Newcastle Stakes 2025

The Newcastle Stakes was formerly known as the Newcastle Newmarket Handicap

The latest edition of the Newcastle Stakes took place on Friday March 7, 2025 and was won in a thrilling finish by Bjorn Baker’s front-running equal favourite Sandpaper ($3EF).

2025 Newcastle Stakes Results

The full Newcastle Stakes 2025 Results & Finishing Order will be detailed right here when the race is run and won on Friday March 7, 2025.

• 1st: #8 Sandpaper ($3EF)
• 2nd: #1 Amenable
• 3rd: #4 Grebeni

Bjorn Baker’s in-for Snitzel five-year-old Sandpaper ($3EF) was given a bold ride up front by Tim Clark to lead all-the-way and hold off a big late challenge from the fast-finishing Amenable to narrowly head the 2025 Newcastle Stakes results.

2025 Newcastle Stakes Odds

The latest Newcastle Stakes 2025 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.

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.

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.

Newcastle Stakes Race Info

• Former Race Name: Newcastle Newmarket Handicap
• Date: Friday March 7, 2025
• 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), Cross Talk ($2 in 2023), and Sandpaper ($3EF in 2025) are the latest Newcastle Newmarket Handicap / Newcastle Stakes favourites or equal 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.

2025 Newcastle Stakes Field

The official Newcastle Stakes 2025 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 2025 Newcastle Stakes final field features a quality line-up of middle-distance sprinters led in betting by Team Hawkes’ Group 2 winning mare Makarena.

2025 Newcastle Stakes Nominations

The early Newcastle Stakes 2025 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.

2025 Newcastle Stakes Tips

Our Ladbrokes’ insider Newcastle Stakes tips 2025 will be detailed below the week of the race giving you the best bets to place on the race this autumn.

• To Win: #2 Makarena ($3 at time of publish) – BET NOW

Happy to stick with the deserving favourite Makarena for Team Hawkes. She’s a Group 2 winner of the Golden Pendant last September when defeating Amelia’s Jewel, who won the Guy Walter first-up last weekend. That looks a nice form reference for this easier Group 3 assignment at Newcastle. A four-year-old daughter of Snitzel, Makarena challenged in some nice spring races last prep including a brave fourth in the $10 million Golden Eagle only 1.3 lengths beaten. Fresh she caught the eye with another close fourth placing behind Firestorm at Rosehill late last month in the Group 3 Millie Fox. She’s a two-time winner from five previous starts at the Newcastle Stakes distance, and while she does go up in weight here, she’s drawn well and looks the class runner here on Friday.

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’.

2025 Newcastle Stakes Form Guide

A link to our comprehensive Newcastle Stakes 2025 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 placegetters dating back to the year 2000 are detailed in the below table.

FAQ

Who won the 2025 Newcastle Stakes?

The 2025 Newcastle Stakes was won by Sandpaper at $3 equal favouritism for trainer Bjorn Baker with jockey Tim Clark in the saddle on 54kg from barrier 2 to win by 0.2 lengths in a time of 1:24.50.

When is the Newcastle Stakes 2025?

What is the prize money for the Newcastle Stakes 2025?

$250,000

Where is the Newcastle Stakes 2025?

Newcastle Racecourse, Darling St, Broadmeadow, NSW 2292