The $200,000 G3 Belmont Sprint is the feature event this weekend, a feature winter race of the season that has seen a fine array of star WA gallopers grace the honour roll.
Below is a snapshot of the race’s history, going back to its inception in 1963.
BELMONT SPRINT OVERVIEW
- The Belmont Sprint was first staged in 1963 and won by Free Style.
- It was held over 1200m from 1963-72 & 1974-77, 1300m from 1973 & 1978-81 and 1400 since 1982.
- Since 1980 it has held Group 3 status.
NOTABLE WINNERS
- Burgess Queen (1977), Let Go Thommo (2006), Modem (2004), Luckygray (2012), Grand Nirvana (2010-2011), Rock Magic (2017), Marasco (2008) & Universal Ruler (2009).
BELMONT SPRINT JOCKEYS.
- Pat Carbery, Paul Harvey and Dan Staeck share the best Belmont Sprint riding record with three wins each.
- Harvey: Modem (2004), Marasco (2008) & Universal Ruler (2009).
- Staeck: Grand Nirvana (2010-2011) & Kerrific (2013).
- Carbery: Who Did It (2005), Beat The Storm (2007) & Perfect Jewel (2020).
- Staeck, Harvey and John Wilson are the only hoops to win the Belmont Sprint in successive years.
- Wilson won on National Boy (1978-1979).
BELMONT SPRINT TRAINERS
- Fred Kersley has trained four Belmont Sprint winners. His first arrived in 1993 courtesy of Dynamor and continued with Marasco (2008) and Grand Nirvana (2010-2011).
- Grant & Alana Williams have won three: Elite Belle (2014), Shining Knight (2015) & Galaxy Star (2019).
- Darren McAuliffe (Universal Ruler-2009 & The Velvet King-2021) and Justin Warwick (Material Man-2018 & Wink And A Nod (2016) are dual winners.
BELMONT SPRINT GENDER
- The boys have it over the girls by a big margin.
- Mares have won it on nine occasions, the last Perfect Jewel.
BELMONT SPRINT BARRIERS SINCE 2000
- Barrier one has recorded five winners.
- Barriers five and six have had four wins apiece.
- No success from barriers four, eight, nine, twelve, fourteen and fifteen.
BELMONT SPRINT/FASTEST TIME
- Fastest time recorded over current distance (1400m): Another Omen. 1:21:68sec. in 1987.
- Snice 2000: Rock Magic. 1:22:48sec.
BELMONT SPRINT AGE
- As seven-year-olds Rock Magic (2017) and Countlike (1970) are the oldest horses to win the Belmont Sprint.
LONGEST-PRICED WINNER SINCE 2000
- Perfect Jewel: $31.
- Universal Ruler: $19
SHORT-PRICED FAVOURITES SINCE 2000
- Galaxy Star: $1.30.
- Luckygray: $1.80
BELMONT SPRINT/ROMA CUP
- Santaland (1968), Firelight (1969), Clear Mak (1973), Craigie Boy (1975), National Boy (1979), Tangiers (1980), Tribula (2003), Modem (2004), Grand Nirvana (2011), Luckygray (2012), Rock Magic (2017).
PREVIOUS RUN
- Since 2000 seven winners were successful at their previous starts, four of those were first up. The Velvet King (2021), Material Man (2018), Universal Ruler (2009), Corporate Bruce (2001) & News Review (2000).
WINNERS SINCE 2000
| 2021 | The Velvet King | Mitch Pateman | Darren McAuliffe |
| 2020 | Perfect Jewel | Pat Carbery | Adam Durrant |
| 2019 | Galaxy Star | William Pike | Grant Williams |
| 2018 | Material Man | Lucy Warwick | Justin Warwick |
| 2017 | Rock Magic | Jarrad Noske | Chris Gangemi |
| 2016 | Wink And A Nod | Lucy Warwick | Justin Warwick |
| 2015 | Shining Knight | Peter Hall | Grant Williams |
| 2014 | Elite Belle | William Pike | Grant Williams |
| 2013 | Kerrific | Dan Staeck | Bruce Watkins |
| 2012 | Luckygray | Shaun O’Donnell | Gino Poletti |
| 2011 | Grand Nirvana | Dan Staeck | Fred Kersley |
| 2010 | Grand Nirvana | Dan Staeck | Fred Kersley |
| 2009 | Universal Ruler | Paul Harvey | Darren McAuliffe |
| 2008 | Marasco | Paul Harvey | Fred Kersley |
| 2007 | Beat The Storm | Pat Carbery | Ross Price |
| 2006 | Let Go Thommo | Linc Roberston | Steve Ryan |
| 2005 | Who Did It | Pat Carbery | Viv Ferrier |
| 2004 | Modem | Paul Harvey | Trevor Andrews |
| 2003 | Tribula | Stephen Miller | Arthur Mortimer |
| 2002 | Dark ‘N’ Dangerous | Troy Turner | Ken Shanks |
| 2001 | Corporate Bruce | Craig Staples | Hec McLaren |
| 2000 | New Review | Paul Dyson | Lindsey Smith |
Julio Santarelli
www.rwwa.com.au