Newcastle Stakes 2024

The Newcastle Stakes was formerly known as the Newcastle Newmarket Handicap.

The Newcastle Stakes is a Group 3 race run at Newcastle’s Broadmeadow Racecourse in early March as a lead-up to some of the tougher grade events held during the popular Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.

2023 Newcastle Stakes winner Cross Talk (pictured in Sydney). Photo: Steve Hart.

It is officially registered, and previously known as, the Newcastle Newmarket Handicap and is currently held the day before Flemington’s Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) sprint classic in Melbourne.

First conducted in 1955 the race is a 1400m event offering $250,000 in prize money and is a quality handicap.

It has held Group 2 status since 1992 and was renamed the Newcastle Stakes for the first time in 2023.

The latest edition of the Newcastle Stakes takes place on Friday March 8th, 2024 and was won in a barnstorming return to form by Rustic Steel ($12) who beat 200/1 roughie Sharp Shock home by over three lengths.

2024 Newcastle Stakes Results

The full Newcastle Stakes 2024 Results & Finishing Order will be detailed right here when the race is run and won on Friday March 8th, 2024.

• 1st: #4 Rustic Steel
• 2nd: #15 Sharp Shock
• 3rd: #16 Imatruestar

Jockey Sam Clipperton was full of confidence riding the returning Kris Lees-trained Rustic Steel ($12) to a confident 3.2 length victory in an upset Newcastle Stakes 2024 result. It was a huge trifecta with the winner beating home two triple figure roughies as Sharp Shock ($201) and Imatruestar ($101) filled the minor placings.

2024 Newcastle Stakes Odds

The latest Newcastle Stakes 2024 odds on the Group 3 sprint taking place at Broadmeadow Racecourse will be provided below once announced so stay tuned for the best betting markets on the popular event.

Newcastle Stakes Race Info

• Former Race Name: Newcastle Newmarket Handicap
• Date: Friday March 8th, 2024
• Track: Newcastle Racecourse
• Distance: 1400m
• Conditions: Quality Handicap
• Status: Group 3
• Prize Money: $250,000
• First Run: 1955

Newcastle Stakes Betting

Newcastle Stakes betting markets open the week of the race are led by the standout sprinters from local Sydney-based stables.

Horses that may have performed well in an earlier summer / autumn Group lead-up often head the Newcastle Stakes odds especially those from a race like the  Group 3 Southern Cross Stakes (1200m) run at Randwick the month prior. Special Reward (2020) was the last horse to complete the Southern Cross Stakes – Newcastle Newmarket Handicap double.

Special Reward ($3.40 in 2020), Wandabaa ($4.60 in 2022), and Cross Talk ($2 in 2023) are the latest Newcastle Newmarket Handicap / Newcastle Stakes favourites to get the job done.

There was a big upset in the 2024 Newcastle Stakes with $12 winner Rustic Steel beating home two triple figure outsiders in the markets as Sharp Shock ($201) and Imatruestar ($101) ran second and third.

Newcastle Stakes Field

The Newcastle Stakes race field attracts a line-up of in-form sprinters and middle distance types gearing up for the autumn.

The best out of the Newcastle Newmarket Handicap / Newcastle Stakes field may be eyeing a Group 1 Doncaster Mile run at Randwick and two horses have completed the double: Secret Savings (1997) and Patezza (2005).

Rustic Steel (2024) was the last first-up Newcastle Stakes winner.

2024 Newcastle Stakes Field

The official Newcastle Stakes 2024 Field & Barriers will be provided below once final acceptances have been released by the Newcastle Jockey Club (NJC) on the Wednesday of race week.

The 2024 Newcastle Stakes final field features a bumper line-up of good autumn sprint types led in betting by the rails-drawn Jimmysstar.

2024 Newcastle Stakes Nominations

The early Newcastle Stakes 2024 Nominations will be updated here once confirmed by the Newcastle Jockey Club (NJC) on the Monday leading-up to the race.

Newcastle Stakes Tips

Newcastle Stakes tips are usually led by proven Group winners with form over 1200 – 1400m in Sydney and or Melbourne.

Many gallopers may even have previous Group 1 experience and looking for those runners that have held their own against the best sprinters in the country can be key to Newcastle Stakes tipping.

Backing any local Kris Lees-trained horses is also a key Newcastle Newmarket Handicap / Newcastle Stakes betting tip. He has prepared a host of recent winners with four on the trot: Princess Posh (2019), Special Reward (2020), Gem Song (2021), and Wandabaa (2022).

Lees prepared yet another locally-trained Newcastle Stakes winner in 2024 with Rustic Steel.

2024 Newcastle Stakes Tips

Our Ladbrokes’ insider Newcastle Stakes tips 2024 will be detailed below the week of the race giving you the best bets to place on the race this autumn.

• To Win: #2 Unspoken ($6 at time of publish) – BET NOW

Going for an upset in the feature at Newcastle on Friday and have the ultra-consistent Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Unspoken on top first-up taking on an odds-on favourite. The Territories five-year-old won four on the trot last time in culminating with his narrow $2 million Five Diamonds (1800m) victory in November. Looked the goods in a recent Warwick Farm trial ahead of his return, is a noted fresh performer (5:3-1-0), and think the 1400m first-up will be to his liking even with the bigger weight. Can surprise.

Newcastle Stakes Form Guide

The Newcastle Stakes form guide lists all of the essential information punters need including barriers, jockeys, trainers and lead-up form.

The Newcastle Newmarket Handicap / Newcastle Stakes form has gone on to stack-up in tougher grade Sydney races many times over the years including in 2021 when Cascadian (3rd in the Newcastle Newmarket Handicap) won that season’s Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick.

The next year Nimalee (2nd in the Newcastle Newmarket Handicap) franked the form with her victory in the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) over Randwick’s ‘The Championships’.

2024 Newcastle Stakes Form Guide

A link to our comprehensive Newcastle Stakes 2024 Form Guide will be available below the week of the race for punters.

Newcastle Newmarket Handicap / Newcastle Stakes Results

The Newcastle Newmarket Handicap / Newcastle Stakes race results have been dominated by the favourites in recent years.

Notable recent Newcastle Newmarket Handicap / Newcastle Stakes winners include Platinum Scissors (2004), He’s Remarkable (2012), Happy Clapper (2017), and Special Reward (2020).

Princess Posh (2019) was the last Newcastle Newmarket Handicap / Newcastle Stakes winning mare.

The filly Yir Tiz (1981) was the latest three-year-old Newcastle Newmarket Handicap / Newcastle Stakes winner.

Multiple Newmarket Handicap / Newcastle Stakes winners: Manuan (1983 & 1984), Brandy Lad (1964 & 1965).

Newcastle Newmarket Handicap / Newcastle Stakes Winners

Past Newcastle Newmarket Handicap / Newcastle Stakes winners and place-getters dating back to the year 2000 are detailed in the below table.