Shoot Out loved Randwick and took it as part of his Derby prep. The 2018 Arrowfield 3yo Sprint (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday is more for the sprinters.

2018 ARROWFIELD 3YO SPRINT - RACE HISTORY AND BACKGROUND

The Arrowfield 3YO Sprint is a Group 2 race for three-year-olds conducted by the Australian Turf Club as part of The Championships.

The Arrowfield 3YO Sprint was first run in1979 as the Royal Sovereign Stakes when it was restricted to three-year-old colts and geldings only.

The race is run under set weights conditions and was programmed as an early autumn event to provide a step for many horses preparing for the Hobartville Stakes, Canterbury Guineas, Rosehill Guineas, Doncaster Handicap and other major autumn events.

The Royal Sovereign Stakes was named after the outstanding three-year-old stayer who won the AJC, Victoria and Queensland Derbys in 1964-65 and carried that name until 2013. It was a Group 3 race from 1981-1995 and has carried Group 2 status since 1996.

The race distance has been 1200m and has been run at Randwick every year with the exception of 2002 and 2012 (Warwick Farm) and 2013 (Rosehill).

In 1997-98 the Royal Sovereign Stakes was run twice over 1100m on the Randwick Kensington track and in 2004 over 1180m, again on the inner track.

The Royal Sovereign Stakes was not run in 1980.

In 2014 the race was renamed the Arrowfield 3YO Sprint and has grown considerably in prizemoney and status due to the sponsorship of Arrowfield Stud, being incorporated into The Championships as a feature three-year-old race for both sexes.

The 2018 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint will be run over 1200m at Royal Randwick for $600,000 prizemoney.

Notable winners of the Royal Sovereign Stakes/Arrowfield Sprint include Best Western, Hula Chief, Shaftesbury Avenue, Big Dreams, Coronation Day, Rouslan, Danewin, Catalan Opening, Guineas, Assertive Lad, Lonhro, Exceed And Excel, Dance Hero, Shoot Out, Hot Snitzel, Rebel Dane and Delectation.

The 2017 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint was won by Derryn from Global Glamour and Impending.