Australia Stakes

Winners and Past Results for the Australia Stakes

The Australia Stakes is a Group 2 race for three year old horses held at the Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne at the end of January every year.

From 2010, this event, run under weight for age conditions, has been called the Australia Stakes since it is run on Australia Day.

The Australia Stakes is a 1200 metre race with prize money worth $220,000 on offer. The event is usually run at night as part of Victoria's Autumn Racing Carnival. Before being held as the Australia Stakes, it was known as Norman Carlyon Stakes and the Stanley Wootton Stakes as well. It was a Listed Race when established in 1989, before being upgraded to Group 3 and finally achieved its current Group 2 status in 1994. The Australia Stakes is one among several group races organised by Moonee Valley Racing Club during the carnival.

Being one of the first black type races of the year in the country, it usually suits horses who are either pushing on through the summer or those getting into their campaigns early before the autumn carnival. However, even with it being held so early in the year, it usually fields quality horses with a number of them becoming champions.

The Australia Stakes is an early race for horses planning to go on and compete in the Group 1 Lightning Stakes at Flemington Racecourse a few weeks later or the Group 1 William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley , two months later. Some of the horses may fancy their chances in the Group 3 Rubiton Stakes held on the CF Orr Stakes Day. Champion sprinter Black Caviar won the Australia Stakes in 2010 and 2012 edition making it her 17 th straight victory and a second Australia Stakes. A feat that had never been achieved before. Black Caviar obliged racegoers winning easily by 3 lengths.

2013 Australia Stakes

At $7.50, Sea Lord was rated only a fair chance by punters but jumping from barrier one helped his cause. Sea Lord got away well and was handy on the fence in the middle stages, while Undeniably set the pace wider out and warm favourite Pinwheel got stuck in traffic further back. With 500 to go, Undeniably began to flag and Sea Lord pounced, surging ahead and taking a clear lead into the straight. Pinwheel finally got clear and chased Sea Lord but made little impression. Sea Lord won by more than a length from Pinwheel, who just held off Outlandish Lad who flew home to claim third.

2013 Australia Stakes result

1. Sea Lord
2. Pinwheel
3. Outlandish Lad

Then came:

4. Bonnie Mac
5. Koonoomoo
6. Undeniably
7. Zedi Knight