Cordina Chicken Farms Chariots Of Fire is one of the biggest events on the Club Menangle racing calendar each year – and is an automatic qualifier for the $1 Million Garrards Miracle Mile.
Like the Miracle Mile, the Chariots Of Fire is of important significance to the Australasian calendar being the richest four-year-old race worth $200,000 in prizemoney.
First, run in 1995, the Chariots Of Fire has grown vastly in the pursuing years and is a race that has been contested by a number of horses that have continued to become Grand Circuit stars.
CHARIOTS OF FIRE HONOUR ROLL
| Year | Horse (Driver) | Mile Rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | 2022 | BETTER ECLIPSE (G Sugars) | 1:47:6 |
| 27 | 2021 | EXPENSIVE EGO (L McCarthy) | 1:48.9 |
| 26 | 2020 | LOCHINVAR ART (D Moran) | 1:50.1 |
| 25 | 2019 | POSTER BOY (C Alford) | 1:49.1 |
| 24 | 2018 | JILLIBY KUNG FU (J Lee) | 1:48.8 |
| 23 | 2017 | LAZARUS (M Purdon) | 1:49.0 |
| 22 | 2016 | HAVE FAITH IN ME NZ (N C Rasmussen) | 1:48.8 |
| 21 | 2015 | OUR SKY MAJOR (Z Butcher) | 1:51.5 |
| 20 | 2014 | GUARANTEED (G Lang) | 1:50.4 |
| 19 | 2013 | CHRISTEN ME (D Dunn) | 1:50.5 |
| 18 | 2012 | CARIBBEAN BLASTER (K Gath) | 1:52.6 |
| 17 | 2011 | LANERCOST (D Graham) | 1:52.5 |
| 16 | 2010 | VILLAGEM (L Miles) | 1:52.1 |
| 15 | 2009 | MAFFIOSO (C Alford) | 1:59.4 |
| 14 | 2008 | EBONY GEM (J Caldow) | 1:57.4 |
| 13 | 2007 | Not held due to Equine Influenza | |
| 12 | 2006 | INNOCENT EYES (G Lang) | 1:57.6 |
| 11 | 2005 | SLIPNSLIDE (LA McCarthy) | 1:58.5 |
| 10 | 2004 | ELSU NZ (DJ Butcher) | 1:57.8 |
| 9 | 2003 | OAXACA LASS NZ (JF Curtin) | 1:59.5 |
| 8 | 2002 | MANIFOLD BAY (G Lang) | 1:58.0 |
| 7 | 2001 | SMOOTH SATIN (AS Turnbull) | 1:57.7 |
| 6 | 2000 | LOMBO RAPIDA (K Manning) | 1:58.7 |
| 5 | 1999 | HOLMES D G (B Purdon) | 1:58.4 |
| 4 | 1998 | FRANCO HAT TRICK (AG Herlihy) | 2:00.4 |
| 3 | 1997 | KENTUCKIANA NZ (RB Byrnes) | 1:57.9 |
| 2 | 1996 | BEEFY T MAN NZ (M Langdon) | 2:00.7 |
| 1 | 1995 | GINGER MAN NZ (Tony Herlihy) | 1:59.9 |
CHARIOTS OF FIRE STATISTICS
SEX OF CHARIOTS OF FIRE WINNERS:
- 3 Mares – (Last winner – Innocent Eyes 2006)
- 8 Horses – (Last winner – Our Sky Major 2015)
- 10 Geldings – (Last winner – Better Eclipse 2022)
WINNING CHARIOTS OF FIRE BARRIERS:
- 1 – 2 (Last winner, Better Eclipse 2022)
- 2 – 1 (Last winner, Beefy T 1996)
- 3 – 1 (Last winner, Elsu 2004)
- 4 – 4 (Last winner, Christen Me 2013)
- 5 – 2 (Last winner, Our Sky Major 2015)
- 6 – 4 (Last winner, Lanercost 2011)
- 7 – 4 (Last winner, Guaranteed 2014)
- 8 – 3 (Last winner, Innocent Eyes 2006)
SMALLEST & FIELDS:
- Due to three scratchings, only seven (7) horses contested the 1999 Chariots Of Fire.
- The Chariots of Fire is an event open to a maximum 10 runners, which all commence from the front row.
WHERE CHARIOTS OF FIRE WINNERS TRAINED:
- New Zealand 9 (Last winner Our Sky Major – 2015)
- New South Wales 2 (Last winner Smooth Satin – 2001)
- Victoria 8 (Last winner Better Eclipse – 2022)
- Queensland 2 (Last winner Lanercost – 2011)
SEVEN FASTEST CHARIOTS OF FIRE WINNERS:
- Better Eclipse (2022) – 1:47.6
- Jilliby Kung Fu (2018) – 1:48.8
- Guaranteed (2014) – 1:50.4
- Christen Me (2013) – 1:50.5
- Our Sky Major (2015) – 1:51.5
- Villagem (2010) – 1:52.1
- Lanercost (2011) – 1:52.5
MOST SUCCESSFUL CHARIOTS OF FIRE TRAINER:
- Barry Purdon (4)
MOST SUCCESSFUL CHARIOTS OF FIRE DRIVER:
- Gavin Lang (3)
BIGGEST WINNING MARGIN IN THE CHARIOTS OF FIRE:
- Lanercost – 12.4 metres (2011)
FAVOURITES:
- 4 Successful – 17 Unsuccessful
