Flight Stakes 2023

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

The Flight Stakes is a Group One race over 1,600m and is held at Randwick Racecourse. This race is run exclusively for three-year-old fillies at set weights and has a total prizemoney pool of $750,000. This year’s Flight Stakes will be held on Saturday, October 7th and was won by Zougotcha in 2022.

The Flight Stakes is part of the Randwick Group One triple-header, sharing center stage with The Metropolitan and Epsom Handicap, along with the Turnbull Stakes in Melbourne.

This $750,000 Group One is exclusively for three-year-old fillies and is one of the first big tests to see how last season’s two-year-olds have come on. Run over 1,600m, the prizemoney isn’t the only drawcard of this race, with the winner also getting ballot-exemption entry into the Doncaster Mile, which is run during The Championships in Sydney during the Autumn campaign.

The Flight Stakes, which was first run in 1947 and won by Nizam’s Ring, became a Group One race in 1985. Since then, the likes of Research, Sunline and More Joyous, before more recently Godolphin mare, Alizee, and Funstar. In 2020, the race was won by promising filly Montefilia, who then went on to win the Group One Spring Champion Stakes one week later.

Be sure to read on below to get all of the information you need to know on the history and formlines for the race, or alternatively you can chat to The Shark to get the best tips for every day!

The Flight Stakes is an Australian Group One race that brings the best three-year-old fillies to the races and it also attracts the attention of many Aussies who like to have a casual punt. Our expert tipsters will put together a short list of Flight Stakes tips to look out for in the leadup to the big race.

Given nominations are yet to be accepted for the 2023 Flight Stakes, it is hard to provide any updates at this time. However, as the Spring Carnival gets going, the fillies that are targeting this race will become clearer and we will be able to provide you with updates. If you are after Flight Stakes horse tips, then we will keep you informed with which fillies are likely to be running, so you can place your futures bets with confidence!

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

Flight Stakes Tips From Experts

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

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!

In recent years, punters have enjoyed the Flight Stakes. Three of the last five winners have been favourites and the other two runners both had starting prices below $15.

Is Two-Year-Old Form Vital for Flight Stakes success?

Looking from 2016-2022, majority of the winners had at least one run as a two-year-old, with five of them having won a race before contesting the Flight Stakes. In 2022, winner Zougotcha won the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes from barrier 5.

Never Been Kissed, the 2021 winner, is an outlier in that she never raced as a two-year-old. Her previous three starts, before the Flight Stakes, all were after she became a three-year-old. She won her first two of those races before a 4.15L ninth in the Tea Rose Stakes in her run prior.

Montefilia, the winner in 2020 had just three runs as a two-year-old, two in her Autumn preparation and then a third to kick-start her three-year-old Spring campaign, however running before the August 1st birth date for thoroughbreds. She won just one of those but then won her first run as a three-year-old and set herself up nicely for a successful preparation.

Funstar, the 2019 winner, had the most success of the previous six winners coming into the race. She had raced four times, winning three of them, including the G2 Tea Rose Stakes two weeks earlier, before going on to win the Flight Stakes by 3.3 lengths.

While two-year-old form isn’t vital, you would like your horse to have shown that they are capable of delivering on the big stage. A previous win would be nice but if they haven’t, hopefully they have placed in some of the big two-year-old races in the Autumn.

Should I Bet On The Favourite in the Flight Stakes?

Historically, the Flight Stakes is won by favourites, with the class three-year-old fillies making themselves known heading in. Over the last 12 years, six winners have been priced under $3.00, with Guelph being the shortest winner at $1.30 in 2013, shortly followed by Funstar who was $1.80 in 2019.

However, recent form has shown that it may be a bit more unpredictable than that. Three of the last five winners have had double-digit odds while four of the last seven winners have been priced over $5.

Montefilia won in 2020 despite jumping at $12. She was third-favourite in the race, behind the two standouts in Dame Giselle ($2.80) and Hungry Heart ($1.90). Never Been Kissed was a massive outsider, jumping at $41 but still crossing the line first. Favourites clearly have a good track record but it definitely isn’t gospel, as Montefilia and Never Been Kissed have shown in the last two years.

Things returned to normal in 2022, when second favourite, a $3.30 chance, Zougotcha, won the Flight Stakes.

Formlines Heading into the Flight Stakes

Each of the last seven winners of the Flight Stakes contested the Tea Rose Stakes in their run prior, however just three fillies won that race, including the 2022 winner, Zougotcha.

Funstar was the clear class three-year-old filly of the 2019 Spring preparation, beating out Probabeel, who has won three Group Ones since, in both the Tea Rose and the Flight. Alizee was the other filly to win the Tea Rose in the lead up.

The Godolphin didn’t win as a two-year-old but a change of trainers turned things around for the filly. Alizee won her first race as a three-year-old before running in three more races prior to the Flight Stakes, winning one, with the G2 Tea Rose being that win.

Flight Stakes Best Bets

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

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!

Long before the Flight Stakes field is officially announced – online bookies will open early markets, or all-in markets, for Flight Stakes betting. This is prime time to bet on your favourite horse, as you might be able to bet on strong contenders for the 2023 Flight Stakes at double-digit odds.

Once the bookies release the 2023 Flight Stakes odds, they will obviously fluctuate frequently in the lead up to the race, especially when we have a better idea of which fillies will be targeting the race and how well they have returned as a three-year-old.

Punting early on these markets can find you a favourite at prices of $10 or more, which will retain you a much higher return on investment. However, there is increased risk with doing this and you should be well aware.

Depending on when you place a futures bet on the 2023 Flight Stakes, your horse may not even run but you won’t get your money back, occurring when the market is ‘All-In’ or closer to the starting date. If you are betting when it says ‘Before Noms’, you have the security of receiving your money back if your horse doesn’t run.

The 2023 Flight Stakes odds are yet to be released for punters. We will list all the odds below as soon as they are available, so be sure to check back on this page soon.

While details about the field for 2023 isn’t available yet, take a look at the key runners in the field from the race in 2022.

A small but capable field of ten 3YO fillies took their place in the 2022 Flight Stakes at Randwick. As was becoming the norm in Sydney, the track was rated a Heavy8.

Despite being unplaced in the Golden Rose the start prior, Golden Slipper winner Fireburn was sent out a short priced favourite at $2.40. She was expected to relish the rise to 1600m and had won three from four on heavy tracks, including two Group 1’s.

Zoustar filly, Zougotcha ($4.20), was considered the main danger by punters, after a strong win in the Group 2 Tea Rose a fortnight earlier. This would be her first race beyond 1400m, but had also recorded good figures on wet tracks.

She’s Extreme ($5.00), who finished 3L behind Jacquinot in the Golden Rose and Wolverine ($8.00), who charged home in the Tea Rose behind Zougotcha, were next best in the market, and it was out to $12 or better the rest of the field.

With the 2023 Flight Stakes yet to be run and won, let’s have a look back at the 2022 Flight Stakes to see if there are any key performance indicators that can help us find the winner of this year’s Group 1 feature.

After trailing the leader from barrier 2 and sprinting hard on the inside lanes in the straight, the Chris Waller trained, Zougotcha, was far too good in the 2022 Flight Stakes. Ridden to perfection by jockey James McDonald, she streaked away in the concluding stages to score by 2L.

She’s Extreme, who sat outside Zougotcha in the run, chased gamely to finish second under Tommy Berry, but was no match for the winner. Race leader North Star Lass, who was sent out a $12 chance, held on gamely to finish third beaten 2.3L.

Race favourite Fireburn was a further 2.1L back in fourth, after getting back in the run and never looking likely. It was fair to say bookmakers rejoiced whilst punters lay in the foetal position, as she was heavily backed and expected to get the cash.

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

Flight Stakes Winners

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