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Two-year-olds only. Seven furlongs. First run 1975. (Note: Listed Race up to 1985; Group Three from 1986; elevated to Group Two status in 2003)
The Vintage Stakes is one of the premier juvenile races of the season and has been won by numerous top-class performers including several that have gone on to Classic glory.
The first Vintage Stakes winner to do so was Troy in 1978, who progressed to take the Derby at Epsom Downs the following June. Dr Devious became the second colt to achieve this notable double in 1991/1992, while Sir Percy also savoured glory in the Epsom Classic after clinching the 2005 renewal. Don’t Forget Me (1986) and the Mark Johnston-trained Mister Baileys (1993) won the Goodwood race before adding the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket the following spring.
Johnston also trained the 2003 winner Lucky Story and the exceptional Shamardal. The latter was champion two-year-old in 2004 after winning the Vintage Stakes in an unbeaten campaign that culminated with the Group One Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.
The following season, Shamardal was brilliant in three starts, winning the Poule d’Essai de Poulains, the Prix du Jockey Club and the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot for Godolphin. Rio De La Plata, who gave Frankie Dettori his third of four victories, was a good winner in 2007 and went on to finish second in the French 2,000 Guineas in a curtailed campaign the following year.
Trainer Sir Henry Cecil sent out the first of his six winners with Marathon Gold back in 1979, while the latest came with Eltish in 1994.
Subsequent Hong Kong Group One winner Xtension gave trainer Clive Cox his first success in 2009 and the 11–4 chance was the 24rd favourite to be successful in 37 runnings. He was narrowly beaten in the Group One Dewhurst stakes at Newmarket later in the season.
Richard Hannon saddled King Torus to win the 2010 renewal under Richard Hughes easily by six lengths, the greatest winning margin and the same trainer/jockey combination was successful again with Chandlery in 2011.
Veuve Clicquot, the official champagne of Goodwood Racecourse, has backed the race since 2003.
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Allison is the Publisher of Eclipse Magazine. She loves going to the Races and is learning to bet (despite being officially the worst bettor in the History of the Universe), there’s a lot more to learn…
