Australia Preview for October 3, 2026
Courtesy of Sky Racing World
In terms of Group and Grade 1 races, the first weekend in October is the biggest weekend of the year in world racing – there are something like 27 around the world, on 11 tracks in seven different countries. Australia plays its part, with three such races in two cities, plus significant Group 2 events that lead to the Everest and Melbourne Cup, along with other major races. We’ll have a look at a selection of the biggest events here.
Randwick, Race 6, 1:00 a.m. Saturday ET: Flight Stakes (G1), 1,600 meters (about one mile), three-year-old fillies
The first Group 1 of the season for three-year-old fillies features just seven runners, but five of them raced against each other two weeks ago in the seven-furlong Tea Rose (G2). That was won by #1 Bangkok Hottie (2-1), who was backing up from success in the Furious (G2) earlier this year.
Some observers felt the horse that chased her home, #2 Striking Alibi (9-5), was a little unlucky after taking a while to find a clear run. Local markets had her as the favorite, based on that run and the fact that she has the magic combination of Chris Waller and James McDonald behind her.
The other runners from the Tea Rose finished third, sixth, and seventh – #3 Global Goal (2-1),#4 Queen’s Gamble (11-1), and #6 Sumac (77-1), respectively. All have some hope, as does the former New Zealand filly #5 De Armas (12-1).
However, the first two look likely to dominate, and despite the market, I can’t see why Bangkok Hottie can’t prevail again.
Randwick, Race 7, 1:35 a.m. ET: Metropolitan (G2), 2,400 meters (about 1 1/2 miles), three-year-olds and up
- $10 win/$30 show: #5 Juja Kibo ($40)
- $1 trifecta: 5,7 with 2,5,7 with 1,2,5,7,8,12 ($16)
Given the opportunity this year to make the Metropolitan a weight-for-age or set-weight-with-penalties event to keep its Group 1 status, New South Wales racing authorities made the brave decision to instead keep it as a handicap and demote it to Group 2 level. The result is a competitive handicap with some potentially nice betting opportunities.
Favorite will be #7 Aethelwulf (6-5) after winning his last four, including the Newcastle Cup (G3) last start. This will be his biggest test, but he looks up to it; the question is whether he’s such a good thing that it’s worth taking the short odds. Victory could well propel him into the Melbourne Cup.
A few others are worth looking at. Topweight #1 The Euphrates (7-2) won the Kingston Town (G2) by just under a length from #5 Juja Kibo (15-2) at level weights; the latter gets five pounds this time, which could make the difference. Third in the Kingston Town was the reliable #2 Soul Of Spain (9-1); he’ll almost certainly enjoy the extra quarter mile.
Among the lighter-weighted horses, #12 Pinhole (12-1) and #8 Thebudgiesmugla (19-1) are worth considering for exotics.
Randwick, Race 8, 2:10 a.m. ET: Epsom (G1), 1,600 meters (about one mile), three-year-olds and up
- $10 win/$30 show: #3 Autumn Boy ($40)
- 50c trifecta: 3,6 with 3,6,8 with 1,3,4,5,6,8,10,12,17,19 ($16)
The big race of the day at Randwick is the Epsom. The race has a lot of class, and the handicap conditions make it an intriguing betting race.
The most fascinating runner is undoubtedly #6 Well Written (3-1). The recently-crowned New Zealand Horse of the Year is unbeaten in seven starts, but this is her first race in the land of her birth. She has looked outstanding to date, but New Zealand form doesn’t always translate in Sydney and Melbourne, so it’s a little hard to know how she’ll measure up. She does have a nice gate and the benefit of the exciting young rider Zac Lloyd.
Chris Waller has seven starters as he seeks his seventh win in the race. They are headed by #3 Autumn Boy (5-2), a two-time Group 1 winner who would have added a further three more but for running into the outstanding Sheza Alibi, who is absent here. The best of Waller’s others may be two lightweights, #17 Declichy Boulevard (21-1) and #19 Mr Miller (14-1), young horses on the up who get in with just 110 pounds.
Joseph Pride is another trainer with a strong hand in the race. A dual winner of the race, he starts 2024 victor #1 Ceolwulf (13-1) and #8 Attica (15-2). Ceolwulf is an outstanding horse who races best at this time of year, but he has to concede weight all round and will be a better chance in the weight-for-age King Charles III (G1) in two weeks. Attica, however, has run two nice races to prepare for this and, at 114 pounds, is very well in.
Gai Waterhouse, who trains with Adrian Bott, seeks a record-extending eighth success in this race, and #10 Fully Lit (23-1) isn’t without a hope following his victory at Newcastle two weeks ago. Others with prospects for exotics include #4 Idle Flyer (16-1), #5 Lady Shenandoah (12-1), and #12 Perfumist (16-1).
It’s not an easy race, but Autumn Boy looks well in at the weights (he’s only giving Well Written 1 pound, compared to 4 at weight-for-age) and will be hard to beat.
Flemington, Race 8, 2:25 a.m. ET: Turnbull (G1), 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles), four-year-olds and up
- $30 show: #11 Buckaroo ($30)
- $1 trifecta: 2,5 with 2,5,11 with 2,4,5,7,11,12,13 ($20)
An important lead-up to both the Caulfield Cup (G1) and the Cox Plate (G1), this has attracted a solid field. It is dominated, however, by two horses in particular: #2 Sir Delius (5-2) and #5 Aeliana (2-1).
Aeliana is a very good mare. She’s often come up second-best to the outstanding Autumn Glow, but she also excels at middle distances, as she showed when winning the Ranvet (G1) and Tancred (G1) in autumn. She is currently on the third line of betting locally in the Melbourne Cup (G1), though she has a fairly hefty handicap for that.
Unfortunately for Aeliana, she’s also come up second-best to Sir Delius in the past. She was fifth behind him in this race last year, and though she beat him home in the Chipping Norton in autumn, that was at a mile. This trip is absolutely Sir Delius’s forte, as he showed when beating Autumn Glow in the Queen Elizabeth (G1) in autumn.
The rest of the field is decent, but they don’t appear to have the class of the top two. What gives some of them a chance is the set weights with penalties conditions, under which the very good #11 Buckaroo (7-1) gets nine pounds from Sir Delius. He doesn’t win often, but he’s good enough to make a bold showing here.
Others to consider for exotics include the consistent #4 Cosmic Crusader (6-1), Caulfield Cup favorite #7 Zahrann (20-1), #12 She’s A Hustler (15-1), and #13 Saint George (20-1).
Randwick, Race 9, 2:45 a.m. ET: Premiere (G2), 1,200 meters (about six furlongs), three-year-olds and up
- $1 trifecta: 10 with 1,2,3 with 1,2,3,4,7,8,13 ($18)
One of the final lead-ups to the Everest, giving horses a chance to prove they’re worth slot holders taking a punt on in two weeks to try to beat the world’s best racehorse, Ka Ying Rising.
The horse that’s all the rage is last year’s Everest runner-up, #10 Tempted (4-5). She hasn’t been beaten since the Everest and looks like being odds-on to keep that record here, especially after her comfortable first-up victory in the Concorde (G2) over #3 Headwall (9-1).
The odds aren’t easy to like, but the opposition is not up to the usual Australian sprinting standard. Several of these horses contested the Shorts (G2) two weeks ago, which the veteran #1 Mazu (24-1) won. He’s thoroughly exposed as being a little short of top class, but he did beat home several of his Premiere opponents, including #7 King’s Secret (22-1), #8 Grafterburners (36-1), #4 Ninja (13-1), and the aforementioned Headwall.
Others worth a look are the Newmarket (G1) winner #2 Caballus (9-1), who is resuming, and the mare #13 Savvy Hallie (20-1), but really this looks like Tempted’s to lose.
Flemington, Race 9, 3:05 a.m. ET: Gilgai (G2), 1,200 meters (about six furlongs), three-year-olds and up
- $10 win/$30 show: #15 Skybird ($40)
- $1 trifecta: 4, 15 with 3,4,15 with 2,3,4,5,6,12,15 ($20)
The other major lead-up for the Everest is the Gilgai in Melbourne. However, it’s lacking depth, and it would be a surprise if many horses end up in the big race in two weeks.
One that might have an opportunity is #15 Skybird (3-1). She won the Lightning (G1) in 2025 and was good enough to run third in a hot TJ Smith (G1) field behind Joliestar and Giga Kick in the autumn. If she’s at that form, she is well capable of winning here.
#5 Losesomewinmore (6-1) and #4 Hedged (5-1) were first and second in the Bobbie Lewis Quality Sept. 12; Hedged is 10 pounds better off here and should have the edge this time. #3 Arkansaw Kid (15-1) rarely runs badly and should figure in the finish; the same cannot be said of #2 War Machine (14-1), but talent-wise he would be right in this at his best.
Others worth considering in exotics are #12 Inkaruna (10-1) and #6 Smooth Chino (9-1), but I’m going with Skybird to show her class.
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