# Turnbull Stakes

The Turnbull Stakes is a Victoria Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race, for horses four years old and older, run under set weights with penalties conditions over a distance of 2,000 metres. The race is held at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia in early October. Total prize money is A$750,000.

## History

It is one of the important races of the Spring Racing Carnival and is considered a major preparatory race for the Caulfield Cup, W S Cox Plate and for the Melbourne Cup.

### Name

In 1948 the race was renamed after the Victoria Racing Club Chairman at the time Richard Turnbull.
The race has featured in the VRC Spring meet under different names.
* 1865–1894 - Royal Park Stakes
* 1895–1897 - September Stakes
* 1898–1936 - October Stakes
* 1937–1947 - Melbourne Stakes
* 1948–1999 - Turnbull Stakes
* 2000–2001 - Four'n Twenty Turnbull Stakes
* 2002–2007 - Turnbull Stakes
* 2008 - Patinack Turnbull Stakes
* 2009–2014 - Turnbull Stakes
* 2015–2016 - Yellowglen Turnbull Stakes
* 2017 Seppelt Turnbull Stakes
* 2018 onwards - TAB Turnbull Stakes

### Grade

* 1865–1978 - Principal Race
* 1979–2005 - Group 2
* 2006 onwards - Group 1

### Distance

* 1865–1883 – 2 miles (~3200 metres)
* 1884 - 13⁄4 miles (~2800 metres)
* 1885–1890 – 2 miles (~3200 metres)
* 1891 - 15⁄8 miles (~2600 metres)
* 1892–1894 - 11⁄2 miles (~2400 metres)
* 1895–1915 - 11⁄4 miles (~2000 metres)
* 1915–1922 - 11⁄2 miles (~2400 metres)
* 1923 - 11⁄4 miles (~2000 metres)
* 1924 - 11⁄8 miles (~1800 metres)
* 1925–1947 - 1 mile (~1600m)
* 1948–1970 - 11⁄2 miles (~2400 metres)
* 1971 - 11⁄4 miles (~2000 metres)
* 1972 onwards - 2000m

### Conditions

* From 1864 to 1963 the race was run under Handicap conditions.
* From 1964 to 1970 the race was run under Weight for Age conditions.

### 1948 racebook

* 1948 VRC Turnbull Stakes racebook front cover
* 1948 VRC Turnbull Stakes raceday officials
* 1948 VRC Turnbull Stakes raceday notices
* 1948 VRC Turnbull Stakes showing the winner, Beau Gem
* 1948 VRC Turnbull Stakes starters and results
* Back cover showing railway and admission charges

### Gallery of noted winners

* Ajax, 1938, 1940 winner
* Lavendo, 1915 winner
* Comic Court, 1949 & 1950 winner
* Eurythmic, 1920 winner

## Winners

* 2024 - Via Sistina
* 2023 - Gold Trip
* 2022 - Smokin' Romans
* 2021 - Incentivise
* 2020 - Verry Elleegant
* 2019 - Kings Will Dream
* 2018 - Winx
* 2017 - Winx
* 2016 - Hartnell
* 2015 - Preferment
* 2014 - Lucia Valentina
* 2013 - Happy Trails
* 2012 - Green Moon
* 2011 - December Draw
* 2010 - Zipping
* 2009 - Efficient
* 2008 - Littorio
* 2007 - Devil Moon
* 2006 - Sphenophyta
* 2005 - Makybe Diva
* 2004 - Elvstroem
* 2003 - Studebaker
* 2002 - Northerly
* 2001 - Sunline
* 2000 - Fairway
* 1999 - Sky Heights
* 1998 - Aerosmith
* 1997 - Marble Halls
* 1996 - Doriemus
* 1995 - All Our Mob
* 1994 - Redding
* 1993 - The Phantom Chance
* 1992 - Naturalism
* 1991 - Let's Elope
* 1990 - Better Loosen Up
* 1989 - Super Impose
* 1988 - Vo Rogue
* 1987 - Vo Rogue
* 1986 - Just Now
* 1985 - Lacka Reason
* 1984 - Al Dwain
* 1983 - Chez Nous
* 1982 - Birchwood
* 1981 - No Peer
* 1980 - Amarla
* 1979 - Dulcify
* 1978 - Lefroy
* 1977 - Salamander
* 1976 - Denise's Joy
* 1975 - Analight
* 1974 - Leilani
* 1973 - Australasia
* 1972 - Sharif
* 1971 - Igloo
* 1970 - Arctic Symbol
* 1969 - Fileur
* 1968 - Galilee
* 1967 - Star Belle
* 1966 - Tobin Bronze
* 1965 - Craftsman
* 1964 - Sir Dane
* 1963 - Sometime
* 1962 - Aquanita
* 1961 - Blue Lodge
* 1960 - Aircraft
* 1959 - Mac
* 1958 - Pandie Sun
* 1957 - Syntax
* 1956 - Pushover
* 1955 - Redcraze
* 1954 - Rising Fast
* 1953 - Petrograd
* 1952 - Aldershot
* 1951 - Morse Code
* 1950 - Comic Court
* 1949 - Comic Court
* 1948 - Beau Gem
* 1947 - Sea Monarch
* 1946 - Bernborough
* 1945 - Lawrence
* 1944 - Counsel
* 1943 - Amana
* 1942 - Great Britain
* 1941 - Panka
* 1940 - Ajax
* 1939 - Manrico
* 1938 - Ajax
* 1937 - John Wilkes
* 1936 - Prince Quex
* 1935 - Cardinal
* 1934 - Hall Mark
* 1933 - Middle Watch
* 1932 - Viol D'Amour
* 1931 - Viol D'Amour
* 1930 - Amounis
* 1929 - High Syce
* 1928 - Highland
* 1927 - Royal Charter
* 1926 - Manfred
* 1925 - Fujisan
* 1924 - Whittier
* 1923 - Whittier
* 1922 - Tangalooma
* 1921 - Tangalooma
* 1920 - Eurythmic
* 1919 - Night Watch
* 1918 - King Offa
* 1917 - Lanius
* 1916 - Greencap
* 1915 - Lavendo
* 1914 - Aleconner
* 1913 - Mountain Princess
* 1912 - Lady Medallist
* 1911 - Flavian
* 1910 - Captain White
* 1909 - Iolaire
* 1908 - Pink 'Un
* 1907 - Subterranean
* 1906 - Ellis
* 1905 - Gladsome
* 1904 - Gladsome
* 1903 - Wakeful
* 1902 - Strata Florida
* 1901 - Haymaker
* 1900 - Hautboy
* 1899 - Mora
* 1898 - Bobadil
* 1897 - Ayrshire
* 1896 - Resolute
* 1895 - Hova
* 1894 - Fortunatus
* 1893 - Vakeel
* 1892 - Donation
* 1891 - Marvel
* 1890 - Megaphone
* 1889 - Prince Consort
* 1888 - Mentor
* 1887 - Carlyon
* 1886 - Trenton
* 1885 - Trenton
* 1884 - David
* 1883 - Legrand
* 1882 - Darebin
* 1881 - Sweetmeat
* 1880 - Progress
* 1879 - First King
* 1878 - Warlock
* 1877 - Robinson Crusoe
* 1876 - Tocal
* 1875 - Robin Hood
* 1874 - Dagworth
* 1873 - Don Juan
* 1872 - King Of The Ring
* 1871 - Warrior
* 1870 - Tim Whiffler
* 1869 - Peeress
* 1868 - The Barb
* 1867 - Warwick
* 1866 - Volunteer
* 1865 - The Sign