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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

2023 Challenge Stakes Results

• 1st: #7 Passive Aggressive ($7.50)
• 2nd: #1 Eduardo
• 3rd: #8 Giga Kick

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).

Click here to read more on the photo-finish win by Passive Aggressive in a thrilling edition of the Challenge Stakes 2023.

	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. 

2023 Challenge Stakes Betting Odds

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.

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

2023 Challenge Stakes Form Guide

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2023 CHALLENGE STAKES FORM GUIDE

2023 Challenge Stakes Tips

Stay tuned for our insider Challenge Stakes 2023 Tips on the important Group 2 autumn sprint this season.

• To Win: #8 Giga Kick ($2.60 at time of publish) 

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.

2023 Challenge Stakes Field

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.

2023 Challenge Stakes Nominations

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.

Challenge Stakes History

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.

Recent Challenge Stakes Winners

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