The PJ Bell Stakes is a Group 3 sprint race run and won over 1200m at Royal Randwick Racecourse on Day 1 of ‘The Championships’ in April during the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.
2021 PJ Bell Stakes winner Matchmaker. Photo: Steve Hart.
Open only to three-year-old fillies, the event is contested at set weights plus penalties and offers $250,000 in prize money.
It is held on one of the biggest Australian race days featuring four Group 1 races including the $4 million Doncaster Mile (1600m) and the $3 million TJ Smith Stakes (1200m).
First held in 1985, the PJ Bell Stakes was originally called the Analie Handicap in honour of the 1973 Doncaster Handicap winning mare Analie.
In 2011 the race was renamed in honour of former the Australian Turf Club Chairman, P J (Jim) Bell who died in 2006.
It has held Group 3 status since 2014 and plenty of classy types have won the race over the years including that year’s Cox Plate champion Dane Ripper (1997) and the ill-fated Ortensia (2009) who won Group 1 races on three continents over her glittering career.
The latest edition of the PJ Bell Stakes ran on Saturday April 6, 2024 on ‘The Championships’ Day 1 at Randwick and was won in an upset by progressive Trapeze Artist filly Facile ($11).
2024 PJ Bell Stakes Results
The complete PJ Bell Stakes 2024 Results and race finishing order will be available right here once the race is run and won on Saturday April 6, 2024.
2024 PJ Bell Stakes winner Facile. Photo: Steve Hart.
- 1st: #9 Facile
- 2nd: #5 Infancy
- 3rd: #11 French Endeavour
Doncaster Mile winning hoop Tyler Schiller capped off a sensational Day 1 of The Championships with an upset in the last aboard Facile ($11).
2024 PJ Bell Stakes Odds
Betting on the PJ Bell Stakes 2024 and odds for the Group 3 sprint race will be available below the week of the race so stay tuned for markets on the fillies’ showdown.
Early market betting odds on the 2024 PJ Bell Stakes will be displayed below once available. Odds are subject to fluctuation. For current odds on all of our live markets, please visit ladbrokes.com.au.
PJ Bell Stakes Race Info
- Date: Saturday April 6, 2024
- Track: Royal Randwick Racecourse
- Distance: 1200m
- Conditions: Set Weights + Penalties – 3YO Fillies
- Status: Group 3
- Prize Money: $250,000
- First Run: 1985
PJ Bell Stakes Betting
PJ Bell Stakes betting favours the autumn’s in-form sprinting fillies coming off lead-up runs in similar grade company either in Sydney or Melbourne.
Last start winners are installed at shorter PJ Bell Stakes odds, as are those proven in Group 3 or higher class.
Favourites only have a fair recent strike rate with plenty of fillies winning at longer PJ Bell odds over the past decade.
Rubisaki ($2.70 in 2020) followed by Heresy ($5.50 in 2022) are the last favourites in PJ Bell Stakes betting to salute for the punters.
PJ Bell Stakes Field
The PJ Bell Stakes race field attracts promising young fillies that are chasing a feature race win on one of the biggest days of the autumn carnival in Sydney.
A potential lead-up into the PJ Bell Stakes field is Flemington’s Group 2 Kewney Stakes (1400m) in March, another fillies’ only set weights plus penalties event. Rubisaki (2020) was the last filly to complete the interstate Kewney Stakes – PJ Bell Stakes double.
The Group 1 Surround Stakes (1400m) is another good lead-up race and in 2022 Heresy improved on a fourth in that to win the PJ Bell for the Godolphin stable.
The best fillies out of the PJ Bell Stakes field often back-up in the Group 3 James HB Carr Stakes (1400m) back at the track a fortnight later on All Aged Stakes Day. Rubisaki (2020) was the last to do the PJ Bell Stakes – JHB Carr Stakes double.
The lucrative Group 2 $1 million Arrowfield 3YO Sprint (1200m) the following Saturday on Day 2 of ‘The Championships’ is another potential next-up option for PJ Bell Stakes graduates.
PJ Bell Stakes nominations close the Monday before the race runs on the Saturday with the final field and barriers released on the Wednesday.
2020 PJ Bell Stakes winner Rubisaki (pictured at Warwick Farm winning the Inglis Sprint). Photo: Steve Hart.
2024 PJ Bell Stakes Field
The official PJ Bell Stakes 2024 final field and barriers are set to be released by Racing NSW on Wednesday April 3, 2024 and will be announced in full below.
The 2024 PJ Bell Stakes field features a smart line-up of three-year-old fillies led in betting by the Annabel Neasham-trained Learning To Fly coming off a good fourth in the Group 1 Surround Stakes.
2024 PJ Bell Stakes Nominations
The early PJ Bell Stakes 2024 nominations close the Monday leading-up to Doncaster Mile Day and will be available in full below once released.
| |
Last 10 |
Horse |
Sex |
Age |
Trainer |
Hcp Rating |
| 1 |
443x104x |
AUGUST BLOOM |
F |
3 |
Peter & Paul Snowden |
71 |
| 2 |
7x1122x433 |
BALLROOM BELLA |
F |
3 |
Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou |
78 |
| 3 |
13x2326x07 |
BLANC DE BLANC |
F |
3 |
Michael Freedman |
81 |
| 4 |
87x160558x |
CAPTAIN AMELIA |
F |
3 |
John O’Shea |
72 |
| 5 |
53x14540x7 |
CIGAR FLICK |
F |
3 |
Chris Waller |
73 |
| 6 |
1x264x1 |
COMMEMORATIVE |
F |
3 |
James Cummings |
76 |
| 7 |
242×1218 |
COUNTYOURBLESSINGS |
F |
3 |
John O’Shea |
67 |
| 8 |
522x120x56 |
FACILE |
F |
3 |
Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou |
79 |
| 9 |
x19140x624 |
FRENCH ENDEAVOUR |
F |
3 |
Matthew Smith |
77 |
| 10 |
9×421 |
ILLATIVE |
F |
3 |
Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) |
65 |
| 11 |
1153×83631 |
INFANCY |
F |
3 |
Kris Lees |
83 |
| 12 |
39x3x115 |
ISTHMUS |
F |
3 |
Anthony & Sam Freedman |
68 |
| 13 |
1x2221x |
JOLIESTAR |
F |
3 |
Chris Waller |
102 |
| 14 |
1x42147x5 |
KONASANA |
F |
3 |
Chris Waller |
70 |
| 15 |
21x08x439 |
KRISTILLI |
F |
3 |
Annabel Neasham |
88 |
| 16 |
8x0940x200 |
LAZZAGO |
F |
3 |
Chris Waller |
79 |
| 17 |
111Lx24 |
LEARNING TO FLY |
F |
3 |
Annabel Neasham |
95 |
| 18 |
11×101478 |
MATERIAL DREAMS |
F |
3 |
Nick Ryan |
76 |
| 19 |
2x121x |
MIRAVAL ROSE |
F |
3 |
Grahame Begg |
80 |
| 20 |
31131x |
MISS HADES |
F |
3 |
Gary Portelli |
66 |
| 21 |
2134×462 |
MOESHA |
F |
3 |
Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman |
76 |
| 22 |
1631 |
MONTE SUPREME |
F |
3 |
Robert & Luke Price |
64 |
| 23 |
635×11 |
PAJANTI |
F |
3 |
Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou |
69 |
| 24 |
2220x760x0 |
PLATINUM JUBILEE |
F |
3 |
Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
76 |
| 25 |
11x61548x6 |
SHESALLSHENANIGANS |
F |
3 |
Simon Zahra |
80 |
| 26 |
3519×23802 |
SHINE YOUR LIGHT |
F |
3 |
John Ramsey |
|
| 27 |
0x444x183 |
SKIESTHELIMIT |
F |
3 |
David Pfieffer |
58 |
| 28 |
1113x |
SKYBIRD |
F |
3 |
Mitchell Freedman |
89 |
| 29 |
8×21 |
SLINKY |
F |
3 |
Bjorn Baker |
60 |
| 30 |
2x200x1 |
UNIQUE AMBITION (NZ) |
F |
3 |
John Sargent |
64 |
| 31 |
05121×6080 |
WEST OF DALBY |
F |
3 |
Benjamin Smith |
74 |
| 32 |
x53141x67x |
ZOUKERETTE |
F |
3 |
Ciaron Maher |
72 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
PJ Bell Stakes Form Guide
The PJ Bell Stakes form guide details all the crucial info punters need before placing a bet like saddlecloth numbers, jockeys, trainers, barriers and lead-up runs.
Looking for fillies coming off a winning lead-up in Group company is key when doing the PJ Bell Stakes form.
The PJ Bell Stakes form guide often also lists the latest odds on each runner and backing fillies around $8 – $10 in the markets has proved profitable in recent years.
Looking on the PJ Bell Stakes form guide for fillies drawn in a double-digit barrier is also worth noting as four of the 10 winners from 2014 – 2024 jumped from gate 13 or wider most recently Heresy (14 of 15 in 2022).
The PJ Bell Stakes form has gone on to hold in tougher grade races a number of times over the years including when the 2020 winner Rubisaki finished third in the following year’s Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes in Adelaide.
The 2023 PJ Bell Stakes form was franked with the winner Magic Time continuing on to run third in that spring’s $2 million The Invitation race before a Group 1 victory in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield in November.
2024 PJ Bell Stakes Form Guide
A link to our comprehensive PJ Bell Stakes 2024 Form Guide will be provided for punters below the week of the race.
PJ Bell Stakes Tips
2023 PJ Bell Stakes winner Magic Time went on to become a Group 1 winner that spring. Photo: Steve Hart.
PJ Bell Stakes tips favour fillies with proven Black-Type form in Sydney, those around $8 – $10 in betting and the Sydney-trained runners in the mix.
Since Ortensia (58kg in 2009), just three PJ Bell Stakes winning fillies have carried more than 55.5kg to victory with Houtzen (56kg in 2018), Rubisaki (57kg in 2020) and Heresy (56kg in 2022), so another good tip is to back the lighter-weighted runners.
2024 PJ Bell Stakes Tips
Our Ladbrokes’ exclusive PJ Bell Stakes 2024 best bets will be detailed below before the race takes place on the first Saturday of April so bookmark this page for the fillies to back and sack this autumn.
- To Win: #1 Learning To Fly ($3.50 at time of publish) – BET NOW
Big field of fillies but hard to go past the consistent and back in form favourite Learning To Fly. She was the hard luck story last autumn when losing her rider in the Golden Slipper after winning her three opening career starts. Had the time off and came back well beaten a nostril flare fresh in the Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes as a three-year-old. Back to Group 1 company last start running fourth in the Surround over 1400m beaten 1.83 lengths a month ago. Kept fresh, down in grade and distance, big chance to return to winning form.
PJ Bell Stakes Results
Proven Sydney-trained fillies coming off a top three run and those just under double-figures in betting have dominated the recent PJ Bell Stakes race results.
PJ Bell Stakes winners of note throughout the race’s history include Snippet’s Girl (1993), Dane Ripper (1997), Ortensia (2009), Red Tracer (2011), Catkins (2013), Houtzen (2018), and Rubisaki (2020).
Past PJ Bell Stakes Winners
A list of past PJ Bell Stakes winning fillies from the race’s inauguration in 1985 through to the present date are detailed below complete with the successful jockeys, weights carried to victory and winning times.
| Year |
Winner |
Jockey |
Weight |
Time |
| 2024 |
Facile |
T. Schiller |
54 kg |
1:11.24 |
| 2023 |
Magic Time |
J. Childs |
55 kg |
1:13.00 |
| 2022 |
Heresy |
N. Rawiller |
56 kg |
1:13.14 |
| 2021 |
Matchmaker |
J. McDonald |
55kg (carried 55.5kg) |
1:11.17 |
| 2020 |
Rubisaki |
N. Rawiller |
57 kg |
1:12.74 |
| 2019 |
Multaja |
C. Williams |
54 kg |
1:12.67 |
| 2018 |
Houtzen |
G. Schofield |
56 kg |
1:08.64 |
| 2017 |
Diddums |
S. Clipperton |
54 kg |
1:12.35 |
| 2016 |
Tempt Me Not |
G. Schofield |
54 kg |
1:11.07 |
| 2015 |
Miss Cover Girl |
G. Boss |
54 kg |
1:11.62 |
| 2014 |
Politeness |
C. Williams |
54 kg |
1:12.48 |
| 2012 |
Ever The Same |
J. Cassidy |
54 kg |
1:10.03 |
| 2011 |
Red Tracer |
G. Schofield |
55 kg |
1:10.86 |
| 2010 |
Zingaling |
J. Cassidy |
54 kg |
1:09.88 |
| 2009 |
Ortensia |
C. Williams |
58 kg |
1:10.13 |
| 2008 |
Espurante |
G. Schofield |
53 kg |
1:12.17 |
| 2007 |
Hot ‘N’ Ready |
D. Oliver |
55 kg |
1:12.19 |
| 2006 |
Kakakakatie |
J. Ford |
53 kg |
1:10.14 |
| 2005 |
Rich Megadale |
J. Ford |
55.5 kg |
1:10.95 |
| 2004 |
Besame Mucho |
H. Bowman |
53.5 kg |
1:09.68 |
| 2003 |
Private Steer |
G. Childs |
57 kg |
1:11.43 |
| 2002 |
Oomph |
L. Beasley |
55.5 kg |
1:09.74 |
| 2001 |
She’s Purring |
C. Munce |
54 kg |
1:10.26 |
| 2000 |
Mulan Princess |
R.S. Dye |
52.5 kg |
1:8.980 |
| 1999 |
Wynciti |
D. Beasley |
58 kg |
1:10.60 |
| 1998 |
Flickering Fire |
J. Byrne |
52 kg |
1:11.42 |
| 1997 |
Dane Ripper |
D. Beadman |
58 kg |
1:10.16 |
| 1996 |
Presina |
G. Boss |
58 kg |
1:10.20 |
| 1995 |
Verocative |
B. York |
55.5 kg |
1:12.20 |
| 1994 |
Hot To Race |
B. York |
56 kg |
1:12.30 |
| 1993 |
Snippet’s Girl |
D. Oliver |
55.5 kg |
1:10.00 |
| 1992 |
Regina Madre |
L. Dittman |
58.5 kg |
1:10.30 |
| 1991 |
Peignoir |
J. Marshall |
51 kg |
1:11.50 |
| 1990 |
Reverse Pass |
R.S. Dye |
54.5 kg |
1:13.90 |
| 1989 |
St. Bridget’s Way |
C. Carmody |
50 kg |
1:10.20 |
| 1988 |
Bronze Empress |
M. Johnston |
53 kg |
1:11.50 |
| 1987 |
Winged Prayer |
R.S. Dye |
51 kg |
1:11.70 |
| 1986 |
Sweet Dream Lady |
D. Gauci |
50 kg |
1:11.20 |
| 1985 |
Deal |
B. Compton |
52 kg |
1:11.80 |