Chances are you're about to lose.
For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
The Group 3 Festival Stakes is run at Rosehill Gardens during the Sydney Summer Racing Carnival as a lead-up to The Ingham.
Festival Stakes News
The 2025 Festival Stakes is a Group 3 race run at Rosehill Gardens in late November or early December during the Sydney Summer Racing Carnival.
2025 Festival Stakes Results
Stay tuned for the official 2025 Festival Stakes results and finishing order on Saturday November 29, 2025 and to see what horses may be bound for The Ingham race.
- 1st: No. 10 Yorkshire ($2.70F)
- 2nd: No. 9 Arctic Glamour
- 3rd: No. 16 Melody Again
Winning Margin: 0.35 length
Winning Time: 1:29.36
Yorkshire ($2.70F) produced a powerful comeback performance to salute for the punters in the 2025 Festival Stakes results at Rosehill. Trained by John O’Shea and Tom Charlton and ridden by Zac Lloyd, the five-year-old Snitzel gelding dictated terms from the front in the Group 3 1500 metre contest and never looked back.
The victory was particularly significant given that just two weeks earlier Yorkshire had failed badly in The Hunter when favourite, later diagnosed with cardiac arrhythmia. After passing veterinary checks and returning to full health, he showed his true ability with a bold, all-the-way win that confirmed his class.
Already a multiple winner before The Hunter flop, Yorkshire’s Festival Stakes triumph marked his most important black-type success to date and secured him favouritism for next month’s $2 million The Ingham at Randwick, Sydney’s premier summer mile.
| 10. Yorkshire (1) J: Zac Lloyd54kg 111x0T: John O'Shea & Tom Charlton | ||
| 9. Arctic Glamour (15) J: Tom Sherry54kg x00x1T: Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou | ||
| 16. Melody Again (3) J: Winona Costin53kg 11x84T: Scott Singleton | ||
| 4. Accredited (12) J: Andrew Adkins56kg 32x22T: Joseph Pride | ||
| 22. Gallant Star (16) J: Reece Jones54kg 24x24T: Brett Robb | ||
| 8. Mchale (9) J: Jay Ford54.5kg x2085T: Chris Waller | ||
| 1. Robusto (2) J: Tim Clark59.5kg 177x7T: Bjorn Baker | ||
| 7. Konasana (6) J: Regan Bayliss54.5kg x80x0T: Chris Waller | ||
| 18. Xidaki (4) J: Rachel King53kg 970x3T: Peter Snowden | ||
| 13. You Wahng (8) J: Tyler Schiller53.5kg 3051xT: Kris Lees | ||
| 19. Jojo Was A Man (5) J: Braith Nock53kg 5x090T: John P Thompson | ||
| 2. Waterford (14) J: Tommy Berry58kg 01006T: Chris Waller | ||
| 14. Shadizi (7) J: Kerrin McEvoy53.5kg x7946T: Chris Waller | ||
| 12. Phearson (10) J: Jean Van Overmeire54kg 644x0T: Brad Widdup | ||
| 11. Touristic (13) J: William Stanley54kg 1744xT: Peter Snowden | ||
| 23. Altivo (11) J: Alysha Collett53kg 030x8T: M, W & J Hawkes |
The quality handicap race is run over 1500m, offers $250,000 in prize money and takes place on the same Saturday as Perth’s $1.5 million Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m).
Horses running in the Festival Stakes field can come via a host of different lead-ups including Melbourne races run over the spring such as the Group 3 Chatham Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on Champions Stakes Day.
The Festival Stakes serves as a nice lead-up race to the old Villiers Stakes (1600m), now run over the mile at Royal Randwick a fortnight later as the $2 million The Ingham Stakes – and the Group 3 Summer Cup (2000m) back at Randwick on Boxing Day in late December.
Monton (2011) was the last horse to complete the Festival Stakes – Villiers Stakes double, while the 2018 Festival Stakes winner My Nordic Hero ran third in the Villiers next start.
More recently the 2021 Festival Stakes winner Ellsberg ran a next-up second in the Villiers Stakes results. He returned in 2022 and further franked the form with a third in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes in the autumn before an outstanding spring saluting in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) in a dead-heat with Top Ranked before completing the Five Diamonds Prelude – $2 million Five Diamonds double.
In 2023 the Ingham Stakes winner, Kirwan’s Lane, won the lucrative summer feature on the back of a third in that year’s Festival Stakes results.
The 2024 Festival Stakes also produced that year’s The Ingham winner with Robusto improving on his second in the Group 3 to take out the lucrative Sydney summer showdown.
The Festival Stakes 2025 ran on Saturday November 29, 2025 at Rosehill Gardens offering $250,000 in prize money and saw the John O’Shea & Tom Charlton trained favourite Yorkshire ($2.70F) hold off the late challengers to salute for the punters in a brave front-running performance.
| 2025 Festival Stakes | |
|---|---|
| Date: | Saturday November 29, 2025 |
| Track: | Rosehill Racecourse |
| Distance: | 1500m |
| Race Type: | Quality Handicap |
| Status: | Group 3 |
| Prize Money: | $250,000 |
2025 Festival Stakes Betting
The latest Festival Stakes odds will be available at Ladbrokes.com.au and listed here at Races.com.au for you to lock in your Festival Stakes Tips at the right price this summer racing season.
Rainer ($6EF), Ellsberg ($2.40 in 2021) and Yorkshire ($2.70 in 2025) are the latest Festival Stakes favourites (or equal favourites) to salute for the punters.
There was a notable upset in 2023 with Phearson saluting at Festival Stakes odds of $17.
2025 Festival Stakes Form Guide
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2025 FESTIVAL STAKES FORM GUIDE
2025 Festival Stakes Tips
Stay tuned for our insider Festival Stakes 2025 Tips on the Ingham Stakes lead-up this spring-summer racing season.
To Win: No. 4 Accredited
ACCREDITED (12) is just under $10 to win the Festival Stakes at time of publish and the price appeals despite the wide alley.
Joe Pride’s All Too Hard six-year-old is a classy and ultra-consistent chestnut coming off a string of good placings, and he looks ready to go one better and return to the winners’ stall bagging a deserved Group 3 trophy.
He hasn’t run out of the money since May and was strong here at Rosehill in the winter when third to the talented Estadio Mestalla in the Listed Winter Stakes before a second behind Robusto beaten a nostril flare in the Winter Challenge.
Similarly eye-catching in his latest two this time posting back-to-back seconds by a collective margin of under a length at Randwick and Newcastle.
Was tough with 59.5kg fresh in a photo with regular rival Estadio Mestalla before going down a half-length to Coal Crusher in the Group 2 The Hunter doing his best work late making up ground from midfield.
A few of the same rivals to turn the tables on, but well weighted and has won at this stage of a preparation previously.
Though he’s still chasing that breakthrough at 1500m, he looks close to peak fitness now.
From the draw if he can roll across, settle handy and find cover, he’ll give himself every chance to be right in the finish.
|
4. Accredited (12)
J: Andrew Adkins56kg
32×22T: Joseph Pride
|
2025 Festival Stakes Field
The Festival Stakes field attracts a diverse line-up of summer gallopers many of which are heading towards a run in the season’s Villiers Stakes (now The Ingham Stakes) over the Randwick mile and is released on the Wednesday before the race.
The official 2025 Festival Stakes field and barriers will be published below as soon as announced by Racing NSW.
The Festival Stakes 2025 final field features a capacity line-up of middle-distance summer gallopers including the consistent Yorkshire drawn the rails for Zac Lloyd and Accredited coming off a Group 2 The Hunter second placing.
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Probable Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22x02177x7 | ROBUSTO | Bjorn Baker | Tim Clark | 2 | 59.5kg | Â | Â | 108 |
| 2 | 1x64x01006 | WATERFORD (IRE) | Chris Waller | Tommy Berry | 16 | 58kg | Â | Â | 105 |
| 3 | 6250x00x30 | TERRITORY EXPRESS | Paul Niceforo | Jean Van Overmeire | 22 | 57kg | Â | Â | 103 |
| 4 | 6x59132x22 | ACCREDITED | Joseph Pride | Andrew Adkins | 12 | 56kg | Â | Â | 101 |
| 5 | 5x0125x6x0 | DARNATION (IRE) | Ciaron Maher | Jason Collett | 14 | 55.5kg | Â | Â | 104 |
| 6 | x897x00078 | PORT LOCKROY | Annabel & Rob Archibald | Ms Alysha Collett | 15 | 55.5kg | Â | Â | 100 |
| 7 | 31144x80x0 | KONASANA | Chris Waller | Regan Bayliss | 6 | 54.5kg | Â | Â | 102 |
| 8 | 03x10x2085 | MCHALE | Chris Waller | Jay Ford | 9 | 54.5kg | Â | Â | 98 |
| 9 | 575x6x00x1 | ARCTIC GLAMOUR | Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou | Tom Sherry | 19 | 54kg | Â | Â | 100 |
| 10 | 311x2111x0 | YORKSHIRE | John O’Shea & Tom Charlton | Zac Lloyd | 1 | 54kg | Â | Â | 97 |
| 11 | 774841744x | TOURISTIC (GB) | Peter Snowden | William Stanley (a) | 13 | 54kg | Â | Â | 94 |
| 12 | x4850644x0 | PHEARSON | Brad Widdup | Â | 10 | 54kg | Â | Â | 92 |
| 13 | 1x1733051x | YOU WAHNG | Kris Lees | Tyler Schiller | 8 | 53.5kg | Â | Â | 100 |
| 14 | 1x1x0x7946 | SHADIZI (FR) | Chris Waller | Kerrin McEvoy | 7 | 53.5kg | Â | Â | 96 |
| Â | Â | 98 | |||||||
| 16 | 3330x11x84 | MELODY AGAIN | Scott Singleton | Ms Winona Costin | 3 | 53kg | Â | Â | 97 |
| 17 | 3x321359x8 | MARE OF MT BULLER | Chris Waller | Reece Jones | 17 | 53kg | Â | Â | 94 |
| 18 | 030x7970x3 | XIDAKI | Peter Snowden | Ms Rachel King | 4 | 53kg | Â | Â | 94 |
| 19 | 7619x5x090 | JOJO WAS A MAN | John Thompson | Braith Nock (a) | 5 | 53kg |  |  | 92 |
| 20 | 6324×31561 | MAGNATEAR | Richard & Will Freedman | Ashley Morgan | 23 | 53kg | Â | Â | 92 |
| 21e | 89900050×0 | ELLIPTICAL | Chris Waller | Â | 20 | 53kg | Â | Â | 90 |
| 22e | 61x1424x24 | GALLANT STAR | Brett Robb | Â | 21 | 54kg | Â | Â | 88 |
| 23e | x112x030x8 | ALTIVO (GB) | Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes | Ms Alysha Collett | 11 | 53kg | Â | Â | 8 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
2025 Festival Stakes Nominations
The Festival Stakes nominations are taken the Monday prior to the race and are the first indication of what middle-distance gallopers will take to the track for the handicap clash in late November or early December.
| Â | Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6x59132x22 | ACCREDITED | G | 6 | Joseph Pride | 101 |
| 2 | x112x030x8 | ALTIVO (GB) | G | 7 | Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes | 81 |
| 3 | x70x2660x4 | AMENABLE | G | 6 | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | 101 |
| 4 | 575x6x00x1 | ARCTIC GLAMOUR | M | 5 | Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou | 100 |
| 5 | 150405016x | BACIO DEL MIST (NZ) | M | 8 | Lee & Cherie Curtis | 81 |
| 6 | 10232×7653 | BRUDENELL | G | 6 | Kris Lees | 103 |
| 7 | 111x125x14 | CLEAR THINKING (GB) | M | 6 | Paul Messara & Leah Gavranich | 100 |
| 8 | 5x0125x6x0 | DARNATION (IRE) | M | 5 | Ciaron Maher | 104 |
| 9 | 89900050×0 | ELLIPTICAL | G | 6 | Chris Waller | 90 |
| 10 | 61x1424x24 | GALLANT STAR | G | 6 | Brett Robb | 88 |
| 11 | 20320×9006 | GREBENI | G | 6 | Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou | 90 |
| 12 | 2x4162x623 | HOLLYWOOD HERO (NZ) | G | 6 | Bjorn Baker | 88 |
| 13 | 7619x5x090 | JOJO WAS A MAN | G | 8 | John Thompson | 92 |
| 14 | 7x59x85631 | KINTYRE | G | 5 | Gary Portelli | 92 |
| 15 | 31144x80x0 | KONASANA | M | 5 | Chris Waller | 102 |
| 16 | 6324×31561 | MAGNATEAR | G | 6 | Richard & Will Freedman | 92 |
| 17 | 3x321359x8 | MARE OF MT BULLER | M | 5 | Chris Waller | 94 |
| 18 | 03x10x2085 | MCHALE | G | 5 | Chris Waller | 98 |
| 19 | 3330x11x84 | MELODY AGAIN | M | 6 | Scott Singleton | 97 |
| 20 | 1438×121 | MERIDIANA (NZ) | M | 4 | John Sargent | 84 |
| 21 | x4850644x0 | PHEARSON | G | 8 | Brad Widdup | 92 |
| 22 | x897x00078 | PORT LOCKROY | H | 5 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | 100 |
| 23 | 03199248×8 | POUNCE (USA) | M | 5 | Chris Waller | 98 |
| 24 | 22x02177x7 | ROBUSTO | G | 6 | Bjorn Baker | 108 |
| 25 | 1x1x0x7946 | SHADIZI (FR) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | 96 |
| 26 | 6250x00x30 | TERRITORY EXPRESS | G | 6 | Paul Niceforo | 103 |
| 27 | 774841744x | TOURISTIC (GB) | G | 7 | Peter Snowden | 94 |
| 28 | 1x64x01006 | WATERFORD (IRE) | G | 7 | Chris Waller | 105 |
| 29 | 030x7970x3 | XIDAKI | G | 5 | Peter Snowden | 94 |
| 30 | 311x2111x0 | YORKSHIRE | G | 5 | John O’Shea & Tom Charlton | 97 |
| 31 | 1x1733051x | YOU WAHNG | M | 4 | Kris Lees | 100 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
Festival Stakes History
The Festival Stakes was first run in 1948 and won by Cragside. Since then, a number of quality contenders have taken out the Sydney showdown including Headstrong (1994), Ike’s Dream (2004), Monton (2011), I’m Imposing (2014) and inaugural Five Diamonds winner the following spring Ellsberg (2021).
The event has run at both Rosehill Racecourse as well as Canterbury Park and has also undergone a number of distance changes. It has been run over its current 1500m distance since 2008. It was inaugurated as a Principal race before gaining Listed status in 1979 – 2015. The Festival Stakes was elevated to a Group 3 race for the first time in 2016.
Recent Festival Stakes Winners
See below for the full list of Festival Stakes winners and results going back to 2000.
| Year | Place | Horse | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Â | |||
| 2025 Festival Stakes |
1st | Yorkshire | 1 minute 29.36 seconds |
| 2nd | Arctic Glamour | ||
| 3rd | Melody Again | ||
| Â | |||
| 2024 Festival Stakes |
1st | Private Eye | 1 minute 30.46 seconds |
| 2nd | Robusto | ||
| 3rd | Xidaki | ||
| Â | |||
| 2023 Festival Stakes |
1st | Phearson | 1 minute 29.04 seconds |
| 2nd | Williamsburg | ||
| 3rd | Rustic Steel | ||
| Â | |||
| 2022 Festival Stakes |
1st | Dajraan | 1 minute 27.96 seconds |
| 2nd | Mirra Vision | ||
| 3rd | Kirwan’s Lane | ||
| Â | |||
| 2021 Festival Stakes |
1st | Ellsberg | 1 minute 32.04 seconds |
| 2nd | Stockman | ||
| 3rd | Bandersnatch | ||
| Â | |||
| 2020 Festival Stakes |
1st | Outrageous | 1 minute 29.25 seconds |
| 2nd | Royal Celebration | ||
| 3rd | Evalina | ||
| Â | |||
| 2019 Festival Stakes |
1st | Ranier | 1 minute 29.46 seconds |
| 2nd | Live And Free | ||
| 3rd | Cellarman | ||
| Â | |||
| 2018 Festival Stakes |
1st | My Nordic Hero | 1 minute 29.10 seconds |
| 2nd | Goodfella | ||
| 3rd | Chamois Road | ||
| Â | |||
| 2017 Festival Stakes |
1st | Testashadow | 1 minute 31.67 seconds |
| 2nd | Mister Sea Wolf | ||
| 3rd | Red Excitement | ||
| Â | |||
| 2016 Festival Stakes |
1st | Sweet Redemption | 1 minute 29.63 seconds |
| 2nd | Hazzabeel | ||
| 3rd | Red Excitement | ||
| Â | |||
| 2015 Festival Stakes |
1st | Mighty Lucky | 1 minute 29.49 seconds |
| 2nd | It’s Somewhat | ||
| 3rd | Peace Force | ||
| Â | |||
| 2014 Festival Stakes |
1st | I’m Imposing | 1 minute 28.51 seconds |
| 2nd | Estonian Princess | ||
| 3rd | Strawberry Boy | ||
| Â | |||
| 2013 Festival Stakes |
1st | White Sage | 1 minute 30.0 seconds |
| 2nd | Terravista | ||
| 3rd | Alma’s Fury | ||
| Â | |||
| 2012 Festival Stakes |
1st | Malavio | 1 minute 28.72 seconds |
| 2nd | Monton | ||
| 3rd | Galah | ||
| Â | |||
| 2011 Festival Stakes |
1st | Monton | 1 minute 28.63 seconds |
| 2nd | Lightinthenite | ||
| 3rd | Viva Las | ||
| Â | |||
| 2010 Festival Stakes |
1st | Race Not Run | – |
| 2nd | – | ||
| 3rd | – | ||
| Â | |||
| 2009 Festival Stakes |
1st | Rabbuka | 1 minute 28.72 seconds |
| 2nd | Parfumier | ||
| 3rd | Ahdashim | ||
| Â | |||
| 2008 (December) Festival Stakes |
1st | Voice Commander | 1 minute 29.25 seconds |
| 2nd | Synonym | ||
| 3rd | Theophorus | ||
| Â | |||
| 2008 (January) Festival Stakes |
1st | Eremein | 1 minute 33.92 seconds |
| 2nd | Lancaster Park | ||
| 3rd | Beauty Watch | ||
| Â | |||
| 2007 Festival Stakes |
1st | Race Not Run | – |
| 2nd | – | ||
| 3rd | – | ||
| Â | |||
| 2006 Festival Stakes |
1st | Utzon | 1 minute 22.69Â seconds |
| 2nd | Anwaar | ||
| 3rd | Real Strike | ||
| Â | |||
| 2005 Festival Stakes |
1st | Spirit Of Tara | 1 minute 24.83 seconds |
| 2nd | Our Apache | ||
| 3rd | Benedetti | ||
| Â | |||
| 2004 Festival Stakes |
1st | Ike’s Dream | 1 minute 21.82 seconds |
| 2nd | Sam Sung A Song | ||
| 3rd | Rinehart | ||
| Â | |||
| 2003 Festival Stakes |
1st | This Manshood | 1 minute 22.69 seconds |
| 2nd | Palladium Star | ||
| 3rd | Salagado | ||
| Â | |||
| 2002 Festival Stakes |
1st | This Manshood | 1 minute 23.98 seconds |
| 2nd | Gabfest | ||
| 3rd | Raw Instinct | ||
| Â | |||
| 2001 Festival Stakes |
1st | Nanny Maroon | 1 minute 22.35Â seconds |
| 2nd | Play Station | ||
| 3rd | Osca Warrior | ||
| Â | |||
| 2000 Festival Stakes |
1st | Adam | 1 minute 17.02 seconds |
| 2nd | Mr. Innocent | ||
| 3rd | Steel City | ||
next to go
