The 2019 Victory Stakes, also known as the Sir Byrne Hart Stakes, is held in late April / early May every year at Brisbane’s premier racecourse facility, Eagle Farm. It is a Group 2 weight-for-age event that signals the beginning of Group racing action during the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival.
The Victory Stakes (Sir Byrne Hart Stakes) is run over a 1200m trip and worth $200,000 in prize money. The field is made up of mostly local horses however interstate horses can often use this as a lead up event for the Group 1 BTC Cup later in the month.
Swiss Ace claimed a famous double in this race winning the 2008 and 2009 events in an almost identical time. In the 2009 race he beat the Group 1 winning Sniper’s Bullet, one of the biggest names to ever contest the event.
After the 2008 success Swiss Ace went to the BTC Cup where he ran a game third. The 2007 champion Mitanni had the same result.
Albert the Fat finished third in the 2010 race and is the last Sir Byrne Hart Stakes starter to go on and win the BTC Cup.
The Victory Stakes is traditionally the first Group 2 event of the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival.
It is a key lead-up race for the Group 1 BTC Cup (1200m), Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1350m) and Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m).