Ladbrokes Tip: The Sydney Stakes serves as a nice consolation race for sprinters that didn’t make The Everest field
The 2025 Sydney Stakes ran on Saturday October 18, 2025 offering incredible $2 million in prize money and saw Rob Heathcote’s eight-year-old warhorse Rothfire ($13) break a lengthy winning drought.
2025 Sydney Stakes Results
The official Sydney Stakes 2025 Results & Finishing Order will be provided below once the race is run and won on Saturday October 18, 2025.
- 1st: No. 2 Rothfire
- 2nd: No. 1 Iowna Merc
- 3rd: No. 7 With your Blessing
Rob Heathcote’s marvel eight-year-old Brisbane galloper, Rothfire ($13), returned to winning form for the first time in 655 days when down in grade and given a perfectly timed ride by Zac Purton – in town to ride Ka Ying Rising in The Everest – to charge through the middle late and deny Iowna Merc in a thrilling 2025 Sydney Stakes result.
2025 Sydney Stakes Odds
The season’s top Sydney Stakes 2025 odds and betting market links will be available below as soon as open.
| 2. Rothfire (16) J: Zac Purton 58.5kg 27x97T: Robert Heathcote | ||
| 1. Iowna Merc (4) J: Ashley Morgan 58.5kg 100x6T: Bjorn Baker | ||
| 7. With Your Blessing (10) J: Alysha Collett 58.5kg x5231T: John P Thompson | ||
| 6. Libertad (7) J: Craig Williams 58.5kg 9178xT: Annabel & Rob Archibald | ||
| 10. Caballus (14) J: Tommy Berry 58.5kg 87x1xT: Bjorn Baker | ||
| 5. Coal Crusher (5) J: Tyler Schiller 58.5kg 020x5T: Joseph Pride | ||
| 15. Generosity (12) J: James McDonald 56.5kg 35x93T: Chris Waller | ||
| 8. Ostraka (8) J: Chad Schofield 58.5kg 64x36T: Annabel & Rob Archibald | ||
| 12. Disneck (3) J: Dylan Gibbons 58.5kg x6631T: Bjorn Baker | ||
| 13. Fire Star (6) J: Michael Dee 58.5kg 30x10T: Peter Snowden | ||
| 3. Golden Mile (2) J: Adam Hyeronimus 58.5kg 0330xT: Joseph Pride | ||
| 9. Sandpaper (9) J: Jason Collett 58.5kg 1515xT: Bjorn Baker | ||
| 11. Sha Of Gomer (11) J: Anthony Allen 58.5kg 21153T: Jeff Dunn | ||
| 4. Dragonstone (13) J: Josh Parr 58.5kg 51x07T: Joseph Pride | ||
| 14. Beauty Charge (1) J: Kerrin McEvoy 58.5kg 710x2T: Matthew Smith | ||
| 16. Shezanalister (15) J: Rachel King 56.5kg 200x2T: Bjorn Baker |
Sydney Stakes Tips
Top Sydney Stakes tips include looking for proven weight-for-age horses, runners with a strong Randwick record and any standout sprinters down in grade off a lead-up Group 1 run earlier during the carnival.
2025 Sydney Stakes Tips
Our Ladbrokes’ insider Sydney Stakes 2021 betting tips and Randwick racing selections will be detailed below the week of the race so bookmark this page for the stayers to back and sack in The Everest consolation race this spring.
Each Way: No. 7 With Your Blessing
WITH YOUR BLESSING (10) is a last start winner in Saturday’s The Everest consolation race and appeals at the price to go back-to-back. John Thompson’s Kiwi-bred Vadamos seven-year-old has form around some very good horses this prep and lands himself in a winnable edition of the six-furlong showdown. He ran in the money behind Lazzura (2nd in the Group 3 Show County) and Pericles (3rd in the Group 2 Tramway Stakes) – both times at juicy odds. He franked that form at his latest over 1400m here winning the Group 3 Bill Ritchie with 55.5kg. Sticks at his pet track (15:4-3-4) and comes back in distance. Does rise in weight now and is drawn wide for jockey Alysha Collett but is confident, brings in strong form lines, and is fit enough to outrun a few of these. Will try to cross and lead and can go all-the-way or at least hold for a place. Won’t go down quietly. From outsider to eye-catcher — With Your Blessing is building a serious spring profile and he isn’t just making up numbers.
|
7. With Your Blessing (10)
J: Alysha Collett 58.5kg
x5231T: John P Thompson
|
The Sydney Stakes is a Group 3 race run at Randwick Racecourse on a Saturday in mid-October as part of The Everest Day.
The meeting is headlined by the world’s richest turf race – the now Group 1 $20 million The Everest (1200m) – with the Sydney Stakes one of the key support races along with the Group 1 $5 million King Charles III Stakes (formerly the George Main Stakes, $2 million The Kosciuszko, and the Group 3 $1 million Silver Eagle.
Other notable events on the card include Group 3 Angst Stakes (1600m) for the mares and The Big Dance Wildcard.
Open to horses aged three-years-old and above, the Sydney Stakes is contested over 1200m at weight-for-age and offers a lucrative $2 million in prize money having had its stakes notably increased from $500,000 ahead of the 2022 edition.
It is considered the consolation prize for sprinters that did not gain one of the 12 slots in The Everest field and runners in the Sydney Stakes field may also be named as one of the six The Everest emergencies.
Should there be a scratching from the original line-up of The Everest horses, any emergency accepted for the Sydney Stakes must run in the $20 million feature.
Run and won since 1968, the race has only held Group 3 status since since 2018.
Formerly known as the Lighting Stakes, it was renamed the Sydney Stakes in 2017 in line with the inaugural running of The Everest.
The 2024 The Everest winner Bella Nipotina improved on her third in the previous year’s Sydney Stakes to become the first mare to salute in the $20 million feature a year on from her Group 3 placing.
Sydney Stakes Race Info
- Date: Saturday October 18, 2025
- Track: Randwick Racecourse
- Distance: 1200m
- Conditions: Weight-for-age
- Status: Group 3
- Prize Money: $2,000,000
- First Run: 1968
Sydney Stakes Betting
Sydney Stakes betting markets are led by the season’s best performing sprinters, especially those that were aiming for a run in The Everest field but did not earn a slot.
Any horses that run well in the Group 2 Premiere Stakes (1200m) on Epsom Handicap Day are usually also installed at short Sydney Stakes odds should they be in the field.
Big Parade ($2.40 in 2021) was the last favourite in Sydney Stakes betting to get the job done.
In 2022 Rocketing By scored a big upset winning at Sydney Stakes odds of $61!
There was another upset Sydney Stakes result in 2025 with Rothfire saluting at $13.
Sydney Stakes Field
The Sydney Stakes race field features a quality line-up of sprinters from mainly the local Sydney stables coming off lead-up runs in similar grade races over the spring.
The best horses out of the Sydney Stakes field may continue onto the $3 million Winners Stakes at Rosehill on Golden Eagle Day, a race previously renamed each year in honour of the previous season’s The Everest winner until being changed to the Russell Balding Stakes in 2024.
In 2021 Big Parade won the Sydney Stakes before a fourth in the Winners Stakes, run that year as the Classique Legend Stakes, while Standout finished second and third respectively in those two end-of-spring races.
The Sydney Stakes final acceptances are released on the Wednesday of race week following the early nominations taken the Monday leading-up to The Everest Day.
2025 Sydney Stakes Field
The official Sydney Stakes 2025 field and barriers will be published in full below once final acceptances are taken by Racing NSW on the Wednesday of race week.
The 2025 Sydney Stakes field features a bumper line-up of sprinters chasing a consolation prize on The Everest Day with markets on the $2 million event led by Chris Waller’s last start Group 2 The Shorts third placegetter Generosity.
| Entrant | Last 6 | Sex | Barrier | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. Iowna Merc
J: Ashley Morgan
T: Bjorn Baker |
1100x6 | G | 4 | 58.5kg | |
|
2. Rothfire
J: Zac Purton
T: Robert Heathcote |
427x97 | G | 16 | 58.5kg | |
|
3. Golden Mile
J: Adam Hyeronimus
T: Joseph Pride |
60330x | G | 2 | 58.5kg | |
|
4. Dragonstone
J: Josh Parr
T: Joseph Pride |
251x07 | G | 13 | 58.5kg | |
|
5. Coal Crusher
J: Tyler Schiller
T: Joseph Pride |
5020x5 | G | 5 | 58.5kg | |
|
6. Libertad
J: Craig Williams
T: Annabel & Rob Archibald |
x9178x | H | 7 | 58.5kg | |
|
7. With Your Blessing
J: Alysha Collett
T: John P Thompson |
2x5231 | G | 10 | 58.5kg | |
|
8. Ostraka
J: Chad Schofield
T: Annabel & Rob Archibald |
664x36 | G | 8 | 58.5kg | |
|
9. Sandpaper
J: Jason Collett
T: Bjorn Baker |
21515x | G | 9 | 58.5kg | |
|
10. Caballus
J: Tommy Berry
T: Bjorn Baker |
887x1x | G | 14 | 58.5kg | |
|
11. Sha Of Gomer
J: Anthony Allen
T: Jeff Dunn |
821153 | G | 11 | 58.5kg | |
|
12. Disneck
J: Dylan Gibbons
T: Bjorn Baker |
8x6631 | G | 3 | 58.5kg | |
|
13. Fire Star
J: Michael Dee
T: Peter Snowden |
030x10 | G | 6 | 58.5kg | |
|
14. Beauty Charge
J: Kerrin McEvoy
T: Matthew Smith |
9710x2 | G | 1 | 58.5kg | |
|
15. Generosity
J: James McDonald
T: Chris Waller |
335x93 | M | 12 | 56.5kg | |
|
16. Shezanalister
J: Rachel King
T: Bjorn Baker |
0200x2 | M | 15 | 56.5kg |
2025 Sydney Stakes Nominations
The early Sydney Stakes 2025 Nominations are taken the Monday prior to the race.
| Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 54x8971Px2 | BEAUTY CHARGE (GB) | G | 7 | Matthew Smith | 91 |
| 2 | 3x90887x1x | CABALLUS | G | 5 | Bjorn Baker | 96 |
| 3 | 203x5020x5 | COAL CRUSHER | G | 8 | Joseph Pride | 105 |
| 4 | 11148×6631 | DISNECK | G | 5 | Bjorn Baker | 94 |
| 5 | 2x60251x07 | DRAGONSTONE | G | 7 | Joseph Pride | 106 |
| 6 | 11x5030x10 | FIRE STAR | G | 5 | Peter Snowden | 93 |
| 7 | 1x21335x93 | GENEROSITY | M | 5 | Chris Waller | 108 |
| 8 | 843x60330x | GOLDEN MILE | G | 6 | Joseph Pride | 107 |
| 9 | x58x1129x8 | IMPERIAL FORCE | G | 4 | Bjorn Baker | 94 |
| 10 | 14221100×6 | IOWNA MERC | G | 6 | Bjorn Baker | 109 |
| 11 | 0203x9178x | LIBERTAD | H | 5 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | 105 |
| 12 | 306x41417x | NADAL | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher | 102 |
| 13 | x973664x36 | OSTRAKA | G | 5 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | 104 |
| 14 | 864x427x97 | ROTHFIRE | G | 8 | Robert Heathcote | 108 |
| 15 | 11x170x340 | ROYAL INSIGNIA | H | 4 | Grahame Begg | 88 |
| 16 | x13221515x | SANDPAPER | G | 6 | Bjorn Baker | 104 |
| 17 | 7601821153 | SHA OF GOMER | G | 6 | Jeff Dunn | 96 |
| 18 | 7x130200x2 | SHEZANALISTER | M | 6 | Bjorn Baker | 94 |
| 19 | 1233x777x0 | WATEGOS | G | 7 | Bjorn Baker | 92 |
| 20 | x1412x5231 | WITH YOUR BLESSING (NZ) | G | 7 | John Thompson | 105 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
Sydney Stakes Form Guide
The Sydney Stakes form guide features all the info punters need to place a well-informed wager on the 1200m showdown including the saddlecloth number, barrier, trainer and jockey of all the runners in the field.
The 2021 Sydney Stakes form was franked in with the winner Big Parade returning in the autumn of 2022 to finish runner-up in the Group 1 The Galaxy.
The 2023 Sydney Stakes winner I Am Me franked the form with two subsequent Group 1 second placings in Melbourne’s Manikato Stakes and Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes that spring. The mare then enjoyed an excellent 2024 season including winning back-to-back wins in the Group 3 Concorde Stakes and Group 2 The Shorts to earn a slot in the 2024 The Everest field.
The 2024 Sydney Stakes winner Overpass franked the form heading west to successfully defend his title in Perth’s Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes.
2025 Sydney Stakes Form Guide
A link to our comprehensive Sydney Stakes 2025 Form Guide will be provided for punters below the week of the race.
Sydney Stakes Results
The Sydney Stakes race results and finishing order are announced on The Everest Day.
As well as the Sydney Stakes winner, successful trifecta and first four you can also see the starting price and margin of all the runners as well as any scratched horses that may have been called-up to run as an emergency in The Everest race.
Some of the most famous Sydney Stakes winners include Shogun Lodge (2003), two-time champion Famous Seamus (2012-13), In Her Time (2017), Pierata (2018), and dual The Quokka champion Overpass (2024).
Rocketing By ($61 in 2022) is one of the longest-priced Sydney Stakes winners in the race’s history.
I Am Me (2023) was the last Sydney Stakes winning mare.
In Her Time holds the current Sydney Stakes race record winning in 2017 in a time of 1 minute 8.26 seconds.
Past Sydney Stakes Winners
Recent Sydney Stakes winners and placegetters dating back to the year 2016 are detailed in the below table.
| Year | Winner | Second | Third |
| 2025 | Rothfire | Iowna Merc | With Your Blessing |
| 2024 | Overpass | Coal Crusher | Southport Tycoon |
| 2023 | I Am Me | Airman | Bella Nipotina |
| 2022 | Rocketing By | In The Congo | Weona Smartone |
| 2021 | Big Parade | Standout | Prime Candidate |
| 2020 | Trumbull | Standout | Signore Fox |
| 2019 | Deprive | Champagne Cuddles | Brutal |
| 2018 | Pierata | Jungle Edge | Clearly Innocent |
| 2017 | In Her Time | Impending | Ball Of Muscle |
| 2016 | Speith | Kaepernick | Le Cordon Bleu |
FAQ
Who won the 2025 Sydney Stakes?
The 2025 Sydney Stakes was won by eight-year-old Rothesay gelding Rothfire at $13 for trainer Robert Heathcote with jockey Zac Purton aboard on 58.5kg from barrier 16 to win by 0.31 lengths in a time of 1:08.52.
When is the Sydney Stakes 2025?
Saturday October 18, 2025What is the prize money for the Sydney Stakes 2025?
$2,000,000
Where is the Sydney Stakes 2025?
Randwick Racecourse, Alison Rd, Randwick NSW 2031.
How do I bet on the 2024 Sydney 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 2024 Sydney Stakes?
The best way to pick which horse will win the Sydney 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.