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The Black Opal Stakes is a Group 3 sprint for two-year-olds run at Canberra Racecourse on a Sunday in early-mid March during the autumn racing season.

Black Opal Stakes Day takes place the Sunday following Coolmore Classic Day on the Saturday in Sydney and ‘Super Saturday’ at Flemington. The race 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 2023 ran in Canberra on Sunday March 12, 2023 and saw the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained filly Autumn Ballet ($4.40) become the first ever debutant to win the event.  

2023 Black Opal Stakes
Date:	Sunday March 12, 2023
Track:	Canberra Racecourse
Distance:	1200m
Race Type:	Set Weights + Penalties / Two-Year-Olds
Status:	Group 3
Prize Money:	$200,000

2023 Black Opal Stakes Results

• 1st: #14 Autumn Ballet ($4.40)
• 2nd: #4 The Years
• 3rd: #3 Make A Call

Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott’s beautifully bred The Autumn Sun filly Autumn Ballet ($4.40) produced a sensational debut when dominating the 2023 Black Opal Stakes results with a two-length romp home over her stablemate The Years to become the event’s first ever debutant winner.

	Finish	No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Margin	Bar.	Weight	Penalty	Starting Price
	1	14	AUTUMN BALLET	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Tim Clark		4	54kg		$4.40
	2	4	THE YEARS (NZ)	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Regan Bayliss	2.07L	5	56kg		$4.20
	3	3	MAKE A CALL	Peter & Paul Snowden	Sam Clipperton	3.21L	10	56kg		$26
	4	16e	TIZ INVINCIBLE	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	Michael Dee	3.45L	9	54kg		$2.70F
	5	1	DISNECK	Bjorn Baker	Ms Rachel King	3.5L	1	57kg		$20
	6	11	MADEIRA SUNRISE	Michael Freedman	Keagan Latham	5.77L	3	55kg		$19
	7	8	CAP FERRAT	Chris Waller	James McDonald	6.55L	7	56kg		$10
	8	5	LOVE SHUCK	Todd Smart	Jay Ford	7.28L	11	56kg		$26
	9	6	CHOP THE ICE	Gratz Vella	Shaun Guymer	8.92L	6	56kg		$151
	10	13	LADY JEZAM	Gary Portelli	Tyler Schiller (a)	15.69L	2	54kg		$61
	11	2	LEGOLAS	Bjorn Baker	Brock Ryan	16.62L	8	56kg		$18
		17e	MISS GHENT	Norm Gardner			0
		15e	DYLAN’S LAD	Annabel Neasham			0
		9	GUSTOSISIMO	Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou			0
		7	RAZORS	James Cummings	Kerrin McEvoy		0
		12	EMPRESS OF WONDER	Annabel Neasham			0
		10	LIMBURG	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes			0

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

2023 Black Opal Stakes Betting Odds

The latest autumn markets and Black Opal Stakes 2023 betting odds on the Golden Slipper Stakes lead-up this season will be available below 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.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST 2023 BLACK OPAL STAKES ODDS (Final Field)

2023 Black Opal Stakes Form

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2023 BLACK OPAL STAKES FORM GUIDE

2023 Black Opal Stakes Tips

Stay tuned for our insider Black Opal Stakes 2023 Tips on the Canberra Group 3 this autumn.

• To Win: #2 Legolas ($13 at time of publish) 

Going for a proven value runner in the Black Opal with Legolas scratching out of the Group 2 Pago Pago in Sydney on Saturday in favour of this Canberra run on Sunday. Widely-drawn but presents fit third-up for trainer Bjorn Baker. The nicely-bred son of Capitalist was third two back at Newcastle narrowly beaten before improving to break his maiden status with a win in the Preview here on February 24. Needs to improve again and overcome the gate, but the odds are attractive and he’s going in the right direction.

2023 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 2023 Black Opal Stakes field and barriers is set for release on Thursday March 9, 2023 and will be published below in full.

The Black Opal Stakes 2023 final field features a smart field of potential Golden Slipper-bound two-year-olds led in betting by the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained The Autumn Sun filly Autumn Ballet on debut off a seven length trial win at Rosehill late last month. 

No	Last 10	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight	Penalty	Hcp Rating
1	815×5	DISNECK	Bjorn Baker	Ms Rachel King (late alt)	1	57kg
2	9×31	LEGOLAS	Bjorn Baker	Brock Ryan	12	56kg
3	4×326	MAKE A CALL	Peter & Paul Snowden	Sam Clipperton	15	56kg
4	41	THE YEARS (NZ)	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Regan Bayliss	8	56kg
5	1	LOVE SHUCK	Todd Smart	Jay Ford	17	56kg
6	234	CHOP THE ICE	Gratz Vella	Shaun Guymer	10	56kg
7	70×7	RAZORS	James Cummings	Kerrin McEvoy	2	56kg
8	5	CAP FERRAT	Chris Waller	James McDonald	11	56kg
9		GUSTOSISIMO	Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou		6	56kg
10		LIMBURG	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes		14	56kg
11	16	MADEIRA SUNRISE	Michael Freedman	Keagan Latham	5	55kg
12	22735	EMPRESS OF WONDER	Annabel Neasham		16	54kg
13	4	LADY JEZAM	Gary Portelli	Tyler Schiller (a)	4	54kg
14		AUTUMN BALLET	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Tim Clark	7	54kg
15e		DYLAN’S LAD	Annabel Neasham		9	56kg
16e		TIZ INVINCIBLE	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	Michael Dee	13	54kg
17e		MISS GHENT	Norm Gardner		3	54kg

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

2023 Black Opal Stakes Nominations

The early Black Opal Stakes 2023 nominations are out on Tuesday March 7, 2023 and will be updated below once confirmed.

	Last 10	Horse	Sex	Age	Trainer	Hcp Rating
1	12	ALLABOUTELLA	F	2	Michael Freedman
2	44	AUGUST BLOOM	F	2	Peter & Paul Snowden
3		AUTUMN BALLET	F	2	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
4	13	BASES LOADED	C	2	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
5	13×23	BLANC DE BLANC	F	2	Michael Freedman
6	5	CAP FERRAT	C	2	Chris Waller
7	234	CHOP THE ICE	G	2	Gratz Vella
8	815×5	DISNECK	C	2	Bjorn Baker
9		DYLAN’S LAD	G	2	Annabel Neasham
10	22735	EMPRESS OF WONDER	F	2	Annabel Neasham
11	6	FIGHTERTOWN	C	2	Chris Waller
12		GUSTOSISIMO	C	2	Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou
13	4	HELLDANCER	F	2	Bjorn Baker
14		IDHANA	C	2	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
15	1	INTRODUCING	C	2	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
16	4	LADY JEZAM	F	2	Gary Portelli
17	9×31	LEGOLAS	G	2	Bjorn Baker
18		LIBERTAD	C	2	Annabel Neasham
19		LIMBURG	C	2	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes
20	1	LOVE SHUCK	G	2	Todd Smart
21	16	MADEIRA SUNRISE	F	2	Michael Freedman
22	4×326	MAKE A CALL	C	2	Peter & Paul Snowden
23		MISS GHENT	F	2	Norm Gardner
24	39	PORTOROSA	F	2	Annabel Neasham
25	70×7	RAZORS	C	2	James Cummings
26	220	STEEL CITY	F	2	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
27	41	THE YEARS (NZ)	C	2	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
28		TIZ INVINCIBLE	F	2	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
29	1	TU QUI SANTUZZA	F	2	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
30	4	UNTOUCHABLE LEGEND	F	2	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes
31	15×10	ZULFIQAR	C	2	James Cummings

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

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 1.09.6 was set in 1994 by St Covet.

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.

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
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