The Group 1 Turnbull Stakes is run over 2000m at Flemington racecourse under set weights and penalties.
In terms of a guide to the three big feature races during the Spring carnival, the Cox Plate, Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup, history suggests there is no better guide.
Previous winners of the Turnbull Stakes in the past include Wakeful (1903), Bernborough (1946), Dulcify (1979) and Let’s Elope (1991) among many others that then went on to win one of the three mentioned above.
A deep dive into more recent times does nothing to dispel the data that we have for over a hundred years of the Turnbull Stakes, and the success it brings later in the spring carnival.
Seven of the last 10 winners of the Turnbull Stakes have gone on to either win or place in the Cox Plate or Caulfield Cup at their very next start.
Below are those examples from the last decade.
2016 – Hartnell
The Godolphin import annihilated the opposition in the 2016 Turnbull Stakes, beating his nearest rival Jameka by three lengths, eased down.
Unfortunately, he ran into a mare named Winx who was forging what would become the greatest ever career by an Australian thoroughbred.
2017/18 – Winx
Speaking of the great mare, she won her second Cox Plate on the back of her victory in the 2017 Turnbull Stakes and Chris Waller took a liking to this spring campaign pathway as he did the exact same thing a year later.
2020 – Verry Elleegant
After the 2019 Cox Plate jockey James McDonald said “It’s probably a year too soon for her. She just doesn’t execute well enough for a Cox Plate.”
A year later she won the Turnbull Stakes and Waller decided the Caulfield Cup was a better option for her.
She won that and then the Melbourne Cup 12 months later.
What a mare.
2021 – Incentivise
The Peter Moody trained stayer had a truly remarkable year in 2021.
He rose through the grades to not only take out the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes, but he would dominate his rivals in the Caulfield Cup as well.
Verry Elleegant was the only horse to beat him home in the Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday in November that same year.
2023 – Gold Trip
Gold Trip shocked many when he took out the 2022 Melbourne Cup at long odds and remarkably, he started at a similar price when lining back up at Flemington in the Turnbull Stakes a year later.
He produced a huge turn of foot to win with ease and then finished third in the Caulfield Cup at his next start.
2024 – Via Sistina
Chris Waller’s champion mare Via Sistina equaled the record set by Winx for the most Group 1 wins in a single season in 2024/25 including the Turnbull Stakes/Cox Plate double.
She’s on the exact same pathway again and remember, she failed to win the Makybe Diva Stakes last year before coming out and winning this race.
Our complete 2025 Turnbull Stakes Runner-by-Runner Preview & Tips can be found by clicking here!