Manfred Stakes 2024

Ladbrokes Tip: The Manfred Stakes makes a nice early Group 1 Australian Guineas lead-up in the autumn.

The Manfred Stakes is a Group 3 sprint for three-year-olds run currently run on Australia Day in Melbourne as a lead-up to the Autumn Racing Carnival features.

The race was moved from Caulfield to Sandown and the distance increased from 1200m to 1300m ahead of the 2023 edition.

In 2024 the Manfred remains on the Australia Day race card but moves back to Caulfield over 1200m.

First conducted in 1968 and holding Group 3 status since 2014, the Manfred Stakes now runs on the same day as the Blue Diamond Preview races.

The race conditions are set weights plus penalties with $200,000 in prize money on offer.

The best three-year-olds out of the Manfred Stakes field may target a run in Flemington’s Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) over the mile the following month. To date Mosheen (2012) is the only runner to complete the Manfred Stakes – Australian Guineas double.

The race is named in honour of the heroic galloper Manfred who won a host of Group 1 events over his career including the 1925 Cox Plate and 1926 Caulfield Cup.

The latest edition of the Manfred Stakes ran on Friday January 26th, 2024 at Caulfield Racecourse on Australia Day and saw the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained colt Brave Mead ($5) return a winner.

2024 Manfred Stakes Results

The full Manfred Stakes 2024 Results & Finishing Order will be known on Friday January 26th, 2024 and published right here so stay tuned.

2024 Manfred Stakes winner Brave Mead. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

• 1st: #3 Brave Mead
• 2nd: #1 King Colorado
• 3rd: T#2 Steparty

The Maher/Eustace stable enjoyed a quinella in the Group 3 Manfred Stakes 2024 results at Caulfield on Australia Day with their returning Brave Smash colt Brave Mead ($5) holding on off a sustained run in front down the straight to defeat his Group 1 winning stablemate King Colorado by a length, while third wen to the beaten top elect Steparty who finished third in last year’s Caulfield Guineas results at the track over the mile.

2024 Manfred Stakes Odds

The updated Manfred Stakes 2024 betting odds will be available below as soon as released.

Manfred Stakes Race Info

• Date: Friday January 26th, 2024
• Track: Caulfield Racecourse
• Distance: 1200m
• Conditions: 3YO Set Weights + Penalties
• Status: Group 3
• Prize Money: $200,000
• First Run: 1968

Manfred Stakes Betting

Manfred Stakes betting markets traditionally open after the field is announced a few days prior to the event running at Caulfield Racecourse towards the start of the Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival.

Three-year-olds with previous Group 3 or higher winning form, those that performed well the previous spring in similar grade races and the proven Melbourne runners traditionally dominate Manfred Stakes odds.

The colts and geldings are also favoured in Manfred Stakes betting with just two fillies winning the race in the 20 years from 2002 – 2020 with Mosheen (2012) and Legless Veuve (2017).

Generation ($1.85 in 2022) and Jacquinot ($2.10 in 2023) are the last Manfred Stakes betting favourites to salute.

Manfred Stakes Field

The Manfred Stakes race field attracts a quality line-up of three-year-old gallopers each autumn, many racing first-up for the season. If not on resuming in the event, horses may have run in similar or higher races the spring prior including the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) run at the same track in October.

Super Seth (2019 – 2020) is the last horse to complete the Caulfield Guineas – Manfred Stakes double.

Many Manfred Stakes hopefuls go on to contest that month’s Australian Guineas over the 1600m.

Other next-up options for Manfred Stakes graduates include Flemington’s Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes (1400m) run on Black Caviar Lightning Day and the Group 3 Zeditave Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Blue Diamond Day. Denman (2010) is the last horse to complete the Manfred Stakes – Zeditave Stakes double.

Manfred Stakes nominations are taken the Monday before the race with final acceptances and barriers out on the Wednesday.

2024 Manfred Stakes Field & Barrier Draw

The official Manfred Stakes 2024 Field & Barriers are announced by Racing Victoria on the Wednesday of race week and published in full below so stay tuned for the full line-up of top autumn three-year-olds.

The 2024 Manfred Stakes final field features a quality line-up of Group 1 performers including J.J. Atkins winner King Colorado and Caulfield Guineas third place-getter Steparty.

2024 Manfred Stakes Nominations

The Manfred Stakes 2024 nominations are taken on the Monday leading-up to the event and the list of early entries will be available below once announced.

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

Manfred Stakes Tips

Manfred Stakes tips include backing the proven Group winners in the field, looking for those with a good Melbourne strike-rate, and avoiding the fillies who have a poor record against the colts and geldings in the event.

Any horses that raced in Group 1 grade the spring prior also make a good Manfred Stakes tip as do those proven over further distance but that are resuming over the 1200m.

2024 Manfred Stakes Tips

Our expert Manfred Stakes 2024 tips will be available below the week of the race so stay tuned.

• To Win: #Steparty – BET NOW

In the compact but sizzling Manfred, we find our pick with the in-form Steparty. The Paul Preusker-trained Artie Schiller colt boasts a near-impeccable record, winning five of his six career starts. He’s particularly dominant at this distance, boasting two victories from as many starts. While his last outing saw him finish third in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas over a mile, he returns to a more suitable distance where he’s already triumphed twice. Add in a promising recent trial, and Steparty presents a compelling case for victory in this slightly easier company. His winning ways are far from over, and the Manfred could be the next stage for him to showcase his talent.

Manfred Stakes Form Guide

The Manfred Stakes form guide details all of the must know info like the jockeys, trainers and lead-up form of the runners in the field along with their barriers. Looking at the form for first-up three-year-olds that have a previous win in similar class races on their CV is key.

The Manfred Stakes form has gone on to hold up in plenty of autumn Group 1 races over the years including in 2021 when the winner Portland Sky dead-heated for first next-up in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m).

The year prior, the 2020 Manfred Stakes winner Super Seth backed-up on Blue Diamond Stakes Day to run second against the older horses in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m).

In 2023 the Manfred Stakes form was franked with the winner Jacquinot winning the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes (1400m) next start.

2024 Manfred Stakes Form Guide

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

Manfred Stakes Results

The Manfred Stakes race results have been dominated by colts and geldings under double-figures in betting.

Notable Manfred Stakes winners throughout history include Danasinga (1995), Freemason (2000), Haradasun (2007), Mosheen (2012), Super Seth (2020), Portland Sky (2021), and Jacquinot (2023).

Past Manfred Stakes Winners

Recent Manfred Stakes winners and place-getters going back to 2000 are detailed in the below table.

This page and the written content within it were partially generated using AI or automated technology and edited and verified by our editorial team.