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Another Group 1 winner and high class galloper sired by Zabeel, who emerged as an autumn 3yo filly in 1998, the Cambridge Stud bred Champagne won the Angus Armanasco and Ansett Stakes, third in the AV Kewney Stakes, deadheated with Kensington Palace in the Moonee Valley Oaks, and ran second to On Air in the AJC Oaks and Might and Power in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes. In that final race for the season, despite finishing 10 lengths adrift of the champion stayer, she nonetheless beat the rest of the field by a sound 6 lengths.
Champagne returned to Australia in the Spring of 1998 as a 4yo mare. She was somewhat disappointing, by her previous standards, early in her campaign, however once she got to Melbourne, she more than atoned for herself. She was desparately unlucky in the Caulfield Cup, after being put out of the race (and almost over the running rail !) by the wayward Taufan's Melody, along with another NZ Zabeel mare, Jezabeel. Many feel both mares would have been right in the finish, which was to be vindicated in the Melbourne Cup. Champagne recovered brilliantly from her mishap, and fitted with blinkers, she scored an emphatic victory in the LKS MacKinnon Stakes, before running the bravest of seconds in the Melbourne Cup. She is very photogenic, and stands up beautifully !
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