Kembla Grange Classic 2025

Ladbrokes Tip: The Kembla Grange Classic is a good lead-up into the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes for fillies

The latest edition of the Kembla Grange Classic ran on Friday March 14, 2025 as a potential lead-up into the Sydney Group 1 races for fillies and saw the unbeaten Verona Rose ($14) charge up the middle the closing stages to score victory. 

2025 Kembla Grange Classic Odds

Our top Kembla Grange Classic 2025 betting odds on the hopeful fillies will be available right here the week of the race so bookmark this page for the best autumn racing markets.

The Kembla Grange Classic – registered as the Keith F Nolan Classic – is a Group 3, mile race run over 1600m held by the Illawarra Turf Club at Kembla Grange Racecourse on a Friday in March on the eve of Sydney’s Coolmore Classic Day at Rosehill.

Offering $250,000 in prize money, the 1600m event is a set weights plus penalties race for three-year-old fillies.

First contested in 2003 it has held Group 3 status since 2010 and the registered race name is in honour of the founding chairman of the Illawarra Turf Club, Keith F. Nolan.

Despite its short history the Kembla Grange Classic has been won by many nice mares including Hot Danish (2007) who now also has a race named in her honour, the Group 2 Hot Danish Stakes (1400m) held in November.

The Kembla Grange Classic can serve as a nice lead-up into upcoming Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival features for the fillies including the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) run at the end of the month.

Single Gaze (2016) was the last runner to complete the Kembla Grange Classic – Vinery Stud Stakes double.

Kembla Grange Classic Race Info

• Date: Friday March 14, 2025
• Track: Kembla Grange Racecourse
• Distance: 1600m
• Conditions: Set Weights + Penalties – 3YO Fillies
• Status: Group 3
• Prize Money: $250,000
• First Run: 2003

Kembla Grange Classic Betting

Kembla Grange Classic odds favour the better performed young fillies in the mix coming off a winning Sydney lead-up and those with a previous record over the distance. 

Any runners down in grade off a Group 1 Surround Stakes performance will also usually sit higher up the Kembla Grange Classic betting markets. 

Pohutukawa ($1.65 in 2019) followed by Pretty Amazing ($2.90 in 2022) are the latest favourites in Kembla Grange Classic betting to salute for the punters. 

Kembla Grange Classic Field

The Kembla Grange Classic race field attracts a line-up of promising autumn fillies, many that are eyeing off a tougher assignment in the coming weeks’ Group 1 races. 

Fillies in the Kembla Grange Classic field may come via a host of different lead-up races perhaps even the Group 1 Surround Stakes (1400m) run in late February. 

The better fillies out of the Kembla Grange Classic field will go on to run in races including the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) and the Group 1 ATC Oaks (2400m) held over the mile and a half at Randwick during April’s ‘The Championships’. 

2018 Kembla Grange Classic winner Luvaluva (pictured at Flemington). Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Kembla Grange Classic nominations close the Monday before the race with the final field and barriers out on the Wednesday.

2025 Kembla Grange Classic Field

The official Kembla Grange Classic 2025 field and barrier draw will be released by Racing NSW on the Wednesday prior to the race and published below so bookmark this page to see what gallopers make the cut in the Vinery Stud Stakes lead-up.

The Kembla Grange Classic 2025 final field features a smart line-up of fillies led in betting by Group 1 performed Zoustar filly Dominetta coming off a Surround Stakes run for Waterhouse & Bott.

2025 Kembla Grange Classic Nominations

The early Kembla Grange Classic 2025 nominations close the Monday of race week and will be published below once confirmed. 

Kembla Grange Classic Tips

Looking for previous Group status winning fillies out of similar grade Sydney races and those with a good strike-rate over the mile and further are good Kembla Grange Classic betting tips. 

2025 Kembla Grange Classic Tips

Our Ladbrokes’ insider Kembla Grange Classic 2025 betting tips and exotic Group 3 racing selections will be detailed below soon after the field is out so stay tuned for the fillies to get behind in the race this autumn.

Tipping an upset in the Kembla Grange Classic this year with Canny Queen looking a forgotten value runner in the markets at $34 a time of publish. The Brad Widdup trained Ace High filly brings in some consistent form having run two of her past three. At her latest, she narrowly saluted for the punters at a much shorter price over the mile at Gosford. She’s one of the few in this Group 3 field proven at the distance and that’s a big plus for us! A three-time winner from seven starts she looks well placed here having recently run well against the older mares with a heap more weight on her back. 54kg and a mid-field draw here with Reece Jones to ride. Peaking, is versatile able to make up ground like she did last start or be on speed. Can surprise.

Kembla Grange Classic Form Guide

The Kembla Grange Classic form guide details all of the key information punters need including saddlecloth numbers, jockeys, trainers, barriers and lead-up form of the fillies in the final field. 

The Kembla Grange Classic form has gone on to stack-up in better grade Sydney races many times over the years including in the Vinery Stud Stakes. 

Gin Martini franked the 2022 Kembla Grange Classic form running third in both it and then the Group 1 ATC Oaks results. The Kembla Grange Classic form was further franked with the runner-up Hope In Your Heart winning a number of races that spring before her fourth in the $10 million The Golden Eagle (1500m) and second in Kembla Grange’s richest race – the $1 million The Gong (1600m). 

Pavitra won the 2023 Kembla Grange Classic before a second in the Vinery Stud Stakes results that season, while So Dazzling franked the form with a Kembla Grange Classic second and second in the ATC Oaks results later that autumn. 

The Kembla Grange Classic 2024 winner Queen Of Dragons went on to run a next-up fourth in that year’s Vinery Stud Stakes results, while the runner-up Our Gold Hope also finished second in Brisbane’s Group 1 Queensland Oaks that winter.

2025 Kembla Grange Classic Form Guide

A link to our comprehensive Kembla Grange Classic 2025 Form Guide will be provided for punters below the week of the race.

Kembla Grange Classic Results

Notable Kembla Grange Classic / Keith F Nolan Classic winners throughout history include a Nikita (2004), Hot Danish (2007), the previous spring’s VRC Oaks winner Brazilian Pulse (2011), Appearance (2012), and Single Gaze (2016). 

Kembla Grange Classic Winners

Past Kembla Grange Classic winners and placegetters dating back to the year 2003 are detailed in the below table. 

FAQ

Who won the 2025 Kembla Grange Classic?

The 2025 Kembla Grange Classic was won by Verona Rose at $14 for trainer Gary Portelli with jockey Kerrin McEvoy aboard o 54kg from barrier 10 to win by 0.2 lengths in a time of 1:35.75.

When is the Kembla Grange Classic 2025?

What is the prize money for the Kembla Grange Classic 2025?

$250,000

Where is the Kembla Grange Classic 2025?

Kembla Grange Racecourse, Princes Highway, Kembla Grange NSW 2526.