The 1400m handicap for fillies and mares has been run since 1991, when taken out by the Ian Malcom trained and Mike Pelling ridden My Rythmic Dancer.

No trainer has won the race twice yet but jockey Shane Shield won back-to-back Silk Stockings, with Guilded Queen (1992) for Trevor Miller and Madam Zoffany (1993) for Barry Miller.

The only other jockey to win the race twice is Scott Galloway, with Pacific Crossing (1996) for trainer Debbie Newhan and Feelers last year for John Hawkes.

The race first gained Listed status in 1995, when taken out by the Jim Atkins trained and Glen Boss ridden Lady Nickeli, which was also the first favourite to win the event.

Just one other favourite has taken out the Silk Stocking in twelve runnings, with Heritiere in 2002, which also clocked the fastest time of 1:20.57.

Heritiere raced close to the turn for trainer Gai Waterhouse and rider Jim Cassidy, with the daughter of Anabaa (USA) defeating West Ward and Card Queen.

The Silk Stocking has been a lightweights race in the main, with just three of the winners carrying 55kg or more.

Pacific Crossing has carried the highest weight to win of 57kg, with the next best two efforts coming from Air She Goes (2001) under 56kg and Boisterous Lady (1998) under 55kg.

Air She Goes led throughout for rider Danny Beasley and trainer Grant Delaney and clocked the second fastest time ever run for the event of 1:20.81.

The daughter of Air De France (USA) would also win the Listed Triscay Stakes (1200m) in 2001.

Boisterous Lady for trainer Bill Mitchell and rider Jim Byrne unleashed from the back to score, giving the daughter of Rivotious (USA) some valuable black type.

1997 saw no running of the Silk Stocking, with the race abandoned due to a jockey strike.

1999 and 2000 saw backrunners prevail in Dever’s Gold for jockey Gary Baker and trainer Sally Rodgers then Nova Serrure for Stathi Katsidis and trainer Tony Gollan.

Backrunners or those that settle off the pace have won nine of the twelve Silk Stocking runnings, which tell you this handicap event is a pressure race from the outset.