Le Chef Headlines Champagne Classic Field

The 2015 Champagne Classic field has been released and Magic Millions Classic winner Le Chef is set to return to the races in the Group 2 event at Doomben this afternoon.

Le Chef will return to the races in the 2015 Champagne Classic at Doomben this weekend. Photo by: Daniel Costello

Le Chef will return to the races in the 2015 Champagne Classic at Doomben this weekend. Photo by: Daniel Costello

Le Chef made his racing debut with a fifth place finish behind Wicked Intent in the Breakfast Creek Hotel  at Doomben on November 29, but he was able to bounce back and record his maiden race win in the XXXX Gold Maiden Plate (1100m) at Ipswich on December 24.

The Exceed And Excel colt earnt himself a start in the 2015 Magic Millions Classic when he won the First National Handicap (1200m) at the Gold Coast on January 3  and he upset a strong field to record a most impressive victory in the $2 million event at the same venue a week later.

Another talented two-year-old that is set to return to the races in the 2015 Champagne Classic is Chris Munce-trained Wicked Intent.

Wicked Intent produced a strong of high-rating performances when he started his racing career with three straight victories at the Gold Coast on October 4, Doomben on November 29 and the Listed Phelan Ready Quality (1050m) at the same venue on December 13.

The Wicked Style colt suffered his first defeat when he was upset by Mishani Honcho in the Group 3 B.J. McLachlan Stakes (1200m) at the Gold Coast on December 27 and he did not have a great deal of luck in running in the Magic Millions Classic.

Chris Waller won the 2014 edition of the Champagne Classic with Brazen Beau and he has included Counterattack in the acceptances for this year’s race.

Counterattack performed well without winning in his first three starts and he was sent to the spelling paddock, but he was able to return to the races with a narrow victory in the Place Multi Handicap (1200m) at Warwick Farm on April 15.

Gai Waterhouse is another trainer that has had plenty of success with two-year-olds in the 2015 Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival and she has included Sempre Libera in the 2015 Champagne Classic field.

The Medaglia D’Oro filly stamped herself as a horse to watch when she took out the McGrath Estate Agents Handicap (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on April 1 and she did not have a great deal of luck when fourth behind Ottoman in the Group 3 Percy Sykes Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on April 11.

Godolphin have also sent a two-year-old north for the 2015 Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival and Sampeah has been included in the Champagne Classic field.

The son of Exceed And Excel has not recorded a race win since he won on debut at Rosehill Gardens on November 29, but he performed well in races like the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m), Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) and Group 2 VRC Sires Produce Stakes (1400m).

Ken Russell Memorial Classic winner Big Tree, It’s Vegas Baby, De Lago Jet, Desert Man, Pepperano, Single Gaze, Madotti, Blueberry Hill, Secret Saga and Look To The Stars have also been included in the 2015 Champagne Classic field.

About The Author

Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.