Shannon Stakes

SHANNON STAKES

Without doubt the most celebrated and anticipated series of thoroughbred races in Australia are those that take place during the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.

Sydney, however, also hosts an excellent range of group races in their own Spring Carnival that runs from August right through until the end of the year.

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Conducted at the major metropolitan racecourses around Sydney, the carnival is home to many elite race days.

Towards the end of the carnival in September, the Tea Rose Stakes Day takes place at the scenic Rosehill Gardens racecourse. Although no Group 1 races are held at this meeting, many other quality events are on the cards to entertain and delight the spectators and punters.

Group 2 events at the meeting include the Tea Rose Stakes, Hill Stakes and the Shannon Stakes.

The Shannon Stakes is a 1500m distance race for horses three-years-old and up run under quality handicap conditions. It is worth $175,000 in prize money and entries that can beat the handicapper and contend with a light weight usually see victory.

The aim for punters is to spot these horses early on, watch their form and finishing positions in lead-up races and keep an ear out for the weight announcements.

Races that have been good guides to the Shannon Stakes in recent years and serve as excellent lead-up races to the event include the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) a fortnight before and the Group 3 Tramway Quality Handicap (1400m) earlier on at Randwick.

There are many other races held at the carnival that are run under the exact conditions and distance as the Shannon Stakes for entries the same age, so punters really have a fantastic advantage when it comes to studying the runners prior to the race and getting a heads up on their bets!

Another way to gain an advantage with your Shannon Stakes betting is to avoid the TAB and place your wagers at a trusted online bookmaker.

Horses who run in the Shannon Stakes may continue on to compete in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) held two weeks later. The Epsom Handicap is very lucrative race with stakes set at $350,000 and the 100m distance increase from the Shannon Stakes is a good test for the runners hoping to get a Group 1 victory.

Also, the Shannon Stakes is a race that often proves whether horses are good contenders for the illustrious Melbourne Spring features including the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate.

History

Attracting classy local and interstate gallopers, some of the higher quality horses to claim victory in the Shannon Stakes include Juggler (1996), Armed For Action (1998), Al Mansour (2000) and champion mare Makybe Diva’s half brother Musket (2008).

The event was first run in 1978 as a principal race run over 1500m. The following year it became a listed race at 1400m. In 1985 the event reached Group 3 status and the length went back to 1500m. In the year 2001 the Shannon Stakes was elevated to a Group 2 event and the race distance sat at 1400m for just one year before going back to 1500m in 2002.

Online bookmakers offer a fantastic range of bet types and odds on the Shannon Stakes each season. So next Sydney Spring Carnival make sure you get in on the punting action of this great Group 2 event and see if you can score yourself some winnings to take with you to the Melbourne Cup!

Shannon Stakes – Race Details

• When: September
• Where: Rosehill Racecourse, Sydney
• Race Distance: 1500m
• Race Status: Group 2
• Race Type: 3YO & Up – Quality Handicap
• Stakes: $175,000
• Inaugurated: 1978

Shannon Stakes – Recent Winners & Placegetters