Ken Russell Memorial Classic 2024

Ladbrokes Tip: The Ken Russell Memorial Classic is a key lead-up into the Group 1 J.J. Atkins each winter.

The Ken Russell Memorial Classic is an important Group 3 race run at the Gold Coast Racecourse* in Queensland on A.D. Hollindale Stakes Day each May.

*The 2024 Ken Russell Memorial Classic and entire A.D. Hollindale Stakes Day card again ran at the Sunshine Coast Racecourse.

The first major lead-up meeting for horses heading towards the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival, Hollindale Dale features a host of top races including the: Group 2 $500,000 A.D. Hollindale Stakes (1800m), the Group 3 $200,000 Gold Coast Guineas (1600m) and the Ken Russell Memorial Classic.

First held in 1974, the Ken Russell Memorial Classic is a 1200m set weights sprint for two-year-old horses and has held Group 3 status since 2014.

The event is named in honour of former top Queensland hoop Kenneth Charles Russell (1951–1993) who tragically died in a race fall at Rosehill Gardens in Sydney.

A four-time leading Gold Coast jockey, Ken Russell won a host of Group 1 races over his illustrious career including the Doncaster Handicap (1989) and the George Ryder Stakes (1991).

Formerly run over 1400m (1974–1999) and 1300m (2000–2005) the race has been held over the current distance of 1200m since 2006. It was also originally a handicap event before changing to set weights in 2005.

The Ken Russell Memorial Classic is a key lead-up for juveniles targeting the Group 1 $1 million J.J. Atkins (1600m) run at Eagle Farm in June and Sizzling (2012) was the last to do the double.

The latest edition of the Ken Russell Memorial Classic took place at the Sunshine Coast (moved from the Gold Coast for 2023 and 2024) on Saturday May 11, 2024 and saw Chris Waller’s Written Tycoon colt Althoff ($5F) salute for the punters on a Heavy (10) track.

Ken Russell Memorial Classic 2024 Results

The official 2024 Ken Russell Memorial Classic Results & Finishing Order will be announced below once the race is run and won on Saturday May 11, 2024.

• 1st: #8 Althoff
• 2nd: #11 Silva ‘N’ Suave
• 3rd: #5 Gin A Tonic

2024 Ken Russell Memorial Classic Odds

The top Ken Russell Memorial Classic 2024 odds on the potential Group 1 bound winter juveniles contesting the Group 3 will be available below as soon as released so stay tuned for the best racing markets on the event. 

Ken Russell Memorial Classic Race Info

• Date: Saturday May 11, 2024
• Track: Gold Coast Racecourse (Sunshine Coast Racecourse in 2023 & 2024)
• Distance: 1200m
• Conditions: 2YOs – Set Weights
• Status: Group 3
• Prize Money: $200,000
• First Run: 1974

Ken Russell Memorial Betting

Ken Russell Memorial Classic betting markets are usually dominated by locally-trained two-year-olds coming off good lead-up runs in class Queensland races over the autumn.

Two-year-olds with proven form at the distance and further track sit high up the Ken Russell Memorial Classic odds.

Wisdom Of Water ($1.35 in 2020), Nettuno ($2.20 in 2022) and Althoff ($5 in 2024) are the last Ken Russell Memorial Classic favourites to salute for the punters. 

Ken Russell Memorial Classic Field

The Ken Russell Memorial Classic race field attracts a collection of the season’s best young two-year-olds, many coming off lead-up runs in Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.

Horses that contested the Gold Coast Magic Millions races during the summer often do well in the Ken Russell Memorial Classic later in the year. 

Following a run in the Ken Russell Memorial Classic field young horses often back-up in the Group 2 $1 million BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at the end of May. Sizzling (2012) was the last runner to complete the Ken Russell – BRC Sires’ race double. 

In 2022 the Ken Russell third placed filly Sheeza Belter went on to win bot the BRC Sires’ and that year’s JJ Atkins. 

Ken Russell Memorial Classic nominations close the Monday before the race with the final field and barriers out two days later on the Wednesday.

2024 Ken Russell Memorial Classic Field

The official Ken Russell Memorial Classic 2024 field & barrier draw will be released by Racing Queensland on the Wednesday of race week and announced in full below so stay tuned to see what gallopers are in the mix.

The 2024 Ken Russell Memorial Classic final field features a full line-up of promising two-year-olds led in betting by Chris Waller’s widely-drawn Snitzel colt Imperial Force coming off a nearly four-length win at Canterbury. 

2024 Ken Russell Memorial Classic Nominations

The early 2024 Ken Russell Memorial Classic nominations are taken on the Monday of race week.

Ken Russell Memorial Classic Form Guide

The Ken Russell Memorial Classic form guide details essential information for punters like the jockeys, trainers, barriers and lead-up runs of all the horses in the field.

The Ken Russell Memorial Classic form has gone on to hold in tougher grade races a number of times over the years including the 2018 winner Sesar taking out the Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) that spring in Sydney. 

The 2023 Ken Russell Memorial Classic form was franked with the runner-up Abounding returning in the summer to win the $3 million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas on the Gold Coast in January of 2024. 

2024 Ken Russell Memorial Classic Form Guide

A link to our comprehensive Ken Russell Memorial Classic 2024 Form Guide will be provided for punters below the week of the race.

Ken Russell Memorial Classic Tips

Ken Russell Memorial Classic tips include looking for horses proven over the distance and those with good lead-up form in similar class races. 

Backing either local Queensland or Sydney-trained two-year-olds and looking at the colts over the fillies are other key Ken Russell betting tips. 

2024 Ken Russell Memorial Classic Tips

Our Ladbrokes’ insider Ken Russell Memorial Classic 2024 betting tips and Group 3 racing selections will be detailed below leading up to the race so bookmark this page for the horses to back and sack heading into the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival.

• To Win: #2 Perspiration ($5.50 at time of publish) – BET NOW

Typically open race in the Ken Russell with a host at big odds that have claims, but happy to stick with one of the best in the markets with Perspiration drawn to win in gate four. This Ciaron Maher-trained Too Darn Hot colt is fourth-up and fit now with the confidence of a maiden win last time out at Mornington on April 20. He saluted over the 1200m with 58kg by 2.5 lengths ahead of his first  Black-Type assignment on Saturday. Drops weight, handles Soft going, gun draw, Mark Zahra comes aboard, and proven at the distance. Ticks plenty of boxes. 

Ken Russell Memorial Classic Results

Ken Russell Memorial Classic race results in recent years have been dominated by the colts with Russian Alliance (2023), Royal Tithe (2016) and Aimee (2014) the only fillies since 2003 to beat home the boys in the event. 

Notable Ken Russell Memorial winners in recent years include Sizzling (2012), Taking Aim (2017), and Wisdom Of Water (2020). 

Recent Ken Russell Memorial Classic Winners

Past Ken Russell Memorial Classic winners and place-getters dating back to the year 2012 are detailed in the below table.