Sweet Embrace Stakes

The Group 2 Sweet Embrace Stakes is a 1200m sprint for 2YO fillies held on Chipping Norton Stakes Day leading up to the Golden Slipper Stakes.

2023 Sweet Embrace Stakes Results

  • 1st: #5 Lazzago
  • 2nd: #6 Facile
  • 3rd: #2 Blanc De Blanc



The Sweet Embrace Stakes is a Group 2 sprint for two-year-old fillies run over 1200m at Royal Randwick Racecourse on Chipping Norton Stakes Day in late February or early March during the autumn.

The Sydney meeting is headlined by the weight-for-age Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) and the recently upgraded Group 1 Surround Stakes (1400m) for three-year-old fillies. Chipping Norton Stakes Day also features a number of other Group status support races including the Sweet Embrace Stakes and the colts & geldings equivalent – the Group 2 Skyline Stakes (1200m).

Both the Skyline Stakes and the Sweet Embrace Stakes offer $250,000 in prize money as of 2023 and a ballot exemption to the winner into the Group 1 $5 million Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m).

The last fillies to win the Sweet Embrace Stakes – Golden Slipper double were Crystal Lily (2010) and Fireburn (2022).

Fillies may come into the Sweet Embrace Stakes field via other two-year-old autumn races including the Group 2 Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m) run at Rosehill the Saturday before or the Group 3 Canonbury Stakes (1100m) also held at Rosehill but in late January.

After the Sweet Embrace Stakes Stakes the two-year-old fillies may have another Golden Slipper Stakes lead-up in the following Saturday’s Group 2 Reisling Stakes (1200m) run at Royal Randwick.

The $2 million Inglis Millennium (1100m) held at the track a fortnight earlier also serves as a potential lead-up for Inglis graduates. In 2023 Lazzago improved on a fourth in the Inglis Millennium to win the Sweet Embrace Stakes.

In 2018 the Sweet Embrace Stakes winner Seabrook went on to win the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) later that autumn.

The 2022 Sweet Embrace Stakes form was franked with the winner Fireburn going on to win both the Golden Slipper as well as the Group 1 Inglis Sires’ (1400m) that autumn before a second in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m). The Sweet Embrace runner-up She’s Extreme finished second in the Sires’ before turning the tables to win the Champagne Stakes. She’s Extreme further franked the form that spring with a host of top three runs in Group 1 company before her win in the VRC Oaks at Flemington.

The 2023 Sweet Embrace Stakes ran on Saturday February 25, 2023 as a key Golden Slipper lead-up and was won by Chris Waller’s smart Capitalist filly Lazzago ($9.50). 

Sweet Embrace Stakes 2023
Date: Saturday February 25, 2023
Track: Royal Randwick Racecourse
Distance: 1200m
Race Type: Set Weights / 2YO Fillies
Status: Group 2
Prize Money: $250,000

2023 Sweet Embrace Stakes Results

  • 1st: #5 Lazzago ($9.50)
  • 2nd: #6 Facile
  • 3rd: #2 Blanc De Blanc

Chris Waller’s progressive daughter of Capitalist, Lazzago ($9.50), continued to frank the form out of the $2 million Inglis Millennium improving on her first-up fourth behind Learning To Fly to head the 2023 Sweet Embrace Stakes results on Chipping Norton Stakes Day.

Finish No. Horse Trainer Jockey Margin Bar. Weight Penalty Starting Price
1 5 LAZZAGO Chris Waller Hugh Bowman 7 55.5kg (cd 56kg) $9.50
2 6 FACILE Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou Tim Clark 0.22L 9 55.5kg $11
3 2 BLANC DE BLANC Michael Freedman James McDonald 0.53L 10 55.5kg $4.60
4 12 AUGUST BLOOM Peter & Paul Snowden Tom Sherry 0.94L 5 55.5kg $101
5 7 EMPRESS OF WONDER Annabel Neasham Chad Schofield 2.22L 11 55.5kg $21
6 3 SALTAIRE John O’Shea Kerrin McEvoy 2.55L 2 55.5kg $15
7 1 SKIRT THE LAW Tony Gollan Ryan Maloney 2.62L 8 55.5kg $2.05F
8 8 DIVINE GLORY Peter & Paul Snowden Tyler Schiller (a) 3.21L 3 55.5kg $61
9 9 PORTOROSA Annabel Neasham Regan Bayliss 3.45L 1 55.5kg $31
10 4 SUMMER LOVING Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Brenton Avdulla 4.96L 4 55.5kg $10
11 10 ONE KIND Allan Kehoe Koby Jennings 10.79L 6 55.5kg $101
11 SMASHING DANCER Kim Waugh Jay Ford 0

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

2023 Sweet Embrace Stakes Betting Odds

The current season’s Sweet Embrace Stakes 2023 betting odds on the fillies heading towards the Golden Slipper Stakes field will be available below as soon as released.

Four Moves Ahead ($2.70 in 2021) is the last favourite in Sweet Embrace Stakes betting to win.

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

2023 Sweet Embrace Stakes Form Guide

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2023 SWEET EMBRACE STAKES FORM GUIDE

2023 Sweet Embrace Stakes Tips

Stay tuned for our insider Sweet Embrace Stakes 2023 Tips on the autumn showdown for fillies this February.

  • To Win: #1 Skirt The Law ($2.60 at time of publish) 

Hard to bet against this filly who comes into the Sweet Embrace boasting a flawless three-from-three record. Tony Gollan’s daughter of Better Than Ready races fresh having last been seen winning the $2 million Magic Millions Classic at the Gold Coast in mid-January. She’s had a subsequent winning trial at Doomben to keep her fit, which she blitzed by six lengths suggesting she is ready to go again. Two-from-two at the distance, so has that advantage over a number of her rivals here. Gate nine gives her options in the run and Ryan Maloney retains the ride. Should be able to get the job done again.

2023 Sweet Embrace Stakes Field

Each autumn the Sweet Embrace Stakes field attracts a line-up of promising two-year-old fillies eyeing a run in the Golden Slipper Stakes field in a fortnight’s time.

The official 2023 Sweet Embrace Stakes field and barriers are set for release by Racing NSW on Wednesday February 22, 2023 and will be published in full below.

The Sweet Embrace Stakes 2023 final field features a quality line-up of Golden Slipper-bound fillies led in betting by Tony Gollan’s undefeated daughter of Better Than Ready, Skirt The Law, chasing a fourth win from as many starts after her $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic win at the Gold Coast last time out.

No Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Probable Weight Penalty Hcp Rating
1 111 SKIRT THE LAW Tony Gollan Ryan Maloney 9 55.5kg
2 13×2 BLANC DE BLANC Michael Freedman James McDonald 11 55.5kg
3 21×9 SALTAIRE John O’Shea Kerrin McEvoy 2 55.5kg
4 333 SUMMER LOVING Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Brenton Avdulla 4 55.5kg
5 14 LAZZAGO Chris Waller Hugh Bowman 7 55.5kg
6 2×5 FACILE Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou Tim Clark 10 55.5kg
7 2273 EMPRESS OF WONDER Annabel Neasham Chad Schofield 12 55.5kg
8 31×5 DIVINE GLORY Peter & Paul Snowden Tyler Schiller (a) 3 55.5kg
9 3 PORTOROSA Annabel Neasham Regan Bayliss 1 55.5kg
10 1 ONE KIND Allan Kehoe Koby Jennings 6 55.5kg
11 3 SMASHING DANCER Kim Waugh Jay Ford 8 55.5kg
12 4 AUGUST BLOOM Peter & Paul Snowden Tom Sherry 5 55.5kg

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

2023 Sweet Embrace Stakes Nominations

Early nominations for the Sweet Embrace Stakes in 2023 close the Monday of race week and will be updated here once announced.

Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Hcp Rating
1 4 AUGUST BLOOM F 2 Peter & Paul Snowden
2 13×2 BLANC DE BLANC F 2 Michael Freedman
3 31×5 DIVINE GLORY F 2 Peter & Paul Snowden
4 2273 EMPRESS OF WONDER F 2 Annabel Neasham
5 3 EXTREME THREAT F 2 Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)
6 2×5 FACILE F 2 Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou
7 KIMMELA F 2 Edward O’Rourke
8 23 KUNDALINI F 2 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
9 14 LAZZAGO F 2 Chris Waller
10 1 ONE KIND F 2 Allan Kehoe
11 3 PORTOROSA F 2 Annabel Neasham
12 14×2 REMEDIES F 2 James Cummings
13 21×9 SALTAIRE F 2 John O’Shea
14 34 SENSICAL F 2 Peter G Moody
15 111 SKIRT THE LAW F 2 Tony Gollan
16 3 SMASHING DANCER F 2 Kim Waugh
17 333 SUMMER LOVING F 2 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
18 UNTOUCHABLE LEGEND F 2 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

Sweet Embrace Stakes History

The Sweet Embrace Stakes is named in honour of the 1967 Golden Slipper Stakes winner Sweet Embrace who scored an upset breaking her maiden status in the classic at odds of 40/1. The race was first run in 1979 as a Listed event. It gained Group 3 status in 1987 before being elevated to its current Group 2 status from 2013 onwards.

The event has taken place at a number of different race tracks around Sydney including Canterbury Park, Rosehill Gardens and Royal Randwick.

Notable Sweet Embrace Stakes winners include subsequent Golden Slipper winners Dark Eclipse (1980), Ha Ha (2001), Crystal Lily (2010) and Seabrook (2018).

Recent Sweet Embrace Stakes Winners

See below for a list of Sweet Embrace Stakes winners and place-getters dating back to 2000.

Year Place Horse Time
2023
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Lazzago 1 minute 10.76 seconds
2nd Facile
3rd Blanc De Blanc
2022
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Fireburn 1 minute 15.18 seconds
2nd She’s Extreme
3rd Lady Laguna
2021
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Four Moves Ahead 1 minute 10.50 seconds
2nd She’s All Class
3rd Mallory
2020 

Sweet Embrace Stakes 

Hungry Heart 1 minute 9.64 seconds
2nd Stellar Pauline
3rd Dismissal
2019
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Anaheed 1 minute 9.72 seconds
2nd Still Single
3rd Let It Pour
2018
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Seabrook 1 minute 10.96 seconds
2nd Fiesta
3rd Into The Abyss
2017
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st One More Honey 1 minute 12.28 seconds
2nd Arctic Angel
3rd Teaspoon
2016
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Scarlet Rain 1 minute 9.5 seconds
2nd In The Vanguard
3rd Tale Of Choice
2015
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Always Allison 1 minute 10.7 seconds
2nd Speak Fondly
3rd Tibrogargan Miss
2014
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Believe Yourself 1 minute 11.2 seconds
2nd Twirl
3rd Tetsuko
2013
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Romantic Moon 1 minute 10.0 seconds
2nd Thump
3rd Greytfilly
2012
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Jade Marauder 1 minute 11.2 seconds
2nd Valerio
3rd Kyria
2011
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Shared Reflections 1 minute 9.5 seconds
2nd Streama
3rd Pane In The Glass
2010
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Crystal Lily 1 minute 9.0 seconds
2nd Ambers Waltz
3rd Zutara
2009
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Headway 1 minute 11.1 seconds
2nd Lovemelikearock
3rd Horizons
2008
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Stripper 1 minute 11.0 seconds
2nd Glowlamp
3rd Samantha Miss
2007
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Chinchilla Rose 1 minute 10.1 seconds
2nd Vecchia Roma
3rd Moonboat
2006
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Universal Queen 1 minute 11.4 seconds
2nd Tuesday Joy
3rd Pure Energy
2005
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Carry On Cutie 1 minute 10.5 seconds
2nd Media
3rd Flion Fenea
2004
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Burning Sands 1 minute 11.9 seconds
2nd All Knowledge
3rd Written By Xaar
2003
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Legally Bay 1 minute 10.0 seconds
2nd How Funny
3rd Bella Corona
2002
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Victory Vein 1 minute 9.9 seconds
2nd Chuckle
3rd Calaway Gal
2001
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Ha Ha 1 minute 11.0 seconds
2nd Moonflute
3rd Palais
2000
Sweet Embrace Stakes
1st Dynamic Love 1 minute 11.7 seconds
2nd Tyrolean
3rd Ateates

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