Victory Stakes
Australia | FEATURE RACE GUIDE
History
The Victory Stakes is a Group 2 race conducted at Eagle Farm by the Brisbane Racing Club as an early feature of the Brisbane Racing Carnival.
The Victory Stakes is run over 1200m under weight-for-age conditions after first being run as the Sir Byrne Hart Handicap when introduced by the now defunct Queensland Turf Club at Eagle Farm in 1980.
It has since undergone numerous changes in venue, distance and conditions as it grew into an early feature of the annual Brisbane carnival that runs from late April to mid-June.
The Sir Byrne Hart Handicap was a Listed Race when first run at Eagle Farm in 1980 over 1810m. It became a Group 3 race in 1981 and the distance changed to 1866m in 1983, then 2100m in 1984 and 1985 and 2125m in 1986 and 1987.
It reverted to 1830m in 1988 before the decision was taken in 1989 to promote the Sir Byrne Hart Stakes as a feature weight-for-age sprint with the distance changing to 1400m until 2005.
The race became a Group 2 in 1992 and has been run over 1200m since 2006.
It was first run as the Victory Stakes in 2010 and was first run at Doomben in 2012 following the merger of the QTC and BATC. In subsequent years it has been run at Eagle Farm (2014) and the Gold Coast (2015) and is now back at Eagle Farm (when racing) or Doomben as a major lead-up to the G1 Doomben 10,000.
The 2026 Victory Stakes was worth $300,000 in prize money.
Notable winners of the Sir Byrne Hart Stakes/Victory Stakes since it became a WFA feature race in 1989 include Groucho, Rough Habit, Let's Hurry, Quick Flick, Roulette, Mr Bureaucrat, Only Words, All Bar One, Temple Of Boom, Srikandi, Fell Swoop, Music Magnate, Impending, I Am Excited, Rothfire and Antino and dual winners Swiss Ace and Buffering.
The 2026 Victory Stakes was won by Splash Back from Payline and Warnie.
Previous Victory Stakes Winners
| Date | Horse | Jockey | WT | Trainer | BP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
SPLASH BACK
(FR)
6M LE HAVRE (IRE) - TAMAZIRTE (IRE) DANEHILL DANCER (IRE) |
M RODD | 56.5 | GRAHAME BEGG | 5 |
|
|
LIBERTAD
(AUS)
4H RUSSIAN REVOLUTION (AUS) - ELECTRIC CHARGE (AUS) CHARGE FORWARD (AUS) |
J MOTT | 58.5 | ANNABEL & ROB ARCHIBALD | 2 |
|
|
ANTINO
(NZ)
5G REDWOOD (GB) - MAHAMAYA (NZ) BAHHARE (USA) |
V DURIC | 58.5 | TONY GOLLAN | 7 |
|
|
ROTHFIRE
(AUS)
5G ROTHESAY (AUS) - HUSS ON FIRE (NZ) HUSSONET (USA) |
N RAWILLER | 58.5 | ROBERT HEATHCOTE | 9 |
|
|
COUNT DE RUPEE
(AUS)
4G REAL IMPACT (JPN) - TIMELESS CHOICE (AUS) REDOUTE'S CHOICE (AUS) |
BROCK RYAN | 58.5 | R & L PRICE | 1 |
|
|
NICCANOVA
(AUS)
7G NICCONI (AUS) - DANANOVA (AUS) SNIPPETSON (AUS) |
JAMES ORMAN | 58.5 | STEVE TREGEA | 6 |
|
|
VICTOREM
(AUS)
5G I AM INVINCIBLE (AUS) - PLAYFUL MISS (AUS) FOREPLAY (AUS) |
MARK DU PLESSIS | 56.5 | JENNY GRAHAM | 3 |
|
|
I AM EXCITED
(AUS)
4M SNITZEL (AUS) - LADY BECKWORTH (AUS) GENERAL NEDIYM (AUS) |
B SHINN | 56.5 | DAVID PFIEFFER | 5 |
|
|
IMPENDING
(AUS)
4H LONHRO (AUS) - MNEMOSYNE (AUS) ENCOSTA DE LAGO (AUS) |
D J BROWNE | 58.5 | JAMES CUMMINGS | 2 |
|
|
MUSIC MAGNATE
(NZ)
5G WRITTEN TYCOON (AUS) - CONCERT GIRL (AUS) DANEHILL DANCER (IRE) |
J LLOYD | 58.5 | BJORN BAKER | 6 |
|
|
FELL SWOOP
(AUS)
4G NOT A SINGLE DOUBT (AUS) - TOUCHED IN FLIGHT (AUS) FASLIYEV (USA) |
J FORD | 58.5 | MATTHEW DALE | 2 |
|
|
SRIKANDI
(AUS)
4M DUBAWI (IRE) - RAINING (AUS) HURRICANE SKY (AUS) |
D J BROWNE | 56.5 | CIARON MAHER | 1 |
|
|
TEMPLE OF BOOM
(AUS)
7G PICCOLO (GB) - TEMPLE SPIRIT (AUS) SPECIAL DANE (AUS) |
MS T HARRISON | 58.5 | TONY GOLLAN | 8 |
|
|
BUFFERING
(AUS)
5G MOSSMAN (AUS) - ACTION ANNIE (AUS) ANABAA (USA) |
D J BROWNE | 58.5 | ROBERT HEATHCOTE | 3 |
|
|
BUFFERING
(AUS)
3G MOSSMAN (AUS) - ACTION ANNIE (AUS) ANABAA (USA) |
L V CASSIDY | 56.5 | ROBERT HEATHCOTE | 4 |
|
|
GHETTO BLASTER
(AUS)
6G LUJAIN (USA) - CERTAIN BLAZE (AUS) BLAZING SADDLES (AUS) |
S KATSIDIS | 58.5 | GILLIAN HEINRICH | 7 |
Related News
Hall of Famer Chris Waller is sensing a form reversal from Private Harry as the trainer chases a record-breaking win in the $1.5 million Ladbrokes Doomben 10,000 (1200m) at Doomben on Saturday.
Lady Of Camelot has been ruled out of the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 and plans to take her Royal Ascot are over after she sustained a freak injury during swimming exercise at a Brisbane beach this morning.
Gai Waterhouse feels Lady Of Camelot needs to win the Group 1 $1 million Doomben 10,000 on Saturday to confirm the mare's trip to England for the prestigious Royal Ascot carnival.
Half Yours continues his late season push for Horse of the Year honours in the Group 2 $500,000 Hollindale Stakes (1800) at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
Splash Back has claimed some high profile scalps to win the Victory Stakes.
There’s Group 1 racing at Morphettville but the race of the day is the Group 2 $300,000 Victory Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm today.
Payline's generous odds reflect the sheer quality of his opposition in the Group 2 $300,000 Victory Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Hall of Fame trainer Chris Waller’s Group 1-winning streak relies on outsider Savisanta in the Group 1 $1 million South Australian Derby (2518m) at Morphettville on Saturday.
A nine-race card at Eagle Farm this Saturday to launch Stradbroke season.
Five-time G1 winner Joliestar heads a team of Australian sprinters targeting Royal Ascot, with dirt champion Forever Young another eye-catching entry for the eight G1 highlights during the meeting.
Lady Of Camelot set to resume at Eagle Farm.
The Race History of the Victory Stakes run at Eagle Farm on Saturday has altered with distance changes.
A race day gallop at Canterbury has Private Harry ready to rumble first-up in Queensland.
Lady Of Camelot will have two Brisbane carnival starts to convince connections she is ready for the demands of a Royal Ascot campaign.
