Theo Marks Stakes

Winners and Past Results for the Theo Marks Stakes.

The Australian Turf Club hosts a number of black type races during the Sydney spring racing carnival which includes the Theo Marks Stakes in September.

The Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes race is for horses three years old and over that travel over 1300 metres of Rosehill Racecourse in Sydney under handicap conditions with a maximum weight of 61 kg. The event is worth $200,000 in prize money and is scheduled on the same race card as the million dollar Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes and Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes. It has most recently been held as the Group 2 Sebring Sprint.

Horses are likely to tackle the Group 3 Concorde Stakes held earlier at Randwick Racecourse over 1100 metres before stepping up in distance in the Theo Marks Stakes. The event is one in which trainers are likely to field their best talent in a bid to pick out a strong miler. From here, horses may move on to contest in a variety of Group races during the Randwick carnival.

The 1500 M Group 2 Shannon Stakes, the Group 1 Epsom Handicap and the 1600 M Group 1 George Main Stakes at Randwick are among the major races that many connections may fancy. Racing To Win won the Theo Marks Stakes / Epsom Handicap double in 2006 and then came back strongly to win the Theo Marks Stakes once again in 2009. The Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes held over 1400 metres at Caulfield Racecourse a fortnight later may also be the next target.

Although Grand Armee had to be content as runner up in 2003 and 2004, the brown gelding is among the most notable gallopers to score multiple group wins, followed by More Joyous in 2010. Other talented horses to win the Theo Marks Stakes include Alquoz in 1990, Catalan Opening in 1997, Adam in 1999, Shogun Lodge in 2001 and Defier in 2002.

The inaugural event was held in 1946 as a principal race with Shannon recorded as the first winner. It was stepped up to Group 2 in 1979 and has remained so ever since.