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The 2017 Villiers Stakes is a Group 2 event that takes place at the Royal Randwick Racecourse during the end-of-year Sydney Summer Racing Carnival. Conducted in mid to late December, it is an open handicap event run over the middle distance of 1600m and is worth $250,000 in total prize money.

Held just before Christmas each year, the Villiers Stakes is a strong race and a quality black type event on the New South Wales racing calendar. It attracts a good field of fine gallopers and suits horses with experience and proven ability in the mile events.

Although not held in as high regard as the famous Randwick milers, the Epsom Handicap and Doncaster Mile, which occur earlier in the year, it is still a great race for punters to get in on some late betting action in the year at Ladbrokes.com.au.

The Villiers Stakes winner also earns a ballot exemption into the following autumn’s Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) at the track and distance making for a highly-competitive summer miler showdown.

The above average types contesting the Villiers Stakes may have previously contested the Group 3 Festival Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens a fortnight earlier and often back-up in the Group 3 Summer Cup (2000m) on Boxing Day back at Randwick Racecourse.

The 2017 Villiers Stakes ran on Saturday December 16, 2017 .

Villiers Stakes 2017
Date:	Saturday December 16, 2017
Track:	Royal Randwick Racecourse
Distance:	1600m
Conditions:	3YO & Upwards – Quality
Status:	Group 2
Prize Money:	$250,000
Inauguration:	1892

2017 Villiers Stakes Results

• 1st: #7 Crack Me Up
• 2nd: #5 Cabeza De Vaca
• 3rd: #8 Interlocuter

See below for the full Villiers Stakes 2017 Results & Finishing Order, following the link to read more on the gutsy late win by the Liam Birchely-trained Queenslander Crack Me Up who ran down the tearaway leader Cabeza De Vaca to earn a Doncaster Mile 2018 ballot exemption and a shot at the Magic Millions races at the Gold Coast next month. The Godolphin-raced favourite Interlocuter was far from disgraced running third, just over a half-length beaten.

Place	#	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Margin	Br.	Weight	SP
1	7	CRACK ME UP (NZ)	Liam Birchley	Jason Collett	–	2	54.5kg	$6
2	5	CABEZA DE VACA	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Joshua Parr	0.4L	11	55kg	$5
3	8	INTERLOCUTER (USA)	James Cummings	Tye Angland	0.6L	4	54.5kg	$4F
4	6	MIGHTY LUCKY	Fred Cowell	Chris O’Brien	0.7L	7	55kg	$16
5	11	MISTER SEA WOLF (IRE)	Chris Waller	Cory Parish	0.9L	12	54kg	$7.50
6	4	TESTASHADOW	Gary Portelli	Ben Melham	1.6L	8	57kg	$31
7	2	RED EXCITEMENT	Gerald Ryan	Brenton Avdulla	2.4L	5	58kg	$17
8	15	SALSONIC	Jason Coyle	Peter Wells	2.6L	9	53kg	$26
9	3	HOPFGARTEN	Robert Heathcote	Christian Reith	3.1L	13	57kg	$21
10	12	FEDERAL	James Cummings	Ms Kathy O’Hara	3.4L	6	53kg	$20
11	9	DARK EYES	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Adam Hyeronimus	4.3L	14	54kg	$18
12	13	GOD’S IN HIM	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	Andrew Adkins (a)	5.1L	3	53kg	$26
13	10	EMBLEY	Bjorn Baker	Josh Adams	6L	1	54kg	$26
14	1	DESTINY’S KISS	Joseph Pride	Jay Ford	6.8L	10	59kg	$101
–	14	SOMEDAY	Desleigh Forster	–	–	0	–	–

2017 Villiers Stakes Tips

• 1st: #5 Cabeza De Vaca
• 2nd: #7 Crack Me Up
• 3rd: #3 Hopfgarten

Follow the link to our insider Villiers Stakes 2017 Tips, the Races.com.au team tipping the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Cabeza De Vaca ($8) at odds to return to winning form after a forgivable flop in the Festival Stakes last time out. Crack Me Up ($6.50) on the quick back-up out of Brisbane is the market mover with genuine claims at the title, while the Robert Heathcote-trained fellow Queenslander Hopfgarten ($17) is a super honest roughie not to discount despite the horror barrier draw.

2017 Villiers Stakes Betting Odds

Below the latest Villiers Stakes 2017 odds by Ladbrokes.com.au will be provided, once released complete with links for you to back your  Villiers Stakes Tips at the right price this summer.

2017 Villiers Stakes Field

The Villiers Stakes field usually attracts a few decent handicappers. Because it’s raced over 1600m, quite a few specialist milers target the Villiers Stakes field. As a Group 2 event held in December, there are a variety of different horses in the Villiers Stakes field, including Group 1 types and a few that are probably pushing it by stepping up to Group 2 level.

The 2017 Villiers Stakes field will be provided here once released by Racing NSW the week of the race.

The official Villiers Stakes 2017 Final Field originally drew 15 hopefuls but the early withdrawal of Someday (10) leaves 14 in the mix. Interlocuter chasing a fourth win on the trot for Godolphin is the early favourite in betting drawn well in barrier four, while market mover Crack Me Up from Brisbane is also in a favourable gate two draw.

Read more on the 2017 Villiers Stakes Field.

#	Form (Last 10)	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight	Hcp. Rating
1	9763415041	DESTINY’S KISS	Joseph Pride	Jay Ford	11	59kg	108
2	55×4278053	RED EXCITEMENT	Gerald Ryan	Brenton Avdulla	5	58kg	106
3	x2908x1632	HOPFGARTEN	Robert Heathcote	Christian Reith	14	57kg	104
4	1633030×71	TESTASHADOW	Gary Portelli	Ben Melham	8	57kg	104
5	2x2111x118	CABEZA DE VACA	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Joshua Parr	12	55kg	100
6	864×722744	MIGHTY LUCKY	Fred Cowell	Chris O’Brien	7	55kg	100
7	x40211x214	CRACK ME UP (NZ)	Liam Birchley	Jason Collett	2	54.5kg	99
8	4x211x2111	INTERLOCUTER (USA)	James Cummings	Tye Angland	4	54.5kg	99
9	1105×75361	DARK EYES	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Adam Hyeronimus	15	54kg	98
10	6791127434	EMBLEY	Bjorn Baker	Josh Adams	1	54kg	98
11	10x3x128x2	MISTER SEA WOLF (IRE)	Chris Waller	Kerrin McEvoy	13	54kg	98
12	x63773x536	FEDERAL	James Cummings	Ms Kathy O’Hara	6	53kg	96
13	73x6276x42	GOD’S IN HIM	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	Andrew Adkins (a)	3	53kg	93
14	7×05148497	SOMEDAY	Desleigh Forster	TBA	10	53kg	91
15	6x3941x065	SALSONIC	Jason Coyle	Peter Wells	9	53kg	89

2017 Villiers Stakes Nominations

The Villiers Stakes nominations are usually released on the Monday before the race. Because it’s a fairly major feature event for Sydney during the Summer, the Villiers Stakes nominations draw some pretty decent horses, including some that may have previously contested some big events in Western Australia over the Perth Summer Racing Carnival.

The 2017 Villiers Stakes nominations will be published below the week of the race.

The Villiers Stakes 2017 Nominations attracted 18 summer milers including the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Goulburn Cup winner Dark Eyes, veteran nine-year-old Destiny’s Kiss who saluted over 2400m at Randwick last start on October 21 and Gary Portelli’s six-year-old Testashadow coming off a lead-up victory in the Group 3 Festival Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill a fortnight back.

View the full 2017 Villiers Stakes Nominations.

Villiers Stakes History

First run in 1892 when Two Up claimed victory, the event was originally a principal race run over six furlongs. The race length was increased in 1902 to eight furlongs and remained the same until 1972 when the distance was converted to 1600 metres. Not long after in 1979 the event was elevated to Group 3 status before finally becoming a Group 2 race in 1986. In the rich and extensive history of the Villiers Stakes, there has only been one year when the race was not held, 2007 due to the equine flu.

Notable recent Villiers Stakes winners include Monton (2011), Rudy (2014) and Happy Clapper (2015).

Villiers Stakes Records (since 1930)
Time Record (at current length):	1:33.13 set by Ike’s Dream in 2004
Lightest Weight Carried to Victory (since 1970):	48kg carried by Torumba (1972) & Hot Diggity (1977)
Heaviest Weight Carried to Victory (since 1970):	57.5kg carried by Utzon (2006)
Most Successful Jockey:	Two jockeys have won four Villiers Stakes. D. Beadman with Card Shark (1987), Touch Of Force (1996), Boreale (2002) and Ike’s Dream. E. Bartle with Pavilion (1930), Closing Time (1933), King’s Head (1936) and Rimveil (1940).

Recent Villiers Stakes Winners

Year	Place	Horse	Time
2018 Villiers Stakes	1st	TBD	TBD
	2nd	TBD
	3rd	TBD
2017 Villiers Stakes	1st	Crack Me Up	1 minute 34.98 seconds
	2nd	Cabeza De Vaca
	3rd	Interlocuter
2016 Villiers Stakes	1st	Sense Of Occasion	1 minute 37.40 seconds
	2nd	Dibayani
	3rd	Sarrasin
2015 Villiers Stakes	1st	Happy Clapper	1 minute 33.98 seconds
	2nd	Tinto
	3rd	It’s Somewhat
2014 Villiers Stakes	1st	Rudy	1 minute 36.27 seconds
	2nd	I’m Imposing
	3rd	Strawberry Boy
2013 Villiers Stakes	1st	Ninth Legion	1 minute 31.41 seconds
	2nd	Limes
	3rd	Alma’s Fury
2012 Villiers Stakes	1st	All Legal	1 minute 35.81 seconds
	2nd	Alma’s Fury
	3rd	Darci Be Good
2011 Villiers Stakes	1st	Monton	1 minute 36.33 seconds
	2nd	Kontiki Park
	3rd	King Lionheart
2010 Villiers Stakes	1st	Dances On Waves	1 minute 35.03 seconds
	2nd	Mentality
	3rd	Snow Alert
2009 Villiers Stakes	1st	Palacio De Cristal	1 minute 34.72 seconds
	2nd	Parfumier
	3rd	Spinney
2008 Villiers Stakes	1st	Honor In War	1 minute 21.54 seconds
	2nd	Takeover Target
	3rd	Alverta
Run in January 08 over 1400m
2008 Villiers Stakes	1st	Something Anything	1 minute 36.39 seconds
	2nd	Hey Elvis
	3rd	Rags To Riches
2007 Villiers Stakes	Race Not Held
2006 Villiers Stakes	1st	Utzon	1 minute 35.26 seconds
	2nd	Anwaar
	3rd	Spirit Of Tara
2005 Villiers Stakes	1st	Aqua D’Amore	1 minute 35.47 seconds
	2nd	Malcolm
	3rd	Fiery Venture
2004 Villiers Stakes	1st	Ike’s Dream	1 minute 33.13 seconds
	2nd	Dante’s Paradiso
	3rd	Sir Dex
2003 Villiers Stakes	1st	On A High	1 minute 35.86 seconds
	2nd	Mufti
	3rd	Jeremiad
2002 Villiers Stakes	1st	Boreale	1 minute 34.89 seconds
	2nd	This Manshood
	3rd	Silver Birch
2001 Villiers Stakes	1st	Carael Boy	1 minute 36.54 seconds
	2nd	Space Age
	3rd	Osca Warrior
2000 Villiers Stakes	1st	Grey And Gold	1 minute 36.19 seconds
	2nd	Taberann
	3rd	Forbill