Black Opal Stakes

Black Opal Stakes
ClassGroup 3
LocationCanberra Racecourse, Canberra, Australia
Inaugurated1973
Race typeThoroughbred - flat
SponsorJohn McGrath Auto Group (2018-2026)
Race information
Distance1,200 metres
SurfaceTurf
TrackRight-handed
QualificationTwo year old
WeightSet weights with penalties
PurseA$200,000 (2026)

The Black Opal Stakes is a Canberra Racing Club Group 3 Thoroughbred horse race, for two-year-olds, at set weights, over a distance of 1200 metres, held annually at Canberra Racecourse in Canberra, Australia in March.[1]

History

In the Beginning

Brian Connell, while on a prospecting holiday found a chip of opal and thought, 'black opal', what a great name for a race. He raised the idea for the establishment of Canberra's premier race to the committee of the Canberra Racing Club, on June 5, 1972, and Connell moved that the club conduct a classic event for two-year-olds in the 1973-74 season. The groundwork for the start of the race was made with a sub-committee comprising Connell, vice-president Geoff Small and Jim O'Sullivan.[2]

Grade

  • 1975–1978 - Principal Race
  • 1979–1986 - Group 3
  • 1987–1998 - Group 2
  • 1999–2005 - Group 3
  • 2006–2014 - Listed Race
  • 2015 onwards - Group 3

Records

Catbird (1999) is the only two-year-old to have taken out the Black Opal Stakes & Golden Slipper Stakes double since its inception.

The fastest winning time is by King Of Pop in 2025 with 1:09.13 breaking the longstanding race record held by St Covet since 1994 (1:09.6).[3]

Recent multiple winners

Trainers

  • Paul Snowden in 2016 and with Peter Snowden in 2020, 2021 and 2024.
  • Peter Snowden in 2012 and with Paul Snowden in 2020, 2021 and 2024.
  • Gary Portelli in 2001, 2006 and 2009
  • Gerald Ryan in 2014 and 2017 and with Sterling Alexiou in 2025.

Jockeys

  • Glyn Schofield in 2013, 2014 and 2018

Winners

The following are past winners of the race.[4]

  • 2026 - Music Time
  • 2025 - King Of Pop
  • 2024 - Holmes A Court
  • 2023 - Autumn Ballet[5]
  • 2022 - Queen Of The Ball[6]
  • 2021 - Kalashnikov[7]
  • 2020 - Barbaric[8]
  • 2019 - Pin Sec[9]
  • 2018 - Encryption[10]
  • 2017 - Trapeze Artist[11]
  • 2016 - Defcon[12]
  • 2015 - Takedown[13]
  • 2014 - Lucky Raquie[14]
  • 2013 - Criterion[15]
  • 2012 - Epaulette[16]
  • 2011 - You're Canny[17]
  • 2010 - Decision Time[18]
  • 2009 - Delago Bolt[19]
  • 2008 - Sarthemare[20]
  • 2007 - †race not held
  • 2006 - Down The Wicket[21]
  • 2005 - Al Samer[22]
  • 2004 - Uber[23]
  • 2003 - Handsome Ransom[24]
  • 2002 - Planchet[25]
  • 2001 - Coral Salute[26]
  • 2000 - Pembleton[27]
  • 1999 - Catbird[28]
  • 1998 - Speed Week[29]
  • 1997 - Fraud[30]
  • 1996 - Paint[31]
  • 1995 - Zadok[32]
  • 1994 - St. Covet[33]
  • 1993 - Danger[34]
  • 1992 - Clan O'Sullivan[35]
  • 1991 - Sormani[36]
  • 1990 - Unspoken Word[37]
  • 1989 - Marks Gain[38]
  • 1988 - Comely Girl[39]
  • 1987 - Maizcay[40]
  • 1986 - Just Blooming[41]
  • 1985 - New Atlantis[42]
  • 1984 - Spirit Of Kingston[43]
  • 1983 - Brummel Who[44]
  • 1982 - Beans
  • 1981 - Chinese Treasure
  • 1980 - Nasau
  • 1979 - Star Grace
  • 1978 - Gold Mosaic
  • 1977 - Blazing Saddles
  • 1976 - Bianca
  • 1975 - Silver Shadow
  • 1974 - Royal Brittania
  • 1973 - Rich Reward

† Canberra's racetrack, Thoroughbred Park was under redevelopment.[45]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Black Opal Stakes | Past Winners | Results | Australia | Racing and Sports".
  2. ↑ "SPORT Twenty-two years on, the Black Opal shines as Canberra's premier race". Canberra Times. 1995-02-28. p. 21. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
  3. ↑ "Black Opal Stakes Winners Past Results". RaceRate (Australia). 2014. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  4. ↑ "Racing Australia". www.racingaustralia.horse. Retrieved 2025-10-28.
  5. ↑ "2023 Result – John McGrath Auto Black Opal Stakes (held 12 March 2023)". racingpost.com. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  6. ↑ "2022 Result – John McGrath Auto Black Opal Stakes (held 13 March 2022)". breednet.com.au. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  7. ↑ "2021 Result – John McGrath Auto Black Opal Stakes (held 7 March 2021)". breednet.com. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  8. ↑ "2020 Result – John McGrath Auto Black Opal Stakes (held 8 March 2020)". breednet.com. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  9. ↑ "2019 Result – John McGrath Auto Black Opal Stakes (held 10 March 2019)". breednet.com. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  10. ↑ "2018 Result – Black Opal (held 11 March 2018)". breednet.com. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  11. ↑ "2017 Result – Mercede Benz Black Opal Stakes (held 5 March 2017)". breednet.com. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
  12. ↑ "2016 Result – Mercede Benz Black Opal Stakes (held 6 March 2016)". breednet.com. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  13. ↑ "2015 Result – Seppelt Black Opal Stakes (held 8 March 2015)". breednet.com. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  14. ↑ "2014 Result – Seppelt Black Opal Stakes (held 9 March 2014)". Racing NSW (Aus.). Archived from the original on 31 December 2017. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  15. ↑ "2013 Result – Kamberra Wine Company Black Opal Stakes (held 10 March 2013)". Racing NSW (Aus.). Archived from the original on 31 December 2017. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  16. ↑ "2012 Result – Kamberra Wine Company Black Opal Stakes (held 11 March 2012)". Racing NSW (Aus.). Archived from the original on 31 December 2017. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  17. ↑ "2011 Result – Kamberra Wine Company Black Opal Stakes (held 13 March 2011)". Racing NSW (Aus.). Archived from the original on 31 December 2017. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  18. ↑ "2010 Result – Kamberra Wine Company Black Opal Stakes (held 7 March 2010)". Racing NSW (Aus.). Archived from the original on 31 December 2017. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  19. ↑ "2009 Result – AAMI Black Opal Stakes (held 8 March 2009)". Racing NSW (Aus.). Archived from the original on 31 December 2017. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  20. ↑ "2008 Result – AAMI Black Opal Stakes (held 24 February 2008)". Racing NSW (Aus.). Archived from the original on 31 December 2017. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  21. ↑ "2006 Result – AAMI Black Opal Stakes (held 19 March 2006)". Racing NSW (Aus.). Archived from the original on 31 December 2017. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  22. ↑ "2005 Result – Black Opal Stks (held 26 February 2005)". breednet.com. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  23. ↑ "2004 Result – Black Opal Stks (held 13 March 2004)". breednet.com. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  24. ↑ "2003 Result – Black Opal Stks (held 22 March 2003)". breednet.com. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  25. ↑ "2002 Result – Black Opal Stks (held 2 March 2002)". breednet.com. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  26. ↑ "2001 Result – Black Opal Stks (held 17 March 2001)". breednet.com. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  27. ↑ "2000 Result – Black Opal Stks (held 20 March 2000)". breednet.com. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  28. ↑ "1999 Result – Black Opal Stks (held 7 March 1999)". breednet.com. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  29. ↑ "1998 Result – Black Opal Stks (held 15 March 1998)". breednet.com. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  30. ↑ "1997 Result – Black Opal Stks (held 2 March 1997)". breednet.com. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  31. ↑ "1996 Result – Black Opal Stks (held 17 March 1996)". breednet.com. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  32. ↑ "1995 Result – Black Opal Stks (held 5 March 1995)". breednet.com. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  33. ↑ "1994 Result – Black Opal Stks (held 6 March 1994)". breednet.com. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  34. ↑ "1993 Result – Black Opal Stks (held 7 March 1993)". breednet.com. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  35. ↑ "1992 Result – Black Opal Stks (held 15 March 1992)". breednet.com. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  36. ↑ "1991 Result – Black Opal Stks (held 3 March 1991)". breednet.com. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  37. ↑ "1990 Result – Black Opal Stks (held 18 March 1990)". breednet.com. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  38. ↑ "1989 Result – Black Opal Stks (held 5 March 1989)". breednet.com. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  39. ↑ "1988 Result – Black Opal Stakes (held 6 March 1988)". breednet.com. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  40. ↑ "1987 Result – Black Opal Stks (held 22 March 1987)". breednet.com. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  41. ↑ "1986 Result – Black Opal Stks (held 9 March 1986)". breednet.com. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  42. ↑ "1985 Result – Black Opal Stks (held 10 March 1985)". breednet.com. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  43. ↑ "1984 Result – 1984 Black Opal Stks (held 18 March 1984)". breednet.com. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  44. ↑ "1983 Result – Black Opal Stks (held 6 March 1983)". breednet.com. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  45. ↑ White, Tony (11 November 2007). "Canberra back on track". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
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