The latest edition of the Spring Champion Stakes ran on Saturday, October 24, 2026 in Sydney on the same day Melbourne hosted the $6 million Ladbrokes Cox Plate and was won by David Payne’s undefeated filly Proxima Dea ($3.70) who has the VRC Oaks in sight.
The Spring Champion Stakes 2026 is one of the Sydney Spring Carnival’s most exciting contests for emerging three-year-old talent, bringing together a field of progressive young stayers chasing a coveted Group 1 victory over 2000m at Royal Randwick. Renowned for uncovering future stars and producing key Derby and autumn carnival form, the race attracts plenty of attention from punters eager to identify the next elite middle-distance performer. With key spring form lines, rising contenders, and significant betting interest on the lucrative feature, the event consistently delivers plenty of spring excitement both on and off the track. Follow the latest Spring Champion Stakes odds 2026, market movers, runner news, and expert Spring Champion Stakes betting 2026 predictions at Ladbrokes ahead of this prestigious Group 1 showdown.
2026 Spring Champion Stakes Results
The full Spring Champion Stakes 2026 Results & Finishing Order will be published here once the Group 1 takes place on Saturday, October 24, 2026.
- #9 Proxima Dea
- #8 Global Goal
- #2 Cormier
The 2026 Spring Champion Stakes results produced an exciting new VRC Oaks favourite with the unbeaten Proxima Dea ($3.70) extending her perfect record to five wins from as many starts in Saturday’s Group 1 feature over 2000m at Randwick. The David Payne-trained daughter of Tarzino proved far too strong against the colts and geldings, with Zac Lloyd giving the filly a positive ride before she powered away to defeat favourite Global Goal by 1½ lengths, while Cormier was a long head away in third. Stopping the clock in 2:01.86, Proxima Dea completed the coveted Gloaming Stakes-Spring Champion Stakes double, joining recent winners Shadow Hero (2019), Sharp ‘N’ Smart (2022) and El Castello (2024), while taking her career earnings beyond $1.6 million. The dominant display convinced bookmakers she is the standout staying filly of her generation, with Ladbrokes immediately installing her as the outright $2 favourite for the 2026 VRC Oaks (2500m) at Flemington on November 5, where the progressive Group 1 winner will bid to continue her unbeaten run.
2026 Spring Champion Stakes Race Replay
2026 Spring Champion Stakes Odds & Finishing Order
The season’s updated Spring Champion Stakes 2026 betting odds and links to our Randwick Group 1 racing markets will be available right here once out so stay tuned for access to the best odds on the hopeful three-year-old stayers followed by the official finishing order after the event.
| 9. Proxima Dea (9) 54.5kg1111 | ||
| 8. Global Goal (3) 54.5kg1×331 | ||
| 2. Cormier (8) 56.5kg2×084 | ||
| 5. Stormy Marco (7) 56.5kg3×295 | ||
| 7. Mindgames (1) 56.5kg1×12 | ||
| 3. Scarole (4) 56.5kg22133 | ||
| 1. Diameter (6) 56.5kgx6616 | ||
| 6. Persian Wonder (5) 56.5kg16516 | ||
| 4. Wonka (2) 56.5kg23112 |
Spring Champion Stakes Tips
The best Spring Champion Stakes tips are to take the three-year-olds coming out of a top three run in the Gloaming Stakes with proven form over 1800m.
The Gloaming Stakes has produced more Spring Champion Stakes winners than any other lead-up race, and the double has been achieved plenty of times in the past 30 years.
Proxima Dea (2026) was the last three-year-old to complete the Gloaming Stakes – Spring Champion double.
Horses that ran top three in their lead-up runs have the best record in the race.
No Spring Champion Stakes winner had run worse than third last start since Fraternity (Gloaming Stakes 5th) back in 1993 before the filly Maid Of Heaven (2018) improved on her lead-up sixth in the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) to beat home the boys in an upset Spring Champion Stakes result.
In 2016 Yankee Rose finished second in the Flight Stakes leading to her upset win over the boys in the Spring Champion Stakes but was subsequently disqualified from the former.
Ladbrokes Tip: Spring Champions Stakes odds are often led by the best out of the Gloaming Stakes!
2026 Spring Champion Stakes Predictions & Best Bets
Our Ladbrokes’ insider Spring Champion Stakes 2026 betting tips and Group 1 selections on the three-years-old event at Randwick Racecourse will be detailed below the week of the race so stay tuned for the young stayers to back and sack.
| 8. Global Goal (3) 54.5kg1×331 |
| 9. Proxima Dea (9) 54.5kg1111 |
| 4. Wonka (2) 56.5kg23112 |
Latest News
Attracting youngsters that could head to Melbourne for a shot at the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington a few weeks later, the Spring Champion Stakes offers $2 million in prize money.
The last Spring Champion Stakes winners to go on to win the Victoria Derby were Monaco Consul (2009) followed by Ace High (2017), while in 2015 the Spring Champion Stakes third placed Prized Icon went on to win that year’s VRC Derby. Run at set weights, the Spring Champion Stakes finishes-up Group 1 racing for the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival.
In 2022 the Spring Champion Stakes winner Sharp ‘N’ Smart ran a next-up second in the Victoria Derby results.
Spring Champion Stakes Day now takes place on the same Saturday that Melbourne hosts the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m).
The key lead-up into the Randwick Group 1 is the Group 3 Gloaming Stakes (1800m) at Rosehill earlier in the spring and the Gloaming Stakes – Spring Champion Stakes double has been achieved most recently by the filly Proxima Dea (2026), El Castello (2024), Sharp ‘N’ Smart (2022), Shadow Hero (2019), Ace High (2017), and Vanbrugh (2015).
The world’s richest turf race, the $20 million The Everest feature race, takes place two weeks before Spring Champion Stakes Day in 2024.
Spring Champion Stakes Day now also features the now Group 2 $2 million The Invitation (1400m) race for fillies and mares as well as the Group 3 $1 million Callander-Presnell (1600m).
In 2020 Spring Champion Stakes winner Montefilia made history as the first Flight Stakes winning filly to back-up and do the double. She further franked the Spring Champion Stakes form when running third in the VRC Oaks that spring and finishing third in the following autumn’s Rosehill Guineas.
The following year’s Flight Stakes winner Never Been Kissed finished second next-up in the 2021 Spring Champion Stakes results.
Spring Champion Stakes Race Info
- Date: Saturday, October 24, 2026
- Track: Royal Randwick Racecourse
- Distance: 2000m
- Conditions: 3YOs – Set Weights
- Status: Group 1
- Prize Money: $2,000,000
- First Run: 1971
Spring Champion Stakes Betting
Spring Champion Stakes betting is open soon after the nominations are taken with all-in odds offered before the final field is officially announced. The Spring Champion Stakes odds firm once the field is released and offer punters a safer option at a more conservative price.
Spring Champion Stakes odds are usually dominated by the best performers in the Gloaming Stakes a few weeks earlier, and the Gloaming Stakes – Spring Champion Stakes betting option is a popular one.
Three-year-olds proven at 1800m or further with good Sydney spring form are top Spring Champion Stakes betting options, but the favourites have a poor recent record in the race.
Before Vanbrugh (2015) saluted for the punters, the last Spring Champion Stakes favourite to win was the Gai Waterhouse-trained Platinum Scissors (2002). The punters’ pick were back in winning form in the 2017 Spring Champion Stakes results however with the success of Ace High (2017) and again with Shadow Hero (2019).
Montefilia ($2.70 in 2020), Profondo ($2.80 in 2021), Tom Kitten ($2.50 in 2023) and El Castello ($3 in 2024) are the latest favourites to salute with the punters’ picks back in form over the past few years.
Spring Champion Stakes Field
The Spring Champion Stakes race field attracts a line-up of the best three-year-olds showing staying potential during the carnival.
Most of the runners in the Spring Champion Stakes come off an earlier Sydney run in the Group 3 Gloaming Stakes run at Rosehill a few weeks before over 200m shorter.
The Gloaming Stakes produced 12 Spring Champion Stakes winners from 2010 – 2026. Eight achieved the double with It’s A Dundeel (2012), Complacent (2013), Vanbrugh (2015), Ace High (2017), Shadow Hero (2019), Sharp ‘N’ Smart (2022), El Castello (2024), and Proxima Dea (2026).
2026 Spring Champion Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw
The official Spring Champion Stakes 2026 Final Field & Barriers will be available for punters below once announced on the Wednesday leading up to the race so stay tuned to see what early Victoria Derby hopefuls line-up in the event.
The Spring Champion Stakes 2026 field features a quality line-up of nine in-form three-year-old staying types with the John Sargent-trained Global Goal favourite after her lead-up Flight Stakes victory over the Randwick mile.
| Entrant | Last 6 | Sex | Barrier | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. Diameter
J: Tyler Schiller
T: Chris Waller |
3×6616 | C | 6 | 56.5kg | |
|
2. Cormier
J: Kerrin Mcevoy
T: Paul Messara & Leah Gavranich |
22×084 | C | 8 | 56.5kg | |
|
3. Scarole
J: Nash Rawiller
T: Ciaron Maher |
822133 | C | 4 | 56.5kg | |
|
4. Wonka
J: Jason Collett
T: Chris Waller |
x23112 | C | 2 | 56.5kg | |
|
5. Stormy Marco
J: Tommy Berry
T: Chris Waller |
83×295 | C | 7 | 56.5kg | |
|
6. Persian Wonder
J: Ashley Morgan
T: David Payne |
x16516 | G | 5 | 56.5kg | |
|
7. Mindgames
J: Tim Clark
T: John O’shea & Tom Charlton |
1×12 | G | 1 | 56.5kg | |
|
8. Global Goal
J: Dylan Gibbons
T: John Sargent |
1×331 | F | 3 | 54.5kg | |
|
9. Proxima Dea
J: Zac Lloyd
T: David Payne |
1111 | F | 9 | 54.5kg |
2026 Spring Champion Stakes Nominations
The nominations for the Spring Champion Stakes 2026 close the Monday leading-up to the Group 1 and will be available below once announced.
Spring Champion Stakes nominations close on the Monday of race week followed by final acceptances two days later.
The 2026 Spring Champion Stakes nominations have been extended until 11:00am (AEDT) on 20/10/2026 after drawing just a dozen hopeful 3YOs led in all-in betting by John Sargent’s Group 1 Flight Stakes winning filly Global Goal.
Spring Champion Stakes Form Guide
The Spring Champion Stakes form guide details all the must know info on the field including the saddlecloth numbers, barriers, jockeys and lead-up form of the runners.
Only two Spring Champion Stakes runners have won from wider than barrier 9 in recent history with Hotel Grand (barrier 10 of 11 in 2005) and Attica (barrier 11 of 13 in 2025), so looking for horses drawn near the inside on the form guide is a good tip.
Last start winners have a dominant record in the race, so check the lead-up form for a lead-up win in the Gloaming Stakes, which is the key Spring Champion Stakes guide.
The 2021 Spring Champion Stakes form was franked with the third placegetter Alegron running a next-up second in the VRC Derby. He also finished third in the following year’s ATC Derby results.
The 2022 Spring Champion Stakes winner Sharp ‘N’ Smart franked the form with a VRC Derby second next before heading to New Zealand the following February where he completed a Group 1 double that included the NZ Derby in 2023. He also placed fourth in the 2023 Australian Derby.
The Spring Champion 2022 form was also franked by the third-placed filly She’s Extreme who won that year’s Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m).
In 2025, The Pearls rounded out the Spring Champion trifecta behind the boys in Sydney before a next-up VRC Oaks second in Melbourne.
Spring Champion Stakes Form Facts
- The Gloaming Stakes produced 12 Spring Champion Stakes winners from 2010-26 including seven to do the double, most recently Proxima Dea (2026).
- Yankee Rose (2016), Maid Of Heaven (2018), Montefilia (2020) and Proxima Dea (2026) are the only Spring Champion Stakes winning fillies in history.
- Favourites in Spring Champion Stakes betting have been back in good form of late with wins by Vanbrugh (2015), Ace High (2017), Shadow Hero (2019), Montefilia (2020), Profondo (2021), Tom Kitten (2023), and El Castello (2024).
2026 Spring Champion Stakes Form Guide
A link to our insider Spring Champion Stakes 2026 Form Guide will be provided for punters below the week of the race.
Past Spring Champion Stakes Results
The Spring Champion Stakes race results have been dominated by Gloaming Stakes graduates and last start winners in the past decade.
Favourites have a solid record in the past 10 years or so but upset Spring Champion Stakes results are not uncommon and the longest-priced winners in recent history include Hampton Court ($16 in 2014), Monaco Consul ($51 in 2009) and Teranaba ($51 in 2006).
Hampton Court holds the current Spring Champion Stakes race record winning in 2014 in a time of 2 minutes 0.19 seconds.
Recent Spring Champion Stakes Winners
Recent Spring Champion Stakes winners and placegetters dating back to the year 2000 are detailed in the below table.
| Year | Winner | Runner-Up | Third | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Proxima Dea | Global Goal | Cormier | 2:01.86 |
| 2025 | Attica | Shangri La Boy | The Pearls | 2:03.47 |
| 2024 | El Castello | Henlein | Firm Agreement | 2:03.05 |
| 2023 | Tom Kitten | Cap Ferrat | Ganbare | 2:01.28 |
| 2022 | Sharp ‘N’ Smart | Elliptical | She’s Extreme | 2:07.5 |
| 2021 | Profondo | Never Been Kissed | Alegron | 2:01.7 |
| 2020 | Montefilia | Lion’s Roar | Bucharest | 2:01.4 |
| 2019 | Shadow Hero | Castelvecchio | Battenburg | 2:00.7 |
| 2018 | Maid Of Heaven | Aramayo | Thinkin’ Big | 2:05.5 |
| 2017 | Ace High | Tangled | Sully | 2:03.9 |
| 2016 | Yankee Rose | Swear | Prized Icon | 2:02.4 |
| 2015 | Vanbrugh | I’m Belucci | Man Of Choice | 2:02.8 |
| 2014 | Hampton Court | First Seal | Sweynesse | 2:00.1 |
| 2013 | Complacent | Criterion | Savvy Nature | 2:03.3 |
| 2012 | It’s a Dundeel | Proisir | Honorius | 2:02.6 |
| 2011 | Doctor Doom | Darci Be Good | Sangster | 2:05.8 |
| 2010 | Erewhon | Retrieve | Praecido/Shootoff | 2:02.9 |
| 2009 | Monaco Consul | Gathering | Viking Legend | 2:09.9 |
| 2008 | Sousa | Predatory Pricer | Excelltastic | 2:06.2 |
| 2007 | Race Not Run | – | – | – |
| 2006 | Teranaba | All Black Gold | He’s No Pie Eater | 2:04.5 |
| 2005 | Hotel Grand | Pendragon | Duelled | 2:04.8 |
| 2004 | Savabeel | Outback Prince | Cedar Manor | 2:07.2 |
| 2003 | Niello | November Dreaming | Tsuimai | 2:03.4 |
| 2002 | Platinum Scissors | Soprana | Maskerado | 2:04.3 |
| 2001 | Viking Ruler | Evander | Silver Baron | 1:49.5 |
| 2000 | Universal Prince | Falls The Shadow | Go Bint | 2:05.1 |