Schillaci Stakes News

2024 TJ Smith Stakes Results: Chain Of Lightning Strikes An Upset

• 2021 Caulfield Guineas Day: Caulfield Scratchings & Track Report
• 2020 Schillaci Stakes Results: Dirty Work Takes Shine off Diamond Effort
• 2020 Caulfield Guineas Day: Melbourne Race Scratchings & Track Report
• Trekking Earns Final Slot in 2019 The Everest Field: Schillaci Stakes Results
• 2019 Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas Day: Scratchings & Track Report

The Schillaci Stakes is a quality Group 2 spring race held mid-way through the coveted Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival on Caulfield Guineas Day in October.

2024 Schillaci Stakes Results

• 1st: #9 Bellatrix Star ($6.50)
• 2nd: #1 Oscar’s Fortune
• 3rd: #7 Maharba

Mark Walker’s flying Star Witness filly, Bellatrix Star ($6.50), made it three wins on the trot settling well for jockey Craig Williams before coming down the middle of the track with a big late burst to dominate the 2024 Schillaci Stakes results on her way to the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington on November 2.

The Schillaci Stakes is a 1100m short-distance event run under weight-for-age conditions worth a lucrative $300,000 in total prize money. There are a number of other great lead-up races held earlier in the carnival that runners may have previously contested including the Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1000m) in early September and Sydney’s Group 2 Premiere Stakes (1200m).

Runners may also be coming back in class but rising in distance off a Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) run under the lights at Moonee Valley a fortnight earlier. Paulele (6th in 2022) and Asfoora (2nd in 2023) are the latest Moir Stakes graduates to win the Schillaci Stakes.

The feature race at the meeting is the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) but there are two other elite level Melbourne races on the day including the Group 1 Caulfield Stakes (2000m) – currently called the Neds Might And Power – and the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m). Other key support races on Caulfield Guineas Day include the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m), the Group 3 Northwood Plume Stakes (1200m), and the Group 3 Ladies’ Day Vase (1600m).

Horses that ran in the Schillaci Stakes will often continue their spring campaigns by competing in the sprint features including Flemington’s Group 1 VRC Sprint Classic (1200m) – now run as the Champions Sprint – during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

A potential next-up option for Schillaci Stakes graduates is the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley with the 2020 Schillaci winner Dirty work running third in that sprint showdown under the lights.

The 2021 Schillaci Stakes form was franked with the third-placed mare Bella Nipotina going on to run second next-up in the Manikato Stakes and third in the VRC Sprint Classic behind Nature Strip.

The 2022 Schillaci Stakes winner Paulele franked the form later that year heading to Perth to win the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) that November.

The 2023 Schillaci Stakes form was franked the following year with the winner Asfoora heading overseas to Royal Ascot where she won the Group 1 King Charles sprint. The Schillaci third placegetter that year, Chain Of Lightning, further franked the form winning the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes in Sydney in the autumn of 2024.

The 2024 Schillaci Stakes ran on Saturday October 12, 2024 at Caulfield on Guineas Day and was won by in-form Mark Walker-trained Star Witness filly Bellatrix Star ($6.50). 

2024 Schillaci Stakes Finishing Order

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

2024 Schillaci Stakes Betting Odds

The latest Schillaci Stakes 2024 odds will be detailed here at Races.com.au complete with links to the betting markets so you can back your Schillaci Stakes tips in online at Ladbrokes.com.au this spring.

Paulele ($2.15 in 2022) and Asfoora ($2.10 in 2023) are the latest favourites in Schillaci Stakes betting to win.

2024 Schillaci Stakes Form

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2024 SCHILLACI STAKES FORM GUIDE

2024 Schillaci Stakes Tips

Stay tuned for our insider Schillaci Stakes 2024 Tips on the important spring lead-up this season.

• To Win: #8 Bellatrix Star ($9 at time of publish) – BET NOW

Nice edition of the Schillaci with plenty of in-form sprinters on show but have landed on the 51kg lightweight with Bellatrix Star set to fly with those kilos. Mark Walker’s well-bred Star Witness filly chases a hat-trick and comes off a Group 3 Champagne Stakes win at The Valley against her own kind from September 27 with 56kg. Comes back in distance as she prepares to take on the older horses in this quick Caulfield sprint. Craig Williams jumps on the Kiwi expat from barrier four as she looks to continue her lovely streak down under. Good filly at a good price.

2024 Schillaci Stakes Field

The Schillaci Stakes field attracts a smart line-up of spring sprinters that could be eyeing a Melbourne Cup Carnival run in the Group 1 VRC Sprint Classic (1200m) down the Flemington straight.

The official Schillaci Stakes 2024 field and barriers are released on the Wednesday of race week and will be available in full below once announced by Racing Victoria.

2024 Schillaci Stakes Nominations

The Schillaci Stakes 2024 nominations are taken on the Monday of race week.

Schillaci Stakes History

The first Schillaci Stakes, originally known as the Chirnside Stakes, was run in 1970 when Regal Vista claimed victory. It began as a Principal race run over six furlongs but the race distance was converted to 1200m in 1973. In 1979 the event became a Group 2 race and for one year in 1986 the race was run over 1219m. A few years later in 1988 the distance was permanently decreased to its current length of 1000m. The race name was changed to the Schillaci Stakes in 2000 in honour of the former champion sprinter Schillaci.

In 2019 the Schillaci Stakes winner Trekking secured the ‘win and you’re in’ slot to represent the MRC / ATC in the following weekend’s The Everest and eventually ran third to the young Chris Waller-trained winner Yes Yes Yes.

Recent Schillaci Stakes Winners: