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Flight Stakes

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Overview

This page was last updated on October 7, 2025

This season the 2025 Flight Stakes took place on Saturday October 4 as part of Randwick's Epsom Handicap Day bringing the Princess Series for 3YO fillies to an end with a huge win by the Michael Freedman trained favourite Apocalyptic ($1.65).

  • Race Date: 04/10/2025
  • Race Status: Group 1
  • Race Conditions: Set Weights, Three-Years-Old, Fillies
  • Race Venue: Randwick, NSW
  • Prize Money: $750,000
  • Distance: 1600m
  • Track Conditions: Good4 - FINE
  • Rail Position: True. (Pent: 5.23)

Flight Stakes 2025 Results

Randwick R6
Final Race time: 
1st
1. Apocalyptic (7) J: Tommy Berry 56kg
T: Michael Freedman
2nd
4. Within The Law (2) J: Jason Collett 56kg
T: Bjorn Baker
3rd
6. Karinska (5) J: Zac Lloyd 56kg
T: Chris Waller
4th
8. Enviable (9) J: Kerrin McEvoy 56kg
T: Chris Waller
5th
9. Reflect (8) J: Adam Hyeronimus 56kg
T: Joseph Pride
6th
2. Artistic Venture (1) J: Dylan Gibbons 56kg
T: John O'Shea & Tom Charlton
7th
10. Magenta Skies (6) J: Tim Clark 56kg
T: Michael Freedman
8th
5. Queen Of Clubs (4) J: Nash Rawiller 56kg
T: Gary Portelli
9th
11. Lighthouse Lass (3) J: Reece Jones 56kg
T: John Ramsey
10th
3. Tupakara (10) J: Ethan Brown 56kg
T: Annabel & Rob Archibald
For current odds on all of our live racing markets, please visit www.ladbrokes.com.au/racing. Data retrieved: 05/11/2025 09:38:46 AM (Australia/Brisbane)

2025 Flight Stakes Results

See below for the official Flight Stakes 2025 Results & Finishing Order once the three-years-old fillies’ classic is run and won on Epsom Day, Saturday October 4, 2025.

  • 1st: No. 1 Apocalyptic ($1.65F)
  • 2nd: No. 4 Within The Law
  • 3rd: No. 6 Karinska

Boom filly Apocalyptic ($1.65F) continued her fast rise through the grades saluting as the odds-on favourite in the 2025 Flight Stakes results to post a Group 1 win at just her fourth start and firm into the outright top elect for the upcoming Thousand Guineas in Melbourne.

Click here for the full story.

Flight Stakes Tips

Stay tuned for our insider Flight Stakes 2025 Tips on the Randwick mile race for three-year-old fillies this Epsom Day.

2025 Flight Stakes Same Race Multi Selections ($7.75 at time of publish)

  • To Win: No. 1 Apocalyptic
  • Top 3: No. 10 Magenta Skies

APOCALYPTIC (7) is odds-on and no value for the win but impossible to tip against so I’m locking her in for the win and adding value in a SRM with an underrated chance to finish in the money behind her. Michael Freedman’s daughter of Extreme Choice has put her hand up to become the boom filly of the season and continues to rise to the occasion as she works her way through the grades and distances. Still lightly raced, she’s got all the upside and comes off back-to-back wins this Princess Series in the Furious and Tea Rose Stakes here at Randwick. The way she overcame a wide run without cover in the Tea Rose to settle well showing maturity beyond her years and let down beautifully late to easily account for a similar line-up of fillies to that she faces in the Flight Stakes. She looks like she’ll love the mile, the set weights and midfield gate suit and Tommy Berry knows her well now. Wins.

MAGENTA SKIES (6) looks well placed to add value to the trifecta behind her highly supported stablemate. She’s a beautifully bred daughter of ace sire Frankel and heads to the big city now having raced exclusively at Newcastle to date. She broke her maiden status on September 19 as the odds-on elect over 1400m when defeating the older mares by over a length and a half. Tim Clark sticks in the saddle, she faces a tough class rise but is drawn one inside Apocalyptic so could surprise a few and follow her over the line.

 

Randwick R6
Final Race time: 
1st
1. Apocalyptic (7) J: Tommy Berry 56kg
T: Michael Freedman
7th
10. Magenta Skies (6) J: Tim Clark 56kg
T: Michael Freedman
For current odds on all of our live racing markets, please visit www.ladbrokes.com.au/racing. Data retrieved: 05/11/2025 09:38:46 AM (Australia/Brisbane)

Flight Stakes News

The Flight Stakes is a 1600m set weights race held at Randwick Racecourse on Epsom Handicap Day in late September or early October each Sydney Spring Racing Carnival. Hosted by the Australian Turf Club (ATC), the Group 1 race attracts the best three-year-old fillies from around the country to compete for the $750,000 prize money.

The Flight Stakes shares a race program with the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) and Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) making it one of the biggest Sydney race days over the spring, on part of a massive weekend of racing that also sees Melbourne host Turnbull Stakes Day.

Fillies often target the Flight Stakes following successful runs in earlier events such as the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes or Group 2 Furious Stakes. These races form the Princess Series with the Flight Stakes the last leg. Funstar (2019) followed by the fellow Chris Waller-trained Zougotcha (2022) and Apocalyptic (2025) are the last fillies to complete the Tea Rose Stakes – Flight Stakes double.

Some of the better runners in the Flight Stakes might continue onto other elite level races in Melbourne later in the spring including the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) in a fortnight’s time at Caulfield. Global Glamour (2016) was the last filly to complete the Flight Stakes – Thousand Guineas interstate double.

The best fillies out of the Flight Stakes will take on the boys next-up in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m), a rare double achieved in 2020 by the history-making Montefilia.

As of 2021, the Flight Stakes also now serves as a potential lead-up for fillies invited to contest the $2 million The Invitation (1400m) back at Randwick on Bondi Stakes Day.

In 2021 trainer Gai Waterhouse celebrated her 10th Flight Stakes win and second in partnership with Adrian Bott thanks to an upset by Never Been Kissed ($41).

Waterhouse then extended her Flight Stakes success for an 11th victory, her third in partnership with Bott, in 2023 with Tropical Squall as Tulloch Lodge’s dominance in the race continued after Waterhouse’s father Tommy Smith won the race on 13 occasions.

Never Been Kissed went on to frank the 2021 Flight Stakes form running second to the boys next-up in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m). The 2021 Flight Stakes runner-up Hinged meanwhile returned to win the Group 1 Surround Stakes (1400m) the following autumn in 2022, while the third-placed Startantes ran second in the Surround before winning that winter’s Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) in Brisbane.

Each year the Flight Stakes winner also earns a ballot exemption into the following autumn’s Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) during April’s ‘The Championships’ at Royal Randwick.

The 2022 Flight Stakes form was franked with the runner-up She’s Extreme running third next-up in the Spring Champion Stakes before her win in Flemington’s Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m).

The 2023 Flight Stakes winner Tropical Squall franked the form the following autumn winning the Group 1 Surround Stakes in 2024.

The 2024 Flight Stakes form was firmly franked with the winner Lady Shenandoah returning the following autumn to win her next three starts on the trot including the Group 1 Surround Stakes and Group 1 Coolmore Classic in 2025.

2025 Flight Stakes Betting

The full Flight Stakes 2025 betting markets and updated Flight Stakes odds on the hopeful three-year-old fillies in the Epsom Handicap Day Group 1 will be available at Races.com.au complete with links to Ladbrokes.com.au for you to back your Flight Stakes tips.

Funstar ($1.75 in 2019) and Apocalyptic ($1.65 in 2025) are the latest favourites in Flight Stakes betting to salute for the punters.

There was a notable upset in 2021 with Never Been Kissed winning at Flight Stakes odds of $41.

Flight Stakes Field

2025 Flight Stakes Form

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2025 FLIGHT STAKES FORM GUIDE

Each spring the Flight Stakes field attracts a line-up of quality three-year-old fillies that traditionally come out of the Tea Rose Stakes. The Tea Rose Stakes – Flight Stakes double was recently completed by Apocalyptic (2025), Zougotcha (2022), Funstar (2019), Alizee (2017), Guelph (2013), and First Seal (2014).

Following a run in the Flight Stakes field there are a host of other potential Group 1 races for the fillies to target including a run against the boys in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m), which the 2018 Flight Stakes winner Oohood ran third behind The Autumn Sun in.

The 2025 Flight Stakes field and barrier draw are released on Tuesday of race week and will be provided in full below as soon as final acceptances for the mile feature are released by Racing NSW.

2025 Flight Stakes Nominations

The 2025 Flight Stakes nominations are released by Racing NSW on Monday the 8th of September 2025.

The Flight Stakes 2025 nominations attracted 59 three-year-old fillies led in all-in betting by Bjorn Baker’s Group 1 Champagne Stakes runner-up Within The Law and Michael Freedman’s emerging daughter of Extreme Choice Apocalyptic who won the Group 2 Furious Stakes at just her second start.

Click here to read more on the key fillies in the 2025 Flight Stakes nominations and early betting markets and to view the complete list of nominees. 

The Flight Stakes 2025 final field features a quality line-up of in-form fillies including odds-on favourite Apocalyptic chasing a hat-trick after wins in the Furious and Tea Rose Stakes.

Click here to read more on the key fillies in the 2025 Flight Stakes field and betting markets.

No Horse Jockey Trainer Barrier Weight Age Sex Last Starts Prize Money
1 Apocalyptic Tommy Berry Michael Freedman 7 56kg 3 F 2x11 $373,200
2 Artistic Venture Dylan Gibbons John O'Shea & Tom Charlton 1 56kg 3 F 5x212 $314,550
3 Tupakara Ethan Brown Annabel & Rob Archibald 10 56kg 3 F 23x23 $272,275
4 Within The Law Jason Collett Bjorn Baker 2 56kg 3 F 2x256 $1,498,200
5 Queen Of Clubs Nash Rawiller Gary Portelli 4 56kg 3 F 51x34 $135,200
6 Karinska Zac Lloyd Chris Waller 5 56kg 3 F 8x565 $52,000
7 Next Jen Chad Schofield Annabel & Rob Archibald 9 56kg 3 F 50x78 $34,050
8 Enviable Kerrin McEvoy Chris Waller 9 56kg 3 F 0x337 $18,950
9 Reflect Adam Hyeronimus Joseph Pride 8 56kg 3 F x3851 $48,925
10 Magenta Skies Tim Clark Michael Freedman 6 56kg 3 F 31 $27,500
11 Lighthouse Lass Reece Jones John Ramsey 3 56kg 3 F x6722 $26,725

Flight Stakes Barrier & Speedmap

1
Artistic Venture Midfield
2
Within The Law Midfield
3
Lighthouse Lass Midfield
4
Queen Of Clubs Back Marker
5
Karinska Midfield
6
Magenta Skies Midfield
7
Apocalyptic Midfield
8
Reflect Midfield
9
Next Jen Back Marker
9
Enviable Midfield
10
Tupakara Front Runner

Flight Stakes History

The Flight Stakes was named after the champion mare Flight, which won the Cox Plate in 1945 and 1946. One year later, the first Flight Stakes race was won by Nizam’s Ring. From 1947 to 1978, the event was a principal race however it then elevated to Group 2 status until 1984.

In 2007, the race was cancelled due to the spread of the Equine Flu. Many of the Flight Stakes winners come via the Group 2 Furious Stakes and the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes. Fillies which have placed or won this particular race have made up seven of the last nine Flight Stakes winners.

The Tea Rose Stakes / Flight Stakes double is a popular one for the punters, while the more difficult Furious Stakes / Tea Rose Stakes / Flight Stakes Treble has been won by the likes of Apocalyptic in 2025, Samantha Miss in 2008, Unworldly in 2000, Danglissa in 1999 and Sunline in 1998.

Gai Waterhouse has trained 11 Flight Stakes winners after taking out her third in partnership with Adrian Bott in 2023 with Tropical Squall.

Waterhouse’s father Tommy Smith holds the Flight Stakes training record with 13 victories.

Flight Stakes results and winning times since 2000 are listed below.

Flight Stakes Previous Race Winners

Year Place Horse Time
2025
Flight Stakes
1st Apocalyptic 1 minute 35.88 seconds
2nd Within The Law
3rd Karinska
2024
Flight Stakes
1st Lady Shenandoah 1 minute 34.83 seconds
2nd Harlem Queen
3rd Snow In May
2023
Flight Stakes
1st Tropical Squall 1 minute 33.91 seconds
2nd Kimochi
3rd Tutta La Vita
2022
Flight Stakes
1st Zougotcha 1 minute 39.36 seconds
2nd She’s Extreme
3rd North Star Lass
2021
Flight Stakes
1st Never Been Kissed 1 minute 34.04 seconds
2nd Hinged
3rd Startantes
2020
Flight Stakes
1st Montefilia 1 minute 33.04 seconds
2nd Hungry Heart
3rd Vangelic
Flight Stakes
Date: Saturday October 4, 2025
Track: Randwick Racecourse
Distance: 1600m
Race Type: 3YO Fillies Set Weight
Status: Group 1
Prize Money: $750,000

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