The 2018 McEwen Stakes is a Group 2 race that is held during September at Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne. The race is worth total prize money of $200,000 and is run over a sprinter’s distance of 1,000 metres. Run under weight-for-age conditions, the McEwen Stakes is part of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival and is run on the same day as the Group 2 Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes and Listed Chandler MacLeod Stakes.
The first McEwen Stakes was run in 1995 when it was won by the talented Sequalo. The McEwen Stakes is often contested by horses that have come via races such as the Group 3 Missile Stakes in Sydney or the Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap.
Horses that run well in the McEwen Stakes often go on to run in races such as the Group 1 Manikato Stakes later in the carnival. Hay List achieved the McEwen Stakes and Manikato Stakes double in 2010.
Also known as the Ian McEwen Trophy, the McEwen Stakes was known as the Anniversary Trophy for the first year it was held. The race is named after Ian McEwen, a former secretary of the Moonee Valley Racing Club.
Between 1995 and 1997 the race was unlisted, however it was upgraded to listed status in 1997 and held that until 2005. In 2006 the McEwen Stakes became a Group 3 event, a status it held until 2013, when it was upgraded to Group 2.
Notable horses to have won the McEwen Stakes include Testa Rossa (2000), Strategic Image (2001), Miss Andretti (2006), Here De Angels (2007) and Nicconi (2009).
2018 McEwen Stakes Field
The 2018 McEwen Stakes field, due to be released on Wednesday the September 6, will most likely contain quite a few well proven runners including Anthony Freedman trained, Shoals. Please see below for the full field.
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 115x43830x | VIRIDINE | James Cummings | Craig Williams | 7 | 58.5kg | – | 99 |
| 2 | 2111×24111 | NATURE STRIP | Darren Weir | Mark Zahra | 1 | 58.5kg | – | 98 |
| 3 | 7231×65772 | SUNDAY ESCAPE | Andrew Murray | Dwayne Dunn | 3 | 58.5kg | – | 92 |
| 4 | 6x611864x1 | PORT VALE | Stuart Gower | Stephen Baster | 8 | 58.5kg | – | 77 |
| 5 | 1221x81x1x | SHOALS | Anthony Freedman | Tim Clark | 5 | 56.5kg | – | 112 |
| 6 | 3179x3160x | HOUTZEN | Toby Edmonds | Ryan Maloney | 4 | 56.5kg | – | 98 |
| 7 | 7x281119x4 | QUILISTA | Darren Weir | John Allen | 6 | 56.5kg | – | 105 |
| 8 | 6111x4x5x9 | UNIQUE LOVELY | Frankie Stockdale | Ben Thompson | 2 | 56.5kg | – | 74 |
2018 McEwen Stakes Nominations
Released on Monday, August 27th, the 2018 McEwen Stakes nominations always contain a number of talented horses. This year, the McEwan Stakes nominations include Shoals, and Darren Weir trained premier sprinter, Nature Strip.
| No. | Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Ballot | Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1221x81x1x | SHOALS | M | 4 | Anthony Freedman | 1 | 56.5kg | – | 112 |
| 2 | 3179x3160x | HOUTZEN | M | 4 | Toby Edmonds | 2 | 56.5kg | – | 98 |
| 3 | x632x128x1 | FAATINAH | G | 6 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 3 | 58.5kg | – | 107 |
| 4 | 1x11x2244x | SNITTY KITTY | M | 5 | Henry Dwyer | 4 | 56.5kg | – | 106 |
| 5 | 7x281119x4 | QUILISTA | M | 5 | Darren Weir | 5 | 56.5kg | – | 105 |
| 6 | 115x43830x | VIRIDINE | H | 4 | James Cummings | 6 | 58.5kg | – | 99 |
| 7 | 2111×24111 | NATURE STRIP | G | 4 | Darren Weir | 7 | 58.5kg | – | 98 |
| 8 | 25511x950x | BEAU RADA | G | 7 | John McArdle | 8 | 58.5kg | – | 93 |
| 9 | 1140x5620x | BONS AWAY | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 9 | 58.5kg | – | 99 |
| 10 | 7231×65772 | SUNDAY ESCAPE | G | 8 | Andrew Murray | 10 | 58.5kg | – | 92 |
| 11 | 6111x4x5x9 | UNIQUE LOVELY | M | 5 | Frankie Stockdale | 11 | 56.5kg | – | 74 |
| 12 | 6x611864x1 | PORT VALE | G | 4 | Stuart Gower | 12 | 58.5kg | – | 77 |
| 13 | 7x21654x11 | KYZAMBA | M | 6 | Jim Cerchi (Jnr) | 13 | 56.5kg | – | 73 |
McEwen Stakes Past Winners & Results
Below you will find a list of results for the McEwen Stakes since 2000.
| Year | Results | Winning Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 1 TBD | 2 TBD | 3 TBD | TBD |
| 2017 | 1 Russian Revolution | 2 Heatherly | 3 Houtzen | 0:58.1 |
| 2016 | 1 Wild Rain | 2 Furnaces | 3 Heatherly | 0:58.8 |
| 2015 | 1 Chautauqua | 2 Flamberge | 3 Furnaces | 0:58.2 |
| 2014 | 1 Angelic Light | 2 Lankan Rupee | 3 Eloping | 0:57.5 |
| 2013 | 1 Kuroshio | 2 Moment Of Change | 3 General Truce | 0:57.8 |
| 2012 | 1 Bel Sprinter | 2 Platelet | 3 Snitzem | 0:57.3 |
| 2011 | 1 Buffering | 2 Crystal Lily | 3 Atomic Force | 0:58.5 |
| 2010 | 1 Hay List | 2 Catapulted | 3 Reward For Effort | 0:59.6 |
| 2009 | 1 Nicconi | 2 Morgan Dollar | 3 Secret Flyer | 0:57.4 |
| 2008 | 1 Kaphero | 2 Morgan Dollar | 3 Lucky Secret | 0:59.4 |
| 2007 | 1 Here De Angels | 2 Gold Edition | 3 Dr Nipandtuck | 0:57.4 |
| 2006 | 1 Miss Andretti | 2 Sassbee | 3 Cargo Cult | 0:58.8 |
| 2005 | 1 Strikeline | 2 Truly Wicked | 3 Titanic Jack | 0:59.8 |
| 2004 | 1 Edgeton | 2 Reactive | 3 Mistegic | 1:01.8 |
| 2003 | 1 Yell | 2 The Big Chill | 3 Dantana | 0:59.6 |
| 2002 | 1 Mistegic | 2 Shaye Spice | 3 Aragonce | 1:00.2 |
| 2001 | 1 Strategic Image | 2 Sports | 3 Ateates | 0:58.4 |
| 2000 | 1 Testa Rossa | 2 Sports | 3 Chattanooga | 1:13.4 |
