Ladbrokes Tip: The Skyline Stakes is a traditional lead-up to the Golden Slipper Stakes

The Skyline Stakes is one of a number of Group 2 support races run on Chipping Norton Stakes Day at Randwick Racecourse on a Saturday in late February during the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival on Chipping Norton Stakes Day.

Worth $200,000 in total prize money the Skyline Stakes winner takes out $110,000 in stakes for connections, which is the same for the fillies’ equivalent with the Sweet Embrace Stakes held on the same day.

The Skyline Stakes winner is also exempt from ballot from the coveted Group 1 $3.5 million Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) held at Rosehill the following month. The last two-year-old to complete the Skyline Stakes – Golden Slipper Stakes double was Dance Hero (2004).

The next edition of the Skyline Stakes takes place on Saturday February 27, 2021. 

Skyline Stakes Race Facts

• Date: Saturday February 27, 2021
• Track: Royal Randwick Racecourse
• Distance: 1200m
• Conditions: 2YO Colts & Geldings – Set Weights
• Status: Group 2
• Prize Money: $200,000
• First Run: 1979

2021 Skyline Stakes Results

The full Skyline Stakes 2021 Results & Finishing Order will be known on Saturday February 27, 2021 and announced below.

• 1st: TBD
• 2nd: TBD
• 3rd: TBD

Skyline Stakes Betting

Skyline Stakes betting is usually led by promising two-year-old gallopers coming off good lead-up runs in Sydney. Recent last start winners to salute in the Skyline Stakes include Microphone (2019) who came off a Talindert Stakes success in Melbourne, Santos (2018) who was odds-on favourite, Exosphere (2015), Valentina (2014) and Uate (2011).

The Skyline Stakes is also a lead-up to the Golden Slipper Stakes and so looking for value in the early Group 1 racing markets based on the results of this lead-up is a nice tip.

There was an upset in the 2020 edition of the Slipper lead-up with Mamaragan winning on debut as a $19 outsider in Skyline Stakes betting.

2021 Skyline Stakes Odds

The latest Skyline Stakes 2021 betting odds will be available below the week of the race so stay tuned for the best Randwick racing markets on the Golden Slipper Stakes lead-up this autumn.

Skyline Stakes Field

Exopshere (2015) won the Skyline Stakes as a two-year-old before returning later that year to win the Golden Rose Stakes. Photo Credit: Steve Hart.

The Skyline Stakes field attracts a collection of the season’s most promising two-year-old colts and geldings that are heading towards a run in the world’s richest race for juveniles, the Golden Slipper Stakes.

Skyline Stakes runners may back-up only a week later in the Group 2 Todman Stakes (1200m), however youngsters usually contest one or the other leading into the Golden Slipper. Another possible race for Skyline Stakes graduates each year is the Group 2 Pago Pago Stakes (1200m) run at Rosehill on Coolmore Classic Day.

The Skyline Stakes nominations close on the Monday before the race with the final field and barriers out on the Wednesday.

2021 Skyline Stakes Field

The official Skyline Stakes 2021 field and barrier draw for the two-year-olds’ clash on Chipping Norton Stakes Day will be published below once released the Wednesday of race week so stay tuned.

2021 Skyline Stakes Nominations

Nominations for the Skyline Stakes 2021 close the Monday of race week.

Racing NSW have extended the 2021 Skyline Stakes nominations until Tuesday morning with just 15 in the mix led in betting by Chris Waller’s $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic champ Shaquero.

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

Skyline Stakes Tips

Skyline Stakes tips favour those two-year-olds coming off good lead-up runs in Sydney showing good speed over 1200m. Upsets are uncommon in the race and horses paying under $10 make the best Skyline Stakes tips.

Many youngsters are stepping up from 1100m to 1200m for the first time, so the ability to run out that extra 100m early in their career is essential.

2021 Skyline Stakes Tips

The insider Ladbrokes’ Skyline Stakes 2021 tips will be found below the week of the race to sort the best from the rest in the official Golden Slipper Stakes lead-up.

• To Win: #1 Shaquero ($2.45 at time of publish) – BET NOW

In a small field, happy to take the proven and fit horse in the mix with Chris Waller’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic champ drawn the rails and looking for another strong victory. He faces a couple of interesting rivals from different form lines, but he’s proven at Randwick having won the Group 3 Breeders’ Plate here on debut last October. Improving each run this prep and, incredibly, gets barrier one for the fourth time on the trot. 

Skyline Stakes Form Guide

The Skyline Stakes form guide lists everything from the jockeys and trainers to the barriers for all the runners in the field.

The Skyline Stakes form has stacked up in better autumn features in recent years including in 2011 when the winner Uate went on to run second to Helmet in the Group 1 Inglis Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) next start.

In 2015 Exosphere won the Skyline Stakes before coming back in the spring to win that year’s Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m). Back in 2009 Manhattan Rain backed up from his Skyline Stakes win to finish a brave third to Phelan Ready in the Golden Slipper Stakes.

More recently Microphone completed the Skyline Stakes – ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes double with a Golden Slipper second in between.

In 2020 after winning the Skyline Stakes on debut in an upset, Mamaragan went on to frank the form by running third in both the Golden Slipper and Inglis Sires’ results.

2021 Skyline Stakes Form Guide

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

Skyline Stakes Results

Favourites and single-figure fancies have a strong record in the Skyline Stakes results over the past decade. The race is traditionally run by a quality youngster and many subsequent stallions have taken it out.

Notable recent Skyline Stakes winners include Microphone (2019), All The Talk (2013), Hinchinbrook (2010), Manhattan Rain (2009), Snitzel (2005) and Choisir (2002).

Skyline Stakes Winners