Angst Stakes Race Information

The Angst Stakes is a 1600 metre set weights plus penalties race for mares four-years-old and up run by the Australian Turf Club in October. It is held at Randwick as part of the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival.

  • Race Type: Group 3
  • Distance: 1600 metres
  • Conditions: Set weights plus penalties, Mares 4YO & upwards
  • Track: Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, New South Wales
  • Prizemoney: $250,000
  • Date: Saturday 14 October 2023

Angst Stakes Race History

See the 2023 Angst Stakes Preview and results.

See the 2022 Angst Stakes Preview and results.

The race was first held in 1994 as a Listed race over 1400m named the Angst Mares Quality Handicap and was won by Sky Watch ridden by Jim Cassidy. From 2005 it has been called the Angst Stakes in honour of a filly that won seven races from 10 starts in 1993. In 2011 and 2012 it was held at Rosehill and was run over 1500m in 2012. In 2013 it returned to Randwick where the distance was increased to the current 1600m and it was upgraded to a Group 3 race.

It takes place on Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes day, and is a guide to later spring races for mare. In 2017 ex-jockey turned trainer Ron Quinton quinellad the race with his top mares Dixie Blossoms and Daysee Doom.

Who was Angst ?

Angst was a grey filly foaled on 26 September 1990 by Kala Dancer out of a mare called Shark. She was bred by G.R Murphie, owned by K G Rook, C G Friend, K R Galpin, R Pittard & L Crichton, and was trained by Noel Mayfield-Smith. Noel selected her from a paddock at a Hunter Valley property, where he said she had the biggest bum he had ever seen on a yearling filly. They named her Angst and she had her first race in a two-year-old maiden at Newcastle where she ran fourth and pulled up very shin sore, and had to be put out for an immediate spell.

Seventeen weeks later on 13 February 1993 she won a 2YO race first up at Newcastle with Mark Peters on board, and followed that with a big win in another 2YO race at Wyong on 25 February 1993 with Craig Carmody riding. Her next start was in the country where she was an unlucky second to Acapulco Queen, in the Wellington Boot on 15 March 1993, after which she was spelled again.

She ran fourth in a 900 metre dash at Newcastle when resuming, but that was the last time she was beaten. On 8 August 1993 she won the Three Year Old RST Handicap at Rosehill before heading for the rich Princess Series. She won the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes on 21 August and then the Furious Stakes on 4 September, both with authority, then won the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes on 18 September at Rosehill by a widening 5 lengths ( a race well worth viewing if you ever get the opportunity). Two weeks later she got a well-deserved Group 1 win when she took out the Flight Stakes at Randwick on 2 October. She was the first filly to win all four legs of the Princess Series and only one other has repeated this feat (Samantha Miss in 2008) although several have taken out three of the four legs.

She was spelled again with plans to bring her back for the Autumn. While in work preparing for the autumn she developed a breathing abnormality and was diagnosed with polyps on the larynx. She was operated on but sadly didn’t leave the operating theatre alive. At the time she had raced 10 times for seven wins and was the best three year old filly in Australia.  It is very fitting to have a race named in her honour.

Useful Facts

Multiple winners: Dixie Blossoms (2016 & 2017);

Fastest time (1600m): Nettoyer (2019) 1:33:15

Leading  jockeys: Jim Cassidy with 4 wins (Little Surfer Girl 2011; Lovemelikearock 2010; Danasia 2001; Sky Watch 1994).

Interesting trivia: Race not run in 2007 due to equine influenza.

Past winners of the Angst Stakes

Winners of past Angst Stakes include Nettoyer (2019), I Am Serious (2018), Dixie Blossoms (2016/2017), Sharnee Rose (2013), Lovemelikearock (2010), Neroli (2008), Zanna (2003), Miss Zoe (2002), Zalinda (1998) and Chlorophyll (1995).

Year Winner Second Third
2023 Renaissance Woman Ausbred Flirt More Secrets
2022 Hope In Your Heart Honeycreeper Finepoint
2021 Mirra Vision More Prophets Kiku
2020 Emeralds Greysful Glamour Nimalee
2019 Nettoyer Delectation Girl Amangiri
2018 I Am Serious Mandylion Dixie Blossoms
2017 Dixie Blossoms Daysee Doom Zenalicious
2016 Dixie Blossoms Lady Le Fay Happy Hannah
2015 Casino Dancer Wine Tales Zarzali
2014 Neena Rock Estonian Princess Danesiri
2013 Sharnee Rose Queenstown Porcellanus
2012 Nocturnelle Angelus Skyerush
2011 Little Surfer Girl Quidnunc Skyerush
2010 Lovemelikearock Shannara Live in Sin
2009 Illuminates Patronyme Love and Kisses
2008 Neroli Lustre Lady Vecchia Roma
2007 Race not run
2006 More Than Lucky Melody A Country Girl
2005 Wild Queen One in a Million Shalimar Sky
2004 Hennessy Waltz Magsaya Wasimah
2003 Zanna Fiammarosa Coupe
2002 Miss Zoe Veloce Palidamah
2001 Danasia Dandify Gypsy Mai
2000 Prenuptial Miss Zoe Briannon
1999 Roseville Fortunata Little Pattie
1998 Zalinda Patou My Halo Broke
1997 Stoneyfell Road Arletty Admiring Glances
1996 Rich Aunty Effervescence Flying Flight
1995 Chlorophyll Georgia Belle Rainbow Reef
1994 Sky Watch Strokes Diversify