Chelmsford Stakes Winners, Past Results & Latest News

Betting on the Chelmsford Stakes has been a practice in Australia for over 100 years with the roots of The Chelmsford first documented in 1895 where Newman crossed the line first at Randwick Racecourse to win the inaugural running of the Chelmsford Stakes.

The Chelmsford Stakes is one of the oldest races in Australia and has been run in New South Wales for over 125 years. The popularity of the Chelmsford has never been in doubt with great horses lining up and winning the race across the century it has been run.

Now run at Randwick Racecourse The Chelmsford Stakes is a Group 2 Grade race that is run over 1600m in September of each year. Runners enter the race with a chance to win $250,000 in prize money.

The History Of The Chelmsford Stakes

The Chelmsford Stakes was originally introduced to the thoroughbred racing calendar as a principal race run under weight for age conditions. The Chelmsford Stakes today is still run as a weight for age race however it was upgraded to a Group 2 contest in 1980.

As a weight for age contest The Chelmsford has always attracted high calibre race horses from Group 1 level due to the timing of the race and it’s position in the calendar on the lead up to the Cox Plate.

The Chelmsford Stakes has always been run at Royal Randwick Racecourse however it has had stints at Warwick Farm and Rosehill Gardens in more recent years.

Despite being a fairly set race, The Chelmsford Stakes distance has seen a lot of changes. Originally being set as an 1800m contest in its inaugural running the race has fluctuated between 1500m and 1600m even being run over 1400m in 2001.

Since 2008 the Chelmsford Stakes has been run over 1600m.

What's been most impressive during the time of the Chelmsford Stakes is the quality of racehorse that has won the race. Some of the world's greatest ever races have won editions of the Chelmsford stakes on the way to winning greater Group 1 titles in Spring Campaigns.

Where is the Chelmsford Stakes Held?

The Chelmsford Stakes is held at Randwick Racecourse in September of each year. Randwick Racecourse is located in the suburb of Randwick which is in the east of Sydney’s Metro region.

Racing at Randwick started 50 years before the introduction of the Chelmsford Stakes with the first meeting held on the now multi million dollar track in 1833.

Before the opening of Randwick racing had previously taken place in the city’s Hyde Park. It was only when then Governor of New South Wales Richard Bourke designated the Randwick land for use as a racecourse.

Known as Headquarters to many punters, Randwick Racecourse houses the Australian Turf Club, a governing body formed out of the Australian Jockey Club and the Sydney Turf Club.

Randwick has seen over 150 years of racing at the course and after hosting 100 plus editions of the Chelmsford Stakes crowds of up to 100,000 plus have witnessed some of the greatest ever editions of the race.

Past Winners of the Chelmsford Stakes

There are only a handful of races in Australia that can boast the winning calibre of the Chelmsford Stakes victors. Names like Winx, Bernborough, Phar Lap are held in the highest regard when it comes to Horse Racing and have all won the Chelmsford Stakes in there careers.

One of the first and most notable winners has to be the mighty Gloaming who won the Chelmsford Stakes back in 1918. The gelding is famed for winning 19 races in a row which include a Chelmsford Stakes win along the way.

Such was the calibre of Gloaming he boasts a 67 start career where he only missed a place once and also still holds the record for the fastest 4 furlongs ever run.

Roll forward 10 years in the history of the race and we find Limerick. Aptly named to give Irish luck to the punters Limerick won the Chelmsford Stakes 3 years in a row in 1926, 27 and 28. At the time the race was considered one of the biggest races on the calendar and to achieve such a feat was unheard of.

In 1930 the Chelmsford Stakes was won by the Mighty Kiwi, Phar Lap. In the same year the Kiwi bred runner went on to win the W.S. Cox Plate as well as the Melbourne Cup. He remains one of only a few runners to win the Chelmsford on the way to winning the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup in the same year.

1946 saw the great Bernborough win the Chelmsford Stakes on his way to completing a 15 race unbeaten streak. Bernborough was famed for racing in handicaps where he still has the record for the heaviest weight carried whilst winning a G1, 65.5kgs in the Doomben 10,000.

The immortal racer that was Tulloch won the 1960 running of the race when returning to the track after 2 years out from action with a virus. The Group 2 Chelmsford was Tullochs first run back on the track before completing an impressive 15 from 24 win record before retiring.

The next great name on the list is that of Kingston Town. A dominant runner during the late 70s and early 80s Kingston Town won the race in 1980 and 1981.

Following on from Kingston town we saw a host of winners including Emancipation, Soho Square and Juggler all take out the Chelmsford Stakes and juggler was unlucky not to get the double before running into a horse called Might and Power who pipped him to victory in 1998.

The names go on and on for winners of the Chelmsford Stakes. Lonhro, Hawkspur and Hartnell have all won the race but undoubtedly one of the best wins in recent years was that of Winx who gave us one of the most thrilling finishes in 2017.

How to bet on the Chelmsford Stakes?

Betting on the Chelmsford Stakes is always a hotly contested affair with such a high calibre field lining up each year.

Given that the race leads into Spring Carnival bookmakers are all offering great odds on the Chelmsford Stakes with most bookmakers able to offer live vision of the Chelmsford as well. This allows punters to watch almost anywhere through their online account.

Why not check our recommended bookmakers to see who you should bet on the Chelmsford Stakes with.

Conclusion

The best way to play the Chelmsford Stakes is to watch the form lines of runners heading to the W.S. Cox Plate.

Good weight for age horses have always had a rich history of going through the Chelmsford on there way to bigger racing glory however it has allowed the race to carry the highest of standings in the Horse Racing Calendar.