Ladbrokes Tip: The Golden Slipper is a key Percy Sykes Stakes lead-up race

The Percy Sykes Stakes was upgraded to a Group 2 feature race for the first time in 2017 and is part of a bumper day of racing at Royal Randwick for Day 2 of ‘The Championships’ each Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.

Officially registered and previously known as the Keith Mackay Handicap in honour of former AJC Chairman Keith Mackay, the event is now run under set weights plus penalties by two-year-old fillies. It takes place on the second Saturday of April* each year alongside four Group 1 races – the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Sydney Cup, Queen Of The Turf Stakes and Australian Oaks.

*In 2021 the Percy Sykes Stakes ran on the third Saturday of April with all race meetings of the autumn in Sydney from Slipper Day onwards postponed a week due to the weather.

Since being added to The Championships series of races the Percy Sykes Stakes has increased dramatically in prestige and prize money and now offers a total of $1,000,000 in stakes. The key lead-up into the race is the $3.5 million Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m).

The 2020 edition of the Percy Sykes Stakes had a reduced total stakes of $500,000 on offer due to the Coronavirus outbreak before being boosted to a million in 2021.

The latest edition of the Percy Sykes Stakes took place on Saturday April 17, 2021 and saw Jamaea score an upset at 16/1. 

Percy Sykes Stakes Race Info

• Date: Saturday April 17, 2021
• Track: Royal Randwick Racecourse
• Distance: 1200m
• Conditions: 2YO Fillies – Set Weights + Penalties
• Status: Group 2
• Prize Money: $1,000,000
• First Run: 1960

2021 Percy Sykes Stakes Results

The complete Percy Sykes Stakes 2021 results and finishing order will be available below once the race takes place on Saturday April 17, 2021.

• 1st: #4 Jamaea
• 2nd: #5 Crystal Bound
• 3rd: #9 Joyous Legend

The Richard & Luke Price-trained Jamaea ($17) improved on her Magic Night Stakes second last month to score a late upset over Crystal Bound ($3) in an exciting finish in the 2021 Percy Sykes Stakes results.

Percy Sykes Stakes Betting Odds

Percy Sykes Stakes betting is open the week of the race and is led by in-form young fillies that have previous winning form on their records over the 1200m distance.

Graduates out of the Golden Slipper field usually also dominate the Percy Sykes Stakes odds each autumn, with barriers also playing an important part in determining the favourites because of the Randwick straight.

Golden Slipper runner-up and that summer’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner on the Gold Coast, Away Game ($3.20 in 2020) was the last favourite in Percy Sykes Stakes betting to salute.

The 2021 Percy Sykes Stakes winner Jamaea scored an upset at odds of $17.

2021 Percy Sykes Stakes Odds

The latest Percy Sykes Stakes 2021 odds and betting markets will be available below once the field is announced the Tuesday before the race so stay tuned to view the prices on your favourite two-year-old fillies.

Percy Sykes Stakes Field

Each autumn the Percy Sykes Stakes field continues to attract a better class of fillies lured by the lucrative prize money that includes $580,000 for the connections of the Percy Sykes Stakes winner.

Most of the fillies in the Percy Sykes Stakes field, which runs at a capacity of 14 starters, are Golden Slipper graduates dropping back down in class for a final run of the season before heading out to the paddock to mature ahead of a three-year-old campaign in the spring.

Away Game (2nd in 2020) was the last Golden Slipper graduate to win the Percy Sykes Stakes next race.

Streama (2011) is one of the most notable Percy Sykes Stakes winners having gone on to win four Group 1 races later in her career. Photo Credit: Daniel Costello.

2021 Percy Sykes Stakes Field

The official Percy Sykes Stakes 2021 field of final acceptances is released on the Tuesday of race week with the full line-up of two-year-old hopefuls to be published below.

The 2021 Percy Sykes Stakes final field features a smart line-up of two-year-old fillies led in betting by the undefeated Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Najmaty coming off a nearly three-length Black Type win at Caulfield.

• Scratched: #1 Arcaded (7) who runs in Caulfield’s $1 million The Showdown in Melbourne instead; #3 Robodira (8).

2021 Percy Sykes Stakes Nominations

The 2021 Percy Sykes Stakes nominations were taken on Tuesday the 9th of February attracting 210 two-year-old fillies led in early betting by all-in Golden Slipper favourite Enthaar and the John Sargent-trained Four Moves Ahead.

2021 Percy Sykes Stakes First Acceptances

The early Percy Sykes Stakes nominations close in February followed by the official first acceptances a month out from the race.

The 2021 Percy Sykes Stakes first acceptances closed at midday on Tuesday, March 9th, 2021 and drew 82 two-year-old fillies led in betting by Four Moves Ahead ahead of her run in the rescheduled Golden Slipper.

Percy Sykes Stakes Tips

The key Percy Sykes Stakes tips are to look out for fillies proven over the 1200m and coming off a last start win. It is always hard to bet against a filly in good form, so Percy Sykes Stakes betting tips favour the up-and-comers who won their lead-up races.

Other Percy Sykes Stakes tips include checking the price of Golden Slipper graduates set to enjoy the step down in grade and those with Randwick form who can handle the straight at the end of the race.

2021 Percy Sykes Stakes Tips

Our Ladbrokes’ exclusive Percy Sykes Stakes 2021 betting tips will be detailed right here the week of the race so stay tuned for the fillies to back and sack in your The Championships Day 2 punting.

• To Win: #1 Arcaded ($7 at time of publish) 

A nice price offered for the well-tried Street Boss filly Arcaded who has won three of her four starts to date. Small field, midfield draw and Hugh Bowman riding the Godolphin-raced youngster. She was well-beaten in the Group 1 Blue Diamond (11th) but atoned last start when back to winning form in the Group 3 Magic Night Stakes at Rosehill. She goes up in weight and it’s a Slow-rated track, but has the class and ticks every other box to be a danger.

Percy Sykes Stakes Form Guide

The Percy Sykes Stakes form guide details crucial race data including the starting barriers, jockeys and lead-up runs of the fillies in the Group 2 sprint field. When doing the Percy Sykes Stakes form look out for runners that won their lead-up race, are drawn close to the rails at Randwick and whose record shows a win over the 1200m distance.

2021 Percy Sykes Stakes Form Guide

A link to our comprehensive Percy Sykes Stakes 2021 Form Guide will be available below the week of the race.

Percy Sykes Stakes Results

The Percy Sykes Stakes results in the past decade have been dominated by nice types and Golden Slipper graduates.

Notable recent Percy Sykes Stakes winners include subsequent four-time Group 1 winner Streama (2011), Eloping (2014) and Missrock (2016). The 2017 Percy Sykes Stakes winner Shoals franked the form with her subsequent Thousand Guineas second and Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m) win that spring.

Percy Sykes Stakes Winners