Idyllic Prince Stakes

See the 2023 Idyllic Prince Stakes Preview and results

See the 2022 Idyllic Prince Stakes Preview and results

See the 2021 Idyllic Prince Stakes Preview and results

See the 2020 Idyllic Prince Stakes Preview and results

This race was known as the WATC Goodwood Sprint prior to 2015 when it was renamed the Idyllic Prince Stakes in honour of the champion Western Australian sprinter who won the race four years in a row. It has been run since at least 1990 over the distance of 1300m and is the feature race of the day at Belmont racecourse. The great Northerly won this race when resuming as a five-year-old and went on to win the Feehan Stakes, Underwood Stakes, Yalumba Stakes and Cox Plate over the next couple of months. The following year he used it as his first-up race again , and although he didn’t win this he had a marvellous spring in Melbourne again winning the Craiglee Stakes, Underwood Stakes, Turnbull Stakes, Caulfield Cup and his second Cox Plate.

History has shown that five to seven-year-old geldings are most likely to win and barriers one, six and seven have had the most wins.

He was a bay gelding foaled on 19 August 2002 sired by Scenic from the mare Uma Princess. He raced 45 times for 15 wins, ran second 7 times and finished third 7 times. All his races were at either Belmont or Ascot. He was prepared at Bullsbrook by Jim Taylor. Jason Brown rode him for his early races but Jess Carbery (then Jessica Hill) rode him in his first Goodwood Sprint win. Jason rode him for the following three wins of this race.

Idyllic Prince also won the Group 2 Lee Steere Stakes (2009), the Group 3 Prince Of Wales Stakes twice (2007-09) and the Group 3 Asian Beau Stakes (2006). He won prizemoney of over a million dollars which was a lot of money back then. His last race was his 4th consecutive win in this race on 20 August 2011 after which he was retired.

Like the mighty mare Winx he was the winner of four editions of an Australian black type race. This puts him in elite company.

Last mare to win: Wind And A Nod (2015)

Multiple winners: Idyllic Prince (2008, 2009, 2010 & 2011); Arctic Park (2005 & 2007); Tribula (2002 & 2003); Corporate James (1999 & 2000); Wabasso (1996 & 1997)

Fastest time (1300m): Idyllic Prince (2010) 1:16:48

Idyllic Prince Stakes & Farnley Stakes: Wink And A Nod (2015); Idyllic Prince (2009)

Leading jockeys: Jason Brown with 5 wins (Barakey 2014; Idyllic Prince 2009, 2010 & 2011; Tribula 2002). Peter Knuckey has 3 wins (Cavallo Pazzo 2012; Arctic Park 2005 & 2007).

Leading trainers: Jim Taylor with 5 wins (Barakey 2014; Idyllic Prince 2008, 2009, 2010 & 2011). Jim also won as a jockey in 1984 on Easy Float.

Interesting trivia: Jarrad Noske rode 2016 winner Rock Magic and his father Jeff Noske rode 1997 winner Wabasso. Justin Warwick trained 2015 winner Wink And A Nod, his father Trevor trained 1990 winner British Steel.

Winners of past Idyllic Prince Stakes include Northerly (2001).