Exciting Racing and Big Crowds at Sydney Carnival Conclusion

The 2011 Sydney Carnival concluded at Royal Randwick with Schweppes Sydney Cup Day and four outstanding Group 1 races before a crowd of 18,303 who were not deterred by early morning rain to come out for Easter Saturday’s traditional day of racing.

The exciting two-year-old colt Helmet won the $400,000, Group 1, Moet & Chandon Champagne Stakes (1600m) to give Warwick Farm trainer Peter Snowden a clean sweep of the two-year-old feature races of the Carnival after Sepoy’s win in the AAMI Golden Slipper and Helmet’s Inglis Sires’ Produce Stakes.

The race was not without incident with Helmet ducking infield with 100m with jockey Kerrin McEvoy using all his skill to stay with Helmet. Despite losing momentum Helmet had sufficient ability to gather himself up again under McEvoy’s guidance and win with a length to spare.

Leading Sydney trainer Chris Waller then claimed the next two Group 1 races of the programme.

It was almost ordained that at the racecourse in Australia with the Royal in front of it that a horse bred by Queen Elizabeth, who granted Randwick the right to use the Royal, would win the $500,000, Group 1, Hyland Race Colours Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m).

My Kingdom Of Fife (GB), under a fine guiding ride by Nash Rawiller, won the race in the rejuvenated six-year-olds second start in Australia. After racing in England for Queen Elizabeth My Kingdom Of Fife was purchased for racing in Australia by owners Richard Pegum, Rob Willis and Michael Buys and the rest is Randwick history.

It was another imported galloper from Waller’s stable Stand To Gain (IRE) who won the feature $500,000, Group 1, Schweppes Sydney Cup (3200m) with Rod Quinn riding. There as a length to spare over Older Than Time, and Glen Boss, and a further length to the New Zealander Solid Billing and Cameron Lammas. Stand To Gain surprised punters with the win dividend $31.60 on NSW TAB.

There was no surprise in the $400,000, Daily Telegraph All-Aged Stakes (1400m) with Hay List and Glen Boss demolishing the field in an outstanding display of sustained sprinting. They won with 3 1/4L over Hinchinbrook and Heart Of Dreams, and the margin would have been greater if Boss had pressed Hay List all the way to the finish. Hay List paid $2.50 on NSW TAB as the punter’s favourite.

“Today's Schweppes Sydney Cup Day marks the end of the 2011 Sydney Carnival across Rosehill Gardens and Royal Randwick," said Darren Pearce, Chief Executive of the Australian Turf Club.

“Although the weather has been unkind to us this year, we have delivered six consecutive Saturdays of world class racing and the headline horses of this Carnival like Sepoy and Black Caviar will stand proudly among the best in history".

“Combined crowds were up across the two hero events of the Carnival, AAMI Golden Slipper Day at Rosehill Gardens and David Jones Australian Derby Day at Royal Randwick, and the ATC is set to build on this as we progress the merger and make transformational investments in our facilities to ensure we are providing the people of Sydney and beyond an event that truly sits on the world stage,” he said.