- Race Date: Saturday, 3rd December 2022
- Race Category: Group One
- Race Track: Ascot Racecourse (Perth)
- Race Distance: 1800m
- Prize Money: $1,500,000
Northerly Stakes Preview
The Northerly Stake, previously known as the Kingston Town Classic, is a Group One race organised by the Perth Racing Club for thoroughbreds ages three and above with weight-for-age conditions. The 1800m race is held at the Ascot Racecourse in Perth and is the final of the Group I category races held at the Ascot during the Summer Racing Carnival at Perth. This year the race is scheduled to take place on 3rd December with a purse worth $1.5 million.
The race was introduced in 1976 and upgraded to Group I in 1979. Its name has been changed to Northerly Stakes ahead of the 2022 race edition to honour the champion Northerly from Western Australia, who dominated the racing landscape in the early part of the century, and won 2 Cox Plates, 2 Underwood Stakes, 2 Australian Cups, the Caulfield Cup, Railway Stakes, and Yalumba Stakes at different instances during the early 2000s.
Northerly Stakes Betting Tips
Betting for the Northerly, formerly the Kingston Town Classic, is led by runners from the Railway Stakes held two weeks before. Horses with proven form over similar distance races run at the Royal Ascot have high winning prospects at the Northerly. Hence you will see odds leaning in favour of winners or prominent participants of races like the Railway Stakes and last start winners, who also have a stellar record in the Northerly during the past decade.
In the last 15 years, favourites have won around seven times. The most recent favourite to salute for the punters was Arcadian Queen in 2018. Before her, Perfect Reflection won in 2015 and was also a favourite. In 2019 Kay Cee won the Northerly, becoming the third filly to win. Winners of the 2016, 2017, 2020, and 2021 editions were double-figure winners landing surprise wins. Last year Regal Power won the Northerly with odds of $14, beating the favourite Western Empire with odds of 1.20.
While there have been quite a few surprises during the past few years, it serves well to watch out for last-start winners at the Ascot, race favourites with recent wins, and youngsters aged three with a good recent record in similar distance races.