Flight Stakes
Australia | FEATURE RACE GUIDE
History
The Flight Stakes is a Group 1 race run under Set Weights conditions for three year old fillies at Randwick conducted by the Australian Turf Club.
The Flight Stakes is run over 1600m. It was first run in 1947 and was won by Nizam's Ring.
The Flight Stakes has only been run over the mile.
Originally under the Principal Race scale, the Flight Stakes was a Group 2 until 1984 then a Group 1 after that.
The Flight Stakes has twice been run at Warwick Farm, the most recent being in 2001 won by Ha Ha.
Gai Waterhouse has been incredibly dominant winning it 11 times – her last few in partnership with Adrian Bott.
Redoute's Choice sired the Flight Stakes winner four times in a row (2004-2008) and now sons of his are winning it as a sire.
When you look at the honour roll, some of the greatest fillies/mares of our time have won the Flight Stakes.
Last non-NSW trained Flight Stakes winner was Oohood for Tony McEvoy in 2018 but before that it was Sunline in 1998.
In 2008, Samantha Miss became the first filly since Angst in 1993 to win all four legs of the Princess Series - the Silver Shadow Stakes, the Furious Stakes, the Tea Rose Stakes and the Flight Stakes.
Golden Slipper/Flight Stakes double – Bounding Away and Ha Ha.
Only three times in the last 20 years has the Tea Rose Stakes not provided the winner of the Flight.
Fillies to take the Tea Rose Stakes/Flight Stakes double are Zougotcha, Funstar, Alizee, First Seal, Guelph, Streama, More Joyous, Samantha Miss, Cheeky Choice, Ha Ha, Unworldly, Danglissa, Sunline, Assertive Lass, Pontal Lass, Danarani and Angst.
Assertive Lass and Dashing Eagle quinellad the Furious and Tea Rose Stakes in 1996 and then for good measure dead-heated in the Flight Stakes.
Unworldly won brilliantly in 2000 but then subsequently suffered a severe track work injury after her win when set for the Cox Plate and could not be saved.
Oohood broke her maiden in a G1 race by getting up by a nose in 2018.
The 2007 race was not held due to the Equine Influenza break out.
The Flight Stakes was worth $750,000 in 2023.
Notable winners of the Flight Stakes include Zougotcha (2022), Montefilia (2020), Alizee (2017), Global Glamour (2016), First Seal (2014), Guelph (2013), Norzita (2012), Streama (2011), Secret Admirer (2010), More Joyous (2009), Samantha Miss (2008), Fashions Afield (2005), Lotteria (2004), Ha Ha (2001), Unworldly (2000), Sunline (1998), Assertive Lass/Dashing Eagle (1996), Angst (1993), Slight Chance (1992), Triscay (1990), Research (1988), Bounding Away (1986), Cap D'Antibes (1974) and Wenona Girl (1960).
The 2023 Flight Stakes was won by Tropical Squall from Kimochi and Tutta La Vita.
Previous Flight Stakes Winners
Date | Horse | Jockey | WT | Trainer | BP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
TROPICAL SQUALL
(AUS)
3F PRIZED ICON (AUS) - SQUALLS (AUS) FUSAICHI PEGASUS (USA) |
ADAM HYERONIMUS | 56.0 | G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT | 5 |
|
ZOUGOTCHA
(AUS)
3F ZOUSTAR (AUS) - FAST TALKER (AUS) FASTNET ROCK (AUS) |
JAMES MCDONALD | 56.0 | CHRIS WALLER | 2 |
|
NEVER BEEN KISSED
(NZ)
3F TIVACI (AUS) - MOVIE (NZ) SAVABEEL (AUS) |
REGAN BAYLISS | 56.0 | G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT | 3 |
|
MONTEFILIA
(AUS)
3F KERMADEC (NZ) - BANA WU (GB) SHIROCCO (GER) |
HUGH BOWMAN | 56.0 | DAVID PAYNE | 6 |
|
FUNSTAR
(AUS)
3F ADELAIDE (IRE) - STARSPANGLED (IRE) DANEHILL (USA) |
JAMES MCDONALD | 56.0 | CHRIS WALLER | 2 |
|
OOHOOD
(AUS)
3F I AM INVINCIBLE (AUS) - BELLA SUNDAY (AUS) DAIWA MAJOR (JPN) |
TIM CLARK | 56.0 | TONY MCEVOY | 11 |
|
ALIZEE
(AUS)
3F SEPOY (AUS) - ESSAOUIRA (AUS) EXCEED AND EXCEL (AUS) |
G SCHOFIELD | 56.0 | JAMES CUMMINGS | 10 |
|
GLOBAL GLAMOUR
(AUS)
3F STAR WITNESS (AUS) - SPECTACULA (AUS) TESTA ROSSA (AUS) |
TIM CLARK | 56.0 | G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT | 1 |
|
SPEAK FONDLY
(AUS)
3F NORTHERN METEOR (AUS) - BLAB (AUS) FLYING SPUR (AUS) |
TOMMY BERRY | 56.0 | MS G WATERHOUSE | 5 |
|
FIRST SEAL
(AUS)
3F FASTNET ROCK (AUS) - EPISODE (AUS) SCENIC (IRE) |
B SHINN | 56.0 | JOHN P THOMPSON | 4 |
|
GUELPH
(AUS)
3F EXCEED AND EXCEL (AUS) - CAMARILLA (AUS) ELUSIVE QUALITY (USA) |
K MCEVOY | 56.0 | PETER SNOWDEN | 6 |
|
NORZITA
(NZ)
3F THORN PARK (AUS) - VISIQUE (AUS) QUEST FOR FAME (GB) |
HUGH BOWMAN | 56.0 | BART CUMMINGS | 3 |
|
STREAMA
(AUS)
3F STRATUM (AUS) - PENSIAMO (AUS) SOVEREIGN RED (NZ) |
HUGH BOWMAN | 56.0 | G H WALTER | 9 |
|
SECRET ADMIRER
(AUS)
3F DUBAWI (IRE) - SECRET ILLUSION (AUS) SECRET SAVINGS (USA) |
B AVDULLA | 56.0 | GRAHAME BEGG | 11 |
|
MORE JOYOUS
(NZ)
3F MORE THAN READY (USA) - SUNDAY JOY (AUS) SUNDAY SILENCE (USA) |
N RAWILLER | 56.0 | MS G WATERHOUSE | 1 |
|
SAMANTHA MISS
(AUS)
3F REDOUTE'S CHOICE (AUS) - MILLIYET (NZ) ZABEEL (NZ) |
HUGH BOWMAN | 56.0 | KRIS LEES | 9 |
|
CHEEKY CHOICE
(AUS)
3F REDOUTE'S CHOICE (AUS) - CHRISTCHURCH (AUS) CAESOUR (USA) |
HUGH BOWMAN | 56.0 | MS G WATERHOUSE | 17 |
|
FASHIONS AFIELD
(AUS)
3F REDOUTE'S CHOICE (AUS) - ATTIRE (USA) WILD AGAIN (USA) |
D BEASLEY | 56.0 | MS G WATERHOUSE | 9 |
|
LOTTERIA
(AUS)
3F REDOUTE'S CHOICE (AUS) - ROSE REWARD (NZ) SIR TRISTRAM (IRE) |
J CASSIDY | 56.0 | MS G WATERHOUSE | 8 |
|
UNEARTHLY
(NZ)
3F ZABEEL (NZ) - SNIPPETS' CROWN (AUS) SNIPPETS (AUS) |
C W BROWN | 56.0 | DAVID PAYNE | 4 |
|
ROYAL PURLER
(AUS)
3F HECTOR PROTECTOR (USA) - PURLING (AUS) TOLOMEO (IRE) |
P PAYNE | 56.0 | GREGORY HICKMAN | 2 |
|
HA HA
(AUS)
3F DANEHILL (USA) - VERY DROLL (AUS) CROWN JESTER (AUS) |
J CASSIDY | 54.0 | MS G WATERHOUSE | 4 |
|
UNWORLDLY
(AUS)
3F QUEST FOR FAME (GB) - SPIRIT (AUS) DANEHILL (USA) |
L V CASSIDY | 54.0 | JOHN HAWKES | 3 |
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