Canterbury Stakes

Winners and Past Results

The Canterbury Stakes is an Australian Turf Club Group 2 Australian horse race for horses aged three years old and upwards at weight for age. FREE $250 Bet

The Group 2 race is held at the Rosehill Racecourse in Sydney on the same day as Group 1 Ranvet Stakes and Coolmore Stud Classic.

Horses compete for prize money worth $175,000 and prove their ability to handle weight for age conditions. The other plus point for the winner is a ballot exemption in the George Ryder Stakes. The race attracts an above average field of gallopers with some of the biggest names passing through the Canterbury Stakes.

The Group 1 George Ryder Stakes held on Golden Slipper Stakes day serves as a warm up for some of the horses leading up to the Canterbury Stakes. Quick Flick was the last horse to score a Canterbury/George Ryder Stakes double in 1998.

Horses first took to the track in the Canterbury Stakes in 1929. Held as a principal race, a horse named Amounis is recorded as the first winner. Holdfast literally held on to the trophy for the next three years from 1930-32. San Domenico was the next to pick up two titles in 1950-51 followed by At Sea in 1988-89. The race was awarded Group 2 status in 1979.

Among the outstanding sprinters to win the Canterbury Stakes include Manikato in 1982, Miss Kariba in 1995, Shogun Lodge in 2001, Dance Hero in 2005, and Hot Danish in 2010. Love Conquers All, second in 2011, ran a spirited race in the Doomben 10000 losing only by a nose to Beaded. He also finished as runner up in the George Ryder Stakes and the $2 million Doncaster Handicap at Randwick Racecourse as well.

2012 Canterbury Stakes

More Joyous raced just forward of midfield in the early part of this Group 2 race and looked to be in control throughout. The highly regarded mare, who had not been in the best form of late, was eased forward and at the home turn was pushed to the outside of the field, ready to stage her finishing run. More Joyous drew level with the leaders but took a while to pull away from her rivals, only getting into full stride in the last 200 metres and showing her class to eventually win by more than a length over Monton while rank outsider Metal Bender rattled home for third.

2012 Canterbury Stakes result

1. More Joyous
2. Monton
3. Metal Bender

Then came:

4. Sincero
5. Love Conquers All
6. Happy Zero
7. Ilovethiscity
8. Albert The Fat
9. Hurtle Myrtle
10. Centennial Park
11. Eagle Falls
12. Foreteller
13. Triple Elegance
14. Somepin Anypin
15. Torio's Quest