The McEwen Stakes is a weight-for-age Group 2 race held early in spring each year at Moonee Valley racecourse in Victoria. It is run over 1000m and has a total prize pool of $200,000.
The 1000m Group 2 sprint is regarded as one of the three main sprints at Moonee Valley during the Spring Racing Carnival each year and in 2020 will be held on Saturday, September 5. The other two are both Group 1s, the Moir Stakes and the Manikato Stakes. The McEwen Stakes is also run on the same day as the Group 2 Feehan Stakes, which is raced over 1600m.
In 2019, Faatinah won the McEwen Stakes, beating Bons Away in a tight race. Faatinah would then go on to race in the two Group 1 sprints mentioned earlier, the Moir and the Manikato.
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The race is named after former Moonee Valley Racing Club chief executive Ian McEwen. In 2007 he sadly passed away at the age of 77, however, will be remembered for his innovation and transformation of the Cox Plate.
Faatinah kicks back to beat Bons Away in the McEwan Stakes.
Back from Dubai and back into the winners stall for @lindsayparkrace.@jamieleekah07 https://t.co/50vg5vCjHq pic.twitter.com/nmlsQ8JnOo
— Racing.com (@Racing) September 7, 2019
The McEwen Stakes was first run in 1995, with Sequalo claiming victory. It grew in class and since 2013 has been a Group 2 race. A number of famous sprinters have won the McEwen Stakes, including Buffering (2011), Chautauqua (2015) and Nature Strip (2018). All three are Group 1 winners. Surprisingly, no horse has ever won the McEwen Stakes multiple times.
Faatinah won the 2019 edition of the McEwen Stakes in 58.40, however, couldn’t quite match the time of Nature Strip the year prior. In 2018, the Chris Waller-trained horse won in 56.95, which is the fastest time of the last 20 years.
MCEWEN STAKE WINNERS
2019 – Faatinah (0:58.40)
2018 – Nature Strip (0:56.95)
2017 – Russian Revolution (0:58.14)
2016 – Wild Rain (0:58.82)
2015 – Chautauqua (0:58.23)
2014 – Angelic Light (0:57.54)
2013 – Kuroshio (0:57.80)
2012 – Bel Sprinter (0:57.32)
2011 – Buffering (0:58.51)
2010 – Hay List (0:59.60)