Doncaster Mile 2023

In a hurry? We’ve listed all the quick facts that you need to know about the Doncaster Mile:

The Doncaster Mile is a $3 million handicap run over the testing 1600m at Royal Randwick during the Autumn Carnival.

The Doncaster Mile (Doncaster Handicap) was first conducted in 1866 and won by the favourite Dundee (who had previously won the Epsom back in the Spring).

The race is now conducted on the first day of the ATC Championships Carnival and boasts a winners list that includes the who’s who of Australian Turf Champions.

The name of the race was changed to Doncaster Mile in 2010 but remains one of the toughest 1600m handicap races in Australia.

The race is open to three-year-olds and older and the minimum weight to be carried is 49kgs.

One of the Australian turf’s greatest fillies in Briseis won the Doncaster Handicap in the Autumn of 1876 before she traveled to Melbourne and won the 1876 VRC Derby, VRC Oaks and Melbourne Cup in a performance that is unlikely to be seen ever again.

Other Champions of the turf to win the Doncaster include Chatham (1934), Hall Mark (1935), Tobin Bronze (1967), Gunsynd (1972) and who can forget the heroics of Super Impose when he won two Doncasters in 1990 and 1991.

The Doncaster Mile always provides a spectacle with big fields and even racing ensuring a competitive race year in year out.

The Doncaster Mile is a major Australian Group 1 race that brings some of the greatest horses to Randwick Racecourse in Sydney and it also attracts the attention of many Aussies, just like us, who like having a punt. Our expert racing tipsters will put together a list of Doncaster Mile tips to look out for in the leadup to the big race.

Due to the fact that nominations are not accepted for the 2023 Doncaster Mile at this time, it is difficult to provide any accurate updates. However, as the Autumn Racing Carnival continues to roll on and we get closer to the big race, the quality of horses that are targeting this race will become clearer.

When we have an outline of the horses that are likely to be targeting the Doncaster Mile, then we can provide more accurate updates. If you are looking for Doncaster Mile horse tips, then we will keep on top of which horses are likely to be running and provide all these details online, meaning you can place your futures bets with confidence!

We will list The Sharks’ Doncaster Mile best tips for the race this year closer to the time of the race. Make sure you check back on this page for updates!

Doncaster Mile Tips From Experts

Our tips are not out for the Doncaster Mile in 2023 as it is too far out from the event. But the good news is that when the final field for the Doncaster Mile is announced, we will provide guidance on each and every runner in the 2023 Doncaster Mile.

You will find all this information below, when it becomes available. Stay tuned!

Doncaster Mile Trifecta Tips

Winning a Doncaster Mile trifecta is not simple, to say the least. But there are definitely tips and tricks that you can consider to make punting a little bit easier.

Doncaster Mile Trifecta Tip 1
Don’t blindly trust other punters, always go with your gut when it comes to choosing your favourites. Do your own research and look at stats into runners you think may have a shot at the Doncaster Mile trifecta.

Doncaster Mile Trifecta Tip 2
If you’re a bit unsure where to start with your research, consider checking out a Doncaster Mile form guide – bookies like Sportsbet and Neds have them available year-round.

Doncaster Mile Trifecta Tip 3
Consider placing a box trifecta rather than a straight trifecta. A box trifecta covers you in all combinations of finishing positions, once you’ve chosen three runners. It will also cost a little extra to place, but improves your chances of winning a Doncaster Mile trifecta by a massive amount.

Where to Place a Doncaster Mile Trifecta?
You’re able to place a Doncaster Mile trifecta through an online bookie – or in store at TAB. Online bookies often offer elite punting services – with plenty of fans placing a box trifecta with the 3 favourites in their bet.

Online bookies are also not subject to business hours or location – which means you’re able to place a Doncaster Mile trifecta from your living room! Online bookies also offer a step-by-step guide into placing a Doncaster Mile trifecta.

There are a lot of important factors to consider before betting on the Doncaster Mile. Make sure you have a read on below before you place your bets:

Is Previous Doncaster Mile Form a Good Indicator of Future Success?

It is important to look at previous Doncaster Mile results for future success. Horses that are proven over the track/ distance have a distinct advantage when they return the following season.

Super Impose won two Doncaster Miles in a row in 1990 and 1991. The Gai Waterhouse trained Pharaoh won consecutive Miles (1994 and 1995) with “Group 1” Gavin Eades aboard.

The most recent two time winner was the Chris Waller trained Sacred Falls who won the double in 2013 and 2014.

Should I Bet On The Favourite in the Doncaster Mile?

Handicap races in Australia have typically thrown up a few longshots over the years and the Doncaster Handicap has been no different.

The last favourite to win was in 2016 when Winx was dominant at $1.80. Only one other favourite has saluted since 2007 and that was when the John Singleton owned mare More Joyous saluted in 2012.

The longest priced winner in recent years was in 2020 when Nettoyer got the prize at the juicy odds of $41. While the winner in 2022, Mr Brightside, won at odds of $15.

Formlines from Lead Up Races

The best guide to the winner of the Doncaster Mile has been the George Ryder Stakes. Six of the last nine winners of the Mile have come out of the George Ryder Stakes.

Of the six only Winx has completed the double so don’t necessarily look for the winner of the George Ryder but look for those running a competitive race at weight-for-age then having weight relief back to handicap conditions.

Age

Over the last 20 years of the Mile, 8 three-year-olds have won, the most recent being the Hawkes trained Brutal in 2019.

There has been a mixture of younger horses win the race as well as the more seasoned milers. The oldest in the last 20 years was Happy Clapper who won as a popular seven-year-old in 2018.

Weight

Being a handicap, weight can be the telling factor. Important to look for those in form gallopers that may have got under the eye of the handicapper and got in at light weight like Brutal did in 2019 winning with just 49.5kgs.

But sometimes the Champions overcome big weight like superstar mare Sunline did in 2002 when she carried the grandstand weight of 58kgs and still won. In 2022, Mr Brightside won with just 50kg on his back.

Gender

Only four mares have won since 2004. History points to horses, colts and geldings having the edge on the females in the Mile but a Champion mare has always been competitive.

Doncaster Mile Best Bets

Our Doncaster Mile best bets for 2022 are not out just yet, make sure you keep an eye out on this page as we will provide more details about our best bets when the final field is announced.

You will find all this information below, when it becomes available. Stay tuned, or alternatively you can chat to The Shark to get the best tips for every day!

Doncaster Mile Bet Types

Below is a table that outlines the basics on how to bet on the Doncaster Mile:

Long before the Doncaster Mile field is announced for everyone to see – majority of the Aussie bookmakers will open early markets, or all-in markets, for all your Doncaster Mile betting needs. This is a great time to bet on your chosen horse, as you could have the ability to bet on solid contenders for the 2023 Doncaster Mile at higher odds.

Once the 2023 Doncaster Mile odds are released, they are known to fluctuate a lot in the lead up to the big race. This is especially the case once we have a clearer idea of which horses will be aiming for the race, and their recent form in the lead up to the race.

If you choose to bet in these markets, you may find a favourite priced at $10 or more, which will mean you get more cash in your back pocket if your horse goes on to win. However, there is additional risk with doing this and you need to be aware before putting your hard earned cash down.

Depending on when you place your bet on the Doncaster Mile in 2023, your horse may not even get a run, but what’s worse is that you also won’t get your money back, occurring when the market is ‘All-In’ or closer to the time of the big race. If you are having a punt when it says ‘Before Noms’, you have the luxury of getting your money back if your horse ends up not running.

The 2023 Doncaster Mile odds are not yet released! Please check back here closer to the time of the race.

The Doncaster Mile always produces a capacity field of even milers who have been assessed and handicapped to produce the most competitive of races. The 2022 edition of the race was no different, with great field of quality horses all vying for a massive win here at Randwick.

Due to all the rain around in Sydney in the weeks leading up to the race, the track was rated a Heavy 9, which resulted in a couple of scratchings, but there were still 20 horses that jumped at the gate.

Of all the runners, it was in fact Forbidden Love that started as the favourite. The 4YO mare had won her previous three races, and was certainly the deserving favourite. She had won the Group 2 Proven Thoroughbreds Stakes, and Group 1s Canterbury Stakes and George Ryder Stakes, in the lead up to the Doncaster Mile.

On the next line of betting was I’m Thunderstruck, at $5.00. The 2021 Golden Eagle winner had put in some solid performances in the lead up to the Doncaster Mile, including a second in the All Star Mile at Flemington, and he had won on a heavy rated track previously.

The only other runner that started under double digit odds was Converge, at $8.50. She had performed very well recently, placing in each of her four last starts, including a win in the Group 1 Randwick Guineas, at the same track at the Doncaster Mile, in early March.

With the 2023 Doncaster Mile field yet to be determined, let’s take a look back at the 2022 field, headlined by winner Mr Brightside:

Doncaster Mile Barrier Draw

Arguably one of the most important aspects of the Doncaster Mile is the barrier draw. It can be the difference between winning and losing at the Randwick Mile.

More than likely we will again see a capacity field of 18 runners and that will ensure an early struggle as riders look to find a position that will ensure their runners get the run of the race.

History suggests the wide barriers are hard to win from. Mr Brightside won from barrier 18 in 2022, although he was only carrying 50kg on his back. Brutal also won from barrier 18 in 2019 but that was after crossing to lead with 49.5kgs and just running his rivals into the ground. Kermadec in 2015 won from a wide gate in barrier 16, but besides those couple of exceptions no winner has come from further than barrier 14 since 2005.

Happy Clapper is the last horse to win from the inside barrier but Cascadian benefited from a peach of a ride from Jamie Kah after coming from barrier 3 in 2021

There was bound to be some interesting results thrown up at Randwick on the Saturday, as the track was rated a Heavy 9 due to all the rain in Sydney over the past couple of weeks. This is exactly what happened in the race, as a runner with double digit odds proved too good for the other 19 runners.

The winner of the 2022 Doncaster Mile was Mr Brightside, who was able to overcome one of the widest barriers (18), although he didn’t have as much weight on his back compared to others, just 50kg in fact.

Jockey Craig Williams put in a stellar race to finish 0.58L in front of second placed I’m Thunderstruck. I’m Thunderstruck was one of the favourites to win the race, but just couldn’t quite catch up to Mr Brightside down the straight.

Wrapping up the final placing was Icebath, who finished 0.99L behind Mr Brightside. She had only 51.5kg on her back and was still in the middle of the pack when they got to the 400m mark.

The favourite, Forbidden Love, ended up finishing in fourth place, 1.61L off the leader. The mare was actually need the front at both the 800m and 400m mark, in second place, but just couldn’t hold on until the finishing post.

You’ve read the words, now watch the video! Have a squiz below at the 2022 Doncaster Mile race:

Here are the results from the Doncaster Mile in 2022:

Doncaster Mile Winners

The results for the upcoming Doncaster Mile are not yet available, but in the meantime, you can have a look below at all the recent past winners:

History was made in 2021 when Jamie Kah became the first female to ride the winner of the Doncaster Mile with a daring win on Cascadian.

The recently retired Glen Boss has made this race his own in recent years and is the clear record holder with 7 wins in the Doncaster Mile. The next best is 4 wins for both Jack Thompson and Jack Toohey.

This race has eluded some of the best current day riders. Damien Oliver’s name does not feature on the honour board as yet and neither does another Victorian premier rider in Craig Williams, who is yet to find the winner’s stall. Well this was the case up until 2022, when Williams finally got the win he was striving for on board of Mr Brightside.

James McDonald has been dominating the Australian racing scene taking all the feature races with him but he still is yet to add a Doncaster Mile to his resume. Like the Melbourne Cup victory on Verry Elleegant, it could be almost time he adds his first Doncaster Mile to his long list of Group 1 titles.

While the 2023 Doncaster Mile jockeys are yet to be decided, know that the best that Australia has to offer will be there on the big day. If you are interested in a little history, have a look at the table below, which outlines all the winning jockeys over the past few years:

As with many of Sydney’s feature races Tommy Smith and his daughter Gai Waterhouse dominate the record books with 7 winners each. Gai is desperately trying to overtake her father but her last winner was More Joyous back in 2012. Maybe 2023 may see her takeover as sole record holder.

Chris Waller is hot on their heels with 6 winners including the Champion mare Winx. He is sure to have a number of runners taking on the Mile this season and would respect all his stable representatives.

James Cummings won his first Doncaster Mile when Cascadian crossed the line first in the 2021 edition of the race. He has a long way to go to run down his Hall of Fame grandfather Bart Cummings who has 5 victories in the famous Randwick Mile.

John Hawkes trained his first Doncaster winner with Over in 2000 with Darren Gauci aboard, then in 2019 he the Hawkes Team of father Jon and sons Michael and Wayne combined with a family affair when Brutal won as a three-year-old.

While the Doncaster Mile trainers for 2023 are yet to be released, we will update you with all of the news as it comes to hand. In the meantime, take a look back at some of the previous trainers to win the Doncaster Mile: