Epona Stakes

The 2017 Epona Stakes is a Group 3 race that takes place annually at Rosehill racecourse in March each year.

Run over a distance of 1,900 metres, the Epona Stakes is held as part of Golden Slipper betting day of the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival. The Epona Stakes is run under set weights plus penalties conditions and is open to fillies and mares aged three-years-old and upwards only. The race is currently worth a total of [cf prize_money] in prize money.

The Epona Stakes was traditionally raced as a Listed race, however, it was upgraded to Group 3 in 2012. Horses that contest the Epona Stakes have often come via races such as the Listed Sky High Stakes or the Listed Aspiration Quality earlier in the month.

Those horses that perform well in the Epona Stakes will typically go on to run in races like the Group 3 Neville Sellwood Stakes, the Group 3 Adrian Knox Stakes or the Group 1 AJC Oaks later in the autumn carnival.

The Epona Stakes is run on Rosehill Guineas Day in Sydney and is held alongside the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas, Group 2 Magic Night Stakes, Group 2 Pago Pago Stakes, Group 2 Ajax Stakes, Group 3 Birthday Card Stakes, Listed NE Manion Quality Cup and Listed Darby Munro Stakes.

The Epona Stakes is named after the Celtic (and later Roman) goddess Epona, who was considered the protector of horses and played an important role in the after-life, in which souls went for a horse ride.

2017 Epona Stakes Field

The Epona Stakes field attracts some of the most accomplished fillies and mares from around the country, many of them hailing from successful and well-known stables. In recent years, a high number of horses have begun targeting the Epona Stakes field as part of their campaign, using the race as a lead-up event to later feature races.

The 2017 Epona Stakes field is published here.

No Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Hcp Rating
1 x850202x09 AMBIENCE John O’Shea William Buick 11 57kg 99
2 15137×8911 ELLE LOU Chris Waller Glyn Schofield 1 56kg 98
3 1x740870x6 GABELLA (FR) David & B Hayes & T Dabernig Craig Williams 2 55kg 89
4 42x9533x32 ALEGRIA John O’Shea Corey Brown 7 54kg 93
5 130x6333x6 HAPPY HANNAH Peter & Paul Snowden Kerrin McEvoy 4 54kg 93
6 480×335234 SONG AND LAUGHTER Richard Litt Jason Collett 6 54kg 89
7 318×193123 VANDANCER (NZ) Michael Moroney Tommy Berry 3 54kg 85
8 224611×457 SOFIN Shannon Fry Tim Clark 5 54kg 83
9 142×218 TOP OF MY LIST Anthony & Edward Cummings Regan Bayliss 13 54kg 74
10 213×31 CONSOMMATEUR (NZ) Michael Kent Dwayne Dunn 12 54kg 68
11 70×5892510 ROSE’S SONG Steven O’Brien Christian Reith 10 54kg 64
12 x424184x13 O’REILLY’S ANGEL (NZ) Bryce Heys Jay Ford 9 54kg 61
13 2741600×36 LAMMA HILTON Anthony & Edward Cummings Ms Katelyn Mallyon 8 53kg 62

2017 Epona Stakes Nominations

The Epona Stakes nominations are usually announced on the Monday prior to the race. As a result, punters have almost a week to look over the potential contenders (particularly as the field is finalised on the Wednesday.

The 2017 Epona Stakes nominations will be provided below.

Epona Stakes Results

The Epona Stakes results, place getters and winning times since 2000 are below.

Year Results Winning Time
2017 1 Consommateur 2 Ambience 3 Top Of My List 2:06.4
2016 1 Vergara 2 Heavens Above 3 Sweet Fire 1:56.8
2015 1 Scratchy Bottom 2 Rising Romance 3 Telepathic  1:57.3
2014 1 Intimate Moment 2 Any Day Will Do 3 Epingle  2:00.1
2013 1 Aliyana Tilde 2 Epingle 3 Dolly Dolly  1:55.8
2012 1 Fibrillation 2 Crafty Irna 3 Once Were Wild  1:57.6
2011 1 Galizani 2 Vivid Vixen 3 Vintedge  1:57.0
2010 1 Messenger 2 Pagan Princess 3 Jessicabeel  1:59.8
2009 1 Divine Rebel 2 Prima Nova 3 Risayla  1:58.5
2008 1 Ready To Lift 2 My Lady’s Chamber 3 Reggie  1:57.7
2007 1 Safwa 2 Grey Stream 3 Upper Echelon  1:55.6
2006 1 Kosi Bay 2 Fantasia 3 Sun Song  1:57.8
2005 1 Natural Woman 2 Cincinnati Gal 3 Clevedon  1:55.1
2004 1 Great Anna 2 Vereza 3 Thundarosa  1:56.6
2003 1 Airlie Bird 2 Talista Belle 3 Honor Babe  1:55.8
2002 1 Itze 2 Floridays 3 Call Me Lily  1:58.4
2001 1 Market Price 2 Poppett 3 The Druidess  1:57.9
2000 1 Our Erin 2 Eye Spy 3 Dalquarren  2:00.2

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