Challenge Stakes prize money
The Challenge Stakes is worth AU$500,000 for the 2026 running . That makes it the 256th richest of the 997 races on this site and the 47th richest in Australia.
Every figure here is the money the race announces, in the currency it announces it in. The currency control at the top swaps the whole page.
What the Challenge Stakes is
Group 2 · 1,000 metres · Turf · Randwick Racecourse,
- Racecourse
- Randwick Racecourse,
- Country
- Australia
- Grade
- Group 2
- Distance
- 1,000 metres
- Surface
- Turf
- Race type
- Thoroughbred - flat
- Open to
- Horses three years old and older
- Direction
- Right-handed
- First run
- 1906
We hold the total fund for the Challenge Stakes and no separate winner's cheque. What the winner takes is a rule the racecourse sets rather than a national one, and it varies race by race.
Every Challenge Stakes winner
121 runnings, 1906 to 2026, newest first
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Generosity | ||
| 2025 | Jedibeel | ||
| 2024 | Passive Aggressive | ||
| 2023 | Passive Aggressive | ||
| 2022 | Eduardo | ||
| 2021 | Eduardo | ||
| 2020 | Nature Strip | ||
| 2019 | Ball Of Muscle | ||
| 2018 | Redzel | ||
| 2017 | English | ||
| 2016 | English | ||
| 2015 | Miracles Of Life | ||
| 2014 | Villa Verde | ||
| 2013 | Snitzerland | ||
| 2012 | Rain Affair | ||
| 2011 | Hay List | ||
| 2010 | De Lightning Ridge | ||
| 2009 | Olonana | ||
| 2008 | Hurried Choice | ||
| 2007 | Spark Of Life | ||
| 2006 | Snitzel | ||
| 2005 | Impaler | ||
| 2004 | Star Of Florida | ||
| 2003 | Star Of Florida | ||
| 2002 | Bomber Bill | ||
| 2001 | Pimpala Prince | ||
| 2000 | Easy Rocking | ||
| 1999 | Ab Initio | ||
| 1998 | Cangronde | ||
| 1997 | Cangronde | ||
| 1996 | Light Up The World | ||
| 1995 | Moss Rocket | ||
| 1994 | Classic Magic | ||
| 1993 | Spanish Mix | ||
| 1992 | All Archie | ||
| 1991 | Lightning Bend | ||
| 1990 | Show County | ||
| 1989 | Groucho | ||
| 1988 | Snippets | ||
| 1987 | At Sea | ||
| 1986 | At Sea | ||
| 1985 | At Sea | ||
| 1984 | Razor Sharp | ||
| 1983 | Razor Sharp | ||
| 1982 | Razor Sharp | ||
| 1981 | Steel Blade | ||
| 1980 | Acamer | ||
| 1979 | Christole | ||
| 1978 | Monreale | ||
| 1977 | Crimson Cloud | ||
| 1976 | River Ridge | ||
| 1975 | Zephyr Bay | ||
| 1974 | War Island | ||
| 1973 | Bounty | ||
| 1972 | Playbill | ||
| 1971 | Farlara | ||
| 1970 | Constant Rhythm | ||
| 1969 | Gay Gauntlet | ||
| 1968 | Dawn Boy | ||
| 1967 | Gay Gauntlet | ||
| 1966 | Tar Girl | ||
| 1965 | Time And Tide | ||
| 1964 | The Tempest | ||
| 1963 | Wenona Girl | ||
| 1962 | Rush Bye | ||
| 1961 | Gili | ||
| 1960 | Olympiad | ||
| 1959 | Huntly | ||
| 1958 | Dubbo | ||
| 1957 | My Kingdom | ||
| 1956 | Apple Bay | ||
| 1955 | Gay Vista | ||
| 1954 | Tarien | ||
| 1953 | Apex | ||
| 1952 | True Leader | ||
| 1951 | Donegal | ||
| 1950 | San Domenico | ||
| 1949 | San Domenico | ||
| 1948 | Gay Monarch | ||
| 1947 | Brazier | ||
| 1946 | Felbeam | ||
| 1945 | Felbeam | ||
| 1944 | Yaralla | ||
| 1943 | Gold Salute | ||
| 1942 | High Caste | ||
| 1941 | Caesar | ||
| 1940 | High Caste | ||
| 1939 | Bradford | ||
| 1938 | Hammer Head | ||
| 1937 | Silver Rose | ||
| 1936 | Heritor | ||
| 1935 | The Marne | ||
| 1934 | Air Queen | ||
| 1933 | Captivation | ||
| 1932 | Golden Gate | ||
| 1931 | Casque D'Or | ||
| 1930 | Venetian Lady | ||
| 1929 | Whitta | ||
| 1928 | Greenline | ||
| 1927 | Don Moon | ||
| 1926 | Quixotic | ||
| 1925 | The Hawk | ||
| 1924 | Laneffe | ||
| 1923 | Duke Isinglass | ||
| 1922 | Sir Maitland | ||
| 1921 | Maltgilla | ||
| 1920 | Aries | ||
| 1919 | Sydney Damsel | ||
| 1918 | Bonnie Plume | ||
| 1917 | Wedding Day | ||
| 1916 | Quinn's Post | ||
| 1915 | Ninfia | ||
| 1914 | Golden Hop | ||
| 1913 | Golden Hop | ||
| 1912 | Pride Of Murillo | ||
| 1911 | Poi Dance | ||
| 1910 | Fille Fogi | ||
| 1909 | Neith | ||
| 1908 | Lord Merv | ||
| 1907 | Queen's Court | ||
| 1906 | The Pet |
0 of the 121 runnings name the rider, 0 name the trainer and 0 name the owner, who is the one of the three the prize money actually belongs to.
Who wins the Challenge Stakes more than once
The fact the table above holds and cannot show
| Horse | Wins | Years |
|---|---|---|
| At Sea | 3 | 1985, 1986, 1987 |
| Razor Sharp | 3 | 1982, 1983, 1984 |
| Passive Aggressive | 2 | 2023, 2024 |
| Eduardo | 2 | 2021, 2022 |
| English | 2 | 2016, 2017 |
| Star Of Florida | 2 | 2003, 2004 |
| Cangronde | 2 | 1997, 1998 |
| Gay Gauntlet | 2 | 1967, 1969 |
| San Domenico | 2 | 1949, 1950 |
| Felbeam | 2 | 1945, 1946 |
Races worth about the same
Either side of the Challenge Stakes in the world money order
| # | Race | Country | Prize money | As published |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 245 | Prix de la ForêtLongchamp Racecourse | France | AU$565,385 | €350,000 |
| 246 | Prix MornyDeauville Racecourse | France | AU$565,385 | €350,000 |
| 247 | Prix Royal-OakLongchamp Racecourse | France | AU$565,385 | €350,000 |
| 249 | Breeders' StakesWoodbine Racetrack | Canada | AU$507,276 | CA$500,000 |
| 250 | A D Hollindale StakesGold Coast Racecourse | Australia | AU$500,000 | AU$500,000 |
| 251 | AJC St LegerRandwick Racecourse, | Australia | AU$500,000 | AU$500,000 |
| 252 | Alister Clark StakesCaulfield or Moonee Valley Racecourse, Melbourne | Australia | AU$500,000 | AU$500,000 |
| 253 | Bendigo CupBendigo Racecourse, Bendigo, Australia | Australia | AU$500,000 | AU$500,000 |
| 254 | Breeders ClassicRosehill Racecourse | Australia | AU$500,000 | AU$500,000 |
| 255 | Carbine Club StakesFlemington Racecourse | Australia | AU$500,000 | AU$500,000 |
| 257 | Geelong CupGeelong Racecourse, Geelong, Australia | Australia | AU$500,000 | AU$500,000 |
| 258 | Gloaming StakesRosehill Racecourse | Australia | AU$500,000 | AU$500,000 |
| 259 | John F. Feehan StakesMoonee Valley Racecourse, Melbourne | Australia | AU$500,000 | AU$500,000 |
| 260 | Karrakatta PlateAscot Racecourse, Perth, Western Australia | Australia | AU$500,000 | AU$500,000 |
| 261 | Peter Young StakesCaulfield Racecourse | Australia | AU$500,000 | AU$500,000 |
| 262 | The Bart CummingsFlemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia | Australia | AU$500,000 | AU$500,000 |
| 263 | The Damien OliverFlemington Racecourse | Australia | AU$500,000 | AU$500,000 |
| 264 | WA GuineasAscot Racecourse | Australia | AU$500,000 | AU$500,000 |
| 265 | New Zealand 1000 GuineasRiccarton Park | New Zealand | AU$499,981 | NZ$600,000 |
| 266 | New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders StakesTrentham, Ellerslie, Te Aroha or Te Rapa | New Zealand | AU$499,981 | NZ$600,000 |
The 20 races closest to the Challenge Stakes in what they pay, above and below it. Follow the ranking all the way up on the richest races in the world.
The rest of the money in Australia
291 races, 47th of them is this one
| Race | Racecourse | Grade | Prize money |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alister Clark Stakes | Caulfield or Moonee Valley Racecourse, Melbourne | Group 2 | AU$500,000 |
| Bendigo Cup | Bendigo Racecourse, Bendigo, Australia | Group 3 | AU$500,000 |
| Breeders Classic | Rosehill Racecourse | Group 2 | AU$500,000 |
| Carbine Club Stakes | Flemington Racecourse | Group 3 | AU$500,000 |
| Geelong Cup | Geelong Racecourse, Geelong, Australia | Group 3 | AU$500,000 |
| Gloaming Stakes | Rosehill Racecourse | Group 3 | AU$500,000 |
| John F. Feehan Stakes | Moonee Valley Racecourse, Melbourne | Group 2 | AU$500,000 |
| Karrakatta Plate | Ascot Racecourse, Perth, Western Australia | Group 2 | AU$500,000 |
Every race in Australia we hold a purse for is on the Australia prize money list.
Frequently asked questions
What is the total Challenge Stakes prize money?
AU$500,000, for the 2026 running.
Where does the Challenge Stakes rank among the richest races in the world?
256th of 997. 255 races pay more, the nearest of them Prix de la Forêt. In Australia it is 47th of 291.
Which horse has won the Challenge Stakes most often?
At Sea, 3 times, in 1985, 1986, 1987.
When was the Challenge Stakes first run?
1906. This page holds 121 runnings, from 1906 to 2026.
How far is the Challenge Stakes?
1,000 metres, on turf, at Randwick Racecourse,.
Where to next
The rest of the racing money