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The Light Fingers Stakes is a Group 2 race held at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney every February worth $250,000 in total prize money.

Run over a distance of 1200m, the Light Fingers Stakes is open to three-year-old fillies and is contested with set weights. It takes place on Apollo Stakes Day during the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival and is accompanied by three other Group status races with the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m), Group 3 Southern Cross Stakes (1200m) and Group 3 Triscay Stakes (1200m) along with the Restricted Listed $2 million Inglis Millennium (1100m).

The race is named in honour of New Zealand bred mare Light Fingers who won the Melbourne Cup in 1965 and was the first Cup winner for legendary trainer Bart Cummings.

Many of the fillies in the Light Fingers Stakes field are kicking off their autumn campaigns, and some may have run in the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) at the track during the spring including in 2016 – 2017 when Global Glamour won both races, and in 2017-18 when Alizee repeated the same double.

Fillies out of the race often continue on to contest later season features including the recently upgraded Group 1 Surround Stakes (1400m) on Chipping Norton Stakes Day and even the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) in March.

Nakeeta Jane (2019) was the last filly to complete the Light Fingers – Surround Stakes double.

Fangirl (2022) was the last filly to complete the Light Fingers – Vinery Stud Stakes double.

The 2022 Light Fingers Stakes form was further franked with the Light Fingers – Vinery double winner Fangirl returning in the spring for a second in the $10 million Golden Eagle.

In 2023 the Light Fingers Stakes winner In Secret won first-up having claimed Flemington’s Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) over the Melbourne Cup Carnival the spring before.

The Light Fingers Stakes 2023 ran on Saturday February 11, 2023 and was won first-up by James Cummings’ returning Coolmore Stud Stakes winning filly In Secret ($1.95F).  

2023 Light Fingers Stakes
Date:	Saturday February 11, 2023
Track:	Royal Randwick Racecourse
Distance:	1200m
Race Type:	3YO Fillies Set Weights 56kg
Status:	Group 2
Prize Money:	$250,000

2023 Light Fingers Stakes Results

• 1st: #1 In Secret ($1.95F)
• 2nd: #11 Sunshine In Paris
• 3rd: #12 Cinderella Days

The returning James Cummings-trained Coolmore Stud Stakes winning filly In Secret ($1.95F) was too good for her rivals fresh charging home in the final few strides for a stylish victory in the 2023 Light Fingers Stakes results in Sydney.

	Finish	No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Margin	Bar.	Weight	Penalty	Starting Price
	1	1	IN SECRET	James Cummings	Nash Rawiller		3	56kg		$1.95F
	2	11	SUNSHINE IN PARIS	Annabel Neasham	Ryan Maloney	0.26L	1	56kg		$5
	3	12	CINDERELLA DAYS	Joseph Pride	Sam Clipperton	0.63L	11	56kg		$31
	4	4	MADAME POMMERY	Chris Waller	Jason Collett	1.46L	8	56kg		$31
	5	7	REVOLUTIONARY MISS	Peter & Paul Snowden	Kerrin McEvoy	1.5L	7	56kg		$41
	6	2	FIREBURN	Gary Portelli	Brenton Avdulla	1.8L	9	56kg		$14
	7	5	SHEEZA BELTER	Peter & Paul Snowden	William Pike	1.91L	10	56kg		$9
	8	6	NORTH STAR LASS	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Tim Clark	1.97L	2	56kg		$7.50
	9	10	RAZETA	Kris Lees	Chad Schofield	2.13L	5	56kg		$101
	10	9	A LOT MORE LOVE	Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou	Regan Bayliss	2.8L	12	56kg		$51
	11	8	WOLVERINE (NZ)	Kris Lees	James McDonald	3.61L	6	56kg		$31
	12	13	BYRON BELLE	John Sargent	Tom Sherry	5.29L	4	56kg		$201
		3	ZOUGOTCHA	Chris Waller	James McDonald		0

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

2023 Light Fingers Stakes Betting Odds

The Light Fingers Stakes 2023 odds and betting market links to Ladbrokes.com.au will be provided below the week of Apollo Stakes Day.

In Secret ($1.95 in 2023) was the last favourite in Light Fingers Stakes betting to salute for the punters.

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

2023 Light Fingers Stakes Form Guide

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2023 LIGHT FINGERS STAKES FORM GUIDE

2023 Light Fingers Stakes Tips

Stay tuned for our insider Light Fingers Stakes 2023 Tips on the Apollo Stakes Day event this summer – autumn racing season.

• To Win: #1 In Secret ($1.85 at time of publish) – BET NOW

What a great edition of the Light Fingers, even with the early scratching of Zougotcha. Plenty of the spring’s top fillies are back in action and despite representing no value, it really is hard to tip against the odds-on elect In Secret. She’s under two dollars now with the main danger out, and she is drawn to win in gate three. The Godolphin-raced daughter of I Am Invincible looks something special having won four from six to date including the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes down the straight at HQ last time out. Runner-up to Jacquinot in Sydney’s Golden Rose earlier and that form held with the winner returning to take out the Manfred Stakes. Think she will further frank the form and win without a worry.

2023 Light Fingers Stakes Field

The Light Fingers Stakes field attracts a quality line-up of the autumn’s best three-year-old fillies, many of which are first-up off spring races including the Thousand Guineas in Melbourne.

The official Light Fingers Stakes 2023 field and barriers will be announced on Wednesday February 8, 2023 and published in full below.

The 2023 Light Fingers Stakes final field features a quality line-up of Group 1-bound fillies led in betting by Godolphin’s returning Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes winner In Secret drawn a treat in gate three. 

No	Last 10	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight	Probable Weight	Penalty	Hcp Rating
1	11x2121x	IN SECRET	James Cummings	Nash Rawiller	3	56kg			111
2	11112x554x	FIREBURN	Gary Portelli	Brenton Avdulla	10	56kg			106
3	125x111x	ZOUGOTCHA	Chris Waller	James McDonald	4	56kg			106
4	6x12x5261x	MADAME POMMERY	Chris Waller	Jason Collett	9	56kg			104
5	1x0311x81x	SHEEZA BELTER	Peter & Paul Snowden	William Pike	11	56kg			103
6	15x31435x	NORTH STAR LASS	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Tim Clark	2	56kg			98
7	2120x0572x	REVOLUTIONARY MISS	Peter & Paul Snowden	Kerrin McEvoy	8	56kg			98
8	112x2x638x	WOLVERINE (NZ)	Kris Lees	Tom Marquand	7	56kg			91
9	433x22113x	A LOT MORE LOVE	Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou	Regan Bayliss	13	56kg			78
10	13x461x	RAZETA	Kris Lees	Chad Schofield	6	56kg			78
11	131	SUNSHINE IN PARIS	Annabel Neasham	Ryan Maloney	1	56kg			72
12	1x131x	CINDERELLA DAYS	Joseph Pride	Sam Clipperton	12	56kg			69
13	2479×1	BYRON BELLE	John Sargent	Tom Sherry	5	56kg			64

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

2023 Light Fingers Stakes Nominations

The 2023 Light Fingers Stakes nominations will be published here once released by Racing NSW on Monday February 6, 2023.

	Last 10	Horse	Sex	Age	Trainer	Ballot	Weight	True Weight	Penalty	Hcp Rating
1	11112x554x	FIREBURN	F	3	Gary Portelli	1	56kg			106
2	1x0311x81x	SHEEZA BELTER	F	3	Peter & Paul Snowden	2	56kg			103
3	11x2121x	IN SECRET	F	3	James Cummings	3	56kg			111
4	125x111x	ZOUGOTCHA	F	3	Chris Waller	4	56kg			106
5	6x12x5261x	MADAME POMMERY	F	3	Chris Waller	5	56kg			104
6	2120x0572x	REVOLUTIONARY MISS	F	3	Peter & Paul Snowden	6	56kg			98
7	4359x2066x	OJAI	F	3	James Cummings	7	56kg			77
8	112x2x638x	WOLVERINE (NZ)	F	3	Kris Lees	8	56kg			91
9	15x31435x	NORTH STAR LASS	F	3	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	9	56kg			98
10	55115322x	PAVITRA	F	3	Richard & Will Freedman	10	56kg			92
11	433x22113x	A LOT MORE LOVE	F	3	Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou	11	56kg			78
12	23x16181x	WEE NESSY	F	3	Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)	12	56kg			78
13	328x21133x	DASHING LEGEND	F	3	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	13	56kg			72
14	13x461x	RAZETA	F	3	Kris Lees	14	56kg			78
15	131	SUNSHINE IN PARIS	F	3	Annabel Neasham	15	56kg			72
16	1x131x	CINDERELLA DAYS	F	3	Joseph Pride	16	56kg			69
17	2479×1	BYRON BELLE	F	3	John Sargent	17	56kg			64
18	0x1214x4	SYRIAN STAR	F	3	Rodney Northam	18	56kg			61
19	6250×1	ITHADTOBEZOU	F	3	John Thompson	19	56kg			64

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

Light Fingers Stakes History

The Light Fingers Stakes was classified as a Listed race from 1983 until 1985 before it was granted Group 2 status in 1986. However, in 1987 the race status was changed to Group 3. In 1991 the Light Fingers Stakes regained it’s Group 2 status and has held it ever since.

Notable recent Light Fingers Stakes winners include subsequent Surround Stakes champ Nakeeta Jane (2018), Alizee (2018), Global Glamour (2017) who won the previous spring’s Flight Stakes – Thousand Guineas double, Sweet Idea (2014), Sea Siren (2012) and More Joyous (2010).

In 2020 the Light Fingers Stakes trifecta featured all Godolphin-raced Group 1 fillies with Flit (Thousand Guineas) defeating Lyre (Blue Diamond Stakes) and Kiamichi (Golden Slipper).

See below for the Light Fingers Stakes results dating back to 2000.

Recent Light Fingers Stakes Winners

Year	Place	Horse	Time
2023 Light Fingers Stakes	1st	In Secret	1 minute 10.20 seconds
	2nd	Sunshine In Paris
	3rd	Cinderella Days
2022 Light Fingers Stakes	1st	Fangirl	1 minute 9.88 seconds
	2nd	Espiona
	3rd	Jamaea
2021 Light Fingers Stakes	1st	Every Rose	1 minute 10.75 seconds
	2nd	Never Talk
	3rd	Away Game
2020 Light Fingers Stakes	1st	Flit	1 minute 10.17 seconds
	2nd	Lyre
	3rd	Kiamichi
2019 Light Fingers Stakes	1st	Nakeeta Jane	1 minute 9.12 seconds
	2nd	Madam Rouge
	3rd	Pohutukawa
2018 Light Fingers Stakes	1st	Alizee	1 minute 10.06 seconds
	2nd	Shumookh
	3rd	Torvill
2017 Light Fingers Stakes	1st	Global Glamour	1 minute 09.70 seconds
	2nd	Foxplay
	3rd	Spright
2016 Light Fingers Stakes	1st	Perignon	1 minute 9.9 seconds
	2nd	Kangarilla
	3rd	Tempt Me Not
2015 Light Fingers Stakes	1st	Adrift	1 minute 9.4 seconds
	2nd	First Seal
	3rd	Slightly Sweet
2014 Light Fingers Stakes	1st	Sweet Idea	1 minute 9.09 seconds
	2nd	Gypsy Diamond
	3rd	Champagne Cath
2013 Light Fingers Stakes	1st	Bennetta	1 minute 10.16 seconds
	2nd	Ichihara
	3rd	Dear Demi
2012 Light Fingers Stakes	1st	Sea Siren	1 minute 16.3 seconds
	2nd	Streama
	3rd	Hallowell Belle
2011 Light Fingers Stakes	1st	Obsequious	1 minute 09.5 seconds
	2nd	Red Tracer
	3rd	Parables
2010 Light Fingers Stakes	1st	More Joyous	1 minute 9.80 seconds
	2nd	Trim
	3rd	Sweepstaking
2009 Light Fingers Stakes	1st	Rock Me Baby	1 minute 11.39 seconds
	2nd	Samantha Miss
	3rd	Glowlamp
2008 Light Fingers Stakes	1st	Forensics	1 minute 10.56 seconds
	2nd	Sliding Cube
	3rd	Seething Duck
2007 Light Fingers Stakes	1st	Gold Edition	1 minute 9.07 seconds
	2nd	Montana Sunset
	3rd	Montmelo
2006 Light Fingers Stakes	1st	Street Smart	1 minute 9.9 seconds
	2nd	Regal Cheer
	3rd	Paulini
2005 Light Fingers Stakes	1st	Trezevant	1 minute 10 seconds
	2nd	One In A Million
	3rd	But I’m Serious
2004 Light Fingers Stakes	1st	Sharp	1 minute 8.72 seconds
	2nd	Generosa
	3rd	Hinting
2003 Light Fingers Stakes	1st	Only Glory	1 minute 11.22 seconds
	2nd	Chuckle
	3rd	Bumptious
2002 Light Fingers Stakes	1st	Ancient Song	1 minute 10.98 seconds
	2nd	Hosannah
	3rd	Shouq
2001 Light Fingers Stakes	1st	Lady Mulan	1 minute 9.61 seconds
	2nd	Maitland Gold
	3rd	Belle Du Jour
2000 Light Fingers Stakes	1st	Camena	1 minute 9.6 seconds
	2nd	Miss Zoe
	3rd	Hut