ALL AGED STAKES News Stories

The All Aged Stakes is one of the two Group 1s run on the last day of the Sydney Autumn Carnival. Despite coming last, the All Aged Stakes has long been one of the most important and prestigious races held at Randwick, and for that reason regularly attracts a quality field looking for one last win before a spell.

Inaugurated back in 1865, the All Aged Stakes has a long and rich history. It is a race whose honour roll is jam-packed with the who's who of Australian thoroughbred racing. Carbine, Wakeful, Amounis, Bernborough, Tulloch, Tobin Bronze and Emancipation all greeted the judge in the All Aged Stakes.

But the one horse who made the race his own was Ajax, who won three consecutive editions from 1938 to 1940.

The unique aspect of the All Aged Stakes that has made it such a great race is that, as the name suggests, it has historically been open to horses of any age and any sex. Two-year-old fillies can take on ten year old stallions, and in 1885, it was the two-year-old filly Astroea who was victorious.

However, today the All Aged Stakes is more of a race that sees the best sprinter-milers assemble for one last crack at Group 1 glory before the carnival concludes. It is also a good follow-up race for horses coming through the T J Smith, who are looking for another furlong.

And because there is always a quality field with plenty of live chances, the All Aged Stakes hasn't been a race where the favourites have had a great record in recent times. Indeed, until Trapeze Artist's win in 2018, four consecutive winner's started the race at 10/1 odds.