King Charles III Stakes (George Main Stakes)

The $5 million King Charles III Stakes (formerly known as the George Main Stakes) takes place at Royal Randwick on The Everest Day.

2023 King Charles III Stakes Results

  • 1st: #14 Fangirl
  • 2nd: #2 Mr Brightside
  • 3rd: #6 My Oberon



The King Charles III Stakes – formerly known as the George Main Stakes – is a 1600m race held at Sydney’s Royal Randwick Racecourse during the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival.

The event moved from its traditional September time-slot ahead of the 2023 edition to join Randwick’s The Everest Day race card in mid-October.

The inaugural King Charles III Stakes officially replaced the George Main Stakes from 2023 and with $5 million in stakes is the world’s richest weight-for-age 1600m race.

On The Shorts Day at Randwick in mid-September the $1 million 7 Stakes (1600m) replaces the old George Main Stakes on the card as the mile feature offering an Epsom Handicap ballot exemption.

Fangirl improved on a third in the 7 Stakes results to win the 2023 King Charles III Stakes for trainer Chris Waller.

The Everest Day offers close to $35 million in total prize money across the 10 races that are headlined by the $20 million The Everest (1200m).

The Group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m) remains a key lead-up to the event and Anamoe (2022) was the last horse to complete the Winx Stakes – George Main Stakes double first and second-up before the latter was revamped and renamed.

The next year Fangirl became the first horse to complete the new Winx Stakes – King Charles III Stakes double.

Open to horses aged three years and over the George Main Stakes was formerly a great lead-up to the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) over the same track / distance. The King Charles III Stakes now runs a fortnight after the Epsom. The last horse to complete the George Main Stakes – Epsom Handicap double was the John O’Shea-trained Racing To Win (2006).

The most notable recent George Main Stakes winner was superstar mare Winx who became the first back-to-back winner since Kingston Town (1981-82) when the champion defended her title in 2017 scoring her 20th straight race victory. Winx made George Main Stakes history again saluting in the event for the third consecutive year in 2018.

In 2021 trainer Chris Waller took his record in the race up to eight wins in 10 years with Verry Elleegant saluting. Verry Elleegant went on to frank the George Main Stakes form that year winning the iconic Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington three starts later.

The master horseman then won the first edition of the new race with Fangirl saluting in the 2023 King Charles III Stakes results for the stable.

The 2022 George Main Stakes form was franked with the winner Anamoe going on to win the Group 1 Caulfield Stakes – Cox Plate double later that spring.

The 2023 King Charles III Stakes (formerly George Main Stakes) ran on Saturday October 14, 2023 at Royal Randwick on The Everest Day and was won in style by Chris Waller’s class mare Fangirl ($5.50) who put 2.6 lengths on the beaten odds-on favourite Mr Brightside. 

King Charles III Stakes (George Main Stakes)
Date: Saturday October 14, 2023
Track: Randwick Racecourse
Distance: 1600m
Race Type: Weight-For-Age
Status: Group 1
Prize Money: $5,000,000

2023 King Charles III Stakes Results

  • 1st: #14 Fangirl ($5.50)
  • 2nd: #2 Mr Brightside
  • 3rd: #6 My Oberon

He was spruiked as the country’s best miler, but beaten favourite Mr Brightside was no match for Chris Waller’s star mare Fangirl ($5.50) who blitzed him late with a commanding 2.6 length romp home in the 2023 King Charles III Stakes results ahead of a rematch in Melbourne’s Cox Plate on October 28.

Click here to read more about the powerhouse performance by Fangirl to win the 2023 King Charles III Stakes.

2023 King Charles III Stakes Results & Finishing Order

Finish No. Horse Trainer Jockey Margin Bar. Weight Penalty Starting Price
1 14 FANGIRL Chris Waller James McDonald 2 57kg $5.50
2 2 MR BRIGHTSIDE (NZ) Ben, Will & JD Hayes Craig Williams 2.67L 7 59kg $1.95F
3 6 MY OBERON (IRE) Annabel Neasham Chad Schofield 2.81L 3 59kg $31
4 9 NUGGET (GB) Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Dylan Gibbons (a) 4.18L 8 59kg $61
5 12 KOVALICA (NZ) Chris Waller Tommy Berry 4.48L 14 58.5kg $21
6 1 THINK IT OVER Kerry Parker Nash Rawiller 4.8L 4 59kg $11
7 7 BUCKAROO (GB) Joseph O’Brien Hugh Bowman 5.16L 9 59kg $26
8 16 HOPE IN YOUR HEART Kerry Parker Jason Collett 5.51L 13 57kg $31
9 11 GOLDEN MILE James Cummings Zac Lloyd (a) 6L 5 58.5kg $21
10 13 REDIENER Chris Waller Ms Kathy O’Hara 6.15L 1 58.5kg $31
11 5 LIGHT INFANTRY MAN (FR) Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Zac Purton 6.22L 6 59kg $9.50
12 8 ZEYREK (FR) Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes Sam Clipperton 6.23L 12 59kg $101
13 15 ATISHU (NZ) Chris Waller Kerrin McEvoy 6.28L 10 57kg $26
14 4 HUETOR (FR) Peter & Paul Snowden Joshua Parr 6.38L 11 59kg $151
10 DEMOCRACY MANIFEST Chris Waller Tyler Schiller 0
3 ZAAKI (GB) Annabel Neasham Ms Jamie Kah 0

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

2023 King Charles III Stakes Betting

The season’s best King Charles III Stakes 2023 odds and betting market links to Ladbrokes.com.au will be available below as soon as available.

From 2010-2022 eleven favourites in George Main Stakes betting saluted for the punters. The most recent favourites to get the job done were Avilius ($3.10 in 2019), Verry Elleegant ($1.75 in 2021) and Anamoe ($1.65 in 2022).

Fangirl won the inaugural King Charles III Stakes in 2023 at $5.50 beating the odds-on favourite Mr Brightside ($1.95).

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST 2023 KING CHARLES III STAKES ODDS (Final Field)

2023 King Charles III Stakes Form

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2023 KING CHARLES III STAKES FORM GUIDE

2023 King Charles III Stakes Tips

Stay tuned for our insider King Charles III Stakes 2023 Tips on the important Group 1 mile showdown this spring.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR COMPLETE 2023 KING CHARLES III STAKES TIPS & BEST BETS

To Win: #3 Zaaki ($9.50 at time of publish) –SCRATCHED

Mr Brightside is a star in flying form out to stamp himself as the world’s best miler….but I’m tipping against him here. I could be crazy as the favourite’s form is imposing and he is in outstanding form this spring as the season’s premiere performer, but think the old marvel Zaaki at the price looks enormous value for the upset. This nine-year-old continues to show a tremendous zest for racing and this should be some contest! He has plenty of form at Randwick, a good strike-rate over the distance, and is third-up and fit here. Brings the Sydney form lines to the front having run third fresh in the Winx Stakes before a second in the $1 million 7 Stakes over the mile at Randwick on September 16. Kept fresh for this returning to the same track and trip. Starts one on the inside of MB in barrier seven, and was only a nose beaten last time out with natural improvement to come. Can surprise!

The Danger: #2 Mr Brightside ($2.20 at time of publish) – BET NOW

You can’t put forward you’re King Charles III Stakes tips and omit a horse of this calibre. If he wins, he becomes arguably the best sprinter getting around anywhere right now. He won the All-Star Mile – Doncaster Mile in the autumn and is three-from-three this prep improving each time out. Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes win over this distance at Flemington last start defeating subsequent Underwood Stakes champ Alligator Blood. The form around this six-year-old son of Bullbars continues to hold up in races both north and south of the border. He is undefeated at the Randwick track with two previous wins, and his mile record over the 1600m is just plain imposing (14:10-0-1). Craig Williams and barrier eight are two more ticks. Could just come out and blitz them. Let’s see!

The Roughie: #13 Rediener ($41 at time of publish) – BET NOW

There’s a host of Group 1 horses right in this race including one of the forgotten chances at a blowout price of 40/1. Waller’s Redoute’s Choice four-year-old is in terrific winning form having won his last four on the trot. Latest saw him box on well after an on-speed run at this track and trip in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m). Now, let’s forget for a moment he goes up from 50kg to 58.5kg…which is why he is at this price. Looking further back shows he’s carted 59.5kg to victory before. Not against a Group 1 field obviously, but he is a horse on the up that knows how to win from the master trainer who has a dominant record in the George Main. He’ll be out quick from the inside alley using that barrier to be in the first few in the run and could finish better than his price suggests.

2023 King Charles III Stakes Field

The King Charles III Stakes field attracts a top class line-up of spring milers, many looking to step-up in distance later in the season heading towards a Melbourne feature including the Cox Plate – a double Winx achieved in 2016, 2017 and incredibly again in 2018.

Many gallopers have a lead-up run in events like the Group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m) and or Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m). Winx (2017) was the last horse to complete the Chelmsford Stakes – George Main Stakes double.

The official King Charles III Stakes 2023 Final Field & Barriers are released the Wednesday prior to the race and will be published in full below.

The inaugural 2023 King Charles III Stakes field features a cracking field of spring stars led by Mr Brightside who is out for his sixth straight win including a third Group 1 on the trot after doing the Memsie Stakes – Makybe Diva Stakes double in Melbourne at his two latest starts.

Click here to read more on the key runners in the King Charles III Stakes 2023 field and betting markets.

Update: Zaaki is a late scratching from the King Charles III Stakes field today. Click here to read more. 

No Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Probable Weight Penalty Hcp Rating
1 x14241x631 THINK IT OVER Kerry Parker Nash Rawiller 4 59kg 120
2 3x5211x111 MR BRIGHTSIDE (NZ) Ben, Will & JD Hayes Craig Williams 8 59kg 119
3 341x217x32 ZAAKI (GB) Annabel Neasham Ms Jamie Kah 7 59kg 118
4 8x0653216x HUETOR (FR) Peter & Paul Snowden Joshua Parr 12 59kg 111
5 2x6x372332 LIGHT INFANTRY MAN (FR) Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Zac Purton 6 59kg 110
6 6x6026x647 MY OBERON (IRE) Annabel Neasham Chad Schofield 3 59kg 109
7 x216x143x2 BUCKAROO (GB) Joseph O’Brien Hugh Bowman 10 59kg 107
8 121735×454 ZEYREK (FR) Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes Sam Clipperton 13 59kg 106
9 1113553×40 NUGGET (GB) Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Dylan Gibbons (a) 9 59kg 104
10 3x1761x015 DEMOCRACY MANIFEST Chris Waller Tyler Schiller 16 59kg 101
11 x2400x9013 GOLDEN MILE James Cummings Zac Lloyd (a) 5 58.5kg 109
12 11x3131x92 KOVALICA (NZ) Chris Waller Tommy Berry 15 58.5kg 108
13 x641211x11 REDIENER Chris Waller Ms Kathy O’Hara 1 58.5kg 107
14 62x3227x13 FANGIRL Chris Waller James McDonald 2 57kg 114
15 23x216Px52 ATISHU (NZ) Chris Waller Kerrin McEvoy 11 57kg 111
16 42x1442x36 HOPE IN YOUR HEART Kerry Parker Jason Collett 14 57kg 109

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

2023 King Charles III Stakes Nominations

Nominations for the King Charles III Stakes 2023 close the Monday of race week.

The 2023 King Charles III Stakes nominations feature a star-studded list of weight-for-age heroes dominated by the champion galloper Mr Brightside chasing his sixth win on the trot and third Group 1 straight this spring.

Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Ballot Weight True Weight Penalty Hcp Rating
1 x14241x631 THINK IT OVER G 8 Kerry Parker 1 59kg 120
2 3x5211x111 MR BRIGHTSIDE (NZ) G 6 Ben, Will & JD Hayes 2 59kg 119
3 341x217x32 ZAAKI (GB) G 9 Annabel Neasham 3 59kg 118
4 62x3227x13 FANGIRL M 5 Chris Waller 4 57kg 114
5 8x0653216x HUETOR (FR) G 7 Peter & Paul Snowden 5= 59kg 111
6 23x216Px52 ATISHU (NZ) M 6 Chris Waller 5= 57kg 111
7 2x6x372332 LIGHT INFANTRY (FR) H 5 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 7 59kg 110
8 6x6026x647 MY OBERON (IRE) G 7 Annabel Neasham 8= 59kg 109
9 x2400x9013 GOLDEN MILE H 4 James Cummings 8= 58.5kg 109
10 42x1442x36 HOPE IN YOUR HEART M 5 Kerry Parker 8= 57kg 109
11 11x3131x92 KOVALICA (NZ) G 4 Chris Waller 11 58.5kg 108
12 x216x143x2 BUCKAROO (GB) H 5 Joseph O’Brien 12= 59kg 107
13 x641211x11 REDIENER G 4 Chris Waller 12= 58.5kg 107
14 0x73027x40 CONVERGE G 5 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 14= 59kg 106
15 121735×454 ZEYREK (FR) G 7 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes 14= 59kg 106
16 1113553×40 NUGGET (GB) G 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 16 59kg 104
17 3x1761x015 DEMOCRACY MANIFEST G 5 Chris Waller 17 59kg 101
18 36x254x156 AMENABLE H 4 Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) 18 58.5kg 96
19 641×345937 GALERON (IRE) H 4 Charles Hills 19 57.5kg 93
20 3285210×53 SPANGLER (IRE) G 6 Kris Lees 20 59kg 92

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

George Main Stakes / King Charles III Stakes History

The race was previously named after George Main, the former chairman of the Australian Jockey Club, racehorse breeder and sheep runner before being renamed ahead of the 2023 in honour of His Majesty King Charles III.

Inaugurated in 1945, the first winner of the George Main Stakes was Modulation. There have been several horses which have managed to win the race more than once including Kingston Town in 1981-82, Regal Rhythm in 1967-68, Count Radiant in 1964-65 and Shannon in 1946-47. In 2011 the race was run over a 1500m trip at Rosehill due to construction work at Randwick.

In 2017 Winx became the latest back-to-back George Main Stakes winner and the shortest-priced favourite to salute at odds of $1.12. The mighty mare won the event for the third year on the trot in 2018 defeating just six rivals, the closest being Le Romain by four lengths!

Trainer Chris Waller posted his seventh George Main Stakes win in nine years in 2020 with Kolding scoring an upset over three of his stablemates for an all-Waller first four followed by his eighth in ten years with his subsequent Melbourne Cup winning mare Verry Elleegant in 2021.

In 2022 subsequent Cox Plate star Anamoe became one of the shortest-priced favourites to salute in the George Main Stakes results winning at a $1.65 starting price.

The first official King Charles III Stakes winner was Fangirl for Chris Waller in 2023.

George Main Stakes / King Charles III Results

Year Place Horse Time
2023
King Charles III Stakes
1st Fangirl 1 minute 33.79 seconds
2nd Mr Brightside
3rd My Oberon
2022
George Main Stakes
1st Anamoe 1 minute 38.61 seconds
2nd Icebath
3rd Hinged
2021
George Main Stakes
1st Verry Elleegant 1 minute 36.07 seconds
2nd Riodini
3rd Think It Over
2020
George Main Stakes
1st Kolding 1 minute 33.30 seconds
2nd Star Of The Seas
3rd Imaging
2019
George Main Stakes
1st Avilius 1 minute 36.18 seconds
2nd Dreamforce
3rd Happy Clapper
2018
George Main Stakes
1st Winx 1 minute 34.21 seconds
2nd Le Romain
3rd Egg Tart
2017
George Main Stakes
1st Winx 1 minute 33.65 seconds
2nd Happy Clapper
3rd Foxplay
2016
George Main Stakes
1st Winx 1 minute 36.1 seconds
2nd Hauraki
3rd It’s Somewhat
2015
George Main Stakes
1st Kermadec 1 minute 37.70 seconds
2nd Royal Descent
3rd Pornichet
2014
George Main Stakes
1st Sacred Falls 1 minute 35.66 seconds
2nd Royal Descent
3rd Laser Hawk
2013
George Main Stakes
1st Streama 1 minute 34.78 seconds
2nd Royal Descent
3rd Veyron
2012
George Main Stakes
1st Shoot Out 1 minute 36.4 seconds
2nd Rangirangdoo
3rd Secret Admirer
2011
George Main Stakes
1st Sincero 1 minute 28.5 seconds
2nd Ilovethiscity
3rd Triple Elegance
2010
George Main Stakes
1st More Joyous 1 minute 35.6 seconds
2nd Trusting
3rd Empires Choice
2009
George Main Stakes
1st Road To Rock 1 minute 35.5 seconds
2nd Black Piranha
3rd Onemorenomore
2008
George Main Stakes
1st Mentality 1 minute 34.68 seconds
2nd Theseo
3rd Gallant Tess
2007
George Main Stakes
Race Not Held  
2006
George Main Stakes
1st Racing To Win 1 minute 33.75 seconds
2nd Red Dazzler
3rd Desert War
2005
George Main Stakes
1st Mr Celebrity 1 minute 34.6 seconds
2nd Shania Dane
3rd Outback Prince
2004
George Main Stakes
1st Grand Armee 1 minute 36.94 seconds
2nd King’s Chapel
3rd Shamekha
2003
George Main Stakes
1st Lonhro 1 minute 37.48 seconds
2nd Grand Armee
3rd Defier
2002
George Main Stakes
1st Defier 1 minute 38.31 seconds
2nd Excellerator
3rd Sunline
2001
George Main Stakes
1st Viscount 1 minute 36.74 seconds
2nd Shogun Lodge
3rd Courvoisier
2000
George Main Stakes
1st Adam 1 minute 35.25 seconds
2nd Mr. Innocent
3rd Al Mansour

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