GROUP ONE COOLMORE STUD STAKES
The $1 million Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes is a set weight race over 1200m for three-year-olds at Melbourne's Flemington Racecourse
HISTORY:
* Formerly known as the Ascot Vale Stakes, it was upgraded to Group One in 2006.
* Prior to 1969 it was a race for two-year-olds olds
NOTABLE WINNERS:
* Vain (1969), Century (1972), Taj Rossi (1973), Toy Show (1975), Surround (1976), Manikato (1978), Rancher (1982), Campaign King (1985), Zeditave (1988), Weekend Hussler (2007), Sepoy (2011), Zoustar (2013), Brazen Beau (2014), Merchant Navy (2017)
TALKING POINTS:
* This year's runner Zousain comes from a line of Coolmore victors including his father Zoustar (2013), grandfather Northern Meteor (2008) and great-grandfather Encosta De Lago (1996)
* Chris Waller has trained three of the past five winners – Zoustar (2013), Brazen Beau (2014) and Japonisme (2015) and is running Zousain and Lean Mean Machine this year
* Only three fillies have taken home the race since it became a Group One, including Queenslander Gold Edition in 2006
* Sunlight is the lone filly this year
* In 1995 New Zealander Our Maizcay set the race record of 1:08.2
* Zoustar and Brazen Beau both won the Group Two Roman Consul Stakes in the lead-up to the Coolmore. Sesar will be out to emulate them
* Merchant Navy was bought by Coolmore and sent to Ireland to be trained by Aidan O'Brien. The colt won the Diamond Jubilee at Royal Ascot
* Brazen Beau finished second in the 2015 Diamond Jubilee
STRAIGHT COURSE:
* Flemington hosts the only straight-track races at metropolitan level in Australia. Fields can sometimes split towards the inside and outside fences.
KEY COMMENTS:
“He needs to do everything right and be on song and really give his best. But he's got a beautiful big action and if he can handle the straight he'll give them something (to beat) that's for sure” – Wayne Hawkes on Diplomatico
“His form is pretty good and he hasn't been beaten in Melbourne. It was good to get him to Flemington … the way he went in the jumpout was exactly what I wanted to see” – Grahame Begg on Written By
“We think Zousain is a real star and he's the spitting image of his Dad (former Coolmore winner Zoustar) … I think the straight 1200 will suit Lean Mean Machine” Chris Waller on his two runners Zousain and Lean Mean Machine
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