Turnbull Stakes

The Turnbull Stakes runs at Flemington Racecourse as a lead-up to other Melbourne Group 1 spring races including the Caulfield Cup.

2023 Turnbull Stakes Results

  • 1st: #2 Gold Trip
  • 2nd: #5 West Wind Blows
  • 3rd: #11 Soulcombe



The Turnbull Stakes is a Group 1 race for staying types held in early October at Flemington Racecourse.

The Turnbull Stakes currently runs on the same Saturday as the Epsom Handicap at Randwick in Sydney. Offering $750,000 in prize money, the event is the marquee race at the meeting.

There are five other Group status races on the Turnbull Stakes Day card with the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m), the Group 2 Rose Of Kingston Stakes (1400m), Group 2 Gilgai Stakes (1200m), Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1200m), and the Group 3 The Bart Cummings (2500m) for Caulfield Cup types.

The Turnbull Stakes is for four-year-old entries and up run under set weight conditions plus penalties. This 2000m middle-distance event always attracts an elite field of highly competitive runners, many of which use the race as a key lead-up to the carnival’s feature races including the Caulfield and Melbourne Cup races.

Since being awarded Group 1 status however, the Turnbull Stakes is now seen as a premier race in its own right and not simply a preparatory race. As the first quality middle-distance race at the carnival, the Turnbull Stakes provides stayers with a chance to run over the more suitable 2000m building up to the longer 2400m and 3200m races later in the spring.

In past years the Turnbull Stakes has proven a truly excellent guide to the spring feature races, with the Turnbull Stakes providing a number of Melbourne Cup , Caulfield Cup winners and Cox Plate winners. The Turnbull Stakes paired with any of these three later events makes for some great betting doubles throughout the carnival. Champion mare Winx completed the Turnbull Stakes – Cox Plate double in both 2017 and 2018.

Trainer Chris Waller made it four wins on the trot in the Turnbull Stakes results with Kings Will Dream saluting in 2019 followed by Verry Elleegant in 2020.

Verry Elleegant (2020) and Incentivise (2021) are the last runners to complete the Turnbull Stakes – Caulfield Cup double.

The Turnbull Stakes form was further franked in the 2021 Melbourne Cup results with the 2020 winner Verry Elleegant defeating the 2021 champ Incentivise in the iconic two mile showdown that spring.

In 2023 the Turnbull Stakes was won by the previous year’s Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip.

The 2023 Turnbull Stakes ran on Saturday October 7, 2023 as a key Caulfield Cup lead-up and was won in an impressive upset by the reigning Melbourne Cup champion Gold Trip ($19) from the Maher/Eustace stable. 

 2023 Turnbull Stakes
Date: Saturday October 7, 2023
Track: Flemington Racecourse
Distance: 2000m
Conditions: 4YO & Up – Set Weights + Penalties
Status: Group 1
Prize Money: $750,000
Inaugurated: 1948

2023 Turnbull Stakes Results

  • 1st: #2 Gold Trip ($19)
  • 2nd: #5 West Wind Blows
  • 3rd: #11 Soulcombe

Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip ($19) demolished his rivals with a powerhouse performance in the 2023 Turnbull Stakes results after storming down the outside to return to winning form in an impressive bolt home at big odds on way to a title defence in the world’s richest handicap on the first Tuesday of November.

Finish No. Horse Trainer Jockey Margin Bar. Weight Penalty Starting Price
1 2 GOLD TRIP (FR) Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Mark Zahra 16 58kg $19
2 5 WEST WIND BLOWS (IRE) Simon & Ed Crisford Jamie Spencer 1.75L 7 56.5kg $6.50
3 11 SOULCOMBE (GB) Chris Waller Craig Williams 2.15L 2 56kg $6
4 1 ROMANTIC WARRIOR (IRE) Danny Shum James McDonald 3.9L 10 59kg $2.45F
5 16 LUNAR FLARE Grahame Begg Michael Dee 4.65L 13 54kg $101
6 12 DUKE DE SESSA (IRE) Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Ben Allen 4.85L 11 56kg $26
7 4 FRANCESCO GUARDI (IRE) Chris Waller Damian Lane 5.05L 6 57kg $19
8 13 SPANISH MISSION (USA) Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman Beau Mertens 5.15L 9 55kg $151
9 14 EL BODEGON (IRE) Chris Waller Jye McNeil 5.55L 8 55kg $151
10 7 OSIPENKO (NZ) Chris Waller Damien Oliver 6.3L 5 56kg $7.50
11 15 RIGHT YOU ARE Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Dean Yendall 7.8L 14 55kg $14
12 6 EMISSARY (GB) Michael Moroney Ms Jamie Kah 10.05L 4 56kg $51
13 3 SMOKIN’ ROMANS (NZ) Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Jamie Mott 12.55L 15 58kg $101
14 10 BANK MAUR Richard Laming Craig Newitt 12.95L 3 56kg $101
15 8 UNCLE BRYN (GB) Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young Daniel Moor 13.7L 1 56kg $21
16 9 BERKELEY SQUARE Dan O’Sullivan Harry Coffey 16.7L 12 56kg $51
18e GOLDMAN (NZ) Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Jordan Childs 0
17e EL PATRONESS Danny O’Brien Jye McNeil 0

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

2023 Turnbull Stakes Odds & Betting

The Turnbull Stakes 2023 betting markets and updated odds from Ladbrokes.com.au will be available below as soon as released.

Verry Elleegant ($5 in 2020) was the last Turnbull Stakes favourite to salute for the punters. Verry Elleegant jumped the $2.10 favourite in the 2021 Turnbull Stakes but only managed to run fourth to Incentivise ($2.70).

There was a notable upset in 2022 with Smokin’ Romans winning at Turnbull Stakes odds of $21, and again in 2023 with the previous year’s Melbourne Cup hero Gold Trip saluting at $19.

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

2023 Turnbull Stakes Form

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2023 TURNBULL STAKES FORM GUIDE

2023 Turnbull Stakes Tips

Stay tuned for our insider Turnbull Stakes 2023 Tips on the Spring Cups’ lead-up this season.

  • To Win: #11 Soulcombe ($6.50 at time of publish) – BET NOW

Taking on the Hong Kong galloper at the short odds preferring to see them down under first and have the Chris Waller-trained Melbourne Cup-bound import Soulcombe on top third-up and fit. This progressive five-year-old won the Listed Heatherlie fresh with a big weight. Franked that form with an eye-catching fourth last time out up in grade when only 1.4 lengths off Alligator Blood at WFA in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m). Will appreciate the drop back to 56kg here, the extra furlong and a gun barrier two draw with Craig Williams coming aboard. Good horse at a good price going the right way.

2023 Turnbull Stakes Field

The Turnbull Stakes field attracts a quality line-up of spring gallopers each year coming via a host of different lead-up races including the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m).

Plenty of runners come into the Turnbull Stakes field off a Sydney campaign and in 2015 and 2016 both champions of the Flemington Group 1 won the Group 2 Hill Stakes at Randwick in the lead-up with Preferment and Hartnell respectively doing the double. Note, the Hill Stakes now takes place on the same day as the Turnbull.

Four-time Cox Plate hero won the 2017 and 2018 editions of the Turnbull Stakes on the back of her back-to-back Group 1 George Main Stakes victories in Sydney.

The official Turnbull Stakes 2023 Final Field & Barriers will be announced on the Wednesday of race week and published in full below.

The 2023 Turnbull Stakes field features a star-studded line-up of potential Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup hopefuls led in betting by the Danny Shum-trained Hong Kong raider Romantic Warrior racing down under for the first time from gate 11 with James McDonald booked for the prized ride.

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

No Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Probable Weight Penalty Hcp Rating
1 1x1122x12x ROMANTIC WARRIOR (IRE) Danny Shum James McDonald 11 59kg 120
2 291x2570x4 GOLD TRIP (FR) Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Mark Zahra 18 58kg 117
3 177x884x60 SMOKIN’ ROMANS (NZ) Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Jamie Mott 17 58kg 107
4 1232821×05 FRANCESCO GUARDI (IRE) Chris Waller Damian Lane 7 57kg 107
5 1613×31232 WEST WIND BLOWS (IRE) Simon & Ed Crisford Jamie Spencer 8 56.5kg 108
6 812x530x95 EMISSARY (GB) Michael Moroney Ms Jamie Kah 5 56kg 104
7 x51761x573 OSIPENKO (NZ) Chris Waller Damien Oliver 6 56kg 106
8 151x86x801 UNCLE BRYN (GB) Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young Daniel Moor 1 56kg 106
9 11416×4374 BERKELEY SQUARE Dan O’Sullivan Harry Coffey 14 56kg 97
10 8x27410x89 BANK MAUR Richard Laming Craig Newitt 4 56kg 99
11 1x1x682x14 SOULCOMBE (GB) Chris Waller Craig Williams 2 56kg 108
12 52x131x8x0 DUKE DE SESSA (IRE) Ciaron Maher & David Eustace John Allen 12 56kg 105
13 34x339x3x7 SPANISH MISSION (USA) Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman 10 55kg 112
14 3x3x907x00 EL BODEGON (IRE) Chris Waller Ben Melham 9 55kg 110
15 1111121×25 RIGHT YOU ARE Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 16 55kg 107
16 12x7931x80 LUNAR FLARE Grahame Begg Michael Dee 15 54kg 107
17e 1x847014x3 EL PATRONESS Danny O’Brien Jye McNeil 3 53kg 103
18e x31x111x96 GOLDMAN (NZ) Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Jordan Childs 13 55kg 103

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

2023 Turnbull Stakes Nominations

The 2023 Turnbull Stakes nominations are released by Racing Victoria on the Monday leading-up to Turnbull Stakes Day.

The Turnbull Stakes 2023 nominations attracted 29 spring hopefuls including all-in Cox Plate favourite Romantic Warrior from Hong Kong in his Australian race debut.

Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Ballot Weight True Weight Penalty Hcp Rating
1 1x1122x12x ROMANTIC WARRIOR (IRE) G 6 Danny Shum 1 59kg 120
2 291x2570x4 GOLD TRIP (FR) H 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 2 58kg 117
3 177x884x60 SMOKIN’ ROMANS (NZ) G 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 3 58kg 107
4 x51210x048 LINDERMANN H 4 Chris Waller 4 57kg 105
5 1232821×05 FRANCESCO GUARDI (IRE) G 6 Chris Waller 5 57kg 107
6 x51761x573 OSIPENKO (NZ) H 4 Chris Waller 6 56kg 106
7 8x27410x89 BANK MAUR H 4 Richard Laming 7 56kg 99
8 11416×4374 BERKELEY SQUARE G 4 Dan O’Sullivan 8 56kg 97
9 1613×31232 WEST WIND BLOWS (IRE) G 5 Simon & Ed Crisford 9 56.5kg 108
10 1x1x682x14 SOULCOMBE (GB) G 5 Chris Waller 10 56kg 108
11 12x7931x80 LUNAR FLARE M 8 Grahame Begg 11 54kg 107
12 151x86x801 UNCLE BRYN (GB) G 6 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young 12 56kg 106
13 52x131x8x0 DUKE DE SESSA (IRE) H 5 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 13 56kg 105
14 812x530x95 EMISSARY (GB) G 7 Michael Moroney 14 56kg 104
15 22x22418x9 LUNCIES (GB) G 7 Kris Lees 15 56kg 104
16 102x100x24 PROTAGONIST (FR) G 7 Kris Lees 16 56kg 104
17 0x5229x863 MONTEFILIA M 6 Chris Waller 17 53kg 113
18 16x69x00x0 ALENQUER (FR) G 6 Michael Moroney 18 55kg 112
19 34x339x3x7 SPANISH MISSION (USA) H 8 Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman 19 55kg 112
20 3x3x907x00 EL BODEGON (IRE) G 5 Chris Waller 20 55kg 110
21 8x26844x40 HINGED M 5 Chris Waller 21 53kg 108
22 1111121×25 RIGHT YOU ARE G 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 22 55kg 107
23 6746×40311 YOUNG WERTHER (NZ) G 6 Danny O’Brien 23 55kg 106
24 1x847014x3 EL PATRONESS M 5 Danny O’Brien 24 53kg 103
25 x31x111x96 GOLDMAN (NZ) G 5 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 25 55kg 103
26 3x05420x80 HEZASHOCKA (NZ) G 6 Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) 26 55kg 103
27 3x9x0050x8 MOUNT POPA (IRE) G 9 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes 27 55kg 100
28 402369×901 IRONCLAD (GB) G 8 Will Clarken & Niki O’Shea 28 55kg 99
29 60847×7253 ALASKAN GOD G 5 Daniel Morton 29 55kg 97

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

Turnbull Stakes History

Named in honour of the incumbent VRC Chairman Mr. Richard Turnbull, the Turnbull Stakes was first run in 1948 when Beau Gem claimed victory. It was originally a 12 furlong (approx. 2400m) Principal race up until 1972 when the distance was changed to the shorter length of 2000m with Australia’s adoption of the metric system.

The race was run as a handicap event through until 1963 when weight-for-age conditions were adopted until 1970 when eventually the Turnbull Stakes became a set weights plus penalties race. In 1979 the event was elevated to Group 2 status and remained the same until 2006 when it was installed as a Group 1 event following the win of the infamous Makybe Diva in 2005.

Notable winners of the Turnbull Stakes include Rising Fast (1954), Galilee (1968), Super Impose (1989), Let’s Elope (1991), Naturalism (1992), Sunline (2000), Northerly (2002), and Efficient (2009).

In 2012 Green Moon won the Turnbull Stakes before taking out the ‘race that stops the nation’ with a Melbourne Cup victory two starts later on the first Tuesday of November.

One of the most famous recent Turnbull Stakes winners was Winx who won her Flemington debut in the race in 2017 by six and a half lengths and then successfully defended her Turnbull Stakes title in 2018.

Turnbull Stakes Records
Multiple Winners: Comic Court (1949 & 1950), Vo Rogue (1987 & 1988), Winx (2017 & 2018).
Most Successful Jockeys: Two jockeys have won four Turnbull Stakes.
Harry White with Lefroy (1978), No Peer (1981), Birchwood (1982) and Just Now (1986).
R. Higgins with Sir Dane (1964), Galilee (1968), Leilani (1974) and Denise’s Joy (1976).

Recent Turnbull Stakes Winners

Year Place Horse Time
2023 Turnbull Stakes 1st Gold Trip 2 minutes 01.62 seconds
2nd West Wind Blows
3rd Soulcombe
2022 Turnbull Stakes 1st Smokin’ Romans 2 minutes 02.23 seconds
2nd Maximal
3rd Young Werther
2021 Turnbull Stakes 1st Incentivise 2 minutes 01.46 seconds
2nd Young Werther
3rd Chapada
2020 Turnbull Stakes 1st Verry Elleegant 2 minutes 1.84 seconds
2nd Toffee Tongue
3rd Finche
2019 Turnbull Stakes 1st Kings Will Dream 2 minutes 3.54 seconds
2nd Finche
3rd Hartnell
2018 Turnbull Stakes 1st Winx 2 minutes 1.60 seconds
2nd Youngstar
3rd Kings Will Dream
2017 Turnbull Stakes 1st Winx 2 minutes 2.07 seconds
2nd Ventura Storm
3rd Humidor
2016 Turnbull Stakes 1st Hartnell 2 minutes 1.03 seconds
2nd Jameka
3rd Tally
2015 Turnbull Stakes 1st Preferment 2 minutes 1.34 seconds
2nd Royal Descent
3rd Set Square
2014 Turnbull Stakes 1st Lucia Valentina 2 minutes 1.84 seconds
2nd Lidari
3rd Brambles
2013 Turnbull Stakes 1st Happy Trails 2 minutes 2.94 seconds
2nd Puissance De Lune
3rd Fawkner
2012 Turnbull Stakes 1st Green Moon 2 minutes 2.11 seconds
2nd Seville
3rd December Draw
2011 Turnbull Stakes 1st December Draw 2 minutes 3.98 seconds
2nd Glass Harmonium
3rd Playing God
2010 Turnbull Stakes 1st Zipping 2 minutes 3.23 seconds
2nd Shocking
3rd Shoot Out
2009 Turnbull Stakes 1st Efficient 2 minutes 1.6 seconds
2nd Predatory Pricer
3rd Scenic Shot
2008 Turnbull Stakes 1st Littorio 2 minutes 2.4 seconds
2nd Master O’Reilly
3rd Zipping
2007 Turnbull Stakes 1st Devil Moon 2 minutes 3.4 seconds
2nd Scenic Shot
3rd Haradasun
2006 Turnbull Stakes 1st Sphenophyta 2 minutes 1.9 seconds
2nd Our Smoking Joe
3rd Aqua D Amore
2005 Turnbull Stakes 1st Makybe Diva 2 minutes 1.5 seconds
2nd Lad Of The Manor
3rd Confectioner
2004 Turnbull Stakes 1st Elvstroem 2 minutes 0.4 seconds
2nd Mummify
3rd Confectioner
2003 Turnbull Stakes 1st Studebaker 2 minutes 4 seconds
2nd Pentastic
3rd Strasbourg
2002 Turnbull Stakes 1st Northerly 2 minutes 2.3 seconds
2nd Dash For Cash
3rd Fields Of Omagh
2001 Turnbull Stakes 1st Sunline 2 minutes 3.9 seconds
2nd Universal Prince
3rd Primrose Sands
2000 Turnbull Stakes 1st Fairway 2 minutes 2.2 seconds
2nd Sunline
3rd Diatribe

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