The Group 3 Festival Stakes is run at Rosehill Gardens during the Sydney Summer Racing Carnival as a lead-up to The Ingham.
2024 Festival Stakes Results
- 1st: TBD
- 2nd: TBD
- 3rd: TBD
Festival Stakes News
The 2024 Festival Stakes is a Group 3 race run at Rosehill Gardens in late November or early December during the Sydney Summer Racing Carnival.
Festival Stakes 2024 Odds & Results
James Squire Festival Stakes (G3)
| Runner Details | Win | Place |
|---|---|---|
|
1st
1. Private Eye (14) J: Nash Rawiller 60.5kg
T: Joseph Pride |
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2nd
11. Robusto (10) J: Winona Costin 54kg
T: Bjorn Baker |
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3rd
7. Xidaki (11) J: Tommy Berry 54.5kg
T: Peter Snowden |
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4th
2. Mighty Ulysses (3) J: Adam Hyeronimus 58.5kg
T: Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald |
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5th
8. Coastwatch (12) J: Regan Bayliss 54kg
T: R & W Freedman |
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6th
6. St Lawrence (8) J: Chad Schofield 55kg
T: Ciaron Maher |
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7th
10. Kintyre (5) J: Jason Collett 54kg
T: Gary Portelli |
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8th
14. King Of The Castle (6) J: Reece Jones 53kg
T: Joseph Pride |
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|
9th
4. Chrysaor (7) J: Kerrin McEvoy 55kg
T: Chris Waller |
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10th
3. Hoo Ya Mal (2) J: Tim Clark 57kg
T: G Waterhouse & A Bott |
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11th
15. Tannha (15) J: Zac Lloyd 53kg
T: Chris Waller |
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12th
18. Uzziah (9) J: Jay Ford 53kg
T: Scott Aspery |
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13th
16. So United (4) J: Louis-Philippe Beuzelin 53kg
T: G Waterhouse & A Bott |
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14th
17. Super Helpful (1) J: Zac Wadick 53kg
T: B Joseph & P & M Jones |
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|
15th
12. So Dazzling (13) J: Andrew Gibbons 54kg
T: J G Sargent |
Data retrieved: 27/05/2025 02:28:54 AM (Australia/Brisbane)
The quality handicap race is run over 1500m, offers $250,000 in prize money and takes place on the same Saturday as Perth’s $1.5 million Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m).
Horses running in the Festival Stakes field can come via a host of different lead-ups including Melbourne races run over the spring such as the Group 3 Chatham Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on Champions Stakes Day.
The Festival Stakes serves as a nice lead-up race to the old Villiers Stakes (1600m), now run over the mile at Royal Randwick a fortnight later as the $2 million The Ingham Stakes – and the Group 3 Summer Cup (2000m) back at Randwick on Boxing Day in late December.
Monton (2011) was the last horse to complete the Festival Stakes – Villiers Stakes double, while the 2018 Festival Stakes winner My Nordic Hero ran third in the Villiers next start.
More recently the 2021 Festival Stakes winner Ellsberg ran a next-up second in the Villiers Stakes results. He returned in 2022 and further franked the form with a third in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes in the autumn before an outstanding spring saluting in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) in a dead-heat with Top Ranked before completing the Five Diamonds Prelude – $2 million Five Diamonds double.
In 2023 the Ingham Stakes winner, Kirwan’s Lane, won the lucrative summer feature on the back of a third in that year’s Festival Stakes results.
The Festival Stakes 2024 runs on Saturday November 30, 2024 at Rosehill Gardens offering $250,000 in prize money.
| 2024 Festival Stakes | |
|---|---|
| Date: | Saturday November 30, 2024 |
| Track: | Rosehill Racecourse |
| Distance: | 1500m |
| Race Type: | Quality Handicap |
| Status: | Group 3 |
| Prize Money: | $250,000 |
2024 Festival Stakes Results
- 1st: TBD
- 2nd: TBD
- 3rd: TBD
2024 Festival Stakes Betting
The latest Festival Stakes odds will be available at Ladbrokes.com.au and listed here at Races.com.au for you to lock in your Festival Stakes Tips at the right price this summer racing season.
Rainer ($6EF) followed by Ellsberg ($2.40 in 2021) are the latest Festival Stakes favourites (or equal favourites) to salute for the punters.
There was a notable upset in 2023 with Phearson saluting at Festival Stakes odds of $17.
2024 Festival Stakes Form Guide
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2024 FESTIVAL STAKES FORM GUIDE
2024 Festival Stakes Tips
Stay tuned for our insider Festival Stakes 2024 Tips on the Ingham Stakes lead-up this spring-summer racing season.
- To Win: #6 St Lawrence ($5.50 at time of publish) – BET NOW
Big field full of quality for Saturday’s Festival Stakes but happy to stick with the in-form favourite St Lawrence for Ciaron Maher. The talented Redwood six-year-old chases a hat-trick after back-to-back lead-up wins at Randwick carrying plenty of weight. Latest was with 60kg on Melbourne Cup Day’s Little Dance over the mile. He drops to 55kg here with Chad Schofield retaining the ride. Well-weighted and good mid-field draw. Can win again.
2024 Festival Stakes Field
The Festival Stakes field attracts a diverse line-up of summer gallopers many of which are heading towards a run in the season’s Villiers Stakes (now The Ingham Stakes) over the Randwick mile and is released on the Wednesday before the race.
The official 2024 Festival Stakes field and barriers will be published below as soon as announced by Racing NSW.
The Festival Stakes 2024 final field features a bumper line-up of summer mile types led in betting by Little Dance winner St Lawrence.
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Probable Weight | Penalty | H Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6034×46658 | PRIVATE EYE | Joseph Pride | Nash Rawiller | 16 | 60.5kg | 110 | ||
| 2 | 16x0140x17 | MIGHTY ULYSSES (GB) | Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald | Adam Hyeronimus | 3 | 58.5kg | 106 | ||
| 3 | x57208x8x8 | HOO YA MAL (GB) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tim Clark | 2 | 57kg | 103 | ||
| 4 | 0x766x1004 | CHRYSAOR | Chris Waller | Kerrin McEvoy | 8 | 55kg | 99 | ||
| 5 | 3×08496342 | FELIX MAJESTIC | Gary Nickson | Ms Molly Bourke (a) | 17 | 55kg | 99 | ||
| 6 | x342332611 | ST LAWRENCE (NZ) | Ciaron Maher | Chad Schofield | 9 | 55kg | 99 | ||
| 7 | 211x621x20 | XIDAKI | Peter Snowden | Tommy Berry | 12 | 54.5kg | 98 | ||
| 8 | 74132×5506 | COASTWATCH | Richard & Will Freedman | Regan Bayliss | 13 | 54kg | 97 | ||
| 9 | 5152x203x0 | COTEHELE (NZ) | John O’Shea & Tom Charlton | Tom Sherry | 5 | 54kg | 95 | ||
| 10 | 3113×54940 | KINTYRE | Gary Portelli | Jason Collett | 6 | 54kg | 95 | ||
| 11 | 225×105476 | ROBUSTO | Bjorn Baker | Ms Winona Costin | 11 | 54kg | 95 | ||
| 12 | 7059x0040x | SO DAZZLING (NZ) | John Sargent | Andrew Gibbons (late alt) | 15 | 54kg | 87 | ||
| 13 | 1x913x2211 | NEED SOME LUCK | Peter Snowden | 14 | 54kg | 81 | |||
| 14 | 835387×519 | KING OF THE CASTLE (NZ) | Joseph Pride | Reece Jones | 7 | 53kg | 94 | ||
| 15 | x062410x7x | TANNHA | Chris Waller | Zac Lloyd | 18 | 53kg | 94 | ||
| 16 | 511639x08x | SO UNITED | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Louis Beuzelin | 4 | 53kg | 92 | ||
| 17 | 1x4890x062 | SUPER HELPFUL | Barbara Joseph, Paul & Matt Jones | Zac Wadick (a) | 1 | 53kg | 87 | ||
| 18 | 710542×131 | UZZIAH | Scott Aspery | Jay Ford | 10 | 53kg | 86 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
2024 Festival Stakes Nominations
The Festival Stakes nominations are taken the Monday prior to the race and are the first indication of what middle-distance gallopers will take to the track for the handicap clash in late November or early December.
| Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Ballot | Weight | True Weight | Penalty | H Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6034×46658 | PRIVATE EYE | G | 7 | Joseph Pride | 1 | 60.5kg | 60.5kg | 110 | |
| 2 | 16x0140x17 | MIGHTY ULYSSES (GB) | G | 6 | Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald | 2= | 58.5kg | 58.5kg | 106 | |
| 3 | x8010x0180 | UNCLE BRYN (GB) | G | 7 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 2= | 58.5kg | 58.5kg | 106 | |
| 4 | x57208x8x8 | HOO YA MAL (GB) | G | 6 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 4 | 57kg | 57kg | 103 | |
| 5 | 0x766x1004 | CHRYSAOR | G | 4 | Chris Waller | 5= | 55kg | 55kg | 99 | |
| 6 | 06x020x009 | CONVERGE | G | 6 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 5= | 55kg | 55kg | 99 | |
| 7 | 3×08496342 | FELIX MAJESTIC | G | 5 | Gary Nickson | 5= | 55kg | 55kg | 99 | |
| 8 | x342332611 | ST LAWRENCE (NZ) | G | 6 | Ciaron Maher | 5= | 55kg | 55kg | 99 | |
| 9 | 211x621x20 | XIDAKI | G | 4 | Peter Snowden | 9 | 54.5kg | 54.5kg | 98 | |
| 10 | 74132×5506 | COASTWATCH | G | 6 | Richard & Will Freedman | 10 | 54kg | 54kg | 97 | |
| 11 | 5152x203x0 | COTEHELE (NZ) | G | 6 | John O’Shea & Tom Charlton | 11= | 54kg | 53kg | 95 | |
| 12 | 915117×007 | DIAMOND DIESEL | G | 8 | Adam Duggan | 11= | 54kg | 53kg | 95 | |
| 13 | 3113×54940 | KINTYRE | G | 4 | Gary Portelli | 11= | 54kg | 53kg | 95 | |
| 14 | 225×105476 | ROBUSTO | G | 5 | Bjorn Baker | 11= | 54kg | 53kg | 95 | |
| 15 | 835387×519 | KING OF THE CASTLE (NZ) | G | 8 | Joseph Pride | 15= | 54kg | 53kg | 94 | |
| 16 | x062410x7x | TANNHA | G | 4 | Chris Waller | 15= | 54kg | 53kg | 94 | |
| 17 | 311x112x87 | QUEUES LIKELY (GB) | M | 4 | Bjorn Baker | 17 | 54kg | 53kg | 93 | |
| 18 | 511639x08x | SO UNITED | G | 7 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 18 | 54kg | 53kg | 92 | |
| 19 | 34x190x07x | SNOW PATROL (NZ) | G | 4 | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | 19 | 54kg | 53kg | 90 | |
| 20 | 7059x0040x | SO DAZZLING (NZ) | M | 5 | John Sargent | 20= | 54kg | 53kg | 87 | |
| 21 | 1x4890x062 | SUPER HELPFUL | G | 6 | Barbara Joseph, Paul & Matt Jones | 20= | 54kg | 53kg | 87 | |
| 22 | 710542×131 | UZZIAH | G | 6 | Scott Aspery | 22 | 54kg | 53kg | 86 | |
| 23 | 9115×13 | WARNIE (IRE) | H | 4 | Ciaron Maher | 23 | 54kg | 53kg | 85 | |
| 24 | 1x913x2211 | NEED SOME LUCK | G | 4 | Peter Snowden | 24= | 54kg | 53kg | 81 | |
| 25 | 9x860686x4 | PERFECT THOUGHT | G | 5 | John Sargent | 24= | 54kg | 53kg | 81 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
Festival Stakes History
The Festival Stakes was first run in 1948 and won by Cragside. Since then, a number of quality contenders have taken out the Sydney showdown including Headstrong (1994), Ike’s Dream (2004), Monton (2011), I’m Imposing (2014) and inaugural Five Diamonds winner the following spring Ellsberg (2021).
The event has run at both Rosehill Racecourse as well as Canterbury Park and has also undergone a number of distance changes. It has been run over its current 1500m distance since 2008. It was inaugurated as a Principal race before gaining Listed status in 1979 – 2015. The Festival Stakes was elevated to a Group 3 race for the first time in 2016.
Recent Festival Stakes Winners
See below for the full list of Festival Stakes winners and results going back to 2000.
| Year | Place | Horse | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Festival Stakes |
1st | TBD | TBD |
| 2nd | TBD | ||
| 3rd | TBD | ||
| 2023 Festival Stakes |
1st | Phearson | 1 minute 29.04 seconds |
| 2nd | Williamsburg | ||
| 3rd | Rustic Steel | ||
| 2022 Festival Stakes |
1st | Dajraan | 1 minute 27.96 seconds |
| 2nd | Mirra Vision | ||
| 3rd | Kirwan’s Lane | ||
| 2021 Festival Stakes |
1st | Ellsberg | 1 minute 32.04 seconds |
| 2nd | Stockman | ||
| 3rd | Bandersnatch | ||
| 2020 Festival Stakes |
1st | Outrageous | 1 minute 29.25 seconds |
| 2nd | Royal Celebration | ||
| 3rd | Evalina | ||
| 2019 Festival Stakes |
1st | Ranier | 1 minute 29.46 seconds |
| 2nd | Live And Free | ||
| 3rd | Cellarman | ||
| 2018 Festival Stakes |
1st | My Nordic Hero | 1 minute 29.10 seconds |
| 2nd | Goodfella | ||
| 3rd | Chamois Road | ||
| 2017 Festival Stakes |
1st | Testashadow | 1 minute 31.67 seconds |
| 2nd | Mister Sea Wolf | ||
| 3rd | Red Excitement | ||
| 2016 Festival Stakes |
1st | Sweet Redemption | 1 minute 29.63 seconds |
| 2nd | Hazzabeel | ||
| 3rd | Red Excitement | ||
| 2015 Festival Stakes |
1st | Mighty Lucky | 1 minute 29.49 seconds |
| 2nd | It’s Somewhat | ||
| 3rd | Peace Force | ||
| 2014 Festival Stakes |
1st | I’m Imposing | 1 minute 28.51 seconds |
| 2nd | Estonian Princess | ||
| 3rd | Strawberry Boy | ||
| 2013 Festival Stakes |
1st | White Sage | 1 minute 30.0 seconds |
| 2nd | Terravista | ||
| 3rd | Alma’s Fury | ||
| 2012 Festival Stakes |
1st | Malavio | 1 minute 28.72 seconds |
| 2nd | Monton | ||
| 3rd | Galah | ||
| 2011 Festival Stakes |
1st | Monton | 1 minute 28.63 seconds |
| 2nd | Lightinthenite | ||
| 3rd | Viva Las | ||
| 2010 Festival Stakes |
1st | Race Not Run | – |
| 2nd | – | ||
| 3rd | – | ||
| 2009 Festival Stakes |
1st | Rabbuka | 1 minute 28.72 seconds |
| 2nd | Parfumier | ||
| 3rd | Ahdashim | ||
| 2008 (December) Festival Stakes |
1st | Voice Commander | 1 minute 29.25 seconds |
| 2nd | Synonym | ||
| 3rd | Theophorus | ||
| 2008 (January) Festival Stakes |
1st | Eremein | 1 minute 33.92 seconds |
| 2nd | Lancaster Park | ||
| 3rd | Beauty Watch | ||
| 2007 Festival Stakes |
1st | Race Not Run | – |
| 2nd | – | ||
| 3rd | – | ||
| 2006 Festival Stakes |
1st | Utzon | 1 minute 22.69 seconds |
| 2nd | Anwaar | ||
| 3rd | Real Strike | ||
| 2005 Festival Stakes |
1st | Spirit Of Tara | 1 minute 24.83 seconds |
| 2nd | Our Apache | ||
| 3rd | Benedetti | ||
| 2004 Festival Stakes |
1st | Ike’s Dream | 1 minute 21.82 seconds |
| 2nd | Sam Sung A Song | ||
| 3rd | Rinehart | ||
| 2003 Festival Stakes |
1st | This Manshood | 1 minute 22.69 seconds |
| 2nd | Palladium Star | ||
| 3rd | Salagado | ||
| 2002 Festival Stakes |
1st | This Manshood | 1 minute 23.98 seconds |
| 2nd | Gabfest | ||
| 3rd | Raw Instinct | ||
| 2001 Festival Stakes |
1st | Nanny Maroon | 1 minute 22.35 seconds |
| 2nd | Play Station | ||
| 3rd | Osca Warrior | ||
| 2000 Festival Stakes |
1st | Adam | 1 minute 17.02 seconds |
| 2nd | Mr. Innocent | ||
| 3rd | Steel City | ||
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