The Gold Rush Tips, Betting, Odds, Horses & More 2025

The Gold Rush, previously known as the AJ Scahill Stakes until 2022, is one of the biggest races to take place each year at Ascot Racecourse. While the race has Group 3 status, it has Group 1 level prize money, which means we always see some of the best runners competing in the race each year. 

Ascot Racecourse is one of the top tracks in the country and The Gold Rush wraps up the calendar year of epic racing in Western Australia which sees some of the biggest races of the year, like the Railway Stakes, the Winterbottom Stakes and the Northerly Stakes.

The race name was chosen from suggestions by readers of The West Australian and in 2024, the race name was extended to the Damien Oliver Gold Rush to honour champion jockey Damien Oliver, who announced his retirement in 2023.

The Perth Racing Carnival has been officially renamed The Pinnacles and is held across five Saturdays of action-packed racing to close out the calendar year with a bang. Racing has died down across the country, with Melbourne and Sydney’s Spring Racing Carnival coming to a close, so racing fans turn their attention West.

OnlyRacing.com.au has every aspect of The Gold Rush covered, so you will never miss out on any of the action. We update this page multiple times a year and cover important aspects like tips, betting and odds details, plus general information like the form guide, field and results.

One of the things that makes this race so intriguing is the prize money that’s involved. There’s $1.5 million on the line and it is split between the top finishers. The breakdown of the total prize money is as follows:

We know there is probably one thing you came here for and that’s horse racing tips. Well, we’re pleased to inform you that we have some of the best free horse racing tips in Australia (if we do say so ourselves!) and this includes Ascot tips as well. Each year, we provide three tips for The Gold Rush, our best bet, next best and best roughie.

Our tips for The Gold Rush in 2025 aren’t available just yet. Each year, the final field is confirmed during race week and we are waiting until this time as we need to know which runners are confirmed for the race, so we can go through and analyse their chances.

While our 2025 tips aren’t available just yet, all our tips for The Gold Rush in 2024 can be found here:

The Gold Rush Best Bet - Super Smink

According to the betting market, it’s a two-horse race and I’d have to agree. However, I’ve sided with Super Smink, who is currently on the second line of betting, as my best bet for The Gold Rush on Saturday. The mare is paying $4.60 to win the race, thanks to PlayUp and she is on the one-week turnaround.

She comes back in trip for this one, after finishing down in ninth for the Northerly Stakes last time out. It is a query, but as a whole, I’m not too concerned as she has some of the best turn of foot out of all the competitors in the race. Will hopefully get a good run in transit and have enough time to strike.

The Gold Rush Next Best - Western Empire

If anyone is going to beat Super Smink, I think it has to be Western Empire. We haven’t seen much of the 7YO lately, but I think he has been primed for this one and almost always puts in a solid performance at Ascot Racecourse. The gelding is currently the narrow favourite with PlayUp, at odds of $4.40. 

It was a complete forgive run last time out in the Winterbottom Stakes. Pikey put in a rare stinker and not a lot went right for Western Empire, finishing ninth, 4.1L off the pace. William Pike has sustained an injury and this means it’s Billy Egan’s time to shine. Draws out wide, so the gelding will need a peach of a ride from Egan, something he is certainly capable of.

The Gold Rush Best Roughie - Magnificent Andy

Magnificent Andy has won a few decent races this year, but none of them are really up to the standard he’ll face in The Gold Rush. He has beaten the likes of Searchin’ Roc’s and Western Empire previously but has been beaten by runners like Comfort Me and Super Smink. The 6YO is currently paying $9.50 to win The Gold Rush.

The thing that I like the most about Magnificent Andy is the barrier draw, he draws barrier four and maps to see just off the pace, waiting for the perfect time to strike. Last time out, we saw him finish fourth in the Railway Stakes by just 1.2L. This will be his fourth crack at Ascot, so he certainly has the lay of the land now.

The Gold Rush is one of the biggest races on the calendar in Australia and with all that popularity people want to bet on the race. If you’re thinking about having a bet on The Gold Rush but aren’t exactly sure where to start, we’ve got you covered with all the information you need to know in this section.

There are so many different betting sites in Australia, all with slightly different offerings, so it makes it difficult to choose which bookie is best for you. A good place to start, however, is our bookie reviews page as we have comprehensive reviews on all the top betting sites in the country, making it easy for you to decide which one is best for you.

In our reviews, we also looked into the best new betting apps in Australia. New betting sites usually have the best apps going around, so it’s perfect for those who are always on the go but still want to easily place some horse racing bets. 

You don’t have to stick with one app or betting site either. Nothing is stopping you from opening accounts with multiple bookies, in fact, this is something we recommend because you’ll more easily be able to take advantage of things like better odds and bonus offers.

Once you’ve chosen the bookie (or bookies) you wish to open an account with, the next step is to choose what market you are going to bet on for The Gold Rush. There will be plenty of markets available and bookies like PlayUp, Bet365 and Unibet may even have futures markets live, which means you can bet months out from race day.

Each year, The Gold Rush field is confirmed during race week. As it’s not yet race week, we can’t bring you all the field information you’ve been searching for. While we don’t know the field, if we take a look back in history, we are likely to see a high-quality field of runners fighting it out for a stack of prize money.

As we touched on in the section above, there will likely be futures markets available well before the event. If available, it’s a good idea to check that out because it will give you somewhat of a sneak peek into the type of runners that might be targeting The Gold Rush.

The 2025 field for The Gold Rush hasn’t been confirmed yet, but you can see all the runners that took part in the race in 2024 here:

For The Gold Rush in 2024, we saw a field of 16 runners confirmed with four additional emergencies, just in case there were any pre-race scratchings. We didn’t end up seeing any pre-race scratchings so none of the four emergencies were able to book their spot in the starting barriers.

Scratchings are always something to consider when it comes to horse racing as they happen quite regularly. While it is pretty annoying to see the horse you backed end up being scratched, just know that you will have your stake refunded to you. Keep an eye on scratching because they can happen at any time.

Something else that is worth considering when looking at the final field is the barrier draw. The size of the field, racecourse and length of the race will all play a role in just how important the barrier draw is. Also, with a race like The Gold Rush, there have been barriers that are more successful than others.

The Gold Rush is one of the biggest Group 3 races on the calendar and it has been running for a few decades now. If you’re thinking of placing a bet on the race, one of the best things you can do is check out the form guide. The Gold Rush form guide will reveal patterns in the data, potentially pointing you in the direction of the next winner.

For The Gold Rush form guide, there are a few areas in particular that you should focus on:

• Recent Form - See how runners have performed so far this prep. If they are tackling The Gold Rush first-up, then you should look into trial performance. It’s a good idea to look into the results deeper as well, a middle-of-the-pack finish might actually be a decent run if the runner was held up at a critical time or was very far back.
• Barrier Draw - The barrier draw can have a fairly significant role in how the race plays out. Look at other races that are run at this track and distance to see which barriers are successful, plus look at the most successful barriers from this race in the past.
• Success at Track/ Distance - Some runners might have had a lot of success previously at Ascot Racecourse, so they should be seriously considered. Also, if horses are trained at this track, a home track advantage can be influential. Don’t forget about the distance as well.
• Success in Weight-For-Age Conditions - The Gold Rush is run under weight-for-age conditions, so you should look into how runners have performed in this type of race previously. You should also consider the quality of those races as well, races with Group status are of a much higher quality.
• Proven Group 3 Form - Finding a runner with Group 3 form is always a good idea. You should also check if they have any experience at Group 1 or 2 level as well. Things go up a notch when we get to Group level races.

Each year, we see some of the best horses compete in The Gold Rush, but only the best of the best can go on to win the race. The race has been around for a few decades now which means there’s a large pool of horses to choose from and potentially feature in this section.

We’ve gone through all The Gold Rush horses and chosen a handful to feature here in this section. We talk more about their careers and any major accomplishments or honours they have received. All the best horses can be found in this section:

Takeover Target - 2008

With an impressive career record of 41:21-6-4 and over $6 million worth of prize money in the bank, it is easy to see why Takeover Target deserves a spot on this list. Named the 2006 Australian Champion Sprinter, he won Group One races like the Newmarket Handicap, the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes and the Doomben 10,000.

Watermans Bay - 2014 & 2015

Watermans Bay was victorious in The Gold Rush in back-to-back years, winning in 2014 and then again in 2015. Ascot Racecourse was his home track and he won over $1 million in prize money throughout his career. He never managed to win a Group 1 race, but did finish second twice and third once.

Vega Magic - 2016

Multiple Group 1 winner, Vega Magic, was also victorious in The Gold Rush in 2016. Vega Magic finished his career with a record of 27:14-3-1 and won over $4 million in prize money. The two Group 1 races he won throughout his career included the Memsie Stakes and The Goodwood.

Kementari - 2020

Kementari was always in and around Group level and with 20 Group 1 races under his belt, he did manage to win one, which was the Randwick Guineas in 2018. The gelding had an overall career record of 49:8-6-8 and won almost $5 million in prize money throughout his time racing.

Munhamek - 2023

The fairytale came true as jockey Damien Oliver won his last race on Munhamek, in the race that is named in his honour! The gelding has won $2,528,727 so far in his career and has a record of 64:13-9-8. He has contested three Group 1 races so far but is yet to place in any of them.

If you’re going to bet on The Gold Rush, one of the things you’ll need to know is the odds. The odds give you an indication of which runners are currently more favoured in the market. However, it is important to remember that odds are a fickle thing and they are constantly changing. 

As the odds are always changing, it is a good idea to get your bets sorted as soon as you see a price you like. If not, you risk the odds shortening and then you won’t get as much value for your bet as you would have previously.

You’ll also notice that different bookies may have different odds for the same runner. So, another thing we recommend is that you shop around. This is especially the case if you’re thinking of betting on a roughie, where the discrepancy between bookies may be larger.

As we get closer to The Gold Rush race day, you’ll see more horse racing markets open up. So, if you’re into some of the more exotic markets, you’ll likely have to wait until race week to get your bets sorted. If you’re looking for simple markets like Fixed Win/ Place bets, then you’ll be pleased to know that those markets usually open up well before the race.

The Gold Rush odds for 2025 aren’t available just yet, but you can see the odds for every runner in the 2024 field here while we wait:

*Odds correct as of 12/12/2024.

Even though The Gold Rush holds Group 3 status, it is still one of the biggest races on the Australian calendar and thanks to the $1.5 million in prize money on offer, it always attracts the attention of some of the best racehorses in the country. The race is one of the final major Group level races of the calendar year.

Previously known as the AJ Scahill Stakes, the race was named in honour of a Vice Chairman of the WATC and first run back in 1978, when won by Burgess Queen. The Gold Rush takes place during Perth’s Racing Carnival, which is one of the biggest horse racing carnivals on the calendar.

The race was officially renamed the Damien Oliver Gold Rush after the champion jockey announced his retirement in 2023. In fairytale fashion, the 2023 race was Damien Oliver’s last race and he won it on board of Munhamek.

The Gold Rush was previously run as a Principal race up until 1979, then it was given Group 3 status. The race in 2003 took place at Belmont Racecourse instead of Ascot Racecourse. Interestingly, Arcadia Queen’s brother, Arcadia Prince, won this race in 2018.

In 2008, Takeover Target won the Winterbottom Stakes and then stayed out West to claim The Gold Rush easily and there were only five runners in that field. Takeover Target is probably one of the most successful horses to ever win The Gold Rush.

It’s the thing everyone wants to know, who won the latest The Gold Rush race? Well, we’ve got you sorted with all the results details you’ve been on the hunt for. We provide a table with the finishing order of the entire field plus a video replay, so you can relive all the action as it unfolded.

For The Gold Rush in 2024, the race was taken out by Western Empire. Western Empire was one of the more favoured runners in the market and despite a wide barrier, still managed to win by 1.41L. Magnificent Andy, who was also more favoured in the market, finished in second place.

The pre-race favourite, Super Smink, filled in the final minor placing, finishing 1.6L off the leader. In the end, The Gold Rush was run in a time of 1:21.94 and there was a total of 14.9L that split the first and last runners across the finishing line.

See here each runner in the field finished in The Gold Rush:

Ready to relive all the action from The Gold Rush? See how the race unfolded and what the winner needed to do to get across the finishing post first:

We’ve seen some pretty epic battles over the years in The Gold Rush. In the end, there can only be one winner though. We’ve gone through and listed all the recent winners of this race in this section:

We’ve endeavoured to cover all the important topics about The Gold Rush, but if anything has slipped through the cracks, they’ll hopefully be ticked off here. We’ve gone through and answered some of the most common questions people have about The Gold Rush in this section.