The Guineas Prelude is a MRC

Melbourne Racing Club

The Melbourne Racing Club is one of three metropolitan horse racing clubs in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It began life as the Victoria Amateur Turf Club in 1875 with Mr. E.C. Moore as the Club's first Secretary. The Dowling Forest Racecourse in Ballarat was the location for the first VATC race...

 Group 3

Group races

Group races are the highest standard of Thoroughbred horseraces in Australia. The Australian Pattern Committee recommends to the Australian Racing Board which races shall be designated as Group races...

 Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

n Thoroughbred

Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...

 horse race for colt

Colt (horse)

A colt is a young male horse, under the age of four. The term "colt" is often confused with foal, which refers to a horse of either sex under one year of age....

s and gelding

Gelding

A gelding is a castrated horse or other equine such as a donkey or a mule. Castration, and the elimination of hormonally driven behavior associated with a stallion, allows a male horse to be calmer and better-behaved, making the animal quieter, gentler and potentially more suitable as an everyday...

s aged three years old, over a distance of 1400 metres. It is held at Caulfield Racecourse

Caulfield Racecourse

Caulfield Racecourse is one of Melbourne, Australia's best-known horse-racing tracks. Commonly known as "The Heath" by local racegoers, it is located eight kilometres from the Melbourne CBD, on the boundary of Caulfield and Caulfield East in Melbourne's south eastern suburbs...

 in Melbourne

Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

 in September.

Race history

1985 – 1990 held over 1200m

1991 onwards held over 1400m

1985 – 2000 was a Listed Race

2001 onwards Group 3

1985 - 1989 the race was known as the ‘Show Day Stakes’

1990 - 1997 the race was known as the ‘J D Macdonald Stakes’

1998 - 1999 the race was known as the ‘Macdonald Stakes’

2000 onwards the race has been called the ‘Guineas Prelude’.

The winners

• 2011 - Helmet
• 2010 - Anacheeva
• 2009 - Demerit
• 2008 - Fernandina
• 2007 - Purrealist
• 2006 - Wonderful World
• 2005 - Apache Cat
  Apache Cat
  Apache Cat is a popular Australian Thoroughbred racehorse who had 43 starts for 19 wins and was placed on another 11 occasions from for just under $4.6 million in prizemoney....
  
  
• 2004 - Tirade
• 2003 - Elvstroem
  Elvstroem
  Elvstroem was an outstanding bay Thoroughbred racehorse, by world champion sire Danehill from the former champion three-year-old filly, Circles of Gold.-Dam:...
  
  
• 2002 - Great Glen
• 2001 - Pure Theatre
• 2000 - Fubu
• 1999 - Sudurka
• 1998 - Bet On A Rode
• 1997 - Umrum
• 1996 - Alfa
• 1995 - Strategic
• 1994 - Racer’s Edge
• 1993 - Port Watch
• 1992 - Just Juan
• 1991 - Laranto
• 1990 - Unspoken Word
• 1989 - Sussex Star
• 1988 - Kingston Heritage
• 1987 - Noted
• 1986 - Wild Rampage
• 1985 - Brequillo