Danehill Stakes 2023

Ladbrokes Tip: Danehill Stakes runners often head into the Coolmore Stud Stakes later in the spring.

The Danehill Stakes is a Group 2 race for three-year-olds run down the famous straight track at Flemington Racecourse on Turnbull Stakes Day during the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival. The day’s racing at the meeting is headlined by the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) for potential Cox Plate horses.

2022 Danehill Stakes winner Giga Kick. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Previously held on Makybe Diva Stakes Day a fortnight earlier, the Danehill Stakes was moved to the later time slot ahead of the 2021 edition and is scheduled for the same date as Sydney’s Epsom Handicap  Day.

There are three Group 2 support acts on the Melbourne card with the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes, Group 2 Gilgai Stakes and the Danehill Stakes. A 1100m sprint, having been reduced from 1200m in 2021, the Danehill Stakes is run at set weights plus penalties and offers $300,000 in total prize money.

It is a key lead-up into the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) over the same track and distance during the Melbourne Cup Carnival, a double recently completed by Sepoy (2011).

The 2021 Danehill Stakes form was franked with the winning three-year-old Giga Kick going on to win the world’s richest turf race – the then $15 million (now $20 million) The Everest (1200m) – at his next start in Sydney.

The latest edition of the Danehill Stakes took place on Saturday October 7, 2023 as part of Flemington’s Turnbull Stakes Day card and saw the Phillip Stokes-trained filly Stretan Angel ($7) stick her neck out right on the line to win. 

2023 Danehill Stakes Results

The official Danehill Stakes 2023 results and full race finishing order will be provided below once the race is run and won on Saturday October 7, 2023.

2023 Danehill Stakes winner Stretan Angel was green but impressive winning the Group 2 at Flemington. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

• 1st: #9 Stretan Angel
• 2nd: #3 I Am Unstoppable
• 3rd: #5 Don Corleone

The consistent Phillip Stokes-trained filly Stretan Angel ($7) was good in her Group race debut continuing her nice form at her pet distance to beat home the boys narrowly in the 2023 Danehill Stakes results despite looking a little green down the straight.

2023 Danehill Stakes Odds

The latest Danehill Stakes 2023 betting odds and links to our Flemington racing markets will be provided below the week of the race.

Danehill Stakes Race Info

• Date: Saturday October 7, 2023
• Track: Flemington Racecourse
• Distance: 1100m
• Conditions: 3YOs – Set Weights + Penalties
• Status: Group 2
• Prize Money: $300,000
• First Run: 1982

Danehill Stakes Betting

Danehill Stakes betting is led by in-form three-year-olds with proven form over the shorter sprinter distances that were likely tested in tougher company during their last campaign.

Horses that ran well in lead-up races in Melbourne like the Vain Stakes and McKenzie Stakes and that have previous experience down the testing Flemington straight also sit high up the Danehill Stakes odds each year.

Giga Kick in 2022 was the last horse to complete the Vain Stakes – Danehill Stakes double.

Double-figure hopes in Danehill Stakes markets have recent winning form in the Group 2 including Charlie Boy ($21 in 2013) and Kallos ($12 in 2021).

Dalasan ($2.60 in 2019) and Giga Kick ($1.95 in 2022) are the latest favourites in Danehill Stakes betting to get the job done for the punters.

Danehill Stakes Field

The Danehill Stakes race field attracts a quality line-up of three-year-olds many heading towards longer distance runs for their age during the spring. A key lead-up race into the Danehill Stakes is the Group 3 HDF McNeil Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield the previous month.

In 2015 Ready For Victory ran second in the McNeil and third in the Danehill Stakes behind Kinglike. Ready For Victory also went on to run third to Press Statement in that year’s Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m), which is a target for many horses coming out of the Danehill Stakes field each spring.

Another possible lead-up run is Moonee Valley’s Listed McKenzie Stakes (1200m), a race Rich Enuff won on way to his Danehill Stakes success in 2014. Rich Enuff also won the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) next start before his Caulfield Guineas second to Shooting To Win.

Éclair Big Bang come off a Danehill Stakes third to Charlie Boy in 2013 before backing up to win the Caulfield Guineas.

Fillies meanwhile may come off an August run in the Group 3 Quezette Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield before taking on the boys. In 2013 Kiss A Rose won the Quezette before a second to Charlie Boy in the Danehill Stakes. In 2017 the previous season’s Blue Diamond Stakes winning filly Catchy improved on a lead-up second in the Quezette Stakes to beat home the boys in the Danehill Stakes.

Danehill Stakes nominations are taken the Monday before the race runs on the Saturday with the final field and barriers released on the Wednesday.

2023 Danehill Stakes Field

The official Danehill Stakes 2023 race field and barriers are announced the Wednesday of race week and will be published in full below, so stay tuned to see what three-year-olds make the starting line-up this spring.

The Danehill Stakes 2023 field features a small but class field of young sprinters with markets led by Group 3 place-getter I Am Unstoppable drawn ideally in gate two third-up and ready to fire.

2023 Danehill Stakes Nominations

The Danehill Stakes 2023 nominations are taken by Racing Victoria on the Monday of race week and will be published in full below.

The 2023 Danehill Stakes nominations feature 16 spring sprinters eyeing runs in upcoming majors including the $20 million The Everest in Sydney on October 14 with all-in betting led by progressive I Am Invincible colt I Am Unstoppable.

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

Danehill Stakes Form Guide

The Danehill Stakes form guide features all the information for punters from barriers, jockeys and trainers to the lead-up runs of the horses in the field. Looking at the form for three-year-olds coming off a top three run and jumping at single-figures in betting is key.

The form out of the Danehill Stakes has gone on to hold in tougher grade races many times over the years including in 2011 when the third-placed Bruckner ran a next-up second in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes.

In 2022 the Danehill Stakes winner Giga Kick won Sydney’s The Everest next start in an upset, and he further franked the form in 2023 returning to win the Group 1 All Aged Stakes and Doomben 10,000.

2023 Danehill Stakes Form Guide

A link to our comprehensive Danehill Stakes 2023 Form Guide will be provided for punters below the week of the race.

Danehill Stakes Tips

Danehill Stakes tips include looking for three-year-olds coming off a top three run in similar class last start, proven Group performers, those with winning Flemington form down the straight and runners backing up from a race like the McNeil Stakes or Quezette Stakes.

2023 Danehill Stakes Tips

Our Ladbrokes’ insider Danehill Stakes 2023 betting tips and Group 2 Flemington selections will be detailed below the week of the race so you can get behind our tips online.

• To Win: #9 Stretan Angel ($4.80 at time of publish) – BET NOW

This Phillip Stokes-trained filly looks very well-placed at a good price to beat home the boys down the Flemington straight and collect a Group 2 trophy. She is improving each run and presents fit second-up here in her fourth career run. Was a Black-Type winner at Morphettville in the autumn by a big margin before returning for her Melbourne debut to run second fresh in the Listed Cap D’Antibes over 1100m here carrying 57.5kg. She only went down a neck, has natural improvement, should appreciate the 1200m and carries less weight. Looks like she’ll do well here.

Danehill Stakes Results

The Danehill Stakes race results have been dominated by class three-year-olds in the past decade jumping at under $10 in betting.

Notable recent Danehill Stakes winners include Giga Kick (2022), Catchy (2017), Rich Enuff (2014), Snitzerland (2012), Sepoy (2011), Black Caviar (2009), and Fastnet Rock (2004).

Stretan Angel (2023) was the last Danehill Stakes winning filly.

Past Danehill Stakes Winners

Recent Danehill Stakes winners and place-getters dating back to the year 2000 are detailed in the below table.