Sapphire Stakes

Winners and Past Results.

The Australian Turf Club holds a number of black type meetings at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney during the autumn racing carnival. This includes the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes for fillies and mares run over a distance of 1200 metres of the Randwick track under set weight & penalty conditions. Free $250 Bet

The race attracts more than just the handy females who may come in from major Group 1 events such as the Coolmore Stud Classic and Queen Of The Turf Stakes held earlier in the carnival. The Sapphire Stakes is worth $175,000 in prize money and usually witnesses a few classy sprinters and milers coming under the starter's orders. Adding to the excitement of the day are major Group ones which includes the ATC Australian Derby, ATC Sires Produce Stakes, and TJ Smith Stakes. This leaves punters an opportunity to spread their wagers over the day and find enough winners at the right price in order to achieve a level stakes profit.

Run over the same distance and track in April on Rosehill Guineas Day, the Group 3 Birthday Card Stakes often serves as a handy form guide. Court finished third in the event before winning the 2009 Sapphire Stakes. Renaissance was sixth in the Birthday Card Stakes prior to winning in 2010. Beaded finished as runner up in both events in 2010. Kimillsy finished fourth in 2011 prior to finishing runner up in the Sapphire Stakes.

A few may come in from listed events around the region. Hurtle Myrtle was unplaced in the 1400 metre Wiggle Stakes at Warwick Farm prior to winning here. She later trounced her opposition convincingly in the 1400 M Group 2 Dane Ripper Stakes at Eagle Farm in June. Horses may also fancy their chances in the Group 3 BTC Classic at Doomben Races in May over a distance of 1350 metres. Court in 2009 went on to win the event before finishing unplaced in the Dane Ripper Stakes.

The Sapphire Stakes has been conducted by the Australian Turf Club since 1998. It began as a listed race and was soon promoted to Group 3 in 2002. A flow of classy fillies and mares soon made it a Group 2 event in 2006. It was held as the AJC Lady S McMahon Stakes in 2010. Spinning Hill is the only horse so far to score back to back victories in 2000-2001.

2011 Sapphire Stakes

This was a race for the roughies with outsiders taking the top three spots. Hurtle Myrtle, who had been struggling for top form, was held towards the back of the field until the pace went on in the straight, when she displayed a great burst of speed to run past her rivals and go to the line ahead of fellow long-shots Kimillsy and Marquardt.

2011 Sapphire Stakes result

1. Hurtle Myrtle
2. Kimillsy
3. Marquardt

Then came:

4. Zingaling
5. Ofcourseican
6. Graceful Anna
7. Kanzan
8. Dorf Command
9. Ladys Angel
10. Dysphonia
11. Flying Success
12. Purrpurrlena
13. Trim
14. Turnstiles