Spicy Miss Sizzles to Sweet Embrace Stakes Victory

Darby Racing 1.3.2026

Spicy Miss delivered a gutsy and eye-catching performance to take out the prestigious Group 2 Sweet Embrace Stakes at Randwick on Saturday, 28 February 2026. In doing so she not only captured a coveted autumn feature for two-year-old fillies, but also punched her ticket for an automatic entry into this year’s Golden Slipper Stakes — a fitting reward for a filly who’s been knocking on the door in her earlier runs. 

Ridden with composure by Zac Lloyd and trained with careful precision, Spicy Miss tracked the pace before powering to the lead in the home straight. She held on gamely to deny Screen Icon by a narrow margin, with By Choice completing the trifecta in a thrilling finish. 

After finishing runner-up in her first two starts, this marked the moment she truly arrived on the big stage — breaking her maiden status and announcing herself as a genuine contender for the spring’s richest juvenile races. Connections were quick to praise Spicy Miss’s tenacity and improvement, pointing to her exciting future beyond this win. 

Continuing a Proud Tradition

This victory marks another memorable chapter in Darby Racing’s success story in the Sweet Embrace Stakes. Only a decade ago, our team first struck gold in this race with the classy Scarlet Rain.

• Scarlet Rain (2016 Sweet Embrace Stakes Winner)

  
  

  A daughter of Manhattan Rain out of Double Ranga, Scarlet Rain stamped her authority on the Sweet Embrace in 2016, winning with style over 1200m in a time of 1:09.52 under jockey Kathy O’Hara. Trained by the Waterhouse & Bott stable, she went on to become one of our early juvenile stars and remains a fond memory for our owners and team.  

Just last year — in 2025 — we again topped the Sweet Embrace with Within The Law, adding to our strong recent record in the race.

• Within The Law (2025 Sweet Embrace Stakes Winner)

  
  

  Bred for grit and speed, Within The Law delivered a memorable performance at Randwick to clinch the Group 2 feature. Ridden by Jason Collett and trained by Bjorn Baker, she surged late to down race favourite Bellazaine in a thrilling duel — securing both the win and a spot in the Golden Slipper field for her next assignment.  

 What’s Next

With Spicy Miss joining the roll of honour alongside Scarlet Rain and Within The Law, our stable’s connection with the Sweet Embrace Stakes continues to grow. All eyes now turn to the 2026 Golden Slipper Stakes, where she’ll carry our colours with confidence and plenty of momentum. 

Stay tuned for more updates as this filly’s journey unfolds — and congratulations to all the owners, trainers, and supporters who made this exciting victory possible! 🏆

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL HER WONDERFUL OWNERS!

THANK YOU TO THE CIARON MAHER TEAM!