Australian Stayers Challenge
The Australian Stayers Challenge (ASC) comprises 32 Australian and New Zeland
premier older horse staying events with a minimum distance of 2300m, minimum
prizemoney of $100,00 and black type standard of listed level required to
participate. This provides an incentive for race clubs to build staying races
over time with the goal of inclusion in the Challenge. Should black type
races currently contained in the Challenge lose their status over time any
race club in Australia will be given the opportunity to develop a race for
inclusion in the ASC.
The ASC carries a point allocation for horses finishing in the first three places in group races, whilst listed races only reward the winner of the race. The points have been segmented from Group 1 to Listed to recognise higher quality races.
The horse that earns the most points throughout the Challenge will be crowned the ‘Australian Stayers Challenge’ Champion, with the prize being a coveted exemption from any ballot for the 2008 Emirates Melbourne Cup .
Challenge Races and Points
|
Heat |
Date |
State |
Race |
Group |
Distance |
Cond |
Prize |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
| 1 | 10/11/2007 | VIC | Queen Elizabeth Stakes | 3 | 2500m | Q.Hcp | $250,000 | 60 | 30 | 15 |
| 2 | 14/11/2007 | VIC | Bendigo Cup | Listed | 2400m | Hcp | $150,000 | 30 | 40 | 0 |
| 3 | 17/11/2007 | NZ | New Zealand Cup | 2 | 3200m | Hcp | $220,000 | 90 | 40 | 20 |
| 4 | 17/11/2007 | VIC | Sandown Classic | 2 | 2400m | WFA | $400,000 | 90 | 40 | 20 |
| 5 | 19/12/2007 | WA | C.B. Cox Stakes | 2 | 2400m | WFA | $200,000 | 90 | 40 | 20 |
| 6 | 1/01/2008 | WA | Perth Cup | 2 | 3200m | Hcp | $400,000 | 90 | 40 | 20 |
| 7 | 1/01/2008 | VIC | Bagot Handicap | Listed | 2500m | Hcp | $150,000 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | 26/01/2008 | NZ | Wellington Cup | 1 | 3200m | Hcp | $350,000 | 120 | 60 | 30 |
| 9 | 27/02/2008 | TAS | Launceston Cup | 3 | 2400m | Hcp | $300,000 | 60 | 30 | 15 |
| 10 | 1/03/2008 | SA | Carlton Draught Stakes | 3 | 2600m | Hcp | $125,000 | 60 | 30 | 15 |
| 11 | 5/03/2008 | NZ | Auckland Cup | 1 | 3200m | Hcp | $700,000 | 120 | 60 | 30 |
| 12 | 10/03/2008 | SA | Adelaide Cup | 2 | 3200m | Hcp | $400,000 | 90 | 40 | 20 |
| 13 | 24/03/2008 | WA | Pinjarra Cup | Listed | 2400m | Hcp | $100,000 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | 12/04/2008 | NSW | N.E. Manion Cup | Listed | 2400m | Hcp | $100,000 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | 19/04/2008 | NSW | The BMW | 1 | 2400m | WFA | $2,250,000 | 120 | 60 | 30 |
| 16 | 26/04/2008 | NSW | Chairman's Handicap | 2 | 2600m | Hcp | $300,000 | 90 | 40 | 20 |
| 17 | 1/05/2008 | VIC | Warrnambool Cup | Listed | 2350m | Hcp | $130,000 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | 3/05/2008 | NSW | Sydney Cup | 1 | 3200m | Hcp | $750,000 | 120 | 60 | 30 |
| 19 | 17/05/2008 | VIC | Ramsden Stakes | Listed | 3200m | Hcp | $150,000 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | 31/05/2008 | NSW | W.J. McKell Cup | Listed | 2400m | Hcp | $100,000 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | 9/06/2008 | QLD | Brisbane Cup | 2 | 2400m | Hcp | $300,000 | 90 | 40 | 20 |
| 22 | 21/06/2008 | NSW | Winter Cup | Listed | 2400m | Hcp | $100,000 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | 28/06/2008 | QLD | Caloundra Cup | Listed | 2400m | Hcp | $200,000 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | 17/07/2008 | NSW | Grafton Cup | Listed | 2400m | Hcp | $170,000 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | 13/09/2008 | WA | Kalgoorlie Cup | Listed | 2300m | Hcp | $125,000 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | 27/09/2008 | NSW | Colin Stephen Quality | 3 | 2400m | Hcp | $150,000 | 60 | 30 | 15 |
| 27 | 4/10/2008 | VIC | The Bart Cummings | Listed | 2530m | Hcp | $102,000 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | 4/10/2008 | NSW | The Metropolitan | 1 | 2400m | Hcp | $600,000 | 120 | 60 | 30 |
| 29 | 11/10/2008 | VIC | Winning Edge Stakes | 2 | 2400m | Hcp | $200,000 | 90 | 40 | 20 |
| 30 | 18/10/2007 | NSW | City Tatt’s Club Cup | Listed | 2400m | Hcp | $100,000 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | 18/10/2007 | VIC | Caulfield Cup | 1 | 2400m | Hcp | $2.500,000 | 120 | 60 | 30 |
| 32 | 22/10/2008 | VIC | Geelong Cup | 3 | 2400m | Hcp | $155,000 | 60 | 30 | 15 |
| 33 | 25/10/2008 | VIC | Moonee Valley Gold Cup | 2 | 2500m | SW&P | $300,000 | 90 | 40 | 20 |
| 34 | 01/11/2008 | VIC | SAAB Quality | 3 | 2500m | Q.Hcp | $250,000 | 60 | 30 | 15 |
Each State of Australia has been afforded the opportunity to participate in the ASC, with the break up of races by State and relevant group status below:
|
State |
Group 1 |
Group 2 |
Group 3 |
Listed |
Total |
| NSW | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 10 |
| VIC | 1 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 12 |
| QLD | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| WA | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| SA | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| TAS | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| NZ | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Total | 6 | 9 | 6 | 13 | 34 |
Conditions For ASC
- The winner of the ASC is the horse that accumulates the most points throughout the Challenge
- In the event of two or more horses finishing equal first on points, the winner will be decided by the horse that earns the most prize money in that years Challenge races
- Prize money will only be recognised when horses earn points in Challenge races
- In the event that there is still a tie, the winner will be the horse that ultimately receives the exemption into the Emirates Melbourne Cup
- In the event of a dead heat in a Challenge race, the points available for those placing’s will be combined and divided equally amongst the dead heaters
- The NRPC reserves the right to amend the ASC conditions and is the sole adjudicator on all conditions of the ASC
- The NRPC reserves the right to amend the ASC conditions and is the sole adjudicator on all conditions of the ASC
Emirates Melbourne Cup Exemption for Winning Horse
- The horse that wins the ASC will be afforded automatic inclusion in the Emirates Melbourne Cup field irrespective of weight or ballot order position
- The exemption into the 2008 Emirates Melbourne Cup applies to the winner of the ASC only, irrespective of that horse earning a separate exemption or it not being a final acceptor for the race.