Festival Stakes 2023 Race Details
Race 7 at Rosehill Racecourse on Saturday the 2nd of December 2023.
The Festival Stakes is a Group 3 race held at Rosehill Racecourse and is run over 1500 metres. It is run under quality handicap conditions for horse aged three-years-old and older. The total prize money is $250,000 this year.
You can read more about the race history, lead-up races, and past winners on the Festival Stakes page.
Festival Stakes 2023 Preview
Track: Good Weather: Fine
Open race. Vilana is well placed in this and hard to beat from the kind draw. Grebeni has a task from the wide draw but can give this race a shake. Rustic Steel goes in the mix from the good draw. Finepoint should get a nice run in transit from barrier 1. Phearson has been racing well and presents very good value in in this with Tom Sherry doing the steering.
Festival Stakes 2023 Runner by Runner
1. Vilana (3) – SCRATCHED
2. Rustic Steel (6)
Classy runner that has a very good winning strike rate. Goes in the mix in this and will get a great run from the draw.
3. Banju (15)
Can’t have.
4. Dajraan (13)
Hasn’t found form for a while. Respect any market moves.
5. Finepoint (1)
Classy when on song but has been mixing form and barrier 1 may not suit its running pattern. Inclined to respect any market moves.
6. Rubamos (10)
Can’t have.
7. Phearson (5)
Keen to have Phearson on top. Doesn’t have much to find on the favourite and gets a much more suitable map. I could’t have them so far apart price wise.
8. Felix Majestic (2)
Maps to get a lovely run from the draw but has been up a long time this prep and there is a query if any fuel will be left in the tank by now.
9. Jamberoo (18)
Can’t have.
10. Chase My Crown (8) – SCRATCHED
11. Military Expert (9)
Capable of landing open the speed and giving a kick. Hard to catch but not out of this.
12. Love Tap (16)
Can’t have.
13. Superium (14)
Getting hard to catch. Prefer others.
14. Williamsburg (17)
Tough ask from out there but has enough ability to be winning a race of this depth. Goes in the mix.
15. Acquitted (12)
Goes in the mix and has the finale to beat these. The map is okay from barrier 12 with its running pattern as it will be getting back anyways. Top 3 chance.
16. Glint Of Silver (4) – SCRATCHED
17. Grebeni (11)
Barrier comes in with scratchings but not much between Grebeni and Phearson when they met. Sliding with the latter who is double the price.
18. Tazaral (7)
Can’t have.
Festival Stakes 2023 Tips
The following are the top 4 selections for this years race.
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Bryce Parker’s Tips
|
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| 7 Phearson | ||
| 2 Rustic Steel | ||
| 8 Felix Majestic | ||
| 11 Military Expert |
Previews for other races this week
Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes 2023 (Ascot 1200m)
Listed Sir Ernest Lee-Steere Classic 2023 (Ascot 1400m)
Listed Jungle Dawn Classic 2023 (Ascot 1400m)
Listed Christmas Cup 2023 (Rosehill 2400m)
Group 3 George Moore Stakes 2023 (Doomben 1200m)
Group 2 Zipping Classic 2023 (Caulfield 2400m)
Group 2 Sandown Guineas 2023 (Caulfield 1600m)
Group 3 Summoned Stakes 2023 (Caulfield 1600m)
Group 3 Eclipse Stakes 2023 (Caulfield 1800m)
Group 3 Kevin Heffernan Stakes 2023 (Caulfield 1400m)
Festival Stakes 2023 Race Results
| Result | Horse | Margin |
| 1st | 7 Phearson | |
| 2nd | 14 Williamsburg | 0.06 length |
| 3rd | 2 Rustic Steel | 0.73 length |
| 4th | 13 Superium | 1.06 lengths |
Comments: Protest 2nd (Williamsburg) against 1st (Phearson) – DISMISSED
The track was rated as Soft 5.
Scratchings: 1. Vilana, 6. Rubamos, 9. Jamberoo, 10. Chase My Crown, 12. Love Tap, 15. Acquitted, 16. Glint Of Silver.