Black Opal Stakes 2025

Ladbrokes Tip: The best Black Opal Stakes graduates may target the Golden Slipper Stakes in Sydney

The latest edition of the Black Opal Stakes took place on Sunday March 9, 2025 on Canberra Cup Day in the ACT and was won by Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou’s class Farnan colt King Of Pop ($3.90) in an exciting finish.

2025 Black Opal Stakes Odds

The autumn’s leading Black Opal Stakes 2025 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.

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).

To date, Catbird (1999) is the only runner to complete the Black Opal Stakes – Golden Slipper double.

A 1200m sprint currently 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 ACT and is now run on the same day as the Listed Canberra Cup (2000m).

Black Opal Stakes Race Info

• Date: Sunday March 9, 2025
• Track: Canberra Racecourse
• Distance: 1200m
• Conditions: Set Weights + Penalties – 2YOs
• Status: Group 3
• Prize Money: $200,000
• First Run: 1973

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. 

Autumn Ballet in 2023 is to date the event’s only debutant winner. 

The colts and geldings usually dominate the Black Opal Stakes odds with just five fillies since 1989 having beaten the boys, most recently Pin Sec (2019), Queen Of The Ball (2022), and most recently Autumn Ballet (2023). 

Queen Of The Ball ($2.80 in 2022) was the last favourite in Black Opal Stakes betting to win.  

Black Opal Stakes Field

2018 Black Opal Stakes winner Encryption (pictured at Flemington). Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

The Black Opal Stakes race 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. 

Before a change of date, horses in the Black Opal Stakes field the colts and geldings often backed 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. 

In 2024 the Black Opal Stakes winner Holmes A Court had his final lead-up in Melbourne’s Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G when third in that Caulfield event. 

Black Opal Stakes nominations are taken the Monday before the race with the final field of acceptances and barrier draw released on the Wednesday.

2025 Black Opal Stakes Field

The official Black Opal Stakes 2025 final field and barriers are set for release on the Wednesday of race week 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 Black Opal Stakes 2025 final field features a bumper field of potential Slipper hopes led in betting by Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott’s Opal Preview winning Farnan colt Farcited having his second start now.

2025 Black Opal Stakes Nominations

The early Black Opal Stakes 2025 nominations are announced on the Monday of race week and will be available below.

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. 

2025 Black Opal Stakes Tips

Our Ladbrokes’ insider Black Opal Stakes 2025 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.

Happy to go out on a limb and suggest Steel Knight from the Neasham/Archibald yard can give this Canberra Group 3 juvenile’s race a shake-up at close to $20 at time of publish. The well-bred son of Capitalist is a colt coming into his fourth start who has experience at the track. Two back he broke his maiden status here over 1000m with 58kg by a good margin. Last start ran second at the same course and distance under a length beaten in the Opal Preview behind Farcited who is now favourite. The bookies are suggesting that colt wins again, but like this one being well versed here at the price. Forgivable last start from wide out, gets a better run from gate three on Sunday. Josh Parr comes aboard and think the 1200m will suit. Can surprise.

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. 

2025 Black Opal Stakes Form Guide

A link to our comprehensive Black Opal Stakes 2025 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). 

King Of Pop sent a new Black Opal Stakes race record winning in 2025 in a time of 1 minute 09.13 seconds. 

Recent Black Opal Stakes Winners

Past Black Opal Stakes winners and placegetters dating back to the year 2000 are detailed in the below table.

FAQ

Who won the 2025 Black Opal Stakes?

The 2025 Black Opal Stakes was won by King Of Pop at $3.90 for trainers Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou with jockey Zac Lloyd aboard on 56kg from barrier 4 to win by 0.29 lengths in a race record time of 1:09.13.

When is the Black Opal Stakes 2025?

What is the prize money for the Black Opal Stakes 2025?

$200,000

Where is the Black Opal Stakes 2025?

Canberra Racecourse, Randwick Road, Lyneham, ACT 2602.