2026 Caulfield Guineas Day Preview

IN’KANTOSSTAR (1) is unbeaten this prep and rates as a key winning chance again on Caulfield Guineas Day.

The Per Incanto gelding broke his maiden comfortably over 1200m at Ballarat back in August and has since added stronger races at Ladbrokes Geelong and the Heath track here to his CV.

In peak order this week and getting further out to 1700m, something like this looks the next logical target.

I’m happy to give SEQUINNED (10) another chance on Caulfield Guineas Day.

The Godolphin filly returned to action to break her maiden over 1100m up in Sydney in July and franked that performance when winning again in BM64 company at Warwick Farm.

Having finished midfield in the Group 2 Tea Rose last time out, getting back down to the 1200m this week looks to suit, and this is a genuine drop in class as well.

SURFIN’ BIRD (7) is second up into a nice race in Melbourne this week.

Having improved with each of three runs back last prep, culminating in a lovely win in the lucrative Magic Millions National Classic at Eagle Farm, Surfin’ Bird worked home well in the Group 2 Golden Pendant first up a fortnight ago, finishing within two lengths of Lazzura.

With natural improvement, getting out in trip and dropping back in grade, she gets plenty of ticks here to win the Evergreen Turf Vase.

The Herbert Power has proven to be a key Melbourne Cup form race a few times in recent years, and a typically strong field of stayers will meet the starter at the mile and a half on Saturday.

SHOCKLETZ (11) gained a start in the 2026 Melbourne Cup field by winning the Lexus Archer at Flemington last month, and she can continue her preparation by winning this as well.

Shockletz has always been an above average performer, but both runs back this time have been excellent, and suggested she might have gone to another level.

I love that she’s been kept up to the mark with a trial since her latest start, and Harry Coffey understandably retains the ride while rising only 1kg in the weights.

BRIDAL WALTZ (4) gets another nice opportunity to win on Caulfield Guineas Day 2026 in the Northwood Plume Stakes.

Having ended her last prep an agonizingly close second in a Group 1 Robert Sangster, Bridal Waltz picked up where she length off when second behind an outstanding Oliveanotherday in The Heath 1100.

She was again only just denied by Point Barrow in the How Now Stakes over this route second up from a spell but has drawn far better than that rival this week, and in what looks to me a two-horse affair, I’m confident she can turn the tables.

Some classy sprinters will take their places in this 2026 Schillaci Stakes field including the first up JIGSAW (1)!

We haven’t seen Jigsaw at the races since April, but he kept alive a winning streak that now stands at seven through his latest four-start preparation, adding both the Group 1 William Reid and The Quokka to his CV most notably.

Having trialled up well, he looks to have held his condition. He can lob up front and make all of his own luck again.

Just six horses are engaged in the Might And Power Stakes field but what we’re lacking in size, we’re certainly making up for in class.

I think the Ladbrokes bookies have gotten this one right, and I am going to have an Exacta of SHEZA ALIBI (6) and BIRDMAN (2).

Sheza Alibi is undoubtedly one of the two best horses currently going around in Australia, and she made light work of her rivals in the Makybe Diva Stakes last time out. She’s out to 2000m for the first time, but everything she’s done so far suggests it won’t be a problem.

Birdman meanwhile is proven over 2000m, having won the Doomben Cup back in May, and he was last seen adding another Group 1 race to his CV when kicking away to impressively win the Underwood Stakes.

I’m keen to continue riding the WARWOVEN (6) wave in the Caulfield Guineas 2026.

He’s always shown above-average ability, but after returning to winning form with a sharp performance in the Run To The Rose second up from a spell, he was nothing short of dominant to claim his first Group 1 feature in the Golden Rose a fortnight ago.

With one eye with taking his place in a Ladbrokes Cox Plate field, he gets out to the mile for the first time, and with regular hoop Rachel King aboard, I’m confident he can go on with it.

The Toorak Handicap is always a wide-open affair and with a case to be made for many of them again, PANOVA (13) is one that I thought represented value at a huge quote ($21 at publish).

Panova has turned in several fine performances throughout her career and was excellent during her three-year-old season, winning the Australasian Oaks at Group 1 level most notably and ending her prep a close second in a Queensland Oaks.

She shook off the cobwebs with a credible performance in the Tramway Stakes up in Sydney last month, in a race that was never going to suit, and she’s since been back to the trials.

Scratched from last weekend’s Epsom field to instead run here, she’ll carry only 53kgs and in my opinion, looks one of the better each way contenders of the day.

HARRY’S YACHT (7) has improved for two runs back this time and I am happy to give him another chance when he takes his place in the Weekend Hussler Stakes field.

He hasn’t won out of turn in recent preps, but rarely is Harry’s Yacht far away, and he was last seen working home to finish fourth, beaten a length and a half in the Testa Rossa Stakes.

Fitter third-up this week, I don’t think he’ll get a better opportunity to strike in black type company.