She won a McKinnon, but another Kiwi trained Zabeel mare was too good in the 1998 Melbourne Cup

Champagne was a New Zealand bred thoroughbred that raced in the late 1990s with a great deal of success both at home, and abroad, but particularly in powerful Australian campaigns as a three and four-year-old where she produced real class as a stayer. Champagne was born in New Zealand in 1994 by Zabeel (NZ) out of L'quiz (USA), and trained by Laurie Laxon. The trainer would go on to guide Empire Rose to win the 1988 Melbourne Cup, while his second wife Sheila Laxon trained Ethereal to complete the 2001 Caulfield and Melbourne Cup double.

In October 1997, Champagne won her maiden at Avondale over 1400m in only her second start, proving to be a very promising prospect. Despite no luck in the NZ 1000 Guineas at Riccarton in December, Champagne would win the Gr.3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m) at Awapuni, then back that up with another victory on Boxing Day in the Gr.3 Wilkinson Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie. The young horse lost no admirers when 2nd in the Gr.3 Royal Stakes back on the same course a week later, then was given a short let-up before an Australian campaign was undertaken.

Champagne showed her class when winning the Gr.3 Armanasco Stakes (1600m) at Caulfield in February 1998, then a solid third placing in the Gr.2 A.V Kewney at Flemington. Bouncing back in March, Champagne would prove victorious in the Listed Moonee Valley Oaks (2040m) with Greg Childs aboard, then in April they paired up to take out her first Group 1 win in the Ansett Australia Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill. A 2nd would follow in the Gr.1 AJC Oaks (2400m) at Randwick, before a 2nd to the champion stayer, Might And Power in the Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) on an unsuitable heavy surface.

Returning in the Autumn as a now four-year-old, Champagne would struggle to recapture that same form in September 1998, but would run 3rd in the Gr.3 Shannon Stakes at Rosehill before failures in the Gr.1 Epsom, Toorak and Caulfield Cup. Despite the disappointment, the mare would display her true class by winning the Gr.1 McKinnon Stakes at Flemington in October, defeating Northern Drake and Aerosmith and then took on the huge task of the $2.5m Melbourne Cup in November of that year. It was a fantastic effort in the 138th running of the Cup to come from 14th at the 800m and finish 2nd to fellow Kiwi, Jezabeel. Auckland Cup winner Jezabeel was tackled by Champagne as they reach the 200 metres, the New Zealand mares together, with Jezabeel kicking on the inside to win. The race was won in 3 mins 18.59s by the New Zealand bred and trained mare, also out of Zabeel. Both of them carried 51 kg while the third place-getter, Persian Punch (Ireland) carried 56.5kg. Champagne was retired after the Cup, as was Jezabeel.

RACE RECORD - 19: 7-4-2

EARNINGS - $1,912,241

G3 Wilkinson Stakes

G3 Armanasco Stakes

List Moonee Valley Oaks

G1 Ansett Australia Stakes

G1 McKinnon Stakes

2nd 1998 Melbourne Cup