2026 Flight Stakes Field, Barrier Draw & Form

BANGKOK HOTTIE (3) has stamped herself as the one to beat by taking out the past two races in this series, so it was no surprise to see her open as favourite. There were excuses throughout her first preparation, including covering extra ground, but more positive tactics have helped turn those unlucky runs into victories. She should race close to the action in the Flight Stakes, and she’s proving very difficult to get past, as Striking Alibi and Global Goal have already discovered.

STRIKING ALIBI (2) starting favourite is hardly a surprise. Punters are naturally drawn to horses who finish strongly, and her closing splits in the Tea Rose Stakes were certainly good enough. The issue is that she continues to find one or two rivals better than her, which remains a concern. Drawing barrier 2 with JMac in the saddle is a positive, but she’ll need clear running when the sprint goes on. If she doesn’t get it, another unlucky result could follow.

GLOBAL GOAL (5) was another to finish strongly in the Tea Rose Stakes, producing the fastest late sectionals of the race. That gives her a strong chance on paper, but there is a risk she gets too far back before the straight. If that happens, she’ll need to produce even better late splits to reel in the leaders. That’s the danger with backing a horse who settles well off the speed, particularly in a small field where the tempo may not be strong. Still, she has plenty of ability and should be competitive.

QUEEN’S GAMBLE (7) has been one of the bigger market drifters, easing from $7 to $12, which isn’t ideal. She stepped up from midweek grade last start and finished sixth behind several of these rivals, although her closing effort was respectable. She’ll need to improve significantly on that performance to win this, with around three or four lengths seemingly required. The betting move suggests punters aren’t expecting that improvement.

DE ARMAS (1) is ne of the more intriguing runners in the race. She showed plenty of speed during her time in New Zealand, despite having to deal with a demanding track. She has since joined the Waller stable and looked in good shape when coming through her Warwick Farm trial. Opening at $34 and quickly firming into $14 is a significant move, particularly for a filly with limited exposure to Australian racing.

Lee and Cherie Curtis have produced their share of major upsets over the years, but this would arguably be their biggest yet. SUMAC (6) hasn’t done enough in her recent preparation runs to suggest she is ready to compete at Group 1 level. She would need to improve sharply to feature here.

Rachel King may look to take the initiative and try to pinch a cheap lead on PARISEST MAGIC (4). That could give her some hope, but on the form she has shown, it’s difficult to see her sustaining the effort. She looks likely to be under pressure well before the final 200m.