Australia preview for August 22, 2026

Group One racing for the new Australian season begins this weekend with the Winx Stakes, renamed in 2018 after the mighty mare who dominated Australian racing in the mid-2010s. It’s drawn a hot field and will provide a great guide to Australian middle-distance racing for the spring.

Randwick, Race 9, 2:30 a.m. Saturday ET

Winx Stakes (G1), 1,400 meters (about 7 furlongs), three-year-olds and up.

• $1 superfecta: 8 with 5,14 with 2,5,12,14 with 2,5,10,11,12,14 ($24)
• 50c superfecta: 14 with 8 with 2,5 with 2,5,10,11,12 ($4)
• $10 place: #5 Beiwacht ($10)

Winx’s trainer Chris Waller dominates this race in a manner that almost makes Aidan O’Brien look pedestrian. Fourteen runners have paid up for this A$1 million ($711,000) feature, and Waller trains eight of them – though one of those, current Melbourne Cup favorite Aeliana, is expected to miss the race in favor of the Memsie (G1) at Caulfield next week.

Many of the runners, however, are clearly using this as a warm-up for longer-distance races. The market suggests there are only two genuine winning chances.

The Waller hotpot is #8 Autumn Glow (1-1), yet another outstanding mare from the barn following Winx, Verry Elleegant, and Via Sistina. She’s won 11 of her 12 starts, the only defeat coming at her most recent outing on April 11, when it seems she didn’t stay 1 1/4 miles.

Back at seven furlongs, she is very well suited. She’s beaten most of these horses before, and though she doesn’t always win by a lot, it’s hard to imagine any of those horses turning the tables.

What makes the race interesting is the unexpected presence of the most exciting horse on the way up in Australia, #14 Sheza Alibi (9-5). From the stable of Peter Moody – who also knows a thing or two about preparing an outstanding mare, having trained unbeaten superstar sprinter Black Caviar in the early 2010s – and training partner Katherine Coleman, Sheza Alibi could not have been more impressive when winning the Randwick Guineas (G1) and Doncaster Mile (G1) last autumn.

Though she only carried 108 pounds in the Doncaster, Sheza Alibi did win the Randwick Guineas at set weights carrying 120, so she has form under championship weight conditions. However, taking on Autumn Glow is another huge step up, and barrier one isn’t the most ideal for her either. If she wins here, her spring will be hugely exciting.

As for the others, #5 Beiwacht (17-1) is very good at seven furlongs, and #2 Gringotts (21-1) is consistent and looked very good winning a trial at the beginning of the month. #12 Lady Shenandoah (19-1), #10 Fangirl (27-1), and #11 Idle Flyer (43-1) are others for exotics. 

This is not especially easy to work out as a betting proposition. The distance, race pattern, and first-up record favor Autumn Glow, but she could well start at closer to 7-10, which isn’t appealing. Sheza Alibi is an enormous talent but unproven against a mare of Autumn Glow’s class.

Exotics may be the best plays here, along with a bit on Beiwacht to make the top three.

Bonus Play - New Zealand

Te Rapa, Race 7, 12:30 a.m. Saturday ET: Foxbridge Plate (G2), 1,200m (about 6 furlongs), 3-year-olds and up

• $10 win/$30 place, #1 First Five (7-1): Came of age with two Group 1 victories last term. May be better with another run, but has class, and this is his home track.