NJC Spring Stakes
The NJC Spring Stakes is a Group 3 race run under Set Weights conditions for three year olds at Newcastle conducted by the Newcastle Jockey Club.
The NJC Spring Stakes is run over 1600m. It was first run in 1984 and was won by Blazing Devil.
The NJC Spring Stakes was a Listed race prior to 1999 then Group 3 onwards.
The Broadmeadow racecourse at Newcastle is the biggest of the provincial courses in NSW and the only one in Australia to host multiple group races.
This race had provided some outstanding horses who would go on to win major Spring races but also develop into better 4yos and beyond. The date change does impact the Spring aspect.
Subzero ran third in 1991 and won the Melbourne Cup a year later.
Nothin' Leica Dane was only third at Broadmeadow but would take the Spring Champion and VRC Derby (over Octagonal) before backing up and running a cracker in the Melbourne Cup as a 3yo behind Doriemus.
Derby winners like Clangalang, Universal Prince and Ebony Grosve did the double.
In a massive upset, 1993 saw Mistador hold off the Lloyd Williams owned, Lee Freedman trained Mahogany. While that was the winner's claim to fame, Mahogany would win countless G1s after that including a Caulfield Guineas, two Derbies and two Lightning Stakes.
The 2007 race was not held due to the Equine Influenza break out.
The 2016 race was delayed to early 2017 because of the course proper reconstruction and the fact there was no mile start on the Beaumont track.
From 2019, the race was put back two months to mid-November, to be run on the same card as the new $1m race The Hunter. The Spring Stakes had lost some caste after the evolution of the Golden Rose run around the same time in September so this was designed to give it a rebirth.
The NJC Spring Stakes was worth $250,000 in 2024.
Notable winners of the NJC Spring Stakes include Prioisir (2012), Ilovethiscity (2010), Sousa (2008), Hotel Grand (2005), Lotteria (2004), Clangalang (2002), Magic Albert (2001), Universal Prince (2000), Shogun Lodge (1999), Dracula (1998), Encounter (1997), Ebony Grosve (1996), Coronation Day (1992), Procol Harum (1989), All Ashore (1987), Imprimatur (1986) and Easter (1985).
The 2023 NJC Spring Stakes was won by Genzano from Kind Words and Kintyre.