Northerly Stakes
Northerly Stakes
Group One Betting Guide
| Date: | December 9, 2023 |
| Location: | Ascot Racecourse, Perth |
| Prize Money: | $1,500,000 |
| Distance: | 1800m |
Formerly known as the Kingston Town Classic, the Northerly Stakes is the third and final Group 1 event of the Perth Summer Racing Carnival and the final group one race for Australia in 2023 plus is one of the west’s most recognisable races.
The Northerly Stakes is a weight-for-age conditions race for three-year-olds and older over the 1800m distance.
The Northerly Stakes achieved its Group 1 status back in 1972 but did not have its prize money hit seven figures until 2015.
The race concludes the trilogy of group 1 races ran on three consecutive weekends worth $1 million at Ascot – the only racetrack in the world that can boast this record.
2023 Northerly Stakes betting odds
The 2023 Northerly Stakes odds as of December 4 look like this:
- Zaaki – +150
- A Lot Of Good Men – +700
- Alsephina – +700
- Tuvalu – +700
- Zipaway – +800
- Bustler – +1000
Complete Northerly Stakes odds available at Ladbrokes.
Best Northerly Stakes bookmakers
Given the race is the final Group 1 of the three-week Perth summer racing carnival, the preceding pair of races – the Railway Stakes and the Winterbottom Stakes – take precedence in the market.
Once the Winterbottom Stakes is run and won and bookmakers get a better idea of which horses will be taking part in the Northerly Stakes, markets begin to emerge and punters get a chance to invest their hard earned cash on the race.
The bookies we trust the most are listed below and we recommend anyone interested in betting on the Northerly Stakes to visit any of these sites:
Sport Table
Betting on the Northerly Stakes
The Railway Stakes and the Northerly Stakes have been two of the showpiece events in Western Australian racing for over 20 years, so it stands to reason that owners and trainers would put a premium on doing the double at Ascot.
However, winning two group 1 races in as many weeks is no easy feat.
Just four horses – Better Loosen Up (1989), Old Comrade (2001), Modem (2004), Sniper’s Bullet (2009) – have saluted in both races in a single year.
Winning the Northerly Stakes on multiple occasions is no walk in the park either.
Family Of Man (1976 and 1978), Summer Beau (1996 and 1997), Old Comrade (2000 and 2001), Niconero (2006 and 2008), and Playing God (2010 and 2011) are the only horses who have saluted more than once in the race.
No horse has won the race three or more times.
2023 Northerly Stakes field
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Previous Northerly Stakes Fields
Plenty of Group 1 superstars of the West have won the Northerly Stakes. Check out the previous fields here.
No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 
Cascadian James Cummings James McDonald 12 59kg 2 Dom To Shoot Sean & Jake Casey Paul Harvey 7 59kg 3 Bad Wolf Ashley Maley Natasha Faithfull 3 59kg 4 Startrade Daniel Morton Chris Nicoll 8 59kg 5 Kaptain Kaos Michael Grantham Lucy Warwick 13 59kg 6 God Has Chosen Donna Riordan Shaun O’Donnell 10 59kg 7 Ironclad Will Clarken Brad Rawiller 11 59kg 8 Last Of The LineStephen MillerBrad Parnham359kg9 Notorious One Chris & Michael Gangemi Laqdar Ramoly 15 59kg 10 Trix Of The Trade Colin Webster Troy Turner 16 58.5kg 11 Alaskan God Daniel Morton Chris Parnham 6 58.5kg 12 Steinem Ciaron Maher & David Eustace John Allen 4 57kg 13 Searchin’ Roc’s Jim Taylor Kyra Yuill 14 56.5kg 14 Treasured Star Adam Durrant William Pike 5 56.5kg 15 Bustler Neville Parnham Steven Parnham 9 52kg 16 Amelia’s Jewel Simon Miller Patrick Carbery 1 50kg No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 Regal Power Grant & Alana Williams Patrick Carbery 8 59kg 2 Trap For Fools Lindsey Smith Brad Rawiller 7 59kg 3 Neufbosc Neville Parnham Jason Brown 1 59kg 4 Too Close The Sun Lindsey Smith Joseph Azzopardi 10 59kg 5 Platoon Neville Parnham Steven Parnham 5 59kg 6 Notorious One Chris & Michael Gangemi Clint Johnston-Porter 6 59kg 7 Western Empire Grant & Alana Williams William Pike 9 58.5kg 8 Dance Music Simon Miller Brad Parnham 2 57kg 9 Kissonallforcheeks Daniel Morton Chris Parnham 4 56.5kg 10 Searchin’ Roc’s David Harrison Kyra Yuill 3 50kg
2022 Northerly Stakes result
1st – Amelia’s Jewel ($2.90)
2nd – Ironclad ($12.00)
3rd – Steinem ($3.10)
Recent Northerly Stakes winners
- WA’s superstar three-year-old filly got her crowning moment in the 2022 Northerly Stakes when getting the better of a genuine Group 1 field which Godolphin’s Cascadian. Having drawn barrier one, Patrick Carbery was kick to get the filly off the fence and from there, the race was all but over. She quickened nicely in the home straight and despite being eased down with 50m to go, still put a length on her closest rival in dominant fashion.
- All eyes were on Railway Stakes winner Western Empire and William Pike who were looking to claim two Group 1’s in a fortnight. However, it was the other Grant & Alana Williams runner Regal Power who managed to cause a massive upset having produced a stunning turn of foot from the rear of the field. Having travelled three wide with no cover, Western Empire was always going to be vulnerable late and despite not winning since his success in the 2019 All Star Mile, it was Regal Power who claimed the final Group 1 of the 2021 Australian racing calendar.
- All the crowd were hoping for a fairytale ending of watching Inspirational Girl and William Pike claim both the Railway Stakes and the Kingston Town Classic in the same year however things did not seem to go the way it was planned as Inspirational Girl got stuck at the back of pack while stablemate Truly Great took the moment to shine with Chris Parnham on his back as he had the perfect run on sitting midfield until it was time to strike, winning by 1.89 lengths over Inspirational Girl.
- Neville Parnham enlisted the services of his son Steven Parnham and it proved the winning move where the up and coming filly proved too strong for her rivals after getting the run of the race behind the leaders. The result was under a lenghthm but in the concluding stages it was a victory that never looked in doubt.
- The writing was on the wall for a history making win for Arcadia Queen when William Pike elected to take the ride on the filly. Travelling beautifully in the run Pike unleashed the WA Guineas winner at the turn and she gapped the field, recording one of the most dominant wins in the race’s history.
- The market didn’t give Pounamu much of a chance heading into the Kingston Town Classic but maybe it should have after the Alan Matthews-trained gelding won his second group race in three starts. Settling towards the back of the field with a sharp tempo up front, the grey balanced up beautifully heading into the straight and under a brilliant Patrick Carbery ride the $26 outsider hit the front in the shadows of the post in a strong Classic field.
- The 2016 Kingston Town Stakes came down to a two-horse battle as Scales Of Justice looked to have the race parceled by, but jockey Douglas Whyte didn’t ride his runner out fully and Stratum Star dive-bombed it late. The win continued the stellar run of Darren Weir who added another Group one to his tally.
- The 2015 running of the Kingston Town Classic was arguably the greatest finish in the race’s history. Home town hero Perfect Reflection and fellow Western Australian Delicacy were well back in the field at the 400m but surged to the front as the line drew close locked in a fierce battle. The pair stretched away from the field to lock horns in an epic battle that Perfect Reflection won in a photo. Truly one for the ages.
- Moriarty came across to Perth from Sydney carrying the weight of expectation given champion trainer Chris Waller was chasing his tenth group 1 win of the 2014/15 season. Moriatry, alongside Disposition, was the $4.50 favourite pre-race and the market looked to have the race spot on as the pair separated from the field in the latter stages of the race. Disposition looked to have the Waller runner’s measure but in the last 50m Moriatry found an additional effort to win in a photo finish.
- Three-year-old Ihtsahymn came into the race as one of the top elects in the market and looked to have the race won after he sped away from dual Kingston Town Classic winner Playing God at the 300m mark. Ihtsahymn raced clear of the field and did enough to hold out a fast finishing race favourite Lucky Grey to record the solitary group 1 win of his career.
Past Northerly Stakes winners list
| Northerly Stakes Past Winners | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Horse | Jockey | Trainer |
| 2022 | Amelia’s Jewel | Patrick Carbery | Simon Miller |
| 2021 | Regal Power | Patrick Carbery | Grant & Alana Williams |
| 2020 | Truly Great | Chris Parnham | Grant & Alana Williams |
| 2019 | Kay Cee | Steven Parnham | Neville Parnham |
| 2018 | Arcadia Queen | William Pike | Grant & Alana Williams |
| 2017 | Pounamu | Patrick Carbery | Alan Mathews |
| 2016 | Stratum Star | Damian Lane | Darren Weir |
| 2015 | Perfect Reflection | William Pike | Grant Williams |
| 2014 | Moriarty | Douglas Whyte | Chris Waller |
| 2013 | Ihtsahymn | Steven Parnham | Fred Kersley |
| 2012 | Luckygray | Shaun O’Donnell | Gino Poletti |
| 2011 | Playing God | Steven Parnham | Neville Parnham |
| 2010 | Playing God | Steven Parnham | Neville Parnham |
| 2009 | Sniper’s Bullet | Damien Oliver | Tracey Bartley |
| 2008 | Niconero | Brad Rawiller | David Hayes |
| 2007 | Megatic | Paul Harvey | Alby Beckett |
| 2006 | Niconero | Brad Rawiller | David Hayes |
| 2005 | Early Express | Jason Whiting | Peter Giadresco |
| 2004 | Modem | Paul Harvey | Trevor Andrews |
| 2003 | True Steel | Clint Harvey | Maxine Payne |
| 2002 | Blevvo | Peter Farrell | David Harrison |
| 2001 | Old Comrade | Paul Harvey | Paul Harvey |
| 2000 | Old Comrade | Paul Harvey | Paul Harvey |
Northerly Stakes past winners (pre-2000)
| Northerly Stakes Past Winners Pre 2000 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Horse | ||
| 1999 | St Clemens Belle | ||
| 1998 | Old Nick | ||
| 1997 | Summer Beau | ||
| 1996 | Summer Beau | ||
| 1995 | Forge On | ||
| 1994 | Island Morn | ||
| 1993 | Credit Account | ||
| 1992 | Red Javelin | ||
| 1991 | Old Role | ||
| 1990 | Bar Landy | ||
| 1989 | Better Loosen Up | ||
| 1988 | Vo Rgoue | ||
| 1987 | Doodlakine Lass | ||
| 1986 | Military Plume | ||
| 1985 | Rant And Rave | ||
| 1984 | Importune | ||
| 1983 | Bounty Hawk | ||
| 1982 | Kingston Town | ||
| 1981 | Little Imagele | ||
| 1980 | Sovereign Red | ||
| 1979 | Mighty Kingdom | ||
| 1978 | Family Of Man | ||
| 1977 | Stormy Rex | ||
| 1976 | Family Of Man | ||