Winterbottom Stakes

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 million 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.

2020 Winterbottom Stakes betting odds

Despite Covid-19 restrictions, Godolphin trained galloper Trekking heads up the 2020 Winterbottm Stakes market at $2.50 for all-in markets.

Having finished second in the Manikato Stakes after a massive run in The Everest the start prior, the James Cummings trained gelding is the clear class horse in nominations and will be the one to go past if connections opt to send him there to build on his 4th place effort in last year’s event and punters can get odds of $2.50 for the market elect.

The undefeated Clairvoyance is on the second line of betting after dominating every race she has been a part so far in her three year old season, and if punters think she can toppled Trekking in the 2020 Winterbottom Stakes, they can get odds of $9.00. She shares the second line of betting with Elite Street, Indian Pacific and Stageman.

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:

Sport Table

2019 Winterbottom Stakes result

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. They include the Birthday Stakes, R.S. Crawford Stakes, Prince of Wales Stakes and Colonel Reeves Stakes

In recent times, Buffering tackled the group 1 VRC Sprint Classic (formerly the Darley Classic) at Flemington on both occasions prior to his Winterbottom Stakes triumphs.

Recent Winterbottom Stakes winners

• 2019: Hey Doc Winds Back The Clock
  In a near perfect front-running ride from Luke Currie, Hey Doc wound back the clock and absolutely bolted in the 2019 Winterbottom Stakes by nearly two and a half lengths. He stacked the field up entering the home straight and when asked for an effort by Currie he showed a quick turn of foot, and never looked in danger of getting run down. The Group 1 success was the first for Tony & Calvin McEvoy as a father/son partnership.
• 2018: Voodoo Lad causes Weir-sized boilover
  All the pre-race chatter was about Viddora heading into the 2018 Winterbottom Stakes, but when the champ failed to present a winning threat at any stage the race was wide open. Coming into the straight there was a number of chances but it was Malaguerra, Enticing Star and Voodoo Lad that broke away from the pack. Voodoo Lad stormed over the top of them in the shadows of the post to record a famous win for Darren Wier and Damien Oliver.
• 2017: Viddora breaks big race curse
  In 2017 there were few horses that exemplified the “always a bridesmaid” tag more than Viddora in G1 events. Prior to taking part in the Winterbottom Viddora had two G1 second placings and a fourth placed finish in the Manikato Stakes. That all changed in December. Getting a beautiful run in transit in the mid-division the South Australian native shot to the front at the 200m mark and strode clear to record a powerful win. It proved to be a penny drop moment for Viddora, which has since gone on to win G1 events in both South Australia and Victoria.
• 2016: Moore takes out maiden G1 with Takedown
  What a marvelous 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: Brilliant Buffering does it again
  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: WA native Magnifisio holds off interstate invaders
  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: Photo finish sees Buffering win narrow Winterbottom
  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

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