Ladbrokes Tip: The Gilgai Stakes is a nice guide to the Group 1 VRC Sprint Classic during the spring
The latest edition of the Gilgai Stakes ran on Saturday October 4, 2025 at Flemington on Turnbull Stakes Day and was won in emphatic fashion by the 60kg topweight War Machine ($2.90F) who subsequently earned a slot in The Everest field.
2025 Gilgai Stakes Results
The official Gilgai Stakes 2025 results & finishing order will be updated below once the race is run and won on Saturday October 4, 2025.
- 1st: No. 1 War Machine
- 2nd: No. 15 Bridal Waltz
- 3rd: No. 13 Star Patrol
The winter’s Stradbroke Handicap champ War Machine ($2.90F) made a stunning return to racing earning himself a slot in the $20 million The Everest with an impressive two-length romp home in the 2025 Gilgai Stakes results when carting the 60kg topweight to victory from the outside alley.
2025 Gilgai Stakes Odds
The season’s top Gilgai Stakes 2025 odds and Flemington betting markets will be provided below the week of the race so stay tuned for the best Group 2 racing offers this Turnbull Stakes Day.
| 1. War Machine (15) J: Blake Shinn 60kg 2111xT: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes | ||
| 15. Bridal Waltz (11) J: Luke Nolen 56.5kg 3311xT: Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman | ||
| 13. Star Patrol (13) J: Ben Melham 57kg x90x2T: Clinton McDonald | ||
| 17. La Fracas (10) J: Jamie Melham 57kg x1111T: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr | ||
| 3. Willaidow (8) J: Jordan Childs 58.5kg 2048xT: Marc & Mitchell Conners | ||
| 12. Payline (14) J: Justin Huxtable 57kg 98x56T: Chris & Corey Munce | ||
| 2. Airman (7) J: Jamie Mott 59kg x50x5T: M, W & J Hawkes | ||
| 10. Steparty (2) J: Mark Zahra 57kg 235x8T: Paul Preusker | ||
| 5. Watchme Win (6) J: Luke Currie 58.5kg 174x1T: Andrew Gluyas | ||
| 7. Royal Insignia (5) J: Craig Williams 58.5kg 70x34T: Grahame Begg | ||
| 16. Stretan Angel (4) J: Daniel Stackhouse 55kg 90x02T: Phillip Stokes | ||
| 11. Suparazi (12) J: Michael Dee 57kg 5530xT: Ben Brisbourne | ||
| 4. West Star (9) J: Damian Lane 58.5kg 1713xT: Simon A Miller | ||
| 9. Buenos Noches (3) J: Declan Bates 57kg x3x0xT: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 6. Givemethebeatboys (1) J: Jye McNeil 58.5kg 930x6T: Michael Freedman |
Gilgai Stakes Tips
Top Gilgai Stakes tips to consider include looking for runners with proven ability down the straight at Flemington Racecourse, past Group winners the Melbourne way of racing and the standout turf stars in the field.
Favourites have a gun recent record in the race with the last double-figure winner being All Silent ($10 in 2009), so backing the favourite is another good Gilgai Stakes betting tip as is looking for any proven fresh performers running first-up in the race.
2025 Gilgai Stakes Tips
Our Ladbrokes’ insider Gilgai Stakes 2025 betting tips and Flemington racing selections will be detailed below the week of the race so bookmark this page for the sprinters to back and sack in the Group 2 this spring.
To Win: No. 13 Star Patrol
STAR PATROL (15) returns to the Gilgai Stakes at an appealing price, aiming to reclaim the title he won back in 2023. The Clinton McDonald-trained gelding hit a setback after that victory, going amiss in the Group 1 Champions Sprint during the Cup Carnival and spending an extended period on the sidelines. His two spring runs last season didn’t spark, but he looks much closer to his best now, having produced a brave runner-up effort fresh on September 13 in the Group 2 Bobbie Lewis, beaten only half a length by Arkansaw Kid. He led for most of the race and was only collared late, and now presents fitter second-up—a stage where he’s performed well before. With a strong Flemington record (9:4-2-0) and a clear love for the six furlongs, he’s right in the mix to win again.
|
13. Star Patrol (13)
J: Ben Melham 57kg
x90x2T: Clinton McDonald
|
The Gilgai Stakes is a Group 2 sprint and a key support act on the Turnbull Stakes Day program at Flemington Racecourse on a Saturday in early October each Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival. Offering $300,000 in prize money the Gilgai Stakes is run at set weights plus penalties conditions and suits short-distance horses with proven experience down the famous Flemington ‘Straight Six’.
Heading the day’s racing is the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) for runners looking at backing-up in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) later in the month.
Other features on the Turnbull Stakes Day card include the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m) for VRC Oaks hopefuls, the Group 2 Blazer Stakes (1400m) now run as the Rose Of Kingston Stakes, and the Group 3 The Bart Cummings for Melbourne Cup hopefuls.
The Gilgai Stakes makes a nice lead-up into the Group 1 VRC Sprint Classic (1200m) – now run as the VRC Champions Sprint – at Flemington during the Melbourne Cup Carnival and has produced a host of placegetters in the elite level in recent years.
The last horse to complete the Gilgai Stakes – VRC Sprint Classic double was All Silent (2009), while in 2015 Delectation improved on a Gilgai Stakes second to win that November’s Darley Classic in an upset.
The $20 million The Everest (1200m) – the world’s richest race on turf held at Sydney’s Randwick track – is also a possible next-up run for Gilgai Stakes horses.
In 2022 the Gilgai Stakes winner Private Eye ran second next-up in The Everest quinella before winning the $3 million Winners Stakes race (now the Russell Balding Stakes).
Gilgai Stakes Race Info
- Date: Saturday October 4, 2025
- Track: Flemington Racecourse
- Distance: 1200m
- Conditions: Set Weights + Penalties
- Status: Group 2
- Prize Money: $300,000
- First Run: 1984
Gilgai Stakes Betting
Gilgai Stakes odds are led by the season’s in-form sprinters coming off nice earlier runs, graduates from Group lead-ups in Melbourne and runners proven over the Flemington straight.
Because of where the race is run, barriers don’t have a major impact on the Gilgai Stakes betting markets with better indicators being the class of the runners and their records over the track / distance.
Sunlight ($2.25 in 2019), Private Eye ($4.80 in 2022), Star Patrol ($2.50 in 2023), Right To Party ($5EF in 2024), and War Machine ($2.90 in 2025) are the last favourites in Gilgai Stakes betting to salute for the punters.
Gilgai Stakes Field
The Gilgai Stakes race field attracts good spring sprinters of all age groups with many eyeing a Group 1 run later during the carnival.
A nice lead-up race is the Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m), which Chautauqua won before taking out the 2014 edition. In 2015 Chautauqua successfully defended his Gilgai Stakes title on the back of a win in the Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley the month before.
Zoutori (2020) also took out the Bobbie Lewis Quality – Gilgai Stakes double. Zoutori returned in 2021 to run a narrow second as the beaten favourite in the Gilgai Stakes behind Kementari.
Right To Party (2nd in 2024) was the last Bobbie Lewis graduate to back-up and win the Gilgai Stakes when turning the tables on Arkansaw Kid who ran 1st and 2nd in the events respectively.
Bobbie Lewis Quality – Gilgai Stakes double was last completed by Star Patrol in 2023.
The McEwen Stakes also produced the 2013 Gilgai Stakes winner Platelet (4th), while the other most recent race winner to come out of the Bobbie Lewis was Temple Of Boom (6th) in 2011.
Many horses back-up at Moonee Valley later in the month in the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) and the Gilgai Stakes – Manikato double was last achieved by Chautauqua in 2015. In earlier years the Manikato Stakes was run before the Gilgai and the double in that order was achieved in 2010 by Hay List.
The Group 1 VRC Sprint Classic (1200m) at Flemington on the second Saturday in November is another race many horses out of the field go on to contest. Chautauqua ran second in both the 2014 and 2015 editions of the Darley Classic following back-to-back Gilgai Stakes victories by the champion sprinter.
That same year the Gilgai Stakes runner-up Delectation won the Darley Classic two starts later. Earlier in 2012 winner Hallowell Belle finished fourth in the Manikato and third in the race then called the Patinack Classic for sponsorship purposes.
In 2022 the Gilgai Stakes runner-up Roch ‘N’ Horse went on to win the Group 1 Champions Sprint that Melbourne Cup Carnival, while Baller ran third in both events.
Gilgai Stakes nominations close on the Monday before the race runs on the Sunday and the final field and barriers are released by Racing Victoria on the Wednesday.
2025 Gilgai Stakes Field
The official Gilgai Stakes 2025 field and barrier draw is set for release on the Wednesday of race week and will be published below so stay tuned to see what sprinters making the starting line-up for the battle down the straight six.
The 2025 Gilgai Stakes final field features a capacity field of potential The Everest bound sprinters including the resuming Stradbroke champion War Machine with the 60kg topweight and outside gate to overcome.
| Entrant | Last 6 | Sex | Barrier | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. War Machine
J: Blake Shinn
T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |
x2111x | G | 15 | 60kg | |
|
2. Airman
J: Jamie Mott
T: M, W & J Hawkes |
7x50x5 | G | 7 | 59kg | |
|
3. Willaidow
J: Jordan Childs
T: Marc & Mitchell Conners |
52048x | G | 8 | 58.5kg | |
|
4. West Star
J: Damian Lane
T: Simon A Miller |
x1713x | G | 9 | 58.5kg | |
|
5. Watchme Win
J: Luke Currie
T: Andrew Gluyas |
5174x1 | G | 6 | 58.5kg | |
|
6. Givemethebeatboys
J: Jye McNeil
T: Michael Freedman |
6930x6 | G | 1 | 58.5kg | |
|
7. Royal Insignia
J: Craig Williams
T: Grahame Begg |
170x34 | H | 5 | 58.5kg | |
| 8. Nadal (6) Scratched: | |||||
|
9. Buenos Noches
J: Declan Bates
T: Ciaron Maher |
0x3x0x | G | 3 | 57kg | |
|
10. Steparty
J: Mark Zahra
T: Paul Preusker |
2235x8 | G | 2 | 57kg | |
|
11. Suparazi
J: Michael Dee
T: Ben Brisbourne |
x5530x | G | 12 | 57kg | |
|
12. Payline
J: Justin Huxtable
T: Chris & Corey Munce |
398x56 | G | 14 | 57kg | |
|
13. Star Patrol
J: Ben Melham
T: Clinton McDonald |
0x90x2 | G | 13 | 57kg | |
| 14. She's Bulletproof (3) Scratched: | |||||
|
15. Bridal Waltz
J: Luke Nolen
T: Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman |
13311x | M | 11 | 56.5kg | |
|
16. Stretan Angel
J: Daniel Stackhouse
T: Phillip Stokes |
490x02 | M | 4 | 55kg | |
|
17. La Fracas
J: Jamie Melham
T: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr |
6x1111 | G | 10 | 57kg | |
2025 Gilgai Stakes Nominations
The official Gilgai Stakes 2025 nominations are taken the Monday of Turnbull Stakes week.
| Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | x6617x50x5 | AIRMAN | G | 6 | Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes | 108 |
| 2 | 35x913311x | BRIDAL WALTZ | M | 4 | Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman | 100 |
| 3 | 49090x3x0x | BUENOS NOCHES | H | 6 | Ciaron Maher | 105 |
| 4 | 0x11x252x8 | FLYING FOR FUN | M | 4 | Bryce Heys | 84 |
| 5 | 100x6930x6 | GIVEMETHEBEATBOYS (IRE) | G | 5 | Michael Freedman | 100 |
| 6 | 434×221116 | IN FLIGHT | M | 5 | Joseph Pride | 105 |
| 7 | 2x422246x3 | KLABEL (NZ) | G | 6 | Richard & Chantelle Jolly | 91 |
| 8 | x1426x1111 | LA FRACAS (IRE) | G | 5 | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | 89 |
| 9 | 4x65516x54 | MAZU | G | 7 | Joseph Pride | 109 |
| 10 | 306x41417x | NADAL | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher | 102 |
| 11 | 1x69398x56 | PAYLINE | G | 5 | Chris & Corey Munce | 104 |
| 12 | 2x1x2212x1 | PERSIAN SPIRIT | G | 5 | Symon Wilde | 77 |
| 13 | 311x170x34 | ROYAL INSIGNIA | H | 4 | Grahame Begg | 88 |
| 14 | x2122125x0 | SHE’S BULLETPROOF | M | 5 | Charlotte Littlefield | 104 |
| 15 | 0x110x90x2 | STAR PATROL | G | 7 | Clinton McDonald | 103 |
| 16 | 63332235×8 | STEPARTY | G | 5 | Paul Preusker | 105 |
| 17 | 4x23490x02 | STRETAN ANGEL | M | 5 | Phillip Stokes | 105 |
| 18 | 6320x5530x | SUPARAZI | G | 7 | Ben Brisbourne | 94 |
| 19 | 22x189x441 | TIGER SHARK | M | 5 | Clayton Douglas | 101 |
| 20 | 2380x2111x | WAR MACHINE (NZ) | G | 5 | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | 111 |
| 21 | 12x15174x1 | WATCHME WIN | G | 5 | Andrew Gluyas | 96 |
| 22 | 1x21x1713x | WEST STAR | G | 4 | Simon A Miller | 103 |
| 23 | 11x152048x | WILLAIDOW | G | 7 | Marc & Mitchell Conners | 102 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
Gilgai Stakes Form Guide
The Gilgai Stakes form guide features crucial facts and race stats including the jockeys and trainers of the horses in the field as well as their records over the track / distance.
In recent years the Gilgai Stakes form has held up in subsequent Group 1 Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival features including the Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley and the Darley Classic, now called the VRC Sprint Classic, at Flemington.
Runners may also travel across to Perth during the Summer Racing Carnival in WA for a shot at the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m), a race the 2012 Gilgai Stakes third placegetter Spirit Of Boom finished third in three runs later that year. Spirit Of Boom also ran second in the 2013 Gilgai Stakes and fourth in that year’s Winterbottom.
The 2024 Gilgai winner Right To Party franked the form with a second at her next start in the Champions Sprint quinella.
2025 Gilgai Stakes Form Guide
A link to our comprehensive Gilgai Stakes 2025 Form Guide will be provided for punters below the week of the race.
Gilgai Stakes Results
The Gilgai Stakes race results have been dominated by Group 1 performed favourites in the past decade.
Notable recent Gilgai Stakes winners include Private Eye (2022), Kementari (2021), Sunlight (2019), Chautauqua (2015, 2014), Temple Of Boom (2011), Hay List (2010), All Silent (2990), and Belle Du Jour (2001).
Right To Party (2024) was the last Gilgai Stakes winning mare.
Royal Troubadour (1984) was the last three-year-old Gilgai Stakes winner.
Falkirk holds the current Gilgai Stakes race record winning over the 1200m in 2005 in a time of 1 minute 07:96 seconds.
Past Gilgai Stakes Winners
Recent Gilgai Stakes winners and placegetters dating back to the year 2000 are detailed in the below table.
| Year | Winner | 2nd | 3rd | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | War Machine | Bridal Waltz | Star Patrol | 1:08.53 |
| 2024 | Right To Party | Arkansaw Kid | Stretan Angel | 1:10.31 |
| 2023 | Star Patrol | Triple Missile | C’est Magique | 1:09.8 |
| 2022 | Private Eye | Roch ‘N’ Horse | Baller | 1:08.3 |
| 2021 | Kementari | Zoutori | Kemalpasa | 1:10.5 |
| 2020 | Zoutori | Dollar For Dollar | Kemalpasa | 1:08.3 |
| 2019 | Sunlight | Santa Ana Lane | Zoutori | 1:09.4 |
| 2018 | I Am Excited | Eduardo | Bons Away | 1:09.1 |
| 2017 | Keen Array | Sold For Song | Malibu Style | 1:09.2 |
| 2016 | The Quarterback | We’ve Got This | Durendal | 1:09.0 |
| 2015 | Chautauqua | Delectation | Knoydart | 1:09.8 |
| 2014 | Chautauqua | Bounding | Final Crescendo | 1:08.2 |
| 2013 | Platelet | Spirit Of Boom | Steps In Time | 1:10.1 |
| 2012 | Hallowell Belle | King’s Rose | Spirit Of Boom | 1:08.8 |
| 2011 | Temple Of Boom | Sistine Angel | Response | 1:10.5 |
| 2010 | Hay List | Catapulted | Chasm | 1:08.2 |
| 2009 | All Silent | First Command | Light Fantastic | 1:09.8 |
| 2008 | El Cambio | Swick | Murtajill | 1:10.1 |
| 2007 | Stanzout | Shadoways | Valedictum | 1:10.4 |
| 2006 | Fast N Famous | Shadoways | Dance Hero | 1:08.3 |
| 2005 | Falkirk | Glamour Puss | Recapitalize | 1:07.9 |
| 2004 | Recapitalize | Falkirk | Amtrak | 1:09.2 |
| 2003 | Bomber Bill | Mr. Magoo | Red Labelle | 1:09.7 |
| 2002 | Cosmic Strike | Strategic Image | Rubitano | 1:09.3 |
| 2001 | Belle Du Jour | Point Danger | Gold Class | 1:10.4 |
| 2000 | Bomber Bill | Sports | Umrum | 1:08.6 |
FAQ
Who won the 2025 Gilgai Stakes?
The 2025 Gilgai Stakes was won by five-year-old Harry Angel gelding War Machine at $2.90 favouritism for trainers Ben, Will & JD Hayes with jockey Blake Shinn aboard on the 60kg topweight from the outside barrier 15 to win by 2 lengths on a Good (3) track in a time of 1:08.53.
When is the Gilgai Stakes 2025?
Saturday October 4, 2025What is the prize money for the Gilgai Stakes 2025?
$300,000
Where is the Gilgai Stakes 2025?
Flemington Racecourse, 448 Epsom Rd, Flemington VIC 3031.
How do I bet on the 2025 Gilgai 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 2025 Gilgai Stakes?
The best way to pick which horse will win the Gilgai 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.