Spooky Australia Preview and Picks for October 31, 2026

If you enjoyed your betting on the first day of the Breeders’ Cup, why not keep up the fun in the evening and play some high-class racing in Australia on Friday night.

In Melbourne, three days out from the Melbourne Cup, an estimated 85,000 people will pile into Flemington racecourse for Victoria Derby day. Meanwhile, in Sydney, we have the Golden Eagle, which at $7.04 million is the richest race in the world over the weekend – more valuable than the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).

Here are some suggestions on how to play the major Australian races at the weekend.

Flemington, Race 6, 12.40am ET: Coolmore Stud (G1), 1,200 meters (about 6 furlongs), $1.41 million, three-year-olds

• $10 win/$30 show: #13 Satono Glow ($40)
• $1 Trifecta: 1,13 with 1,5,12,13 with 1,5,7,9,12,13 ($24) 

The Coolmore Stud Stakes is known as one of Australia’s most important stallion-making races, but like many of these Australian features, the potential future stallions can be thwarted by fillies, and there are two outstanding females in this field: #12 Natural Fling (7-1) and #13 Satono Glow (11-2).

Natural Fling looked like being the hot three-year-old sprinter early in spring, something that was confirmed to some degree when she finished third against older sprinters in the Moir (G1). But she was defeated against her own age group in the Danehill (G2) Oct. 3, thus her odds are not too short.

Satono Glow hasn’t taken on Group 1 horses just yet, but she’s looked well up to the task. She’s already won twice down the straight Flemington six-furlong track most recently in the Cap d’Antibes (G3), and last start she went to Sydney and was way too good in the Roman Consul (G2), in which #8 Steel Will (46-1) was second and #2 Paradoxium (30-1) was fourth.

The Danehill was won by #1 The Next Episode (6-5), the likely favorite. He’s now won his last three and he was strong at the end of 5 1/2 furlongs when heading Natural Fling near the line, with #9 Mbube (26-1) and #3 Alibaba (46-1) behind them. He will be tough.

The other significant lead-up was the Blue Sapphire (G3) at Caulfield Oct. 17. Held around a bend, this was taken out by #6 Marffiano (99-1) in his first run for four months, with #11 Doubt Time (37-1) third and #4 Stretan Ruler (99-1) fourth. The straight Flemington creates a different test.

Adding some interest are two horses coming back from the seven-furlong Golden Rose (G1) in Sydney. #5 St Gotthard (7-2) and #7 Under Focus (15-1) were second and third behind subsequent Caulfield Guineas winner Warwoven. They may appreciate the return to six furlongs.

It’s a good race, but Satono Glow impressed me most in the lead-ups and I’m supporting her.

Randwick, Race 7, 1.00am ET: Russell Balding (G2), 1,300 meters (about 6 1/2 furlongs), $2.11 million, three-year-olds and up

• $10 win/$30 show: #8 Headwall ($40)
• $1 Trifecta: 3,8 with 1,3,8 with 1,3,5,6,8,11 ($16)

The money keeps flowing in Sydney, with this Group 2 sprint two weeks after the Everest (G1) still coming in at double the value of the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1). It includes five of the beaten brigade from the Everest and seven from the Everest consolation, the Sydney Stakes (G2).

Under the set weights with penalties conditions, Everest fourth #8 Headwall (7-2) is very well in; he was at level weights in the Everest, but here he gets four pounds from last year’s winner, Everest sixth #1 Jimmysstar (3-1). The latter will appreciate the extra half-furlong, but he has a terrible draw while Headwall is very nicely in at gate three. Also well drawn is Everest seventh #3 Caballus (12-1), who has the inside gate but who also gives Headwall four pounds; Everest fifth #6 Ninja (4-1) has to deal with gate 13.

The Sydney Stakes was won by #5 Grafterburners (17-2), who like Everest winner Tempted took advantage of an inside gate and rail-skimming ride. Here he has gate 17, making his task significantly harder. The Sydney Stakes second, #11 Marhoona (20-1), has by contrast drawn eight, and should get a more favorable run in transit. 

As The Everest and the Sydney Stakes both showed, inside draws can be very valuable in Randwick sprints, so I’m going with Headwall.

Flemington, Race 7, 1.20am ET: Victoria Derby (G1), 2,500 meters (about 1 9/16 miles), $2.11 million, three-year-olds

• $10 win/$30 show: #8 Cignetti ($40)
• $1 Trifecta: 1,8 with 1,8,16 with 1,2,3,4,5,8,16 ($20) 

Increased significantly in prizemoney this year, the Victoria Derby has struggled for quality in recent years and is in danger of losing its Group 1 status. Whether this edition helps that cause will be determined by the subsequent form of its runners, but it does look a competitive race.

Backing up from last week’s Spring Champion (G1) third is #1 Cormier (9-5), the early favorite. He was the first male home in that race after leading early and looks to have enough stamina to be a factor. Also backing up from that race is fourth-placed #2 Stormy Marco (2-1), who will close from the rear.

Also backing up, this time from Flemington, are last week’s Vase (G2) principals #3 True Rebel (18-1) and #7 Skua (15-1). They at least don’t have to travel this week, but the race quality was questionable and True Rebel in particular faces a stamina challenge based on pedigree.

The other major lead-ups were the Norman Robinson (G3), won by #4 King Snitz (15-1) in a close battle with #6 Vallice (17-1) and #8 Cignetti (13-1); and the Geelong Classic, won by #5 Murshidi (61-1) from #9 Icy You (61-1) and #10 True Tone (46-1). Of those, Cignetti makes the most appeal as he was only getting warm at the end of 1 1/4 miles last time. And unlike the morning-line setter I wouldn’t ignore the Geelong Classic form, especially the winner, whose trainer Ciaron Maher wouldn’t line him up for nothing. 

Unusually we also have a filly with credentials in the race in the form of #16 Quick Finish (30-1), winner of the Ethereal (G3) last start. If Ethereal runner-up Your Colour runs a big race in the Wakeful (G2) earlier in the day, you may fancy Quick Finish more, and given how the fillies dominated the favorites for this race in Sydney’s Spring Champion last week, it’s not impossible that it happens here as well.

It’s a very open race, but I’m going to go with Cignetti to spring a mild upset.

Randwick, Race 8, 1.45am ET: Golden Eagle (G1), 1,500 meters (about 7 1/2 furlongs), $7.04 million, four-year-olds

• $1 Trifecta: 16 with 1,2,3,15,17 with 1,2,3,15,17 ($20)

Is there any chance the outstanding mare #16 Sheza Alibi (9-10) gets beaten? The formbook says no. She’s excelled against the best company, and she’s got a very nice barrier draw. At her best, you’d think she would be too good here.

The only thing that would have given her opponents hope is her shock defeat to Land Legend in the Might and Power (G1) last start, but that was an odd race and the all-the-way winner posted a track record. It was also her first start at 1 1/4 miles, and she is more proven around this 7 1/2-furlong journey, though coming back in trip like this is unusual in these parts.

The only horse that comes close to her in performance is #1 Beiwacht (6-1), a multiple Group 1 winner. His Memsie (G1) victory earlier this spring at Caulfield was a good reminder of his ability, but he is something of a seven-furlong specialist and even this extra half-furlong at the more demanding Randwick track isn’t perfect for him.

Beiwacht finished third in the most significant lead-up to this, the Silver Eagle, won by Group 1 winner #17 Apocalyptic (20-1) from #2 Skyhook (10-1). Both have prospects of getting some of this, as does #3 Autumn Boy (8-1), seventh under handicap conditions in the Epsom (G1) at his previous start but placed behind Sheza Alibi for the third time in the Makybe Diva (G1) at weight-for-age the previous start.

The most intriguing runner is English import #15 Amazing Journey (20-1), who has his first Australian start here for Ciaron Maher. He didn’t take on black type company in England but did win two good handicaps at Ascot in July, and his usual jockey Saffie Osborne has flown a long way out to ride him. Lake Forest, running in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) this weekend, won this race after flying out of England two years ago so it’s not unprecedented.

It’s hard to see Sheza Alibi beaten given her good draw, so the best options if you don’t want to take the odds-on price on Sheza Alibi are exotics.

Flemington, Race 8, 2.00am ET: Empire Rose (G1), 1,600 meters (about 1 mile), $704,000, fillies and mares, three-year-olds and up

• $20 win: #1 Lady Shenandoah ($20)
• $1 Trifecta: 1,3 with 1,3,5 with 1,2,3,5,9,20 ($16) 

Fillies and mares get their chance here in the race named after the giant 17.1-hand mare that won the 1988 Melbourne Cup. Most strongly favored is #1 Lady Shenandoah (4-5), who won for the first time in 19 months when taking out the Toorak (G1) under handicap conditions against the boys at Caulfield Oct. 10. She showed great fight to get through a gap to win the Toorak, and you’d think the victory would give her confidence for a return to weight-for-age against her own gender.

The best-performed of her opponents is #2 Idle Flyer (9-2), winner of the Queen of the Turf in autumn over Lady Shenandoah. She was fifth in the Invitation (G2) last week over seven furlongs and should appreciate the extra furlong here, but there is a suspicion she isn’t going as well as she was in autumn.

A bigger chance could be #3 Surfin Bird (15-2). The five-year-old came to Melbourne and won the Ladies Day Vase (G3) at Caulfield Oct. 10 before also beating the very good gelding Buckaroo in the Crystal Mile (G2) at Flemington seven days ago. She’s not advantaged by the weight conditions but should still acquit herself well.

Others worth considering for exotics are #5 Unleeshing (10-1), winner of her last two in Sydney, Stocks (G2) runner-up #9 Sass Appeal (12-1), and the improving #10 Concord Connie (11-1).