Winx Stakes Race Information

The Winx (previoulsy Warwick) Stakes is a 1400 metre weight-for-age race run by the Australian Jockey Club. The race is held in August at Randwick during the early part of the  Sydney Spring Racing Carnival. It is now the first Group 1 race of the racing year.

  • Race Type: Group 1
  • Distance: 1400 metres
  • Conditions: Open WFA, 3YO & upwards
  • Track: Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, New South Wales
  • Prizemoney: $1,000,000
  • Date: Saturday 24 August 2024

Winx Warwick Stakes Race History

See the 2024 Winx Stakes Preview and results.

See the 2023 Winx Stakes Preview and results.

See the 2022 Winx Stakes Preview and results.

See the 2021 Winx Stakes tips, preview and runner by runner.

See the 2020 Winx Stakes Preview and results.

The race was first held as the Warwick Stakes over 8 furlongs (about 1600 metres) in 1923 and was won by Sunburst. In 1938 the distance became 7 furlongs (about 1400 metres) but it was held over 1300m in 2000 and 2001. It became a Group 2 race in 1979, and in 2018 it was elevated to Group 1 status and renamed the Winx Stakes in honour of the champion mare who won it in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

The race is rarely contested by three-year-olds as it is too early in the spring, although Lonhro won as a 3YO in 2001. In recent years many of the winners have been having their first start from a spell. The race is a good lead-up to the George Main Stakes held four weeks later, and the Epsom Handicap. Mares have a great record in this race.

Useful Facts

Last mare to win: Fangirl (2023)

Last 3YO to win: C&G – Trusting (2009); Filly – Silver Shadow (1975)

Multiple winners: Winx (2016, 2017 & 2018); Lonhro (2001 & 2003); Filante (1996 & 1997): Super Impose (1990 & 1991); Kingston Town (1980, 1981 & 1982); Gay Gauntlet (1965 & 1967); Sky High (1961 & 1962); Tarien (1953 & 1954); San Domenico (1950 & 1951); Chatham (1933 & 1934); Johnnie Jason (1931 & 1932); Limerick (1927, 1928 & 1929).

Fastest time (1400m): Samadoubt (2001) 1:21:05

Interesting trivia:

Past winners of the Winx Stakes

This race is the first Group 1 for the spring carnival and attracts many quality horses preparing for longer races as well as fitter sprinter-milers who target this race at the end of a winter campaign. Many Warwick Stakes winners have gone on to win the George Main Stakes and a few have gone on to win the Epsom Handicap, Cox Plate and Caulfield Cup. The race has never produced a Melbourne Cup winner.

About a dozen horses have won the race on multiple occasions with three horses having won it three times – Winx (2016, 2017 and 2018), Kingston Town (1980, 1981 and 1982) and Limerick (1927, 1928 and 1929). Past winners include many famous racehorses including Winx, Lonhro, Sunline, Filante, Shaftesbury Avenue, Super Impose, Kingston Town, Sky High, Tulloch and Flight. Jockey Darby Munro won the race 6 times between 1935 and 1954.

Year Winner Second Third
2024 Via Sistina Zougotcha Fangirl
2023 Fangirl Princess Grace Zaaki
2022 Anamoe Fangirl Profondo
2021 Mo’unga Verry Elleegant She’s Ideel
2020 Verry Elleegant Star of the Seas Fierce Impact
2019 Samadoubt Happy Clapper Invincible Gem
2018 Winx Invictus Prince D’argento
2017 Winx Foxplay Ecuador
2016 Winx Hartnell Rebel Dane
2015 Royal Descent Pornichet Messene
2014 Tiger Tees Royal Descent Criterion
2013 Veyron Streama Rain Affair
2012 Pinwheel Secret Admirer Danleigh
2011 Pinwheel Ilovethiscity Startsmeup
2010 Metal Bender Triple Honour Danleigh
2009 Trusting O’Lonhro Mr Baritone
2008 Racing to Win Gallant Tess Danzippo
2007  ** Race not run **
2006 Court’s in Session Racing to Win Desert War
2005 Sir Dex Dizelle Sportsman
2004 Private Steer So Assertive Niello
2003 Lonhro Clangalang Defier
2002 Defier Lonhro Republic Lass
2001 Lonhro Diamond Dane Shogun Lodge
2000 Al Mansour Hire Celestial Choir
1999 Sunline Tie The Knot Referral
1998 What Can I Say Star Covet Tie The Knot
1997 Filante Quick Flick Juggler
1996 Filante Saintly Dupain
1995 Star Dancer Stony Bay Our Mr Woodman
1994 March Hare Slight Chance Kingston Bay
1993 Prince Of Praise Silk Ali Soho Square
1992 Shaftesbury Avenue Super Impose Quick Score
1991 Super Impose Livistona Lane Royal Creation
1990 Super Impose Eastern Classic Chaleyer
1989 Groucho Palace Revolt Card Shark
1988 Flotilla Never Quit Wong
1987 Pablo’s Pulse Targlish Cool Deal
1986 Riverdale Sea Pictures Manuan
1985 Castanillia Rising Prince Riverdale
1984 Phillip Bounty Hawk Getting Closer
1983 Yoyangamble Chiamare Making Time
1982 Kingston Town Rare Form Ksar Royal
1981 Kingston Town Belmura Lad Al’s Gamble
1980 Kingston Town Blockbuster Milluna’s Gem
1979 Gypsy Kingdom Romantic Dream Bernard
1978 Party’s Pride Ashbah Just A Steal
1977 Proficient Regalis Dear John
1976 Purple Patch Titan Star Mansingh
1975 Silver Shadow Leica Lover Leilani
1974 Jenarkol Purple Patch Drifted In
1973 Longfella Joint Venture Major Luck
1972 Nippon Gunsynd
Royal Show
 * dead-heat 2nd
1971 Ricochet Baguette Magnus
1970 Royal Show King Bogan Cabochon
1969 Fair Law Nauson Rajah Sahib
1968 Swift Peter Cottonon Rajah Sahib
1967 Gay Gauntlet Prince Max Karloon Pride
1966 Prince Max Mystic Glen Brandy Lad
1965 Gay Gauntlet Eskimo Prince Brandy Lad
1964 Reveille Summer Fair Gaterus
1963 Cele’s Image Wenona Girl Prince Regoli
1962 Sky High Tipperary Star Wenona Girl
1961 Sky High Kilsherry Summer Fair
1960 Sparkler Second Earl Martello Towers
1959 Up And Coming Supertax Perouse
1958 Grey Ghost Prince Darius Wiggle
1957 Tulloch Prince Jambo Kingster
1956 El Khobar Syntax Caranna
1955 Prince Cortauld Somerset Fair Advocate
1954 Tarien Prince Cortauld Carioca
1953 Tarien Carioca Advocate
1952 Foreign Exchange Davey Jones Sea Sovereign
1951 San Domenico Oversight Davey Jones
1950 San Domenico The Groom Snowstream
1949 The Groom King’s Coin Dark Marne
1948 Septet Heroic Sovereign Proctor
1947 Victory Lad Shannon Prince Consort
1946 Berborough Magnificent Abbeville
1945 Removal Modulation Melhero
1944 Flight Katanga Tribal
1943 Katanga Winnipeg Yaralla
1942 Yaralla Winnipeg Rimveil
1941 High Caste Freckles Kindergarten
Lucrative
1940 Beaulivre Reading Buzalong
1939 Defaulter Feminist
St Constant
 * dead heat 2nd
1938 Stretto Gold Rod Royal Chief
1937 Allunga Talking Mala
1936 Talking Lough Neagh Cuddle
1935 Rogilla
Silver King
 * dead heat 1st Sacherie
1934 Chatham Nightly Limarch
1933 Chatham Kuvera Rogilla
1932 Johnnie Jason Veilmond Inflation
1931 Johnnie Jason Cypress Chide
1930 Amounis Phar Lap Nightmarch
1929 Limerick Mollison Winalot
1928 Limerick Winalot Statesman
1927 Limerick Amounis Commendation
1926 Windbag Valicare Rapine
1925 Whittier The Hawk Pantheon
1924 Glentruin Father’s Voice Braehead
1923 Sunburst The Monk Polytheist

From the archives:

Warwick Stakes Preview & Tips 2018

Track: Good  Weather: Fine

There is a field of 11 for the $500,000 Winx Stakes. Winx is the odds-on favourite after winning this race for the last 2 years and she is aiming for her 26th consecutive win, which will break the Australian record of 25 consecutive wins set by Black Caviar. It is almost impossible to see any other horse beating her in the race they renamed to honour her. Second favourite is Randwick Guineas winner Kementari who James Cummings says is a genuine hope as he loves the track, the distance and ran on strongly for a close 2nd in the Missile Stakes when resuming. Third favourite is D’argento who has won 2 from 2 first-up, and was 4th in the Doncaster before spelling.

Ace High was a close 2nd in the Australian Derby at the end of last campaign and protested unsuccessfully against the winner, but has already won two Group 1’s. Unforgotten is the only other mare in the race apart from the favourite and won the Australian Oaks before spelling. Religify has won twice at Randwick before. The other 5 runners are all currently at odds of 100 to 1 or longer. Enjoy the race as history should be made.

The following are the top 4 selections from our tipster panel for this year’s race.

Jo’s Tips
10 Winx
7 Kementari
9 D’argento
4 Cabeza de Vaca