Robert Sangster Stakes

The Robert Sangster Stakes is a Group 1 race for fillies and mares held at Morphettville in South Australia in early May.

2023 Robert Sangster Stakes Results

  • 1st: #13 Ruthless Dame
  • 2nd: #12 Another Award
  • 3rd: #4 Zapateo



The Robert Sangster Stakes is one of only four Group 1 races held in South Australia at Morphettville Racecourse as part of the esteemed Adelaide Autumn Racing Carnival.

Conducted by the South Australia Jockey Club (SAJC) the other Group 1 races run are the Australasian Oaks (2000m) now held a week prior to the Robert Sangster Stakes, The Goodwood (1200m) and the South Australian Derby (2500m).

The Robert Sangster Stakes is the elite fillies and mares event of the carnival and is run under weight-for-age conditions. Raced over a sprint distance of 1200m the event is now worth just over $500,000 in total prize money. In 2020 the event was worth a reduced $400,000 due to COVID-19.

The contending females may have just contested the Group 3 RN Irwin Stakes (1100m) previous month at the Morphettville track, so keep an eye on the dominant fillies and mares in this other weight-for-age event. Driefontein (2014) was the last mare to do the RN Irwin Stakes – Robert Sangster Stakes double.

As the premier fillies and mares’ race in Adelaide, the event attracts all the best local gallopers and quite often an impressive interstate female will make the trip and claim victory in the Robert Sangster.

The most famous Robert Sangster Stakes winner was the world’s highest-rated mare Black Caviar who took out the 2012 edition in her Adelaide debut.

In 2021 the Robert Sangster Stakes form was franked with the winner Instant Celebrity going on to run second next-up in that year’s The Goodwood results. Platelet (2013) and Black Caviar (2012) both completed the Robert Sangster Stakes – The Goodwood double.

The 2022 Robert Sangster Stakes form was franked with the winner Snapdancer heading to Brisbane for a next-up second in the Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) before winning the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) in Melbourne that spring.

The Robert Sangster Stakes 2023 ran on Saturday May 6, 2023 as the second Group 1 event of the Adelaide Autumn Racing Carnival and was won in an impressive upset by the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained filly Ruthless Dame ($14). 

2023 Robert Sangster Stakes
Date: Saturday May 6, 2023
Track: Morphettville Racecourse
Distance: 1200m
Conditions: Weight-for-age
Status: Group 1
Prize Money: $502,250
Inaugurated: 1983

2023 Robert Sangster Stakes Results

  • 1st: #13 Ruthless Dame ($14)
  • 2nd: #12 Another Award
  • 3rd: Zapateo

Tavistock filly Ruthless Dame ($14) from the Maher/Eustace stable broke through for her maiden Group 1 success, the recent Surround Stakes runner-up flying past a field of older rivals for a three-quarter length victory in the Robert Sangster Stakes 2023 results.

Finish No. Horse Trainer Jockey Margin Bar. Weight Penalty Starting Price
1 13 RUTHLESS DAME (NZ) Ciaron Maher & David Eustace John Allen 12 55kg $14
2 12 ANOTHER AWARD Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas Jason Holder 0.7L 13 56.5kg $41
3 4 ZAPATEO James Cummings Damien Oliver 0.9L 11 56.5kg $4
4 8 CHAIN OF LIGHTNING Peter G Moody Luke Nolen 0.9L 8 56.5kg $19
5 10 SERADESS Mark & Levi Kavanagh Todd Pannell 2.5L 2 56.5kg $31
6 1 BELLA NIPOTINA Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Ben Melham 3.2L 5 56.5kg $3.80F
7 7 ESPIONA Chris Waller Michael Dee 4.5L 10 56.5kg $14
8 6 PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE Grahame Begg Jordan Childs 4.8L 1 56.5kg $7
9 5 SEPTEMBER RUN Chris Waller Craig Williams 5L 14 56.5kg $13
10 3 MARABI Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Ben Allen 5L 7 56.5kg $13
11 2 ROCH ’N’ HORSE (NZ) Michael Moroney Jamie Mott 7.4L 9 56.5kg $17
12 11 DIAMONDS Chris Bieg Ms Teagan Voorham 7.5L 6 56.5kg $61
13 9 LITERARY MAGNATE Matthew Williams Dean Yendall 7.8L 3 56.5kg $21
14 14 I’MLOVIN’YA Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) Zac Spain 12.1L 4 55kg $61

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

2023 Robert Sangster Stakes Betting Odds

The latest Robert Sangster Stakes 2023 odds including futures all-in betting on the Adelaide Group 1 autumn race will be available below as soon as markets are out at Ladbrokes.com.au.

Mares traditionally dominate Robert Sangster Stakes betting as since since Rostova in 2010 only three fillies have won with Shoals (2018), Instant Celebrity (2021) and Ruthless Dame (2023).

There were huge $41 Robert Sangster Stakes odds on offer for the upset 2020 champion Bella Vella and more value to be had again in 2022 with Snapdancer winning at $17.

Ruthless Dame also enjoyed an upset at Robert Sangster odds of $14 in 2023.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST 2023 ROBERT SANGSTER STAKES ODDS (Final Field)

2023 Robert Sangster Stakes Form

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2023 ROBERT SANGSTER STAKES FORM GUIDE

2023 Robert Sangster Stakes Tips

Stay tuned for our exclusive Robert Sangster Stakes 2023 Tips on the Adelaide Group 1 showdown this May.

  • To Win: #1 Bella Nipotina ($4.20 at time of publish) 

Absolutely have to give Bella Nipotina another shot. She deserves this win, which would be the mare’s first since the Group 1 Manikato Stakes at The Valley last October over Rothfire who came out and won Brisbane’s Group 2 Victory Stakes last weekend. This five-year-old daughter of Pride Of Dubai has been typically excellent this prep finishing top three in two Group 1s. She comes off a trip to WA where she ran third to Overpass in the inaugural $4 million The Quokka. If she didn’t miss the kick she would have won that. Ben Melham retains the ride here, she’s rock-hard fit and drawn well in gate five. This is her fourth Morphettville run where she is yet to finish in the money, but her fifths in this race and The Goodwood last year were both good. She is arguably going better this season and can salute for the punters if she gets away well.

2023 Robert Sangster Stakes Field

The Robert Sangster Stakes field attracts strong locally-trained mares as well as interstate raiders that are starting to dominate the event. South Australian Racing announce the field the Tuesday of race week. The race also offers a SABOIS Breeders Super Bonus for qualified horses.

The official 2023 Robert Sangster Stakes field and barriers are set for release on Tuesday May 2, 2023 and will be published in full below as soon as announced.

The Robert Sangster Stakes 2023 final field features a class line-up of Group 1 sprinters including Bella Nipotina coming off a third in the $4 million The Quokka in WA, the consistent Grahame Begg-trained Passive Aggressive, and the Chris Waller-trained Coolmore Classic winner Espiona chasing a third win on the trot.

Click here to read more on the key runners in the 2023 Robert Sangster Stakes field and betting markets.

No Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Penalty Hcp Rating
1 x1219x3023 BELLA NIPOTINA Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Ben Melham 5 56.5kg 112
2 x4221x0039 ROCH ’N’ HORSE (NZ) Michael Moroney Jamie Mott 9 56.5kg 112
3 1x11115x8x MARABI Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Ben Allen 7 56.5kg 111
4 x16144x011 ZAPATEO James Cummings Damien Oliver 11 56.5kg 110
5 135x84x404 SEPTEMBER RUN Chris Waller Craig Williams 14 56.5kg 110
6 1111x4x10 PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE Grahame Begg Jordan Childs 1 56.5kg 107
7 81x640x611 ESPIONA Chris Waller Michael Dee 10 56.5kg 106
8 11310×3899 CHAIN OF LIGHTNING Peter G Moody Luke Nolen 8 56.5kg 104
9 24323x123x LITERARY MAGNATE Matthew Williams Dean Yendall 3 56.5kg 98
10 5311x70x24 SERADESS Mark & Levi Kavanagh Todd Pannell 2 56.5kg 98
11 74x103110x DIAMONDS Chris Bieg Ms Teagan Voorham 6 56.5kg 95
12 x4057x3143 ANOTHER AWARD Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas Jason Holder 13 56.5kg 94
13 11×320 RUTHLESS DAME (NZ) Ciaron Maher & David Eustace John Allen 12 55kg 100
14 61x3380x1 I’MLOVIN’YA Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) Zac Spain 4 55kg 83

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

2023 Robert Sangster Nominations

The Robert Sangster Stakes nominations for the race close the week prior and attract a better class of mares each season attracted to the big prize money on offer as an end-of-autumn run or as a nice lead-up into the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival.

The 2023 Robert Sangster Stakes nominations close on April 26, 2023.

Robert Sangster Stakes History

The Robert Sangster is one of the younger Australian thoroughbred races, first run in 1983 when Ranee’s Palace claimed victory.

The race distance has remained the same from the inaugural race, but the status and race name have seen a number of changes.

It began as a special race but became a listed race the next year in 1934. Two years later it gained Group 3 status until 2004 when it was installed as a Group 2 event. The following year in 2005 it became a prestigious Group 1 event.

Originally registered and known as the Swettenham Stud Stakes, the race was renamed when it received Group 1 status as the Robert Sangster Stakes in honour of the legendary owner and breeder Robert Sangster who passed away the year before in 2004.

The Robert Sangster Stakes record was set by Dantelah in 1999 with a time of 1:07.9.

Robert Sangster Stakes Recent Winners

Year

Place

Horse

Time

2023
Robert Sangster Stakes
1st Ruthless Dame 1 minute 9.85 seconds
2nd Another Award
3rd Zapateo
2022
Robert Sangster Stakes
1st Snapdancer 1 minute 10.14 seconds
2nd Away Game
3rd September Run
2021
Robert Sangster Stakes
1st Instant Celebrity 1 minute 9.62 seconds
2nd Subpoenaed
3rd Rubisaki
2020
Robert Sangster Stakes
1st Bella Vella 1 minute 11.07 seconds
2nd Lyre
3rd Bam’s On Fire
2019
Robert Sangster Stakes
1st Spright 1 minute 9.28 seconds
2nd Cool Passion
3rd Bella Martini
2018
Robert Sangster Stakes
1st Shoals 1 minute 9.19 seconds
2nd Secret Agenda
3rd Mica Lil
2017
Robert Sangster Stakes
1st Secret Agenda 1 minute 09.15 seconds
2nd Viddora
3rd I Am A Star
2016
Robert Sangster Stakes
1st Precious Gem 1 minute 09.4 seconds
2nd Sheidel
3rd I Love It
2015
Robert Sangster Stakes
1st Miracles Of Life 1 minutes 09.7 seconds
2nd Gregers
3rd I Love It
2014
Robert Sangster Stakes
1st Driefontein 1 minutes 09.2 seconds
2nd Platelet
3rd Gregers
2013
Robert Sangster Stakes
1st Platelet 1 minutes 11.0 seconds
2nd Angelic Light
3rd Yosei
2012
Robert Sangster Stakes
1st Black Caviar 1 minutes 10.6 seconds
2nd Sistine Angel
3rd Power Princess
2011
Robert Sangster Stakes
1st Response 1 minutes 09.0 seconds
2nd Beaded
3rd Miss Octopussy
2010
Robert Sangster Stakes
1st Rostova 1 minute 9.42 seconds
2nd Velocitea
3rd Sister Madly
2009
Robert Sangster Stakes
1st Bel Mer 1 minute 9.5 seconds
2nd Hidden Energy
3rd Impressive Eagle
2008
Robert Sangster Stakes
1st Juste Momente 1 minute 9.7 seconds
2nd Zipanese
3rd Serious Speed
2007
Robert Sangster Stakes
1st Universal Queen 1 minute 8.3 seconds
2nd Media
3rd Flying Object
2006
Robert Sangster Stakes
1st Ellicorsam 1 minute 9.7 seconds
2nd Social Glow
3rd Truly Wicked
2005
Robert Sangster Stakes
1st Alinghi 1 minute 8.7 seconds
2nd Glamour Puss
3rd Solar Antiquity
2004
Robert Sangster Stakes
1st French Bid 1 minute 9 seconds
2nd Fly For Me
3rd Social Glow
2003
Robert Sangster Stakes
1st Our Egyptian Raine 1 minute 8.7 seconds
2nd Brief Embrace
3rd Dama De Noche
2002
Robert Sangster Stakes
1st Suzy Grey 1 minute 13.2 seconds
2nd Regal Kiss
3rd Lady Belvedere
2001
Robert Sangster Stakes
1st Umaline 1 minute 8.1 seconds
2nd Fayrouz
3rd Crixia
2000
Robert Sangster Stakes
1st Rain Dance Lady 1 minute 9.1 seconds
2nd Tapalinga
3rd Daninkling

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