The Epona Stakes is a Group 3 staying race for fillies and mares run at Rosehill Gardens on Golden Slipper Day in March.
2025 Epona Stakes Results
- 1st: #7 Mare Of Mt Buller
- 2nd: #5 Sounds Of Heaven
- 3rd: #14 Brigidine Gal
Epona Stakes News
The Epona Stakes is a Group 3 race for fillies and mares held at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse on Golden Slipper Day in March.
2025 Epona Stakes Results & Finishing Order
- 1st: #7 Mare Of Mt Buller ($3.60F)
- 2nd: #5 Sounds Of Heaven
- 3rd: #14 Brigidine Gal
Chris Waller’s progressive Dundeel mare Mare Of Mt Buller ($3.60F) came from back in the field with jockey Zac Lloyd slicing through 250m out from the line to come up the inside of late leader Sounds Of Heaven to pull clear in a strong win for the punters in Saturday’s 2025 Epona Stakes results.
Epona Stakes 2025 Odds & Results
Bisley Workwear Epona Stakes (G3)
| Runner Details | Win | Place |
|---|---|---|
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1st
7. Mare Of Mt Buller (6) J: Zac Lloyd 54kg
T: Chris Waller |
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2nd
5. Sounds Of Heaven (2) J: Jamie Melham 55kg
T: Joseph Pride |
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3rd
14. Brigidine Gal (3) J: Alysha Collett 53kg
T: Joseph Pride |
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4th
9. Be Real (12) J: Tyler Schiller 54kg
T: Brad Widdup |
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5th
10. Bacio Del Mist (14) J: Molly Bourke 54kg
T: Lee & Cherie Curtis |
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6th
1. Hinged (5) J: James McDonald 59kg
T: Chris Waller |
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7th
3. Little Baia (1) J: Rachel King 56kg
T: Bjorn Baker |
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8th
8. It's A Knockout (4) J: Tim Clark 54kg
T: Ciaron Maher |
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9th
12. Fun Sunday (9) J: Jason Collett 54kg
T: Brad Widdup |
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10th
6. Harmonious Senora (11) J: Kerrin McEvoy 54kg
T: Amber Hendry |
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11th
2. Positivity (13) J: Damian Lane 56.5kg
T: Andrew Forsman |
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12th
4. Genzano (8) J: Tom Marquand 56kg
T: Paul Messara & Leah Gavranich |
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13th
11. Laspirit Deeler (10) J: Jeff Penza 54kg
T: Lee & Cherie Curtis |
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14th
13. Jessandi (7) J: Reece Jones 54kg
T: Jason Deamer |
Data retrieved: 27/05/2025 06:51:30 AM (Australia/Brisbane)
Golden Slipper Day is one of the highlights of the Golden Slipper Stakes, Ranvet Stakes, The Galaxy, George Ryder Stakes, and Rosehill Guineas. There are also a number of key acts on the card that hold Group status including the Epona Stakes.
Run under set weights plus penalties conditions the Epona Stakes is contested over 1900m by female stayers and offers $250,000 in prize money. Fillies and mares may come into the Epona Stakes field via a number of lead-ups including a tougher run in the Group 1 Aspiration Quality (1600m) at the start of the month.
Osmose (2nd in 2024) and Mare Of Mt Buller (2nd in 2025) are the latest Aspiration Quality graduates to back-up and win the Epona Stakes.
Possible later autumn targets for Epona Stakes graduates including the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) and the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m). In 2016 Heavens Above ran second in both the Epona Stakes and Queen Of The Turf Stakes.
Mares looking for longer distance targets may contest the Group 2 Chairman’s Handicap (2600m) at Royal Randwick on Day 1 of ‘The Championships’ or even the following weekend’s Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m).
In 2021 the Epona Stakes third placed She’s Ideel franked the form running second next-up in the Group 1 Tancred Stakes (2400m) before a fourth in that autumn’s Sydney Cup results.
The 2022 Epona Stakes form was franked with the runner-up Nerve Not Verve winning the Group 2 Chairman’s Stakes next-up that April, the next year Gin Martini won the Epona before a Chairman’s Stakes second at her next start.
The Epona Stakes 2025 ran at Rosehill Racecourse on Saturday March 22, 2025 as part of Golden Slipper Day card in Sydney and saw the Chris Waller trained favourite Mare Of Mt Buller ($3.60F) come with a terrific run up the inside late to salute by a length.
| 2025 Epona Stakes | |
|---|---|
| Date: | Saturday March 22, 2025 |
| Track: | Rosehill Racecourse |
| Distance: | 1900m |
| Race Type: | SW+P / F&M 3YO&Up |
| Status: | Group 3 |
| Prize Money: | $250,000 |
2025 Epona Stakes Finishing Order
| Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Penalty | Starting Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | MARE OF MT BULLER | Chris Waller | Zac Lloyd | 6 | 54kg | $3.60F | |||
| 2 | 5 | SOUNDS OF HEAVEN (GB) | Joseph Pride | Ms Jamie Melham | 0.92L | 2 | 55kg | $4 | ||
| 3 | 14 | BRIGIDINE GAL | Joseph Pride | Ms Alysha Collett | 1.62L | 3 | 53kg | $8 | ||
| 4 | 9 | BE REAL (NZ) | Brad Widdup | Tyler Schiller | 2.02L | 12 | 54kg | $15 | ||
| 5 | 10 | BACIO DEL MIST (NZ) | Lee & Cherie Curtis | Ms Molly Bourke (a) | 2.36L | 14 | 54kg | $91 | ||
| 6 | 1 | HINGED | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 3.75L | 5 | 59kg | $8.50 | ||
| 7 | 3 | LITTLE BAIA | Bjorn Baker | Ms Rachel King | 4.96L | 1 | 56kg | $15 | ||
| 8 | 8 | IT’S A KNOCKOUT | Ciaron Maher | Tim Clark | 5.28L | 4 | 54kg | $6 | ||
| 9 | 12 | FUN SUNDAY | Brad Widdup | Jason Collett | 7.06L | 9 | 54kg | $101 | ||
| 10 | 6 | HARMONIOUS SENORA | Amber Hendry | Kerrin McEvoy | 7.86L | 11 | 54kg | $51 | ||
| 11 | 2 | POSITIVITY (NZ) | Andrew Forsman | Damian Lane | 7.94L | 13 | 56.5kg | $19 | ||
| 12 | 4 | GENZANO | Paul Messara & Leah Gavranich | Tom Marquand | 10.29L | 8 | 56kg | $51 | ||
| 13 | 11 | LASPIRIT DEELER | Lee & Cherie Curtis | Jeff Penza | 11.89L | 10 | 54kg | $91 | ||
| 14 | 13 | JESSANDI | Jason Deamer | Reece Jones | 13.84L | 7 | 54kg | $151 | ||
| 15e | DJAPANA | Clarry Conners | Ashley Morgan | 0 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
2025 Epona Stakes Betting
The updated Epona Stakes 2025 betting odds on the staying fillies & mares racing in the Group 3 this Golden Slipper Day will be available here at Races.com.au.
Osmose ($2.90 in 2024) and Mare Of Mt Buller ($3.60 in 2025) are the latest favourites in Epona Stakes betting to salute for the punters.
2025 Epona Stakes Form
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2025 EPONA STAKES FORM GUIDE
2025 Epona Stakes Tips
Stay tuned for our exclusive Epona Stakes 2025 tips on the Golden Slipper Day act this autumn.
- To Win: #7 Mare Of Mt Buller ($4.50 at time of publish) – BET NOW
Big and open field for the Epona but the narrow favourite Mare Of Mt Buller looks well placed to post her first win of the autumn. Chris Waller’s consistent Dundeel four-year-old has been building up to something like this with two good runs this time in. Two back she was third over the Randwick mile in a Benchmark 78 before rising in grade and going one better when second last start in the Group 3 Aspiration Quality at the same track and trip. She was only a half-length beaten by the airborne Little Baia who she faces again here better in the weights. Mare Of Mt Buller remains on 54kg while her last start conqueror goes up from 53kg to 56kg in the rematch. Ideal mid-field draw and Zac Lloyd in the saddle is another plus. Fit third-up and ready to win.
2025 Epona Stakes Field
The Epona Stakes field features a smart line-up of fillies and mares either proven at staying distances or testing the waters over more metres during the autumn.
The official 2025 Epona Stakes field and barriers are set for release on the Wednesday of race week and will be published below as soon as available.
The Epona Stakes 2025 final field features a bumper line-up of fillies and mares led in betting by the progressive Chris Waller trained Dundeel four-year-old Mare Of Mt Buller.
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Probable Weight | Penalty | H Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | x727331x77 | HINGED | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 6 | 59kg | 103 | ||
| 2 | 1x21780x68 | POSITIVITY (NZ) | Andrew Forsman | Damian Lane | 14 | 56.5kg | 101 | ||
| 3 | 176x29L111 | LITTLE BAIA | Bjorn Baker | Ms Rachel King | 1 | 56kg | 84 | ||
| 4 | 111x60x565 | GENZANO | Paul Messara & Leah Gavranich | Tom Marquand | 9 | 56kg | 74 | ||
| 5 | 5x0x601x60 | SOUNDS OF HEAVEN (GB) | Joseph Pride | Ms Jamie Melham | 2 | 55kg | 95 | ||
| 6 | 18×3743751 | HARMONIOUS SENORA | Amber Hendry | Kerrin McEvoy | 12 | 54kg | 86 | ||
| 7 | 325x383x32 | MARE OF MT BULLER | Chris Waller | Zac Lloyd | 7 | 54kg | 83 | ||
| 8 | 121×23 | IT’S A KNOCKOUT | Ciaron Maher | Tim Clark | 5 | 54kg | 80 | ||
| 9 | 2x381612x4 | BE REAL (NZ) | Brad Widdup | Tyler Schiller | 13 | 54kg | 77 | ||
| 10 | 6413×46921 | BACIO DEL MIST (NZ) | Lee & Cherie Curtis | Ms Molly Bourke (a) | 15 | 54kg | 73 | ||
| 11 | 71554×5131 | LASPIRIT DEELER | Lee & Cherie Curtis | Jeff Penza | 11 | 54kg | 72 | ||
| 12 | 3561166×64 | FUN SUNDAY | Brad Widdup | Jason Collett | 10 | 54kg | 67 | ||
| 13 | 7×53812346 | JESSANDI | Jason Deamer | Reece Jones | 8 | 54kg | 60 | ||
| 14 | 331×413 | BRIGIDINE GAL | Joseph Pride | Ms Alysha Collett | 3 | 53kg | 74 | ||
| 15e | 79×9322610 | DJAPANA | Clarry Conners | Ashley Morgan | 4 | 54kg | 59 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
2025 Epona Stakes Nominations
Early Epona Stakes nominations in 2025 are taken the Monday of race week and will be updated below once released.
| Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | H Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6413×46921 | BACIO DEL MIST (NZ) | M | 7 | Lee & Cherie Curtis | 73 |
| 2 | 2x381612x4 | BE REAL (NZ) | M | 4 | Brad Widdup | 77 |
| 3 | 331×413 | BRIGIDINE GAL | F | 3 | Joseph Pride | 74 |
| 4 | 5107×57932 | DECADENT TALE | M | 7 | Matthew Smith | 69 |
| 5 | 79×9322610 | DJAPANA | M | 4 | Clarry Conners | 59 |
| 6 | 3561166×64 | FUN SUNDAY | M | 5 | Brad Widdup | 67 |
| 7 | 111x60x565 | GENZANO | M | 4 | Paul Messara & Leah Gavranich | 74 |
| 8 | 18×3743751 | HARMONIOUS SENORA | M | 5 | Amber Hendry | 86 |
| 9 | x727331x77 | HINGED | M | 6 | Chris Waller | 103 |
| 10 | 121×23 | IT’S A KNOCKOUT | M | 4 | Ciaron Maher | 80 |
| 11 | 7×53812346 | JESSANDI | M | 6 | Jason Deamer | 60 |
| 12 | 71554×5131 | LASPIRIT DEELER | M | 4 | Lee & Cherie Curtis | 72 |
| 13 | 176x29L111 | LITTLE BAIA | M | 5 | Bjorn Baker | 84 |
| 14 | 2Px15x | MARAMA (GB) | M | 4 | William Haggas | 68 |
| 15 | 325x383x32 | MARE OF MT BULLER | M | 4 | Chris Waller | 83 |
| 16 | 58x0047x27 | MOLLY BLOOM (NZ) | M | 4 | Chris Waller | 99 |
| 17 | 1x21780x68 | POSITIVITY (NZ) | M | 4 | Andrew Forsman | 101 |
| 18 | 5x0x601x60 | SOUNDS OF HEAVEN (GB) | M | 5 | Joseph Pride | 95 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
Epona Stakes History
The Epona Stakes was first run in 1998 and won by Burning Embers. Since then, some nice types have taken out the race including Fibrillation (2012), and Scratchy Bottom (2015). It only gained black-type status in 2001 as a Listed race before a Group 3 upgrade in 2012. The race is named after Celtic-Roman god Epona known as the protector of horses.
Known by a number of different names over the years the Epona Stakes has run as the Epona Mares Quality Plate, De Bortoli Wines Stakes and Percy Sykes Tribute Stakes in recent years. From 2000 – 2002 the race took place at Canterbury Park and from 1998 – 1999 it was contested over 2000m instead of the current 1900m distance.
In 2021 the original Golden Slipper Stakes race day including the Epona Stakes was abandoned due to heavy rainfall and unsafe track conditions and postponed to the following Saturday.
Recent Epona Stakes Winners
See below for the full Epona Stakes results and winners going back to the year 2000.
| Year | Place | Horse | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Epona Stakes |
1st | Mare Of Mt Buller | 1 minute 56.04 seconds |
| 2nd | Sounds Of Heaven | ||
| 3rd | Brigidine Gale | ||
| 2024 Epona Stakes |
1st | Osmose | 1 minute 55.82 seconds |
| 2nd | Thalassophile | ||
| 3rd | Rivaport | ||
| 2023 Epona Stakes |
1st | Gin Martini | 1 minute 56.12 seconds |
| 2nd | Thalassophile | ||
| 3rd | Douceur | ||
| 2022 Epona Stakes |
1st | Monegal | 2 minutes 00.62 seconds |
| 2nd | Nerve Not Verve | ||
| 3rd | Feel The Rush | ||
| 2021 Epona Stakes |
1st | Polly Grey | 1 minute 57.80 seconds |
| 2nd | Aliferous | ||
| 3rd | She’s Ideel | ||
| 2020 Epona Stakes |
1st | Missybeel | 1 minute 57.64 |
| 2nd | Gayatri | ||
| 3rd | Greysful Glamour | ||
| 2019 Epona Stakes |
1st | Semari | 2 minutes 02.30 seconds |
| 2nd | I’m A Princess | ||
| 3rd | All Too Soon | ||
| 2018 Epona Stakes |
1st | The Pinnacle | 1 minute 58.51 seconds |
| 2nd | Domed | ||
| 3rd | Nettoyer | ||
| 2017 Epona Stakes |
1st | Consommateur | 2 minutes 06.45 seconds |
| 2nd | Ambience | ||
| 3rd | Top Of My List | ||
| 2016 Epona Stakes |
1st | Vergara | 1 minute 56.8 seconds |
| 2nd | Heavens Above | ||
| 3rd | Sweet Fire | ||
| 2015 Epona Stakes |
1st | Scratchy Bottom | 1 minute 57.3 seconds |
| 2nd | Rising Romance | ||
| 3rd | Telepathic | ||
| 2014 Epona Stakes |
1st | Intimate Moment | 2 minutes 7.0 seconds |
| 2nd | Any Day Will Do | ||
| 3rd | Epingle | ||
| 2013 Epona Stakes |
1st | Aliyana Tilde | 1 minute 55.8 seconds |
| 2nd | Epingle | ||
| 3rd | Dolly Dolly | ||
| 2012 Epona Stakes |
1st | Fibrillation | 1 minute 57.6 seconds |
| 2nd | Crafty Irna | ||
| 3rd | Once Were Wild | ||
| 2011 Epona Stakes |
1st | Galizani | 1 minute 57.0 seconds |
| 2nd | Vivid Vixen | ||
| 3rd | Vintedge | ||
| 2010 Epona Stakes |
1st | Messenger | 1 minute 59.8 seconds |
| 2nd | Pagan Princess | ||
| 3rd | Jessicabeel | ||
| 2009 Epona Stakes |
1st | Divine Rebel | 1 minute 58.5 seconds |
| 2nd | Prima Nova | ||
| 3rd | Risayla | ||
| 2008 Epona Stakes |
1st | Ready To Lift | 1 minute 57.69 seconds |
| 2nd | My Lady’s Chamber | ||
| 3rd | Reggie | ||
| 2007 Epona Stakes |
1st | Safwa | 1 minute 55.62 seconds |
| 2nd | Grey Stream | ||
| 3rd | Upper Echelon | ||
| 2006 Epona Stakes |
1st | Kosi Bay | 1 minute 57.78 seconds |
| 2nd | Fantasia | ||
| 3rd | Sun Song | ||
| 2005 Epona Stakes |
1st | Natural Woman | 1 minute 55.06 seconds |
| 2nd | Cincinnati Gal | ||
| 3rd | Clevedon | ||
| 2004 Epona Stakes |
1st | Great Anna | 1 minute 56.55 seconds |
| 2nd | Vereza | ||
| 3rd | Thundarosa | ||
| 2003 Epona Stakes |
1st | Airlie Bird | 1 minute 55.8 seconds |
| 2nd | Talista Belle | ||
| 3rd | Honor Babe | ||
| 2002 Epona Stakes |
1st | Ilze | 1 minute 58.43 seconds |
| 2nd | Floridays | ||
| 3rd | Call Me Lily | ||
| 2001 Epona Stakes |
1st | Market Price | 1 minute 57.85 seconds |
| 2nd | Poppett | ||
| 3rd | The Druidess | ||
| 2000 Epona Stakes |
1st | Our Erin | 2 minutes 00.16 seconds |
| 2nd | Eye Spy | ||
| 3rd | Dalquareen | ||
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