Day 1 of The Championships has drawn some of the Autumn Racing Carnival’s best horses to Royal Randwick this afternoon and four Group 1 feature races headline a particularly impressive ten race card.

Le Romain is favourite to win this afternoon’s Group 1 Doncaster Mile at Randwick. Photo: Steve Hart

We will be covering The Championships Day 1 results throughout the afternoon and we are set for a very exciting day of racing.

All the action on Day 1 of The Championships will get underway with the running of the Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes (1100m) for two-year-olds at 12:10pm local time and will officially conclude after the Group 3 Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) is run at 5:50pm.

The Championships Day 1 Results

Race 1 (12:10pm) Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes Results

Talented two-year-old Property has made light work of a classy two-year-old field on his way to a smart win in the Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes (1100m) this afternoon.

Having finished a credible fifth in the Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes at his last start, the Starcraft colt mustered an impressive turn of foot in the final straight to open a three-length gap on closest rival Condor Heroes.

After setting the early pace in the race alongside From Within, Sheika boxed on well to finish third in the Kindergarten Stakes.

• 1st – Property
• 2nd – Condor Heroes
• 3rd – Sheika

Race 2 (12:45pm) Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes Results

Acatour mustered a strong turn of foot to comfortably win the Carbine Club Stakes. Photo: Steve Hart

Acatour has produced an impressive turn of foot in the final straight to win the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) by three lengths.

Acactour was settled in an ideal position on the heels of early leaders Veladero and Theanswermyfriend after jumping well.

Jockey Blake Shinn allowed Acatour plenty of time to balance to before asking for an extra effort and the colt responded with a strong sprint to comfortably win the race; Theanswermyfriend and Veladero rounding out the minors.

• 1st – Acatour
• 2nd – Theanswermyfriend
• 3rd – Veladero

Race 3 (1:20pm) Group 2 Chairman’s Handicap Results

The Darren Weir-trained Big Duke has completed an ideal lead-in to next weekend’s Group 1 Sydney Cup after completing a strong performance to win the Chairman’s Handicap (2600m) this afternoon.

Jockey Craig Williams was positive aboard the Raven’s Pass gelding from the outset and settled the horse in an ideal position in transit on the heels of early leaders Aloft and Shalmaneser, before being shuffled a pair back as Vandancer took up the running across the back straight.

Big Duke mustered a typically strong turn of foot in the final straight to open a gap of two lengths by the time he found the winning post; Aloft and Rock On rounding out the minor placings.

• 1st – Big Duke
• 2nd – Aloft
• 3rd – Rock On

Race 4 (1:55pm) Country Championships Final Results

Free Standing recorded a career-best win to date in the Country Championships Final. Photo: Steve Hart

Free Standing has produced a strong turn of foot in the final straight to post a career-best win to date in the Country Championships Final (1400m).

Blake Shinn took a good position in transit on the rails as Stoneyrose, Pelerin and Pumpkin Pie blazed the early path, and the horse received an ideal run in transit.

Holding his position on the fence rounding onto the final straight, the Equiano gelding shot to the lead and pulled clear of his rivals; hitting the line close to three lengths ahead of After All That and Not For Export.

• 1st – Free Standing
• 2nd – After All That
• 3rd – Not For Export

Race 5 (2:30pm) Group 3 PJ Bell Stakes Results

Diddums has completed an impressive start-to-finish performance to claim a maiden black type win in the Group 3 PJ Bell Stakes this afternoon.

The Snitzel filly jumped from the gates well and immediately took up the running in the PJ Bell Stakes, as clear favourite Raiment was forced to take a position within the fifteen-horse field.

Pulling clear of her rivals upon rounding onto the final straight, Diddums produced a strong kick to comfortably find the line ahead of Prompt Response and a strong-finishing Smart Amelia

• 1st – Diddums
• 2nd – Prompt Response
• 3rd – Smart Amelia

Race 6 (3:10pm) Group 1 Inglis Sires’ Results

Invader flew home to post a maiden Group 1 win in the Inglis Sires’. Photo: Steve Hart

Invader has produced a big turn of foot in the final straight to fly home on the outside of his rivals and win the first Group 1 race on Day 1 of The Championships, the Inglis Sires’ for two-year-olds.

Invader was settled within the classy and capacity Inglis Sires’ field by jockey Hugh Bowman, as Victorian Sirconni and Kiwi raider Summer Passage led the group across the back straight and towards the bend.

Faced with plenty of do after the field straightened, the Snitzel colt immediately responded with a superior turn of foot when asked for an extra effort; savaging the line to record a dominant win.

• 1st – Invader
• 2nd – Summer Passage
• 3rd – Trapeze Artist

Race 7 (3:50pm) Group 1 Australian Derby Results

Jon Snow has beaten some of Australia and New Zealand’s best three-year-olds to the line to be crowned the 2017 Australian Derby winner this afternoon.

All focus was on Jon Snow’s fellow Kiwi raider Gingernuts leading into the Australian Derby, however it was last weekend’s Group 2 Tulloch Stakes winner who was able to dictate terms with Harper’s Choice on pace, before pulling away in the final straight to post a maiden Group 1 win.

In saddling Jon Snow to success today, co-trainer Murray Baker has now won four of the ten most-recent editions of the Australian Derby.

• 1st – Jon Snow
• 2nd – Harper’s Choice
• 3rd – Hardham

Race 8 (4:30pm) Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes Results

Chautauqua stormed home to win the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes. Photo: Steve Hart

Chautauqua has etched his name into world racing folklore with arguably a career-best performance to win a third-consecutive TJ Smith Stakes this afternoon.

The Encosta De Lago was settled at the tail of the field by jockey Tommy Berry this afternoon and experienced a carefree run in transit as Russian Revolution and Fell Swoop set the early pace.

Wide, back and blocked by the entire field leading into the final straight, another win appeared a bridge too far for the talented grey, until Berry found a gap between runners and made it count as Chautauqua mustered a scintillating turn of foot to catch English and Fell Swoop on the line.

• 1st – Chautauqua
• 2nd – English
• 3rd – Fell Swoop

Race 9 (5:10pm) Group 1 Doncaster Mile Results

Godolphin runner It’s Somewhat has produced a career-best performance to lead from start to finish and win this afternoon’s featured Group 1 Doncaster Mile.

Zac Purton allowed the Dynaformer gelding to stride forward and take up the running in the Doncaster Mile after he jumped well, and the horse kicked clear of his rivals leading into the final straight.

Maintaining his position on the rail, It’s Somewhat maintained a strong-enough sprint to hold off the efforts of an impressive Happy Clapper, while long-odds shot Sense Of Occasion worked to the line well to finish third.

• 1st – It’s Somewhat
• 2nd – Happy Clapper
• 3rd – Sense Of Occasion

Race 10 (5:50pm) Group 3 Adrian Knox Stakes Results

Waking Moment has secured ballot-free entry into next weekend’s Group 1 Australian Oaks with a last-gasp win in the Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m); the final race on Day 1 of The Championships.

Jumping from the gates only fairly, Waking Moment was settled towards the tail of the Adrian Knox Stakes field as Almalita took up the early running and ensured that the race would be run at a genuine tempo.

The Authorized filly was faced with plenty to do upon arriving at the final straight, but managed to complete a perfectly-timed sprint to beat Perfect Rhyme in a photo.

• 1st – Waking Moment
• 2nd – Perfect Rhyme
• 3rd – Fallacy