Colin Stephen Quality 2024

Ladbrokes Tip: The Colin Stephen Quality serves as an early lead-up into The Metropolitan

The Colin Stephen Quality is a Group 3 handicap race for stayers aged three-year-old and above run at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse on a Saturday in late September during the annual Sydney Spring Racing Carnival.

2022 Colin Stephen Quality winner Grove Ferry. Photo: Steve Hart.

Contested at the same meeting as the $1 million Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) and the $400,000 Group 2 Golden Pendant (1400m), the race is contested over 2400m and offers $250,000 in total prize money.

Graduates may go on to run in tougher Sydney and Melbourne races over the spring carnival and the Colin Stephen Quality winner is exempt from ballot for the Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) held at Royal Randwick on Epsom Handicap Day.

Railings (2005) however was the last horse to complete the Colin Stephen Quality – The Metropolitan double, along with that spring’s Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) in Melbourne.

The Colin Stephen Quality was first run in 1870 as the Spring Stakes and has held Group 3 status since 1987.

Many excellent horses have won the race over the years including Carbine (1890), Wakeful (1902), Poseidon (1907), triple champion Poitrel (1918-20), Phar Lap (1930-31), Peter Pan (1935), Flight (1944), Hydrogen (1953), and Gunsynd (1972).

The latest edition of the Colin Stephen Quality took place on Saturday September 28, 2024 offering a The Metropolitan ballot exemption to the winner First Light ($4.80) from the Chris Waller stable.

2024 Colin Stephen Quality Results

The full Colin Stephen Quality 2024 race results and finishing order will be provided below as soon as the race is run and won on Saturday September 28, 2024.

2024 Colin Stephen Quality winner First Light. Photo: Steve Har

• 1st: #5 First Light
• 2nd: #1 Changingoftheguard
• 3rd: #2 Strathtay

The Chris Waller-trained import First Light ($4.80) was huge third-up powering home from the top of the straight in the Colin Stephen Quality 2024 results to put three lengths on his closest rival and earn a likely seven-day back-up into the Group 1 The Metropolitan.

2024 Colin Stephen Quality Odds

The season’s top Colin Stephen Quality 2024 odds and Group 3 betting links to our Golden Rose Day markets will be provided below as soon as open.

Colin Stephen Quality Race Info

• Date: Saturday September 28, 2024
• Track: Rosehill Gardens
• Distance: 2400m
• Conditions: Quality Handicap
• Status: Group 3
• Prize Money: $250,000
• First Run: 1870

Colin Stephen Quality Betting

Colin Stephen Quality betting favours local Sydney-trained stayers coming off good lead-up runs in the early spring distance races including the Group 3 Newcastle Gold Cup (2300m) or the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) run at Randwick.

Any in-form horses prepared by Gai Waterhouse are also usually kept safe in Colin Stephen Quality betting as she has won the race six times since 1999 most recently with Stampede (2019) – who went on to run a next-up fourth in that year’s The Metropolitan results – and Entente (2021).

Waterhouse also prepared the two most recent Colin Stephen Quality favourites to salute for the punters with Julienas ($2.60 in 2013) and Entente ($4.60 in 2021).

Waterhouse celebrated her incredible 10th overall Colin Stephen Quality victory co-training Grove Ferry in 2022.

Julienas ($2.60 in 2013) and Entente ($4.60 in 2021) are the latest favourites in Colin Stephen Quality betting to win.

Colin Stephen Quality Field

The Colin Stephen Quality race field attracts a quality line-up of mainly Sydney-trained stayers types with Group 1 ambitions over the spring carnival.

Some horses out of the Colin Stephen Quality field may choose to head to Brisbane for the Listed Queensland Cup (2400m), a race the 2020 Colin Stephen Quality third placegetter Grey Lion went on to win.

Colin Stephen Quality nominations close the Monday before the race runs on the Saturday with the field and barrier draw announced on the Wednesday.

2024 Colin Stephen Quality Field

The official Colin Stephen Quality 2024 Final Field & Barrier Draw will be published in full below the Wednesday leading-up to Golden Rose Stakes Day so stay tuned to see what gallopers line-up in the Group 3 feature.

The 2024 Colin Stephen Quality field features a small but smart line-up of spring stayers led in betting by the in-form Chris Waller-trained Preferment five-year-old Strathtay.

2024 Colin Stephen Quality Nominations

The Colin Stephen Quality 2024 Nominations are announced by Racing NSW the Monday of race week and will be published below once announced.

Colin Stephen Quality Tips

Good Colin Stephen Quality betting tips include backing Sydney-trained stayers with previous winning form over the mile and a half distance and those at single-figures in the markets.

While Entente (2021) was the first favourite to win since Julienas (2013), backing horses under $10 in the markets is a top Colin Stephen Quality tip as no horse has won at double-figures since Get Up Jude ($12 in 2008).

2024 Colin Stephen Quality Tips

Our Ladbrokes’ exclusive Colin Stephen Quality 2024 betting tips and exotic Rosehill selections on The Metropolitan ballot exemption-offering event will be detailed below the week of the race.

• To Win: #8 Think ‘N’ Fly ($11 at time of publish) – BET NOW

Small but open field of potential The Metropolitan contenders but going for value outside of the Waller stable with Think ‘N’ Fly on top at 10/1 at time of publish. This David Noonan-trained So You Think eight-year-old gets in on 54kg and is drawn for a good run with champion hoop Craig Williams riding. Continues to show a zest for racing stringing together a host of recent placings. Well beaten last time out but chance to improve here. Can surprise. 

Colin Stephen Quality Form Guide

The Colin Stephen Quality form guide details to punters all the facts and stats from the jockeys, trainers and barriers, to the horse’s records over the track / distance and their lead-up runs.

The Colin Stephen Quality form has stacked-up in bigger staying features over the spring including the Victorian features with a number of Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup winners coming off the Sydney lead-up.

In 2021 the Colin Stephen Quality form was franked with the winner Entente running a next-up second in the Group 1 The Metropolitan results.

2024 Colin Stephen Quality Form Guide

A link to our detailed Colin Stephen Quality 2024 Form Guide will be provided for punters below the week of the race.

Colin Stephen Quality Results

The Colin Stephen Quality race results have been dominated by single-figure runners over the past decade.

Some of the most noteworthy Colin Stephen Quality winners throughout history include No Wine No Song (2010), Railings (2005), Gunsynd (1972), Roman Consul (1968), Redcraze (1956), Hydrogen (1953), Delta (1950/1951), Russia (1945), Flight (1944), Peter Pan (1935), Phar Lap (1930/1931), Windbag (1925), Gloaming (1924), Poitrel (1918/1919/1920), Poseidon (1907), Wakeful (1902), and Carbine (1890).

Miss Admiration (2018) was the last Colin Stephen Quality winning mare.

Past Colin Stephen Quality Winners

Recent Colin Stephen Quality winners, trainers, jockeys, weights and times dating back to the year 2000 are detailed in the below table.

FAQ

When is the Colin Stephen Quality 2024?

What is the prize money for the Colin Stephen Quality 2024?

$250,000

Where is the Colin Stephen Quality 2024?

Rosehill Gardens Racecourse, James Ruse Dr, Rosehill NSW 2142.