Northerly Stakes 2023 Barrier Draw & Final Field
- The barrier draw has been completed for the Northerly Stakes
- The 2023 edition will be run on Saturday, December 9
- Zaaki heads the early market
- Final field is included below

Zaaki has drawn barrier ten in the Northerly Stakes. (Getty)
Zaaki (barrier 10) headlines the acceptances for 2023 Northerly Stakes, with the Annabel Neasham-trained gelding aiming for his fifth Group 1 victory.
Although he hasn't tasted Group 1 success this year, the veteran did prevail over this 1800m journey when taking the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes at the Sunshine Coast in May, while he has been competitive in four runs this campaign.
Zipaway (barrier 14) is looking to follow a similar path to his sire Playing God, who won the 2010 edition of the Notherly Stakes as a three-year-old after taking out the WA Guineas, although the Guineas was run earlier in the spring when Playing God saluted.
Neville Parnham has also accepted with last-start Railway Stakes winner Bustler (barrier 5), who is looking to become the first horse since Sniper's Bullet (2009) to complete a Railway Stakes-Northerly Stakes winning double.
A Lot Of Good Men (barrier 8) caught the eye late in the WA Guineas when getting home for second and like Zipaway, the three-year-old carries only 52kg for this weight-for-age event.
He's trained by Trevor Andrews, who prepared Modem to win the 2004 edition of this feature.
The Waterhouse & Bott stable travels west with Zoumon (barrier 15), a gelding who rounded out his winter with a winning hat-trick and with only two starts completed so far this campaign, he hasn't been knocked about by a long spring prep.
Forgot You (barrier 13) is another interstate visitor in the final field, and he'll need to improve quickly following a disappointing showing in the Railway Stakes a fortnight ago.
William Pike stays aboard Alspehina (barrier 6), who finished second in the Railway Stakes and while she now rises to weight-for-age level, the Grant & Alana Williams-trained mare has won her only try over the Ascot 1800m.
Trix Of The Trade (barrier 7) is another Group 1 winner in the acceptances and the five-year-old was strong late for fourth when attempting to defend his Railway Stakes crown on November 25.
16 runners make up the final field for the 2023 Northerly Stakes.
Northerly Stakes 2023 Barriers & Final Field
No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Zaaki (GB) | Annabel Neasham | James McDonald | 10 | 59kg |
2 | Trix Of The Trade | Colin Webster | Troy Turner | 7 | 59kg |
3 | Zoumon | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Damien Oliver | 15 | 59kg |
4 | Marocchino | Lou Luciani | Jason Whiting | 3 | 59kg |
5 | Dom To Shoot | Sean & Jake Casey | Jarrad Noske | 1 | 59kg |
6 | Forgot You (NZ) | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Paul Harvey | 13 | 59kg |
7 | Casino Seventeen | Grant & Alana Williams | Shaun McGruddy | 16 | 59kg |
8 | Mojo Rhythm | Mitchell Pateman | Holly Watson | 4 | 59kg |
9 | River Rubicon | Steve Wolfe | Alan Kennedy | 9 | 59kg |
10 | Bustler | Neville Parnham | Brad Parnham | 5 | 58.5kg |
11 | Alsephina | Grant & Alana Williams | William Pike | 6 | 57kg |
12 | Searchin' Roc's | Jim Taylor | Jason Brown | 12 | 57kg |
13 | The Velvet Queen | Darren McAuliffe | Patrick Carbery | 11 | 57kg |
14 | Be Optimistic | Luke Fernie | Clint Johnston-Porter | 2 | 57kg |
15 | Zipaway | Neville Parnham | Steve Parnham | 14 | 52kg |
16 | A Lot Of Good Men | Trevor Andrews | Chris Parnham | 8 | 52kg |
Northerly Stakes Winners
A Group 1 that has had numerous name changes, it will be best known to racing fans as the Kingston Town Classic (2007-2021) before the recent switch, which was named after nine-time Group 1 winner Northerly, who is one of the best horses to have come from Western Australia.
An 1800m feature run under weight-for-age conditions, this event has launched the career of many great horses, while it has also seen many established and famous gallopers triumph, including champions in Kingston Town, Vo Rogue and Better Loosen Up.
Truly Great (2020), Regal Power (2021) and Amelia's Jewel (2022) have won the last three editions of the Northerly Stakes.
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