The $1 million Premiere Stakes is a Group 2 sprint held at Royal Randwick Racecourse as part of the Epsom Handicap Day line-up and is a nice lead-up into the $20 million The Everest.
2024 Premiere Stakes Results
- 1st: #5 Airman
- 2nd: #3 Mazu
- 3rd: #7 Bella Nipotina
Premiere Stakes News
- 2024 Premiere Stakes Field Features The Everest Contenders
- 2023 The Everest Winner Think About It Beats I Wish I Win, Private Eye Runs Third
- 2023 The Everest Next For Narrow Premiere Stakes Winner Think About It
- Premiere Stakes 2022 Results: Lost And Running Firms For The Everest
- 2022 The Everest Field Takes Shape: Overpass, Jacquinot, Joyful Fortune Secure Slots
The Premiere Stakes is a Group 2 1200m sprint race held at Sydney’s Royal Randwick Racecourse on either the last Saturday in September or the first Saturday in October, traditionally run the day before the NRL Grand Final.
Worth $1,000,000 in prize money as of 2022, the weight for age event attracts several horses which have already competed in the weight-for-age Missile Stakes. The Premiere Stakes is held on Epsom Handicap Day and shares a race program with the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m), Group 1 Metropolitan Handicap (2400m) and Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m).
The Premiere Stakes now serves as a nice lead-up race for star sprinters set to return to the track and distance in a fortnight’s time for the $20 million The Everest race.
Think About It (2023) was the last sprinter to claim the Premiere Stakes – The Everest double.
In 2020 Classique Legend ran second in the Premiere Stakes before winning The Everest, the Premiere Stakes winner Libertini improved on his The Everest eighth to run a subsequent third in Flemington’s Group 1 VRC Sprint Classic that Melbourne Cup Carnival.
The Premiere Stakes winner is also exempt from ballot for the following year’s Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes held at the same track and distance during the autumn in Sydney.
The 2021 Premiere Stakes form was franked with the winner Masked Crusader running second next-up to Nature Strip in that spring’s The Everest results.
Masked Crusader returned to run third in the 2022 Premiere Stakes results won by the previous year’s fourth placegetter, Lost And Running.
The 2022 Premiere Stakes runner-up Mazu franked the form running third next-up in that year’s The Everest results before a second in the $3 million Winners Stakes (now Russell Balding Stakes) and 2023 TJ Smith Stakes third upon his return in the autumn.
The 2023 Premiere Stakes form was firmly franked by the winner Think About It who backed up to salute in The Everest before a Winners Stakes third.
The $1 million Premiere Stakes 2024 ran on Saturday October 5, 2024 as part of the bumper Epsom Handicap Day line-up of races and was won in a thrilling upset by the Team Hawkes-trained Airman ($41).
| 2024 Premiere Stakes | |
|---|---|
| Date: | Saturday October 5, 2024 |
| Track: | Royal Randwick |
| Distance: | 1200m |
| Race Type: | Weight-for-age |
| Status: | Group 2 |
| Prize Money: | $1,000,000 |
2024 Premiere Stakes Results
- 1st: #5 Airman ($41)
- 2nd: #3 Mazu
- 3rd: #7 Bella Nipotina
A slot in The Everest field could be given to Team Hawkes’ upset Premiere Stakes 2024 winner Airman ($41) after the five-year-old flashed home to deny Mazu and Bella Nipotina victory in the million-dollar sprint thanks to a lovely ride from the day’s earlier Flight Stakes winning apprentice hoop Zac Lloyd.
Click here for the full story.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Penalty | Starting Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | AIRMAN | Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes | Zac Lloyd (a) | 3 | 58.5kg | $41 | |||
| 2 | 3 | MAZU | Joseph Pride | Nash Rawiller | 0.15L | 2 | 58.5kg | $7 | ||
| 3 | 7 | BELLA NIPOTINA | Ciaron Maher | Craig Williams | 0.29L | 5 | 56.5kg | $2.40F | ||
| 4 | 1 | GIGA KICK | Clayton Douglas | James McDonald | 0.95L | 4 | 58.5kg | $3.10 | ||
| 5 | 4 | COAL CRUSHER | Joseph Pride | Joshua Parr | 1.34L | 1 | 58.5kg | $51 | ||
| 6 | 2 | THINK ABOUT IT | Joseph Pride | Jason Collett | 2.51L | 7 | 58.5kg | $4.40 | ||
| 7 | 6 | BANDI’S BOY | Danny Williams | Jay Ford | 3.66L | 6 | 58.5kg | $101 | ||
| 8 | CHAIN OF LIGHTNING | Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman | Tommy Berry | 0 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
2024 Premiere Stakes Betting
The latest Premiere Stakes 2024 betting odds and market links on the gun sprinters in the race will be listed below as soon as available, pricing from Ladbrokes.com.au.
Masked Crusader ($2.50 in 2021), Lost And Running ($2.25 in 2022) and Think About It ($1.85 in 2023) are the last favourites in Premiere Stakes betting to salute for the punters.
There was a notable upset in 2024 with Airman saluting at Premiere Stakes odds of $41.
CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST 2024 PREMIERE STAKES ODDS (Final Field)
2024 Premiere Stakes Form
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2024 PREMIERE STAKES FORM GUIDE
2024 Premiere Stakes Tips
Stay tuned for our insider Premiere Stakes 2024 Tips on the key $20 million The Everest lead-up race this season.
- To Win: #7 Bella Nipotina ($3 at time of publish) – BET NOW
It is a class field of talented sprinters in the Premiere Stakes this weekend and the Ciaron Maher-trained multiple Group 1 winning mare Bella Nipotina looks the one to beat at $3 at time of publish. This versatile Pride Of Dubai seven-year-old was strong fresh over the unsuitably short distance of the Group 3 Concorde Stakes narrowly denied by I Am Me. It is a small field on Saturday, she’s drawn to perfection in gate six, will appreciate the 1200m and Craig Williams is a big race specialist ready to guide her to victory on way to The Everest.
2024 Premiere Stakes Field
Each spring the Premiere Stakes, now worth a million in prize money, attracts a star-studded line-up of sprinters. Gallopers may contest the Premiere Stakes field via lead-up runs in races including the Group 2 The Shorts (1100m) at Randwick a fortnight earlier or be kicking off their carnival campaigns first-up in the event.
The official Premiere Stakes 2024 field and barrier draw will be released by Racing NSW on the Wednesday of race week and listed in full below once announced.
The 2024 Premiere Stakes final field features a top-class line-up of The Everest bound sprinters led in betting by the 2022 champion of the world’s richest turf race, Giga Kick.
Click here to read more on the key runners in the Premiere Stakes 2024 field and betting markets.
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Probable Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5x3211x3x5 | GIGA KICK | Clayton Douglas | James McDonald | 5 | 58.5kg | 116 | ||
| 2 | x113x2505x | THINK ABOUT IT | Joseph Pride | Jason Collett | 8 | 58.5kg | 115 | ||
| 3 | 54x50172x3 | MAZU | Joseph Pride | Nash Rawiller | 3 | 58.5kg | 110 | ||
| 4 | 41x25450x0 | COAL CRUSHER | Joseph Pride | Joshua Parr | 1 | 58.5kg | 105 | ||
| 5 | 128x370x66 | AIRMAN | Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes | Zac Lloyd (a) | 4 | 58.5kg | 101 | ||
| 6 | 3x13119x00 | BANDI’S BOY | Danny Williams | Jay Ford | 7 | 58.5kg | 96 | ||
| 7 | 54241221×2 | BELLA NIPOTINA | Ciaron Maher | Craig Williams | 6 | 56.5kg | 118 | ||
| 8 | 70x01166x8 | CHAIN OF LIGHTNING | Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman | Tommy Berry | 2 | 56.5kg | 114 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
2024 Premiere Stakes Nominations
The early Premiere Stakes nominations for 2024 close the Monday of race week and will be updated below.
| Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Ballot | Weight | True Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 54241221×2 | BELLA NIPOTINA | M | 7 | Ciaron Maher | 1 | 56.5kg | 118 | ||
| 2 | 5x3211x3x5 | GIGA KICK | G | 5 | Clayton Douglas | 2 | 58.5kg | 116 | ||
| 3 | x113x2505x | THINK ABOUT IT | G | 6 | Joseph Pride | 3 | 58.5kg | 115 | ||
| 4 | 70x01166x8 | CHAIN OF LIGHTNING | M | 6 | Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman | 4 | 56.5kg | 114 | ||
| 5 | 34x441318x | BENEDETTA | M | 5 | Jason Warren | 5 | 56.5kg | 111 | ||
| 6 | 54x50172x3 | MAZU | G | 6 | Joseph Pride | 6 | 58.5kg | 110 | ||
| 7 | 0488x6310x | LINDERMANN | G | 5 | Chris Waller | 7 | 58.5kg | 109 | ||
| 8 | 82x49090x3 | BUENOS NOCHES | H | 5 | Matthew Smith | 8= | 58.5kg | 105 | ||
| 9 | 41x25450x0 | COAL CRUSHER | G | 7 | Joseph Pride | 8= | 58.5kg | 105 | ||
| 10 | 49x3003x80 | AFT CABIN | G | 5 | James Cummings | 10 | 58.5kg | 103 | ||
| 11 | 128x370x66 | AIRMAN | G | 5 | Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes | 11 | 58.5kg | 101 | ||
| 12 | 1x3222x89x | I AM UNSTOPPABLE | H | 4 | Ciaron Maher | 12 | 58.5kg | 98 | ||
| 13 | 3x13119x00 | BANDI’S BOY | G | 5 | Danny Williams | 13 | 58.5kg | 96 | ||
| 14 | 12111×8 | BUSTLING | G | 3 | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | 14 | 53kg | 91 | ||
| 15 | 24x103512x | RHYTHM OF LOVE | G | 4 | John O’Shea & Tom Charlton | 15 | 58.5kg | 90 | ||
| 16 | 1x140x | BODYGUARD | C | 3 | Peter Snowden | 16 | 53kg | 83 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
Premiere Stakes History
First won by Outback in 1972, the Premiere Stakes has a history of double winners including Mr. Innocent in 1999-00 and Joanne in 1991-92.
Other notable Premiere Stakes winners include Kingston Town (1981), Emancipation (1983), and Terravista (2015).
In 2018 Santa Ana Lane set a record time of 1:07.45 winning the Premiere Stakes ahead of a Group 1 VRC Sprint Classic win in Melbourne later that spring.
The Premiere Stakes gained Group 2 status in 1997 and has been run and won at Royal Randwick since 2011.
In 2022 the Premiere Stakes offered $1 million in stakes for the first time.
The 2023 Premiere Stakes winner Think About It went on to salute next start in the world’s richest turf race adding his name to the list of The Everest champions.
Premiere Stakes results since 2000, along with winning times, are listed below.
Premiere Stakes Results
| Year | Place | Horse | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Premiere Stakes | 1st | Airman | 1 minute 9.73 seconds |
| 2nd | Mazu | ||
| 3rd | Bella Nipotina | ||
| 2023 Premiere Stakes | 1st | Think About It | 1 minute 8.70 seconds |
| 2nd | Hawaii Five Oh | ||
| 3rd | Bella Nipotina | ||
| 2022 Premiere Stakes | 1st | Lost And Running | 1 minute 12.26 seconds |
| 2nd | Mazu | ||
| 3rd | Masked Crusader | ||
| 2021 Premiere Stakes | 1st | Masked Crusader | 1 minute 8.33 seconds |
| 2nd | Standout | ||
| 3rd | Embracer | ||
| 2020 Premiere Stakes | 1st | Libertini | 1 minute 7.60 seconds |
| 2nd | Classique Legend | ||
| 3rd | Deprive | ||
| 2019 Premiere Stakes | 1st | Brutal | 1 minute 10.00 seconds |
| 2nd | Home Of The Brave | ||
| 3rd | Classique Legend | ||
| 2018 Premiere Stakes | 1st | Santa Ana Lane | 1 minute 7.45 seconds (R) |
| 2nd | Shoals | ||
| 3rd | In Her Time | ||
| 2017 Premiere Stakes | 1st | In Her Time | 1 minute 8.2 seconds |
| 2nd | English | ||
| 3rd | Clearly Innocent | ||
| 2016 Premiere Stakes | 1st | Takedown | 1 minute 8.2 seconds |
| 2nd | Our Boy Malachi | ||
| 3rd | Danish Twist | ||
| 2015 Premiere Stakes | 1st | Terravista | 1 minute 9.10 seconds |
| 2nd | Rebel Dane | ||
| 3rd | That’s A Good Idea | ||
| 2014 Premiere Stakes | 1st | Famous Seamus | 1 minute 9.86 seconds |
| 2nd | Charlie Boy | ||
| 3rd | Wouldn’t It Be Nice | ||
| 2013 Premiere Stakes | 1st | Arinosa | 1 minute 9.37 seconds |
| 2nd | Dystopia | ||
| 3rd | Famous Seamus | ||
| 2012 Premiere Stakes | 1st | Red Tracer | 1 minute 9.67 seconds |
| 2nd | Satin Shoes | ||
| 3rd | Emotional Circus | ||
| 2011 Premiere Stakes | 1st | Neeson | 1 minute 10.2 seconds |
| 2nd | Hurtle Myrtle | ||
| 3rd | Love Conquers All | ||
| 2010 Premiere Stakes | 1st | Hot Danish | 1 minute 09.87 seconds |
| 2nd | Trader | ||
| 3rd | Cardinal Virtue | ||
| 2009 Premiere Stakes | 1st | Mentality | 1 minute 10.46 seconds |
| 2nd | Kroner | ||
| 3rd | Phelan Ready | ||
| 2008 Premiere Stakes | 1st | Triple Honour | 1 minute 10.13 seconds |
| 2nd | Captain Bax | ||
| 3rd | Reigning To Win | ||
| 2007 Premiere Stakes | 1st | German Chocolate | 1 minute 9.87 seconds |
| 2nd | Solo Flyer | ||
| 3rd | Fashions Afield | ||
| 2006 Premiere Stakes | 1st | Paratroopers | 1 minute 10.29 seconds |
| 2nd | Imana | ||
| 3rd | Johan’s Toy | ||
| 2005 Premiere Stakes | 1st | Shania Dane | 1 minute 8.83 seconds |
| 2nd | Dance Hero | ||
| 3rd | Spark Of Life | ||
| 2004 Premiere Stakes | 1st | Spark Of Life | 1 minute 9.8 seconds |
| 2nd | Into The Night | ||
| 3rd | Century Kid | ||
| 2003 Premiere Stakes | 1st | Thorn Park | 1 minute 9.02 seconds |
| 2nd | Patezza | ||
| 3rd | Excellerator | ||
| 2002 Premiere Stakes | 1st | Century Kid | 1 minute 9.35 seconds |
| 2nd | Ancient Song | ||
| 3rd | Shogun Lodge | ||
| 2001 Premiere Stakes | 1st | On Type | 1 minute 10.3 seconds |
| 2nd | Padstow | ||
| 3rd | Century Kid | ||
| 2000 Premiere Stakes | 1st | Mr. Innocent | 1 minute 8.97 seconds |
| 2nd | Celestial Choir | ||
| 3rd | Adam | ||
