Missile Stakes

The Missile Stakes is a Group 2 sprinting event held at Rosehill Gardens in August as a lead-up to the $20 million The Everest held in October.

2023 Missile Stakes Results

  • 1st: #11 I Am Me
  • 2nd: #6 Dragonstone
  • 3rd: #9 Deepour



The 2023 Missile Stakes is a Group 2 sprinting event raced over a distance of 1200m. The Missile Stakes is currently held at Rosehill Gardens every year around early August. The Missile Stakes is worth $300,000 as of 2023 and is open to horses aged three years and older.

Contested under weight-for-age conditions, the Missile Stakes field usually attracts a decent selection of sprinters looking to kick their spring racing campaign off with some black-type success. Many horses run first-up in the Missile Stakes and could move towards a tougher run south during the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.

In 2016 Rebel Dane ran second in the Missile Stakes and went on to win that October’s Group 1 Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley. The 2016 Missile Stakes winner Tycoon Tara also went on to win a Group 1 the following year taking out Brisbane’s Tatt’s Tiara in 2017.

The Missile Stakes form was further franked in 2018 with the winner Pierata going on to win the 2019 All Aged Stakes after a number of other Group 1 placings.

The 2020 Missile Stakes champion Eduardo continued on to secure Group 1 wins in the 2021 The Galaxy and Doomben 10,000 the following year.

The event now serves as a possible early spring lead-up for horses chasing a slot in the coveted $20 million The Everest field at Randwick in October.

The Missile Stakes 2023 ran on Saturday August 5, 2023 at Rosehill Gardens as the opening Group race in Sydney for the season and was won in front-running fashion by the speedy favourite I Am Me ($2.40F) from the Maher/Eustace stable. 

Missile Stakes
Date: Saturday August 5, 2023
Track: Rosehill Gardens
Distance: 1200m
Race Type: 3YO+ Weight-for-age
Status: Group 2
Prize Money: $300,000

2023 Missile Stakes Results

  • 1st: #11 I Am Me ($2.40F)
  • 2nd: #6 Dragonstone
  • 3rd: #9 Deepour

The Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Group 1 performed daughter of I Am Invincible, I Am Me ($2.40F), used her sustained speed to lead all-the-way and salute for the punters in the 2023 Missile Stakes results to make it three-from-three at the Rosehill track.

The event was marred by the tragic death of the Joe Pride-trained Big Parade who went amiss mid-way down the straight and was subsequently euthanised due to a suspected fractured shoulder.

Finish No. Horse Trainer Jockey Margin Bar. Weight Penalty Starting Price
1 11 I AM ME Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Tim Clark 1 54kg $2.40F
2 6 DRAGONSTONE Joseph Pride Tom Sherry 1.71L 10 56kg $26
3 9 DEEPOUR Adam Campton Ryan Maloney 2.88L 7 56kg $17
4 10 ARGENTIA Joseph Pride Regan Bayliss 3.31L 3 54.5kg $19
5 8 WEWILLROCK (NZ) John O’Shea Tyler Schiller 3.42L 5 56kg $17
6 3 ROCKETING BY David Pfieffer Jason Collett 5.44L 6 56.5kg $26
7 2 INGRATIATING James Cummings Zac Lloyd (a) 5.71L 9 56.5kg $10
8 7 FENDER Brett Cavanough Adam Hyeronimus 7.18L 8 56kg $81
9 1 GOLDEN MILE James Cummings James McDonald 59.54L 2 59kg $6
FF 4 BIG PARADE Joseph Pride Joshua Parr 4 56kg $4
5 UCALLEDIT (NZ) Kris Lees Dylan Gibbons (a) 0

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

2023 Missile Stakes Betting Odds

The season’s latest Missile Stakes 2023 betting odds and market links to Ladbrokes.com.au will be available below the week of the race.

Alizee ($1.30 in 2019), Eduardo ($2.30 in 2020), and I Am Me ($2.40 in 2023) are the latest favourites in Missile Stakes betting to salute for the punters.

There was a notable upset in the 2022 Missile Stakes with Hard Empire winning at 70/1!

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

2023 Missile Stakes Form

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2023 MISSILE STAKES FORM GUIDE

2023 Missile Stakes Tips

Stay tuned for our insider Missile Stakes 2023 Tips on the popular early season sprint.

  • To Win: #11 I Am Me ($3.90 at time of publish) – BET NOW

Resuming I Am Invincible mare from the ace Maher/Eustace stable looks a terrific first-up hope in this year’s Missile Stakes ahead of bigger, upcoming spring targets. She has a lovely record fresh and is two-from-two at the Rosehill track. A seven-time winner from 13 starts to date, the now five-year-old has looked strong in back-to-back winning trials ahead of the Missile. She was far from disgraced last time out back in February’s Group 1 Oakleigh Plate in Melbourne when seventh but only two lengths beaten. Is up to this in a winnable edition of the Group 2.

2023 Missile Stakes Field

The Missile Stakes field often attracts top class sprinters heading towards the Group 1 sprints of the spring. Following a run in the Missile Stakes field, gallopers may back-up in another Sydney feature including the Group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m) a fortnight later back at the track.

In 2014 Sweet Idea won the Missile Stakes before finishing second next-up in the Memsie Stakes in Melbourne. She also placed fourth in that year’s Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m), won the Group 2 Tristarc Stakes (1400m) and ran second in the Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m) at Flemington during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

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

The 2023 Missile Stakes field features a quality line-up of spring-bound hopefuls including dual acceptor Ingratiating coming off a Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes win in Melbourne and the Group 1 performed I Am Me first-up from gate one.

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

No Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Probable Weight Penalty Hcp Rating
1 1411x2400x GOLDEN MILE James Cummings James McDonald 2 59kg 104
2 73x1200x51 INGRATIATING James Cummings Zac Lloyd (a) 9 56.5kg 104
3 8915x6760x ROCKETING BY David Pfieffer Jason Collett 6 56.5kg 104
4 x13114x23x BIG PARADE Joseph Pride Joshua Parr 4 56kg 108
5 1113×00911 UCALLEDIT (NZ) Kris Lees Dylan Gibbons (a) 10 56kg 105
6 60332×5232 DRAGONSTONE Joseph Pride Tom Sherry 11 56kg 93
7 343538531x FENDER Brett Cavanough Adam Hyeronimus 8 56kg 93
8 x31x431231 WEWILLROCK (NZ) John O’Shea Tyler Schiller 5 56kg 90
9 31111×3143 DEEPOUR Adam Campton Ryan Maloney 7 56kg 88
10 x2910x500x ARGENTIA Joseph Pride Regan Bayliss 3 54.5kg 98
11 146x11117x I AM ME Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Tim Clark 1 54kg 10

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

2023 Missile Stakes Nominations

The early Missile Stakes 2023 Nominations are announced by Racing NSW on the Monday leading-up to the race and will be available below as soon as released.

Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Ballot Weight True Weight Penalty Hcp Rating
1 x13114x23x BIG PARADE G 7 Joseph Pride 1 56kg 108
2 1113×00911 UCALLEDIT (NZ) G 6 Kris Lees 2 56kg 105
3 1411x2400x GOLDEN MILE H 4 James Cummings 3= 59kg 104
4 73x1200x51 INGRATIATING H 5 James Cummings 3= 56.5kg 104
5 8915x6760x ROCKETING BY G 6 David Pfieffer 3= 56.5kg 104
6 146x11117x I AM ME M 5 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 6 54kg 103
7 x2910x500x ARGENTIA M 5 Joseph Pride 7 54.5kg 98
8 60332×5232 DRAGONSTONE G 5 Joseph Pride 8= 56kg 93
9 343538531x FENDER G 7 Brett Cavanough 8= 56kg 93
10 6x06441x22 MUCH MUCH BETTER G 6 Sara Ryan 10= 56kg 92
11 60455×8114 CHASSIS M 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 10= 54kg 92
12 x961322x43 SWEET RIDE H 4 Annabel Neasham 12 56.5kg 91
13 x31x431231 WEWILLROCK (NZ) G 5 John O’Shea 13 56kg 90
14 31111×3143 DEEPOUR G 6 Adam Campton 14 56kg 88
15 106x9998x5 RANTING (NZ) G 6 Nick Ryan 15 56kg 81

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

Missile Stakes History

The Missile Stakes was inaugurated in 1978 as a Principal Race, prior to being reclassified as a Group 3 event in 1980. For the 2014 edition, the race was upgraded to Group 2. The Missile Stakes has been held at a few different venues over time, with Rosehill playing host until 2011, then Warwick Farm stepping in for 2012, before Randwick from 2013 – 2018.

The 2019 edition of the Missile Stakes saw the event move back to Rosehill Gardens Racecourse, while in 2021 the event took place at Randwick due to COVID-19.

In 2023 the Missile Stakes race day has moved back to Rosehill Gardens Racecourse. 

The Missile Stakes was initially raced over 1100m. In 2010, the race began to be raced over 1200m and has remained at that distance since. The Missile Stakes forms a popular double with the Premiere Stakes at Rosehill, which German Chocolate (2007) and Spark of Life (2004) have both managed to achieve.

Notable Missile Stakes winners include Commands (1999), Lonhro (2002) and Pompeii (2003). Missile Stakes results since 2000 are listed below.

Missile Stakes Results

Year Place Horse Time
 
2023
Missile Stakes
1st I Am Me 1 minute 09.67 seconds
2nd Dragonstone
3rd Deepour
 
2022
Missile Stakes
1st Hard Empire 1 minute 10.70 seconds
2nd Wandabaa
3rd Gem Song
 
2021
Missile Stakes
1st Phobetor 1 minute 08.54 seconds
2nd Chat
3rd Fasika
 
2020
Missile Stakes
1st Eduardo 1 minute 12.01 seconds
2nd Flit
3rd Imaging
 
2019
Missile Stakes
1st Alizee 1 minute 11.25 seconds
2nd Invincible Gem
3rd Le Romain
 
2018
Missile Stakes
1st Pierata 1 minute 8.41 seconds
2nd Kementari
3rd The Monstar
 
2017
Missile Stakes
1st Invincible Gem 1 minute 11.8 seconds
2nd Le Romain
3rd The Monstar
 
2016
Missile Stakes
1st Tycoon Tara 1 minute 15.6 seconds
2nd Rebel Dane
3rd Mount Nebo
 
2015
Missile Stakes
1st Burbero 1 minute 09.1 seconds
2nd Weary
3rd Temple Of Boom
 
2014
Missile Stakes
1st Sweet Idea 1 minute 09.4 seconds
2nd Messene
3rd Rebel Dane
 
2013
Missile Stakes
1st Rain Affair 1 minute 10.8 seconds
2nd Mic Mac
3rd Title
 
2012
Missile Stakes
1st Pinwheel 1 minute 09.7 seconds
2nd Centennial Park
3rd Rolling Pin
 
 
2011
Missile Stakes
1st Rain Affair 1 minute 10.7 seconds
2nd Winter King
3rd Pinwheel
 
2010
Missile Stakes
1st Love Conquers All 1 minute 12.4 seconds
2nd Danleigh
3rd Sniper’s Bullet
 
2009
Missile Stakes
1st Teasing 1 minute 104.4 seconds
2nd Gold Trail
3rd Typhoon Zed
 
2008
Missile Stakes
1st Captain Bax 1 minute 05.4 seconds
2nd Typhoon Zed
3rd Interfere
 
2007
Missile Stakes
1st German Chocolate 1 minute 04.6 seconds
2nd La Montagna
3rd Vionneto
 
2006
Missile Stakes
1st Imprisoned 1 minute 06.3 seconds
2nd Crimson Reign
3rd Mac’s Tune
 
2005
Missile Stakes
1st Dance Hero 1 minute 02.8 seconds
2nd Snippetson
3rd Spark Of Life
 
2004
Missile Stakes
1st Spark Of Life 1 minute 02.8 seconds
2nd Into The Night
3rd Dane Shadow
 
2003
Missile Stakes
1st Pompeii 1 minute 03.7 seconds
2nd Academe
3rd Our Egyptian Raine
 
2002
Missile Stakes
1st Lonhro 1 minute 03.5 seconds
2nd Ancient Song
3rd Notoire
 
2001
Missile Stakes
1st Sportsbrat 1 minute 06.7 seconds
2nd Air She Goes
3rd Lonhro
 
2000
Missile Stakes
1st Padstow 1 minute 03.8 seconds
2nd Wynciti
3rd Celestial Choir

Spring Racing

Military Mission Fires in 2023...

Zipping Classic 2023 Field �...

Zipping Classic 2023 Field & Odds Update: Vow And Declare Defends Title

Danny O’Brien’s 2019 Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare continues to show a...

Overpass Heads 2023 Winterbott...

Overpass Heads 2023 Winterbottom Stakes Field & Betting Markets

Bjron Baker’s The Everest performer Overpass is tipped to return to winning...

Osipenko Leads The Gong 2023 R...

Osipenko Leads The Gong 2023 Race Field & Betting

The Chris Waller-trained Pierro four-year-old Osipenko is firm favourite in...

2023 Railway Stakes Field ...

2023 Railway Stakes Field & Betting Update: Tuvalu Narrow Favourite

The Lindsey Smith-trained top-weight Tuvalu is narrow favourite in the latest...

Horse Racing Today

2024 Coolmore Classic Winner Z...

2024 All-Star Mile Results: Pr...

2024 All-Star Mile Results: Pride Of Jenni Beats Mr Brightside by 2 Lengths

Pride Of Jenni was enormous running her rivals ragged with a blistering...

2024 Pago Pago Stakes Results:...

2024 Pago Pago Stakes Results: McEvoy’s Dublin Down on Golden Slipper Bid

Dublin Down is into Saturday week’s 2024 Golden Slipper field after a gutsy...

Magic Night Winner Drifting Fi...

Magic Night Winner Drifting Firms in Golden Slipper 2024 Betting

Drifting did plenty right to win the 2024 Magic Night Stakes at Rosehill on...

Randwick Guineas 2024 Results:...

Randwick Guineas 2024 Results: Celestial Legend Nudges out Militarize on the Line

Celestial Legend put the writing on the wall for a huge year ahead with the...

Race Results

2024 Coolmore Classic Winner Zougotcha Dives Late to Salute

2024 All-Star Mile Results: Pride Of Jenni Beats Mr Brightside by 2 Lengths

2024 Pago Pago Stakes Results: McEvoy’s Dublin Down on Golden Slipper Bid

Randwick Guineas 2024 Results: Celestial Legend Nudges out Militarize on the Line

2024 Canterbury Stakes Results: Lady Laguna Upsets Think About It, Espiona Third

Race Previews

2024 Golden Slipper Stakes Field & Barriers: Storm Boy Draws Two

Magic Night Winner Drifting Firms in Golden Slipper 2024 Betting

Zougotcha Heads 2024 Coolmore Classic Field & Odds

2024 All-Star Mile Field & Betting Update: Mr Brightside Odds-On

2024 Adelaide Cup Field & Betting Update: The Map Leads the Way

Fields & Form

2024 Golden Slipper Stakes Field & Barriers: Storm Boy Draws Two

Zougotcha Heads 2024 Coolmore Classic Field & Odds

2024 All-Star Mile Field & Betting Update: Mr Brightside Odds-On

2024 Adelaide Cup Field & Betting Update: The Map Leads the Way

2024 Randwick Guineas Field & Odds Update: Militarize Set to Strike Second-Up