Sandown Classic Trial

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Sandown Classic Trial is a Group 3 flat horse race in the United Kingdom for three-year-old thoroughbreds run over a distance of 1 mile 2 furlongs and 7 yards (2,018 metres) at Sandown Park Racecourse in late April.

It is an early-season trial race for the Epsom Derby, and successful horses here are often aimed at another trial before the big race. The most recent Derby winners to have run in the Sandown Classic Trial are Shahrastani (won trial in 1986) and Benny the Dip (runner-up in 1997), who both went on to win the Dante Stakes before striking gold at Epsom.

It was first run in 1953 and was originally known as the Royal Stakes.

The Sandown Classic Trial is currently sponsored by Betfred and takes place at a meeting which combines both flat and National Hunt racing. Other races at the meeting include the Betfred Gold Cup and the Betfred Mile.

[edit] Winners since 1988

Year	Winner	Jockey	Trainer	Time
1988	Galitzin	Ray Cochrane	Clive Brittain	2:15.47
1989	Old Vic	Steve Cauthen	Henry Cecil	2:20.65
1990	Defensive Play	Pat Eddery	Guy Harwood	2:05.55
1991	Hailsham	Michael Roberts	Clive Brittain	2:08.30
1992	Pollen Count	Steve Cauthen	John Gosden	2:07.85
1993	True Hero	Ray Cochrane	John Gosden	2:16.54
1994	Linney Head	Frankie Dettori	John Gosden	2:17.00
1995	Pentire	Michael Hills	Geoff Wragg	2:07.48
1996	Santillana	Frankie Dettori	John Gosden	2:06.64
1997	Voyagers Quest	John Reid	Peter Chapple-Hyam	2:12.54
1998	Courteous	Richard Quinn	Paul Cole	2:19.41
1999	Fantastic Light	Darryll Holland	Sir Michael Stoute	2:15.73
2000	Sakhee	Richard Hills	John Dunlop	2:23.83
2001	Chancellor	Michael Hills	Barry Hills	2:36.20
2002	Simeon	Kevin Darley	Mark Johnston	2:12.98
2003	Shield	Eddie Ahern	Gerard Butler	2:08.32
2004	African Dream	Jimmy Quinn	Peter Chapple-Hyam	2:12.93
2005	Fracas	Jamie Spencer	David Wachman	2:11.36
2006	Primary	Darryll Holland	William Haggas	2:09.40

[edit] See also

• Horseracing in the United Kingdom
• List of British flat horse races