Shannon Stakes

The Shannon Stakes is a Group 2 race held at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse during the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival on Golden Rose Day as a lead-up to the Epsom Handicap.

2023 Shannon Stakes Results

  • 1st: #3 Cepheus
  • 2nd: #10 Williamsburg
  • 3rd: #7 Waterford



The Shannon Stakes is a Group 2 thoroughbred race held during the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival on Golden Rose Stakes Day in late September. Conducted at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse, there are five Group status races on the program including the Group 1 $1 million Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) for three-year-olds and the Group 2 $400,000 Golden Pendant (1400m) for fillies and mares.

The Shannon Stakes is a middle-distance event raced over 1500m. A quality handicap for three-year-olds and up, it offers $300,000 in stakes. There are a number of earlier races held at the carnival that Shannon Stakes contenders may have previously run in including the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) a fortnight before.

The Shannon Stakes is the ideal lead-up race to the prestigious Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) in two weeks’ time at Randwick with the winner exempt from both ballot and penalty for the $1.5 million Randwick race run the following Saturday. Some quality runners have claimed victory in the Shannon Stakes including Al Mansour (2000), Armed For Action (1998), and Juggler (1996).

In 2019 the Shannon Stakes winner Mister Sea Wolf went on to win the inaugural edition of the $1 million The Gong at Kembla Grange that November.

The 2022 Shannon Stakes form was franked with the third place-getter Ellsberg going on to win that year’s Epsom Handicap as well as the Five Diamond Prelude – Five Diamonds double.

The latest edition of the Shannon Stakes 2023 ran on Saturday September 23, 2023 as part of Sydney’s popular Golden Rose Day program and was won by Matthew Dunn’s $3 million The Big Dance-bound Cepheus ($4.20). 

Shannon Stakes
Date: Saturday September 23, 2023
Track: Rosehill Gardens Racecourse
Distance: 1500m
Conditions: 3YO & Up – Quality Handicap
Status: Group 2
Prize Money: $300,000
Inaugurated: 1978

2023 Shannon Stakes Results

  • 1st: #3 Cepheus ($4.20)
  • 2nd: #10 Williamsburg
  • 3rd: #7 Waterford

Matthew Dunn’s South Grafton Cup winner from the winter, Cepheus ($4.20), came home strong late down the rails for a stylish win in the Shannon Stakes 2023 results ahead of his $3 million The Big Dance target on Melbourne Cup Day in Sydney.

Finish No. Horse Trainer Jockey Margin Bar. Weight Penalty Starting Price
1 3 CEPHEUS (GB) Matthew Dunn Nash Rawiller 2 57.5kg $4.20
2 10 WILLIAMSBURG Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou Dylan Gibbons (a) 1.38L 7 53kg $9.50
3 7 WATERFORD (IRE) Chris Waller Tyler Schiller 1.39L 8 54.5kg $3.40F
4 9 FLYING CRAZY Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes Zac Lloyd (a) 1.62L 3 53kg $17
5 6 LION’S ROAR (NZ) John O’Shea Damian Lane 2.33L 9 55.5kg $7.50
6 1 KIRWAN’S LANE (NZ) John O’Shea Tom Sherry 3.11L 4 59kg $17
7 2 NEW MANDATE (IRE) Chris Waller Joao Moreira 3.52L 1 58kg $8.50
8 5 CROSS TALK (NZ) Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Ms Rachel King 4.38L 6 56kg $8.50
9 4 MAGICAL LAGOON (IRE) Chris Waller Kerrin McEvoy 4.7L 5 56kg $61
10 8 COMMANDO HUNT Cameron Crockett Reece Jones 6.94L 11 53.5kg $51
11 11 BYRON BELLE John Sargent Ms Kathy O’Hara 11.16L 10 53kg $101

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

2023 Shannon Stakes Betting Odds

Stay tuned for the top Shannon Stakes 2023 betting odds and Group 2 market links to Ladbrokes.com.au made available right here the week of the race.

I Am Superman ($4.60 in 2020) was the latest Shannon Stakes favourite to win.

There was a notable upset in 2021 with Yonkers winning at Shannon Stakes odds of $41.

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

2023 Shannon Stakes Form

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2023 SHANNON STAKES FORM GUIDE

2023 Shannon Stakes Tips

Stay tuned for our insider Shannon Stakes 2023 Tips on the Epsom Handicap lead-up this spring.

  • To Win: #10 Williamsburg ($9.50 at time of publish) – BET NOW

Some good spring hopefuls in the Shannon and like the price on offer for Williamsburg second-up here. The progressive four-year-old son of Snitzel was eye-catching fresh running fourth with more weight over 1400m at Eagle Farm in a Listed clash on September 2. He gets a little more distance here which he’ll enjoy having run third in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) at the track in the autumn. Starting to put it together and is very well weighted here with 53kg. Previous second-up winning form and can surprise a few.

2023 Shannon Stakes Field

The Shannon Stakes 2023 field of final acceptances and barrier draw are released by Racing NSW on the Wednesday leading up to Golden Rose Day and traditionally feature Epsom Handicap-bound milers out of lead-up races like the Theo Marks Stakes.

The 2023 Shannon Stakes final field features a quality line-up of potential Group 1-bound spring gallopers led in betting by the Chris Waller-trained Rosehill specialist Waterford coming off a nice third first-up in the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes behind Golden Mile. 

No Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Probable Weight Penalty Hcp Rating
1 31x69x04x7 KIRWAN’S LANE (NZ) John O’Shea Tom Sherry 4 59kg 106
2 x79x9187x0 NEW MANDATE (IRE) Chris Waller Joao Moreira 1 58kg 104
3 2310234215 CEPHEUS (GB) Matthew Dunn Nash Rawiller 2 57.5kg 103
4 2115x0x06x MAGICAL LAGOON (IRE) Chris Waller Kerrin McEvoy 5 56kg 104
5 338x2140x0 CROSS TALK (NZ) Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Ms Rachel King 6 56kg 100
6 025x80020x LION’S ROAR (NZ) John O’Shea Damian Lane 9 55.5kg 99
7 1191x520x3 WATERFORD (IRE) Chris Waller Tyler Schiller 8 54.5kg 97
8 30x54131x0 COMMANDO HUNT Cameron Crockett Reece Jones 11 53.5kg 95
9 03x54038x0 FLYING CRAZY Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes Zac Lloyd (a) 3 53kg 90
10 5x745303x4 WILLIAMSBURG Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou Dylan Gibbons (a) 7 53kg 90
11 x10250x503 BYRON BELLE John Sargent Ms Kathy O’Hara 10 53kg 69

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

2023 Shannon Stakes Nominations

Early nominations on the Shannon Stakes in 2023 are taken the Monday of race week.

Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Ballot Weight True Weight Penalty Hcp Rating
1 31x69x04x7 KIRWAN’S LANE (NZ) G 7 John O’Shea 1 59kg 59kg 106
2 111x419x64 ZOUGOTCHA M 4 Chris Waller 2 56.5kg 56.5kg 105
3 x79x9187x0 NEW MANDATE (IRE) G 6 Chris Waller 3= 58kg 58kg 104
4 2115x0x06x MAGICAL LAGOON (IRE) M 5 Chris Waller 3= 56kg 56kg 104
5 2310234215 CEPHEUS (GB) G 7 Matthew Dunn 5 57.5kg 57.5kg 103
6 338x2140x0 CROSS TALK (NZ) G 6 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 6 56kg 56kg 100
7 025x80020x LION’S ROAR (NZ) G 6 John O’Shea 7 55.5kg 55.5kg 99
8 1111432×14 SAVANNAH CLOUD (NZ) G 6 Phillip Stokes 8 55kg 55kg 98
9 1191x520x3 WATERFORD (IRE) G 5 Chris Waller 9 54.5kg 54.5kg 97
10 30x54131x0 COMMANDO HUNT G 6 Cameron Crockett 10 54kg 53.5kg 95
11 03x54038x0 FLYING CRAZY G 5 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes 11= 54kg 53kg 90
12 30x820200x SO DAZZLING (NZ) M 4 John Sargent 11= 54kg 53kg 90
13 5x745303x4 WILLIAMSBURG H 4 Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou 11= 54kg 53kg 90
14 1125×48314 DIAMOND DEALER M 5 Bjorn Baker 14 54kg 53kg 80
15 x10250x503 BYRON BELLE M 4 John Sargent 15 54kg 53kg 69
16 30942110×0 SPECIAL SWEY (NZ) G 4 Chris Waller 16 54kg 53kg 81

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

Shannon Stakes History

Named in honour of the brilliant Hollywood Gold Cup victor and Hall of Fame inductee Shannon, the Shannon Stakes was first run in 1978 as a Principal race run over 1500m and For All Season was the inaugural winner.

The following year in 1979 the race status was increased to a Listed event and the distance was decreased to 1400m. In 1985 it was installed as a Group 3 race and the length was increased back to the original distance of 1500m. Finally in 2001 the Shannon Stakes was elevated to its current Group 2 status and for one year was run over 1400m. The next year in 2002 the distance reverted back to 1500m again.

The race was not held in 2007 due to an outbreak of the equine influenza.

Shannon Stakes Records
Race Record (1500m): 1:28.0 set by Moral Victory in 2016
Heaviest Weight Carried to Victory: 60kg by Juggler in 1996
Lightest Weight Carried to Victory: 48.5kg For All Seasons in 1978
Most Successful Jockeys: Two jockeys have won the Shannon Stakes four times.
R. Quinton with For All Seasons (1978), Dalmacia (1982), Eastern Bay (1984) and Never Quit ( 1987).
L. Beasley with Quick Flick (1997), Al Mansour (2000), On Type (2001) and Lotteria (2005).

Recent Shannon Stakes Winners

Year Place Horse Time
2023
Shannon Stakes
1st Cepheus 1 minute 28.51 seconds
2nd Williamsburg
3rd Waterford
2022
Shannon Stakes
1st Surf Dancer 1 minute 29.77 seconds
2nd Old Flame
3rd Ellsberg
2021
Shannon Stakes
1st Yonkers 1 minute 28.21 seconds
2nd Discharged
3rd Reloaded
2020
Shannon Stakes
1st I Am Superman 1 minute 29.10 seconds
2nd Riodini
3rd Looks Like Elvis
2019
Shannon Stakes
1st Mister Sea Wolf 1 minute 29.11 seconds
2nd Gem Song
3rd Tom Melbourne
2018
Shannon Stakes
1st Noire 1 minute 29.62 seconds
2nd Kingsguard
3rd Youngstar
2017
Shannon Stakes
1st Washington Heights 1 minute 28.80 seconds
2nd Mighty Lucky
3rd Imposing Lass
2016
Shannon Stakes
1st Moral Victory 1 minute 28 seconds
2nd Caped Crusader
3rd Cosmic Cube
2015
Shannon Stakes
1st Vashka 1 minute 29.2 seconds
2nd God’s In Him
3rd Messene
2014
Shannon Stakes
1st Rock Sturdy 1 minute 28.8 seconds
2nd Liberty’s Choice
3rd Ninth Legion
2013
Shannon Stakes
1st Rain Drum 1 minute 29.3 seconds
2nd Centennial Park
3rd Our Desert Warrior
2012
Shannon Stakes
1st Rolling Pin 1 minute 31.18 seconds
2nd Offenders
3rd Fat Al
2011
Shannon Stakes
1st King Lionheart 1 minute 28.56 seconds
2nd Fast Clip
3rd Lone Command
2010
Shannon Stakes
1st Firebolt 1 minute 28.54 seconds
2nd Centennial Park
3rd Sacred Choice
2009
Shannon Stakes
1st Drumbeats 1 minute 30.1 seconds
2nd Rangirangdoo
3rd Strat’s Flyer
2008
Shannon Stakes
1st Musket 1 minute 30.56 seconds
2nd Black Piranha
3rd Ice Chariot
2007
Shannon Stakes
Race Not Held  
2006
Shannon Stakes
1st Stormhill 1 minute 28.43 seconds
2nd Temple Hills
3rd Newton’s Rings
2005
Shannon Stakes
1st Lotteria 1 minute 30.21 seconds
2nd Studebaker
3rd Swick
2004
Shannon Stakes
1st Nips 1 minute 28.27 seconds
2nd Whoc
3rd Irongail
2003
Shannon Stakes
1st Sportsman 1 minute 28.09 seconds
2nd Amex
3rd Nips
2002
Shannon Stakes
1st Gordo 1 minute 29.7 seconds
2nd Shot Of Thunder
3rd Evander
2001
Shannon Stakes
1st On Type 1 minute 22.42 seconds
2nd Century Kid
3rd Diamond Dane
2000
Shannon Stakes
1st Al Mansour 1 minute 29.5 seconds
2nd Chinhoyi
3rd Varicool

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