---

---

The Hill Stakes is a Group 2 weight-for-age race held at Sydney’s Randwick Racecourse in late September or early October as part of the bumper Epsom Handicap Day line-up. Epsom Handicap Day traditionally takes place the day before the NRL’s Grand Final of Football – although not in 2020 due to COVID-19 – and is headlined by three Group 1 races: the Epsom Handicap (1600m), The Metropolitan (2400m) and the Flight Stakes (1600m) for three-year-old fillies.

Now contested over 2000m (having previously been an 1800m event), the Hill Stakes is worth $1 million as of 2021 and is a nice race for spring staying types starting to warm-up towards a possible Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival bid and a target race like the Group 1 $5 million Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley at the end of October. Saintly (1996), however, was the last horse to do the Hill Stakes – Cox Plate double.

Horses may come into the Hill Stakes field via a lead-up run in the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick three weeks earlier, a double recently completed by Trusting (2011),  Hartnell (2016) and Think It Over (2021). Hartnell went on to run second to superstar mare Winx in the Cox Plate results of 2016 and third in that year’s Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m).

The Group 1 George Main Stakes is another potential lead-up and Kolding (2020) was the last horse to complete the George Main Stakes –  Hill Stakes double, while in 2021 Think It Over improved on George Main third to win the Hill Stakes.

The Hill Stakes is also one of four lead-up races that offers a $500,000 bonus to any horse that can win it plus Rosehill’s $500,000 Rosehill Gold Cup (2000m) on Golden Eagle Day.

This year the Hill Stakes 2021 ran on Saturday October 2, 2021 and was won by the favourite Think It Over ($1.75). 

2021 Hill Stakes
Date:	Saturday October 2, 2021
Track:	Randwick Racecourse
Distance:	2000m
Race Type:	Weight-for-age
Status:	Group 2
Prize Money:	$1,000,000

2021 Hill Stakes Results

• 1st: #1 Think It Over
• 2nd: #3 Shared Ambition
• 3rd: #5 Cepheus

The Kerry Parker-trained Think It Over ($1.75) narrowly saluted for the punters as the odds-on favourite over Shared Ambition in the 2021 Hill Stakes results.

	Finish	No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Margin	Bar.	Weight	Penalty	Starting Price
	1	1	THINK IT OVER	Kerry Parker	Nash Rawiller		4	59kg		$1.75F
	2	3	SHARED AMBITION (IRE)	Chris Waller	James McDonald	0.11L	3	59kg		$6.50
	3	5	CEPHEUS (GB)	Matthew Dunn	Jason Collett	1.32L	1	59kg		$51
	4	2	KEIAI NAUTIQUE (JPN)	Matthew Smith	Glen Boss	2.09L	6	59kg		$6.50
	5	6	KUKERACHA (NZ)	Chris Waller	Tommy Berry	3.08L	2	58kg		$21
	6	8	DUAIS	Edward Cummings	Hugh Bowman	3.51L	5	56kg		$6
	7	4	CARIF	Peter & Paul Snowden	Kerrin McEvoy	6.2L	7	59kg		$31
		7	VERRY ELLEEGANT (NZ)	Chris Waller			0

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

2021 Hill Stakes Betting

Hill Stakes betting is traditionally led by gallopers coming off an earlier Sydney run in a race like the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes or Group 1 George Main Stakes, both run over the Randwick mile.

The latest Hill Stakes 2021 odds and betting links to the markets at Ladbrokes.com.au will be available below as soon as released.

Think It Over ($1.75 in 2021) was the last favourite in Hill Stakes betting to salute for the punters.

2021 Hill Stakes Field

The Hill Stakes field attracts a quality line-up of gallopers each spring, many of which head south later during the carnival to contest the Melbourne majors like the Cox Plate.

The official 2021 Hill Stakes field of final acceptances and barrier draw will be released on the Wednesday leading-up to Epsom Handicap Day and will be published in full below.

The 2021 Hill Stakes field is down to just seven runners with Verry Elleegant withdrawn in favour of a run in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes in Melbourne on the same day. George Main Stakes third placed Think It Over is the now short-priced favourite.

• Scratched: #7 Verry Elleegant (7)

Click here to read more on the key runners in the 2021 Hill Stakes field and betting markets.

No	Last 10	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight	Probable Weight	Penalty	Hcp Rating
1	3x1214x613	THINK IT OVER	Kerry Parker	Nash Rawiller	4	59kg			114
2	654x300x47	KEIAI NAUTIQUE (JPN)	Matthew Smith	Glen Boss	6	59kg			106
3	x120138x55	SHARED AMBITION (IRE)	Chris Waller	James McDonald	3	59kg			106
4	51x07422x4	CARIF	Peter & Paul Snowden	Kerrin McEvoy	8	59kg			103
5	120421×400	CEPHEUS (GB)	Matthew Dunn	Jason Collett	1	59kg			88
6	7x6321x280	KUKERACHA (NZ)	Chris Waller	Tommy Berry	2	58kg			100
7	17x3112x21	VERRY ELLEEGANT (NZ)	Chris Waller		7	57kg			122
8	12821121×3	DUAIS	Edward Cummings	Hugh Bowman	5	56kg			103

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

2021 Hill Stakes Nominations

The early Hill Stakes nominations for 2021 close the Monday of race week and will be listed in full below once announced by Racing NSW.

Chris Waller’s nine-time Group 1 winning mare Verry Elleegant headlines the 18 weight-for-age horses nominated for the 2021 Hill Stakes on Epsom Handicap Day.

	Last 10	Horse	Sex	Age	Trainer	Hcp Rating
1	2732110×07	ALAKAHAN (IRE)	G	6	Richard & Michael Freedman	86
2	x31111x141	ATISHU (NZ)	M	4	Chris Waller	99
3	51x07422x4	CARIF	G	6	Peter & Paul Snowden	103
4	120421×400	CEPHEUS (GB)	H	5	Matthew Dunn	88
5	1622x32x05	CHARMS STAR (NZ)	M	4	Chris Waller	88
6	12821121×3	DUAIS	M	4	Edward Cummings	103
7	7x78111x84	HUNGRY HEART	M	4	Chris Waller	106
8	654x300x47	KEIAI NAUTIQUE (JPN)	H	7	Matthew Smith	106
9	358247×961	KISS THE BRIDE (NZ)	G	6	Bjorn Baker	87
10	7x6321x280	KUKERACHA (NZ)	G	4	Chris Waller	100
11	2x51434x98	LION’S ROAR (NZ)	G	4	John O’Shea	103
12	6×96824430	MASTER SHUHOOD (IRE)	G	7	Richard Litt	74
13	9308×82684	MIRAGE DANCER (GB)	H	8	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	103
14	x333112163	NO COMPROMISE (NZ)	G	5	Chris Waller	91
15	x120138x55	SHARED AMBITION (IRE)	G	6	Chris Waller	106
16	x32324x371	SHE’S IDEEL	M	6	Bjorn Baker	105
17	3x1214x613	THINK IT OVER	G	6	Kerry Parker	114
18	17x3112x21	VERRY ELLEEGANT (NZ)	M	6	Chris Waller	12

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

Hill Stakes History

First held in 1921 and won by Beauford, the Hill Stakes was originally a 10 furlong race which was then changed to 1750m up until 1990 and again in 2001. In 2011, the race began to be run over 2000m. The race was not held in 2007 however there have been plenty of double winners in this event including Phar Lap.

In 2021 the Hill Stakes prize money was doubled to $1 million in stakes.

Hill Stakes double winners: Desert War (2005-06), Toi Port (1963-64), Redcraze (1956-57), Hydrogen (1952-53), Yaralla (1942-43), Gold Rod (1938-39), Chatham (1933-34), Peter Pan III (1932, 35), Phar Lap (1930-31), Limerick (1927-28) and The Hawk (1923,25).

Recent Hill Stakes Winners

Year	Place	Horse	Time
2021 Hill Stakes	1st	Think It Over	2 minutes 3.12 seconds
	2nd	Shared Ambition
	3rd	Cepheus
2020 Hill Stakes	1st	Kolding	2 minutes 1.26 seconds
	2nd	Avilius
	3rd	Fierce Impact
2019 Hill Stakes	1st	Verry Elleegant	2 minutes 5.03 seconds
	2nd	Samadoubt
	3rd	Life Less Ordinary
2018 Hill Stakes	1st	Ace High	2 minute 2.57 seconds
	2nd	It’s Somewhat
	3rd	Egg Tart
2017 Hill Stakes	1st	Classic Uniform	1 minute 49.98 seconds (over 1800m)
	2nd	Embley
	3rd	Mackintosh
2016 Hill Stakes	1st	Hartnell	2 minutes 4.11 seconds
	2nd	Who Shot Thebarman
	3rd	Storm The Stars
2015 Hill Stakes	1st	Preferment	2 minutes 6.81 seconds
	2nd	Magic Hurricane
	3rd	Complacent
2014 Hill Stakes	1st	Junoob	2 minutes 6.12 seconds
	2nd	Criterion
	3rd	Bagman
2013 Hill Stakes	1st	Moriarty	2 minutes 3.62 seconds
	2nd	Glencadam Gold
	3rd	Masked Marvel
2012 Hill Stakes	1st	Lamasery	2 minutes 6.25 seconds
	2nd	Mourayan
	3rd	Lights Of Heaven
2011 Hill Stakes	1st	Trusting	2 minutes 2.93 seconds
	2nd	Hawk Island
	3rd	Tullamore
2010 Hill Stakes	1st	Descarado	1 minute 56.48 seconds
	2nd	Triple Honour
	3rd	Purple
2009 Hill Stakes	1st	Miss Marielle	1 minute 56.13 seconds
	2nd	Pacino
	3rd	Roman Emperor
2008 Hill Stakes	1st	Fiumicino	1 minute 57.38 seconds
	2nd	Dealer Principal
	3rd	Hurrah
2007 Hill Stakes	Race Not Held
2006 Hill Stakes	1st	Desert War	1 minute 56.28 seconds
	2nd	Eremein
	3rd	Grand Zulu
2005 Hill Stakes	1st	Desert War	1 minute 56.67 seconds
	2nd	Portland Singa
	3rd	Dizelle
2004 Hill Stakes	1st	Natural Blitz	1 minute 56.62 seconds
	2nd	Vouvray
	3rd	Just Polite
2003 Hill Stakes	1st	Excellerator	1 minute 56.84 seconds
	2nd	Platinum Scissors
	3rd	Carnegie Express
2002 Hill Stakes	1st	Dress Circle	1 minute 56.63 seconds
	2nd	Bedouin
	3rd	Republic Lass
2001 Hill Stakes	1st	Mulan Princess	1 minute 47.02 seconds
	2nd	Altiero
	3rd	Dottoressa
2000 Hill Stakes	1st	Pasta Express	1 minute 57.83 seconds
	2nd	Pravda
	3rd	Padfoot Charlie