Naturalism was a grand horse though. Will the 2023 Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday produce another?

2023 ALISTER CLARK STAKES - RACE HISTORY AND BACKGROUND

The Alister Clark Stakes is a Group 2 race for three-year-olds conducted by the Moonee Valley Racing Club at Moonee Valley.

The Alister Clark Stakes was first run in 1939 and has been a Group 2 race since 1979. The race is named after Alister Clark, the foundation chairman of the Moonee Valley Racing Club from 1901 to 1908.

The Alister Clark Stakes was run as an open handicap from 1939 until 1974 and under weight-for-age conditions from 1975 until 1986. It has been restricted to three-year-olds of both sexes under set weight conditions since 1987.

The Alister Clark Stakes has been run over a range of distances since its inception in 1939. From 1939 to 1947 the race was run over one mile and was increased to 10 furlongs from 1948 to 1963. It reverted to one mile from 1964 to 1972 and from 1973 was run over 1600m until 1986. From 1987 until 1997 the race distance was 2040m with the exception of 1995 when the race was run over 2000m at Flemington.

From 1998 until 2010 the Alister Clark Stakes was run over 1600m with the exception of 2011 when the distance was 1509m. The Alister Clark Stakes has been run over 2040m since 2011.

The Alister Clark Stakes completes Melbourne's program of autumn feature races for three-year-olds and follows the G2 Autumn Classic and G1 Australian Guineas.

The Australian Guineas-Alister Clark Stakes double has been won five times by Flotilla (1988), Zabeel (1990), Dignity Dancer (1999), Pins (2000) and Mr Murphy (2001).

Other notable winners since the Alister Clark Stakes became a 3YO race in 1987 include Vo Rogue, Durbridge, Naturalism, Tristalove, Blevic, Lieutenant, Zonda, Titanic Jack, Spinney, Casino Prince, Linton, Phillippi, Tally, Cliff's Edge and Grandslam.

In 2012 Phillippi was awarded the race after the winner Hvasstan was disqualified due to a positive swab.

The race is usually run as a feature on a night card but with the All-Star Mile at MV in 2021, it was programmed on the same day.

The 2021 winner by over six lengths was Grandslam and his full sister is Caulfield Cup winner Jameka.

The Alister Clark Stakes was worth $750,000 in 2023.

Notable winners of the Alister Clark Stakes when it was an open age handicap include Tranquil Star, Comic Court, Chicquita, Hydrogen, Wiggle, Aquanita, Sometime, Sir Dane, Bowl King, Begonia Belle, Cyron, Tauto and Toltrice.

Notable winners of the Alister Clark Stakes under weight-for-age conditions include Leica Show, My Brown Jug, Penny Edition and Family Of Man, who won the race twice including a dead heat with Surround in 1977.

The 2022 Alister Clark Stakes was won by Prix De Turn from Can't Go Wrong and War Eternal.