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The Black Opal Stakes is a Group 3 race held at Canberra’s Thoroughbred Park in early March as a lead-up to the autumn Group 1 races in Sydney for 2YOs.
Black Opal Stakes News
The Black Opal Stakes is a Group 3 sprint for two-year-olds run at Canberra Racecourse on a Sunday in early to mid-March during the autumn racing season as a Golden Slipper lead-up race.
2026 Black Opal Stakes Results
Stay tuned for the official 2026 Black Opal Stakes results and finishing order at Canberra on Sunday March 8, 2026 and to see if any of the runners have the Slipper in sight.
- 1st: No. 3 Music Time ($4)
- 2nd: No. 9 Pearl Of Dubai
- 3rd: No. 7 Threads
Winning Margin: 1.72 lengths
Winning Time: 1:10.71
It was a big win for the locals in Sunday’s 2026 Black Opal Stakes results with the Gratz Vella-trained Preview winner Music Time ($4) securing his third win on the trot with the All Too Hard gelding given a peach of a ride by Pierre Boudvillain to sit on pace before hitting the front inside the final furlong and draw away before holding off the fast-finishing Pearl Of Dubai to score by 1.72 lengths.
| 3. Music Time (12) J: Pierre Boudvillain56kg 211T: Gratz Vella | ||
| 9. Pearl Of Dubai (10) J: Andrew Adkins54kg 2×4T: Peter Snowden | ||
| 7. Threads (5) J: Chad Schofield56kg 6T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 2. Bar Jester (3) J: Coriah Keatings56kg 12T: Nick Olive | ||
| 10. Farcolo (8) J: Alysha Collett54kg 9×3T: Gary Portelli | ||
| 15. Artaneous (2) J: Dylan Gibbons56kg 6xT: Bjorn Baker | ||
| 4. Eviction Notice (9) J: Adam Hyeronimus56kg 7×32T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | ||
| 17. Boujee Gold (13) J: Jeff Penza54kg 5T: Matthew Kelley | ||
| 18. Restless Spirit (7) J: Blaike Mcdougall56kg 7T: Keith Dryden & Libby Snowden | ||
| 16. Strollin’ By (4) J: Regan Bayliss54kg 6T: Gary Portelli | ||
| 12. To Dubai We Go (6) J: Ashley Morgan54kg 78xT: Neil Osborne | ||
| 11. La Stiava (11) J: Mathew Cahill54kg 624T: Norm Gardner | ||
| 6. Jimmy’s Ready (1) J: Jess Taylor56kg 51T: Joe Cleary |
Black Opal Stakes Day takes place the Sunday following Randwick Guineas Day on the Saturday in Sydney and Newmarket Handicap Day at Flemington. The race currently offers $200,000 in total prize money and is a set weights plus penalties event run over 1200m.
The Black Opal Stakes has been won by plenty of quality juveniles over the years and a host of subsequent Group 1 winners have placed in the race including Prized Icon (3rd in 2016) who went on to win the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick that April during the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.
The Black Opal Stakes winner in 2017 was Trapeze Artist who finished in that autumn’s Group 1 ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) before coming back in the spring to salute in an upset runaway effort in the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m). Trapeze Artist would go on to win a further three Group 1 races in Sydney before his retirement.
Runners in the Black Opal Stakes field traditionally head to Sydney for their subsequent autumn runs in races including Rosehill’s Group 3 TL Baillieu Handicap (1400m) and the aforementioned ATC Champagne Stakes run during The Championships.
Two-year-olds may also back-up out of the Black Opal Stakes to run in the world’s richest race for that age group – the $5 million Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Racecourse a fortnight later.
The only horse to date to complete the Black Opal Stakes – Golden Slipper double is Catbird (1999).
The Black Opal Stakes 2026 ran in Canberra on Sunday March 8, 2026 as a lead-up to the juvenile features in Sydney over the autumn and saw the locally-trained Music Time ($4) draw clear late and salute by 1.72 lengths in a big run by the Preview champ.Â
| 2026 Black Opal Stakes | |
|---|---|
| Date: | Sunday March 8, 2026 |
| Track: | Canberra Racecourse |
| Distance: | 1200m |
| Race Type: | Set Weights + Penalties / Two-Year-Olds |
| Status: | Group 3 |
| Prize Money: | $200,000 |
2026 Black Opal Stakes Betting
The latest autumn markets and Black Opal Stakes 2026 betting odds on the Golden Slipper Stakes lead-up this season will be available here at Races.com.au with markets links to Ladbrokes.com.au the week of the race so stay tuned.
Queen Of The Ball ($2.80 in 2022) was the last favourite in Black Opal Stakes betting to salute for the punters.
2026 Black Opal Stakes Form
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2026 BLACK OPAL STAKES FORM GUIDE
2026 Black Opal Stakes Tips
Stay tuned for our insider Black Opal Stakes 2026 Tips on the Canberra Group 3 this autumn.
To Win: No. 2 Bar Jester
Big field of 2YOs in a typically open edition of the Black Opal, and while BAR JESTER (3) was beaten by Sunday’s favourite Music Time in the Preview, I am tipping him to turn the tables now. The Preview winner has a horror draw for the Group 3 feature while this Nick Olive-trained Sandbar gelding is drawn a dream in barrier three so maps to get a superior run. Beat Music Time two back on debut before going down a half-length last time out but he presents fit now third-up at his local track ready to atone. Apprentice Coriah Keatings continues associations, and he’s got a few key gear changes. Was run down late last time out but ticks a few boxes to stick with the task this time despite going up in trip.
|
2. Bar Jester (3)
J: Coriah Keatings56kg
12T: Nick Olive
|
2026 Black Opal Stakes Field
The Black Opal Stakes field always attracts a quality line-up of two-year-old sprinters from both local and interstate stables with many heading towards Group 1 targets in Sydney during the autumn.
The official 2026 Black Opal Stakes field and barriers are set for release on the Wednesday of race week and will be published below in full.
The Black Opal Stakes 2026 final field features a bumper crop of potential Golden Slipper-bound two-year-olds led in betting by the Preview winner Music Time chasing a hat-trick from a wide gate.
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 518 | OUTSPAN | Michael Freedman | Sam Clipperton | 15 | 57kg | Â | Â |
| 2 | 12 | BAR JESTER | Nick Olive | Ms Coriah Keatings (a) | 3 | 56kg |  |  |
| 3 | 211 | MUSIC TIME | Gratz Vella | Pierre Boudvillain | 18 | 56kg | Â | Â |
| 4 | 7×32 | EVICTION NOTICE | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Adam Hyeronimus | 14 | 56kg | Â | Â |
| Â | Â | Â | ||||||
| 6 | 51 | JIMMY’S READY | Joe Cleary | Ms Jess Taylor | 1 | 56kg |  |  |
| 7 | 6 | THREADS | Ciaron Maher | Chad Schofield | 5 | 56kg | Â | Â |
| 8 | 324 | MISS CHANEL | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Regan Bayliss | 12 | 54kg | Â | Â |
| 9 | 2×4 | PEARL OF DUBAI | Peter Snowden | Andrew Adkins | 16 | 54kg | Â | Â |
| 10 | 9×3 | FARCOLO | Gary Portelli | Ms Alysha Collett | 13 | 54kg | Â | Â |
| 11 | 624 | LA STIAVA | Norm Gardner | Mathew Cahill | 17 | 54kg | Â | Â |
| 12 | 78x | TO DUBAI WE GO | Neil Osborne | Ashley Morgan | 6 | 54kg | Â | Â |
| 13 | 9×0 | GIVE HER STRENGTH | John Thompson | Tyler Schiller | 10 | 54kg | Â | Â |
| 14 | 5 | LEGASELLI | John Thompson | Â | 7 | 54kg | Â | Â |
| 15e | 6x | ARTANEOUS | Bjorn Baker | Dylan Gibbons | 2 | 56kg | Â | Â |
| 16e | 6 | STROLLIN’ BY | Gary Portelli |  | 4 | 54kg |  |  |
| 17e | 5 | BOUJEE GOLD | Matthew Kelley | Jeff Penza | 19 | 54kg | Â | Â |
| 18e | 7 | RESTLESS SPIRIT | Keith Dryden & Libby Snowden | Blaike McDougall | 8 | 56kg | Â | Â |
| 19e | 0x | THE NEXT EPISODE | Ciaron Maher | Tommy Berry | 11 | 56kg | Â | Â |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
2026 Black Opal Stakes Nominations
The early Black Opal Stakes 2026 nominations are out on the Monday of race week.
Black Opal Stakes History
The Black Opal Stakes was first run back in 1973 and won by Rich Reward. Since then, a host of exciting horses have taken out the Canberra clash including Spirit Of Kingston (1984), subsequent Golden Slipper winner Catbird (1999), Handsome Ranson (2003), Decision Time (2010), Epaulette (2012), Criterion (2013), Defcon (2016), and Trapeze Artist (2017).
The event started out as a Principal Race, gained Group 3 status in 1979 and for a decade ran as a Group 2 (1987 – 1998). It returned to Group 3 status from 1999 – 2005, dropped to a Listed event from 2006 – 2014 and since 2015 has regained Group 3 status.
The Black Opal Stakes race record of 1.09.13 was set in 2025 by King Of Pop.
The Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained The Autumn Sun filly Autumn Ballet made Black Opal Stakes history in 2023 becoming the event’s first-ever debutant winner.
In 2026 the locally trained Music Time completed the Black Opal Preview / Black Opal Stakes double.
Recent Black Opal Stakes Winners
See below for the full Black Opal Stakes results and winners going back to the year 2000.
| Year | Place | Horse | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Black Opal Stakes | 1st | Music Time | 1 minute 10.71 seconds |
| 2nd | Pearl Of Dubai | ||
| 3rd | Threads | ||
| 2025 Black Opal Stakes | 1st | King Of Pop | 1 minute 09.13 seconds |
| 2nd | Farcited | ||
| 3rd | Sanctified | ||
| 2024 Black Opal Stakes | 1st | Holmes A Court | 1 minute 10.6 seconds |
| 2nd | Fully Lit | ||
| 3rd | Amazing Eagle | ||
| 2023 Black Opal Stakes | 1st | Autumn Ballet | 1 minute 10.06 seconds |
| 2nd | The Years | ||
| 3rd | Make A Call | ||
| 2022 Black Opal Stakes | 1st | Queen Of The Ball | 1 minute 10.21 seconds |
| 2nd | Warby | ||
| 3rd | Metallicity | ||
| 2021 Black Opal Stakes | 1st | Kalashnikov | 1 minute 09.60 seconds |
| 2nd | Solar Winds | ||
| 3rd | Rocket Tiger | ||
| 2020 Black Opal Stakes | 1st | Barbaric | 1 minute 11.44 seconds |
| 2nd | Bartley | ||
| 3rd | Cellsabeel | ||
| 2019 Black Opal Stakes | 1st | Pin Sec | 1 minute 10.88 seconds |
| 2nd | Rome | ||
| 3rd | Mclaren | ||
| 2018 Black Opal Stakes | 1st | Encryption | 1 minute 10.22 seconds |
| 2nd | Sizzling Belle | ||
| 3rd | Bondi | ||
| 2017 Black Opal Stakes | 1st | Trapeze Artist | 1 minute 10.77 seconds |
| 2nd | Trekking | ||
| 3rd | Muraaqeb | ||
| 2016 Black Opal Stakes | 1st | Defcon | 1 minute 10.6 seconds |
| 2nd | Flash Fibian | ||
| 3rd | Prized Icon | ||
| 2015 Black Opal Stakes | 1st | Takedown | 1 minute 10.5 seconds |
| 2nd | Single Gaze | ||
| 3rd | Antelucan | ||
| 2014 Black Opal Stakes | 1st | Lucky Raquie | 1 minute 11.1 seconds |
| 2nd | Mr Cha Cha | ||
| 3rd | Klammer | ||
| 2013 Black Opal Stakes | 1st | Criterion | 1 minute 10.6 seconds |
| 2nd | Sidestep | ||
| 3rd | Meticulously | ||
| 2012 Black Opal Stakes | 1st | Epaulette | 1 minute 12.5 seconds |
| 2nd | Faustas | ||
| 3rd | Later Gator | ||
| 2011 Black Opal Stakes | 1st | You’re Canny | 1 minute 12.7 seconds |
| 2nd | Karuta Queen | ||
| 3rd | Bright Heart | ||
| 2010 Black Opal Stakes | 1st | Decision Time | 1 minute 12.7 seconds |
| 2nd | Lohan | ||
| 3rd | Butt I’m Ready | ||
| 2009 Black Opal Stakes | 1st | Delago Bolt | 1 minute 10.9 seconds |
| 2nd | Phenomenal Lass | ||
| 3rd | Zikmann | ||
| 2008 Black Opal Stakes | 1st | Sarthemare | 1 minute 11.6 seconds |
| 2nd | Typhoon Fury | ||
| 3rd | De Lightning Ridge | ||
| 2007 Black Opal Stakes | 1st | Race Not Run | – |
| 2nd | – | ||
| 3rd | – | ||
| 2006 Black Opal Stakes | 1st | Down The Wicket | 1 minute 09.9 seconds |
| 2nd | One Time | ||
| 3rd | Luvuleo | ||
| 2005 Black Opal Stakes | 1st | Al Samer | 1 minute 10.34 seconds |
| 2nd | Another Time | ||
| 3rd | Jet Spur | ||
| 2004 Black Opal Stakes | 1st | Uber | 1 minute 10.3 seconds |
| 2nd | St Pirian | ||
| 3rd | Just As Beautiful | ||
| 2003 Black Opal Stakes | 1st | Handsome Ransom | 1 minute 10.4 seconds |
| 2nd | Exceed And Excel | ||
| 3rd | Sansadee | ||
| 2002 Black Opal Stakes | 1st | Planchet | 1 minute 11.16 seconds |
| 2nd | Mukareena | ||
| 3rd | Majorette | ||
| 2001 Black Opal Stakes | 1st | Coral Salute | 1 minute 15.5 seconds |
| 2nd | Antagonise | ||
| 3rd | Finbarr | ||
| 2000 Black Opal Stakes | 1st | Pembleton | 1 minute 11.05 seconds |
| 2nd | Donna Dior | ||
| 3rd | Royal Joke | ||
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