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 15, 2020 and saw returning Thousand Guineas winner Flit score an upset win. 

Light Fingers Stakes Race Info

• Date: Saturday February 15, 2020
• Track: Royal Randwick Racecourse
• Distance: 1200m
• Conditions: 3YO Fillies – Set Weights
• Status: Group 2
• Prize Money: $200,000
• First Run: 1979

2020 Light Fingers Stakes Results

The full Light Fingers Stakes 2020 results and finishing order will be available below on Saturday February 15, 2020.

• 1st: #3 Flit
• 2nd: #2 Lyre
• 3rd: #1 Kiamichi

The James Cummings-trained Thousand Guineas winner Flit ($11) returned a winner first-up with the blinkers on defeating fellow Godolphin-raced Group 1 winning filly Lyre and Kiamichi in the 2020 Light Fingers Stakes trifecta.

Light Fingers Stakes Betting & Odds

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.

2020 Light Fingers Stakes Odds

The updated Light Fingers Stakes 2020 betting odds will be available below as soon as markets on the Group 2 fillies’ only autumn feature are released.

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.

2020 Light Fingers Stakes Field

The complete Light Fingers Stakes 2020 field and barrier draw will be published below the Wednesday leading up to Apollo Stakes Day.

Anthony Freedman’s returning star filly Libertini remains top of the odds facing 10 rivals first-up in the 2020 Light Fingers Stakes field despite drawing the outside alley. Godolphin saddle-up three returning Group 1 winning fillies in the race with Flit (Thousand Guineas), Kiamichi (Golden Slipper) and Lyre (Blue Diamond Stakes) coming up trumps with barriers 1 – 3 respectively.

2020 Light Fingers Stakes Nominations

The official 2020 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 2020 nominations feature 18 fillies including Group 1 winner Flit (Thousand Guineas) for Godolphin and the early favourite Libertini who is undefeated (3:3-0-0) at the track & distance.

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.

2020 Light Fingers Stakes Tips

Our exclusive Light Fingers Stakes 2020 betting tips will be available below the week of the race so stay tuned.

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 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.

2020 Light Fingers Form Guide

A link to our comprehensive Light Fingers Stakes 2020 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