16 VRC-CRV WINTER CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES This series for open class milers takes in heats at Sandown, Swan Hill, Caulfield and here at Flemington, attracting the most in-form gallopers over distances from 1400m-1600m and bringing them together for the $201,885 Listed VRC-CRV Winter Championship Series Final on Flemington Finals Race Day. BANJO PATERSON SERIES This series is for open stayers and is named in honour of revered author and poet Andrew Barton ‘Banjo’ Paterson, who had a lifelong love affair with horses. Polo matches, picnic races and riding his own pony were all part of his early life in country NSW. After moving to Sydney and qualifying as a solicitor, he began submitting poetry to The Bulletin under the pseudonym “The Banjo”, the name of a racehorse his father had owned. His various careers included jockey, horse trainer in the Middle East during WWI and racing journal editor, but it’s his wonderful bush ballads and poems – such as The Man From Snowy River – that truly reflect his equine passion. In 1886 he published A Dream of the Melbourne Cup; the first of many racing ballads, including Old Pardon, the Son of Reprieve, The Open Steeplechase, Rio Grande’s Last Race and The Wargilah Handicap. NEXT GENERATION SPRINTER SERIES This series for two-year-olds was introduced to showcase young up-and-coming sprinters and provide an opportunity to gain valuable experience up the unique Flemington straight. The intention is to contribute to the development of the next generation of Australia’s world-class sprinting talents. The series takes in heats at Flemington, Caulfield, Swan Hill and Sandown, and the $152,085 final is held over the famous Flemington Straight Six course. LEILANI SERIES This series for fillies and mares is named in honour of Leilani, another Bart Cummingstrained champion who left an indelible print on Australian racing. She won the 1974 AJC Oaks before transforming into a dominant four-year-old race mare, winning the Turnbull Stakes, Toorak Handicap, Caulfield Cup and Mackinnon Stakes in the spring of 1974, before running a gallant second to stablemate Think Big in the Melbourne Cup. In the ensuing autumn, Leilani won the Orr Stakes, St George Stakes and Australian Cup, among other races. Winning 14 of her 28 starts, Leilani was a horse that Cummings was very fond of; so much so that he named his Sydney stables Leilani Lodge in her honour. Although Cummings was not one to talk much about his horses – especially those in the past as he preferred to look forward – it is wellknown that he had huge respect for Leilani, known as a great horse with great fight. Leilani was raced by prominent Melburnians, The Hon Andrew and Mrs Susan Peacock as well as Mr Ian and Mrs Liz Rice. *The Leilani Series, and the former three-year-old fillies series, the Rivette Series, were combined in 2023. WINTER RACE SERIES
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