Ladbrokes Tip: The Colin Stephen Quality serves as an early lead-up into The Metropolitan
The latest edition of the Colin Stephen Quality took place on Saturday September 27, 2025 offering a The Metropolitan ballot exemption to the Ciaron Maher trained winner Piggyback ($6).
2025 Colin Stephen Quality Results
The full Colin Stephen Quality 2025 race results and finishing order will be provided below as soon as the race is run and won on Saturday September 27, 2025.
- 1st: #8 Piggyback
- 2nd: #7 Juja Kibo
- 3rd: #5 Taramansour
A quick back-up into the Group 1 The Metropolitan could be on the cards for Ciaron Maher’s progressive mare Piggyback ($6) after she edged out stablemate Juja Kibo on an all-Maher quinella in Saturday’s 2025 Colin Stephen Quality results thanks to a patient ride by Tim Clark.
2025 Colin Stephen Quality Odds
The season’s top Colin Stephen Quality 2025 odds and Group 3 betting links to our Golden Rose Day markets will be provided below as soon as open.
| 8. Piggyback (1) J: Tim Clark 55.5kg 34341T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 7. Juja Kibo (8) J: Andrew Adkins 55.5kg 31161T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 5. Taramansour (7) J: Tyler Schiller 55.5kg x0005T: Phillip Stokes | ||
| 6. Sun 'N' Sand (4) J: Alysha Collett 55.5kg 2x705T: B Joseph & P & M Jones | ||
| 2. Our Anchorage (2) J: Josh Parr 58kg 40x07T: Bjorn Baker | ||
| 9. Trust In You (3) J: Regan Bayliss 55.5kg 00x77T: Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley | ||
| 1. Cleveland (5) J: Ethan Brown 58kg x48x4T: Kris Lees | ||
| 3. Tajanis (9) J: Kerrin McEvoy 55.5kg 0x465T: Chris Waller | ||
| 4. Good Banter (6) J: Zac Lloyd 55.5kg 76123T: John O'Shea & Tom Charlton |
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).
2025 Colin Stephen Quality Tips
Our Ladbrokes’ exclusive Colin Stephen Quality 2025 betting tips and exotic Rosehill selections on The Metropolitan ballot exemption-offering event will be detailed below the week of the race.
To Win: No. 7 Juja Kibo
JUJA KIBO (8), representing the Ciaron Maher stable, shapes as a standout favourite in the opening Group race on Golden Rose Day. The Irish-bred Belardo gelding steps up in grade but looks well equipped for the challenge after a dominant win over this track and trip two weeks ago. Carrying 59.5kg, he put nearly two lengths on his nearest rival in a BM78, dictating terms confidently on speed. He drops to 55.5kg this weekend and returns to his preferred Rosehill surface, where he’s unbeaten in two starts. Lightly raced with just nine runs to date, he’s brimming with potential. This is his chance to prove he belongs at Group level before targeting a tougher spring test—potentially The Metropolitan.
|
7. Juja Kibo (8)
J: Andrew Adkins 55.5kg
31161T: Ciaron Maher
|
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.
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).
Colin Stephen Quality Race Info
- Date: Saturday September 27, 2025
- 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.
2025 Colin Stephen Quality Field
The official Colin Stephen Quality 2025 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 2025 Colin Stephen Quality final field features nine spring stayers led in betting by the in-form Ciaron Maher trained Juja Kibo coming off a good win at the track and trip carrying more weight.
| Entrant | Last 6 | Sex | Barrier | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. Cleveland
J: Ethan Brown
T: Kris Lees |
0x48x4 | G | 5 | 58kg | |
|
2. Our Anchorage
J: Josh Parr
T: Bjorn Baker |
140x07 | G | 2 | 58kg | |
|
3. Tajanis
J: Kerrin McEvoy
T: Chris Waller |
20x465 | G | 9 | 55.5kg | |
|
4. Good Banter
J: Zac Lloyd
T: John O'Shea & Tom Charlton |
476123 | M | 6 | 55.5kg | |
|
5. Taramansour
J: Tyler Schiller
T: Phillip Stokes |
5x0005 | G | 7 | 55.5kg | |
|
6. Sun 'N' Sand
J: Alysha Collett
T: B Joseph & P & M Jones |
42x705 | M | 4 | 55.5kg | |
|
7. Juja Kibo
J: Andrew Adkins
T: Ciaron Maher |
231161 | G | 8 | 55.5kg | |
|
8. Piggyback
J: Tim Clark
T: Ciaron Maher |
334341 | M | 1 | 55.5kg | |
|
9. Trust In You
J: Regan Bayliss
T: Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley |
800x77 | G | 3 | 55.5kg |
2025 Colin Stephen Quality Nominations
The Colin Stephen Quality 2025 Nominations are announced by Racing NSW the Monday of race week and will be published below once announced.
2025 Colin Stephen Quality nominations extended until 11:00AM (AEST) – 23/09/2025
| Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 90x404x882 | ADELAIDE RIVER (IRE) | G | 6 | Kris Lees | |
| 2 | 33x742x821 | CHANGINGOFTHEGUARD (IRE) | G | 7 | Kris Lees | 106 |
| 3 | 00x80x48x4 | CLEVELAND (IRE) | G | 8 | Kris Lees | 99 |
| 4 | 533×476123 | GOOD BANTER (NZ) | M | 5 | John O’Shea & Tom Charlton | 88 |
| 5 | 1x6x231161 | JUJA KIBO (IRE) | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher | 82 |
| 6 | 56x51x171 | NKOSI | G | 4 | Bjorn Baker | 78 |
| 7 | x111140x07 | OUR ANCHORAGE (IRE) | G | 7 | Bjorn Baker | 99 |
| 8 | 56×1334341 | PIGGYBACK | M | 5 | Ciaron Maher | 80 |
| 9 | 6360405×44 | STRATHTAY (NZ) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | 87 |
| 10 | x21642x705 | SUN ’N’ SAND | M | 4 | Barbara Joseph, Paul & Matt Jones | 87 |
| 11 | 241120×465 | TAJANIS (IRE) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | 91 |
| 12 | 41235×0005 | TARAMANSOUR (IRE) | G | 9 | Phillip Stokes | 88 |
| 13 | 4064800×77 | TRUST IN YOU (NZ) | G | 7 | Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley | |
| 14 | 8220×00564 | WYCLIF (GB) | G | 9 | Ciaron Maher | 95 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
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.
2025 Colin Stephen Quality Form Guide
A link to our detailed Colin Stephen Quality 2025 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).
Piggyback (2025) was the last Colin Stephen Quality winning mare and the first since Miss Admiration (2018).
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.
| Year | Winner | Trainer/s | Jockey | Weight | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Piggyback | Ciaron Maher | Tim Clark | 55.5 kgs | 2:28.98 |
| 2024 | First Light | Chris Waller | Tommy Berry | 54 kgs | 2:29.22 |
| 2023 | Athabascan | John O’Shea | Tom Sherry | 55 kgs | 2:29.13 |
| 2022 | Grove Ferry | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tim Clark | 55 kgs | 2:29.34 |
| 2021 | Entente | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tim Clark | 56.5 kgs | 2:27.36 |
| 2020 | Attorney | Matthew Smith | Jason Collett | 54 kgs | 2:29.90 |
| 2019 | Stampede | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Adam Hyeronimus | 59 kgs | 2:29.87 |
| 2018 | Miss Admiration | Mick Price | Jay Ford | 53 kgs | 2:29.55 |
| 2017 | Auvray | Richard Freedman | Glyn Schofield | 57 kgs | 2:30.35 |
| 2016 | Allergic | John O’Shea | James McDonald | 58 kgs | 2:30.88 |
| 2015 | Amelie’s Star | Peter Moody | Joshua Parr | 56.5 kgs | 2:30.84 |
| 2014 | Deane Martin | Bruce Wallace | Brenton Avdulla | 55 kgs | 2:29.51 |
| 2013 | Julienas | Gai Waterhouse | Nash Rawiller | 59 kgs | 2:30.56 |
| 2012 | Kelinni | Chris Waller | Glyn Schofield | 55.5 kgs | 2:30.48 |
| 2011 | Lamasery | David Vandyke | Brenton Avdulla | 57 kgs | 2:29.93 |
| 2010 | No Wine No Song | Kevin Moses | Jim Cassidy | 58 kgs | 2:30.45 |
| 2009 | Mr Clangtastic | Marc Conners | Craig Agnew | 57 kgs | 2:29.85 |
| 2008 | Get Up Jude | Diane Poidevin Laine | Blake Shinn | 53 kgs | 2:31.15 |
| 2007 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2006 | Exinite | Kris Lees | Larry Cassidy | 52.5 kgs | 2:28.80 |
| 2005 | Railings | John Hawkes | Darren Beadman | 55.5 kgs | 2:32.55 |
| 2004 | Don Raphael | Kerry Parker | Glen Boss | 56.5 kgs | 2:29.83 |
| 2003 | Outlaws | John Hawkes | Darren Beadman | 53.5 kgs | 2:29.17 |
| 2002 | Red Trinket | Gai Waterhouse | Chris Munce | 54 kgs | 2:30.52 |
| 2001 | Dress Circle | Gai Waterhouse | Lenny Beasley | 52 kgs | 2:14.92 |
| 2000 | Coco Cobanna | Gai Waterhouse | Chris Munce | 55.5 kgs | 2:31.41 |
FAQ
Who won the 2025 Colin Stephen Quality?
The 2025 Colin Stephen Quality was won by five-year-old Trapeze Artist mare Piggyback at $6 for trainer Ciaron Maher with jockey Tim Clark aboard on 55.5kg from barrier 1 to win by 0.58 lengths on a Good (4) track in a time of 2:28.98.
When is the Colin Stephen Quality 2025?
Saturday September 27, 2025What is the prize money for the Colin Stephen Quality 2025?
$250,000
Where is the Colin Stephen Quality 2025?
Rosehill Gardens Racecourse, James Ruse Dr, Rosehill NSW 2142.
How do I bet on the 2025 Colin Stephen Quality?
Bet online or via the latest iOS/Android apps with Ladbrokes.
The first step is to create an account at ladbrokes.com.au. The process is quick and easy!
Once you've created your account you can make a deposit via credit card, or any other of our secure payment methods. Next up, head to the racing page and find the race and runner that's right for you.
Which horse will win the 2025 Colin Stephen Quality?
The best way to pick which horse will win the Colin Stephen Quality is to take into account the form, assess the barriers, and consider the weight the horse will carry (among other factors). Check out ladbrokes.com.au in the lead up to the race for full form information.