The Black Opal Stakes is an important Group 3 race held at Thoroughbred Park in Canberra on a Sunday in mid-February as a potential lead-up into Sydney’s Group 1 $5 million Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m).
A 1200m sprint offering $200,000 in prize money, the Black Opal Stakes is run at set weights and has been held since 1973.
The event takes place as part of the popular Canberra Cup Carnival in the ATC run the day prior to the Monday’s Listed Canberra Cup (2000m).
2022 Black Opal Stakes Results
The official 2022 Black Opal Stakes Results & Finishing Order will be published in full below once the Group 3 race for two-year-olds takes place in Canberra on Sunday March 13, 2022.
- 1st: #10 Queen Of The Ball ($2.80F)
- 2nd: #9 Warby
- 3rd: #4 Metallicity
Queen Of The Ball ($2.80F) is tipped to back-up in the $5 million Golden Slipper on Saturday after an easy win for the Richard & Michael Freedman-trained filly in the Black Opal Stakes 2022 results.
Black Opal Stakes Betting
Black Opal Stakes betting markets are traditionally led by non-maidens with last-start winning two-year-olds from local Sydney stables having a gun record in the juveniles’ feature.
The colts and geldings usually dominate the Black Opal Stakes odds with just four fillies since 1989 having beaten the boys, most recently Pin Sec (2019) and Queen Of The Ball (2022).
Queen Of The Ball ($2.80 in 2022) was also the last favourite in Black Opal Stakes betting to win.
2022 Black Opal Stakes Odds
The autumn’s leading Black Opal Stakes 2022 betting odds will be available below the week of the race complete with links to our markets on the Group 3 Canberra feature so stay tuned.
Early market betting odds on the 2022 Black Opal Stakes will be displayed below once available. Odds are subject to fluctuation. For current odds on all of our live markets, please visit ladbrokes.com.au.
Black Opal Stakes Field
2018 Black Opal Stakes winner Encryption (pictured at Flemington). Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
The Black Opal Stakes field attracts a quality line-up of promising young two-year-olds at the start of their careers eyeing a run in the Golden Slipper Stakes at Rosehill Gardens.
Following a run in the Black Opal Stakes field the colts and geldings may back-up in the Group 2 Todman Stakes (1200) and the fillies in the Group 2 Reisling Stakes (1200m) on Randwick Guineas Day.
Criterion (2013) was the last horse to complete the Black Opal – Todman Stakes double.
Black Opal Stakes nominations are taken the Tuesday before the race with the final field of acceptances and barrier draw released on the Thursday.
2022 Black Opal Stakes Field
The official Black Opal Stakes 2022 final field and barriers are set for release on Thursday March 10, 2022 and will be published in full below so bookmark this page to see what two-year-olds are in one of the traditional Golden Slipper lead-up races.
The 2022 Black Opal Stakes field is now out with dual acceptors Sweet Ride and Queen Of The Ball leading markets despite also officially still being in the mix for the Group 3 Pago Pago Stakes and Group 3 Magic Night Stakes in Sydney on Saturday respectively at time of publish.
2022 Black Opal Stakes Nominations
The early Black Opal Stakes 2022 nominations are announced on Tuesday the 8th of March, 2022 and will be available below.
| |
Last 10 |
Horse |
Sex |
Age |
Trainer |
Hcp Rating |
| 1 |
261 |
BESSMATI |
F |
2 |
Annabel Neasham |
|
| 2 |
6 |
BROSNAN |
C |
2 |
Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou |
|
| 3 |
|
COMPELLING TRUTH |
C |
2 |
Annabel Neasham |
|
| 4 |
31 |
COOL AMIGO |
C |
2 |
Tim Martin |
|
| 5 |
|
CUSTODIAN |
C |
2 |
Anthony & Sam Freedman |
|
| 6 |
0x |
FINE VINTAGE |
G |
2 |
Gary Portelli |
|
| 7 |
3×6 |
FUN SUNDAY |
F |
2 |
Brad Widdup |
|
| 8 |
29 |
GREAT SIEGE |
C |
2 |
Anthony Cummings |
|
| 9 |
|
INVERTATIONAL |
F |
2 |
David Kelley |
|
| 10 |
7 |
KOTE |
C |
2 |
Anthony Cummings |
|
| 11 |
13 |
LETHAL LADY |
F |
2 |
Norm Gardner |
|
| 12 |
1×5 |
MAN IN THE MIRROR |
C |
2 |
Annabel Neasham |
|
| 13 |
4 |
METALLICITY |
C |
2 |
Peter & Paul Snowden |
|
| 14 |
74 |
MISS FABERGE |
F |
2 |
John Sargent |
|
| 15 |
0x01 |
NIPOTINO |
C |
2 |
John Thompson |
|
| 16 |
37x |
NOBEL |
C |
2 |
Annabel Neasham |
|
| 17 |
267 |
NOLAN |
C |
2 |
John O’Shea |
|
| 18 |
58 |
PEACE OFFICER (NZ) |
C |
2 |
Clarry Conners |
|
| 19 |
2×15 |
QUEEN OF THE BALL |
F |
2 |
Richard & Michael Freedman |
|
| 20 |
1×32 |
RISE OF THE MASSES |
C |
2 |
Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
|
| 21 |
2 |
STANDING ORDER |
C |
2 |
Peter & Paul Snowden |
|
| 22 |
151 |
SWEET RIDE |
C |
2 |
Annabel Neasham |
|
| 23 |
3×5 |
SWIFT SWEET |
F |
2 |
Mark Newnham |
|
| 24 |
0x15 |
TROACH |
F |
2 |
James Cummings |
|
| 25 |
|
WARBY |
C |
2 |
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
|
| 26 |
334x |
WEALTHY INVESTOR |
C |
2 |
Damien Lane |
|
| 27 |
21 |
WILLIAMSBURG |
C |
2 |
Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou |
|
| 28 |
|
WILLINGA BEAST |
F |
2 |
Kris Lees |
|
| 29 |
2 |
WINNERTAKESITALL |
F |
2 |
Peter & Paul Snowden |
|
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
Black Opal Stakes Tips
The best Black Opal Stakes tips are to look for a single-figure chance with previous winning form and any two-year-olds with a past Group performance in Sydney on their record.
2022 Black Opal Stakes Tips
Our Ladbrokes’ insider Black Opal Stakes 2022 betting tips online will be available right here a day or so out from the Canberra autumn showdown so stay tuned for the juveniles to back and sack in the Group 3 this season.
- To Win: #1 Sweet Ride ($5 at time of publish)
Black Opal Stakes Form Guide
The Black Opal Stakes form guide has all of the need-to-know information on the horses in the field including jockeys, trainers, barriers and any lead-up summer / autumn racing form.
While just one runner has won the Black Opal – Golden Slipper double to date the form out of the event has held in the Group 1 classic many times over the years.
Seven Black Opal Stakes winners have gone on to run a place in the Golden Slipper results: Blazing Saddles, Just Blooming, Comely Girl, Clan O’Sullivan, St Covet, Paint and most recently Decision Time who ran second in the Slipper behind Crystal Lily in 2010.
The Black Opal Stakes form has also been franked in other top grade races many times over the years including in 2017 when the winner Trapeze Artist went on to run third in that year’s ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes. Trapeze Artist also returned to win four subsequent Group 1 races over his career including the 2017 Golden Rose.
2022 Black Opal Stakes Form Guide
A link to our comprehensive Black Opal Stakes 2022 Form Guide will be provided by punters below the week of the race.
Black Opal Stakes Results
Notable Black Opal Stakes winners throughout history include: Spirit Of Kingston (1984), Maizcay (1987), St. Covet (1994), subsequent Golden Slipper winner Catbird (1999), Decision Time (2010), Epaulette (2012), Criterion (2013) and Trapeze Artist (2017).
Black Opal Stakes Winners