Northerly Stakes Tips, Betting, Odds, Horses & More 2025

Formerly known as the Kingston Town Classic, the Northerly Stakes is one of the biggest races on the calendar at Ascot Racecourse each year. It forms part of the Perth Racing Carnival and features other key races like the Railway Stakes, the Winterbottom Stakes, The Gold Rush and the Perth Cup.

After Spring racing concludes in Sydney and Melbourne for another year, the attention turns to Perth. We see some of the best racehorses heading West to one of the top tracks in the country for a chance at more riches before the year ends and more riches they shall find, with the Northerly Stakes now worth a cool $1.5 million!

The race is contested over a distance of 1,800m and sees the best middle-distance horses going at it for the lion's share of the $1.5 million. Now known as the Northerly Stakes, the race is named after Northerly, who was a champion racehorse from Western Australia back in the early 2000s.

The Northerly Stakes gets the honour of being the last Group 1 race on the calendar. Racing enthusiasts from right across the country have to wait until early February for the first Group 1 race of the next calendar year.

OnlyRacing has every aspect of the Northerly Stakes covered and we update this page multiple times a year to ensure you are always in the know. From horse racing betting details to the form guide and results, we’ve got you covered. Each year, our all-important Northerly Stakes tips will be available during race week.

The Northerly Stakes only recently saw an increase in the prize money on offer. In 2022, Racing WA announced an increase in prize money to a raft of races one of which was the Northerly Stakes. The race is now worth $1.5 million and the prize money is split between the top finishers in the race each year.

Each year, we provide horse racing tips for the Northerly Stakes. These Northerly Stakes tips include a best bet, next best and best roughie, so there’s something for everyone. On top of tips for every Group 1 race on the calendar, we also provide Ascot tips. You can always find tips with us here at OnlyRacing!

For the Northerly Stakes in 2025, our tips aren’t ready just yet. We are waiting until race week, when the final field is announced to produce our tips. We don’t know which runners will be running until the final field is confirmed. 

While we can’t give you our 2025 Northerly Stakes tips just yet, you can take a look back and see who we tipped for the race in 2024 here:

Northerly Stakes Best Bet - Storyville

It is very fitting. The last Group 1 of the calendar year and we have yet another wide open field, as we have seen in the majority of Group 1 races from the Spring Racing Carnival until now. So, after a lot of back and forth, I’ve finally landed on Storyville. I think the filly has an excellent chance of winning, but I could also make a case for several other runners.

Why did I put Storyville on top? Well, there are some pretty key stats to back her up! In the last nine editions of the Northerly Stakes, 3YO fillies have won four times. She also won one of the ideal lead-up races, the Group 2 WA Guineas. Storyville is currently the equal favourite at PlayUp with odds of $4.60 and is looking for her third win in a row.

Northerly Stakes Next Best - Super Smink

Super Smink (56.5kg) comes in fairly light in the weights, not as light as Storyville (50kg!), but she does have a 2.5kg swing in the top weight. She is the current equal favourite with Storyville, at odds of $4.60 with PlayUp, but it’s a very open market and I expect things might change between now and Saturday.

The 4YO comes through one of the ideal lead-up races, the Railway Stakes, where she produced a hell of a ride after drawing wide, to finish in third, less than a length off the pace. Gets a better barrier draw this time out and jockey Chris Parnham sticks with her once again. This will be her fourth race in a row at Ascot and she hasn’t finished lower than third.

Northerly Stakes Best Roughie - Numerian 

This old boy is trying his hand at his first win at Group 1 level, after two seconds in seven attempts. Seems to me like his focus is more on the Perth Cup, but he is more than capable of running an excellent race and at decent odds as well. We are currently getting $15 for the 9YO, thanks to PlayUp.

We haven’t seen much of Numerian, except in trials. His only run so far this prep was in the Craven Plate, where he finished eighth out of 11 runners. Has trialled since and looks to be in good order here. Last year, he won the Heemst Stakes at Ascot, so he has had success at the track before. Worth an each-way bet I reckon.

Are you thinking about betting on the Northerly Stakes? Well, before you jump in with both feet, it’s a good idea to read this section for some handy tips on how to get the most out of your betting experience. The team here at OnlyRacing have been betting on horse races for decades now and we’ve picked up a thing or two along the way.

These days, you’ll notice there are plenty of Australian betting sites floating around, almost too many. With so many bookies available, it makes the decision of choosing which one is best for you a little more difficult. The good news is that you don’t have to settle down with just one.

In fact, something we recommend is opening accounts with multiple bookies. By doing this, you can easily take advantage of better odds (because different bookies are likely to have different odds for the same runner). 

On top of this betting sites bonuses will also differ depending on who you bet with. So, if you have multiple bookie accounts, you can utilise all the different bonuses available for the race. It’s really easy money you are leaving on the table by not having multiple bookie accounts.

People also ask if they should take a chance with new betting sites on the market and we always say yes! We’ve found that new betting sites are always on the cutting edge of technology and have better customer service.

If you’re the kind of person who is always out and about, you’ll also need to consider which have the best betting apps. A betting app means you can place bets when you don’t have access to a desktop. On our bookie reviews page, we cover information on all the best betting apps in Australia that you should check out.

Once you’ve nailed down the bookie or bookies you’re going to bet with, you also need to decide what you’re going to bet on. There are heaps of markets available for the Northerly Stakes and the main markets include:

• Fixed Win
• Fixed Place
• Quinella
• Exacta
• Trifecta
• First Four
• Quaddie

You’ll find these markets and more are available with some of the best bookmakers in Australia, like PlayUp, Betfocus and Boombet. For more information on one of those bookies or others available in Australia, make sure you check out our bookie reviews page.

The Northerly Stakes field for the race in 2025 is yet to be confirmed. While we don’t know which runners will take part in the 2025 race, if history is anything to go by, we can expect a high-quality field with heaps of genuine winning chances.

One way to get an indication of the types of runners that might be targeting the Northerly Stakes is to check out the odds. If they are available, look for the runners that have the shortest odds as they are viewed as the runners that are more likely to make an appearance.

As we wait for the 2025 Northerly Stakes field to be confirmed, let’s take a look back at the runners that took part in the 2024 race:

In 2024, we saw a field of 16 runners confirmed for the Northerly Stakes. On top of this, there were two emergencies listed as well. This didn’t matter in the end as there weren’t any pre-race scratchings, so all original 16 runners took their place in the starting barriers.

Scratchings are an unfortunate way of life in horse racing and we see them all the time, even in major races like the Northerly Stakes where there’s a stack of prize money on the line. If you’ve placed a bet on the Northerly Stakes, it’s a good idea to keep a close eye on scratchings, because this could have a major impact on your bet.

When it comes to the final field, it is also a good idea to check out the barrier draw. The barrier each runner jumps from can have a major impact on how the race shakes out. A more favourable barrier could be the thing that helps a runner win the race. The bigger the field, the more influence the barrier draw is likely to have.

Betting on the Northerly Stakes means you should check out the form guide. The Northerly Stakes form guide is important to check out because it can provide valuable insights into the type of horse that is more likely to win the race. There are heaps of statistics available for the Northerly Stakes that are worth looking into.

If you can think of nothing worse than going through pages upon pages of statistics and data, then you’ve come to the right place. The team at OnlyRacing have done all the hard work for you, finding the key form indicators that you need to know for the Northerly Stakes.

There’s a two-week break between the Railway Stakes and the Northerly Stakes, which is perfect timing for those looking to complete the double. So, it’s worth checking out runners from the Railway Stakes who performed well and are looking to back it up in the Northerly Stakes.

Other ideal lead-up races include; the Group 2 Lee Steere Stakes, the Group 3 Asian Beau Stakes and the Group 3 Eurythmic Stakes. However, it is the Railway Stakes that has produced more winners than any other lead-up race, so that Group 1 should be your main focus.

Younger horses might go through the WA Guineas, which is raced at the same time as the Railway Stakes. In 2018, we saw Arcadia Queen win the Champion Fillies Stakes and the WA Guineas before winning the Northerly Stakes. Then in 2022, Amelia’s Jewel followed a similar path, winning the WA Guineas on her way to a victory in the Northerly Stakes.

It pays to avoid the wider barriers in the Northerly Stakes. We’ve only seen two winners from a barrier wider than eight in the last 12 years, which were Perfect Reflection (who jumped from barrier 12 in 2015) and Light Infantry Man (who jumped from barrier 14 in 2024).

The Northerly Stakes is a weight-for-age race and we’ve seen the younger horses have a pretty decent record in the race. In particular, 3YOs have been dominant, winning on seven occasions in the last 15 years.

The favourite also has a decent record in the Northerly Stakes and we’ve seen eight favourites win the race since 2007. We have seen some double-digit upsets as well recently though. Since 2016, seven winners have jumped with odds of $10 or more.

The Northerly Stakes always brings out some of the best local and interstate racehorses. While we see some amazing runners compete in the race, only the best of the best can claim victory each year and some of those very special horses are featured here in this section.

This Northerly Stakes horses section shines a light on some of the best-ever horses to compete and win the race. As there are so many high-quality horses that have won the race, it was a little tricky narrowing the list down to just a handful, but we’ve done our best!

Family Of Man - 1976 & 1978

Family Of Man was the first-ever winner of the Northerly Stakes and he then backed it up a couple of years later to win in 1978. With a career record of 78:21-15-14, the biggest win of his career was in the 1977 Cox Plate, but he also won other Group One races like the Might and Power Stakes, the William Reid Stakes and the Champions Stakes.

Kingston Town - 1982

There’s no way we could have a list of the best Northerly Stakes horses and not mention the horse that the race was previously named after, Kingston Town! The 1980 Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year finished his career with a record of 41:30-5-2 and almost $2 million in prize money.

Vo Rogue - 1988

Vo Rogue was victorious in the Northerly Stakes in 1988 and throughout his career he won many other key races like the Turnbull Stakes, the Futurity Stakes, the CF Orr Stakes and the William Reid Stakes, just to name a few. In 2019, Vo Rogue was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame.

Better Loosen Up - 1989

Better Loosen Up won the 1989 Northerly Stakes and in 1991, he was named the Australian Horse of the Year. With a record of 45:17-9-3, he won races like the Cox Plate, the Australian Cup, the Railway Stakes, the Turnbull Stakes and the Champions Stakes.

Arcadia Queen - 2018

Arcadia Queen captured the hearts of many and in 2018 she won the Northerly Stakes. The mare won almost $4 million in prize money. She contested in six Group 1 races and had a pretty impressive record of 6:3-1-1. In her last race in 2021, she came second in the Futurity Stakes.

When you go to place your bet on the Northerly Stakes, you’ll notice odds next to all the different markets. The shorter the odds, the more likely that outcome will eventuate (according to that specific bookie). However, just because a bookie thinks that outcome is more likely, it doesn’t guarantee it will happen.

We see heavy favourites get rolled all the time and several different factors influence the odds you see with each bookie. On top of this, bookies are likely to offer different odds for the same runner as their ranking factors are not necessarily identical, therefore making it easy to find extra value.

If you are thinking about betting on a roughie in particular, we think shopping around for better odds is a great idea. We usually see a higher discrepancy with roughies and easy money is there to be found by checking out odds from different bookies. 

As we get closer to race day, more horse racing markets will open up. If you’re interested in more of the exotic markets, then you’ll have to wait until race week to get your bets sorted. Fixed Win/ Place markets are usually available at least a month or so before the event if you’ve got an early hot tip.

The 2025 Northerly Stakes odds haven’t been released just yet. However, you can take a look back and see what the odds were from PlayUp for the race in 2024:

*Odds correct as of 05/12/2024.

The Northerly Stakes was first run back in 1976 when won by Family Of Man and since then, we’ve seen the race develop into one of the biggest in the country. You might know the race as the Kingston Town Classic, as the race name change only took place back in 2022. 

The race name was changed from one champion racehorse to another from Kingston Town to Northerly in 2022. However, this isn’t the only race name change we’ve seen over the years, before the race was known as the Kingston Town Classic, the race was run under a range of sponsor names. 

The full range of name changes for the Northerly Stakes is as follows:

• 1976 - 1979: Marlboro 50,000
• 1980 - 1983: Western Mail Classic
• 1984 - 1987: Rothwells Stakes
• 1988 - 1991: Winfield Stakes
• 1992 - 1994: Beat Diabetes 2 Stakes
• 1995 - 2006: Fruit ‘N' Veg Stakes
• 2007 - 2021: Kingston Town Classic
• 2022 - now: Northerly Stakes

Northerly is a name many would know from the 2000s and he is a champion racehorse in Australian racing. Most notably, Northerly won back-to-back Cox Plates (in 2001 and 2002), the Caulfield Cup and the Australia Cup (twice!).

The Northerly Stakes is run in Perth’s Racing Carnival, which is becoming one of the biggest horse racing carnivals of the year. The race’s status has grown over the years and it first gained Group 1 status back in 1979.

Along with the raft of changes to the name of the race, we’ve also seen several changes to the race distance:

• 1976 - 1998: 1,800 metres
  
• 1999 - 2000: 1,600 metres
  
• 2001 - 2002: 1,800 metres
  
• 2003: 2,000 metres
  
• 2004 - now: 1,800 metres

No matter if it’s in the hours after the Northerly Stakes or it’s been almost a year, people always want to relive all the action from the latest edition of the race. You’ll be pleased to know that we have you sorted here at OnlyRacing with the finishing order of the entire field along with a full race replay.

The 2024 Northerly Stakes was won by Light Infantry Man, who was paying $10 to snare the win just before the race started. Light Infantry Man, who finished down in 12th in his lead-up race was just 0.69L ahead of Admiration Express. Admiration Express ran the race of her life and was paying $101 for the win.

Filling in the final minor placing was Socks Nation, a total of 2.15L off the leader. The equal favourites, Super Smink and Attrition, finished ninth and 11th, respectively. In the end, the 2024 Northerly Stakes was run in a time of 1:47.91 and there was a total of 9.81L that split the first and last runners across the finishing line.

Check out the full Northerly Stakes results below:

If pictures tell 1,000 words, how many words does a video tell? Figure that one out for yourself as you watch the full race replay of the Northerly Stakes:

It’s only winners in this section as we walk you through all the latest Northerly Stakes winners. See which runners were too good for the rest of the field in the table:

You’ve now learnt pretty much all there is to know about the Northerly Stakes, but if you still have questions, we’ve got some more answers. Our Northerly Stakes FAQs section is here to answer any last-minute questions you may have about the race.