Ladbrokes Tip: The Sweet Embrace Stakes is a good lead-up for Golden Slipper bound fillies
The latest edition of the Sweet Embrace Stakes took place on Saturday, February 28, 2026 at Randwick for Golden Slipper-bound fillies and was won narrowly by the Ciaron Maher-trained Spicy Miss ($4.40) who broke her maiden status at her third start.
2026 Sweet Embrace Stakes Results
The official Sweet Embrace Stakes 2026 Results & Finishing Order will be known on Saturday, February 28, 2026 and published below.
- #2 Spicy Miss
- #5 Screen Icon
- #1 By Choice
Ciaron Maher’s improving Trapeze Artist filly Spicy Miss ($4.40) is into the Golden Slipper field as a live chance after breaking her maiden status at her third start in Saturday’s 2026 Sweet Embrace Stakes results. Given a peach of a ride by the in-form Zac Lloyd, she hit the front on the home straight and relished the 1200m charging home to hang on for a narrow but convincing win and firm from $21 to $15 in all-in Golden Slipper betting.
2026 Sweet Embrace Stakes Odds
The latest Sweet Embrace Stakes 2026 odds will be available below the week of the race followed by the official Sweet Embrace Stakes results after the event so bookmark this page.
| 2. Spicy Miss (7) J: Zac Lloyd 56.5kg 2×2T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 5. Screen Icon (8) J: Chad Schofield 56.5kg 2×7T: John P Thompson | ||
| 1. By Choice (6) J: Tim Clark 56.5kg 153T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | ||
| 8. Hardanger (2) J: Tommy Berry 56.5kg 33T: Michael Freedman | ||
| 6. Pembrey (4) J: James McDonald 56.5kg 1T: Tony Gollan | ||
| 4. Ciaron’s Star (5) J: Jason Collett 56.5kg 31T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 3. Lumbini (3) J: Adam Hyeronimus 56.5kg 12T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | ||
| 13. Sumac (1) J: Jay Ford 56.5kg T: Lee & Cherie Curtis |
Sweet Embrace Stakes Tips
Looking for fillies with a past win over similar distance in Sydney is crucial when doing the Sweet Embrace Stakes tips.
Maidens rarely win the race, but Seabrook did in 2018 breaking her maiden status in her first Sydney start as did Frankel filly Hungry Heart in 2020.
Spicy Miss (2026) was the latest maiden to win the Sweet Embrace Stakes.
Favourites have a credible recent strike rate.
Past form at the track is a good indicator, while many haven’t been over the distance before so looking for fillies with strong form over 1100m makes for successful Sweet Embrace Stakes tipping.
2026 Sweet Embrace Stakes Tips
Our insider Ladbrokes’ Sweet Embrace Stakes tips 2026 will be published below the week of the race so stay tuned for the potential Golden Slipper Stakes fillies to back and sack this season.
| 6. Pembrey (4) J: James McDonald 56.5kg 1T: Tony Gollan |
| 2. Spicy Miss (7) J: Zac Lloyd 56.5kg 2×2T: Ciaron Maher |
| 9. Cherry Bomshell (8) Scratched: | |||
The Sweet Embrace Stakes is one of a number of Group 2 support races held at Royal Randwick Racecourse on Verry Elleegant Stakes Day (formerly Chipping Norton Stakes Day) on a Saturday in late February – early March each Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.
The meeting’s headline race is the Group 1 Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m), and the Sweet Embrace Stakes along with the Group 2 Skyline Stakes (1200m) are the key lead-up races for two-year-olds heading into the Group 1 $5 million Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens a fortnight later.
Run over 1200m under set weights conditions, the Sweet Embrace Stakes is open only to two-years-old fillies while the Skyline Stakes is the equivalent race for the juvenile colts and geldings.
Offering a total of $300,000 in prize money as of 2024 the Sweet Embrace Stakes winner takes out $170,000 in stakes for connections and is exempt from Golden Slipper Stakes ballot. The latest fillies to complete the Sweet Embrace Stakes – Golden Slipper Stakes double were Crystal Lily (2010) and Fireburn (2022).
Sweet Embrace Stakes Race Info
- Date: Saturday, February 28, 2026
- Track: Randwick Racecourse
- Distance: 1200m
- Conditions: 2YO Fillies – Set Weights
- Status: Group 2
- Prize Money: $300,000
- First Run: 1979
Sweet Embrace Stakes Betting
Sweet Embrace Stakes betting favours the promising fillies in the field with proven form in their early career runs.
In recent years Fireburn (2022), Four Moves Ahead (2021), Scarlet Rain (2016), Sweet Allison (2015) and Believe Yourself (2014) all came off a last start win to take out the Sweet Embrace Stakes.
A nice lead-up race into the Sweet Embrace Stakes is the Group 2 Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m) run over 100m less at Rosehill the previous weekend.
Fillies may also come into the race via the Widden Stakes (1100m) at Randwick the month before. One More Honey (5th in 2017) and Manaal (2nd in 2024) are the latest Sweet Embrace Stakes winners to come out of the Widden Stakes.
Four Moves Ahead ($2.70 in 2021) and Manaal ($2.05 in 2024) are the latest favourites in Sweet Embrace Stakes betting to win.
Sweet Embrace Stakes Field
The Sweet Embrace Stakes race field attracts the season’s most promising two-year-old fillies. The majority are looking to earn a shot at the world’s richest juvenile’s race with the Golden Slipper Stakes run the following month at Rosehill Racecourse.
In recent times the best Sweet Embrace Stakes winner’s performance in the Golden Slipper were Believe Yourself (2014) who ran fourth to Mossfun in the Group 1 and Four Moves Ahead (2021) who also ran fourth in both the Golden Slipper and Inglis Sires’.
In 2022 Fireburn completed the Sweet Embrace Stakes – Golden Slipper – Inglis Sires’ treble.
The Sweet Embrace Stakes nominations close the Monday before the race with the final field and barrier draw released on the Wednesday.
2026 Sweet Embrace Stakes Field
The official Sweet Embrace Stakes 2026 final field and barrier draw is set for release on the Wednesday of race week and will be announced below so stay tuned.
The Sweet Embrace Stakes 2026 final field features a smart line-up of fillies including the Tony Gollan-trained Queensland raider Pembrey coming off a huge Eagle Farm win on debut and the promising Group 3 placed Spicy Miss for Ciaron Maher drawn wide.
| Entrant | Last 6 | Sex | Barrier | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. By Choice
J: Tim Clark
T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
153 | F | 6 | 56.5kg | |
|
2. Spicy Miss
J: Zac Lloyd
T: Ciaron Maher |
2x2 | F | 7 | 56.5kg | |
|
3. Lumbini
J: Adam Hyeronimus
T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
12 | F | 3 | 56.5kg | |
|
4. Ciaron's Star
J: Jason Collett
T: Ciaron Maher |
31 | F | 5 | 56.5kg | |
|
5. Screen Icon
J: Chad Schofield
T: John P Thompson |
2x7 | F | 8 | 56.5kg | |
|
6. Pembrey
J: James McDonald
T: Tony Gollan |
1 | F | 4 | 56.5kg | |
| 7. Pearl Of Dubai (12) Scratched: | |||||
|
8. Hardanger
J: Tommy Berry
T: Michael Freedman |
33 | F | 2 | 56.5kg | |
| 9. Cherry Bomshell (8) Scratched: | |||||
| 10. Scintillation (1) Scratched: | |||||
| 11. Gone To Gowings (4) Scratched: | |||||
| 12. Zoo Dazzler (13) Scratched: | |||||
|
13. Sumac
J: Jay Ford
T: Lee & Cherie Curtis |
F | 1 | 56.5kg | ||
2026 Sweet Embrace Stakes Nominations
The early Sweet Embrace Stakes 2026 nominations close the Monday of race week and will be published here once released.
2026 Sweet Embrace Stakes nominations extended until 11:00am (AEDT) – 24/02/2026
| Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 153 | BY CHOICE | F | 2 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | |
| 2 | 51 | CHERRY BOMSHELL | F | 2 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | |
| 3 | 31 | CIARON’S STAR | F | 2 | Ciaron Maher | |
| 4 | 0x3 | DOUBELLA | F | 2 | Richard & Will Freedman | |
| 5 | 4 | GONE TO GOWINGS | F | 2 | Clarry Conners | |
| 6 | 33 | HARDANGER | F | 2 | Michael Freedman | |
| 7 | 12 | LUMBINI | F | 2 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | |
| 8 | 2×4 | PEARL OF DUBAI | F | 2 | Peter Snowden | |
| 9 | 1 | PEMBREY | F | 2 | Tony Gollan | |
| 10 | 1 | SCINTILLATION | F | 2 | John O’Shea & Tom Charlton | |
| 11 | 2×7 | SCREEN ICON | F | 2 | John Thompson | |
| 12 | 2×2 | SPICY MISS | F | 2 | Ciaron Maher | |
| 13 | SUMAC | F | 2 | Lee & Cherie Curtis | ||
| 14 | 9 | ZOO DAZZLER | F | 2 | Anthony & Sam Freedman |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
Sweet Embrace Stakes Form Guide
The Sweet Embrace Stakes form guide provides punters with essential information like the barriers, jockeys, trainers and lead-up form of all the fillies in the field.
The form for the race has stacked up in the subsequent Golden Slipper Stakes in recent times with Crystal Lily (2010) winning both races.
In 2022 Fireburn franked the Sweet Embrace Stakes form with subsequent wins in the Golden Slipper and Sires’ before a Champagne Stakes second. The Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) was won by She’s Extreme who was runner-up in both the Sweet Embrace and Sires’ behind Fireburn. She’s Extreme also returned for a stellar spring full of Group 1 placings and her VRC Oaks victory in Melbourne.
In 2024 Manaal completed the Sweet Embrace Stakes – Inglis Sires’ autumn double.
The 2025 Sweet Embrace Stakes proved a strong form race, with winner Within The Law going on to place in a string of top‑level events — including seconds in both the Group 1 Champagne Stakes and Group 1 Flight Stakes.
2026 Sweet Embrace Stakes Form Guide
A link to our comprehensive Sweet Embrace Stakes 2026 Form Guide will be provided for punters below the week of the race.
CLICK HERE FOR OUR FULL 2026 SWEET EMBRACE STAKES FORM GUIDE
Past Sweet Embrace Stakes Results
The longest-priced Sweet Embrace Stakes result in recent years was Romantic Moon ($14 in 2013) and double figure fancies have a good record in the race.
Notable recent Sweet Embrace Stakes winners include Manaal (2024), Fireburn (2022), Seabrook (2018), Crystal Lily (2010), Chinilla Rose (2007), and Ha Ha (2001).
Recent Sweet Embrace Stakes Winners
Past Sweet Embrace Stakes winners and placegetters dating back to the year 2000 are detailed in the below table.
| Year | Winner | Runner-Up | Third | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Spicy Miss | Screen Icon | By Choice | 1:09.95 |
| 2025 | Within The Law | Bellazaine | Snitzel Miss | 1:09.51 |
| 2024 | Manaal | Fly Fly | Extreme Diva | 1:10.37 |
| 2023 | Lazzago | Facile | Blanc De Blanc | 1:10.7 |
| 2022 | Fireburn | She’s Extreme | Lady Laguna | 1:15.1 |
| 2021 | Four Moves Ahead | She’s All Class | Mallory | 1:10.5 |
| 2020 | Hungry Heart | Stellar Pauline | Dismissal | 1:09.6 |
| 2019 | Anaheed | Still Single | Let It Pour | 1:09.7 |
| 2018 | Seabrook | Fiesta | Into The Abyss | 1:10.9 |
| 2017 | One More Honey | Arctic Angel | Teaspoon | 1:12.2 |
| 2016 | Scarlet Rain | In The Vanguard | Tale Of Choice | 1:09.5 |
| 2015 | Always Allison | Speak Fondly | Tibrogargan Miss | 1:10.7 |
| 2014 | Believe Yourself | Twirl | Tetsuko | 1:11.2 |
| 2013 | Romantic Moon | Thump | Greytfilly | 1:10.0 |
| 2012 | Jade Marauder | Valerio | Kyria | 1:11.2 |
| 2011 | Shared Reflections | Streama | Pane In The Glass | 1:09.5 |
| 2010 | Crystal Lily | Ambers Waltz | Zutara | 1:09.0 |
| 2009 | Headway | Lovemelikearock | Horizons | 1:11.1 |
| 2008 | Stripper | Glowlamp | Samantha Miss | 1:11.0 |
| 2007 | Chinchilla Rose | Vecchia Roma | Moonboat | 1:10.1 |
| 2006 | Universal Queen | Tuesday Joy | Pure Energy | 1:11.4 |
| 2005 | Carry On Cutie | Media | Flion Fenena | 1:10.5 |
| 2004 | Burning Sands | All Knowledge | Written By Xaar | 1:11.9 |
| 2003 | Legally Bay | How Funny | Bella Corona | 1:10.0 |
| 2002 | Victory Vein | Chuckle | Calaway Gal | 1:09.9 |
| 2001 | Ha Ha | Moonflute | Palais | 1:11.0 |
| 2000 | Dynamic Love | Tyrolean | Ateates | 1:11.7 |
FAQ
Who won the 2026 Sweet Embrace Stakes?
The 2026 Sweet Embrace Stakes was won by two-year-old Trapeze Artist filly Spicy Miss at $4.40 for trainer Ciaron Maher with jockey Zac Lloyd aboard on 56.5kg from barrier 7 to win by 0.31 lengths on a Soft (6) track in a time of 1:09.95.
Who won the 2025 Sweet Embrace Stakes?
The 2025 Sweet Embrace Stakes was won by Within The Law at $5.50 for trainer Bjorn Baker with jockey Jason Collett aboard from barrier 11 on 55.5kg to win by 0.01 lengths in a time of 1:09.51.
When is the Sweet Embrace Stakes 2026?
Saturday, February 28, 2026What is the prize money for the Sweet Embrace Stakes 2026?
$300,000
Where is the Sweet Embrace Stakes 2026?
Randwick Racecourse, Alison Rd, Randwick NSW 2031.
How do I bet on the 2026 Sweet Embrace Stakes?
Bet online or via the latest iOS/Android apps with Ladbrokes.
The first step is to create an account at ladbrokes.com.au. The process is quick and easy!
Once you've created your account you can make a deposit via credit card, or any other of our secure payment methods. Next up, head to the racing page and find the race and runner that's right for you.
Which horse will win the 2026 Sweet Embrace Stakes?
The best way to pick which horse will win the Sweet Embrace Stakes is to take into account the form, assess the barriers, and consider the weight the horse will carry (among other factors). Check out ladbrokes.com.au in the lead up to the race for full form information.