GEORGE MAIN STAKES

1600m, $500,000, weight-for-age

Recently renamed Colgate Optic White Stakes

HISTORY

*Established in 1945 and first won by Modulation

*Originally named after George Main who was chairman of the AJC

*For 26 years initially contested over 1400m, before being altered to 1600m in 1972

*Upgraded from Principal Race to Group One race in 1980

*Run at Warwick Farm in 1983, 2001, and 2004

* George Moore won the race nine times between 1949 and 1971

* Tommy Smith trained 11 winners between 1953 and Kingston Town in 1982

* Chris Waller has won six of the past of the past seven editions including the past three with Winx. I any of his three runners can win he will become the first to train the winner of the same Group One race six years in succession.

NOTABLE WINNERS

* Shannon (1946/47), Baguette (1971); Kingston Town (1981/82); Emancipation (1983); Durbridge (1984); Shogun Lodge (1999); Lonhro (2003); More Joyous (2010); Winx (2016, 2017,2018)

TALKING POINTS

*Last year Winx took out her third George Main Stakes which was her 27th consecutive win

WHAT THE KEY PLAYERS ARE SAYING:

* "I like the fact that the rail's back in the true position and with a lot of rain around this week Avilius really comes at it from that perspective" - Avilius' trainer James Cummings

* "She ran third in the Derby here (NZ) on a good track so she has handled it but she does prefer the sting out of the ground. Hopefully she can settle and run a good race. We will be guided by the weather for the rest of her campaign but she has travelled well and settled in well and the soft track is to her liking" - Chris Gibbs, trainer of NZ mare Danzdanzdance

* "He's in great order. He's doing everything very well and he's glowing. He's never looked better" - Samadoubt's trainer Bjorn Baker

* "It is going to be wet so we'll take our chance in what looks a pretty strong weight-for-age field, but on a heavy track it just might even itself out a bit more" - Mr Marathon Man's trainer Mike Moroney