao	1:36.1
2002	Dextrous	Lawsons Storm	Cool Azz	1:35.5
2001	Moon Dragon	All Courage	Rod To Dance	1:35.8
2000	Scenic Warrior	Wyndam Special	Paradiddle	1:34.6
1999	Over	Chattanooga	Trousers	1:35.8
1998	Sedation	Black Bean	Speedy Kids	1:38.9
1997	Special Dane	Bluebird The Word	Tricove	1:38.0
1996	King Ivor	Monets Cove	Kentucky Blue	1:35.8
1995	Peep On The Sly	Saintly	Quality Gold	1:36.1
1994	Baryshnikov	Perfect World	Dapper Spirit	1:34.7
1993	Voting	Tenor	Bellzevir	1:34.6
1992	Navy Seal	Picnicker	Baskerville	1:35.0
1991	Star Video	Enjoy Dancing	Laranto	1:34.7
1990	Durbridge	Pre Record	Bold Rancher	1:35.5
1989	Stargazer	Tristanagh	Drumming	1:37.1
1988	Blixen	Wonder Dancer	Fire Wonder	1:37.2