Gilgai Stakes 2024

Ladbrokes Tip: The Gilgai Stakes is a nice guide to the Group 1 VRC Sprint Classic during the spring

The Gilgai Stakes is a Group 2 sprint and a key support act on the Turnbull Stakes Day program at Flemington Racecourse on a Saturday in early October each Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival. Offering $300,000 in prize money the Gilgai Stakes is run at set weights plus penalties conditions and suits short-distance horses with proven experience down the famous Flemington ‘Straight Six’.

2022 Gilgai Stakes winner Private Eye went on to run second in The Everest that spring. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Heading the day’s racing is the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) for runners looking at backing-up in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) later in the month.

Other features on the Turnbull Stakes Day card include the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m) for VRC Oaks hopefuls, the Group 2 Blazer Stakes (1400m) now run as the Rose Of Kingston Stakes, and the Group 3 The Bart Cummings for Melbourne Cup hopefuls.

The Gilgai Stakes makes a nice lead-up into the Group 1 VRC Sprint Classic (1200m) – now run as the VRC Champions Sprint – at Flemington during the Melbourne Cup Carnival and has produced a host of placegetters in the elite level in recent years.

The last horse to complete the Gilgai Stakes – VRC Sprint Classic double was All Silent (2009), while in 2015 Delectation improved on a Gilgai Stakes second to win that November’s Darley Classic in an upset.

The $20 million The Everest (1200m) – the world’s richest race on turf held at Sydney’s Randwick track – is also a possible next-up run for Gilgai Stakes horses.

In 2022 the Gilgai Stakes winner Private Eye ran second next-up in The Everest quinella before winning the $3 million Winners Stakes race (now the Russell Balding Stakes).

The latest edition of the Gilgai Stakes ran on Saturday October 5, 2024 at Flemington on Turnbull Stakes Day and was won by Anthony & Sam Freedman’s class mare Right To Party ($5EF).  

2024 Gilgai Stakes Results

The official Gilgai Stakes 2024 results & finishing order will be updated below once the race is run and won on Saturday October 5, 2024.

2024 Gilgai Stakes winner Right To Party is Champions Sprint bound this Melbourne Cup Carnival. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

• 1st: #14 Right To Party
• 2nd: #1 Arkansaw Kid
• 3rd: #11 Stretan Angel

Another trip down the Flemington straight in the Group 1 Champions Sprint this Melbourne Cup Carnival looks likely for impressive Gilgai Stakes 2024 winner Right To Party ($5EF) who chimed in late with a powerful burst to narrowly turn the tables on her last start conqueror in the Bobbie Lewis, Arkansaw Kid.

2024 Gilgai Stakes Odds

The season’s top Gilgai Stakes 2024 odds and Flemington betting markets will be provided below the week of the race so stay tuned for the best Group 2 racing offers this Turnbull Stakes Day.

Gilgai Stakes Race Info

• Date: Saturday October 5, 2024
• Track: Flemington Racecourse
• Distance: 1200m
• Conditions: Set Weights + Penalties
• Status: Group 2
• Prize Money: $300,000
• First Run: 1984

Gilgai Stakes Betting

Gilgai Stakes odds are led by the season’s in-form sprinters coming off nice earlier runs, graduates from Group lead-ups in Melbourne and runners proven over the Flemington straight.

Because of where the race is run, barriers don’t have a major impact on the Gilgai Stakes betting markets with better indicators being the class of the runners and their records over the track / distance.

Sunlight ($2.25 in 2019), Private Eye ($4.80 in 2022), Star Patrol ($2.50 in 2023), and Right To Party ($5EF in 2024) are the last favourites in Gilgai Stakes betting to salute for the punters.

Gilgai Stakes Field

The Gilgai Stakes race field attracts good spring sprinters of all age groups with many eyeing a Group 1 run later during the carnival.

A nice lead-up race is the Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m), which Chautauqua won before taking out the 2014 edition. In 2015 Chautauqua successfully defended his Gilgai Stakes title on the back of a win in the Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley the month before.

Zoutori (2020) also took out the Bobbie Lewis Quality – Gilgai Stakes double. Zoutori returned in 2021 to run a narrow second as the beaten favourite in the Gilgai Stakes behind Kementari.

Right To Party (2nd in 2024) was the last Bobbie Lewis graduate to back-up and win the Gilgai Stakes when turning the tables on Arkansaw Kid who ran 1st and 2nd in the events respectively.

Bobbie Lewis Quality – Gilgai Stakes double was last completed by Star Patrol in 2023. 

The McEwen Stakes also produced the 2013 Gilgai Stakes winner Platelet (4^th), while the other most recent race winner to come out of the Bobbie Lewis was Temple Of Boom (6^th) in 2011.

Dual Gilgai Stakes winner Chautauqua took out the 2015 Manikato Stakes after winning the Group 2 for a second time. Photo Credit: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Many horses back-up at Moonee Valley later in the month in the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) and the Gilgai Stakes – Manikato double was last achieved by Chautauqua in 2015. In earlier years the Manikato Stakes was run before the Gilgai and the double in that order was achieved in 2010 by Hay List.

The Group 1 VRC Sprint Classic (1200m) at Flemington on the second Saturday in November is another race many horses out of the field go on to contest. Chautauqua ran second in both the 2014 and 2015 editions of the Darley Classic following back-to-back Gilgai Stakes victories by the champion sprinter.

That same year the Gilgai Stakes runner-up Delectation won the Darley Classic two starts later. Earlier in 2012 winner Hallowell Belle finished fourth in the Manikato and third in the race then called the Patinack Classic for sponsorship purposes.

In 2022 the Gilgai Stakes runner-up Roch ‘N’ Horse went on to win the Group 1 Champions Sprint that Melbourne Cup Carnival, while Baller ran third in both events.

Gilgai Stakes nominations close on the Monday before the race runs on the Sunday and the final field and barriers are released by Racing Victoria on the Wednesday.

2024 Gilgai Stakes Field

The official Gilgai Stakes 2024 field and barrier draw is set for release on the Wednesday of race week and will be published below so stay tuned to see what sprinters making the starting line-up for the battle down the straight six.

The 2024 Gilgai Stakes final field features a smart line-up of straight track sprinters led in betting by Grahame Begg’s class mare and former All Aged Stakes winner Magic Time drawn the inside alley.

2024 Gilgai Stakes Nominations

The official Gilgai Stakes 2024 nominations are taken the Monday of Turnbull Stakes week.

Gilgai Stakes Tips

Top Gilgai Stakes tips to consider include looking for runners with proven ability down the straight at Flemington Racecourse, past Group winners the Melbourne way of racing and the standout turf stars in the field.

Favourites have a gun recent record in the race with the last double-figure winner being All Silent ($10 in 2009), so backing the favourite is another good Gilgai Stakes betting tip as is looking for any proven fresh performers running first-up in the race.

2024 Gilgai Stakes Tips

Our Ladbrokes’ insider Gilgai Stakes 2024 betting tips and Flemington racing selections will be detailed below the week of the race so bookmark this page for the sprinters to back and sack in the Group 2 this spring.

• To Win: #14 Right To Party ($7 at time of publish) – BET NOW

Right To Party ticks a few crucial boxes to put a Group 2 win on the board here for Anthony & Sam Freedman. The in-form and consistent Zoustar mare has been strong as a four-year-old and was good fresh when fourth only two lengths beaten fresh in the Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality at this track and trip on a Heavy (9) with 54kg on September 14. She’ll get firmer going second-up and fit this weekend. A genuine straight track lover she has won three from five at Flemington including the Group 3 Aurie’s Star back in early August. Jye McNeil continues associations. Carries a bit more weight here but has the class and strike rate at Headquarters to salute.

Gilgai Stakes Form Guide

The Gilgai Stakes form guide features crucial facts and race stats including the jockeys and trainers of the horses in the field as well as their records over the track / distance.

In recent years the Gilgai Stakes form has held-up in subsequent Group 1 Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival features including the Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley and the Darley Classic, now called the VRC Sprint Classic, at Flemington.

Runners may also travel across to Perth during the Summer Racing Carnival in WA for a shot at the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m), a race the 2012 Gilgai Stakes third placegetter Spirit Of Boom finished third in three runs later that year. Spirit Of Boom also ran second in the 2013 Gilgai Stakes and fourth in that year’s Winterbottom.

2024 Gilgai Stakes Form Guide

A link to our comprehensive Gilgai Stakes 2024 Form Guide will be provided for punters below the week of the race.

Gilgai Stakes Results

The Gilgai Stakes race results have been dominated by Group 1 performed favourites in the past decade.

Notable recent Gilgai Stakes winners include Private Eye (2022), Kementari (2021), Sunlight (2019), Chautauqua (2015, 2014), Temple Of Boom (2011), Hay List (2010), All Silent (2990), and Belle Du Jour (2001).

Right To Party (2024) was the last Gilgai Stakes winning mare.

Royal Troubadour (1984) was the last three-year-old Gilgai Stakes winner.

Falkirk holds the current Gilgai Stakes race record winning over the 1200m in 2005 in a time of 1 minute 07:96 seconds.

Past Gilgai Stakes Winners

Recent Gilgai Stakes winners and placegetters dating back to the year 2000 are detailed in the below table.

FAQ

When is the Gilgai Stakes 2024?

What is the prize money for the Gilgai Stakes 2024?

$300,000

Where is the Gilgai Stakes 2024?

Flemington Racecourse, 448 Epsom Rd, Flemington VIC 3031.