The latest edition of the Southern Cross Stakes ran on Saturday, January 31, 2026 as the JRA Plate at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse and saw Willaidow ($4.60) narrowly defend his title in the event.
2026 Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) Results
- #4 Willaidow
- #2 The Instructor
- #1 Zarastro
Willaidow ($4.60) kicked off his campaign in style with a gritty yet authoritative win in the 2026 JRA Plate (Southern Cross Stakes) results at Rosehill, giving the Marc and Mitchell Conners training partnership a milestone moment. The seven‑year‑old Shamus Award gelding was held up until the final stages but, once James McDonald found clear air, he unleashed a sharp late surge to reel in The Instructor and score in a tight but deserved finish. Stopping the clock at 1:09.12, the victory secured back‑to‑back wins in the Group 3 feature and delivered the Conners duo their first stakes success together—a fitting achievement for a family steeped in racing tradition.
2026 Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) Odds & Results
The Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) 2026 odds will be published below as soon as markets on the Group 3 event are released so stay tuned for the top early autumn racing odds online this season followed by the official JRA Plate (Southern Cross Stakes) results and finishing order post-race.
| 4. Willaidow (2) J: James McDonald 56kg x576xT: Marc & Mitchell Conners | ||
| 2. The Instructor (5) J: Adam Hyeronimus 58.5kg 16x27T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | ||
| 1. Zarastro (4) J: Angela Jones 59kg 2x40xT: Tony Gollan | ||
| 7. Fire Star (3) J: Andrew Adkins 53kg 02825T: Peter Snowden | ||
| 8. Meridiana (1) J: Zac Lloyd 53kg 1212xT: John Sargent | ||
| 5. Disneck (7) J: Josh Parr 55.5kg 958x1T: Bjorn Baker | ||
| 6. Enriched (6) J: Tommy Berry 55kg 3121xT: Michael Freedman |
Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) Tips
Good Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) tips include looking for in-form Sydney horses that have previous Group form, ran well last time out if not first-up for the autumn season, are drawn well in the Rosehill race and have winning form over at least 1100m.
Another key Southern Cross Stakes betting tip is to stick with the favourite with the top elects boasting a strong recent record in the event.
Sticking with the more seasoned horses is also a solid betting tip for the Southern Cross Stakes as no three-year-old has won since Vital Flyer (2009).
2026 Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) Tips
Our insider Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) tips 2026 will be published below once the field is confirmed and betting markets released on the Group 3 sprint.
| 2. The Instructor (5) J: Adam Hyeronimus 58.5kg 16×27T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
| 8. Meridiana (1) J: Zac Lloyd 53kg 1212xT: John Sargent |
| 5. Disneck (7) J: Josh Parr 55.5kg 958×1T: Bjorn Baker |
The Southern Cross Stakes – renamed in 2026 as the JRA Plate – is a 1200m sprint held in late January or early February at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse during the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.
The quality handicap event currently offers $250,000 in prize money and was moved forward from Apollo Stakes Day to its own Rosehill feature meet ahead of the 2024 edition.
The other key races on the card are the Group 3 Widden Stakes (1100m) and the Group 3 Canonbury Stakes (1100m) for two-year-olds heading towards the coveted Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m).
The race, which has been conducted at various racecourses around Sydney, was inaugurated in 1940 and gained its current Group 3 status in 1989.
Plenty of nice horses have won the Southern Cross Stakes over the years including San Domenico (1950), that year’s subsequent Melbourne Cup champion Evening Peal (1956), gun miler Gunsynd (1972), Danewin (1996), Le Romain (2017), and Lost And Running (2022).
The race attracts many horses that may return in the spring for a shot at the world’s richest turf race – the $20 million The Everest (1200m) held at Randwick in October.
Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) Race Info
- 2026 Race Name: JRA Plate
- Date: Saturday, January 31, 2026
- Track: Rosehill Gardens Racecourse
- Distance: 1200m
- Conditions: Quality Handicap – 3YOs & Upwards
- Status: Group 3
- Prize Money: $250,000
- First Run: 1940
Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) Betting
Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) betting opens at bookies around the country after the field of final acceptors and barriers are out the Wednesday of race week.
Special Reward ($3 in 2020), Masked Crusader ($2.25 in 2021), Lost And Running ($2.20 in 2022), and Lady Laguna ($2.25 in 2024) are the latest favourites in Southern Cross Stakes betting to win.
Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) Field
The Southern Cross Stakes race field – known in 2026 as the JRA Plate field – features a line-up of good sprint types eyeing runs in tougher autumn features over the coming months.
Following a run in the Southern Cross Stakes field horses may target upcoming features including the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick during April’s ‘The Championships’.
Southern Cross Stakes nominations close the Monday before the race runs on the Saturday with the final field and barrier draw out on the Wednesday.
2026 Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) Field
The official Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) 2026 field of final acceptors and barriers will be published right here once released so stay tuned.
The 2026 JRA Plate (Southern Cross Stakes) final field features a small but competitive line-up of autumn bound sprinters including the resuming Tony Gollan trained topweight Zarastro and John Sargent’s consistent mare Meridiana drawn the rails.
| Entrant | Last 6 | Sex | Barrier | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. Zarastro
J: Angela Jones
T: Tony Gollan |
52x40x | G | 4 | 59kg | |
|
2. The Instructor
J: Adam Hyeronimus
T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
316x27 | G | 5 | 58.5kg | |
| 3. Compelling Truth (6) Scratched: | |||||
|
4. Willaidow
J: James McDonald
T: Marc & Mitchell Conners |
8x576x | G | 2 | 56kg | |
|
5. Disneck
J: Josh Parr
T: Bjorn Baker |
1958x1 | G | 7 | 55.5kg | |
|
6. Enriched
J: Tommy Berry
T: Michael Freedman |
x3121x | H | 6 | 55kg | |
|
7. Fire Star
J: Andrew Adkins
T: Peter Snowden |
002825 | G | 3 | 53kg | |
|
8. Meridiana
J: Zac Lloyd
T: John Sargent |
x1212x | M | 1 | 53kg | |
2026 Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) Nominations
The early Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) 2026 Nominations are taken on the Monday of race week.
2026 Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) nominations extended until 11:00am (AEDT) – 27/01/2026
| Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 121x160x33 | CANDLEWICK | M | 4 | Joseph Pride | 76 |
| 2 | 1630x3121x | ENRICHED | H | 4 | Michael Freedman | 98 |
| 3 | 30×1002825 | FIRE STAR | G | 5 | Peter Snowden | 94 |
| 4 | 80x7075x0x | JOHNNY ROCKER | G | 6 | Bjorn Baker | 95 |
| 5 | 0x11316x27 | THE INSTRUCTOR | G | 5 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | |
| 6 | 52048x576x | WILLAIDOW | G | 7 | Marc & Mitchell Conners | 100 |
| 7 | 271x52x40x | ZARASTRO | G | 7 | Tony Gollan |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) Form Guide
The Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) form guide details essential facts and stats like the lead-up runs of the horses in the field, their jockeys / trainers, and records at the track / distance.
In recent years the Southern Cross Stakes form has held up in bigger and better autumn races including in 2017 when the winner Le Romain went on to take out that year’s Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) on Randwick Guineas Day.
The 2021 Southern Cross form was franked with the winning horse, Masked Crusader, finishing third in that year’s Canterbury Stakes trifecta before victory in the Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m) and second in the TJ Smith Stakes. He returned for a big spring including running second to Nature Strip in that year’s The Everest horse race.
Lady Laguna (2024) was the last horse to complete the Southern Cross Stakes – Canterbury Stakes double, and she further franked the form with a subsequent second in the George Ryder Stakes that year.
After placing second in the 2025 Southern Cross and Expressway Stakes (G2), Iowna Merc surged to victory later that autumn, claiming both the Group 3 Liverpool City Cup and the Group 2 Ajax Stakes.
2026 Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) Form Guide
A link to our comprehensive Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) 2026 Form Guide will be provided below following final acceptances.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2026 JRA PLATE FORM GUIDE
Past Southern Cross Stakes / JRA Plate Results
The Southern Cross Stakes / JRA Plate race results and finishing order are known when the Group 3 is run and won at Rosehill in late January or early February and have been dominated by the best in betting in recent years.
Lady Laguna (2024) was the last Southern Cross Stakes winning mare.
Vital Flyer (2009) was the last three-year-old Southern Cross Stakes winner.
Gunsynd holds the record of most weight carried to victory in the Southern Cross Stakes when carting in 9 st 7lbs (approx. 60.5 kg) in 1972.
Willaidow (2025-26) was the last back-to-back Southern Cross Stakes / JRA Plate winner.
Past Southern Cross Stakes / JRA Plate Winners
Recent Southern Cross Stakes / JRA Plate winners and placegetters going back to 2000 are detailed in the below table.
| Year | Winner | Second | Third |
| 2026 | Willaidow | The Instructor | Zarastro |
| 2025 | Willaidow | Iowna Merc | Brudenell |
| 2024 | Lady Laguna | Hard To Say | Malkovich |
| 2023 | Quantico | Titanium Power | Gravina |
| 2022 | Lost And Running | Overpass | Standout |
| 2021 | Masked Crusader | Southern Lad | Victorem |
| 2020 | Special Reward | Cascadian | Jungle Edge |
| 2019 | Eckstein | Dothraki | Brutal |
| 2018 | Kaepernick | Dothraki | Boss Lane |
| 2017 | Le Romain | Big Money | Snippets Land |
| 2016 | Big Money | Decision Time | Rich Enuff |
| 2015 | Heart Testa | Driefontein | Territory |
| 2014 | Terravista | Albrecht | My Destiny |
| 2013 | Skytrain | Streama | Onthelookout |
| 2012 | No Evidence Needed | Neeson | Secret Admirer |
| 2011 | Sister Madly | Pinwheel | Cardinal Virtue |
| 2010 | Kenny’s World | Dreamscape | Geared Up |
| 2009 | Marchinski | Kenny’s World | Raise |
| 2008 | Hoystar | Friday Creek | Danleigh |
| 2007 | The Free Stater | The Jackal | Century Serb |
| 2006 | Collate | Utzon | Damigos |
| 2005 | Cool Front | Utzon | Patezza |
| 2004 | Britt’s Best | Fiery Venture | Shags |
| 2003 | Gordo | Presently | Salgado |
| 2002 | Lord Essex | Crawl | Dottoressa |
| 2001 | Ab Initio | Strabane | Pittance |
| 2000 | Pimpala Prince | Spying | Iglesia |
FAQ
Who won the 2026 Southern Cross Stakes?
The 2026 Southern Cross Stakes was won by seven-year-old Shamus Award gelding Willaidow who jumped at $4.60 for trainers Marc & Mitchell Conners with jockey James McDonald aboard the defending champion on 56kg from barrier 2 to win by 0.11 lengths on a Good (4) track in a time of 1:09.12.
Who won the 2025 Southern Cross Stakes?
The 2025 Southern Cross Stakes was won by Willaidow for trainer Marc Conners at a starting price of $4.40 with Tyler Schiller aboard from barrier 1 with the horse saluting by 0.13 lengths in 1:09.44.
When is the Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) 2026?
Saturday, January 31, 2026What is the prize money for the Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) 2026?
$250,000
Where is the Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) 2026?
Rosehill Gardens Racecourse, James Ruse Dr, Rosehill NSW 2142.
How do I bet on the 2026 Southern Cross 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 Southern Cross Stakes?
The best way to pick which horse will win the Southern Cross 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.