Sweet Embrace Stakes

The Group 2 Sweet Embrace Stakes is a 1200m sprint for 2YO fillies held on Verry Elleegant Stakes Day leading up to the Golden Slipper Stakes.

2024 Sweet Embrace Stakes Results

  • 1st: #1 Manaal
  • 2nd: #11 Fly Fly
  • 3rd: #6 Extreme Diva



The Sweet Embrace Stakes is a Group 2 sprint for two-year-old fillies run over 1200m at Royal Randwick Racecourse on Verry Elleegant Stakes Day (formerly Chipping Norton Stakes Day) in late February or early March during the autumn.

The Sydney meeting is headlined by the weight-for-age Group 1 Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m)  and the recently upgraded Group 1 Surround Stakes (1400m) for three-year-old fillies. Chipping Norton Stakes Day also features a number of other Group status support races including the Sweet Embrace Stakes and the colts & geldings equivalent – the Group 2 Skyline Stakes (1200m).

Both the Skyline Stakes and the Sweet Embrace Stakes offer $300,000 in prize money as of 2024 and a ballot exemption to the winner into the Group 1 $4.92 million Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m).

The last fillies to win the Sweet Embrace Stakes – Golden Slipper double were Crystal Lily (2010) and Fireburn (2022).

Fillies may come into the Sweet Embrace Stakes field via other two-year-old autumn races including the Group 2 Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m) run at Rosehill the Saturday before or the Group 3 Canonbury Stakes (1100m) also held at Rosehill but in late January.

After the Sweet Embrace Stakes Stakes the two-year-old fillies may have another Golden Slipper Stakes lead-up in the following Saturday’s Group 2 Reisling Stakes (1200m) run at Royal Randwick.

The $2 million Inglis Millennium (1100m) held at the track a fortnight earlier also serves as a potential lead-up for Inglis graduates. In 2023 Lazzago improved on a fourth in the Inglis Millennium to win the Sweet Embrace Stakes.

In 2018 the Sweet Embrace Stakes winner Seabrook went on to win the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) later that autumn.

The 2022 Sweet Embrace Stakes form was franked with the winner Fireburn going on to win both the Golden Slipper as well as the Group 1 Inglis Sires’ (1400m) that autumn before a second in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m). The Sweet Embrace runner-up She’s Extreme finished second in the Sires’ before turning the tables to win the Champagne Stakes. She’s Extreme further franked the form that spring with a host of top three runs in Group 1 company before her win in the VRC Oaks at Flemington.

The 2024 Sweet Embrace Stakes ran on Saturday March 2, 2024 as a key Golden Slipper lead-up and was won by the Michael Freedman-trained favourite Manaal ($2.05F).

Sweet Embrace Stakes 2024
Date: Saturday March 2, 2024
Track: Royal Randwick Racecourse
Distance: 1200m
Race Type: Set Weights / 2YO Fillies
Status: Group 2
Prize Money: $300,000

2024 Sweet Embrace Stakes Results

  • 1st: #1 Manaal ($2.05F)
  • 2nd: #11 Fly Fly
  • 3rd: #6 Extreme Diva

Michael Freedman’s Group 3 Gimcrack Stakes winning filly Manaal ($2.05F) was back in winning form second-up with a dominant performance coming wide on the home straight off a perfectly-timed ride by Tommy Berry to win her Golden Slipper lead-up for the punters in the Sweet Embrace Stakes 2024 results.

Click here to read more on the good 2024 Sweet Embrace Stakes victory by Manaal.

2024 Sweet Embrace Stakes Results & Finishing Order

Finish No. Horse Trainer Jockey Margin Bar. Weight Penalty Starting Price
1 1 MANAAL Michael Freedman Tommy Berry 6 55.5kg $2.05F
2 11 FLY FLY Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes Jason Collett 1.17L 11 55.5kg $7
3 6 EXTREME DIVA Anthony Cummings Chad Schofield 2.32L 12 55.5kg $13
4 4 CHATEAU MIRAVAL Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Tim Clark 3.03L 7 55.5kg $5.50
5 12 DIDDLE DUMPLING Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou Regan Bayliss 3.43L 2 55.5kg $41
6 3 TOTOKA Paul Perry Dylan Gibbons (a) 3.89L 9 55.5kg $21
7 5 PHOTOGRAPHICS (NZ) John Sargent Kerrin McEvoy 4.7L 3 55.5kg $13
8 9 VALABING David Payne Adam Hyeronimus 6.48L 10 55.5kg $91
9 7 WAVE BREAKER Peter & Paul Snowden Tyler Schiller 7.94L 4 55.5kg $8.50
10 10 ASTERIDE Robert & Luke Price Ashley Morgan 10.55L 8 55.5kg $101
11 13 MONTANA DAWN John Thompson Reece Jones 10.65L 5 55.5kg $101
12 14 ZOUNAKA John Thompson Tom Marquand 11.85L 1 55.5kg $71
8 DRIFTING Peter & Paul Snowden Tom Sherry 0
2 CASTANYA Annabel Neasham Zac Lloyd (a) 0

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

2024 Sweet Embrace Stakes Betting Odds

The current season’s Sweet Embrace Stakes 2024 betting odds on the fillies heading towards the Golden Slipper Stakes field will be available below as soon as released.

Four Moves Ahead ($2.70 in 2021) and Manaal ($2.05 in 2024) are the latest favourites in Sweet Embrace Stakes betting to win.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST 2024 SWEET EMBRACE STAKES ODDS (Final Field)

2024 Sweet Embrace Stakes Form Guide

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2024 SWEET EMBRACE STAKES FORM GUIDE

2024 Sweet Embrace Stakes Tips

Stay tuned for our insider Sweet Embrace Stakes 2024 Tips on the autumn showdown for fillies this February.

  • To Win: #1 Manaal ($2.10 at time of publish) – BET NOW

This year’s Sweet Embrace Stakes is wide open, but I’m sticking with the favourite, Manaal, to find her winning form again. The Michael Freedman-trained filly is well drawn in barrier six with Tommy Berry in the saddle, and this will be her third career start. She impressed with a narrow Group 3 win in her debut at Randwick last year and followed up with a solid second in the Group 3 Widden Stakes. While she was well-beaten by the talented Lady Of Camelot in the latter race, she faces a slightly easier field here and returns to her home track. Considering her strong form and favourable draw, Manaal is a compelling choice.

2024 Sweet Embrace Stakes Field

Each autumn the Sweet Embrace Stakes field attracts a line-up of promising two-year-old fillies eyeing a run in the Golden Slipper Stakes field in a fortnight’s time.

The official 2024 Sweet Embrace Stakes field and barriers are set for release by Racing NSW on Wednesday February 28, 2024 and will be published in full below.

Group 3 winner Manaal second-up from a good gate headlines the Sweet Embrace Stakes 2024 final field of Golden Slipper-bound fillies at Randwick on Saturday.

No Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Probable Weight Penalty Hcp Rating
1 1×2 MANAAL Michael Freedman Tommy Berry 6 55.5kg
2 21 CASTANYA Annabel Neasham Zac Lloyd (a) 14 55.5kg
3 9×1 TOTOKA Paul Perry Dylan Gibbons (a) 10 55.5kg
4 1 CHATEAU MIRAVAL Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Tim Clark 8 55.5kg
5 1x PHOTOGRAPHICS (NZ) John Sargent Kerrin McEvoy 3 55.5kg
6 43 EXTREME DIVA Anthony Cummings Chad Schofield 13 55.5kg
7 3 WAVE BREAKER Peter & Paul Snowden Tyler Schiller 4 55.5kg
8 1 DRIFTING Peter & Paul Snowden Tom Sherry 7 55.5kg
9 6×5 VALABING David Payne Adam Hyeronimus 11 55.5kg
10 4×4 ASTERIDE Robert & Luke Price Ashley Morgan 9 55.5kg
11 4 FLY FLY Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes Jason Collett 12 55.5kg
12 4 DIDDLE DUMPLING Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou Regan Bayliss 2 55.5kg
13 MONTANA DAWN John Thompson Reece Jones 5 55.5kg
14 ZOUNAKA John Thompson Tom Marquand 1 55.5kg

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

2024 Sweet Embrace Stakes Nominations

Early nominations for the Sweet Embrace Stakes in 2024 close the Monday of race week and will be updated here once announced.

Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Hcp Rating
1 4×4 ASTERIDE F 2 Robert & Luke Price
2 21 CASTANYA F 2 Annabel Neasham
3 1 CHATEAU MIRAVAL F 2 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
4 4 DIDDLE DUMPLING F 2 Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou
5 1 DRIFTING F 2 Peter & Paul Snowden
6 43 EXTREME DIVA F 2 Anthony Cummings
7 4 FLY FLY F 2 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes
8 1×2 MANAAL F 2 Michael Freedman
9 MONTANA DAWN F 2 John Thompson
10 73×6 NYMPHADORA F 2 Stephen O’Halloran
11 1x PHOTOGRAPHICS (NZ) F 2 John Sargent
12 2 REASONABLE POINT F 2 Ben Brisbourne
13 1 TOO DARN LIZZIE F 2 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
14 9×1 TOTOKA F 2 Paul Perry
15 6×5 VALABING F 2 David Payne
16 3 WAVE BREAKER F 2 Peter & Paul Snowden
17 ZOUNAKA F 2 John Thompson

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

Sweet Embrace Stakes History

The Sweet Embrace Stakes is named in honour of the 1967 Golden Slipper Stakes winner Sweet Embrace who scored an upset breaking her maiden status in the classic at odds of 40/1. The race was first run in 1979 as a Listed event. It gained Group 3 status in 1987 before being elevated to its current Group 2 status from 2013 onwards.

The event has taken place at a number of different race tracks around Sydney including Canterbury Park, Rosehill Gardens and Royal Randwick.

Notable Sweet Embrace Stakes winners include subsequent Golden Slipper winners Dark Eclipse (1980), Ha Ha (2001), Crystal Lily (2010), and Seabrook (2018).

Recent Sweet Embrace Stakes Winners

See below for a list of Sweet Embrace Stakes winners and place-getters dating back to 2000.

Year Place Horse Time
2024
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Manaal 1 minute 10.37 seconds
2nd Fly Fly
3rd Extreme Diva
2023
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Lazzago 1 minute 10.76 seconds
2nd Facile
3rd Blanc De Blanc
2022
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Fireburn 1 minute 15.18 seconds
2nd She’s Extreme
3rd Lady Laguna
2021
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Four Moves Ahead 1 minute 10.50 seconds
2nd She’s All Class
3rd Mallory
2020 

Sweet Embrace Stakes 

Hungry Heart 1 minute 9.64 seconds
2nd Stellar Pauline
3rd Dismissal
2019
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Anaheed 1 minute 9.72 seconds
2nd Still Single
3rd Let It Pour
2018
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Seabrook 1 minute 10.96 seconds
2nd Fiesta
3rd Into The Abyss
2017
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st One More Honey 1 minute 12.28 seconds
2nd Arctic Angel
3rd Teaspoon
2016
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Scarlet Rain 1 minute 9.5 seconds
2nd In The Vanguard
3rd Tale Of Choice
2015
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Always Allison 1 minute 10.7 seconds
2nd Speak Fondly
3rd Tibrogargan Miss
2014
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Believe Yourself 1 minute 11.2 seconds
2nd Twirl
3rd Tetsuko
2013
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Romantic Moon 1 minute 10.0 seconds
2nd Thump
3rd Greytfilly
2012
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Jade Marauder 1 minute 11.2 seconds
2nd Valerio
3rd Kyria
2011
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Shared Reflections 1 minute 9.5 seconds
2nd Streama
3rd Pane In The Glass
2010
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Crystal Lily 1 minute 9.0 seconds
2nd Ambers Waltz
3rd Zutara
2009
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Headway 1 minute 11.1 seconds
2nd Lovemelikearock
3rd Horizons
2008
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Stripper 1 minute 11.0 seconds
2nd Glowlamp
3rd Samantha Miss
2007
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Chinchilla Rose 1 minute 10.1 seconds
2nd Vecchia Roma
3rd Moonboat
2006
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Universal Queen 1 minute 11.4 seconds
2nd Tuesday Joy
3rd Pure Energy
2005
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Carry On Cutie 1 minute 10.5 seconds
2nd Media
3rd Flion Fenea
2004
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Burning Sands 1 minute 11.9 seconds
2nd All Knowledge
3rd Written By Xaar
2003
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Legally Bay 1 minute 10.0 seconds
2nd How Funny
3rd Bella Corona
2002
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Victory Vein 1 minute 9.9 seconds
2nd Chuckle
3rd Calaway Gal
2001
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Ha Ha 1 minute 11.0 seconds
2nd Moonflute
3rd Palais
2000
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Dynamic Love 1 minute 11.7 seconds
2nd Tyrolean
3rd Ateates

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