The latest edition of the 2026 Caloundra Cup ran on Friday, July 3, 2026 at the Sunshine Coast and saw the Bjorn Baker-trained favourite Thebudgiesmugla ($2.35F) let down strong late to charge home and continue his excellent record over the distance.
The Caloundra Cup is one of Queensland’s standout winter staying features, and punters chasing the latest Caloundra Cup odds, early market movers, expert Caloundra Cup tips, and a full look at the Caloundra Cup field turn to Ladbrokes for the strongest betting insights. Run over 2400m at the Sunshine Coast, the Listed Caloundra Cup regularly attracts proven stayers, deep‑prep winter campaigners and interstate raiders searching for a valuable off‑season victory. With stamina, tempo, track pattern and late‑season improvement all shaping the contest, the Caloundra Cup is a prime betting race for punters looking for value and confidence. Check the updated markets, assess the key contenders and lock in your Caloundra Cup bet with Ladbrokes — where smart punters get on first.
2026 Caloundra Cup Results
The official Caloundra Cup 2026 Results & Finishing Order will be available below once the race is run and won on Friday, July 3, 2026.
- #5 Thebudgiesmugla
- #7 So You Are
- #6 Caboche
Bjorn Baker’s 2400m specialist Thebudgiesmugla ($2.35F) continued his flawless mile and a half record making it five-from-five over the distance when saluting for the punters in the 2026 Caloundra Cup results. Jockey Dylan Gibbons timed his ride on the well backed favourite to perfection, coming with a huge run at the top of the straight to let down with 350m to go giving a strong late kick to hold off So You Are with Caboche third.
2026 Caloundra Cup Odds & Finishing Order
The latest Caloundra Cup 2026 betting odds will be provided below as soon as markets on the end-of-carnival event on Winx Guineas Day over the winter are announced followed by the official finishing order after the event.
| 5. Thebudgiesmugla (13) J: Dylan Gibbons 54kg 05161T: Bjorn Baker | ||
| 7. So You Are (7) J: Ashley Morgan 53.5kg 31743T: Stirling Osland | ||
| 6. Caboche (8) J: Jake Bayliss 53.5kg x8054T: Chris Waller | ||
| 9. Sun Worshipper (11) J: Ron Stewart 53kg 65032T: Matt Kropp | ||
| 11. Zibulon (12) J: Robbie Dolan 53kg 68822T: Paul Preusker | ||
| 4. Kaluakoi (5) J: Emily Lang 54.5kg 14161T: Chris & Corey Munce | ||
| 14. Tapildoodledo (10) J: Tiffani Brooker 53kg 66×80T: Kerry Taplin | ||
| 1. Fawkner Park (4) J: Ryan Maloney 60.5kg 0x695T: Declan Maher | ||
| 8. Bestower (1) J: Benjamin Osmond 53.5kg 45654T: Kris Lees | ||
| 12. Pulveriser (6) J: Ben Thompson 53kg 52311T: Kristie Clark-Peoples | ||
| 10. Speycaster (9) J: Georgina Cartwright 53kg 9×904T: Todd Pollard | ||
| 15. Wowzino (2) J: Taylor Marshall 53kg x6371T: David Vandyke | ||
| 13. The Irish (3) J: Cejay Graham 53kg x1518T: James Healy |
Caloundra Cup Tips
Caloundra Cup tips include looking for in-form winter gallopers coming off a win in a Brisbane race, graduates that finished in the money in their lead-up assignment and tipping single-figure fancies.
Ladbrokes Tip: The Caloundra Cup makes a nice final lead-up into the Grafton Cup!
2026 Caloundra Cup Tips
Our Ladbrokes’ exclusive Caloundra Cup 2026 betting tips on the Listed race at the end of the Queensland winter racing season will be detailed below the week of the race so, stay tuned for those to back and sack this season.
EXPERT 2026 CALOUNDRA CUP DAY TIPS, BEST BETS & PREDICTIONS
| 5. Thebudgiesmugla (13) J: Dylan Gibbons 54kg 05161T: Bjorn Baker |
| 3. Pounding (4) Scratched: | |||
| 12. Pulveriser (6) J: Ben Thompson 53kg 52311T: Kristie Clark-Peoples |
The Caloundra Cup is a popular winter staying showdown run during early July as part of the wider Queensland Winter Racing Carnival.
It is not to be confused with the Listed Sunshine Coast Cup (1400m) run by the Sunshine Coast Turf Club in summer.
A quality handicap race contested over 2400m, the race has been run and won since 1985 and won by a number of nice stayers over the years including Henderson Bay (2001), dual champion Empyreal (2005, 2006) and Index Linked (2015).
The Caloundra Cup currently offers a total of $500,000 in prize money as of 2026 and attracts a strong line-up of winter stayers each year. It takes place on the same day as the Group 3 Winx Guineas (1600m) for three-year-olds.
A good lead-up race is the Listed Ipswich Cup run the week prior or Brisbane’s Group 3 Tattersall’s Cup contested on Tiara Day.
The Caloundra Cup winner is also exempt from ballot for the following Thursday’s Listed Grafton Cup (2350m) and Supply And Demand (2017) followed by Zoumon (2023) are the latest horses to do the Caloundra Cup – Grafton Cup winter double.
Half Yours delivered one of the all‑time great Caloundra Cup form lines in 2025, going from a Sunshine Coast staying win to completing the rare and coveted Caulfield Cup / Melbourne Cup double later that spring — a modern benchmark for what a rising stayer can launch from this race.
Caloundra Cup Race Info
- Date: Friday, July 3, 2026
- Track: Sunshine Coast Racecourse, Caloundra
- Distance: 2400m
- Conditions: Quality Handicap
- Status: Listed
- Prize Money: $500,000
- First Run: 1985
Caloundra Cup Betting
The Caloundra Cup betting markets are dominated by in-form staying types coming off good lead-up runs in events during the lead-up Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival races.
Favourites have a solid strike-rate in the race with Index Linked ($3.40 in 2015), Stockman ($1.45 in 2021), Le Don De Vie ($4.40 in 2022), Half Yours ($3.50 in 2025) and Thebudgiesmugla ($2.35 in 2026) are the latest Caloundra Cup favourites to salute for the punters.
Caloundra Cup Field
The Caloundra Cup race field draws a quality line-up of winter stayers from both local and interstate stables.
Runners may come via a number of different lead-up races including the Group 3 Tattersall’s Cup (2400m) at Eagle Farm on Tatt’s Tiara Day a fortnight earlier.
Caloundra Cup nominations close the Monday of race week with final acceptances revealing the field released on the Wednesday before the race runs on the Saturday.
2026 Caloundra Cup Field
The official Caloundra Cup 2026 field of final acceptors is announced by the Sunshine Coast Turf Club on the Wednesday of race week and will be published below along with the confirmed jockeys and barriers.
The Caloundra Cup 2026 field features a strong line-up of winter stayers led in betting by Bjorn Baker’s widely drawn Thebudgiesmugla coming off a Listed Winter Cup win at Rosehill.
| Entrant | Last 6 | Sex | Barrier | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. Fawkner Park
J: Ryan Maloney
T: Declan Maher |
00x695 | G | 4 | 60.5kg | |
| 2. Encoder (3) Scratched: | |||||
| 3. Pounding (4) Scratched: | |||||
|
4. Kaluakoi
J: Emily Lang
T: Chris & Corey Munce |
x14161 | G | 5 | 54.5kg | |
|
5. Thebudgiesmugla
J: Dylan Gibbons
T: Bjorn Baker |
x05161 | G | 13 | 54kg | |
|
6. Caboche
J: Jake Bayliss
T: Chris Waller |
6x8054 | G | 8 | 53.5kg | |
|
7. So You Are
J: Ashley Morgan
T: Stirling Osland |
731743 | G | 7 | 53.5kg | |
|
8. Bestower
J: Benjamin Osmond
T: Kris Lees |
x45654 | M | 1 | 53.5kg | |
|
9. Sun Worshipper
J: Ron Stewart
T: Matt Kropp |
x65032 | M | 11 | 53kg | |
|
10. Speycaster
J: Georgina Cartwright
T: Todd Pollard |
59x904 | G | 9 | 53kg | |
|
11. Zibulon
J: Robbie Dolan
T: Paul Preusker |
768822 | G | 12 | 53kg | |
|
12. Pulveriser
J: Ben Thompson
T: Kristie Clark-Peoples |
152311 | G | 6 | 53kg | |
|
13. The Irish
J: Cejay Graham
T: James Healy |
7x1518 | G | 3 | 53kg | |
|
14. Tapildoodledo
J: Tiffani Brooker
T: Kerry Taplin |
466x80 | G | 10 | 53kg | |
|
15. Wowzino
J: Taylor Marshall
T: David Vandyke |
6x6371 | G | 2 | 53kg | |
2026 Caloundra Cup Nominations
Early Caloundra Cup 2026 Nominations close the Monday leading-up to Caloundra Cup Day, which is one of the very last events of the wider Queensland Winter Racing Carnival and will be provided in full below.
Caloundra Cup Form Guide
The Caloundra Cup form guide lists for punters all the crucial pre-betting information like the jockeys, trainers, barriers and lead-up runs of the female sprinters in the field.
Runners trained out of Brisbane have a credible recent record the race, so looking at the local Queensland runners with a lead-up run in a Brisbane event is essential when doing the Caloundra Cup form.
Local Queensland hoop Damian Brown has a strong record in the race riding three Caloundra Cup winners between 2013 – 2023.
The Caloundra Cup form has held-up in future races in recent years including the upcoming Listed Grafton Cup held the following Thursday for any stayers on the quick back-up with Supply And Demand (2017) and Zoumon (2023) the latest to do the Caloundra Cup – Grafton Cup double.
The 2021 Caloundra Cup winner Stockman went on to frank the form the following autumn running second in Sydney’s Group 1 Tancred Stakes (2400m) in 2022.
The 2022 Caloundra Cup form was franked with the winner Le Don De Vie heading to Randwick that October to run second in Sydney’s Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m).
The 2023 Caloundra Cup form was franked with the second placed Bois D’Argent returning the following winter to win the 2024 Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m) in Brisbane.
In 2025 the Caloundra Cup winner Half Yours would go on to provide one of the best form lines out of the race taking out the coveted Caulfield Cup / Melbourne Cup double that spring in Victoria.
2026 Caloundra Cup Form
A link to our comprehensive Caloundra Cup 2026 form guide and race betting preview will be provided for punters below the week of the event.
COMPLETE 2026 CALOUNDRA CUP FORM GUIDE & RACE COMMENTARY
Past Caloundra Cup Results
Recent Caloundra Cup race results show a mix of both local Queensland-trained winners and interstate raiders with notable champions of the event including subsequent Caulfield Cup / Melbourne Cup double champion Half Yours (2025), Stockman (2021), Supply And Demand (2017), Index Linked (2015), and Ironstein (2010).
Mission Of Love (2024) was the last Caloundra Cup winning mare.
Empyreal (2005 & 2006) is the only multiple Caloundra Cup winner to date.
In 2024 all three horses in the Caloundra Cup trifecta were ridden by female hoops with Mission Of Love (1st – Angela Jones), Alegron (2nd – Rachel King), and Warp Speed (3rd – Cejay Graham).
Recent Caloundra Cup Winners
Recent Caloundra Cup winning horses, jockeys and trainers dating back to the year 2000 are detailed in the below table.
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer/s | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Thebudgiesmugla | D. Gibbons | B. Baker | 2:32.10 |
| 2025 | Half Yours | A. Morgan | Tony & Calvin McEvoy | 2:31.71 |
| 2024 | Mission Of Love | A. Jones | John Symons & Shelia Laxon | 2:35.39 |
| 2023 | Zoumon | T. Clark | G. Waterhouse & A. Bott | 2:29.26 |
| 2022 | Le Don De Vie | N. Rawiller | C. Maher & D. Eustace | 2:36.61 |
| 2021 | Stockman | R. Maloney | J. Pride | 2:32.45 |
|
2020 Race Not Held (COVID-19) |
– | – | – | – |
| 2019 | Igraine | R. Fradd | R. Priscott | 2:39.59 |
| 2018 | Megablast | D. Browne | N. Tiley | 2:37.39 |
| 2017 | Supply And Demand | J. Parr | G. Waterhouse & A. Bott | 2:32.79 |
| 2016 | Amexed | R. Fradd | T. Gollan | 2:33.38 |
| 2015 | Index Linked | D. Browne | C. Waller | 2:29.15 |
| 2014 | Brayroan | C. Munce | B. Mitchell | 2:28.77 |
| 2013 | Zennista | D. Browne | L. Latta | 2:38.76 |
| 2012 | Shenzhou Steeds | E. Wilkinson | M. Moroney | 2:38.97 |
| 2011 | Spechenka | R. Wiggins | B. Ahrens | 2:33.70 |
| 2010 | Ironstein | M. Cahill | G. Ryan | 2:30.67 |
| 2009 | Reggie | J. Byrne | P. Moody | 2:48.00 |
| 2008 | Fast Future | M. Cahill | R. Cameron | 2:31.86 |
| 2007 | King Latarmiss | K. Pope | T. Miller | 2:36.75 |
| 2006 | Empyreal | C. Johnson | P. Mckenzie | 2:34.59 |
| 2005 | Empyreal | P. Hammersley | P. Mckenzie | 2:40.90 |
| 2004 | Portland Singa | L. Cassidy | N. McBurney | 2:31.10 |
| 2003 | Raw Instinct | J. Byrne | B.J. McLachlan | 2:31.20 |
| 2002 | Victory Smile | S. Katsidis | D. Logan | 2:29.34 |
| 2001 | Henderson Bay | L. Cassidy | N. McBurney | 2:29.51 |
| 2000 | Yammer | C. Munce | T. Noonan | 2:33.79 |
FAQs
How do I bet on the 2026 Caloundra Cup?
Bet online or via the latest iOS/Android apps with Ladbrokes.
The first step is to create an account at ladbrokes.com.au. The process is quick and easy!
Once you've created your account you can make a deposit via credit card, or any other of our secure payment methods. Next up, head to the racing page and find the race and runner that's right for you.
Which horse will win the 2026 Caloundra Cup?
The best way to pick which horse will win the Caloundra Cup is to take into account the form, assess the barriers, and consider the weight the horse will carry (among other factors). Check out ladbrokes.com.au in the lead up to the race for full form information.
When is the Caloundra Cup 2026?
The 2026 Caloundra Cup is set to run on Saturday July 4th on Winx Guineas Day at the Sunshine Coast. It is scheduled as the Sunshine Coast Race 7 at 4:02pm (AEST).
What is the prize money for the Caloundra Cup 2026?
The 2026 Caloundra Cup prize money is set at $500,000 which is paid from 1st to 10th place including $300,000 going to the Caloundra Cup winner.
Where is the Caloundra Cup 2026?
The 2026 Caloundra Cup runs at the Sunshine Coast Racecourse, which is located Sunshine Coast Racecourse, 170 Pierce Avenue, Caloundra QLD 4551.
What distance is the Caloundra Cup run over?
The Caloundra Cup distance is set at 2,400m which is a mile and a half, the same as many of the country's best staying races including the Caulfield Cup in October.
How many horses run in the Caloundra Cup?
The Caloundra Cup has a field limit size of 18 runners plus five emergencies which can gain a start if one of the original 18 final acceptors is scratched.
Who won the 2026 Caloundra Cup?
The 2026 Caloundra Cup was won by five-year-old Redwood gelding Thebudgiesmugla at $2.35 favouritism for trainer Bjorn Baker with jockey Dylan Gibbons aboard on 54kg from barrier 13 to win by 0.57 lengths on a Soft (6) track in a time of 2:32.10.
Who won the 2025 Caloundra Cup?
The 2025 Caloundra Cup was won by four-year-old St Jean gelding Half Yours at $3.50 favouritism for trainers Tony & Calvin McEvoy with jockey Ashley Morgan aboard on 54kg from barrier 9 to win by 4.45 lengths in a time of 2:31.71.