2023 Light Fingers Stakes: Race History

G1 fillies fill the Race History of the Light Fingers Stakes run at Randwick on Saturday.

FANGIRL winning the Tab Light Fingers Stakes
FANGIRL winning the Tab Light Fingers Stakes Picture: Steve Hart

Fangirl did that last year so the 2023 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday is a great guide.

2023 Light Fingers Stakes: Nominations

2023 LIGHT FINGERS STAKES - RACE HISTORY AND BACKGROUND

The Light Fingers Stakes is a Group 2 race for three year old fillies conducted by the Australian Turf Club at Randwick.

The Light Fingers Stakes was first run in 1981 and was won by Shaybisc.

The Light Fingers Stakes is run over 1200m under Set Weights conditions. It was worth $250,000 in 2023.

It was a Listed race to begin with then Group 2 in 1986, G3 1987 to 1990 then back to G2 until now.

It has always been run mainly at the 1200m but was 1100m in 1997 and 1998. Randwick, Warwick Farm and Rosehill have all hosted the race.

The race was named after the 1965 Melbourne Cup winner as well as being a dual Oaks winner.

Three Doncaster winners have won the race earlier in the prep – Emancipation, Magic Flute and Skating.

Alizee won the G1 Queen Of The Turf at the end of a campaign which started with a Light Fingers Stakes victory.

Some winners have turned into grand broodmares. Whisked (Tie The Knot), Skating (Bradbury's Luck), Staging (Duporth/Excites) have some noted progeny.

Godolphin saddled up three G1 winners in the 2020 edition and they ran the trifecta.

Notable winners of the Light Fingers Stakes include Emancipation (1983), Magic Flute (1987), Joanne (1990), Whisked (1991), Skating (1993), Peruzzi (1996), Assertive Lass (1997), Staging (1998), Gold Edition (2007), Forensics (2008), More Joyous (2010), Sea Siren (2012), Sweet Idea (2014), Global Glamour (2017), Alizee (2018), Nakeeta Jane (2019), Flit (2020) and Fangirl (2022).

The 2022 Light Fingers Stakes was won by Fangirl from Espiona and Jamaea.


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