2026 Coolmore Classic Day Preview

I’m going to kick off Coolmore Classic Day with something on MAILATA, in what looms as a wide-open Midway Handicap.

Mailata hasn’t been seen at the races since early January, but he turned in some fine performances throughout the spring and summer, winning in BM68 company, while he was last seen only just missed at Wyong on The Lakes Day.

He’s had the benefit of a nice trial ahead of Saturday’s return and is drawn to get a soft run.

ICEMAN was only just denied at Randwick last week and is on the quick back-up into this race.

The Rubick gelding is yet to strike in three runs back from a break, but he’s also yet to miss placing, and he was only denied by a tough Zenmaster last weekend

Getting out to the 1900m this week looks to suit, while he also drops a couple of kgs in the weights.

The Magic Night Stakes has produced a couple of Golden Slipper winners in recent years, and some exciting two-year-old fillies will step out in 2026, including PEMBREY.

Pembrey was nothing short of dominant up in Brisbane on debut and was subsequently sent off a popular favourite in the Sweet Embrace Stakes a fortnight ago.

While she failed to justify her quote that day, she was certainly doing her best work late and through the line, and I am looking forward to seeing her step out on what promises to be a firmer track this week.

I’m keen to stick with WARWOVEN when he takes his place in the Pago Pago Stakes field.

He might have suffered the first defeat of his career in the Skyline Stakes a fortnight ago, but he was obviously outstanding at each of his first two career starts.

With the benefit of that latest run under his belt, I think he’ll still get every chance from barrier 10 and with regular rider Rachel King engaged, he can return to winning form.

VAUBAN returns to action in Saturday’s Sky High Stakes.

The eight-year-old son of Galiway turned in plenty of typically smart performances throughout 2025, his first full Australian campaign, and he was particularly good in the autumn, winning this race at his first run back.

Having trialled up nicely, there’s no doubt that he has a lot of these rivals covered for ability, and he can stamp himself as a leading contender for some of the Sydney autumn’s top staying prizes once more.

This shapes as an open edition of the Maurice McCarten Stakes with plenty of winning chances engaged, but I’ve ultimately landed on one for sprint king, Joe Pride.

KERGUELEN has always been a horse of good ability, but there’s no doubt that he has gone to a new level under the care of Pride, and he picked off some nice races last year.

He returned to action with a fine effort to get up in BM94 company over this route three weeks ago and goes well on both rain-affected and good going.

With natural improvement, he does look up to winning something of this quality.

SIXTIES drops in class into the Phar Lap Stakes and looks perfectly placed to win, in my opinion.

Sixties has undoubtedly returned to the races a better horse this time in, and after winning each of his first two starts back convincingly, including the Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes at Flemington, he was last seen finishing just over half a length behind Observer in the Australian Guineas.

In peak order and at level weights this week, he’s my best bet on the program.

The Coolmore Classic is always an open affair and with many of the country’s best fillies and mares engaged again, Saturday’s edition doesn’t look to be an exception.

James McDonald is edging extremely close to Damien Oliver’s Group 1 victories record and I think he can and will add another here with LAZZURA.

Lazzura has been charged with carrying topweight, but I think it’s well-earned – she’s been a model of consistency in strong black type company throughout her career, while she’s open to plenty of improvement this week after only just missing in the Millie Fox Stakes first up from a spell.

I like that she’s been back to the trials since that run, and I think she’ll get a lovely run from barrier 8.

I’m of the opinion that MILITARIZE has a nice race in him this time in, and Saturday’s Ajax Stakes looks a perfect target.

A three-time Group 1 winner during his two-year-old and three-year-old seasons, Militarize’s stud career came to a swift end, he was gelded and brought back into work last year.

He’s yet to win since returning to action, but he turned in a competitive performance to finish on the placegetters’ heels in the Liverpool City Cup when resuming a fortnight ago.

He’s a horse that will relish getting further out in trip this week and he boasts a competitive second-up record.

Tough way to end Coolmore Classic Day from a betting perspective and there’s a case to be built for many of them.

That being said, CAPTAIN FURAI finally returned to winning form here last time out and looks a great chance of going on with it.

Captain Furai rarely turned in a poor performance, but he did go well over 18 months without a win before hitting the line to strike over 1300m here three weeks ago.

With further improvement, I can’t find a reason why he won’t be in the finish again.