---

---

The Chairman’s Stakes is a Group 3 race currently contested at Ladbrokes Park Hillside at Sandown in late January or early February during the Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival.

Formerly run at Caulfield on the same day as the Manfred Stakes, for 2023 the event was moved to Ladbrokes Park and the other key support act on the card is the Group 3 Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes (1300m) for mares.

Run over a short sprint distance of 1000m the Chairman’s Stakes is open only to two-year-olds and is contested under set weights plus penalties conditions. The event offers $200,000 in total prize money.

Youngsters may be kicking off their careers or autumn campaigns in the Chairman’s Stakes in Melbourne and the race serves as a good lead-up to the Group 1 $1.5 million Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m).

Extreme Choice (2016) was the last horse to complete the Chairman’s Stakes – Blue Diamond Stakes double, while the 2017 Chairman’s Stakes winning filly Formality went on to run third in the Blue Diamond Stakes trifecta behind stablemate Catchy that year.

The 2022 Chairman’s Stakes form was franked with the winner Sebonack going on to run fourth in that year’s Blue Diamond Stakes results.

The Chairman’s Stakes 2023 ran on Saturday February 4, 2023 at Ladbrokes Park Hillside and was won by the returning James Cummings-trained Zulfiqar ($7.50).

2023 Chairman’s Stakes
Date:	Saturday February 4, 2023
Track:	Ladbrokes Park Hillside, Sandown
Distance:	1000m
Race Type:	2YO – Set Weights + Penalties
Status:	Group 3
Prize Money:	$200,000

2023 Chairman’s Stakes Results

• 1st: #1 Zulfiqar ($7.50)
• 2nd: #2 Veecee
• 3rd: #6 Tacito

The returning James Cummings-trained Exceed And Excel colt Zulfiqar ($7.50) was impressive first-up running a lovely Blue Diamond Stakes trial with his strong upset over the beaten favourite Veecee in Saturday’s 2023 Chairman’s Stakes results in Melbourne.

	Finish	No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Margin	Bar.	Weight	Penalty	Starting Price
	1	1	ZULFIQAR	James Cummings	Ben Melham		1	59kg		$7.50
	2	2	VEECEE	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	Ethan Brown	1.25L	5	59kg		$2.60F
	3	6	TACITO	Ben & JD Hayes	Daniel Stackhouse	3L	4	57kg		$21
	4	3	SERASANA	Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock	Dean Yendall	3.75L	6	57kg		$3.10
	5	9	WRITTEN BLIGH	Grahame Begg	Jordan Childs	6L	8	55kg		$8.50
	6	4	HELLS SON	Andrew Dale	Joe Bowditch	7.75L	3	57kg		$26
	7	8	MISS BURGOYNE	Ben & JD Hayes	Michael Dee	11L	7	55kg		$19
	8	5	PERILOUS FIGHTER	Clayton Douglas	Craig Williams	11.2L	2	57kg		$13
		7	EXTREMELY WICKED	Matt Laurie	Damian Lane		0

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

2023 Chairman’s Stakes Betting Odds

The best Chairman’s Stakes 2023 odds will be available below with autumn betting market links to Ladbrokes.com.au as soon as prices are open on the hopeful young two-year-olds.

Nine of the past 14 Chairman’s Stakes favourites saluted for the punters with Enthaar ($1.24 in 2021), Loving Gaby ($3.50 in 2019), Formality ($2.45 in 2017), Extreme Choice ($1.40 in 2016), Nayeli ($3 in 2014), Metastasio ($1.45 in 2013), Atomic ($2.80 in 2011), Crystal Lily ($2.20 in 2010).

In 2020 Mildred scored an upset at double-figure odds with the favourite Aryaaf running second.

In 2023 the favourite ran second again with Veecee beaten home by Zulfiqar ($7.50).

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST 2023 CHAIRMAN’S STAKES ODDS (Final Field)

2023 Chairman’s Stakes Form Guide

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2023 CHAIRMAN’S STAKES FORM GUIDE

2023 Chairman’s Stakes Tips

Stay tuned for our insider Chairman’s Stakes 2023 Tips on the Melbourne showdown this season.

• To Win: #3 Serasana ($2.80 at time of publish) 

Going the filly who was so good in December winning her Sandown debut by over three lengths. She’s fresh here with the benefit of race experience in a small field. No official trial this time, but she’s proven at this track and distance and was good enough on debut to suggest she can win this too.

2023 Chairman’s Stakes Field

The Chairman’s Stakes field attracts a line-up of promising two-year-old sprinters each autumn, many heading towards a run in the season’s Blue Diamond Stakes field.

The official 2023 Chairman’s Stakes field and barriers are set for release on the Wednesday of race week and will be published in full below.

The Chairman’s Stakes 2023 final field features a small but promising line-up of youngsters led in betting by the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Capitalist colt Veecee who won his debut a fortnight back at Flemington with 59kg by over two lengths, and fellow debutant winner Serasana who won her first-up run in December at Sandown by over three lengths.

No	Last 10	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight	Penalty	Hcp Rating
1	15x	ZULFIQAR	James Cummings	Ben Melham	1	59kg		72
2	1	VEECEE	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	Ethan Brown	6	59kg		68
3	1	SERASANA	Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock	Dean Yendall	7	57kg		68
4		HELLS SON	Andrew Dale	Joe Bowditch	4	57kg
5		PERILOUS FIGHTER	Clayton Douglas	Craig Williams	3	57kg
6		TACITO	Ben & JD Hayes	Daniel Stackhouse	5	57kg
7	2	EXTREMELY WICKED	Matt Laurie	Damian Lane	2	55kg		63
8		MISS BURGOYNE	Ben & JD Hayes	Michael Dee	8	55kg
9		WRITTEN BLIGH	Grahame Begg	Jordan Childs	9	55kg

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

2023 Chairman’s Stakes Nominations

Early nominations for the Chairman’s Stakes in 2023 close the Monday of race week and will be made available below.

	Last 10	Horse	Sex	Age	Trainer	Ballot	Weight	Penalty	Hcp Rating
1	31x	CHARM STONE	F	2	Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)	1	57kg		72
2	15x	ZULFIQAR	C	2	James Cummings	2	59kg		72
3	1	VEECEE	C	2	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	3=	59kg		68
4	1	SERASANA	F	2	Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock	3=	57kg		68
5	2	SOME PEOPLE CALLME	C	2	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	5=	57kg		63
6	2	EXTREMELY WICKED	F	2	Matt Laurie	5=	55kg		63
7	1	DREAMWOMAN	F	2	Leon & Troy Corstens	7	55kg		63
8		ALSONSO	C	2	Leon & Troy Corstens	8=	57kg
9		EUGENIUS	C	2	Shane Nichols	8=	57kg
10		HELLS SON	G	2	Andrew Dale	8=	57kg
11		PERILOUS FIGHTER	C	2	Clayton Douglas	8=	57kg
12		SUPERSONIC SURGE	C	2	Matt Laurie	8=	57kg
13		TACITO	C	2	Ben & JD Hayes	8=	57kg
14		COAST PRINCESS	F	2	Ben & JD Hayes	8=	55kg
15		FOREVER MORE	F	2	Leon & Troy Corstens	8=	55kg
16		GINGER ’N’ PINK	F	2	Peter G Moody	8=	55kg
17		MISS BURGOYNE	F	2	Ben & JD Hayes	8=	55kg
18		MISS GABBIANO	F	2	Peter G Moody	8=	55kg
19		SHEVA	F	2	Ben & JD Hayes	8=	55kg
20		TIZ ENUF	F	2	Anthony & Sam Freedman	8=	55kg
21		WRITTEN BLIGH	F	2	Grahame Begg	8=	55kg

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

Chairman’s Stakes History

The MRC Chairman’s Stakes was first run as the VATC Bounding Away Quality back in 1990 when Wrap Around became the inaugural winner. That race name stayed until 1998 and since then the race has undergone a host of different titles. It has been known as the Veuve Clicquot Stakes (1999 – 2003), Jansz Stakes (2004), Pol Rogers Stakes (2005 – 2007 & 2009), National Jockey Celebration Classic (2008) and the Emirate Airline Stakes (2012).

It was first run as the Chairman’s Stakes in 2010 – 2011 and again from 2013 to the present. It began as a Listed race and in 2014 gained its current Group 3 status. The race distance has also changed a number of times with the event always run between 1000 – 1200m depending on the racecourse. The Chairman’s Stakes has taken place at Sandown Racecourse and Caulfield Racecourse.

Plenty of talented horses have won the event including Redoute’s Choice (1999), Crystal Lily (2010) and Extreme Choice (2016).

Ten of the past 12 Chairman’s Stakes winners were fillies with: Enthaar (2021), Mildred (2020), Loving Gaby (2019), Ennis Hill (2018), Formality (2017), Thurlow (2015), Nayeli (2014), Metastasio (2013), Mama’s Choice (2012) and Crystal Lily (2010).

See below for a full list of Chairman’s Stakes winners and results going back to the year 2000.

Recent Chairman’s Stakes Winners

Year	Place	Horse	Time
2023 Chairman’s Stakes	1st	Zulfiqar	59.33 seconds
	2nd	Veecee
	3rd	Tacito
2022 Chairman’s Stakes	1st	Sebonack	57.44 seconds
	2nd	Nanagui
	3rd	Kiko
2021 Chairman’s Stakes	1st	Enthaar	57.28 seconds
	2nd	Ingratiating
	3rd	Fortunate Kiss
2020 Chairman’s Stakes	1st	Mildred	59.79 seconds
	2nd	Aryaaf
	3rd	Frederick The Dane
2019 Chairman’s Stakes	1st	Loving Gaby	57.69 seconds
	2nd	Bella Rosa
	3rd	Lanigera
2018 Chairman’s Stakes	1st	Ennis Hill	57.02 seconds
	2nd	Encryption
	3rd	Prairie Fire
2017 Chairman’s Stakes	1st	Formality	58.10 seconds
	2nd	Time Awaits
	3rd	Spoils
2016 MRC Chairman’s Stakes	1st	Extreme Choice	57.0 seconds
	2nd	Highland Beat
	3rd	Gratwick
2015 MRC Chairman’s Stakes	1st	Thurlow	56.4 seconds
	2nd	Haybah
	3rd	Brooklyn
2014 MRC Chairman’s Stakes	1st	Nayeli	1 minute 3.8 seconds
	2nd	Bugatty
	3rd	Cautious
2013 MRC Chairman’s Stakes	1st	Metastasio	1 minute 4.3 seconds
	2nd	Kona Breeze
	3rd	Shamus Award
2012 Emirate Airline Stakes	1st	Mama’s Choice	1 minute 4.7 seconds
	2nd	Formidable
	3rd	Kimando
2011 MRC Chairman’s Stakes	1st	Atomic	56.7 seconds
	2nd	Vatican
	3rd	Hollyweird
2010 MRC Chairman’s Stakes	1st	Crystal Lily	1 minute 2.6 seconds
	2nd	Bedhrah
	3rd	Rock Of Fortune
2009 Pol Rogers Stakes	1st	Headway	1 minute 4.1 seconds
	2nd	Silkyanna
	3rd	Samski
2008 National Jockey Celebration Classic	1st	Whisper Bay	57.6 seconds
	2nd	Grand Jardin
	3rd	Elusive Wonder
2007 Pol Rogers Stakes	1st	Gibraltar Campion	1 minute 11.3 seconds
	2nd	Patasi
	3rd	Simplest
2006 Pol Rogers Stakes	1st	Ulfah	1 minute 9.8 seconds
	2nd	Ready
	3rd	Bramble Blitz
2005 Pol Rogers Stakes	1st	Under The Floor	1 minute 10.7 seconds
	2nd	Danger Looms
	3rd	Ready To Mombo
2004 Jansz Stakes	1st	Tirade	1 minute 10.9 seconds
	2nd	Stringent
	3rd	Eire Hostess
2003 Veuve Clicquot Stakes	1st	Vengeance Of Rain	1 minute 9.7 seconds
	2nd	Winestock
	3rd	Fresh Boy
2002 Veuve Clicquot Stakes	1st	Yell	1 minute 4.3 seconds
	2nd	Innovation Girl
	3rd	Oronoko
2001 Veuve Clicquot Stakes	1st	Spitz	1 minute 4.3 seconds
	2nd	Mustaagel
	3rd	Ebony Night
2000 Veuve Clicquot Stakes	1st	Road To Success	1 minute 9.8 seconds
	2nd	Keeper
	3rd	Mannington