Kingston Town Stakes

The Kingston Town Stakes is a Group 3 event held at Randwick on The Shorts Day as a lead-up to the Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m).

2023 Kingston Town Stakes Results

  • 1st: #16e Just Fine
  • 2nd: #13 Benaud
  • 3rd: #4 Montefilia



The Kingston Town Stakes is a Group 3 staying event held at Randwick Racecourse in September each year during the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival.

The Kingston Town Stakes runs on The Shorts Day. The event shares the program with three other Group status races including the now $1 million Group 2 The Shorts (1100m) for The Everest-bound sprinters and the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes for three-year-old fillies looking at a run in the Flight Stakes next-up.

Replacing the George Main Stakes – which now runs as the Group 1 $5 million King Charles III Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on The Everest Day in mid-October – on the card as of 2023 is the $1 million 7 Stakes (1600m) which offers an Epsom Handicap ballot exemption.

Held over 2000m, the Kingston Town Stakes is now run under set weights plus penalties conditions and presents an early staying challenge. Open to horses aged three years and older, the Kingston Town Stakes is a great race for form guidance in later features in Sydney over the spring. With a total purse of $250,000, the Kingston Town Stakes draws some very talented horses each year.

Those horses that perform well in the Kingston Town Stakes often seek to target the Group 1 The Metropolitan Handicap (2400m) at Royal Randwick a fortnight later with the winner of the Group 3 exempt from The Metropolitan ballot.

The last galloper to complete the Kingston Town Stakes – The Metropolitan double in the same season was Herculian Prince (2010). In 2016 Sir John Hawkwood improved on a second in the Kingston Town Stakes to win The Metropolitan.

In 2018 Brimham Rocks ran second in both the Kingston Town and The Metropolitan before returning to run third in the latter again two years later in 2020.

The race can also serve as a lead-up into the Melbourne majors including the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington that the 2019 Kingston Town Stakes winner Finche ran second in before a Caulfield Cup fifth and seventh in that year’s Melbourne Cup results.

Trainer Chris Waller has an outstanding record in the race preparing seven Kingston Town Stakes winners from 2007-20, most recently Finche (2019).

Gai Waterhouse meanwhile has prepared seven winners since 1999, her latest being Taikomochi (2020) and Just Fine (2023) both in partnership with Adrian Bott.

The 2021 Kingston Town Stakes form was franked with the runner-up Montefilia winning The Metropolitan next start before a fourth in that year’s Caulfield Cup results. She also returned the following autumn and won the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes in 2022.

The 2022 Kingston Town Stakes third place-getter Knight’s Order went on to frank the form running third in the Caulfield Cup trifecta before a solid ninth in the Melbourne Cup. He also returned the following autumn and was third in the 2023 Sydney Cup resultss.

The 2023 Kingston Town Stakes took place on Saturday September 16, 2023 with the impressive Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained winner Just Fine ($3.30F) saluting for the punters in dominant fashion to secure a The Metropolitan ballot exemption. 

Kingston Town Stakes
Date: Saturday September 16, 2023
Track: Randwick Racecourse
Distance: 2000m
Conditions: 3YO&UP – SW+P
Status: Group 3
Prizemoney: $250,000
Inaugurated: 1948

2023 Kingston Town Stakes Results

  • 1st: #16e Just Fine ($3.30F)
  • 2nd: #13 Benaud
  • 3rd: #4 Montefilia

The progressive Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained European import Just Fine ($3.30F) made a move at the top of the straight, was taken to the front and wound up beautifully for a dominant victory as the favourite to make it back-to-back wins down under in the 2023 Kingston Town Stakes results on way to the Group 1 The Metropolitan in a fortnight.

Finish No. Horse Trainer Jockey Margin Bar. Weight Penalty Starting Price
1 16e JUST FINE (IRE) Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Regan Bayliss 9 55kg $3.30F
2 13 BENAUD John O’Shea Zac Lloyd (a) 1.71L 4 55kg $14
3 4 MONTEFILIA Chris Waller Jason Collett 1.93L 1 57kg $4.40
4 7 PROTAGONIST (FR) Kris Lees Dylan Gibbons (a) 2.88L 11 56kg $11
5 11 SKY LAB Paul Perry Ms Kathy O’Hara 3.33L 5 55kg $20
6 2 MAJOR BEEL (NZ) Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Joshua Parr 3.57L 3 58kg $7
7 15e AL AABIR (IRE) Chris Waller Brett Prebble 4.05L 6 55kg $21
8 5 NAVAJO PEAK David Payne Chad Schofield 5.29L 12 57kg $14
9 9 BOLD MAC (NZ) Chris Waller Kerrin McEvoy 7.24L 7 55kg $18
10 1 KNIGHTS ORDER (IRE) Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Ms Rachel King 7.94L 8 58kg $31
11 3 MANZOICE Chris Waller Nash Rawiller 8.57L 13 58kg $31
12 10 KING FRANKEL (IRE) Annabel Neasham Tyler Schiller 14.27L 10 55kg $18
13 6 CAMORRA (IRE) Ben, Will & JD Hayes Tom Sherry 21.69L 2 57kg $91
18e TAZARAL (IRE) Peter & Paul Snowden 0
17e PARRY SOUND Sara Ryan 0
12 BOIS D’ARGENT (GB) Annabel Neasham Jean Van Overmeire 0
8 GEAR UP (IRE) Annabel Neasham 0
14 FANCY MAN (IRE) Annabel Neasham 0

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

2023 Kingston Town Stakes Betting Odds

The spring’s top Kingston Town Stakes 2023 betting odds and links to the markets at Ladbrokes.com.au will be provided for punters below the week of the race.

She’s Ideel ($2.80 in 2021) and Just Fine ($3.30 in 2023) are the latest favourites in Kingston Town Stakes betting to salute for the punters.

There was a notable upset in 2022 with Alegron winning at Kingston Town Stakes odds of $20.

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

2023 Kingston Town Stakes Form

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2023 KINGSTON TOWN STAKES FORM GUIDE

2023 Kingston Town Stakes Tips

Stay tuned for our insider Kingston Town Stakes 2023 Tips on The Metropolitan lead-up this spring.

  • To Win: #5 Navajo Peak ($9.50 at time of publish) – BET NOW

A tricky race for the punters with plenty of in-form hopefuls vying for the title ahead of tougher spring assignments. Going to stick with the David Payne-trained Territories gelding who came good for us last time out winning the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes at blowout odds second-up last start. Was that a fluke? We will find out on Saturday. Think the extra distance will only see him improve as he has a strong strike-rate at 2000m (3:2-1-0). Beat some good horses off the Group 1 lead-up prior to that and around this level has a good record he can add to here at a nice price.

2023 Kingston Town Stakes Field

The 2023 Kingston Town Stakes field is announced by Racing NSW on the Wednesday leading-up to The Shorts Day and will be provided in full below along with the official Kingston Town Stakes Barriers & Weights.

The Kingston Town Stakes 2023 final field features a quality line-up of in-form staying types including the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes winner Navajo Peak and current race favourite  Just Fine from the Waterhouse/Bott stable coming off a win over the mile here and now in the mix with the scratchings. 

No Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Probable Weight Penalty Hcp Rating
1 439x8663x0 KNIGHTS ORDER (IRE) Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Ms Rachel King 11 58kg 110
2 6x11421x02 MAJOR BEEL (NZ) Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Joshua Parr 6 58kg 104
3 9281x860x8 MANZOICE Chris Waller Nash Rawiller 18 58kg 101
4 40x5229x86 MONTEFILIA Chris Waller Jason Collett 3 57kg 113
5 x421222x01 NAVAJO PEAK David Payne Chad Schofield 17 57kg 106
6 x80x90Px00 CAMORRA (IRE) Ben, Will & JD Hayes Tom Sherry 4 57kg 101
7 1102x100x2 PROTAGONIST (FR) Kris Lees Dylan Gibbons (a) 16 56kg 105
8 1214x380x0 GEAR UP (IRE) Annabel Neasham 15 56kg 102
9 x385281117 BOLD MAC (NZ) Chris Waller Kerrin McEvoy 10 55kg 104
10 311x1430x0 KING FRANKEL (IRE) Annabel Neasham Tyler Schiller 13 55kg 103
11 0x67521x40 SKY LAB Paul Perry Ms Kathy O’Hara 8 55kg 103
12 x3x5315232 BOIS D’ARGENT (GB) Annabel Neasham Jean Van Overmeire 14 55kg 102
13 x994658101 BENAUD John O’Shea Zac Lloyd (a) 7 55kg 98
14 302x858x58 FANCY MAN (IRE) Annabel Neasham 5 55kg 98
15e 1122317×46 AL AABIR (IRE) Chris Waller Brett Prebble 9 55kg 92
16e 2x386061x1 JUST FINE (IRE) Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Regan Bayliss 12 55kg 91
17e x096898x04 PARRY SOUND Sara Ryan 1 56kg 88
18e x2x630x112 TAZARAL (IRE) Peter & Paul Snowden 2 55kg 8

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

2023 Kingston Town Stakes Nominations

Nominations for the Kingston Town Stakes in 2023 close the Monday of race week and will be published for punters below as soon as announced.

Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Ballot Weight True Weight Penalty Hcp Rating
1 40x5229x86 MONTEFILIA M 6 Chris Waller 1 57kg 113
2 439x8663x0 KNIGHTS ORDER (IRE) G 9 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 2 58kg 110
3 x421222x01 NAVAJO PEAK G 5 David Payne 3 57kg 106
4 1102x100x2 PROTAGONIST (FR) G 7 Kris Lees 4 56kg 105
5 6x11421x02 MAJOR BEEL (NZ) G 4 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 5= 58kg 104
6 52x131x8x0 DUKE DE SESSA (IRE) H 5 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 5= 56.5kg 104
7 x385281117 BOLD MAC (NZ) G 6 Chris Waller 5= 55kg 104
8 51226x50x4 CLEVELAND (IRE) H 6 Kris Lees 5= 55kg 104
9 311x1430x0 KING FRANKEL (IRE) G 6 Annabel Neasham 9= 55kg 103
10 0x67521x40 SKY LAB G 6 Paul Perry 9= 55kg 103
11 1214x380x0 GEAR UP (IRE) H 6 Annabel Neasham 11= 56kg 102
12 x3x5315232 BOIS D’ARGENT (GB) G 7 Annabel Neasham 11= 55kg 102
13 480x1390x7 SIR LUCAN (IRE) G 6 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 11= 55kg 102
14 9281x860x8 MANZOICE H 4 Chris Waller 14= 58kg 101
15 x80x90Px00 CAMORRA (IRE) G 7 Ben, Will & JD Hayes 14= 57kg 101
16 x921213x3L KALAPOUR (IRE) G 7 Kris Lees 16 56kg 100
17 x601x060x0 TORRENS H 7 Marc Chevalier 17 55kg 99
18 x994658101 BENAUD G 5 John O’Shea 18= 55kg 98
19 302x858x58 FANCY MAN (IRE) G 6 Annabel Neasham 18= 55kg 98
20 217x0020x0 HOPEFUL (FR) G 7 Annabel Neasham 18= 55kg 98
21 1122317×46 AL AABIR (IRE) G 5 Chris Waller 21 55kg 92
22 2x386061x1 JUST FINE (IRE) G 6 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 22 55kg 91
23 3498419128 OUTLANDOS G 7 John Sargent 23 55kg 90
24 x13x212213 BRAYDEN STAR (GB) H 5 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young 24 55kg 89
25 x096898x04 PARRY SOUND G 8 Sara Ryan 25 56kg 88
26 x2x630x112 TAZARAL (IRE) G 6 Peter & Paul Snowden 26 55kg 85
27 34216×4221 WINEGLASS BAY (IRE) G 5 Chris Waller 27 55kg 79

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

Kingston Town Stakes History

Columnist won the inaugural edition of the Kingston Town Stakes in 1948. Since then, the race has enjoyed considerable spectator support and strong fields from great stables. Named in honour of champion racehorse Kingston Town (who won the race twice prior to its renaming), the Kingston Town Stakes is rich with history.

Known as the STC Cup between 1948 and 1983, the Kingston Town Stakes was not given its current name until the 1984 edition, a few years after Kingston Town’s wins in 1980 and 1981. Initially, the race was 1.5 miles in length, which is approximately 2400 metres. This was normalised to 2400 metres in 1972 and stayed that way until the 1991 edition ran over 1900 metres. Since 1992, however, the Kingston Town Stakes has remained 2000 metres in length.

Initially a Principal Race, the Kingston Town Stakes was given Group 3 status in 1979 and has remained at this grade since. Usually held at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse, in 1991 the Kingston Town Stakes was hosted by Canterbury Park for a year.

Notable Kingston Town Stakes winners include Monte Carlo (1958), Tails (1969), Kingston Town (1980, 81), Swiss Echo (2001), Lamasery (2011), Finche (2017), and Avilius (2018).

Kingston Town Stakes results since 2000 are listed below.

Kingston Town Stakes Results

Year Place Horse Time
2023
Kingston Town Stakes
1st Just Fine 2 minutes 00.39 seconds
2nd Benaud
3rd Montefilia
2022
Kingston Town Stakes
1st Alegron 2 minutes 06.79 seconds
2nd Benaud
3rd Knights Order
2021
Kingston Town Stakes
1st She’s Ideel 2 minutes 05.50 seconds
2nd Montefilia
3rd Entente
2020
Kingston Town Stakes
1st Taikomochi 2 minutes 0.84 seconds
2nd Shared Ambition
3rd Brimham Rocks
2019
Kingston Town Stakes
1st Finche 2 minutes 4.42 seconds
2nd Stampede
3rd Carzoff
2018
Kingston Town Stakes
1st Avilius 2 minutes 2.01 seconds
2nd Brimham Rocks
3rd I Am Serious
2017
Kingston Town Stakes
1st Libran 2 minutes 2.76 seconds
2nd Antonio Giuseppe
3rd Life Less Ordinary
2016
Kingston Town Stakes
1st McCreery 2 minute 3.8 seconds
2nd Sir John Hawkwood
3rd Allergic
2015
Kingston Town Stakes
1st Silverball 2 minutes 02.98 seconds
2nd Maurus
3rd Foundry
2014
Kingston Town Stakes
1st He’s Your Man 2 minutes 04.02 seconds
2nd Kingdoms
3rd Deane Martin
2013
Kingston Town Stakes
1st Prince Cheri 2 minutes 03.4 seconds
2nd Honorius
3rd Julienas
2012
Kingston Town Stakes
1st Stout Hearted 2 minutes 00.6 seconds
2nd Crafty Irna
3rd Strawberry Boy
2011
Kingston Town Stakes
1st Lamasery 2 minutes 02.5 seconds
2nd Crafty Irna
3rd Mourayan
2010
Kingston Town Stakes
1st Herculian Prince 2 minutes 01.5 seconds
2nd Stormhill
3rd The Embassy
2009
Kingston Town Stakes
1st Ready To Lift 2 minutes 01.9 seconds
2nd Voice Coach
3rd God’s Hand
2008
Kingston Town Stakes
1st Hurrah 2 minutes 03.3 seconds
2nd Red Lord
3rd Sir Fussalot
2007
Kingston Town Stakes
Race Not Held
2006
Kingston Town Stakes
1st Mr Martini 2 minutes 05.5 seconds
2nd Vanquished
3rd Lookout
2005
Kingston Town Stakes
1st Stormhill 2 minutes 01.1 seconds
2nd Railings
3rd Carael Boy
2004
Kingston Town Stakes
1st Just Polite 2 minutes 04.0 seconds
2nd Seul Amour
3rd New York Style
2003
Kingston Town Stakes
1st Ariante 2 minutes 03.1 seconds
2nd Dashing Away
3rd Mrs Tendulkar
2002
Kingston Town Stakes
1st Dress Circle 2 minutes 02.2 seconds
2nd Youhadyourwarning
3rd Native Jazz
2001
Kingston Town Stakes
1st Swiss Echo 2 minutes 03.3 seconds
2nd Able Way
3rd Mulan Princess
2000
Kingston Town Stakes
1st Dashing Scene 2 minutes 04.9 seconds
2nd Motiti Road
3rd Splendid Retreat

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