2023 Queen Of The Turf Stakes preview & best bets | April 8

April 6, 2023 3:59 pm.

What	2023 Queen Of The Turf Stakes
Where	Royal Randwick Racecourse – Alison Rd, Randwick NSW 2031
When	Saturday, April 8, 2023
Prizemoney	$1,000,000
Distance	1600m
Status	Group 1
Conditions	Weight For Age \| Fillies & Mares
2022 winner	Nimalee (6) \| T: Matthew Smith \| J: Damien Oliver (57kg)
Visit Ladbrokes

The 2023 Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes is the last of four Group 1 races on Day 2 of The Championships at Royal Randwick Racecourse. It’s over the 1600m and sees a blockbuster field of 18 fillies and mares set to grace the turf in the penultimate race on the program.

There are several different form-lines converging on this race, with the Group 1 Coolmore Classic providing a guide, as will last Saturday’s Group 1 Doncaster Mile. An intriguing Australian debutant, Alcohol Free, is set to line up against the girls as well, with the four-time Group 1 winner acquired by Yulong and trained out of the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott yard.

2023 QUEEN OF THE TURF STAKES ODDS

Alcohol Free ($3.50) has opened a short-priced favourite with online bookmakers and it’s easy to see why with the quality see brings to the race. Sirileo Miss ($6.50) was an impressive winner of the Group 2 Sunline Stakes and makes her way to Sydney, while Levante ($8) and Hope In Your Heart ($8) share the third line of betting. Fangirl ($11) makes her way from the Doncaster Mile and would love some drying conditions heading into the weekend, whilst Atishu ($14) stormed home in the Group 2 Emancipation Stakes finding some early support. Hinged ($18) and Pride Of Jenni ($21) make up a big contingent of mares at big odds if you’re keen to find some outsiders in the market.

2023 QUEEN OF THE TURF STAKES SPEED MAP

Two Victorian-trained mares look the likely pacemakers in Saturday’s Queen Of The Turf, as Pride Of Jenni (8) and Sirileo Miss (3) will be charging to lead throughout the 1600m journey. Hinged (20) is another galloper that trends forward but from the wide draw looks a tricky task for jockey Joao Moreira to overcome. Atishu (1) has a nasty habit of missing the kick early in her races; however, drawn barrier one on Saturday should see her stalking the pace, with Alcohol Free (2) and Hope In Your Heart (4) not far behind. Levante (13) will be forced back from a wide barrier, as will Fangirl (15) and Roots (18) as to not be cast wide without cover.

Continue reading for HorseBetting’s top selections and $100 betting strategy for the 2023 Queen Of The Turf Stakes.

2023 QUEEN OF THE TURF STAKES FORM & BETTING PREVIEW

Alcohol Free must go one top in this year’s Queen Of The Turf Stakes on her European form alone. You only need to be referencing her latest effort before going for a spell in the Group 1 Sussex Stakes at Goodwood on July 27. She ran less than two-lengths behind Baaeed over the 1600m and was simply outmatched by a star of the turf, and prior to that effort she took out the Group 1 July Cup at Newmarket on July 9. She comes to Australia as a four-time Group 1 winner and has been set a task against the girls that looks to be the perfect first-up assignment for this daughter of No Nay Never. She’s trialled beautifully at Randwick on March 21 since her arrival and if she holds her European form heading into Saturday, she’s a deserving favourite and clearly the one to beat.

Levante won’t be going around without us having something on after an incredible effort in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes behind Anamoe. She was a barnstorming run down the middle of the course and produced the fastest last 600m of the race. She was forced to the widest part of the Rosehill track on March 18 and was the clear flashing light saying “back me next time” and despite the awkward barrier draw, that’s exactly what we’re going to do. Damian Lane takes the reins this time and with any luck throughout the race, Levante is the main danger for the favourite in our opinion.

Fangirl just missed the betting strategy for the race after an incredible performance in last Saturday’s Group 1 Doncaster Mile. Her wheels were spinning a long way out and she just didn’t handle the heavy going at all. She gets back to a race against the girls and profiles in terrific order for a race like this. On a Good 4 surface she’d clearly be a bet in the race, but we don’t think the track will dry out enough for her to chase down the genuine mudlarks in the race like Alcohol Free and Levante.

Atishu was enormous in the Group 2 Emancipation Stakes and is the only galloper we’ve taken from that form. She powered to the line from an unwinnable position and will definitely appreciate the 1600m second-up. We aren’t sure she’s got that Group 1 quality just yet, but a win here wouldn’t shock, and could see her making a trip to Brisbane for there features throughout the winter.

Hinged, Hope In Your Heart and Times Square weren’t far away either as there’s plenty of depth to the field in this 2023 edition of the Queen Of The Turf Stakes.