Light Fingers Stakes 2022

Ladbrokes Tip: The Light Fingers Stakes is often the first run of the autumn for fillies

The Light Fingers Stakes is an early Group 2 feature run at Royal Randwick Racecourse in mid-February during the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.

Held on the same Saturday as Melbourne’s Black Caviar Lighting Stakes at Flemignton, the 1200m sprint runs alongside the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) for weight-for-age types at Sydney’s premier track. Open only to three-year-old fillies, the Light Fingers Stakes is contested at set weights and offers a total of $200,000 in prize money. The best fillies out of the Light Fingers Stakes each year can continue on to contest the follow month’s Group 1 Coolmore Classic (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens.

The recently upgraded Group 1 Surround Stakes (1400m) at Randwick is also a key follow-up for the best Light Fingers Stakes fillies with Nakeeta Jane (2019) the last to do the double.

The latest edition of the Light Fingers Stakes took place on Saturday February 12, 2022 and saw Chris Waller’s resuming Fangirl ($13) beat her odds-on stablemate Espiona ($1.55) in a thriller. 

Light Fingers Stakes Race Info

• Date: Saturday February 12, 2022
• Track: Royal Randwick Racecourse
• Distance: 1200m
• Conditions: 3YO Fillies – Set Weights
• Status: Group 2
• Prize Money: $200,000
• First Run: 1979

2022 Light Fingers Stakes Results

The full Light Fingers Stakes 2022 results and finishing order will be available below on Saturday February 12, 2022.

• 1st: #5 Fangirl ($13)
• 2nd: #8 Espiona
• 3rd: #3 Jamaea

Two exciting Chris Waller-trained fillies ran the quinella in the 2022 Light Fingers Stakes results but in reverse order of the market with Carbine Club Stakes winner Fangirl ($13) returning to upset her odds-on stablemate Espiona ($1.55F) ahead of a rematch in the Group 1 Surround Stakes.

Light Fingers Stakes Betting

Light Fingers Stakes odds are released after the final field is known the Wednesday before the race. Fillies proven at Randwick with winning form over 1200m or further, and those that were Group 1 performed during the previous spring in Sydney dominate the Light Fingers Stakes betting markets.

The race is often a first-up option for three-year-old female gallopers so those with good resuming form feature high up the markets.

Favourites have a solid record in the Light Fingers Stakes, but those at longer odds in betting have scored some notable upsets in recent years including Every Rose ($21 in 2021).

In 2022 the odds-on favourite Espiona ($1.55) ran second in an upset to her stablemate Fangirl ($13).

2022 Light Fingers Stakes Odds

The updated Light Fingers Stakes 2022 betting odds will be available below as soon as markets on the Group 2 fillies’ only autumn feature are released.

Light Fingers Stakes Field

Adrift (2015) was at big Light Fingers Stakes odds for her win as a three-year-old filly. Photo Credit: Steve Hart.

The Light Fingers Stakes field attracts a top class line-up of three-year-old fillies each February, many kicking off their autumn campaigns. The next run traditionally on the card for fillies out of the Light Fingers Stakes field is the Group 1 Surround Stakes (1400m) back at the track over 200m further a fortnight later, with the last to complete the double being Nakeeta Jane (2019).

Many fillies that ran in the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) at Randwick the previous October during the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival resume racing in the Light Fingers Stakes field. The Flight Stakes – Light Fingers Stakes double was achieved by the likes More Joyous (2009-10), Global Glamour (2016-17) and Alizee (2017-18).

Light Fingers Stakes nominations close the Monday before the race runs on the Saturday with the final field and barriers released on the Wednesday.

2022 Light Fingers Stakes Field

The complete Light Fingers Stakes 2022 field and barrier draw will be published below the Wednesday leading up to Apollo Stakes Day.

A capacity line-up of three-year-old fillies face off in the 2022 Light Fingers Stakes final field with Espiona the odds-on favourite to make it three-from-three in her career from the Chris Waller stable.

• Scratched: #6 Mallory (17); #10 Forzanini (11); #14 Rocklily (16); #17e She’s All Class (9)

2022 Light Fingers Stakes Nominations

The official 2022 Light Fingers Stakes Nominations close on the Monday leading-up to Apollo Stakes Day, the full list of early entries to be announced below so stay tuned.

The Light Fingers Stakes 2022 nominations drew 23 young fillies including the undefeated Chris Waller-trained Espiona and John Sargent’s Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes winner Four Moves Ahead.

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

Light Fingers Stakes Tips

Light Fingers Stakes tips include looking for fillies out of the previous year’s Flight Stakes at the track, those with a solid Sydney race record and short-distance performers that will enjoy the 1200m early in the autumn.

Laying the favourite can also be a good Light Fingers Stakes betting tip and taking the top-fancy to Place over a Win is a safer option with upsets not uncommon in the event.

2022 Light Fingers Stakes Tips

Our exclusive Light Fingers Stakes 2022 betting tips will be available below the week of the race so stay tuned.

• To Win: #5 Fangirl ($7 at time of publish) 

Trainer Chris Waller saddles-up the odds-on favourite but taking her on with stablemate Fangirl who is drawn a treat first-up. She was on fire last prep winning three on the trot including the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes over the Flemington mile by a big margin. She’ll be better over further this campaign no doubt, but she’s proven at Randwick and the price is attractive.

Light Fingers Stakes Form Guide

The Light Fingers Stakes form guide gives punters crucial information to consider before placing a bet including the jockeys, trainers, barriers and lead-up form of the fillies in the field.

Wide barriers haven’t been an issue when it comes to doing the Light Fingers Stakes form with the likes of Every Rose (14 of 14 in 2021), Global Glamour (12 in 2017), Adrift (11 in 2015) and Sweet Idea (10 in 2014) all  overcoming double-digit gates to win.

The Light Fingers Stakes form has stacked up in tougher races later in the season many times including First Seal (2nd in 2015) who went on to run second in both the Coolmore Classic and Vinery Stud Stakes that autumn, Sweet Idea (1st in 2014) who ran second in the Coolmore two runs later and Sea Siren (1st in 2012) who won that year’s BTC Cup – Doomben 10,000 double in Brisbane during the winter.

More recently the previous year’s Flight Stakes winner Alizee won the 2018 Light Fingers Stakes ahead of subsequent Group 1 wins in the Queen Of The Turf Stakes (2018) and Futurity Stakes (2019).

Nakeeta Jane also franked the Light Fingers Stakes form, the 2019 winner backing-up to win the Group 1 Surround Stakes before a third in the Randwick Guineas.

2022 Light Fingers Form Guide

A link to our comprehensive Light Fingers Stakes 2022 Form Guide will be provided below once final acceptances are out the Wednesday of race week.

Light Fingers Stakes Results

The Light Fingers Stakes results are varied in recent years with a number of favourites beaten by roughie hopes in the mix. Notable Light Fingers Stakes winners include Flit (2020), Alizee (2018), Global Glamour (2017), Sweet Idea (2014), Sea Siren (2012), More Joyous (2010) and Forensics (2008).

Light Fingers Stakes Winners