Festival Stakes (ATC)
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| Class | Group 3 |
|---|---|
| Location | Rosehill Racecourse, Sydney, Australia |
| Inaugurated | 1948 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred |
| Sponsor | Gitani Stone (2025)[1] |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1,500 metres |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Right-handed |
| Qualification | Three years old and older |
| Weight | Quality handicap |
| Purse | A$250,000 (2025) |
| Bonuses | Exempt from ballot in the Villiers Stakes |
The Festival Stakes is an Australian Turf Club Group 3 Thoroughbred quality handicap horse race, for horses aged three years old and older, over a distance of 1500 metres, held annually at Rosehill Racecourse, Sydney, Australia in early December.
Name
- 1948–2001 - Festival Handicap
- 2002 onwards - Festival Stakes
Grade
- 1948–1978 - Principal race
- 1979–2015 - Listed race
- 2016 - Group 3
Distance
- 1948–1972 - 7 furlongs (~1400 metres)
- 1973–1983 - 1400 metres
- 1984 - 1350 metres
- 1985–1990 – 1300 metres
- 1991 - 1280 metres
- 1992–2001 - 1300 metres
- 2002–2006 - 1400 metres
- 2008 onwards - 1500 metres
Venue
- 1948–1983 - Rosehill Racecourse
- 1984 - Canterbury Park Racecourse
- 1985–1990 - Rosehill Racecourse
- 1991 - Canterbury Park Racecourse
- 1992 onwards - Rosehill Racecourse