The 2019 Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes is a Group 1 race that is held at Moonee Valley racecourse during the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival. Run annually in September, the Manikato Stakes is worth $1 million in prize money and is run over a sprinter’s distance of 1,200 metres. The Manikato Stakes is run under weight-for-age conditions and takes place on the same night as the Group 2 Stutt Stakes for three-year-olds.

The Group 3 McEwen Stakes is often used as a lead up race to the Manikato Stakes, with Hay List claiming the McEwen Stakes and Manikato Stakes double in 2010. Horses that perform well in the Manikato Stakes often go on to prove successful in races such as the Group 2 Schweppes Stakes on Cox Plate Day later in the spring carnival.

The first running of the Manikato Stakes took place in 1968 when it was won by Winfreux. First run over a distance of six furlongs, the Manikato was changed to a distance of 1,200 metres from 1972 onwards. The Manikato Stakes began as a Principal race and was made a Group 2 in 1979. The race was eventually given its Group 1 status in 1989.

The Manikato Stakes was first known as the Freeway Stakes until its name was changed to the current title in 1984. The race is named after the great race horse Manikato, who won the Manikato Stakes in both 1979 and 1982. Manikato is also famous for posting five consecutive wins in the Group 1 William Reid Stakes from 1979 to 1983.

Other notable horses to have won the Manikato Stakes include Vain (1969), Dual Choice (1970-71), Tauto (1973-1974), Strawberry Road (1983), Rubiton (1987), Redoute’s Choice (1999), Sunline (2000), Spinning Hill (2002-03), Spark Of Life (2004-05), Miss Andretti (2006), Danleigh (2009) and Chautauqua (2015).

2019 Manikato Stakes Field

The final Manikato Stakes field is usually fairly well packed out with talent. It’s not often that the Manikato Stakes field runs without a few Group 1 winners amongst it. Because it is a Group 1 event, the Manikato Stakes field is almost guaranteed to produce some future black-type winners. In fact, it’s not unusual to see the better horses in the Manikato Stakes field go on to some very solid performances in other major events during their campaign.

The 2019 Manikato Stakes field will be published here.

2019 Manikato Stakes Nominations

The 2019 Manikato Stakes nominations will be announced on Tuesday September 24, 2019 and published in full below.

The 2019 Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes nominations attracted a star-studded line-up of 50 sprinters including Group 1 winning Irish raider Ten Sovereigns for trainer Aidan O’Brien.

Read more on the official Manikato Stakes 2019 nominations by following the link.

Manikato Stakes Winners & Results

Below you will find a list of winners of the Manikato Stakes since the year 2000.