Horse Racing

Held during the early stages of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival, the Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes is named in honour of racing champion and 1991 Melbourne Cup winner Let’s Elope.

The 1400m race takes place at Flemington Racecourse in early – mid September on Makybe Diva Stakes Day and is worth $200,000 in prize money. Many of the Let’s Elope Stakes runners will come via the Group 3 Cockram Stakes (1200m) held earlier at Caulfield and could continue onto the Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m) back at Flemington during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

The latest edition of the 2017 Let’s Elope Stakes ran on September 16, 2017.

2017 Let’s Elope Stakes
Date:	September 16, 2017
Track:	Flemington Racecourse
Distance:	1400m
Race Type:	Mares 4YO & Over – Set Weights & Penalties
Status:	Group 2
Prize Money:	$200,000

2017 Let’s Elope Stakes Results

• 1st: #7 Sword Of Light
• 2nd: #11 Swampland
• 3rd: #16 Lovani

Check out the official Let’s Elope Stakes 2017 Results & Finishing Order below, the race won in an upset by $18 local shot Sword Of Light who improved on a Cockram Stakes fifth to narrowly defeat Swampland by a quarter-length. More value was added to the winning Let’s Elope Stakes trifecta in 2017 by the third-placed Robert Smerdon-trained roughie Lovani ($41). Race favourite, I Am A Star ($3.70), struggled under the 59kg top weight crossing third in a mid-field seventh.

Place	#	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Margin	Br.	Wgt.	SP
1	7	SWORD OF LIGHT	Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra	Damian Lane	–	12	56kg	$18
2	11	SWAMPLAND (NZ)	Henry Dwyer	Chris Symons	0.4L	4	55kg	$5.50
3	16	LOVANI	Robert Smerdon	Ryan Maloney	1.15L	6	55kg	$41
4	14	GIVE US A GO	Craig Anderson	Anthony Darmanin	1.55L	13	55kg	$81
5	12	SMART AS YOU THINK	John McArdle	Daniel Stackhouse	2.55L	9	55kg	$41
6	10	SCHISM	Ciaron Maher	Beau Mertens (a)	2.85L	1	55kg	$9.50
7	1	I AM A STAR (NZ)	Shane Nichols	Damien Oliver	3.05L	5	59kg	$3.70F
8	5	JENNIFER LYNN	Darren Weir	Brad Rawiller	3.15L	2	57kg	$14
9	2	SERENELY DISCREET	Phillip Stokes	Luke Nolen	3.25L	8	58kg	$31
10	8	EXOCET	Anthony Freedman	Craig Williams	3.35L	14	56kg	$31
11	15	LET HER RIP (NZ)	Shaune Ritchie	Dwayne Dunn	3.85L	16	55kg	$41
11	6	FLYING JESS	John Moloney	Jordan Childs	3.85L	7	56kg	$26
13	13	HAPPY HANNAH	David & B Hayes & T Dabernig	Kerrin McEvoy	4.6L	10	55kg	$26
14	17e	WRITTEN ERA	Aaron Purcell	Ben Melham	4.8L	3	55kg	$15
15	3	OREGON’S DAY	Mick Price	Mark Zahra	5L	15	57kg	$5.50
16	9	RISQUE (NZ)	David & B Hayes & T Dabernig	Regan Bayliss	5.3L	11	55kg	$101
–	18e	PURE PRIDE (NZ)	Murray Johnson	Ben Melham	–	0	–	–
–	4	ANA ROYALE	Stuart Webb	Luke Currie	–	0	–	–

2017 Let’s Elope Stakes Odds

The spring’s top Let’s Elope Stakes 2017 betting markets and links to the odds at Ladbrokes.com.au on the hopeful mares racing in the Group 2 Flemington race will be provided for punters below once released.

2017 Let’s Elope Stakes Field

The Let’s Elope Stakes field attracts a quality line-up of mares each Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival who may have had an earlier run in the Cockram Stakes a fortnight prior, which is the traditional lead-up into the Flemington clash.

The official Let’s Elope Stakes 2017 field & barriers are released the Wednesday leading-up to Makybe Diva Stakes Day and will be published below once announced.

The 2017 Let’s Elope Stakes Final Field attracted a capacity line-up of 16 confirmed starters plus two emergencies. Carrying 59kg topweight is reigning Myer Classic winner I Am A Star, while Flying Jess comes off a good second in the Cockram Stakes first-up.

#	Form (Last 10)	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight	Hcp. Rating
1	x271183x47	I AM A STAR (NZ)	Shane Nichols	Damien Oliver	5	59kg	107
2	x4x101x438	SERENELY DISCREET	Phillip Stokes	Luke Nolen	9	58kg	79
3	9x23815x81	OREGON’S DAY	Mick Price	Mark Zahra	16	57kg	90
4	172233183x	ANA ROYALE	Stuart Webb	Luke Currie	6	57kg	91
5	1113x256x6	JENNIFER LYNN	Darren Weir	Brad Rawiller	2	57kg	77
6	60471x67x2	FLYING JESS	John Moloney	Jordan Childs	8	56kg	93
7	5x342117x5	SWORD OF LIGHT	Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra	Damian Lane	13	56kg	84
8	849x30411x	EXOCET	Anthony Freedman	Craig Williams	15	56kg	85
9	11x1380x00	RISQUE (NZ)	David & B Hayes & T Dabernig	Regan Bayliss	12	55kg	94
10	1226411194	SCHISM	Ciaron Maher	Beau Mertens (a)	1	55kg	95
11	5×43261112	SWAMPLAND (NZ)	Henry Dwyer	Chris Symons	4	55kg	82
12	6x577683x5	SMART AS YOU THINK	John McArdle	Daniel Stackhouse	10	55kg	80
13	6333x6759x	HAPPY HANNAH	David & B Hayes & T Dabernig	Kerrin McEvoy	11	55kg	92
14	x641037444	GIVE US A GO	Craig Anderson	Anthony Darmanin	14	55kg	78
15	x21331551x	LET HER RIP (NZ)	Shaune Ritchie	Dwayne Dunn	18	55kg	88
16	115×402110	LOVANI	Robert Smerdon	Ryan Maloney	7	55kg	72
17e	11x350x173	WRITTEN ERA	Aaron Purcell	TBA	3	55kg	86
18e	25x34067x7	PURE PRIDE (NZ)	Murray Johnson	Ben Melham	17	55kg	82

2017 Let’s Elope Stakes Nominations

The Let’s Elope Stakes 2017 nominations are released by Racing Victoria the Monday of race week and will be available below.

#	Form (Last 10)	Horse	Sex	Age	Trainer	Ballot	Weight	Hcp. Rating
1	x271183x47	I AM A STAR (NZ)	M	4	Shane Nichols	1	59kg	107
2	x4x101x438	SERENELY DISCREET	M	4	Phillip Stokes	2	58kg	79
3	9x23815x81	OREGON’S DAY	M	4	Mick Price	3	57kg	90
4	172233183x	ANA ROYALE	M	4	Stuart Webb	4	57kg	91
5	1113x256x6	JENNIFER LYNN	M	4	Darren Weir	5	57kg	77
6	60471x67x2	FLYING JESS	M	4	John Moloney	6	56kg	93
7	5x342117x5	SWORD OF LIGHT	M	4	Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra	7	56kg	84
8	849x30411x	EXOCET	M	4	Anthony Freedman	8	56kg	85
9	213x3116x	CONSOMMATEUR (NZ)	M	5	Michael Kent	9	56kg	94
10	395x5134x6	MERRIEST	M	4	Danny O’Brien	10	55.5kg	80
11	97010x90x5	MINNIE DOWNS	M	9	Luke Oliver	11	55kg	84
12	11x1380x00	RISQUE (NZ)	M	5	David & B Hayes & T Dabernig	12	55kg	94
13	1226411194	SCHISM	M	5	Ciaron Maher	13	55kg	95
14	5×43261112	SWAMPLAND (NZ)	M	4	Henry Dwyer	14	55kg	82
15	3x75430x46	TAHANEE (ARG)	M	5	Darren Weir	15	55kg	83
16	6x577683x5	SMART AS YOU THINK	M	4	John McArdle	16	55kg	80
17	6333x6759x	HAPPY HANNAH	M	5	David & B Hayes & T Dabernig	17	55kg	92
18	x641037444	GIVE US A GO	M	6	Craig Anderson	18	55kg	78
19	x21331551x	LET HER RIP (NZ)	M	5	Shaune Ritchie	19	55kg	88
20	115×402110	LOVANI	M	4	Robert Smerdon	20	55kg	72
21	11x350x173	WRITTEN ERA	M	6	Aaron Purcell	21	55kg	86
22	1x6371728x	QUILATE	M	5	Michael Kent	22	55kg	71
23	25x34067x7	PURE PRIDE (NZ)	M	5	Murray Johnson	23	55kg	82

Let’s Elope Stakes History

Originally a Listed race from 1987 to 2004, the Let’s Elope Stakes then elevated to Group Three status from 2005 to 2008 and in 2009 it finally reached Group Two status. Previously known as the Milady Stakes, the event’s fastest winning time was recorded in 2013 when Commanding Jewel won in a sharp 1:22.5. Commanding Jewel returned to take out the race again in 2014.

The Let’s Elope Stakes retains an important place in the Spring Racing Carnival as a reasonably accurate form indicator for punters in later Group 1 races, including in 2011 when the winner Pinker Pinker won the Cox Plate that October.

Recent Let’s Elope Stakes Winners

Year	Place	Horse	Time
2018 Let’s Elope Stakes	1st	TBD	TBD
	2nd	TBD
	3rd	TBD
2017 Let’s Elope Stakes	1st	Sword Of Light	1 minute 23.50 seconds
	2nd	Swampland
	3rd	Lovani
2016 Let’s Elope Stakes	1st	Don’t Doubt Mamma	1 minute 24.5 seconds
	2nd	Thames Court
	3rd	Manageress
2015 Let’s Elope Stakes	1st	Amicus	1 minute 23.07 seconds
	2nd	Precious Gem
	3rd	May’s Dream
2014 Let’s Elope Stakes	1st	Commanding Jewel	1 minute 23.61 seconds
	2nd	Dear Demi
	3rd	Nautical
2013 Let’s Elope Stakes	1st	Commanding Jewel	1 minute 23.08 seconds
	2nd	Catkins
	3rd	A Time For Julia
2012 Let’s Elope Stakes	1st	Zurella	1 minute 23.38 seconds
	2nd	Hi Belle
	3rd	Total Attraction
2011 Let’s Elope Stakes	1st	Pinker Pinker	1 minute 23.8 seconds
	2nd	Mid Summer Music
	3rd	Parables
2010 Let’s Elope Stakes	1st	No Evidence Needed	1 minute 26.85 seconds
	2nd	Response
	3rd	Live In Sin
2009 Let’s Elope Stakes	1st	Cats Whisker	1 minute 25 seconds
	2nd	Romneya
	3rd	Symphony Miss
2008 Let’s Elope Stakes	1st	Mimi Lebrock	1 minute 28.2 seconds
	2nd	Bellini Rose
	3rd	Devil Moon
2007 Let’s Elope Stakes	1st	Devil Moon	1 minute 23.4 seconds
	2nd	Eskimo Queen
	3rd	Bellini Rose
2006 Let’s Elope Stakes	1st	Rewaaya	1 minute 24.2 seconds
	2nd	Be Delicious
	3rd	Celtic Bloom
2005 Let’s Elope Stakes	1st	Dea	1 minute 23.3 seconds
	2nd	Timbourina
	3rd	Catscan
2004 Let’s Elope Stakes	1st	Beautiful Gem	1 minute 24.4 seconds
	2nd	Galvanized
	3rd	Demerger
2003 Let’s Elope Stakes	1st	Ain’t Seen Nothin	1 minute 24.4 seconds
	2nd	Classic Patches
	3rd	Reactive
2002 Let’s Elope Stakes	1st	Purple Groove	1 minute 24.9 seconds
	2nd	Tickle My
	3rd	Crimson Gem
2001 Let’s Elope Stakes	1st	Flushed	1 minute 24.5 seconds
	2nd	Miss Power Bird
	3rd	Lolita Star
2000 Let’s Elope Stakes	1st	Tickle My	1 minute 28.4 seconds
	2nd	Love’s Choice
	3rd	Monterosso