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The Theo Marks Stakes takes place during the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival and is a Group 2 race run in early-mid September at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse. It is held on Run To The Rose Day, which also features the Group 2 The Run To The Rose (1200m) for Golden Rose-bound three-year-olds and recently upgraded Group 2 Sheraco Stakes.

A 1300m sprint, the Theo Marks Stakes is open to horses aged three-year-olds and up, is run under quality handicap conditions and is worth $300,000 in prize money as of 2023. Many runners kick-off their spring in the Theo Marks Stakes field, but a good lead-up race into the event is Randwick’s Group 3 Show County Quality (1200m) and Deploy (2017) was the last to do the double.

Horses that contend the Theo Marks Stakes will often progress onto the Sydney Spring Carnival’s premier events including the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick in early October.

The Theo Marks Stakes / Epsom Handicap is also a popular betting double well worth a look during the carnival and the last horse to take out both races was Winx (2015).

The race also now serves as a potential lead-up to the world’s richest turf race, Randwick’s $20 million The Everest (1200m) in October, as well as the both the Silver Eagle (1300m) at Randwick in October and $10 million The Golden Eagle (1500m) for four-year-olds back at Rosehill in November.

The 2021 Theo Marks Stakes form was franked with the third place-getter Big Parade going on to win that year’s $500,000 Sydney Stakes on The Everest Day. Big Parade also finished fourth in that year’s Winners Stakes before returning in the autumn of 2022 to finish second in the Group 1 The Galaxy.

In 2022 Mr Mozart ran second in both the Theo Marks Stakes and Silver Eagle.

The 2023 Theo Marks Stakes ran on Saturday September 9, 2023 and saw the Godolphin-raced Astern four-year-old Golden Mile ($8.50) return to winning form. 

2023 Theo Marks Stakes
Date:	Saturday September 9, 2023
Track:	Rosehill Gardens Racecourse
Distance:	1300m
Conditions:	3YO & Up – Quality Handicap
Status:	Group 2
Prize Money:	$300,000
Inaugurated:	1946

2023 Theo Marks Stakes Results

• 1st: #5 Golden Mile ($8.50)
• 2nd: #1 The Inevitable
• 3rd: #14 Waterford

The James Cummings-trained Astern four-year-old Golden Mile ($8.50) was back to his better form slipping up on the rails before giving a nice late kick to hold off the fast-finishing challengers for an upset in the 2023 Theo Marks Stakes results in Sydney.

	Finish	No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Margin	Bar.	Weight	Penalty	Starting Price
	1	5	GOLDEN MILE	James Cummings	Nash Rawiller		6	57kg		$8.50
	2	1	THE INEVITABLE	Tegan Keys	Ryan Maloney	0.31L	5	59kg		$13
	3	14	WATERFORD (IRE)	Chris Waller	Tyler Schiller	0.68L	2	53.5kg		$10
	4	4	NUGGET (GB)	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	Jason Collett	1.18L	9	58kg		$4.80
	5	9	ARGENTIA	Joseph Pride	Chad Schofield	1.59L	7	54kg		$3.90F
	6	16	CUBAN ROYALE	Robert & Luke Price	Brock Ryan	2.84L	4	53kg		$31
	7	2	KIRWAN’S LANE (NZ)	John O’Shea	Tom Sherry	2.99L	3	58.5kg		$61
	8	7	MADAME POMMERY	Chris Waller	Dylan Gibbons (a)	3.21L	1	55.5kg		$7
	9	3	KOVALICA (NZ)	Chris Waller	Kerrin McEvoy	3.93L	8	58kg		$16
	10	12	FLYING CRAZY	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	Jay Ford	4.08L	10	54kg		$91
	11	8	CROSS TALK (NZ)	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Ms Rachel King	4.25L	12	55.5kg		$7
	12	15	COMMANDO HUNT	Cameron Crockett	Reece Jones	4.85L	11	53kg		$71
		17e	MILITARIZE (NZ)	Chris Waller			0
		10	TAMERLANE	James Cummings	Zac Lloyd (a)		0
		6	ZOUGOTCHA	Chris Waller	Brett Prebble		0
		13	DEEP SNOW	Becky Byrne	Ms Madeline Owen (a)		0
		11	WILD PLANET	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes			0

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

2023 Theo Marks Stakes Betting

The season’s best Theo Marks Stakes 2023 betting and market links to Ladbrokes.com.au will be available below the week of the race.

Arcadia Queen ($1.95 in 2019) was the last favourite in Theo Marks Stakes betting to salute.

There was a notable upset in 2021 with Chat winning at Theo Marks Stakes odds of $31.

Another upset was on the cards in 2022 with the Chris Waller-trained Kiku winning at $18.

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

2023 Theo Marks Stakes Form

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2023 THEO MARKS STAKES FORM GUIDE

2023 Theo Marks Stakes Tips

Stay tuned for our insider Theo Marks Stakes 2023 Tips on the spring lead-up this Run To The Rose Day.

• To Win: #4 Nugget ($5.50 at time of publish) – BET NOW

Open edition of the Theo Marks and Nugget looks a big chance first-up with plenty of previous good form when fresh (5:2-1-1). The seven-year-old is from the powerhouse Maher/Eustace stable and runs for the first time since a Doncaster Mile third to Mr Brightside in the autumn. Mr Brightside has franked that form winning the PB Lawrence – Memsie Stakes double in recent outings. Nugget had far less weight there than Saturday’s race, but he’s been competitive in plenty of top races with big kilos at WFA including a CF Orr third, Futurity fifth, and fifth also only two lengths beaten in the All-Star Mile. Big chance to kick off his spring with a win off some eye-catching trials.

2023 Theo Marks Stakes Field

The 2023 Theo Marks Stakes field is released by Racing NSW on the Wednesday of race week, the full list of final acceptors to be published below.

The Theo Marks Stakes 2023 final field is now out with markets led by Chris Waller’s returning Queensland Derby champ Kovalica and the autumn’s Doncaster Mile third place-getter Nugget prepared by Ciaron Maher & David Eustace.  

No	Last 10	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight	Probable Weight	Penalty	Hcp Rating
1	2x1111113x	THE INEVITABLE	Tegan Keys	Ryan Maloney	6	59kg			107
2	131x69x04x	KIRWAN’S LANE (NZ)	John O’Shea	Tom Sherry	4	58.5kg			106
3	1111x3131x	KOVALICA (NZ)	Chris Waller	Kerrin McEvoy	10	58kg			105
4	x21113553x	NUGGET (GB)	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	Jason Collett	12	58kg			105
5	11x2400x90	GOLDEN MILE	James Cummings	Nash Rawiller	7	57kg			103
6	x111x419x6	ZOUGOTCHA	Chris Waller	Brett Prebble	8	56kg			105
7	5261x407x2	MADAME POMMERY	Chris Waller	Dylan Gibbons (a)	1	55.5kg			104
8	1338x2140x	CROSS TALK (NZ)	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Ms Rachel King	17	55.5kg			100
9	910x500x42	ARGENTIA	Joseph Pride	Chad Schofield	9	54kg			100
10	911x21140x	TAMERLANE	James Cummings	Zac Lloyd (a)	13	54kg			97
11	97447x593x	WILD PLANET	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes		16	54kg			93
12	003x54038x	FLYING CRAZY	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	Jay Ford	14	54kg			90
13	1x2210x693	DEEP SNOW	Becky Byrne		2	54kg			68
14	x1191x520x	WATERFORD (IRE)	Chris Waller	Tyler Schiller	3	53.5kg			96
15	330x54131x	COMMANDO HUNT	Cameron Crockett	Reece Jones	15	53kg			95
16	11413377×5	CUBAN ROYALE	Robert & Luke Price	Brock Ryan	5	53kg			92
17e	13011x	MILITARIZE (NZ)	Chris Waller		11	55kg			104

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

2023 Theo Marks Stakes Nominations

The 2023 Theo Marks Stakes nominations are out the Monday leading-up to the race and the early entries will be published right here.

	Last 10	Horse	Sex	Age	Trainer	Ballot	Weight	True Weight	Penalty	Hcp Rating
1	5123x216Px	ATISHU (NZ)	M	6	Chris Waller	1	59kg	59kg		111
2	2x1111113x	THE INEVITABLE	G	8	Tegan Keys	2	59kg	59kg		107
3	131x69x04x	KIRWAN’S LANE (NZ)	G	7	John O’Shea	3=	58.5kg	58.5kg		106
4	x640x6117x	ESPIONA	M	5	Chris Waller	3=	56.5kg	56.5kg		106
5	1111x3131x	KOVALICA (NZ)	G	4	Chris Waller	5=	58kg	58kg		105
6	x21113553x	NUGGET (GB)	G	7	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	5=	58kg	58kg		105
7	x111x419x6	ZOUGOTCHA	M	4	Chris Waller	5=	56kg	56kg		105
8	5261x407x2	MADAME POMMERY	M	4	Chris Waller	8=	55.5kg	55.5kg		104
9	13011x	MILITARIZE (NZ)	C	3	Chris Waller	8=	55kg	55kg		104
10	11x2400x90	GOLDEN MILE	H	4	James Cummings	10	57kg	57kg		103
11	1338x2140x	CROSS TALK (NZ)	G	6	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	11=	55.5kg	55.5kg		100
12	910x500x42	ARGENTIA	M	5	Joseph Pride	11=	54kg	53.5kg		100
13	707x20429x	EXPAT (NZ)	M	6	Joseph Pride	11=	54kg	53.5kg		100
14	911x21140x	TAMERLANE	G	6	James Cummings	14	54kg	54kg		97
15	x1191x520x	WATERFORD (IRE)	G	5	Chris Waller	15	54kg	53.5kg		96
16	330x54131x	COMMANDO HUNT	G	6	Cameron Crockett	16	54kg	53kg		95
17	97447x593x	WILD PLANET	G	8	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	17	54kg	53kg		93
18	11413377×5	CUBAN ROYALE	G	9	Robert & Luke Price	18	54kg	53kg		92
19	003x54038x	FLYING CRAZY	G	5	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	19	54kg	53kg		90
20	x251x130x6	EXTREMELY LUCKY	G	5	Chris Waller	20	54kg	53kg		88
21	162127×634	GLINT OF SILVER	G	4	David Pfieffer	21	54kg	53kg		86
22	1x2210x693	DEEP SNOW	G	5	Becky Byrne	22	54kg	53kg		68

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

Theo Marks Stakes History

Shannon won the first Theo Marks Stakes when it was inaugurated in 1946. Beginning as a Principal race run over 7 furlongs, the race distance was converted to 1400m in 1973 with Australia’s adoption of the metric system. Following this in 1979 the race status was elevated to a Group 2 event. In 1985 the race distance was shortened to 1300m and then to 1280m in 1990. Run twice over 1280m it was increased back to 1300m in 1992.

The most notable recent Theo Marks Stakes winner was the 2015 champion Winx who would retire with a record-breaking four Cox Plate victories to her name.

The 2021 edition of the Theo Marks Stakes was run at Kembla Grange having moved from Rosehill due to COVID-19.

Recent Theo Marks Stakes Winners

Year	Place	Horse	Time
2023 Theo Marks Stakes	1st	Golden Mile	1 minute 16.35 seconds
	2nd	The Inevitable
	3rd	Waterford
2022 Theo Marks Stakes	1st	Kiku	1 minute 16.62 seconds
	2nd	Mr Mozart
	3rd	Prime Candidate
2021 Theo Marks Stakes(Run at Kembla Grange)	1st	Chat	1 minute 17.35 seconds
	2nd	Embracer
	3rd	Big Parade
2020 Theo Marks Stakes	1st	Wild Planet	1 minute 15.73 seconds
	2nd	Funstar
	3rd	Ranier
2019 Theo Marks Stakes	1st	Arcadia Queen	1 minute 14.96 seconds
	2nd	Trope
	3rd	Gem Song
2018 Theo Marks Stakes	1st	Home Of The Brave	1 minute 19.34 seconds
	2nd	D’Argento
	3rd	Trapeze Artist
2017 Theo Marks Stakes	1st	Deploy	1 minute 14.92 seconds
	2nd	Egg Tart
	3rd	Euro Angel
2016 Theo Marks Stakes	1st	Mackintosh	1 minute 17.11 seconds
	2nd	Counterattack
	3rd	Southern Legend
2015 Theo Marks Stakes	1st	Winx	1 minute 15.77 seconds
	2nd	Sons of John
	3rd	Ninth Legion
2014 Theo Marks Stakes	1st	Cluster	1 minute 23.34 seconds
	2nd	Bull Point
	3rd	Ninth Legion
2013 Theo Marks Stakes	1st	Riva De Lago	1 minute 21.67 seconds
	2nd	Solzhenitsyn
	3rd	Your Honour
2012 Theo Marks Stakes	1st	Ambidexter	1 minute 22.29 seconds
	2nd	Fat Al
	3rd	Dystopia
2011 Theo Marks Stakes	1st	Master Of Design	1 minute 16.79 seconds
	2nd	Torio’s Quest
	3rd	Fast Clip
2010 Theo Marks Stakes	1st	More Joyous	1 minute 22.16 seconds
	2nd	Rothesay
	3rd	Drumbeats
2009 Theo Marks Stakes	1st	Racing To Win	1 minute 22.1 seconds
	2nd	Rock Kingdom
	3rd	Triple Honour
2008 Theo Marks Stakes	1st	Hurried Choice	1 minute 17.1 seconds
	2nd	Forensics
	3rd	Ice Chariot
2007 Theo Marks Stakes	Race Not Held
2006 Theo Marks Stakes	1st	Racing To Win	1 minute 16.5 seconds
	2nd	New Edge
	3rd	Regal Cheer
2005 Theo Marks Stakes	1st	Paratroopers	1 minute 16.8 seconds
	2nd	Perfect Promise
	3rd	Outback Prince
2004 Theo Marks Stakes	1st	Falkirk	1 minute 17.7 seconds
	2nd	Grand Armee
	3rd	Private Steer
2003 Theo Marks Stakes	1st	Fiery Venture	1 minute 16.3 seconds
	2nd	Grand Armee
	3rd	Osca Warrior
2002 Theo Marks Stakes	1st	Defier	1 minute 15.7 seconds
	2nd	Phoenix Park
	3rd	Carael Boy
2001 Theo Marks Stakes	1st	Shogun Lodge	1 minute 16.8 seconds
	2nd	Fouardee
	3rd	Belle Du Jour
2000 Theo Marks Stakes	1st	Hire	1 minute 17.1 seconds
	2nd	Landsighting
	3rd	Shogun Lodge