Alister Clark Stakes

The Alister Clark Stakes is a Moonee Valley Racing Club Group 2 Thoroughbred horse race, for three year olds, at Set Weights, over a distance of 2040 metres, held annually usually at Moonee Valley Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia on a Friday night in March.^[1] Total prize money for the race is A$200,000.

Race History

The race is named after Alister Clark, the foundation chairman of the Moonee Valley Racing Club and master of Oaklands Hunt Club from 1901 to 1908.^[2] He was also the pre-eminent Australian rose breeder of the twentieth century.^[2]

The race was first run in 1939 and has had changes in distance and grade. The race at times has been a Weight-for-age event for 3 year olds and over as evident in 1977 when champion three-year-old filly Surround won the race.^[3]

Race grade

• 1939–1977 was a Principal race
• 1979 onwards Group 2

Race distance

• 1939–1947 - 1 mile (~1600 metres)
• 1948–1963 - 1 ¹⁄₄ miles (~2000 metres)
• 1964–1972 - 1 mile (~1600 metres)
• 1973–1986 – 1600 metres
• 1987–1994 – 2040 metres
• 1995 – 2000 metres
• 1996–1997 – 2040 metres
• 1998–2000 – 1600 metres
• 2001 – 1509 metres
• 2002–2010 – 1600 metres
• 2011 onwards - 2040 metres

Race venue

In 1995 the event was held at Flemington.

The winners

See also

• List of Australian Group races
• Group races

References