John Hawkes Stakes (DC McKay Stakes)

Ladbrokes Tip: The John Hawkes Stakes (DC McKay Stakes) serves as a key lead-up into the Group 1 The Goodwood each autumn

The latest edition of the DC McKay Stakes took place on Saturday, April 25, 2026 at Morphettville Racecourse in Adelaide as the John Hawkes Stakes and was won in a brave performance by the Team Hawkes-trained favourite Grand Larceny ($4.60F) thanks to a masterful ride by Ben Melham. 

2026 John Hawkes Stakes (DC McKay Stakes) Results

The official DC McKay Stakes Results 2026 and Finishing Order will be available right here once the race takes place on Saturday April 26, 2025.

The Team Hawkes-trained Zoustar five-year-old Grand Larceny ($4.60F) resumed a first-up winner when drawing away late to salute for the punters at Morphettville in the 2026 John Hawkes Stakes results. In a tactical masterclass, jockey Ben Melham cut through a narrow gap 150m out from the line, sprinting through to secure victory by just under a length ahead of a wall of horses including last year’s winner Watchme Win in second and New York Lustre a close third.

2026 John Hawkes Stakes (DC McKay Stakes) Odds

The latest John Hawkes Stakes (DC McKay Stakes) 2026 odds will be available below once the Adelaide Racing Carnival markets on the short-distance feature are announced the week of the race followed by the official John Hawkes Stakes finishing order after the event.

John Hawkes Stakes (DC McKay Stakes) Tips

John Hawkes Stakes (DC McKay Stakes) tips include looking for locally trained sprinters coming off a top three finish over a similar distance last time out and those with proven ability at the Morphettville track.

Horses at single-figures in DC McKay Stakes betting – but not the favourites – have a dominant record and make a top betting tip. From 2016 – 2023 all but two of the DC McKay Stakes winners started under $10 in betting but were not the favourites to win.

The latest horses to win at double-figures were Karacatis ($17 in 2017) who won the event at his fourth attempt and Free Of Debt ($26 in 2022).

It is also a good tip to avoid the mares as since 2004, Sprightly Lass (2018) is the sole mare to beat home the boys in the DC McKay Stakes results.

Grand Larceny ($4.60 in 2026) was the last favourite in John Hawkes Stakes betting to win.

2026 John Hawkes Stakes (DC McKay Stakes) Tips

Our Ladbrokes’ insider John Hawkes Stakes (DC McKay Stakes) 2026 betting tips and Adelaide autumn racing selections will be detailed below the week of the race so stay tuned for the sprinters to back and sack in your Morphettville tips this season.

The John Hawkes Stakes -formerly the DC McKay Stakes – is an important Group 3 sprint race run and won at Morphettville Racecourse in South Australian during the Adelaide Autumn Racing Carnival.

Contested over 1100m, the quality handicap event takes place in early May as a key support race on the popular Robert Sangster Stakes Day card.

The meeting is headlined by the Group 1 $1,000,000 Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m), Group 1 $1,000,000 Australasian Oaks (2000m), Group 2 Queen Of The South Stakes (1600m), and the Group 2 Tobin Bronze Stakes (1200m).

Like the Tobin Bronze Stakes, the John Hawkes Stakes (DC McKay Stakes) is considered a good preparation race for sprinters heading towards the Group 1 The Goodwood (1200m) later during the carnival.

Eight horses have completed the DC McKay Stakes – The Goodwood double throughout history: Grey John (1969), Wise Virgin (1973), Puncheon (1976), Comaida Boy (1979), Lord Galaxy (1986), Boardwalk Angel (1989), Despatch (2019), and most recently Savatoxl (2021).

DC McKay Stakes prize money is currently set at $150,000 and the event, which gained Group 3 status in 1980, was inaugurated in 1968.

It was previously named in honour of former SAJC committeeman and prolific South Australian horse owner D.C. McKay before being renamed as the John Hawkes Stakes ahead of the 2024 edition.

John Hawkes Stakes Race Info

• Former Race Name: DC McKay Stakes (until 2024)
• Date: Saturday April 26, 2025
• Track: Morphettville Racecourse
• Distance: 1100m
• Conditions: Quality Handicap
• Status: Group 3
• Prize Money: $150,000
• First Run: 1968

John Hawkes Stakes (DC McKay Stakes) Betting

DC McKay Stakes betting on the event currently run as the John Hawkes Stakes opens soon after the release of the final field the week of the race and is dominated by in-form local sprinters. Runners with proven form at the track and distance usually head the DC McKay Stakes odds as do previous Group winners.

Thermal Current ($3.70 in 2015), Watchme Win ($2.70 in 2025) and Grand Larceny ($4.60 in 2026) are the latest favourites in DC McKay Stakes betting to win.

There was a notable upset in 2022 with Free Of Debt winning at DC McKay Stakes odds of $26.

John Hawkes Stakes (DC McKay Stakes) Field

The John Hawkes Stakes (DC McKay Stakes) race field attracts mainly local sprinters that have been racing well over the previous weeks in South Australia.

Many gallopers in the DC McKay Stakes field come via a run in the Group 3 RN Irwin Stakes (1100m) at the same track and distance a fortnight earlier.

Watchme Win (5th in 2025) was the last RN Irwin Stakes graduate to continue on and win the John Hawkes Stakes.

The John Hawkes Stakes (DC McKay Stakes) nominations close the Monday before the race runs on the Saturday with the final field and barrier draw released on the Wednesday.

2026 John Hawkes Stakes (DC McKay Stakes) Field

The official John Hawkes Stakes (DC McKay Stakes) 2026 Final Field & Barrier Draw is announced the Wednesday of race week and will be published below.

The 2026 John Hawkes Stakes field features a full line-up of short-distance sprinters including Lindsay Park’s Group 2 Rubiton Stakes winner Oak Hill and last start Group 3 RN Irwin Stakes runner-up Watchme Win who are both drawn wide out carrying the equal 60kg topweight.

Morphettville R5

Final Race time: 

‹›

	Entrant	Last 6	Sex	Barrier	Weight
	1. Oak Hill (17)  Scratched:
	2. Watchme Win J: Jason Holder T: Andrew Gluyas	4592x2	G	16	60kg
	3. Enriched (23)  Scratched:
	4. Niance J: Jordan Childs T: Grahame Begg	x1x73x	M	15	59.5kg
	5. Recommendation J: Mark Zahra T: Ciaron Maher	5286x3	G	10	59.5kg
	6. New York Lustre J: Ben Allen T: Enver Jusufovic	44731x	M	4	58.5kg
	7. Taunting J: Harry Coffey T: Andrew Noblet	61400x	G	13	58kg
	8. Coleman J: Jamie Melham T: Clinton McDonald	0x04x0	H	20	57.5kg
	9. Pisanello J: Zac Lloyd T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes	156x48	G	12	57.5kg
	10. Power Beau J: Luke Nolen T: Wayne Brown	1x8142	G	5	56.5kg
	11. Losesomewinmore J: Jake Toeroek T: Richard & Chantelle Jolly	12411x	G	18	55kg
	12. Zoupurring J: Teo Nugent T: Michael Hickmott	124x51	G	1	55kg
	13. Tristate (21)  Scratched:
	14. Lingani J: Dom Tourneur T: Peter & Belinda Blanch	0x6575	M	9	54kg
	15. Grand Larceny J: Ben Melham T: M, W & J Hawkes	x3215x	G	11	54kg
	16. Dual Pressure J: Kerrin Mcevoy T: Aaron Bain & Ned Taylor	14128x	G	6	54kg
	17. Sixteen Reasons J: Rochelle Milnes T: Will Clarken	37753x	M	19	54kg
	18. Thunder Shoc J: Lachlan Neindorf T: Will Clarken	112379	M	14	54kg
	19. Mic Drop J: Kayla Crowther T: Will Clarken	411126	M	7	54kg
	20. Winning Revolution J: Taylor Johnstone T: Jon O'connor	416x43	G	8	54kg
	21. Karavas (20)  Scratched:
	22. Enuff Seduction J: Harry Grace T: Shayne & Chelsea Cahill	111x02	G	3	54kg
	23. Swiftie Harriet J: Will Price T: Travis Doudle	2210x1	M	17	54kg
	24. Streetcar Fury J: Craig Williams T: David Jolly & Justin Potter	2412x1	G	2	54kg

View Results

2026 John Hawkes Stakes (DC McKay Stakes) Nominations

The early John Hawkes Stakes (DC McKay Stakes) 2026 Nominations are taken the Monday ahead of the event and will be updated in full below.

	Last 10	Horse	Sex	Age	Trainer	Hcp Rating
1	0030x0x4x0	COLEMAN	H	4	Clinton McDonald	95
2	0x8414128x	DUAL PRESSURE	G	5	Aaron Bain & Ned Taylor	81
3	0x3121x720	ENRICHED	H	4	Michael Freedman	99
4	48x2111x02	ENUFF SEDUCTION	G	4	Shayne & Chelsea Cahill	76
5	1x12x3215x	GRAND LARCENY	G	5	Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes	86
6	5x3721x220	INKARUNA	F	3	Anthony & Sam Freedman	92
7	1x128947x0	KARAVAS	M	4	Richard & Chantelle Jolly	79
8	91330×6575	LINGANI	M	5	Peter & Belinda Blanch	87
9	199x12411x	LOSESOMEWINMORE	G	6	Richard & Chantelle Jolly	90
10	7×11411126	MIC DROP	M	4	Will Clarken	80
11	x1x244731x	NEW YORK LUSTRE	M	6	Enver Jusufovic	101
12	1x11x1x73x	NIANCE (NZ)	M	6	Grahame Begg	103
13	x1502x2108	OAK HILL (NZ)	G	5	Ben, Will & JD Hayes	100
14	2581741447	PERILOUS FIGHTER	G	5	Clayton Douglas	85
15	1x37156x48	PISANELLO	G	5	Ben, Will & JD Hayes	95
16	3x271x8142	POWER BEAU	G	5	Wayne Brown	93
17	x6835286x3	RECOMMENDATION	G	6	Ciaron Maher	99
18	43x137753x	SIXTEEN REASONS	M	6	Will Clarken	81
19	1×13615714	SPYWIRE	G	4	Ciaron Maher	104
20	1x4x2412x1	STREETCAR FURY	G	4	David Jolly & Justin Potter	69
21	x2382210x1	SWIFTIE HARRIET	M	4	Travis Doudle	76
22	x2x461400x	TAUNTING	G	7	Andrew Noblet	96
23	5153112379	THUNDER SHOC	M	4	Will Clarken	81
24	3x9743213x	TRISTATE	G	7	Edward Cummings	88
25	4x194592x2	WATCHME WIN	G	5	Andrew Gluyas	100
26	00×1364497	WIGGUM	G	5	Travis Doudle	77
27	4632416×43	WINNING REVOLUTION	G	6	Jon O’Connor	80
28	x181124x51	ZOUPURRING	G	6	Michael Hickmott	90

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

John Hawkes Stakes (DC McKay Stakes) Form Guide

The John Hawkes Stakes (DC McKay Stakes) form guide features all the information punters need to know before placing a bet like the barriers, jockeys, trainers and lead-up runs of the three-year-olds in the field.

Looking for runners coming off a top three finish, proven Morphettville performers and other Black-Type placegetters are all crucial when doing the DC McKay Stakes form.

The DC McKay Stakes form has gone on to stack-up in tougher races many times over the years, most recently in 2021 with the winner Savatoxl going on to win The Goodwood next start. Savatoxl also went on to win the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield that spring and retuned to post a second DC McKay Stakes victory in 2023.

Behemoth (2020) won the DC McKay Stakes and went on to win three Group 1 races in Melbourne completing that year’s Memsie Stakes – Sir Rupert Clark Stakes double before a successful Memsie title defence in 2021. Behemoth also famously ran third in the 2021 The All-Star Mile (1600m).

2026 John Hawkes Stakes (DC McKay Stakes) Form Guide

A link to our comprehensive John Hawkes Stakes (DC McKay Stakes) 2026 Form Guide will be provided for punters below the week of the race.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR FULL 2026 JOHN HAWKES STAKES FORM GUIDE

Past John Hawkes Stakes / DC McKay Stakes Results

Notable horses to head the John Hawkes Stakes / DC McKay Stakes race results in recent years include subsequent star stallion I Am Invincible (2009), Despatch (2019), Behemot (2020), and dual champion Savatoxl (2021 & 2023).

Streetcar Magic from 2011 holds the current DC McKay Stakes record winning in 1 minute 02.10 seconds.

Recent DC McKay Stakes / John Hawkes Stakes Winners

Recent DC McKay Stakes / John Hawkes Stakes winners and placegetters dating back to the year 1988 are detailed in the below table.

Year	Winner	2nd	3rd	Time
2026	Grand Larceny	Watchme Win	New York Lustre	1:04.00
2025	Watchme Win	Volcanic Express	Press Down	1:03.81
2024	Extremely Lucky	Sans Doute	What You Need	1:04.57
2023	Savatoxl	Larimer Street	General Beau	1:05.0
2022	Free Of Debt	Savatoxl	The Inferno	1:04.7
2021	Savatoxl	Pandemic	Street Life	1:03.3
2020	Behemoth	Kabini	Bold Star	1:04.4
2019	Despatch	Zalmona	Haunted	1:03.6
2018	Sprightly Lass	One More Daisy	Santa Ana Lane	1:03.2
2017	Karacatis	Reldas	Kaepernick	1:03.9
2016	Super One	Daytona Grey	Heart Of A Lion	1:03.6
2015	Thermal Current	Yesterday’s Songs	Minaj	1:03.6
2014	Essay Raider	Karacatis	Siwa Lady	1:03.2
2013	General Truce	Karacatis	Honey Flower	1:04.6
2012	Outlandish Lad	Kulgrinda	Go The Knuckle	1:04.4
2011	Streetcar Magic	Valentine Miss	Pinwheel	1:02.1
2010	Catapulted	Solchow	Augusta Proud	1:02.3
2009	I Am Invincible	Augusta Proud	Blahnik	1.03.0
2008	Idalou	Tramuntana	Blahnik	1:03.3
2007	Here De Angels	Terango	El Maze	1:02.5
2006	Shablec	Leone Chiara	Social Glow	1:03.0
2005	Bomber Bill	General Bayton	Gee I Jane	1:03.4
2004	Paraca	Super Elegant	Squillani	1:03.7
2003	Super Elegant	Deprave	Agalia	1:03.1
2002	Libidinious =1	Windigo =1	Johns Brother	0:56.0
2001	Sudurka	Suit	Kapuna	1:04.1
2000	Perak Gold	Marstic	Astig	1:03.5
1999	Loafer	Razamataz	Appoint	1:03.4
1998	Toledo	Declar	Appoint	1:03.5
1997	Clang	Blazing Reality	Billy Dazzler	1:05.6
1996	Dr Zackary	Mad Shaviri	Hero Wind	1:02.7
1995	Latin Villa	Hero Wind	Chevite	1:03.4
1994	Harkaway	Yankee Dapper	Kicks	1:03.5
1993	Colebrook	Asian Incline	Oozook	1:05.1
1992	Scornsome	Umatilla	Bar Flyer	1:05.1
1991	Euclase	Beau George	Sweet Chariot	1:03.5
1990	Medicine Kid	Comedy Dancer	Silver Dupion	1:04.0
1989	Boardwalk Angel	Jet Fighter	Kingston Heritage	1:04.6
1988	Beau George	Melody Hit	Lord Galaxy	1:04.1

FAQ

Who won the 2026 John Hawkes Stakes (DC McKay Stakes)?

The 2026 John Hawkes Stakes was won first-up by five-year-old Zoustar gelding Grand Larceny at $4.60 favouritism for trainers Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes with jockey Ben Melham aboard on 54.5kg (a half-kilo over allocation) rom barrier 11 to win by 0.81 lengths on a Good (4) track in a time of 1:04.00.

Who won the 2025 John Hawkes Stakes (DC McKay Stakes)?

The 2025 John Hawkes Stakes (DC McKay Stakes) was won by four-year-old Harry Angel gelding at $2.70 favouritism for trainer Andrew Gluyas with jockey Jason Holder aboard on 54kg from barrier 1 to win by 1.31 lengths in a time of 1:03.81.

When is the DC McKay Stakes (John Hawkes Stakes) 2026?

Saturday April 26, 2025

What is the prize money for the DC McKay Stakes (John Hawkes Stakes) 2026?

$150,000

Where is the DC McKay Stakes (John Hawkes Stakes) 2026?

Morphettville Racecourse, 79 Morphett Road. Morphettville SA 5043

How do I bet on the 2026 DC McKay Stakes (John Hawkes Stakes)?

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 DC McKay Stakes (John Hawkes Stakes)?

The best way to pick which horse will win the DC McKay Stakes (John Hawkes Stakes) 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.