Ladbrokes Tip: Favourites have a poor recent record in the Robert Sangster Stakes

The Robert Sangster Stakes is one of the major Group 1 South Australian races held at Morphettville Racecourse during the Adelaide Autumn Racing Carnival.

Run at the same meeting as the Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) on a Saturday in late April / early May, the Robert Sangster Stakes is a sprint feature conducted over 1200m. It is open only to fillies and mares and is run under weight-for-age conditions with four-year-old mares dominating the Robert Sangster Stakes results over the past 30 years.

The race currently offers $500,000 in prize money and is contested by female gallopers coming out of a host of different lead-up races, the field attracting plenty of interstate hopefuls. From 2006 onwards it has been the sole 1200m Group 1 race for fillies and mares.

The 2020 edition of the Robert Sangster Stakes was worth only $400,000 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The latest edition of the Robert Sangster Stakes ran on Saturday May 1, 2021 and was won by the Phillip Stokes-trained filly Instant Celebrity. 

Robert Sangster Stakes Race Info

• Date: Saturday May 1, 2021
• Track: Morphettville Racecourse
• Distance: 1200m
• Conditions: Weight-for-age
• Status: Group 1
• Prize Money: $500,000 
• First Run: 1983

2021 Robert Sangster Stakes Results

The complete Robert Sangster Stakes 2021 race results and full finishing order will be available right here once the race is run and won on Saturday May 1, 2021.

• 1st: #15 Instant Celebrity
• 2nd: #3 Subpoenaed
• 3rd: #11 Rubisaki

The local Phillip Stokes-trained Not A Single Doubt filly Instant Celebrity ($9) was ridden to perfection by jockey Craig Williams and enjoyed a three-quarter length win in the 2021 Robert Sangster Stakes results over the older mares. 

Robert Sangster Stakes Odds & Betting

Robert Sangster Stakes betting markets are rarely led by the older mares as three and four-year-olds have dominated over the past three decades.

From 2004 – 2021 six three-year-old fillies took out the classic including Instant Celebrity (2021) and Shoals (2018), while from 2008 – 2010 all but seven of the Robert Sangster Stakes winners were four-year-old mares.

Robert Sangster Stakes odds traditionally favour fillies and mares with proven Group 1 sprint form earlier in the autumn coming out of races including Melbourne’s Group 1 Newmarket Handicap or Lightning Stakes at Flemington.

Favourites have a poor recent record in the race with just two getting the job done for the punters since 2007, most recently Peter Moody’s undefeated superstar Black Caviar (2012).

There was a notable upset in 2020 with Bella Vella saluting at Robert Sangster Stakes odds of 40/1. 

2021 Robert Sangster Stakes Betting

The autumn’s top Robert Sangster Stakes 2021 odds will be available here once markets on the Group 1 Adelaide Carnival sprint classic are out so stay tuned.

Black Caviar (2012) is the most famous Robert Sangster Stakes winner. Photo Credit: Race Horse Photos Australia.

The Robert Sangster Stakes field is made up each season by fillies and mares from right around Australia coming via many different lead-up races.

The traditional lead-up is the Group 3 RN Irwin Stakes (1100m), another weight-for-age sprint held at Morphettville Racecourse a fortnight earlier. The last mare to win the RN Irwin Stakes – Robert Sangster Stakes double was the Gai Waterhouse-trained Driefontein (2014).

Plenty of interstate talent features in the Robert Sangster Stakes field each year and visiting mares from outside of Adelaide boast an excellent record in the race.

Since 1983 no less than 10 horses have lined-up in the Robert Sangster Stakes field. The race attracted a record 20 starters in 2016 when Precious Gem scored an upset as a $21 roughie in betting becoming the first six-year-old Robert Sangster Stakes winner in over 30 years.

There were also a capacity 20 starters in the 2017 edition when Secret Agenda won as a $15 shot for the race’s now four-time winning trainer Mick Price. Robert Sangster Stakes nominations close the week before the race with the field out on the Tuesday along with the barrier draw.

2021 Robert Sangster Stakes Field

The official Robert Sangster Stakes 2021 final field and barriers are released the Tuesday before the race and will be announced in full below.

The 2021 Robert Sangster Stakes field features 17 fillies and mares led in betting by the Tony & Calvin McEvoy-trained Sisstar chasing a fourth win on the trot and to be ridden by William Pike. 

• Scratched: #14 Street Icon (11) 

2021 Robert Sangster Stakes Nominations

The early Robert Sangster Stakes 2021 nominations are released on a Tuesday two weeks out from the event and will be published below once announced. 

Thirty-three female gallopers make-up the 2021 Robert Sangster Stakes nominations including the all-in favourite Libertini for Anthony Cummings and top local hope Instant Celebrity. 

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

Robert Sangster Stakes Form Guide

The Robert Sangster Stakes form guide provides all the crucial field information like the jockeys, trainers, barriers and lead-up runs of the hopefuls.

Mick Price is now the most successful trainer in the race with four winners, most recently Secret Agenda (2017) who also ran a brave second to Shoals in the 2018 edition. Four-year-olds have the best record in the race including winning all three editions of the race form 2013 – 15 and again in 2017.

Wider barrier draws are dominant in the Robert Sangster Stakes history and form guide, however since 1983 with five winners gate nine is the most successful – most recently Response (2011).

Robert Sangster Stakes Form Facts

• Four-year-old mares have dominated the Robert Sangster Stakes in the past 30 years including seven wins from 2008 – 2021
• Just two favourites in Robert Sangster Stakes betting have saluted since 2007
• Plenty of Robert Sangster Stakes winners have jumped from a double-digit barrier including Shoals (15 of 17 in 2018), Spright (13 of 13 in 2019) and Bella Vella (11 of 16 in 2020)
• More winners have come off a Melbourne lead-up run than an Adelaide start leading into the race

2021 Robert Sangster Stakes Form Guide

A link to our comprehensive Robert Sangster Stakes 2021 Form Guide will be provided for punters below the week of the race.

Robert Sangster Stakes Tips

Robert Sangster Stakes tips favour the three and four-year-olds in the field as they have a remarkable record in the Adelaide Group 1 feature. Interstate fillies and mares with good lead-up form in earlier autumn Group 1 races also make excellent Robert Sangster Stakes tips with the visitors beating the locals more often than not in the past decade or so.

Wide barrier draws have been a non-issue in the race with 10 of the Robert Sangster Stakes winners from 2007 – 2021 getting the job done from a double digit gate. With the top fancies in betting having a poor recent record, laying the Robert Sangster Stakes favourite can be another good tip.

2021 Robert Sangster Stakes Tips

Our Ladbrokes’ insider Robert Sangster Stakes 2021 betting tips on the fillies and mares to back and sack in the lucrative Adelaide Group 1 sprint will be detailed below the week of the race so bookmark this page.

• To Win: #10 Humma Humma ($17 at time of publish) 

One of the weaker and more open fields for the Robert Sangster than in recent years and going to tip an upset with Humma Humma looking well overs. She’s drawn okay in barrier 10 and has a solid record at the track (8:2-2-0). Last time out on April 17 here she crossed second to Kemalpasa in the Group 3 RN Irwin Stakes (1100m) and comes back against her own kind for the Group 1. More of a short-distance mare, she’s won just one of her 11 starts at the 1200m but think she might be close at a big price this weekend. 

Robert Sangster Stakes Results

Interstate raiders along with three-year-old fillies and four-year-old mares have dominated the Robert Sangster Stakes results over the years. Black Caviar (1/20 in 2012) was the last favourite to take it out with plenty of double digit winners in that time including Bella Vella ($41 in 2020), Precious Gem ($21 in 2016), Rostova ($21 in 2010) and Juste Momente ($21 in 2008).

Along with Black Caviar the other most notable recent Robert Sangster Stakes winners include Shoals (2018), Miracles Of Life (2015), Alinghi (2005), Our Egypitan Raine (2003) and Dantelah (1999).

Robert Sangster Stakes Winners