Australia Stakes Winners, Past Results & Latest News

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.

2023 Australia Stakes Race Details

Date Of The Australia Stakes: 28/1/23

Venue For The Australia Stakes: Moonee Valley Racecourse

Time Of The Australia Stakes: TBA

Recommended Online Bookmaker To Bet On For The Australia Stakes: Ladbrokes

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 $200,000 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 17th straight victory and a second Australia Stakes. A feat that had never been achieved before. Black Caviar obliged racegoers winning easily by 3 lengths.

The Australia Stakes 2022 Details, Results & Recap

The 2022 edition of the Group 2 Australia Stakes was won by short priced favourite Marabi who is trained by the Victorian training team of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace. His win in the Australia Stakes at Moonee Valley Racecourse took Marabi to an undefeated 6 race record.

The Lead Up To The Group Two Australia Stakes

The 2022 Australia Stakes was the headline race on the 29th race day at Moonee Valley Racecourse in Victoria. The Group Two Australia Stakes raced over a distance of 1200m is seen as a good lead up race for horses looking to contest the upcoming Group 1 races during the Autumn.

For the 2022 edition of the Australia Stakes the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace trained Marabi was heavy favourite to win the Group 2 contest at The Valley after previously winning all of his last five starts in convincing fashion.

Prior to the race, Marabi had resumed his racing career at Ballarat Racecourse where he won a BM70 contest over 1100m by 7l carrying 60.5kgs. He followed that up with a convincing win in the Listed Christmas Stakes as a red hot $1.35 favourite.

These races proved the perfect warm up for Marabi to contest the Group 2 Australia Stakes at Moonee Valley as he won the 2022 edition of the race which was held on Saturday 28th January 2022.

Marabi was the latest success for the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable as his stablemate Coolangatta had recently won the Magic Millions 2YO Classic at the Gold Coast earlier in the month. The Australia Stakes win for the stable gave Maher and Eustace two black type race wins in January.

2022 Australia Stakes Results

The winner and final placings for the 2022 Australia Stakes held at Group 2 Level on Saturday 29th January, 2022 are as follows:

1st - 10. Marabi (3) - 56.5kg - $1.80
2nd - 6. Sinawann (1) - 58.5kg - $8.00
3rd - 9. Turaath (9) - 56.5kg - $9.50

2022 Australia Stakes Race Recap

At the start of the Group 2 Australia Stakes Marabi had been backed into an odds on favourite to win the Moonee Valley feature race after previously winning 6 races from 6 starts. Such was the expectation on Marabi only two other runners in the race sat in single figures (Sinawann and Turaath).

As the race began and the gates opened, Sinawann missed the jump completely, rearing at the gate and giving two lengths to the field. Marabi on the other hand was quickly away from the opening jump and took up the role of race leader in the Group 2 Australia Stakes.

The race field settled after the jump with Marabi leading the Australia Stakes field to Mariamia, Lightsaber and Streets Of Avalon. The order remained unchanged until the field entered the 500m mark of the race.

At that point Vein Stream peeled four wide and began a run to tackle the favourite with Turaath and Sinawaan following as they entered the tight final bend of The Valley. Without flinching jockey Ben Allen gave Marabi a little bit of reign to kick on.

At the 250m Marabi had gone from narrow race leader to 4 lengths in front and with a blistering turn of foot ended the race as a contest kicking five and six lengths clear. As Sinawann and Turath kicked clear it was too little too late as Marabi won the Group 2 Australia Stakes with ease.

As the runners crossed the line Marabi had won the 1200m Australia Stakes in 2022 by two and half lengths, easing down to the line with jockey Ben Allen using hands and heels to cross the line.