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The Percy Sykes Stakes is a lucrative Group 2 sprint for two-year-old fillies run on Day 2 of The Championships at Royal Randwick in April.
The Percy Sykes Stakes – formerly the Keith Mackay Handicap – is a lucrative Group 2 race for two-year-old fillies run on Day 2 of Sydney’s ‘The Championships’ on the second Saturday of April annually.
The meeting is also known as Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day and features four Group 1 races including the $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) and $2 million Sydney Cup (3200m) for stayers.
Contested over 1200m at Royal Randwick Racecourse the Percy Sykes Stakes is run under set weights plus penalties and is now worth $600,000 in total prize money after being upgraded to Group 2 status for the first time in 2017.
The 2020 edition of the Percy Sykes Stakes was worth a reduced $500,000 due to the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on Australian racing.
Fillies may come into the Percy Sykes Stakes field via a run in the world’s richest race for juveniles – the Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) – or the Group 2 Magic Night Stakes (1200m) earlier during the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival or be dropping in grade off a run in the Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m).
Away Game (2020) was the last Golden Slipper graduate (2nd) to win the Percy Sykes Stakes next race.
The 2020 Percy Sykes Stakes took place on Saturday April 11, 2020 and was won by the brilliant Magic Millions Classic winning filly Away Game.
Percy Sykes Stakes 2020 | |
---|---|
Date: | Saturday April 11, 2020 |
Track: | Randwick Racecourse |
Distance: | 1200m |
Race Type: | 2YO Fillies – SW+P |
Status: | Group 2 |
Prize Money: | $600,000 ($500,000 in 2020 due to COVID-19) |
The Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained bonny filly Away Game continued her absolutely brilliant two-year-old season with another dominant performance to win the Percy Sykes Stakes 2020. The $3.20 favourite didn’t disappoint proving her toughness once again as she powered home for a 1.5 length win over the brave runner-up Vangelic on the back of a Golden Slipper second. The Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner has had a run every month since November and looks set for even bigger and better things as a three-year-old in the spring.
Click here to read more on Away Game’s win in the 2020 Percy Sykes Stakes.
Place | # | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Barrier | Weight | SP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | AWAY GAME | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Glen Boss | – | 6 | 56kg | $3.20F |
2 | 9 | VANGELIC | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tim Clark | 1.5L | 1 | 54kg | $18 |
3 | 3 | SEE YOU SOON | Jean Dubois | Jean Van Overmeire (a) | 2.8L | 8 | 54kg | $11 |
4 | 1 | DAME GISELLE | Peter & Paul Snowden | James McDonald | 3L | 2 | 57kg | $7 |
5 | 10 | ROCK MY WAND | Matthew Smith | Jason Collett | 3.2L | 13 | 54kg | $13 |
6 | 14 | FORBIDDEN LOVE | Richard & Michael Freedman | Ms Rachel King | 3.5L | 12 | 54kg | $18 |
7 | 7 | PHILIZZY | Anthony Cummings | Brenton Avdulla | 4.2L | 4 | 54kg | $15 |
8 | 4 | MUNTASEERA | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Tom Marquand | 6.4L | 9 | 54kg (cd 54.5kg) | $15 |
9 | 6 | TIME IS PRECIOUS | Gerald Ryan | James Innes Jnr | 7.6L | 7 | 54kg | $31 |
10 | 5 | SWATS THAT | Leon & Troy Corstens | Sam Clipperton | 8.9L | 10 | 54kg | $8.50 |
11 | 12 | MARY VALLEY | Steele Ryan | Robbie Dolan (a) | 10.5L | 3 | 54kg | $11 |
12 | 13 | CHIANTI | Kris Lees | Kerrin McEvoy | 12.1L | 11 | 54kg | $17 |
13 | 11 | JEMSS | David Payne | Glyn Schofield | 18.7L | 5 | 54kg | $61 |
– | 8 | SANCY | Peter & Paul Snowden | Jay Ford | – | 0 | – | – |
The latest odds on the fillies in the Percy Sykes Stakes 2020 field will be available below the week of the race complete with Percy Sykes Stakes betting markets links to Ladbrokes.com.au.
The Percy Sykes Stakes field attracts a smart field of young fillies usually dropping down in grade off a run in the Golden Slipper field. The race has a capacity of fourteen starters plus four emergencies, but rarely does the Percy Sykes Stakes field run at capacity.
The official 2020 Percy Sykes Stakes field is out the Tuesday leading-up to the race following the early Percy Sykes Stakes Nominations taken in February and the Percy Sykes Stakes First Acceptances in March about four weeks out from the April event.
The 2020 Percy Sykes Stakes final field drew 14 smart two-year-old gallopers with Golden Slipper runner-up Away Game the favourite in gate six looking to return to her previous ace Magic Millions Classic winning form.
Update: #8 Sancy (14) drawn wide for Team Snowden has been scratched.
Click here for the full 2020 Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day Scratchings & Track Report.
# | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 21×317 | DAME GISELLE | Peter & Paul Snowden | James McDonald | 2 | 57kg |
2 | 411142 | AWAY GAME | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Glen Boss | 6 | 56kg |
3 | 12×28 | SEE YOU SOON | Jean Dubois | Jean Van Overmeire (a) | 8 | 54kg |
4 | 21×2520 | MUNTASEERA | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Tom Marquand | 9 | 54kg |
5 | 1 | SWATS THAT | Leon & Troy Corstens | Sam Clipperton | 10 | 54kg |
6 | 1×323 | TIME IS PRECIOUS | Gerald Ryan | James Innes Jnr | 7 | 54kg |
7 | 134 | PHILIZZY | Anthony Cummings | Brenton Avdulla | 4 | 54kg |
8 | 1×0 | SANCY | Peter & Paul Snowden | Jay Ford | 14 | 54kg |
9 | 162 | VANGELIC | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tim Clark | 1 | 54kg |
10 | 73321 | ROCK MY WAND | Matthew Smith | Jason Collett | 13 | 54kg |
11 | 43×37 | JEMSS | David Payne | Glyn Schofield | 5 | 54kg |
12 | 2×1 | MARY VALLEY | Steele Ryan | Robbie Dolan (a) | 3 | 54kg |
13 | 1 | CHIANTI | Kris Lees | Kerrin McEvoy | 11 | 54kg |
14 | 1 | FORBIDDEN LOVE | Richard & Michael Freedman | Ms Rachel King | 12 | 54kg |
The official 2020 Percy Sykes Stakes First Acceptances are taken in mid-March along with all the other The Championships races narrowing down the list of potential runners in the lucrative Group 2 race.
The Percy Sykes Stakes 2020 first acceptances feature 85 hopeful young fillies including the Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Away Game coming off a Golden Slipper second.
# | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 3 | ACACIA ROAD | F | 2 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
2 | – | AKAHAI | F | 2 | James Cummings |
3 | 4 | ALIGHTED | F | 2 | Anthony Cummings |
4 | – | ALTERNATE | F | 2 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
5 | – | ARCTIC THUNDER | F | 2 | Gary Portelli |
6 | – | ATTRIBUTION | F | 2 | James Cummings |
7 | – | AUDACIOUS HEART | F | 2 | Anthony Freedman |
8 | 0 | AUTUMN FALLS | F | 2 | Gary Portelli |
9 | – | AVENTURINE | F | 2 | Tony Gollan |
10 | 3435 | AVENUE OF PLEASURE | F | 2 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
11 | 411142 | AWAY GAME | F | 2 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
12 | – | AZRAQ | F | 2 | James Cummings |
13 | 5 | BROOKS BATTLE | F | 2 | John O’Shea |
14 | – | CABARITA | F | 2 | Richard & Michael Freedman |
15 | 3×46 | CANADIAN SPICE | F | 2 | Chris Waller |
16 | 4×153 | CELLSABEEL | F | 2 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
17 | 1 | CHIANTI | F | 2 | Kris Lees |
18 | 32 | CHICA FUERTE | F | 2 | Anthony Freedman |
19 | 227166 | COSMIC GOSSIP | F | 2 | Stuart Kendrick |
20 | – | COVENT GARDEN | F | 2 | Chris Waller |
21 | 27 | DAISY CAKES | F | 2 | Anthony Freedman |
22 | 21×317 | DAME GISELLE | F | 2 | Peter & Paul Snowden |
23 | 25 | DENIKI | F | 2 | Mark Newnham |
24 | 84377 | DISMISSAL | F | 2 | Gary Portelli |
25 | 20 | DOTTIE DEE (NZ) | F | 2 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
26 | 26×18 | DUBAI STAR | F | 2 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
27 | 6×86 | FALL ON A STAR | F | 2 | Kris Lees |
28 | 44443 | FAYERRA | F | 2 | Anthony Cummings |
29 | 5×6343 | GEIST | F | 2 | James Cummings |
30 | 1 | GLACIERS | F | 2 | James Cummings |
31 | 155 | HARMONIUM | F | 2 | Richard & Michael Freedman |
32 | – | HEAD ON UP | F | 2 | Richard & Michael Freedman |
33 | 530 | HEMBROW | F | 2 | Michael Costa |
34 | 4 | HEROESS | F | 2 | Peter & Paul Snowden |
35 | 215 | HUNGRY HEART | F | 2 | Chris Waller |
36 | 19 | HYBRID THEORY | F | 2 | Bjorn Baker |
37 | 1 | I SAY HELLO (NZ) | F | 2 | Kris Lees |
38 | 5x25x | IN FLANDERS | F | 2 | James Cummings |
39 | 43×37 | JEMSS | F | 2 | David Payne |
40 | 10 | KAAKIT AKIT | F | 2 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
41 | 2763 | LADY OF LUXURY | F | 2 | Bjorn Baker |
42 | 9 | LATIN LYRIC | F | 2 | Craig Carmody |
43 | – | LUCE DEL SOLE | F | 2 | Richard & Michael Freedman |
44 | 0x48 | LUISELLI | F | 2 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes |
45 | – | MACROURA | F | 2 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
46 | 223 | MASSEUSE | F | 2 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
47 | 45 | MEYDAN LASS | F | 2 | Kris Lees |
48 | 115×1330 | MILDRED | F | 2 | Grahame Begg |
49 | 110 | MINHAAJ | F | 2 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
50 | 2×23 | MISS CANADA | F | 2 | Kris Lees |
51 | – | MISS PARMIGIANA | F | 2 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
52 | – | MISSOURI WALTZ | F | 2 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
53 | 14 | MONTIA | F | 2 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
54 | 21×2520 | MUNTASEERA | F | 2 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
55 | 0P | ONLY MINE | F | 2 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
56 | 4x | PANNA COTTA | F | 2 | Mark Newnham |
57 | 2130 | PERSONAL | F | 2 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
58 | 134 | PHILIZZY | F | 2 | Anthony Cummings |
59 | 510 | PINK BEAU | F | 2 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes |
60 | – | POIGNANT | F | 2 | Peter & Paul Snowden |
61 | – | PRESS BUTTON | F | 2 | Gregory Hickman |
62 | 35×7 | PRESS START | F | 2 | Gregory Hickman |
63 | 22 | PRINCESS BETTY | F | 2 | Kim Waugh |
64 | 2 | RAISON D’ETRE | F | 2 | James Cummings |
65 | 2 | READY FOR CAVIAR | F | 2 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
66 | 3×9215 | RIVER NIGHT | F | 2 | Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra |
67 | 73321 | ROCK MY WAND | F | 2 | Matthew Smith |
68 | 1×0 | SANCY | F | 2 | Peter & Paul Snowden |
69 | 12×28 | SEE YOU SOON | F | 2 | Jean Dubois |
70 | – | SHIVANI | F | 2 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes |
71 | 4x | SOUL OBSESSION | F | 2 | Anthony Freedman |
72 | 2×2225 | STELLAR PAULINE | F | 2 | Peter & Paul Snowden |
73 | 15×5750 | SUNBORN | F | 2 | Edward Cummings |
74 | 6 | SWEET ANNA | F | 2 | John Thompson |
75 | 42110 | THERMOSPHERE | F | 2 | James Cummings |
76 | 3×3468 | TICKET TO RIDE | F | 2 | Richard & Michael Freedman |
77 | 1×323 | TIME IS PRECIOUS | F | 2 | Gerald Ryan |
78 | 3 | UNIVERSAL LADY | F | 2 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
79 | 162 | VANGELIC | F | 2 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
80 | – | WIJDAAN | F | 2 | Anthony Cummings |
81 | 7 | WILD IRISH | F | 2 | David Payne |
82 | 45 | XYLAROO | F | 2 | Chris Waller |
83 | 3×11 | ZEFTABROOK | F | 2 | Kris Lees |
84 | 6 | ZERETTE | F | 2 | Archie Alexander |
85 | – | ZOU ISLAND | F | 2 | Damien Lane |
The Percy Sykes Stakes was first run back in 1960 as the Keith Mackay Handicap and was won by Primrose Lane. It started out as a non-black type race and gained its now Group 2 race status for the first time in 2017. The event is still officially registered as the Keith Mackay Handicap despite it not being raced under handicap conditions, in honour of the former AJC Chairman Keith Mackay.
For one year in 2014 the race was known as the Royal Randwick Stakes and added to the ATC Championships series of races enjoying a notable boost in prize money. The current race name – Percy Sykes Stakes – is in honour of esteemed veterinarian Percy Sykes who passed away in 2014. He is best known for his work with legendary trainers including Bart Cummings, Gai Waterhouse and her father TJ Smith – whom the TJ Smith Stakes is named after.
During the early stages of Percy Sykes Stakes history the race didn’t hold a huge amount of prestige and attracted a mediocre class of fillies. As it increased in status and prize money the Percy Sykes Stakes winners have also improved with notable champions of the event including Streama (2011), Eloping (2014), Missrock (2016), Shoals (2017) who went on to defeat the older mares during Melbourne Cup Carnival in the Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m) and the brilliant Away Game (2020).
See below for the list of Percy Sykes Stakes winners and placegetters going back to 2000.
Year | Place | Horse | Time |
---|---|---|---|
2020 Percy Sykes Stakes |
1st | Away Game | 1 minute 12.26 seconds |
2nd | Vangelic | ||
3rd | See You Soon | ||
2019 Percy Sykes Stakes |
1st | Anaheed | 1 minute 09.67 seconds |
2nd | Flit | ||
3rd | Villami | ||
2018 Percy Sykes Stakes |
1st | Pure Elation | 1 minute 10.08 seconds |
2nd | Fiesta | ||
3rd | Outback Barbie | ||
2017 Percy Sykes Stakes |
1st | Shoals | 1 minute 13.7 seconds |
2nd | Formality | ||
3rd | Serena Bay | ||
2016 Percy Sykes Stakes |
1st | Missrock | 1 minute 11 seconds |
2nd | Prompt Response | ||
3rd | Spright | ||
2015 Percy Sykes Stakes |
1st | Ottoman | 1 minute 12.4 seconds |
2nd | Calaverite | ||
3rd | Lake Geneva | ||
2014 Royal Randwick Stakes |
1st | Eloping | 1 minute 10.8 seconds |
2nd | Ygritte | ||
3rd | Shaumari | ||
2013 Keith Mackay Handicap |
1st | Everage | 1 minute 13.4 seconds |
2nd | Little Miss Smiley | ||
3rd | Major Conquest | ||
2012 Keith Mackay Handicap |
1st | Single Style | 1 minute 10.5 seconds |
2nd | Driefontein | ||
3rd | Meidung | ||
2011 Keith Mackay Handicap |
1st | Streama | 1 minute 8.5 seconds |
2nd | Charm’s Honour | ||
3rd | Houston Benefactor | ||
2010 Keith Mackay Handicap |
1st | Golden Millennium | 1 minute 10.2 seconds |
2nd | Boto Vermelho | ||
3rd | Parables | ||
2009 Keith Mackay Handicap |
1st | Readyor | 1 minute 13.1 seconds |
2nd | Amarantha | ||
3rd | Tallow | ||
2008 Keith Mackay Handicap |
1st | Shoboard | 1 minute 12.6 seconds |
2nd | Strawberry Field | ||
3rd | Silent But Deadly | ||
2007 Keith Mackay Handicap |
1st | Sliding Cube | 1 minute 11.1 seconds |
2nd | Gamble Me | ||
3rd | Mega Lass | ||
2006 Keith Mackay Handicap |
1st | Catechuchu | 1 minute 10.6 seconds |
2nd | Heart Of The Fire | ||
3rd | Admirelle | ||
2005 Keith Mackay Handicap |
1st | Blizzardly | 1 minute 12.3 seconds |
2nd | Regal Cheer | ||
3rd | Heart Strings | ||
2004 Keith Mackay Handicap |
1st | Strawberry Storm | 1 minute 11.5 seconds |
2nd | Sweet Ransom | ||
3rd | Monsoon Wedding | ||
2003 Keith Mackay Handicap |
1st | Bella Corona | 1 minute 12.0 seconds |
2nd | Shamekha | ||
3rd | Danish Magic | ||
2002 Keith Mackay Handicap |
1st | Before Too Long | 1 minute 10.2 seconds |
2nd | Verstak | ||
3rd | Cirque du Soleil | ||
2001 Keith Mackay Handicap |
1st | Allez France | 1 minute 10.8 seconds |
2nd | Miss Bussell | ||
3rd | Breezer | ||
2000 Keith Mackay Handicap |
1st | Actress | 1 minute 9.7 seconds |
2nd | She’s A Pretender | ||
3rd | Mielleuse |