Gilgai Stakes

The Gilgai Stakes is a Group 2 set weights and penalty race for three-year-old & upward horses held each year in early October at Flemington racecourse during the Melbourne spring racing carnival. The race is run over a distance of 1200 metres and worth $250,000 in prizemoney. The 2012 Gilgai Stakes was won by Hallowell Belle from King's Rose with Spirit Of Boom third.

Taking place on the same day as the Gr1 Turnbull Stakes, the Gilgai Stakes is run down the 1200 metre straight course at Flemington.

Gilgai Stakes info
Date:	Saturday 5th October 2013
Track:	Flemington racecourse, Melbourne
Distance:	1200 metres
Race Type:	3yo&Up - Set Weights + Penalty
Status:	Group 2
Prizemoney:	$250,000
2012 Winner:	Hallowell Belle

The Gilgai Stakes tends to attract more than handy sprinters rather than topliners and suits horses who have a preference for straight track racing. It pays to study previous track and distance form to look for horses who have form down the Flemington straight, as not all horses handle the straight track after racing around turns.

The Gilgai Stakes is an above average sprint race and winners and placegetters will most likely head towards the Gr2 Salinger Stakes on Derby Day or Gr1 Patinack Farm Classic on Emirates day which are both run down the straight course.

Hallowell Belle (2012) resumed from an autumn spell to win this race and recent Gilgai Stakes winners include Temple Of Boom (2011) and Hay List (2010).

Spring Carnival Guide
Temple of Boom (2011) managed to run 3rd in the Gr2 Salinger Stakes at Flemington after winning this race, while Response (3rd in 2011) finished third in the Gr2 Tristarc Stakes at Caulfield. Sistine Angel (2nd in 2011) went on to run second in the Gr3 Sandown Stakes at Sandown.

Chasm (3rd in 2010) went on to run third in the Salinger Stakes and Gr1 Emirates Stakes at Flemington during the four-day VRC carnival.

In the past few years the Gilgai Stakes has been a reasonable guide to the Patinack Farm Classic on Emirates Day with both All Silent (2009) and Swick (2008) winning the major sprint event later in the spring, while Stanzout (2007) ran 3rd in the Patinack Farm Classic.

First Command (2nd in 2009) managed to win the Gr2 Caulfield Sprint on Caulfield Cup day while Eagle Falls (5th in 2009) won the Salinger Stakes on Derby day.

2012 Gilgai Stakes result
1. $7.50 Hallowell Belle 53.5 Vlad Duric
2. $9.50 King’s Rose 55.0 Luke Nolen
3. $5.00 Spirit Of Boom 57.0 Michael Walker

then followed
4. $26.00 Galah 57.0 Glen Boss
5. $2.80 Bel Sprinter 56.0 Ben Melham
6. $61.00 Metallurgical 55.0 Mark Zahra
7. $16.00 Excellantes 55.0 James Winks
8. $7.50 Mid Summer Music 55.0 Brad Rawiller
9. $26.00 Sistine Angel 55.0 Craig Williams
10. $21.00 Liveandletdie 55.5 Damien Oliver

Margins: 3/4 len, 3/4 len
Time: 1:08.83

Gilgai Stakes recent winners & placegetters
Year	Winner	2nd	3rd	Time
2012	Hallowell Belle	King's Rose	Spirit Of Boom	1:08.8
2011	Temple Of Boom	Sistine Angel	Response	1:10.5
2010	Hay List	Catapulted	Chasm	1:08.2
2009	All Silent	First Command	Light Fantastic	1:09.8
2008	El Cambio	Swick	Murtajill	1:10.1
2007	Stanzout	Shadoways	Valedictum	1:10.4
2006	Fast N Famous	Shadoways	Dance Hero	1:08.3
2005	Falkirk	Glamour Puss	Recapitalize	1:07.9
2004	Recapitalize	Falkirk	Amtrak	1:09.2
2003	Bomber Bill	Mr. Magoo	Red Labelle	1:09.7
2002	Cosmic Strike	Strategic Image	Rubitano	1:09.3
2001	Belle Du Jour	Point Danger	Gold Class	1:10.4
2000	Bomber Bill	Sports	Umrum	1:08.6
1999	Black Bean	Cannyanna	Star Joe	1:09.8
1998	Rebel	Dantelah	Classic Day	1:09.6
1997	Rock You	Always A Chance	Wry Hero	1:09.5
1996	Poetic King	Lion Hunter	Rubidium	1:12.0
1995	Racer's Edge	Rullene	I Love Sydney	1:10.2
1994	Hareeba	You Remember	Simonstad	1:09.5
1993	Simonstad	Danjiki	Vladazair	1:10.8
1992	Storaia	Tanjian Prince	Tea Habit	1:09.2
1991	Vain Sovereign	Redelva	Mister Till	1:09.1
1990	Joanne	Redelva	Grandiose	1:09.1
1989	Grandiose	Redelva	Dark Beau	1:08.7
1988	Redelva	Jet Fighter	Franklin Pride	1:11.0