Australia Preview for August 1, 2026

August 1 marks the beginning of the new racing season in Australia and New Zealand. All horses officially get a year older in the racebooks, and it’s also the beginning of the major spring carnivals, leading toward the Everest in New South Wales and the Melbourne Cup in Victoria.

The season begins with racing at Rosehill in Sydney and Flemington in Melbourne, and as the latter is the only one of the pair to feature a graded stakes race, we’ll focus our attention there.

Flemington, Race 7, 1:50 a.m. ET: Aurie’s Star Handicap (G3), 1,200 meters (about six furlongs), all ages.

• $10 win/$30 show: #2 Arkansaw Kid
• $1 trifecta: 1,2 with 1,2,5 with 1,2,3,5,6,8 

The best horses in this race are undoubtedly #1 War Machine (9-5) and #2 Arkansaw Kid (7-2). Both are sons of Harry Angel and have reasonable form at Group 1 level, which their opponents don’t have. However, both are resuming, and have a lot of weight to give away.

War Machine looked like one of Australia’s best potential sprinter-milers a year ago, having won four in a row, including the Stradbroke (G1) in Brisbane over seven furlongs. A fresh win in the Gilgai (G2) last October was enough to earn him a slot in the Everest, where he was down the track in 10th.

Since then he hasn’t done a whole lot; it’s questionable whether he’s as good as he used to be, or whether tougher opposition at six furlongs hasn’t worked in his favor. Nonetheless, this is a significant drop in class, and he won a jumpout July 24.

Arkansaw Kid’s profile isn’t as strong as War Machine’s; his Group 1 form came when second on a raid to New Zealand in the Railway. On the face of it, that’s not as strong as War Machine’s form, but the horse that beat him – fellow Australian Jigsaw – was one of the most improved horses in Australia last year, extending his winning streak to eight with victories in the William Reid (G1) and in West Australia’s $5 million slot race, the Quokka.

Arkansaw Kid didn’t reach those heights after the Railway, but he maintained good form through the season and showed his fitness with a second-place finish in a jumpout.

The best of the horses that’s not resuming is #5 Ndola (6-1). He won on this track on July 4 in an ungraded stakes, and then was kept up to the mark when running second to War Machine in the July 24 jumpout. By Justify, he gets 13 pounds from War Machine and 10 pounds from Arkansaw Kid, which gives him a chance.

Of the others, #3 Star Patrol (9-2) is an honest type who has form behind both of the topweights last season; he was second to Arkansaw Kid in the Bobbie Lewis (G2) last September and then third to War Machine in the Gilgai. He hasn’t raced since last November, and hasn’t won since the Gilgai in 2023. He gets 11 pounds from War Machine, and his best chance is if the top two aren’t ready for their best.

Queenslander #6 Boomtown Boss (13-1) and last-start runner-up #8 Royal Insignia (15-2) look the best of the others.

BONUS PLAY – NEW ZEALAND

Riccarton, Race 9, 12:07 a.m. ET: Winter Cup (G3), 1,600m (about one mile), handicap, all ages

• $10 win/$20 show, #4 Prioress (15-2): Won the Opunake Cup well at last start and looks up to taking on the South Island horses here.