Winterbottom Stakes
The Australian racing focus shifts from Melbourne to Perth after the spring racing carnival, and the Winterbottom Stakes is one of the main attractions.
The Winterbottom Stakes, one of only three group 1 races in Western Australia, is held under weight-for-age conditions and is considered Perth’s premier sprint event.
The showpiece event of the middle weekend of the Perth Summer Carnival, the Winterbottom Stakes is worth $1,000,000 and is ran over the 1,200m distance at the iconic Ascot racetrack.
The race only achieved group 1 status in 2011, but was first run in 1952, when Raconteur took it out.
2016 was the first time in the race’s history it was run as a stand-alone group 1 race, after being on the same card as the Railway Stakes for many years.
The move of the Winterbottom Stakes to a standalone feature means Ascot will be the first racecourse in the world to hold three group 1 races worth $1 million or more over three consecutive Saturdays. The third one being the closing event of the Perth Summer Carnival, the Kingston Town Classic.
The last running of the race saw Buffering win his second Winterbottom Stakes crown in three years after jumping to the front early and holding off all challengers.
2017 Winterbottom Stakes result
1st – Viddora
2nd – Fuhryk
3rd – Durendal
Best Winterbottom Stakes bookmakers
Markets for the Winterbottom Stakes do not typically emerge months and weeks prior to the race being run given the group 1 calibre horses are pre-occupied on the other side of the country in Melbourne.
Once confirmation of the fields begins to filter in the bookmakers start to open their markets, and once the first group 1 race of the Ascot season concludes – the Railway Stakes – most bookies will make the Winterbottom Stakes a feature event.
Sportsbet.com.au has made a commitment to group 1 racing in this country, and they had the Winterbottom Stakes as a feature event on their front page before any of the other bookies.
The bookies we trust the most are listed below and we recommend anyone interested in betting on the Winterbottom Stakes to visit any of these sites:
Betting on the Winterbottom Stakes
The Winterbottom stakes is a group 1 race so invariably the top sprinting prospects in the country are going to make the journey west to compete at Ascot.
Since its first running, just three horses have managed to go back-to-back.
La Trice (1970-71), Belinda’s Star (1975-76) and Hardrada (2002-03) achieving the three-peat at Ascot.
Only a further three horses have managed to record more than one win in the race.
Mare Ortensia managed to win two Winterbottom Stakes twice back in 2009 and 2011, Asteroid managed the feat back in 1953 and 1955 and more recently superstar sprinter Buffering saluted in both 2013 and 2015.
No horse has ever won the race more than twice.
A number of lead-up races have been used by successful runners in the Winterbottom Stakes.
Recently Buffering tackled the group 1 Darley Classic at Flemington on both occasions prior to his Winterbottom Stakes triumphs.
This year’s winner of the Darley Classic Malaguerra goes around as the $3.20 favourite at Sportsbet.com.au.
Recent Winterbottom Stakes winners
2016: What a marvellous victory for Takedown and a jubilant trainer Gary Moore, who trained his first Australian group one winner in this race. Takedown, paying $9, won by a neck from Sheidel ($8.50) and Rock Magic ($13). Pre-race favourite Terravista, as short as $3.50 on the TAB, was well back in the field after failing to run on despite being in a good position. Read a full report.
2015: Buffering came across to Perth harbouring ambitions of becoming just the six horse to win the Winterbottom Stakes more than once and he did exactly that. Under the urgings of Damian Browne, Buffering surged to the front and held the entire field at bay to record his second Winterbottom win as the $2.50 favourite.
2014: Home town hero Magnifisio repelled the interstate imports as a $7.50 outsider to register her first and only Group 1 win in a tightly contested finish to the race. The WA star held off Waterman’s Bay both in the run to the line and in the Stewards Room after. While second place is now trained in Melbourne, the top four in the Winterbottom Stakes are all regarded as WA horses.
2013: It was that star Buffering again, this time recording his first Winterbottom Stakes win. Fresh off a Darley Classic success in Melbourne, Buffering made the trip across the Nullarbor looking to win a second group 1 title in a month but the Queenslander faced a battle from Victorian Moment Of Change who sprouted wings late in the race.
Buffering eventually got the win in a photo finish.
Full list of Winterbottom Stakes winners
2017 – Viddora
2016 – Takedown
2015 – Buffering
2014 – Magnifisio
2013 – Buffering
2012 – Barakey
2011 – Ortensia
2010 – Hadabeclorka
2009 – Ortensia
2008 – Takeover Target
2007 – Glory Hunter
2006 – Marasco
2005 – Miss Andretti
2004 – Ellicorsam
2003 – Hardrada
2002 – Hardrada
2001 – Fair Alert
2000 – Noble Sky
1999 – Double Blue
1998 – Bradson
1997 – Cranky Tikit
1996 – French Sound
1995 – Jacks Or Better
1994 – Petite Amour
1993 – Sir Tinka
1992 – Barrosa Boy
1991 – M’Lady’s Jewel
1990 – Century God
1989 – Carry A Smile
1988 – Sky Filou
1987 – Placid Ark
1986 – Fimiston
1985 – Jungle Mist
1984 – Casshoney
1983 – Hanging In
1982 – Nitro Lad
1981 – Soldier Of Fortune
1980 – Scarlet Gem
1979 – Asian Beau
1978 – Marjoleo
1977 – Romantic Dream
1976 – Belinda’s Star
1975 – Belinda’s Star
1974 – My Friend Paul
1973 – Starglow
1972 – Acello
1971 – La Trice
1970 – La Trice
1969 – Sherolythe
1968 – Torecan
1967 – Railway Boy
1966 – Aquitania
1965 – Watersan
1964 – Copper Son
1963 – Big Bob
1962 – Nicopolis
1961 – Coco
1960 – On Guard
1959 – Young Filipino
1958 – Bebe Grande
1957 – Fairflow
1956 – Mcharry
1955 – Asteroid
1954 – Chestnut Lady
1953 – Asteroid
1952 – Raconteur
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