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The McEwen Stakes is a Group 2 race held at Moonee Valley Racecourse in October on Cox Plate Day as a lead-up to the Champions Sprint at Flemington the following month.
McEwen Stakes News
The McEwen Stakes is a Group 2 sprint currently run during October at Moonee Valley Racecourse on Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day.
2025 McEwen Stakes Results
Stay tuned for the official 2025 McEwen Stakes results and finishing order and to see what sprinters could be eyeing a run in the Champions Sprint during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
- 1st: No. 1 Jigsaw ($19)
- 2nd: No. 4 Klabel
- 3rd: No. 8 Bridal Waltz
Winning Margin: 1.75 lengths
Winning Time: 1:09.91
Apprentice hoop Logan Bates produced an absolute front-running masterclass to steal the 2025 McEwen Stakes aboard Cindy Alderson’s outside chance Jigsaw ($19) at Moonee Valley on Cox Plate Day. In a remarkable feat by the young jockey, Bates won the Group 2 with Jigsaw running his rivals ragged to salute by 1.75 lengths at blowout odds just three hours after his win in the first at Yarra Valley.
McEwen Stakes 2025 Results
|
1st
1. Jigsaw (3)
J: Logan Bates 58.5kg
T: Cindy Alderson |
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|
2nd
4. Klabel (1)
J: Mark Zahra 58.5kg
T: Richard & Chantelle Jolly |
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|
3rd
8. Bridal Waltz (5)
J: Luke Nolen 56.5kg
T: Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman |
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|
4th
9. Vestas (4)
J: Ben Melham 56.5kg
T: Clinton McDonald |
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|
5th
2. Regal Zeus (6)
J: Daniel Stackhouse 58.5kg
T: John McArdle |
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|
6th
5. Charm Stone (7)
J: Blake Shinn 56.5kg
T: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr |
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|
7th
6. Tiger Shark (2)
J: Craig Williams 56.5kg
T: Clayton Douglas |
The event was previously contested over 1000m in September as a lead-up to the Moir Stakes and Manikato Stakes sprint races at The Valley.
In 2024 the McEwen Stakes was moved to late October on Cox Plate Day with the weight-for-age event, offering $300,000 in stakes, increased in distance from 1000m to 1200m.
Previously sprinters kicked off their campaigns in the McEwen stakes with an eye towards the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) and or the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) both held back at The Valley over the spring.
In 2023 Imperatriz won the McEwen Stakes before a trio of Group 1 spring victories completing the Moir Stakes – Manikato Stakes – VRC Champions Sprint treble.
In recent years the 2016 McEwen Stakes winner Wild Rain went on to run third in the Moir Stakes, while the year before the great grey Chautauqua (2015) completed the McEwen Stakes – Manikato Stakes double.
In 2020 the McEwen Stakes winning mare Bella Vella backed-up to run third in that season’s Moir Stakes results.
The 2021 McEwen Stakes form was franked with the winner The Inferno running second next-up in the Moir Stakes, while the third-placed mare September Run returned the following autumn to win the Group 1 William Reid Stakes in 2022.
The 2022 McEwen Stakes winner Rothfire franked the form with a second in that year’s Manikato. Rothfire also returned in 2023 and placed in Brisbane’s Group 1 Kingsford Smith Stakes (3rd) and Stradbroke Handicap (2nd).
The 2022 McEwen Stakes form was further franked with the third-placed filly and that year’s Moir Stakes winner Coolangatta returning the next year to win Flemington’s Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning in 2023.
The McEwen Stakes is now a 1200m event in October and serves as a lead-up to Flemington’s Group 1 VRC Champions Sprint (1200m) on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
The 2024 McEwen Stakes form was franked with the winner, Baraqiel, returning the following spring to claim the Group 1 Moir Stakes and run second in the Manikato ahead of his 2025 The Everest bid.
The McEwen Stakes 2025 ran on Saturday October 25, 2025 at The Valley on Cox Plate Day and was won in an impressive front-running upset by the underrated Cindy Alderson trained Jigsaw ($19).Â
| 2025 McEwen Stakes | |
|---|---|
| Date: | Saturday October 25, 2025 |
| Track: | Moonee Valley Racecourse |
| Distance: | 1200m (as of 2024) |
| Race Type: | Weight For Age |
| Status: | Group 2 |
| Prize Money: | $300,000 |
2025 McEwen Stakes Betting
The season’s best Mitty’s McEwen Stakes 2025 betting odds will be available at Ladbrokes.com.au and provided here at Races.com.au the week of the race.
There was a notable upset in 2025 with Jigsaw enjoying a big win at McEwen Stakes odds of $19.
2025 McEwen Stakes Form
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2025 MCWEN STAKES FORM GUIDE
2025 McEwen Stakes Tips
Stay tuned for our insider McEwen Stakes 2025 Tips on the important sprint lead-up this September.
To Win: No. 5 Charm Stone
CHARM STONE (9) is the deserving favourite in a small but class McEwen Stakes field on Cox Plate Day. Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr may have lost Globe out of the big race, but the stable looks a huge chance to secure a consolation prize with this last start Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes winning mare who is out to go back-to-back at the track. The five-year-old daughter of I Am Invincible was outstanding fresh dominating the Manikato at the course and distance with a two-length upset at any old odds. She won’t be found at double-figures now being kept short in the markets, but I find it impossible to come off her down in grade. She boasts a 50% winning strike rate from four second-up runs to date, faces another small field and Blake Shinn stays on. She made the most of a dream run in transit in the Group 1 to defy her starting price and score in what was a modestly run sprint at the top level. That win added to her Group 1 tally, and she now lines up as a dual elite-level winner under set weights conditions. Proven class, race fitness, and a knack for peaking when it counts make her a serious player again.
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6th
5. Charm Stone (7)
J: Blake Shinn 56.5kg
T: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr |
2025 McEwen Stakes Field
The official McEwen Stakes 2025 Final Field & Barriers are released by Racing Victoria on the Wednesday leading-up to Feehan Stakes Day, the line-up of sprinters to be published in full below.
The 2025 McEwen Stakes field features a small but class line-up of potential Champions Sprint bound horses including Cindy Alderson’s last start Cranbourne winner Jigsaw, Team Freedman’s Group 2 Schillaci Stakes runner-up Tropicus, Bridal Waltz coming off a Group 2 Gilgai Stakes second and the upset Group 1 Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes champion Charm Stone.
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Probable Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 335x760x41 | JIGSAW | Cindy Alderson | Logan Bates (a) | 3 | 58.5kg | Â | Â | 98 |
| 2 | 1x2115428x | REGAL ZEUS | John McArdle | Daniel Stackhouse | 6 | 58.5kg | Â | Â | 98 |
| 3 | 78x21x7x12 | TROPICUS | Anthony & Sam Freedman | Damian Lane | 8 | 58.5kg | Â | Â | 104 |
| 4 | x422246x33 | KLABEL (NZ) | Richard & Chantelle Jolly | Mark Zahra | 1 | 58.5kg | Â | Â | 91 |
| 5 | 738x2x10x1 | CHARM STONE | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | Blake Shinn | 9 | 56.5kg | Â | Â | 113 |
| 6 | 2x189x4417 | TIGER SHARK | Clayton Douglas | Craig Williams | 2 | 56.5kg | Â | Â | 101 |
| 7 | 51x11x1x73 | NIANCE (NZ) | Grahame Begg | Jordan Childs | 7 | 56.5kg | Â | Â | 103 |
| 8 | 5x913311x2 | BRIDAL WALTZ | Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman | Luke Nolen | 5 | 56.5kg | Â | Â | 103 |
| 9 | 127x05x3 | VESTAS | Clinton McDonald | Ben Melham | 4 | 56.5kg | Â | Â | 80 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
2025 McEwen Stakes Nominations
Nominations for the Mitty’s McEwen Stakes in 2025 are taken on the Monday of race week.
| Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5x913311x2 | BRIDAL WALTZ | M | 4 | Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman | 103 |
| 2 | 738x2x10x1 | CHARM STONE | M | 5 | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | 113 |
| 3 | 276x0030x0 | COLEMAN | H | 4 | Clinton McDonald | 97 |
| 4 | x94334x835 | EXTRATWO | M | 6 | Ciaron Maher | 90 |
| 5 | x4622x2884 | FLYER | M | 4 | Jason Warren | 76 |
| 6 | 0x325206x1 | GRINZINGER PRINCE | G | 7 | Cody Reardon | 87 |
| 7 | 335x760x41 | JIGSAW | G | 7 | Cindy Alderson | 98 |
| 8 | x422246x33 | KLABEL (NZ) | G | 6 | Richard & Chantelle Jolly | 91 |
| 9 | 740x59400x | MIGHTY ULYSSES (GB) | G | 7 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | 99 |
| 10 | 51x11x1x73 | NIANCE (NZ) | M | 6 | Grahame Begg | 103 |
| 11 | 11x111x | PROVED (NZ) | M | 5 | Enver Jusufovic | 81 |
| 12 | 1x2115428x | REGAL ZEUS | G | 5 | John McArdle | 98 |
| 13 | 125x66111x | RESERVE BANK | H | 4 | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | 108 |
| 14 | x110x90x23 | STAR PATROL | G | 7 | Clinton McDonald | 103 |
| 15 | 2x189x4417 | TIGER SHARK | M | 5 | Clayton Douglas | 101 |
| 16 | 78x21x7x12 | TROPICUS | H | 4 | Anthony & Sam Freedman | 104 |
| 17 | 127x05x3 | VESTAS | M | 4 | Clinton McDonald | 80 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
McEwen Stakes History
Registered as the Ian McEwen Trophy, the McEwen Stakes was inaugurated in 1995, making it a relatively young race. The McEwen Stakes was named in honour of Ian McEwen, a former secretary for the Moonee Valley Racing Club. For the very first year it ran, the race was referred to as the Anniversary Trophy.
Between 1995 and 1997 the race ran as an unlisted event. Following an upgrade in 1997, the race was listed until 2005. In 2006, a further upgrade saw the McEwen Stakes run as a Group 3 event for six years. From 2013 onwards, the McEwen Stakes is Group 2 event.
The McEwen Stakes has always been run over 1000m (excepting the year 2000 when it was run over 1200m) and has always been held at Moonee Valley (with the exception of the inaugural edition, when it was held at Caulfield).
Plenty of impressive horses have run in the race throughout the years. Notable McEwen Stakes winners include Sequalo (1995), Testa Rossa (2000), Mistegic (2002), Miss Andretti (2006), Buffering (2011), the ‘Grey Flash’ Chautauqua (2015), and brilliant New Zealand mare Imperatriz (2023).
In 2018 the McEwen Stakes winner Nature Strip – subsequent winner of the 2021 The Everest race – set a new record winning in a slick 56.95 seconds.
His record was beaten in 2023 with Imperatriz flashing home in a new track record of 56.68 seconds over the 1000m.
The McEwen Stakes distance increased from 1000m to 1200m in 2024 and was won by Baraqiel in a time of 1 minute 9.13 seconds to break Miss Andretti’s class record.
McEwen Stakes results since 2000 are listed below.
McEwen Stakes Results
| Year | Place | Horse | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 McEwen Stakes | 1st | Jigsaw | 1 minute 09.91 seconds (Race run over 1200m) |
| 2nd | Klabel | ||
| 3rd | Bridal Waltz | ||
| 2024 McEwen Stakes | 1st | Baraqiel | 1 minute 09.13 seconds (R) (Race run over 1200m) |
| 2nd | I Am Unstoppable | ||
| 3rd | Mornington Glory | ||
| 2023 McEwen Stakes | 1st | Imperatriz | 1 minutes 56.68 seconds (R) |
| 2nd | Rothfire | ||
| 3rd | Giga Kick | ||
| 2022 McEwen Stakes | 1st | Rothfire | 0 minutes 58.90 seconds |
| 2nd | Zoustyle | ||
| 3rd | Coolangatta | ||
| 2021 McEwen Stakes | 1st | The Inferno | 0 minutes 59.48 seconds |
| 2nd | Portland Sky | ||
| 3rd | September Run | ||
| 2020 McEwen Stakes | 1st | Bella Vella | 0 minutes 58.02 seconds |
| 2nd | Ashlor | ||
| 3rd | Brooklyn Hustle | ||
| 2019 McEwen Stakes | 1st | Faatinah | 0 minutes 58.40 seconds |
| 2nd | Bons Away | ||
| 3rd | Eduardo | ||
| 2018 McEwen Stakes | 1st | Nature Strip | 0 minutes 56.95 seconds (R) |
| 2nd | Houtzen | ||
| 3rd | Shoals | ||
| 2017 McEwen Stakes | 1st | Russian Revolution | 0 minutes 58.14 seconds |
| 2nd | Heatherly | ||
| 3rd | Houtzen | ||
| 2016 McEwen Stakes | 1st | Wild Rain | 0 minutes 58.8 seconds |
| 2nd | Furnaces | ||
| 3rd | Heatherly | ||
| 2015 McEwen Stakes | 1st | Chautauqua | 0 minutes 58.2 seconds |
| 2nd | Flamberge | ||
| 3rd | Furnaces | ||
| 2014 Ajax Stakes | 1st | Angelic Light | 0 minutes 57.5 seconds |
| 2nd | Lankan Rupee | ||
| 3rd | Eloping | ||
| 2013 McEwen Stakes | 1st | Kuroshio | 0 minutes 57.8 seconds |
| 2nd | Moment Of Change | ||
| 3rd | General Truce | ||
| 2012 McEwen Stakes | 1st | Bel Sprinter | 0 minutes 57.3 seconds |
| 2nd | Platelet | ||
| 3rd | Snitzem | ||
| 2011 McEwen Stakes | 1st | Buffering | 0 minutes 58.5 seconds |
| 2nd | Crystal Lily | ||
| 3rd | Atomic Force | ||
| 2010 McEwen Stakes | 1st | Hay List | 0 minute 59.6 seconds |
| 2nd | Catapulted | ||
| 3rd | Reward For Effort | ||
| 2009 McEwen Stakes | 1st | Nicconi | 0 minute 57.4 seconds |
| 2nd | Morgan Dollar | ||
| 3rd | Secret Flyer | ||
| 2008 McEwen Stakes | 1st | Kaphero | 0 minute 59.4 seconds |
| 2nd | Morgan Dollar | ||
| 3rd | Lucky Secret | ||
| 2007 McEwen Stakes | 1st | Here De Angels | 0 minute 57.4 seconds |
| 2nd | Gold Edition | ||
| 3rd | Dr Nipandtuck | ||
| 2006 McEwen Stakes | 1st | Miss Andretti | 0 minute 58.8 seconds |
| 2nd | Sassbee | ||
| 3rd | Cargo Cult | ||
| 2005 McEwen Stakes | 1st | Strikeline | 0 minute 59.8 seconds |
| 2nd | Truly Wicked | ||
| 3rd | Titanic Jack | ||
| 2004 McEwen Stakes | 1st | Edgeton | 1 minute 01.8 seconds |
| 2nd | Reactive | ||
| 3rd | Mistegic | ||
| 2003 McEwen Stakes | 1st | Yell | 0 minute 59.6 seconds |
| 2nd | The Big Chill | ||
| 3rd | Dantana | ||
| 2002 McEwen Stakes | 1st | Mistegic | 1 minute 0.2 seconds |
| 2nd | Shaye Spice | ||
| 3rd | Aragonce | ||
| 2001 McEwen Stakes | 1st | Strategic Image | 0 minute 58.4 seconds |
| 2nd | Sports | ||
| 3rd | Ateates | ||
| 2000 McEwen Stakes | 1st | Testa Rossa | 1 minute 13.4 seconds |
| 2nd | Sports | ||
| 3rd | Chattanooga | ||
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