Linlithgow Stakes (The Damien Oliver)

The Linlithgow Stakes - run in 2023 as The Damien Oliver - (1200m) is a Group 2 race held at Flemington Racecourse on Victoria Derby Day formerly known as the Salinger Stakes.

2023 The Damien Oliver Results

  • 1st: #17e Cause For Concern
  • 2nd: #3 Bandersnatch
  • 3rd: #8 Munhamek



The Group 2 2023 Linlithgow Stakes, run in 2023 as The Damien Oliver, is an open handicap event featured during the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival. Held at Flemington Racecourse on Victoria Derby Day, the Salinger Stakes is a 1200m sprint worth $500,000 in prize money.

Victoria Derby Day is one of the biggest Group meetings in the country as it features the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m), Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) and the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m). It also hosts the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) for VRC Oaks hopes, Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m), the Group 3 Lexus Archer Stakes (2500m) offering the winner a Melbourne Cup ballot exemption, and Group 3 Begonia Belle Stakes (1100m) currently run as the Furphy Stakes.

The race was renamed ahead of the 2023 edition to The Damien Oliver in honour of retiring champion Australian hoop Damien Oliver.

The 2023 Linlithgow Stakes ran on Saturday November 4, 2023 as The Damien Oliver on Flemington’s VRC Derby Day card and was won in a narrow upset by the Shawn Mathrick-trained Worthy Cause four-year-old Cause For Concern ($12). 

Linlithgow Stakes 2023
Date: Saturday November 4, 2023
Track: Flemington Racecourse
Distance: 1200m
Race Type: Open Handicap
Status: Group 2
Prize Money: $500,000

2023 Linlithgow Stakes (The Damien Oliver) Results

  • 1st: #17e Cause For Concern ($12)
  • 2nd: #3 Bandersnatch
  • 3rd: #8 Munhamek

Shawn Mathrick’s Worth Cause four-year-old Cause For Concern ($12) finally got a well-deserved Group victory improving on a lead-up third in the Moonga Stakes to narrowly take out the 2023 The Damien Oliver results off a gun ride by Jamie Kah in the last on Derby Day.

Finish No. Horse Trainer Jockey Margin Bar. Weight Penalty Starting Price
1 17e CAUSE FOR CONCERN Shawn Mathrick Ms Jamie Kah 6 53kg $12
2 3 BANDERSNATCH Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes Jordan Childs 0.3L 5 57kg $26
3 8 MUNHAMEK (GB) Nick Ryan Blake Shinn 0.6L 16 55.5kg $9
4 5 TAMERLANE James Cummings James McDonald 0.8L 1 56.5kg $3.90F
5 10 HERE TO SHOCK (NZ) Ben, Will & JD Hayes Daniel Stackhouse 1L 3 54.5kg $7.50
6 1 VILANA James Cummings Damien Oliver 1.1L 8 59kg $6.50
7 4 AYRTON (NZ) Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) Mark Zahra 1.6L 15 56.5kg $17
8 2 KING MAGNUS Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock Thomas Stockdale (a) 1.7L 7 57.5kg $31
9 15 LORD VLADIVOSTOK (NZ) Michael Hickmott Teo Nugent 1.8L 4 53kg $21
10 13 SWORDS DRAWN Michael Moroney Ms Winona Costin 2.3L 2 53.5kg $201
11 16 JACK THE LAD Wayne Francis & Glen Kent Justin Potter 3.05L 10 53kg $61
12 9 NOT AN OPTION Michael Moroney Billy Egan 3.55L 14 55kg $41
13 11 SAVANNAH CLOUD (NZ) Phillip Stokes Zac Spain 3.65L 11 54.5kg $31
14 14 WILLIAMSBURG Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou Ms Rachel King 3.85L 13 53kg $21
15 12 KALINO Chris Waller Jye McNeil 4.6L 9 54kg $9
16 7 CORNER POCKET Lindsey Smith Declan Bates 8.35L 12 56kg $19
18e ZENNZELLA Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 0
6 ZOUTORI Mathew Ellerton Ms Linda Meech 0

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

2023 Linlithgow Stakes (The Damien Oliver) Betting Odds

The latest Linlithgow Stakes 2023 odds will be found below complete with direct with links to the markets at Ladbrokes.com.au for your to back your best Linlithgow Stakes betting tips this Derby Day.

There was a notable upset in 2023 with Cause For Concern scoring at The Damien Oliver odds of $12.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST 2023 THE DAMIEN OLIVER ODDS (Final Field)

2023 Linlithgow Stakes (The Damien Oliver) Form Guide

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2023 THE DAMIEN OLIVER FORM GUIDE 

2023 Linlithgow Stakes (The Damien Oliver) Tips

Stay tuned for our exclusive The Damien Oliver 2023 Tips on the VRC Derby Day sprint this spring.

  • To Win: #6 Zoutori ($31 at time of publish) – BET NOW

Far from a vintage edition of the recently renamed The Damien Oliver and inclined to have a little something on a former Flemington track specialist with Zoutori at 30/1. The now veteran eight-year-old son of Zoustar has a strong strike-rate at the straight course (20:5-1-3) including a Group 1 Newmarket Handicap triumph from a couple of years ago when at his peak. He hasn’t won a race since that victory in March of 2021 however. He has been going around at blow out odds and not that far beaten including a last start sixth in the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes here. Just think with the right run from a good gate he could just return to some better form to surprise a few.

2023 Linlithgow Stakes (The Damien Oliver) Field

The Linlithgow Stakes field traditionally draws a nice field of Group 1 performed and Group 2 winning sprinters from around Sydney and Melbourne.

Some of the best out of the Linlithgow Stakes field may back-up and run the following Saturday at the same track / distance in the Group 1 VRC Champions Sprint (1200m). Glamour Puss (2005) was the last runner to complete the Salinger Stakes – VRC Sprint Classic double.

Since the introduction of Sydney’s $20 million The Everest, a number of horses in the Linlithgow Stakes field now come off a run in that event – the world’s richest turf race. The 2018  Salinger Stakes winner Osborne Bulls came off a third in The Everest and went on to run second in his next five starts all in Group 1 company.

The 2023 The Damien Oliver field and barriers are announced on the Wednesday of race week and will be published in full below.

The Damien Oliver 2023 final field features a quality line-up of spring sprinters led in betting by the rails-drawn Tamerlane for Godolphin who comes off a Listed win here from early October.

No Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Probable Weight Penalty Hcp Rating
1 810x1760x5 VILANA James Cummings Damien Oliver 9 59kg 107
2 006x51183x KING MAGNUS Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock Thomas Stockdale (a) 8 57.5kg 104
3 34104×7658 BANDERSNATCH Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes Jordan Childs 6 57kg 103
4 x248x578x1 AYRTON (NZ) Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) Mark Zahra 17 56.5kg 102
5 1x21140x51 TAMERLANE James Cummings James McDonald 1 56.5kg 102
6 5x05x50x56 ZOUTORI Mathew Ellerton Ms Linda Meech 3 56.5kg 102
7 x24120x330 CORNER POCKET Lindsey Smith Declan Bates 13 56kg 101
8 23117x128x MUNHAMEK (GB) Nick Ryan Blake Shinn 18 55.5kg 100
9 4615301×06 NOT AN OPTION Michael Moroney Billy Egan 16 55kg 99
10 26111×8220 HERE TO SHOCK (NZ) Ben, Will & JD Hayes Daniel Stackhouse 4 54.5kg 98
11 11432×1420 SAVANNAH CLOUD (NZ) Phillip Stokes Zac Spain 12 54.5kg 98
12 11364×1531 KALINO Chris Waller Jye McNeil 10 54kg 97
13 752213836x SWORDS DRAWN Michael Moroney Ms Winona Costin 2 53.5kg 96
14 45303×4296 WILLIAMSBURG Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou Ms Rachel King 14 53kg 94
15 8x66445x13 LORD VLADIVOSTOK (NZ) Michael Hickmott Teo Nugent 5 53kg 92
16 534×615221 JACK THE LAD Wayne Francis & Glen Kent Justin Potter 11 53kg 88
17e 4511217343 CAUSE FOR CONCERN Shawn Mathrick Ms Jamie Kah 7 53kg 86
18e 2x3114x78x ZENNZELLA Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 15 53kg 83

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

2023 Linlithgow Stakes (The Damien Oliver) Nominations

Early nominations on The Damien Oliver for 2023 close the Monday of race week and will be published below once confirmed.

Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Hcp Rating
1 x248x578x1 AYRTON (NZ) G 6 Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) 102
2 34104×7658 BANDERSNATCH G 7 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes 103
3 4511217343 CAUSE FOR CONCERN G 4 Shawn Mathrick 86
4 x3899464x3 CHAIN OF LIGHTNING M 5 Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman 104
5 2x689x2982 CLIMBING STAR (NZ) M 4 Phillip Stokes 88
6 x24120x330 CORNER POCKET G 7 Lindsey Smith 101
7 539927273x CROSSHAVEN G 6 Ben, Will & JD Hayes 97
8 54038×0439 FLYING CRAZY G 5 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes 96
9 26111×8220 HERE TO SHOCK (NZ) G 6 Ben, Will & JD Hayes 98
10 534×615221 JACK THE LAD G 6 Wayne Francis & Glen Kent 88
11 15x27213x1 JENNILALA M 4 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 86
12 11364×1531 KALINO G 5 Chris Waller 97
13 006x51183x KING MAGNUS G 8 Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock 104
14 x08x3x907x LAUDA SION (JPN) H 7 Chris Waller
15 8x66445x13 LORD VLADIVOSTOK (NZ) G 7 Michael Hickmott 92
16 4x10x735x0 LOVE TAP G 6 Richard & Will Freedman 93
17 23117x128x MUNHAMEK (GB) G 8 Nick Ryan 100
18 4615301×06 NOT AN OPTION G 6 Michael Moroney 99
19 422x57x536 RUBAMOS G 6 Chris Waller 91
20 11432×1420 SAVANNAH CLOUD (NZ) G 6 Phillip Stokes 98
21 121146×852 SHUFFLE DANCER M 4 Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman 92
22 752213836x SWORDS DRAWN G 8 Michael Moroney 96
23 1x21140x51 TAMERLANE G 6 James Cummings 102
24 x664222432 UMGAWA G 5 Leon & Troy Corstens 93
25 810x1760x5 VILANA H 5 James Cummings 107
26 x95143x645 WALTZ ON BY M 4 Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman 86
27 45303×4296 WILLIAMSBURG H 4 Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou 94
28 2x3114x78x ZENNZELLA M 4 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 83
29 5x05x50x56 ZOUTORI G 8 Mathew Ellerton 102

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

Salinger Stakes / Linlithgow Stakes History

First won by Karina in 1960, the event has been known by many different names including the Craven A Plate, Pure-Pak Stakes, Gasden Rheem Stakes, Southcorp Stakes and Yellowglen Stakes. In 2007 it was downgraded from Group One status to a Group Two race.

Since its inauguration, there have only been three horses which have managed to win the event more than once with River Rough in 1983-84, Planet Ruler in 1989-90 and Fontelina in 2012-13.

Notable Salinger Stakes / Linlithgow Stakes winners include Vain (1969), Maybe Mahal (1976), Always Welcome (1978), Hareeba (1994), Takeover Target (2004), Glamour Puss (2005), Fontelina (2012, 2013), and Osborne Bulls (2018).

Salinger Stakes / Linlithgow Stakes results and winning times since 2000 are listed below.

In 2020 Kemalpasa became the latest dual Salinger Stakes winner when successfully defending his title.

The race will be run as The Damien Oliver as of 2023.

Salinger Stakes / Linlithgow Stakes Results

Year Place Horse Time
2023
The Damien Oliver
1st Cause For Concern 1 minute 22.35 seconds
2nd Bandersnatch
3rd Munhamek
2022
Linlithgow Stakes
1st Old Flame 1 minute 23.60 seconds
2nd Poland
3rd Ironclad
2021
Linlithgow Stakes
1st Justacanta 1 minute 10.06 seconds
2nd Kemalpasa
3rd Isaurian
2020
Salinger Stakes
1st Kemalpasa 1 minute 10.44 seconds
2nd Order Of Command
3rd Bold Star
2019
Salinger Stakes
1st Kemalpasa 1 minute 10.08 seconds
2nd Order Of Command
3rd Zoutori
2018
Salinger Stakes
1st Osborne Bulls 1 minute 9.88 seconds
2nd Bons Away
3rd Runson
2017
Salinger Stakes
1st Rich Charm 1 minute 8.9 seconds
2nd Missrock
3rd The Monstar
2016
Salinger Stakes
1st Illustrious Lad 1 minute 8.31 seconds
2nd Counterattack
3rd Southern Legend
2015
Salinger Stakes
1st Eclair Choice 1 minute 9.34 seconds
2nd Hot Snitzel
3rd Dothraki
2014
Salinger Stakes
1st Deep Field 1 minute 11.05 seconds
2nd Driefontein
3rd In Cahoots
2013
Salinger Stakes
1st Fontelina 1 minute 9.01 seconds
2nd Spirit Of Boom
3rd Rarefied
2012
Salinger Stakes
1st Fontelina 1 minute 8.81 seconds
2nd Spirit Of Boom
3rd Tiger Tees
2011
Salinger Stakes
1st Sister Madly 1 minute 10.41 seconds
2nd Rarefied
3rd Temple Of Boom
2010
Salinger Stakes
1st Whitefriars 1 minute 11.11 seconds
2nd Beaded
3rd Response
2009
Salinger Stakes
1st Eagle Falls 1 minute 8.9 seconds
2nd Turffontein
3rd Absolutelyfabulous
2008
Salinger Stakes
1st Hot Danish 1 minute 10.1 seconds
2nd Fighting Fund
3rd Sunburnt Land
2007
Salinger Stakes
1st Swick 1 minute 8.9 seconds
2nd Great Is Great
3rd Typhoon Zed
2006
Salinger Stakes
1st Dance Hero 1 minute 8.6 seconds
2nd Shadoways
3rd Miss Andretti
2005
Salinger Stakes
1st Glamour Puss 1 minute 8.9 seconds
2nd Barely A Moment
3rd Cape Of Good Hope
2004
Salinger Stakes
1st Takeover Target 1 minute 8.2 seconds
2nd Recurring
3rd St Basil
2003
Salinger Stakes
1st Ancient Song 1 minute 11 seconds
2nd Into The Night
3rd Blessum
2002
Salinger Stakes
1st Rubitano 1 minute 7.1 seconds
2nd Intelligent Star
3rd Cosmic Strike
2001
Salinger Stakes
1st Sudurka 1 minute 8.4 seconds
2nd Hire
3rd Camena
2000
Salinger Stakes
1st Easy Rocking 1 minute 10 seconds
2nd Umrum
3rd Tilt The Scales

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