Manikato Stakes
The Manikato Stakes is a Group 1 weight-for-age race that takes place at Moonee Valley racecourse on Cox Plate eve in October during the Melbourne spring racing carnival. The race is run over a distance of 1200 metres and worth $1,000,000 in prize money. The 2019 Manikato Stakes was won by Loving Gaby from Vital Silver with Anaheed third.
Taking place on the night before the Moonee Valley Racing Club's premier race day of the year, Group 1 WS Cox Plate day, the Manikato Stakes meeting provides the perfect entree to the main event the following day.
From 1968 to 1983 the race was known as the ‘Freeway Stakes’ and in 1984 the race was changed to honour the mighty Manikato who made Moonee Valley the scene of some his greatest triumphs.
Manikato was one of Australia's most loved racehorses back in the eighties and he won the Freeway Stakes twice and also scored five wins in a row in the William Reid stakes at this same track and distance. Manikato was an out and out champion who had 49 career starts for 29 wins and 13 places and he sadly passed away in 1984 after an illness and now lays at rest at the home of many of his greatest wins, Moonee Valley racecourse.
Manikato Stakes info
| Date: | Friday 22nd October 2021 |
| Track: | Moonee Valley racecourse, Melbourne |
| Distance: | 1200 metres |
| Race Type: | Weight-for-age |
| Status: | Group 1 |
| Prize Money: | $1,000,000 |
| 2019 Winner: | Loving Gaby |
 Manikato Stakes odds |
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The Manikato Stakes is run at level weights and is a race that is more often than not won by a top class horse who will go on to win more quality races during their career. The level weighted conditions of the race gives the better sprinters a decided advantage and gallopers contesting this event will most likely have tackled similar type sprint races along the way.
Now that this event is held on Cox Plate eve, races such as the Gr3 McEwen Stakes or Group 1 AJ Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley, or the Gr2 Schillaci Stakes at Caulfield, will provide good lead up races to the Manikato Stakes.
The list of recent winners include some of Australia's finest horse flesh with Sepoy (2011), Hay List (2010), Miss Andretti (2006), Redoute's Choice (1999) and Sunline (2000) all winning this event, while back in the eighties top sprinters such as Rancho Ruler (1988), Rubiton (1987) and Strawberry Road (1983) were all successful.
Loving Gaby (2019) finished second in the Group 3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes over 1200m at Caulfield before jockey Craig Williams rode her to perfection to win this event for the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace stable.
Recent Manikato Stakes winners include Brave Smash (2018) and Hey Doc (2017).
Spring Carnival Guide
The Manikato Stakes is a good horse's race and apart from producing horses who go on to win or be very competitive in most of the major sprint races of the spring, it has also produced five WS Cox Plate winners of late. Sunline (2000-01), Dane Ripper (1997), Rubiton (1987) and Strawberry Road (1983) all won this race in recent times.
Classy galloper Sunlight (7th in 2018) captured the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington at her next start after enjoying little luck in this event. Voodoo Lad (8th in 2018) and Viddora (4th in 2017) both won the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes at Ascot at ther next start.
When the race was held earlier in the spring Hay List (2010) won the Gr 2 Gilgai Stakes at Flemington after winning this event and True Persuasion (2nd in 2010) ran third behind Black Caviar in the AJ Moir Stakes. Eagle Falls (3rd in 2010) took out the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield the following autumn.
Buffering (2013) headed to Flemington at his next start to win the Group 1 VRC Sprint Classic down the 1200m straight course to make it back to back Group 1 victories.
Mental (2nd in 2012), Sea Siren (2012) and Hallowell Belle (4th in 2012) filled the first three placings in the VRC Sprint Classic at Flemington on the final day of the four-day Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Cast a keen eye over the Manikato Stakes as there might be horses in the field who go on to feature in major sprint races later in the spring.
2019 Manikato Stakes result
1. $7.00 Loving Gaby 51.0 Craig Williams
2. $31.00 Vital Silver 58.5 Ben Melham
3. $12.00 Anaheed 51.0 Tim Clark
then followed
4. $41.00 Rock Magic 58.5 Jarrad Noske
5. $7.50 The Bostonian 58.5 Damian Lane
6. $1.80 Bivouac 53.0 Kerrin McEvoy
7. $41.00 Winter Bride 56.5 Tommy Berry
8. $26.00 Faatinah 58.5 Jamie Kah
9. $12.00 Trope 58.5 Dwayne Dunn
10. $101.00 Ashlor 58.5 Daniel Stackhouse
11. $41.00 Meryl 56.5 Dean Yendall
Margins: 0.75 len, 1 len
Time: 1:09.29
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Manikato Stakes winners & placegetters
| Year | Winner | 2nd | 3rd | Time |
| 2019 | Loving Gaby | Vital Silver | Anaheed | 1:09.2 |
| 2018 | Brave Smash | Spirit Of Valor | Kementari | 1:09.3 |
| 2017 | Hey Doc | In Her Time | Malaguerra | 1:09.9 |
| 2016 | Rebel Dane | Fell Swoop | Japonisme | 1:10.9 |
| 2015 | Chautauqua | Srikandi | Rebel Dane | 1:09.5 |
| 2014 | Lankan Rupee | Angelic Light | Famous Seamus | 1:10.3 |
| 2013 | Buffering | Lucky Nine | Sessions | 1:11.4 |
| 2012 | Sea Siren | Mental | We're Gonna Rock | 1:11.3 |
| 2011 | Sepoy | Sister Madly | More Joyous | 1:11.0 |
| 2010 | Hay List | True Persuasion | Eagle Falls | 1:09.9 |
| 2009 | Danleigh | Phelan Ready | Nicconi | 1:12.5 |
| 2008 | Typhoon Zed | Absolut Glam | Kaphero | 1:10.6 |
| 2007 | Gold Edition | Vormista | Dr Nipandtuck | 1:10.6 |
| 2006 | Miss Andretti | Dance Hero | Sassbee | 1:09.2 |
| 2005 | Spark Of Life | Perfectly Ready | Our Egyptian Raine | 1:11.5 |
| 2004 | Spark Of Life | Yell | Dilly Dally | 1:13.3 |
| 2003 | Spinning Hill | True Glo | The Big Chill | 1:11.2 |
| 2002 | Spinning Hill | Bel Esprit | Mistegic | 1:10.5 |
| 2001 | Piavonic | Sunline | Falvelon | 1:12.9 |
| 2000 | Sunline | Honour The Name | Miss Pennymoney | 1:11.6 |
| 1999 | Redoutes Choice | Marstic | Flavour | 1:14.5 |
| 1998 | Dane Ripper | Sir Boom | Theatre | 1:12.3 |
| 1997 | Spartacus | Poetic King | Cut Up Rough | 1:11.3 |
| 1996 | Poetic King | You Remember | Sequalo | 1:12.3 |
| 1995 | You Remember | Seascay | Blevic | 1:10.1 |
| 1994 | Spanish Mix | Primacy | Chemin De Fer | 1:10.6 |
| 1993 | Never Undercharge | Silver Neon | Prince Acumen | 1:13.6 |
| 1992 | King Marauding | Durbridge | Yachtie | 1:12.1 |
| 1991 | Sonic Express | Wrap Around | Street Ruffian | 1:12.6 |
| 1990 | Street Ruffian | Jet Fighter | Kings High | 1:12.1 |
| 1989 | Our Westminster | Vitalic | Redelva | 1:08.0 |
| 1988 | Rancho Ruler | Special | Our Westminster | 1:10.7 |
| 1987 | Rubiton | Dazzling Duke | Caledonian Boy | 1:10.5 |
| 1986 | Lockleys Tradition | Dazzling Duke | Canny Lass | 1:12.4 |
| 1985 | Touch Of Genius | Phoenix Rising | Desalante | 1:16.2 |
| 1984 | Vite Cheval | Centaine | Lasers Fury | 1:15.1 |
| 1983 | Strawberry Road | Red Tempo | Brummel Who | 1:14.9 |
| 1982 | Manikato | Qubeau | Segovian Rhythm | 1:10.8 |
| 1981 | Silver Bounty | Rangers Son | Bold Prospect | 1:17.0 |
| 1980 | Grey Sapphire | Family Of Man | Arbogast | 1:12.1 |
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