The Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) is the first of two Group 1 races at Royal Randwick on Saturday afternoon, with a talented field of 12 two-year-olds seeking Group 1 glory for the first time.
The team Hawkes-trained Nepotism was a dominant winner in the Group 3 Baillieu (1400m) at Rosehill on April 1 and has been the clear favourite with horse racing bookmakers since careering away by 1.5 lengths on testing conditions.
The son of Brutal still holds firm favouritism at $3.70 with despite drawing out in barrier 11, with Tyler Schiller set to be legged aboard once again after taking the reins last time out.
Within The Law is on the second line of betting at $6 with and heads into this one the one-week backup after running third behind Tempted in the Group 2 Percy Sykes Stakes (1200m) on Day 2 of The Championships.
Kerrin McEvoy picks up the ride in place of Jason Collett, with the latter booked to steer Group 1 Sires’ Produce (1400m) third placegetter, Buffalo ($8.50).
Four runners can’t be split at the $8.50 with , with Buffalo, State Visit, Bellazaine and Next Jen all have strong claims, and all are being shown respect by horse betting sites.
The 2025 Champagne Stakes in the third-and-final leg of the two-year-old triple crown and is the first leg of the Randwick quaddie with a jump time of 3pm AEST.
2025 Champagne Stakes Final Field
1. State Visit (12)
- T: Ciaron Maher
- J: James McDonald
- W: 56.5kg
- Age: 2
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Colt
- Sire: Wootton Bassett
- Dam: Celebrity Queen
+160
2. Nepotism (11)
- T: Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes
- J: Tyler Schiller
- W: 56.5kg
- Age: 2
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Colt
- Sire: Brutal
- Dam: Brigite
-166.67
3. Buffalo (5)
- T: David Atkins
- J: Jason Collett
- W: 56.5kg
- Age: 2
- Colour: Chestnut
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Written By
- Dam: Contributing
+130
4. Is It Spectacular (2)
- T: Sara Ryan
- J: Mark Zahra
- W: 56.5kg
- Age: 2
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Colt
- Sire: Dundeel
- Dam: Is What It Is
+900
5. Michelangelo (4)
- T: Chris Waller
- J: Zac Lloyd
- W: 56.5kg
- Age: 2
- Colour: Brown
- Sex: Colt
- Sire: Trapeze Artist
- Dam: Waltzing Wodka
+400
6. Federalist (9)
- T: Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes
- J: Nash Rawiller
- W: 56.5kg
- Age: 2
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Colt
- Sire: I Am Invincible
- Dam: Arcadia Queen
+320
7. Within The Law (3)
- T: Bjorn Baker
- J: Kerrin McEvoy
- W: 54.5kg
- Age: 2
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Filly
- Sire: Lucky Vega
- Dam: Contract Signed
+120
8. Bellazaine (6)
- T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
- J: Tim Clark
- W: 54.5kg
- Age: 2
- Colour: Bay or Brown
- Sex: Filly
- Sire: Zousain
- Dam: Benella
+140
9. Spicy Lu (8)
- T: Nick Olive
- J: Ms Rachel King
- W: 54.5kg
- Age: 2
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Filly
- Sire: Tagaloa
- Dam: All Salsa
+300
10. Tupakara (1)
- T: Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald
- J: Tommy Berry
- W: 54.5kg
- Age: 2
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Filly
- Sire: Trapeze Artist
- Dam: Catchulata
+320
11. Lady Pankhurst (10)
- T: John Sargent
- J: Craig Williams
- W: 54.5kg
- Age: 2
- Colour: Chestnut
- Sex: Filly
- Sire: Capitalist
- Dam: Thunder Lady
+750
12. Next Jen (7)
- T: Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald
- J: Chad Schofield
- W: 54.5kg
- Age: 2
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Filly
- Sire: Ole Kirk
- Dam: Fashion Sniptz
+190
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