From the race’s inauguration back in 1968 right through until 2026 we have a complete list of past Manikato Stakes winners. View every previous Manikato Stakes champion throughout history, plus extra details including the age, gender and weight carried to victory of the Manikato Stakes winners going back to the year 2000.
The Manikato Stakes was first run in 1968 as the Freeway Stakes and winners prior to 1984 are known as the Freeway Stakes winners.
The inaugural winner was Winfreux (1968) before the 1969 victory of that year’s Golden Slipper – Caulfield Guineas winning three-year-old Vain.
The event is now named in honour of former star sprinter Manikato, who won this race twice in 1979 and 1982 as well as winning five consecutive editions of the William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley from 1979 to 1983.
Dual Choice (1970 and 1971) was the first two-time Manikato Stakes / Freeway Stakes champion.
Multiple Freeway Stakes / Manikato Stakes winners: Dual Choice (1970, 1971), Tauto (1973, 1974), Manikato (1979, 1982), Spinning Hill (2002, 2003), Spark Of Life (2004, 2005), and Hey Doc (2017, 2020).
History shows four Cox Plate winners that also won the Manikato Stakes in the same year: Strawberry Road (1983), Rubiton (1987), Dane Ripper (1998), and Sunline (2000).
Other notable Manikato Stakes winners throughout the years include 2007 Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year Miss Andretti (2006), Hay List (2010), Sepoy (2011), Buffering (2013), and “The Grey Flash” Chautauqua (2015) who famously won three straight editions of Sydney’s TJ Smith Stakes between 2015 and 2017.
The 2022 Manikato Stakes winner Bella Nipotina ($3.60) improved on her close second in the event the year before to win the rescheduled race by a runaway 4.75 lengths on Cox Plate Day.
The 2023 Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes winner was star Kiwi-trained mare Imperatriz ($1.40) who saluted by over three lengths as the odds-on favourite for her fourth straight win at the track.
The 2024 Manikato Stakes winner was the Ciaron Maher-trained Southport Tycoon ($21) who enjoyed a narrow upset dashing home late off a gun ride by Mark Zahra to run down his stablemate, the beaten favourite Growing Empire ($3.80F), under the lights at The Valley second-up.
The 2025 Manikato Stakes winner was five-year-old I Am Invincible mare Charm Stone ($31) for trainers Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr with jockey Blake Shinn aboard on 56.5kg from barrier 2 to win by 2 lengths on a Good (3) track in a time of 1:10.01.
The 2026 Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes winner is TBC and will be known when the spring sprint showdown runs at Caulfield Racecourse on Sunday September 27.
Bet on the Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes 2026 Winner
| 1. Giga Kick | ||
| 2. Joliestar | ||
| 3. Jigsaw | ||
| 4. Natural Fling | ||
| 5. Oliveanotherday | ||
| 6. Angel Capital | ||
| 7. Jimmysstar | ||
| 8. My Gladiola | ||
| 9. Ninja | ||
| 10. Lady Shenandoah |
Manikato Stakes Winners 2000 – the Present
Complete List of Past Manikato Stakes Winners
| Year | Horse |
|---|---|
| 2026 | TBD |
| 2025 | Charm Stone |
| 2024 | Southport Tycoon |
| 2023 | Imperatriz |
| 2022 | Bella Nipotina |
| 2021 | Jonker |
| 2020 | Hey Doc |
| 2019 | Loving Gaby |
| 2018 | Brave Smash |
| 2017 | Hey Doc |
| 2016 | Rebel Dane |
| 2015 | Chautauqua |
| 2014 | Lankan Rupee |
| 2013 | Buffering |
| 2012 | Sea Siren |
| 2011 | Sepoy |
| 2010 | Hay List |
| 2009 | Danleigh |
| 2008 | Typhoon Zed |
| 2007 | Gold Edition |
| 2006 | Miss Andretti |
| 2005 | Spark Of Life |
| 2004 | Spark Of Life |
| 2003 | Spinning Hill |
| 2002 | Spinning Hill |
| 2001 | Piavonic |
| 2000 | Sunline |
| 1999 | Redoute’s Choice |
| 1998 | Dane Ripper |
| 1997 | Spartacus |
| 1996 | Poetic King |
| 1995 | You Remember |
| 1994 | Spanish Mix |
| 1993 | Never Undercharge |
| 1992 | King Marauding |
| 1991 | Sonic Express |
| 1990 | Street Ruffian |
| 1989 | Our Westminster |
| 1988 | Rancho Ruler |
| 1987 | Rubiton |
| 1986 | Lockley’s Tradition |
| 1985 | Touch Of Genius |
| 1984 | Vite Cheval |
| 1983 | Strawberry Road |
| 1982 | Manikato |
| 1981 | Silver Bounty |
| 1980 | Grey Sapphire |
| 1979 | Manikato |
| 1978 | Vice Regal |
| 1977 | Ease The Squeeze |
| 1976 | Scamanda |
| 1975 | Lord Dudley |
| 1974 | Tauto |
| 1973 | Tauto |
| 1972 | Century |
| 1971 | Dual Choice |
| 1970 | Dual Choice |
| 1969 | Vain |
| 1968 | Winfreux |