Spring Stakes

Winners and Past Results for the Newcastle Spring Stakes.

The Newcastle Jockey Club Spring Stakes is a Group 3 race held under set weight conditions on the same day as the Group 3 Cameron Handicap in September.

For the Spring Stakes three year old horses compete over a mile for a chance to take home a purse worth $150,000.

The event is held at Broadmeadow Racecourse in Newcastle as part of both the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival and the two-day Newcastle Carnival. Meant for three year olds, this race is run every year in September. Broadmeadow Racecourse is also known as Newcastle Racecourse.

The NJC Spring Stakes is held under the aegis of the Newcastle Jockey Club that conducts a number of meetings as well as the autumn and spring carnivals.

There are many routes a horse contesting here can come from. However, the Listed Ming Dynasty Handicap held at Warwick Farm Racecourse is one of the main races from where strong contenders may enter the fray. The listed Ming Dynasty handicap is run over a distance of 1600 meter as a quality handicap every year in the beginning of September.

The NJC Spring Stakes was considered to have been an easier option for three year olds, but in recent years many trainers have been using this event more frequently as a path to the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes, held in Sydney later on in the carnival. Coronation Day in 1992, Universal Prince in 2000, Hotel Grand in 2005 and Sousa in 2008, all have managed to complete this double. Daeci Be Good won here in 2011 but placed second in the Group 1 contest. She placed third in the Listed Ming Dynasty event.

2011 winner of the Listed Ming Dynasty Handicap, Ambidexter, finished third in the NJC Spring Stakes. Rekindles Alliance, runner up in 2011 also ran second in the 3 year old Benchmark 75, held at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse, a fortnight earlier. From the NJC Spring Stakes, he went on to place sixth in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes held at Randwick Racecourse in October.

Some of the famous winners include Shogun Lodge in 1999, Magic Albert in 2001, Clangalang in 2002 and Ilovethiscity in 2010. Ilovethiscity, won the event after placing third in the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes, contested at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse. He then tackled the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas held at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne although finishing unplaced.