Gilgai Stakes

The Gilgai Stakes is a 1200m sprint at Group 2 level held annually at Flemington Racecourse in early October.

In 2026, the Gilgai Stakes is run for $300,000.

Initially run as a Listed race from 1984-1986, the Gilgai Stakes received Group 3 status until 2006, before becoming a Group 2 event.

Despite it being a Group 2 race, the Gilgai Stakes honour roll stacks up well against many Group 1 sprint races.

Recent winner of the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes include: Private Eye (2022), Kementari (2021), Zoutori (2020), Sunlight (2019), The Quarterback (2016), Chautauqua (2014/2015), Temple Of Boom (2011), Hay List (2010), Belle Du Jour (2001), Hareeba (1994), Redelva (1988) and Placid Ark (1987).

2025 Gilgai Stakes Betting Odds

Odds for the Gilgai Stakes as of October 1 – Courtesy of Neds

• War Machine Win $3.80 Place $1.75
• Star Patrol Win $6.00 Place $2.35
• Nadal Win $7.50 Place $2.70
• La Fracas Win $8.50 Place $2.90
• Payline Win $10.00 Place $3.30
• Stretan Angel Win $12.00 Place $3.80
• West Star Win $13.00 Place $4.00
• Watchme Win Win $14.00 Place $4.20
• She’s Bulletproof Win $14.00 Place $4.20
• Bridal Waltz Win $16.00 Place $4.60
• Airman Win $18.00 Place $5.00
• Royal Insignia Win $19.00 Place $5.50
• Buenos Noches Win $21.00 Place $5.50
• Steparty Win $34.00 Place $8.00
• Willaidow Win $51.00 Place $11.00
• Givemethebeatboys Win $101.00 Place $18.00
• Suparazi Win $126.00 Place $21.00

Best Gilgai Stakes bookmakers

The Gilgai Stakes isn’t one of the star races of the spring carnival, so bookmakers won’t open early all-in markets. Bookmakers will open markets for the Gilgai throughout the week of the race, but punters will still get great odds and the best value.

All of our top racing bookmakers offer betting on the Gilgai Stakes and bookmaker offers will also be available in the days leading up to the race.

Generally the top Gilgai Stakes betting sites will also be accessible via both desktop, mobile (including betting apps) and even via telephone betting. Ir really just depends what you are looking for.

Latest Gilgai Stakes News

War Machine rolling onto The Everest after securing slot

Australia horse racing news, Horse Racing News, New Zealand horse racing news

8 months ago

War Machine has secured a slot into The Everest later this month after impressing in the Gilgai Stakes on Saturday ...

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War Machine ready to take on Ka Ying Rising in The Everest

Australia horse racing news, Horse Racing News, New Zealand horse racing news

8 months ago

David Hayes has a New Zealand-bred superstar heading into the A$20 million Group 1 The Everest (1200m) in two weeks, ...

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Flemington races preview & betting tips | Turnbull Stakes 2025

Horse Racing Tips

8 months ago

Check out HorseBetting's free betting preview, best bets and quaddie tips for Turnbull Stakes Day 2025 at Flemington on Saturday, ...

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Right To Party flashes late to claim Gilgai Stakes

Australia horse racing news

2 years ago

Anthony & Sam Freedman have taken out the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes with Right To Party after Jye McNeil gave ...

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2025 Gilgai Stakes Final Field

No.	Silks	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight
1		War Machine (NZ)	Ben, Will & JD Hayes	Blake Shinn	17	60kg
2		Airman	Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes		9	59kg
3		Willaidow	Marc & Mitchell Conners	Jordan Childs	10	58.5kg
4		West Star	Simon A Miller	Damian Lane	11	58.5kg
5		Watchme Win	Andrew Gluyas		8	58.5kg
6		Givemethebeatboys (IRE)	Michael Freedman	Jye McNeil	1	58.5kg
7		Royal Insignia	Grahame Begg	Craig Williams	7	58.5kg
8		Nadal	Ciaron Maher	James McDonald	6	58kg
9		Buenos Noches	Ciaron Maher	Declan Bates	4	57kg
10		Steparty	Paul Preusker	Mark Zahra	2	57kg
11		Suparazi	Ben Brisbourne	Michael Dee	14	57kg
12		Payline	Chris & Corey Munce	Justin Huxtable	16	57kg
13		Star Patrol	Clinton McDonald	Ben Melham	15	57kg
14		She’s Bulletproof	Charlotte Littlefield	Ben Allen	3	56.5kg
15		Bridal Waltz	Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman	Luke Nolen	13	56.5kg
16		Stretan Angel	Phillip Stokes	Daniel Stackhouse	5	55kg
17e		La Fracas (IRE)	Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)	Jamie Melham	12	57kg

Previous Gilgai Stakes Field

• 2024 Gilgai Stakes field

  No.	Silks	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight
  1		Arkansaw Kid	Ben, Will & JD Hayes	Craig Newitt	13	59kg
  2		Sghirripa	Shane & Cassie Oxlade	Harry Coffey	3	58.5kg
  3		Chain Of Lightning	Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman	Luke Nolen	12	58kg
  4		Magic Time	Grahame Begg	Michael Dee	1	58kg
  5		Ripcord	Luke Fernie	Damian Lane	4	58kg
  6		Press Down	Peter Hardacre	Neil Farley	5	58kg
  7		The Astrologist	Leon & Troy Corstens & Will Larkin	Declan Bates	11	57kg
  8		Laws Of Indices	Phillip Stokes	Thomas Stockdale	7	57kg
  9		Crosshaven	Ben, Will & JD Hayes	Luke Currie	9	57kg
  10		I Am Unstoppable	Ciaron Maher	Mark Zahra	8	57kg
  11		Stretan Angel	Phillip Stokes	Daniel Stackhouse	2	57kg
  12		Johnny Rocker	Nick Ryan	Ben Melham	14	57kg
  13		Jungle Jim	Michael Moroney & Glen Thompson	Jordan Childs	6	57kg
  14		Right To Party	Anthony & Sam Freedman	Jye McNeil	10	56.5kg

• 2023 Gilgai Stakes field

  No.	Silks	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight
  1		Jigsaw	Cindy Alderson	Daniel Moor	4	59kg
  2		Star Patrol	Clinton McDonald	Ben Melham	11	59kg
  3		Snapper	Mike Moroney	Jye McNeil	3	58.5kg
  4		Showmanship	John Leek (Jnr)	Mark Zahra	5	58.5kg
  5		Ashford Street	Ken Elford	Teo Nugent	12	58kg
  6		Outlaws Revenge	Daniel Bowman	Craig Williams	10	58kg
  7		Zoutori	Mathew Ellerton	Damian Lane	2	57kg
  8		Shelby Sixtysix	Danny Williams	Craig Newitt	8	57kg
  9		Fender	Brett Cavanough	Jamie Mott	6	57kg
  10		On The Lead	Richard & Will Freedman	Damien Oliver	13	57kg
  11		Triple Missile	Lindsey Smith	Jamie Kah	14	57kg
  12		Cause For Concern	Shawn Mathrick	Ben Allen	1	57kg
  13		Rocket Tiger	Scott Spackman	Chad Schofield	9	57kg
  14		C’est Magique	Grahame Begg	Michael Dee	7	55kg

• 2022 Gilgai Stakes field

  No.	Silks	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight
  1		Private Eye	Joseph Pride	Joshua Parr	7	60kg
  2		Baller	Tony Gollan	Blake Shinn	12	59kg
  3		The Astrologist	Leon & Troy Corstens	Craig Williams	6	58.5kg
  4		Sirius Suspect	Saab Hasan	Ethan Brown	3	58.5kg
  5		Kemalpasa	Richard & Chantelle Jolly	Jake Toeroek	11	58kg
  6		Roch ‘N’ Horse	Mike Moroney	Patrick Moloney	13	58kg
  7		Tycoonist	Chris Waller	Damien Oliver	10	58kg
  8		Athelric	James Cummings	Jamie Kah	9	58kg
  9		Zoutori	Mathew Ellerton	Damian Lane	1	57kg
  10		Shaquero	Chris Waller	Brett Prebble	4	57kg
  11		Wild Planet	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	Jye McNeil	2	57kg
  12		It’sourtime	Danny O’Brien	John Allen	8	57kg
  13		Swats That	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	Ben Melham	5	55kg

2024 Gilgai Stakes result

Recent Gilgai Stakes winners

• 2024: Right To Party surges to victory
  Right To Party ($5) stormed home late to take out the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes, nabbing Arkansaw Kid ($8) on the line to give Anthony & Sam Freedman their first winner at Flemington. Jungle Jim ($41) set a solid tempo ahead of Sghirripa ($6.50), with Arkansaw Kid camped in behind the leading duo, and they kicked clear at the 400m mark to put a margin on the rest of the field. Jye McNeil, who piloted the winner, gave the daughter of Zoustar an economical run in transit at the back of the field before picking his way through the pack in the concluding stages. It appeared as though Arkansaw Kid was going to hold on in the final 100m; however, Right To Party let down with a blistering turn of foot to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
• 2023: Star Patrol completes Bobbie Lewis/Gilgai double
  Star Patrol ($2.60) has remained undefeated this preparation after taking out the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes at Flemington, with Ben Melham giving the race favourite a great ride. The Clinton McDonald-trained galloper was successful in the Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) first-up and was heavily backed in what seemed to be a weaker Group 2 contest second-up on Saturday. The son of Starspangledbanner jumped well from his wide barrier and held the lead with Snapper ($71.00) and Jigsaw ($8.00), who were closer to the inside running rail. Melham bided his time Star Patrol and he appeared to be losing ground on the quickening leaders, but as soon as he pushed the button, his gelding kicked into overdrive and took the leader with 200m to go. After kicking clear, the winner started to roll in towards the inside running rail, but there was no worries as he was more than a length clear of the runner-up Triple Missile ($8.50).
• 2022: Private Eye thrashes rivals
  Having claimed the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) 12 months prior, the Joe Pride-trained Private Eye (+380) showed his sprinting prowess when claiming the Gilgai Stakes. Having his first run since running second to Alligator Blood in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m), Private Eye made a mess of well-established sprinters. With 300m to go, Private Eye was still spotting the lead at least five lengths, but when Josh Parr asked the star galloper to quicken, he did so nicely and would go on to put 2.25 lengths on Roch ‘N’ Horse (+500) and Baller (+1000) in second and third repsectively.
• 2021: Ollie lifts Kementari to rare victory
  It took an inch perfect steer from Damien Oliver, but Kementari ($9.50) was once again a winner when claiming the 2021 Gilgai Stakes. Having settled last in the small field of eight, Ollie opted to wait until the last possible moment to present Kementari, but when the legendary hoop asked ‘Special K’ to quicken, Kementari managed to wear down straight track specialists Zoutori (+260) and Kemalpasa (+280) by a narrow margin, with Splintex (+450) finishing just over a length behind Kementari in fourth in what was a bunched finish.
• 2020: Zoutori finishes the best in driving finish
  Having claimed the Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality at his last start, the Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra-trained Zoutori (+450) claimed the 2020 Gilgai Stakes in a blanket finish. Having settled just off the speed, Jamie Kah produced Zoutori at the right time and with every stride was grinding down race leader Dollar For Dollar. Zoutori managed to get his head down at the right time to defy Dollar For Dollar (+650), with Kemalpasa (+2000) a neck away in third. Less than a length seperated the first four across the line, with Kementari running on strongly for fourth.
• 2019: Sunlight gets the better of Santa
  It was billed as a match race between Sunlight (+125) and Santa Ana Lane (+270) and the 2019 Gilgai Stakes did not disappoint. Sunlight was always going to have a tactical advantage on her key rival and that proved beneficial as Luke Currie lifted the star mare to victory. The pair managed to lead from barrier to box, but not without a scare as Santa Ana Lane, under Mark Zahra, thundered home to be beaten a half-length in a cracking edition of the Gilgai.

Gilgai Stakes winners

Gilgai Stakes winners pre-2000

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