Ajax Stakes
Ajax Stakes
Group Two Betting Guide
| Date: | Saturday, March 14, 2026 |
| Location: | Rosehill Gardens – Sydney, New South Wales |
| Prize Money: | $300,000 |
| Distance: | 1500m |
The Ajax Stakes is a Group 2 race run over 1500m under quality handicap conditions at Rosehill by the Australian Turf Club.
Introduced in 1974 and named after Hall of Fame champion Ajax, the race is a key lead-up to the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m), with the winner receiving a ballot exemption.
Four horses have completed the Ajax–Doncaster Mile double, with It’s Somewhat (2017) the most recent.
Initially run over 1200m, the Ajax Stakes shifted to 1400m (1979-1983) before settling at 1500m in 1984.
The Ajax Stakes gained Listed status in 1980, became Group 3 in 1984, and was upgraded to Group 2 in 2006.
The last mare to win was Sea Pictures (1986), while three horses—Catalan Opening, Confiscate, and It’s Somewhat—have claimed dual victories.
The 2025 Ajax Stakes, worth $300,000, was won by Iowna Merc, defeating Willaidow and West Of Africa.
Notable past winners include Grand Armee, Soho Square, Poetic King, Messene, Fifty Stars, and I Am Superman.
2026 Ajax Stakes betting odds
The 2026 Ajax Stakes betting odds are expected to open on Monday, March 9, 2026.
How to bet on the Ajax Stakes
All of our top horse betting sites have markets for the Ajax Stakes.
Most of the Sydney Autumn Carnival races have markets opened well in advance and the Group 2 Ajax Stakes is no exception.
Ajax Stakes News
Jockey Zac Lloyd receives a five-meeting suspension for careless riding at Rosehill, missing the Group 1 Tancred Stakes after a ...
The Bjorn Baker-trained Iowna Merc has booked a ticket to the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) after a determined win ...
Check out HorseBetting.com.au's free race-by-race preview & quaddie tips for Coolmore Classic Day at Rosehill on Saturday, March 15, 2025 ...
Democracy Manifest ($6.50) has shown a blistering turn-of-foot to secure victory in the Group 2 Ajax Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill ...
Group 1 racing returns to Rosehill Gardens on Saturday for Coolmore Classic Day. Check out HorseBetting's race-by-race preview of the ...
Nash Rawiller and Matthew Dunn have combined for success with Cepheus in the Group 2 Ajax Stakes at Rosehill on ...
2026 Ajax Stakes Final Field
HorseBetting will update this page when the 2026 Ajax Stakes final field is released on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
Previous Ajax Stakes Fields
No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 
Pericles James Cummings James McDonald 8 59kg 2 Iowna Merc Bjorn Baker Joshua Parr 2 57.5kg 3 Just Fine Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Regan Bayliss 3 57kg 4 Freedom Rally Tony Gollan Tommy Berry 16 56.5kg 5 New Energy Ciaron Maher Kerrin McEvoy 13 56.5kg 6 Rediener Chris Waller Jason Collett 6 56kg 7 Hezashocka Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) Chad Schofield 4 54.5kg 8 New Endeavour Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Rachel King 5 54.5kg 9 Willaidow Marc Conners Zac Lloyd 12 54kg 10 Von Hauke Cliff Brown Bailey Wheeler 7 54kg 11 Ducasse Michael Freedman Tim Clark 1 53kg 12 WilliamsburgBrett CavanoughBraith Nock1153kg13 With Your BlessingJohn ThompsonAlysha Collett1553kg14 West Of Africa Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald Tyler Schiller 10 53kg 15 SibaaqAnnabel Neasham & Rob ArchibaldAshley Morgan1453kg16 Glint Of SilverDavid PfiefferJay Ford953kgNo. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 CepheusMatthew DunnNash Rawiller1359kg2 Detonator Jack Ciaron Maher Jason Collett 2 58kg 3 Phearson Brad Widdup Tom Sherry 3 56.5kg 4 Bold Mac Chris Waller Tommy Berry 11 56kg 5 Democracy Manifest Chris Waller James McDonald 5 56kg 6 Just Folk Gavin Bedggood Michael Dee 14 56kg 7 Palmetto John Sargent Adam Hyeronimus 9 56kg 8 Welwal Chris Waller Kerrin McEvoy 10 55kg 9 Hezashocka Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) Tom Marquand 1 54kg 10 Caesars Palace Anthony Cummings Chad Schofield 12 54kg 11 Glory Daze Ciaron Maher Dylan Gibbons 8 53kg 12 Robusto Chris Waller Tyler Schiller 4 53kg 13 Amor Victorious Bjorn Baker Rachel King 7 53kg 14 Territory Express Paul Niceforo Zac Lloyd 6 53kg
2025 Ajax Stakes result
1st – Iowna Merc (+1000)
2nd – Willaidow (+160)
3rd – West Of Africa (+200)
Recent runnings of the Ajax Stakes:
- Iowna Merc booked his spot in the Doncaster Mile with a narrow but determined victory in the Group 2 Ajax Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill. Trained by Bjorn Baker and ridden by Joshua Parr, the five-year-old gelding edged out Willaidow in a thrilling finish to the $300,000 feature. The pair controlled the race from the outset, and despite pressure from behind, neither Pericles nor Ducasse could reel them in. It marked Iowna Merc’s fourth win this prep and eighth overall, continuing a career-best campaign for the son of Winning Rupert, who now holds a golden ticket into the Group 1 Doncaster Mile.
- Democracy Manifest ($6.50) showed a blistering turn-of-foot to secure victory in the 2024 Group 2 Ajax Stakes (1500m). He was unsuited to the shorter trip in the Group 3 Liverpool City Cup (1300m) first-up into the campaign at Randwick a fortnight ago, but bounced back to his brilliant best, thundering down the outside to claim a gallant Territory Express ($21.00) in the shadows of the post. The race was run at a break-neck tempo courtesy of race favourite Amor Victorious ($5.00) striding across to sit on the outside of Phearson ($10.00) throughout, as the leading pair looked to clear out on their rivals early. It was to their detriment as they both faded when the whips were cracking, while the Ciaron Maher-trained Detonator Jack ($6.00) burst between horses getting to the front, leaving him as a sitting duck for Territory Express and Democracy Manifest, with the latter reigning supreme.
- Nash Rawiller and Matthew Dunn combined for success with Cepheus in the 2023 Group 2 Ajax Stakes at Rosehill. Rawiller pinged the lids and never let up heading for home best, leaving his rivals chasing a long way out. The Chris Waller-trained Waterford looked to loom like the winner down the outside with Brett Prebble aboard, but was never able to head Cepheus who continued to bolt along. Caesars Palace ran on well into third without a lot of luck in the straight, while Bandersnatch was the best of the rest landing fourth spot at the finish.
- Just Folk secured themselves a start in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile after a good win in the 2022 Group 2 Ajax Stakes over 1500m at Rosehill Gardens. Sent out as a $7 chance, the Josh Julius-trained galloper finished off too strongly to win by a neck. The five-year-old gelding had been racing well this preparation, putting the writing on the wall last start after a seventh in the Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes. Ridden by Jason Collett, Just Folk proved too strong for Ellsberg and Kiku in the Group 2 event.
Previous winners of the Ajax Stakes
| Ajax Stakes Past Winners | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Horse | Jockey | Trainer |
| 2025 | Iowna Merc | Joshua Parr | Bjorn Baker |
| 2024 | Democracy Manifest | James McDonald | Chris Waller |
| 2023 | Cepheus | Nash Rawiller | Matthew Dunn |
| 2022 | Just Folk | Jason Collett | Josh Julius |
| 2021 | I Am Superman | Kerrin McEvoy | Peter & Paul Snowden |
| 2020 | Imaging | James McDonald | Chris Waller |
| 2019 | Fifty Stars | Jye McNeil | David & Ben Hayes & Tom Dabernig |
| 2018 | Comin’ Through | Michael Walker | Chris Waller |
| 2017 | It’s Somewhat | William Buick | John O’Shea |
| 2016 | It’s Somewhat | Sam Clipperton | John O’Shea |
| 2015 | Burbero | Brodie Loy | Bjorn Baker |
| 2014 | Messene | James McDonald | Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes |
| 2013 | Havana Rey | Glyn Schofield | Bjorn Baker |
| 2012 | Niagara | Tommy Berry | Gai Waterhouse |
| 2011 | Pureness | Glen Boss | Gai Waterhouse |
| 2010 | Brilliant Light | Jay Ford | Kerry Parker |
| 2009 | Solo Flyer | Corey Brown | Anthony Cummings |
| 2008 | All Silent | Jeff Lloyd | Grahame Begg |
| 2007 | High Cee | Zac Purton | Bart Cummings |
| 2006 | Malcolm | Darren Beadman | John Hawkes |
| 2005 | River to the Sea | Dale Spriggs | Diane Poidevin Laine |
| 2004 | True Glo | Damien Oliver | Lee Freedman |
| 2003 | Grand Armee | Jim Cassidy | Gai Waterhouse |
| 2002 | Mowerman | Corey Brown | John Hawkes |
| 2001 | Galiano | Craig Agnew | Paul O’Sullivan |
| 2000 | Normal Practice | Mathew Cahill | Danny Williams |
Ajax Stakes winners pre-2000
| Ajax Stakes Past Winners Pre 2000 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Horse | ||
| 1999 | Confiscate | ||
| 1998 | Confiscate | ||
| 1997 | Catalan Opening | ||
| 1996 | Catalan Opening | ||
| 1995 | Protara’s Bay | ||
| 1994 | Poetic King | ||
| 1993 | Soho Square | ||
| 1992 | Alderson | ||
| 1991 | From The Planet | ||
| 1990 | Windsor’s Pal | ||
| 1989 | Jondolar | ||
| 1988 | Imprimatur | ||
| 1987 | Mac’s Treasure | ||
| 1986 | Sea Pictures | ||
| 1985 | Royal Troubador | ||
| 1984 | Vite Cheval | ||
| 1983 | C’Est Si Bon | ||
| 1982 | Winter’s Dance | ||
| 1981 | Thumb Print | ||
| 1980 | Lowan Star | ||
| 1979 | Lloyd Boy | ||
| 1978 | Count Rajan | ||
| 1977 | Tiger Town | ||
| 1976 | Wayne’s Bid | ||
| 1975 | Helmsman | ||
| 1974 | Tontonan | ||
Subscribe
Login
0 Comments
Oldest