2023 PB Lawrence Stakes Results: Cox Plate Hope Mr Brightside Salutes First-Up
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The Challenge Stakes is a Group 2 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival sprint run on Randwick Guineas Day offering $500,000 in prize money.
The Challenge Stakes is a Group 2 weight-for-age race held at Sydney’s Royal Randwick Racecourse in early March as a part of the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival. A 1000m open sprint the Challenge Stakes has increased notably in prize money in recent years and is now worth a lucrative $500,000.
The Challenge Stakes is one of the key support races on Randwick Guineas Day and accompanies the Group 1 $1 million Randwick Guineas (1600m) and $600,000 Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m).
A possible lead-up race into the Challenge Stakes field is the Group 3 Southern Cross Stakes (1200m) held at Randwick in February, but many of the horses race first-up in the half-a-million-dollar showdown.
The likely next-up autumn targets for horses out of the Challenge Stakes include the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) and April’s Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) held as part of ‘The Championships’.
In 2016 the Challenge Stakes winner English ran third in the TJ Smith Stakes two starts later before success in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) to round-out her autumn. English also returned to take out the 2017 Challenge Stakes results going back-to-back in the race for the first time since Star Of Florida (2003-04). In 2017, Redzel ran second in both the Challenge Stakes and The Galaxy results before returning to win the following year’s Challenge Stakes (2018) ahead of a second in the TJ Smith Stakes. Redzel also ran in the 2019 Challenge Stakes crossing second to Ball Of Muscle and placed second again in 2020 adding to his incredible record when beaten home by Nature Strip.
Nature Strip (2020) is the latest horse to have completed the Challenge Stakes – TJ Smith Stakes double.
In 2021 Nature Strip returned to run second as the beaten odds-on favourite in the Challenge Stakes won by Eduardo in a new record time of 55.2 seconds.
That form was franked with Eduardo (2021) going on to complete the Challenge Stakes – The Galaxy double before a TJ Smith Stakes third behind Nature Strip.
Nature Strip went on to win the $15 million The Everest (1200m) that spring, with Eduardo third in the world’s richest turf race.
The 2022 Challenge Stakes saw great guns Nature Strip and Eduardo clash for the ninth time in their careers. Eduardo managed to go back-to-back and successfully defend his Challenge Stakes title, while Nature Strip was forced to settle for third after a shock late run by $61 roughie Shelby Sixtysix who finished second.
The Challenge Stakes 2022 form was franked with the third placed Nature Strip winning that year’s TJ Smith Stakes where Eduardo finished second. Nature Strip then headed overseas and was enormous at Royal Ascot in the UK winning the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes by over four lengths. Upset Challenge Stakes runner-up that year Shelby Sixtysix meanwhile went on to win the Group 1 The Galaxy that autumn.
Dual defending champion Eduardo returned in the 2023 Challenge Stakes but was denied a third success beaten by a nose on the line by the mare Passive Aggressive in an upset.
The Challenge Stakes 2023 ran on Saturday March 4, 2023 as a lead-up to the TJ Smith Stakes and saw Grahame Begg’s returning mare Passive Aggressive ($7.50) win by a nose.
2023 Challenge Stakes | |
---|---|
Date: | Saturday March 4, 2023 |
Track: | Royal Randwick |
Distance: | 1000m |
Race Type: | Weight-For-Age |
Status: | Group 2 |
Prize Money: | $500,000 |
Passive Aggressive ($7.50) was brave late lunging right on the line in her first start since August last year to beat home dual defending champion Eduardo ($3.30F) in an upset 2023 Challenge Stakes result. In third was the resuming The Everest champion from the spring Giga Kick ($4.60).
Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Penalty | Starting Price | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 7 | PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE | Grahame Begg | Jordan Childs | 9 | 56.5kg | $7.50 | |||
2 | 1 | EDUARDO | Joseph Pride | Nash Rawiller | 0.01L | 8 | 58.5kg | $3.30F | ||
3 | 8 | GIGA KICK | Clayton Douglas | Craig Williams | 1.16L | 4 | 56kg | $4.60 | ||
4 | 3 | REMARQUE | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Brenton Avdulla | 1.58L | 6 | 58.5kg | $4 | ||
5 | 5 | THE BOPPER | Kris Lees | Zac Purton | 2.56L | 1 | 58.5kg | $19 | ||
6 | 6 | KEY LARGO | Bryce Heys | Tyler Schiller (a) | 2.79L | 2 | 58.5kg | $51 | ||
7 | 9 | SACRED SATONO (NZ) | Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley | Chad Schofield | 4.09L | 3 | 56kg | $61 | ||
8 | 2 | PAULELE | James Cummings | James McDonald | 4.6L | 5 | 58.5kg | $5.50 | ||
9 | 4 | SHELBY SIXTYSIX | Danny Williams | Robbie Dolan | 5.67L | 7 | 58.5kg | $71 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
This autumn’s top Challenge Stakes 2023 betting odds will be available below complete with pricing from Ladbrokes.com.au as soon as betting on the TJ Smith Stakes lead-up opens.
Stay tuned for our insider Challenge Stakes 2023 Tips on the important Group 2 autumn sprint this season.
Sticking with the favourite Giga Kick who returns to racing and is undefeated first-up. This gun Clayton Douglas-trained son of Scissor Kick was enormous last prep winning his opening five career starts. That was highlighted by his upset at 20/1 in the $15 million The Everest here at Randwick. Far from disgraced when faced with the Flemington straight after that to cross under a length fifth behind Roch ‘N’ Horse in the Group 1 VRC Sprint Classic. Drawn well in a small field fresh. Looked good in a recent trial behind Coolangatta and Craig Williams continues associations.
The Challenge Stakes field attracts a class line-up of short-distance sprinters chasing the lucrative prize money on offer in the Group 2 including runners down in grade off a Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (1000m) start over the same metres at Flemington earlier in the autumn.
The 2018 Challenge Stakes winner Redzel was the last to come off the Black Caviar Lightning improving on his second to salute for the punters as the odds-on favourite. In 2020 Nature Strip ran fourth in the Black Caviar Lightning before atoning to win the Challenge Stakes, Redzel placing second in both races.
In 2022 Eduardo improved on a lead-up Black Caviar Lightning third to successfully defend his Challenge Stakes title.
The 2023 Challenge Stakes field will be provided by Racing NSW on the Wednesday of race week.
The Challenge Stakes 2023 final field features a star line-up of sprinters including dual defending champion Eduardo and resuming The Everest hero Giga Kick.
Click here to read more on the key runners in the 2023 Challenge Stakes field and betting markets.
No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Probable Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | x312x1406x | EDUARDO | Joseph Pride | Nash Rawiller | 8 | 58.5kg | 117 | ||
2 | 322x61801x | PAULELE | James Cummings | James McDonald | 5 | 58.5kg | 112 | ||
3 | 0x55x118x1 | REMARQUE | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Brenton Avdulla | 6 | 58.5kg | 102 | ||
4 | 0x709702x8 | SHELBY SIXTYSIX | Danny Williams | Robbie Dolan | 7 | 58.5kg | 95 | ||
5 | 8073×45121 | THE BOPPER | Kris Lees | Zac Purton | 1 | 58.5kg | 93 | ||
6 | 2424x126x7 | KEY LARGO | Bryce Heys | Tyler Schiller (a) | 2 | 58.5kg | 82 | ||
7 | 1111x4x | PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE | Grahame Begg | Jordan Childs | 9 | 56.5kg | 90 | ||
8 | 1x11115x | GIGA KICK | Clayton Douglas | Craig Williams | 4 | 56kg | 110 | ||
9 | 475×112125 | SACRED SATONO (NZ) | Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley | Chad Schofield | 3 | 56kg | 88 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
Early nominations for the Challenge Stakes in 2023 close the Monday of race week and will be updated below once confirmed.
Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Ballot | Weight | True Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | x312x1406x | EDUARDO | G | 9 | Joseph Pride | 1 | 58.5kg | 117 | ||
2 | 322x61801x | PAULELE | H | 4 | James Cummings | 2 | 58.5kg | 112 | ||
3 | 1x11115x | GIGA KICK | G | 3 | Clayton Douglas | 3 | 56kg | 110 | ||
4 | x329x6272x | IN THE CONGO | H | 4 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 4 | 58.5kg | 107 | ||
5 | 0x55x118x1 | REMARQUE | G | 4 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 5 | 58.5kg | 102 | ||
6 | 0x709702x8 | SHELBY SIXTYSIX | G | 6 | Danny Williams | 6 | 58.5kg | 95 | ||
7 | 8073×45121 | THE BOPPER | G | 5 | Kris Lees | 7 | 58.5kg | 93 | ||
8 | 1111x4x | PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE | M | 4 | Grahame Begg | 8 | 56.5kg | 90 | ||
9 | 475×112125 | SACRED SATONO (NZ) | C | 3 | Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley | 9 | 56kg | 88 | ||
10 | 428x12316x | EASY SINGLE | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 10 | 58.5kg | 86 | ||
11 | 2424x126x7 | KEY LARGO | G | 6 | Bryce Heys | 11 | 58.5kg | 82 | ||
12 | 038×342512 | ON THE LEAD | G | 5 | Richard & Will Freedman | 12 | 58.5kg | 90 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
The first recorded winning of the AJC Challenge Stakes took place in 1966 when Tar Girl won with a finishing time of 58.5 seconds. Since then, the race has recorded a number of triple and double winners including English (2016-17), Star Of Florida in 2003-04, Cangronde in 1997-98, At Sea from 1985 to 1987 and Razor Sharp from 1982 to 1984.
See below for the full Challenge Stakes results dating back to 2000.
In 2018 Redzel set a Challenge Stakes winning record saluting in a time of 55.73 seconds. Redzel also ran third in the Challenge Stakes three times (2017, 2019, 2020).
Ball Of Muscle won the 2019 Challenge Stakes at his third attempt in the race.
The 2021 Challenge Stakes winner Eduardo set a new record time saluting in a slick 55.2 seconds when defeating the previous year’s champion and subsequent 2021 The Everest hero Nature Strip.
The Challenge Stakes result in 2022 nearly saw one of the biggest upsets in Australian sprinting history with Shelby Sixtysix ($61) running into second behind the back-to-back winner Eduardo and forcing the beaten odds-on favourite Nature Strip to finish third.
Year | Place | Horse | Time |
---|---|---|---|
2023 Challenge Stakes |
1st | Passive Aggressive | 57. 19 seconds |
2nd | Eduardo | ||
3rd | Giga Kick | ||
2022 Challenge Stakes |
1st | Eduardo | 59.06 seconds |
2nd | Shelby Sixtysix | ||
3rd | Nature Strip | ||
2021 Challenge Stakes |
1st | Eduardo | 55.2 seconds (R) |
2nd | Nature Strip | ||
3rd | Bella Vella | ||
2020 Challenge Stakes |
1st | Nature Strip | 56.87 seconds |
2nd | Redzel | ||
3rd | Jungle Edge | ||
2019 Challenge Stakes |
1st | Ball Of Muscle | 55.78 seconds |
2nd | Redzel | ||
3rd | Viridine | ||
2018 Challenge Stakes |
1st | Redzel | 55.73 seconds |
2nd | Jungle Edge | ||
3rd | Super Too | ||
2017 Challenge Stakes |
1st | English | 59.99 seconds |
2nd | Redzel | ||
3rd | Supido | ||
2016 Challenge Stakes |
1st | English | 56.5 seconds |
2nd | Kinglike | ||
3rd | Boss Lane | ||
2015 Challenge Stakes |
1st | Miracles Of Life | 56.7 seconds |
2nd | Va Pensiero | ||
3rd | Rubick | ||
2014 Challenge Stakes |
1st | Villa Verde | 57.30 seconds |
2nd | Snitzerland | ||
3rd | Famous Seamus | ||
2013 Challenge Stakes |
1st | Snitzerland | 56.16 seconds |
2nd | Decision Time | ||
3rd | Howmuchdoyouloveme | ||
2012 Challenge Stakes |
1st | Rain Affair | 1:03.7 seconds |
2nd | Satin Shoes | ||
3rd | Neeson | ||
2011 Challenge Stakes |
1st | Hay List | 56.8 seconds |
2nd | Keen Commander | ||
3rd | Solar Charged | ||
2010 Challenge Stakes |
1st | De Lightning Ridge | 55.92 seconds |
2nd | Dorf Command | ||
3rd | Stryker | ||
2009 Challenge Stakes |
1st | Olonana | 56.92 seconds |
2nd | Hoystar | ||
3rd | Fantene | ||
2008 Challenge Stakes |
1st | Hurried Choice | 57.35 seconds |
2nd | Keen Commander | ||
3rd | German Chocolate | ||
2007 Challenge Stakes |
1st | Spark Of Life | 56.89 seconds |
2nd | Whoever | ||
3rd | Biscayne Bay | ||
2006 Challenge Stakes |
1st | Snitzel | 56.8 seconds |
2nd | Spark Of Life | ||
3rd | Media | ||
2005 Challenge Stakes |
1st | Impaler | 56.25 seconds |
2nd | Snippetson | ||
3rd | Charge Forward | ||
2004 Challenge Stakes |
1st | Star Of Florida | 56.39 seconds |
2nd | Mistegic | ||
3rd | Majestic Fiesta | ||
2003 Challenge Stakes |
1st | Star Of Florida | 56.58 seconds |
2nd | Snowland | ||
3rd | Fair Embrace | ||
2002 Challenge Stakes |
1st | Bomber Bill | 56.54 seconds |
2nd | Mistegic | ||
3rd | Ateates | ||
2001 Challenge Stakes |
1st | Pimpala Prince | 59.24 seconds |
2nd | Ateates | ||
3rd | Notoire | ||
2000 Challenge Stakes |
1st | Easy Rocking | 56.90 seconds |
2nd | Ab Initio | ||
3rd | Adam |