With a million dollars on the line, Ladbrokes have your full runner‑by‑runner preview and expert tips for the 2026 Australian Guineas right here!
The time-honoured Group 1 pits the season’s top three-year-old milers against each other at HQ on Saturday and with a stacked field we’ve gone through the form and have a complete guide to finding the winner.
One of the premier middle-distance features of the autumn, the Australian Guineas has been won by plenty of the country’s best over the years including Miss Finland (2007), Mosheen (2012), Alligator Blood (2020) and Legarto (2023).
So, will the spring’s Derby hero Observer keep the wins coming after a good fresh victory last start or is there a forgotten contender further down the markets ready to steal the show?
From the flying favourite to well-tested contenders reaching their peak, we’ve got the Ladbrokes lowdown on every runner chasing Australian Guineas glory on the weekend.
Read on for our expert runner-by-runner guide to the 2026 Australian Guineas!
- To Win – No. 1 Observer
- Top 3 – No. 4 Sixties
- Top 4 – No. 9 Onavuitton
| 1. Observer (6) J: Ethan Brown 57kg 311×1T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 4. Sixties (10) J: Damian Lane 57kg 15×11T: Chris Waller | ||
| 9. Onavuitton (8) J: Thomas Stockdale 57kg 63×14T: Simon Zahra |
No. 1 Observer (6) – Ciaron Maher
First-up is our favourite, OBSERVER (6), from the Maher stable and this VRC Derby champ proved he could be just as effective over shorter distances with an easy win fresh in the Autumn Stakes at Caulfield.
He chases his fourth straight win and profiles perfectly for the high-pressure mile clash.
After carting a hefty 59.5kg first-up, he’ll take great benefit from the run and the step-up from 1400m to 1600m is ideal.
Meets them better at set weights in another huge tick, and Ethan Brown, who has a wonderful record on this nice young stayer, is riding in terrific form.
Midfield draw with options, showed he could sustain from an on-speed run when sharp last time out and I’m expecting something similar pattern-wise from Brown and his ace mount here.
Too classy to bet against.
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1. Observer (6)
J: Ethan Brown 57kg
311×1T: Ciaron Maher
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No. 2 Planet Red (9) – Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr
PLANET RED (9) is a quality gelding with form around the top-tier three-year-olds.
Runner-up to Autumn Boy in the Caulfield Guineas at 30/1 last October, he showed that was no fluke run when kicking off in the Autumn Stakes to finish a length second to Observer.
He did his best work late after getting back in that and should relish the extra furlong now to finish close again.
Had the favours pace and position wise first-up so I can’t really see him turning the tables on Observer, but he’s shown enough to suggest he’ll be in the mix when that finishing post approaches.
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2. Planet Red (9)
J: Jamie Melham 57kg
432×2T: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr
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No. 3 West Of Swindon (3) – Ciaron Maher
Stablemate to the favourite, WEST OF SWINDON (3), is also second-up but comes via a different resuming run.
Here at Flemington on February 14, he finished sixth to Sixties in the Group 3 CS Hayes over 3.5 lengths off the winner but sticking to the task in a promising return.
He’ll enjoy the 1600m trip better, and his last victory was back in September when taking out The Valley’s Stutt Stakes over the mile.
Maps well as a true on-speed presence in the race and a legitimate Top 3 chance at juicy odds with the flying Benny Allen coming aboard in a plus.
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3. West Of Swindon (3)
J: Ben Allen 57kg
194×6T: Ciaron Maher
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No. 4 Sixties (10) – Chris Waller
SIXTIES (10) has the wide alley but remains an ultra-consistent young gun who I’m very wary of.
From the master, Chris Waller, this talented and in-form Flying Artie colt boasts a 50% winning strike rate after eight starts after going back-to-back at his latest two.
Proven at the Flemington track having saluted here as the odds-on elect beating a few of these a fortnight ago, he profiles as one that will see out a strong mile now rock-hard fit with Damian Lane sticking with.
Prior to the CS Hayes he was super showing the older horses how it’s done in Sydney fresh.
Overcame a wide run last start so drawn gate 10 here shouldn’t worry especially with conditions to suit.
Off pace danger late.
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4. Sixties (10)
J: Damian Lane 57kg
15×11T: Chris Waller
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No. 5 Bingi (2) – Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman
Moody & Coleman are enjoying a stellar autumn already but it’s hard to make an argument in favour of an upset in the Group 1 by the rank outsider, BINGI (2).
Paying 90/1 at time of publish, this son of Snitzel is well-bred and a two-time winner in easier grade but hasn’t been able to match motors or class with the better three-year-olds to date.
Near the back of the Stutt Stakes finishers in the spring and wasn’t in the mix in the CS Hayes fresh four lengths beaten at a similar price beating just two over the line.
Blinkers go on but won’t be enough.
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5. Bingi (2)
J: Luke Cartwright 57kg
177×9T: Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman
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No. 6 Officiate (4) – Chris Waller
Next in line for the Waller camp, Justify colt OFFICIATE (4) really needs to go to another level if he’s to be any kind of threat.
Drawn well in gate four for the talented Ben Melham, and his only win to date did come second-up last prep at Canterbury.
That’s about all that I can find for the pro column.
Things went amiss at this level in Randwick’s Spring Champion Stakes back in October and, while his CS Hayes fifth placing wasn’t the worst of runs in the race, don’t think he’ll be finishing much closer here.
Midfield finish at best.
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6. Officiate (4)
J: Ben Melham 57kg
130×5T: Chris Waller
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No. 7 Romantic Encounter (5) – Ben, Will & JD Hayes
The Hayes boys saddle-up ROMANTIC ENCOUTER (5) in the Guineas with the Ghaiyyath colt chasing his first win since saluting at Bendigo on a mud track last September on debut.
Stutt Stakes second behind West Of Swindon followed with promise, but he failed to live up to that potential when 12th in the Caulfield Guineas to see out his spring.
Trialled up well in January but didn’t bring that form to the races running last to Space Rider fresh on January 24 in the Gorup 3 Manfred Stakes at Caulfield.
Did improve second-up when fourth in the CS Hayes sticking with the task off an on-speed run and think he looks ready for a mile or more now.
More mature and could be starting to put it together at the right time.
One to consider for exotics.
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7. Romantic Encounter (5)
J: Daniel Stackhouse 57kg
20×94T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes
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No. 8 Victorious Spirit (7) – Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman
The second representing the Moody/Coleman partnership, VICTORIOUS SPIRIT (7) gets thrown into the deep end here second-up after showing plenty in a terrific return.
Yet to run out of the money in four starts, he broke his maiden status third-up at Sale last September before running out of his skin for a third at huge odds to Observer in the Autumn Stakes.
That was a big effort for his first Black-Type run, and he did it from gate 12 of 12 to boot.
Smaller field and draws better here with the airborne Zac Spain retaining the ride.
Considering he was only two lengths off the hot favourite last time out, he’s one for those looking for a genuine roughie hope at a lavish price with improvement pending.
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8. Victorious Spirit (7)
J: Zac Spain 57kg
231×3T: Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman
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No. 9 Onavuitton (8) – Simon Zahra
Another of the outside chances that has claims for exotic selections is the Simon Zahra-trained ONAVUITTON (8) to be ridden by Thomas Stockdale.
Fitness on his side running third-up in the Melbourn feature, this local Castelvecchio gelding was thereabouts last autumn when third to Vinrock in the Group 2 VRC Sires’ at HQ.
We didn’t see him for ages as he spent some 10 months on the sidelines, but he was back to his best fresh at Cranbourne winning a 1200m maiden at set weights by two lengths after charging home from midfield.
Handled a rise in grade well when fourth in the Autumn Stakes under three lengths off Observer in a run full of merit.
Thomas Stockdale is in the saddle again and, while he still has a margin to make up, he could prove up to the task.
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9. Onavuitton (8)
J: Thomas Stockdale 57kg
63×14T: Simon Zahra
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10. Express Class (1) – Gerard Moloney
The rails run in the Guineas this year belongs to EXPRESS CLASS (1) who is one of the rank outsiders in the markets.
Prepared out of Cranbourne by Gerard Moloney, this son of Exceedance saluted at big odds on debut at Sandown last winter before a credible third to Jimmy Recard in the Group 3 Vain Stakes.
Hasn’t been seen in the money since.
This prep has left plenty to be desired so far.
He was ninth here over 1000m behind Gallant Son before a sixth in the Manfred and seventh in the CS Hayes.
So, while he comes via the right kind of lead-up races, he doesn’t bring the right kind of lead-up performances to give me any confidence.
A horse that seems most comfortable drifting back, he lacks the finishing speed or class to challenge late.
Happy to leave out.
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10. Express Class (1)
J: Patrick Moloney 57kg
6×967T: Gerard Moloney
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Good luck punters!