The Shorts Tips & Predictions 2026: Best Bets

HEADWALL (5) could be the biggest threat to Ka Ying Rising in The Everest. His run for second behind Tempted last start was impressive, and we have little doubt that he would have won with some luck.

It was a bold return from a long spell, which shows how good this sprinter is, and he deserves to be favourite for The Shorts. He should get every chance from barrier 5 to find a good position, and it’s another plum ride for Zac Lloyd on Saturday.

He could have one of his most memorable days, and Headwall could lead the charge. He’s such a tough animal, and his turn-of-foot should be enough to beat the quality types in Joliestar and Ninja.

Our The Shorts predictions have him winning by a length, and the $3.30 odds could be smashed late on race day.

NINJA (9) is a serious racehorse, and he toyed with his rivals when resuming at Randwick. He faces a field with more depth on Saturday, but it was hard not to be impressed with the way he put them away.

There is a lot of hype around Ninja, and many believe that he’s the best chance to beat Ka Ying Rising. We’re not sure he’s there yet, but a win on Saturday would cement his status as one of Australia’s best sprinters.

Barrier 9 isn’t an ideal barrier for him, seeing as he can struggle to settle on speed. However, if he finds a spot one off the rails, he’s good enough to sprint past them in the straight at Randwick.

Beating the top three in the market won’t be easy, but if any runner could cause an upset, it will be JOKERS GRIN (3).

The former Perth-based runner is now with Chris Waller, and with nine wins from 13 starts, he’s one of the better former Western Australia runners to join the Sydney ranks. He ran fifth in the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes last start, but we’re prepared to overlook that effort.

His form before that run was excellent, and he knows how to win races. Waller has been patient with him, and the extended spell should have him ready to fire on Saturday. We wouldn’t recommend leaving him out of The Shorts tips.

Punters get value odds with our The Shorts SRM, which includes our three selected runners.

• Top 2 – No. 3 Headwall
• Top 3 – No. 1 Ninja
• Top 5 – No. 4 Jokers Grin

We have Headwall Top 2, Ninja Top 3, and Jokers Grin Top 5, which pays $9 for our three-runner SRM.

That’s a good price for including three quality runners. Headwall and Ninja should be the toughest to beat, and only Joliestar should test them. Jokers Grin is a great Top 5 chance, and he should be hot on the heels of the leaders.