The Q22 race has replaced the now defunct PJ O’Shea Stakes
The next edition of the weight-for-age The Q22 runs on Saturday, June 13, 2026 at Eagle Farm Racecourse.
2026 The Q22 Odds
The season’s best The Q22 2026 betting odds and Group 2 Brisbane racing markets will be available below so make sure you bookmark this page for access to the top prices on your The Q22 betting selections.
The Q22 Tips
The Q22 race tips include looking for the season’s best weight-for-age performers, in-form fillies / mares coming off lead-up races like the Queensland Oaks or Doomben Cup and backing the interstate visitors.
2026 The Q22 Tips
Our Ladbrokes’ exclusive The Q22 2026 betting tips and exotic Group 2 winter racing selections will be detailed below the week of the race so stay tuned for the runners to back and sack.
The Q22 race is a new-look feature event contested at Eagle Farm Racecourse on Stradbroke Handicap Day during the annual Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival.
Conducted on a Saturday in early – mid June, the weight-for-age showdown has replaced the race previously known as the PJ O’Shea Stakes. For the history of that race please click here.
The Q22 is one of the key features at the Stradbroke Handicap Day meeting along with the lucrative $3 million Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) and the $1 million Group 1 JJ Atkins (1600m) for two-year-olds.
A key end of carnival target for stayers out of lead-up events including the Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m) and the Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) – the latter previously held on Stradbroke Day.
The Q22 offers a generous $1.2 million in prize money and was first won in 2021 by that year’s Doomben Cup champion Zaaki. In 2022 Zaaki’s trainer, Annabel Neasham, returned for back-to-back wins enjoying an upset with stablemate Numerian ($21).
Neasham made it three wins in four years in 2024 with Fawkner Park saluting for the punters.
There are a number of lead-up races that also offer a ballot exemption into The Q22 field including the Group 3 Lord Mayor’s Cup at Eagle Farm on Kingsford Smith Cup Day and the Group 2 Queensland Guineas (1600m) run earlier during the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival.
Most famously, Without A Fight won the 2023 The Q22 in the winter before claiming the spring’s Caulfield Cup – Melbourne Cup double.
The Q22 Race Info
- Date: Saturday, June 13, 2026
- Replaces: The now defunct PJ O’Shea Stakes
- Track: Eagle Farm Racecourse
- Distance: 2200m
- Conditions: 3YOs and above – Weight-For-Age
- Status: Group 2
- Prize Money: $1,200,000
- First Run: 2021 (as The Q22); 1947 (as the PJ O’Shea Stakes)
2026 The Q22 Results
The official 2026 The Q22 results and finishing order will be updated here once the second richest race on the Stradbroke Day card takes place at Eagle Farm on Saturday, June 13, 2026.
The Q22 Betting
Futures The Q22 betting odds on the likely runners open weeks in advance of the race offering generous ante-post or pre-field prices for the punters.
The markets firm once The Q22 final field is released and provides more security and betting options for the Stradbroke Handicap Day feature.
Horses coming off good lead-up runs in events like the Doomben Cup, Queensland Derby and Lord Mayor’s Cup lead The Q22 odds.
Without A Fight (2023) is the last horse to complete the Lord Mayor’s Cup – The Q22 double winning both events impressively to take his Australian race record up to two wins from three starts down under.
Kenedna (2019) was the last runner to complete the Doomben Cup – PJ O’Shea Stakes double before the latter was revamped. Zaaki (2021) then won the Doomben Cup – The Q22 double when the latter ran for the first time as The Q22.
In 2024 Annabel Neasham’s Doomben Cup winner Bois D’argent ran third in The Q22 results with his stablemate Fawkner Park winning the $1.2 million event after his lead-up Doomben Cup third.
Proven staying types, class horses suited to the WFA conditions and past Group 1 performers down in grade dominate The Q22 betting markets.
Zaaki ($1.26 in 2021), Without A Fight ($2.80 in 2023) and Fawkner Park ($4.20 in 2024) are the last The Q22 betting favourites to salute for the punters.
There was a notable upset the following year with Zaaki’s stablemate Numerian winning at $21 in The Q22 betting.
The Q22 Field
The Q22 race field attracts a line-up of the winter’s best stayers and middle-distance weight-for-age horses. The runners may come off a number of different runs including the Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m), while three-year-olds that contested either the Queensland Derby or Queensland Oaks could take on the older horses in the end-of-carnival feature.
The final acceptances are set to feature a host of interstate-trained visitors chasing the spoils of the $1.2 million showdown.
The Q22 nominations are taken the Monday of race week before the final acceptances are released along with the barrier draw on the Wednesday before the race runs on the Saturday.
2026 The Q22 Field
The official The Q22 2026 Final Field & Barriers will be posted here once released on the Wednesday of Stradbroke Handicap Day week.
2026 The Q22 Nominations
The early The Q22 2026 nominations close the Monday of race week with the full entries to be announced below once released by Racing Queensland.
The 2026 The Q22 nominations close on Monday the 8th of June 2026.
The Q22 Form Guide
The Q22 form guide provides all the key information such as jockeys, trainers, barriers and the lead-up runs of the runners in the field.
Looking at the form on the old PJ O’Shea Stakes race that The Q22 now replaces, the form shows a good recent record by the mares with three saluting on the trot with Single Gaze (2017), Egg Tart (2018) and Kenedna (2019).
Interstate raiders dominate The Q22 form and results without a locally-trained winner in over 20 years.
The Q22 form from 2021 was franked with the winner Zaaki going on to take out Melbourne’s Group 1 Underwood Stakes – Mackinnon Stakes double in the spring. He also returned in 2022 and won the $5 million The All-Star Mile (1600m) at Flemington that autumn.
Without A Fight firmly franked the 2023 The Q22 form that spring making history as the latest stayer to complete the Caulfield Cup – Melbourne Cup racing double.
Fawkner Park went on to run a number of top three Group 1 placings over the next 12 months including in the 2025 Ranvet Stakes (3rd) and 2025 Doomben Cup (2nd).
The Q22 Form Facts
- The Doomben Cup is the key lead-up into the race with Kenedna (2019) the last to do the double. (when The Q22 ran as the PJ O’Shea Stakes) before Zaaki (2021).
- Mares have a dominant recent record in the race.
- There’s not been a locally-trained winner of the event in over 20 years.
- Sydney-trained raiders have an outstanding record in the race in recent years.
2026 The Q22 Form Guide
A link to our comprehensive The Q22 2026 Form Guide will be provided for punters below the week of the race.
Past The Q22 Results
The Q22 race results for the weight-for-age feature now run in place of the PJ O’Shea Stakes are detailed below from the first running in 2021 won by star import Zaaki followed in 2022 by his stablemate Numerian (2022).
For past PJ O’Shea Stakes winners prior to 2020 see the table further down.
Recent The Q22 Winners
Recent The Q22 winners and placegetters are detailed in the below table.
| Year | Winner | 2nd | 3rd | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 2025 | Kovalica | New Endeavour | Fawkner Park | 2:15.44 |
| 2024 | Fawkner Park | Knight’s Choice | Bois D’Argent | 2:14.41 |
| 2023 | Without A Fight | Nonconformist | Duais | 2:16.84 |
| 2022 | Numerian | Kolding | Yonkers | 2:16.98 |
| 2021 | Zaaki | Homesman | Paths Of Glory | 2:15.39 |
PJ O’Shea Stakes Winners
| Year | Winner | 2nd | 3rd | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Kenedna | Sixties Groove | Re Edit | 2:14.4 |
| 2018 | Egg Tart | Tradesman | Megablast | 2:20.7 |
| 2017 | Single Gaze | Rudy | High Church | 2:19.2 |
| 2015 | Werther | Moriarty | Epingle | 2:17.2 |
| 2014 | Moriarty | Mr O’Ceirin | Floria | 2:16.3 |
| 2013 | Quintessential | Manighar | Voila Ici | 2:19.5 |
| 2012 | Lights Of Heaven | Scenic Shot | Ginga Dude | 2:19.0 |
| 2011 | Glass Harmonium | Shoot Out | Scenic Shot | 2:15.1 |
| 2010 | Triple Honour | Raffaello | Newport | 2:14.3 |
| 2009 | Scenic Shot | Mirkola Lass | Fulmonti | 2:20.9 |
| 2008 | Scenic Shot | Rampant Lion | Dougs Mate | 2:19.2 |
| 2007 | Pentathon | Gaze | Grand Zulu | 2:17.9 |
| 2006 | Mahtoum | Art Success | Gorgeous George | 2:30.7 |
| 2005 | Natural Blitz | Zumanity | Regal Punch | 2:30.0 |
| 2004 | Pentastic | Maze | Another Warrior | 2:28.7 |
| 2003 | Maguire | County Tyrone | Grey Song | 2:30.5 |
| 2002 | Hey Pronto | Freemason | Prized Gem | 2:28.1 |
| 2001 | Yippyio | Citi Habit | King Keitel | 2:25.6 |
| 2000 | Kens Joy | Make Mine Magic | Yippyio | 2:28.7 |
FAQ
Who won the 2025 The Q22?
The 2025 The Q22 was won by five-year-old Ocean Park gelding Kovalica at $6.50 for trainer Chris Waller with jockey Nash Rawiller aboard on 59kg from barrier 7 to win by 0.03 lengths in a time of 2:15.44.
When is The Q22 2026?
Saturday, June 13, 2026What is the prize money for The Q22 2026?
$1,200,000
Where is The Q22 2026?
Eagle Farm Racecourse, 230 Lancaster Road, Ascot, QLD 4007.
How do I bet on The Q22 2026?
Bet online or via the latest iOS/Android app 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 Q22 2026?
The best way to pick which horse will win The Q22 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.