2026 C.F Orr Stakes Field, Barrier Draw & Form

One of the best backed runners over the last couple of hours is Jimmysstar. He opened at $4.40, but he touched $6. Punters took that price, and now he’s on the second line of betting. He’ll need some things to go his way given the size of this field, but if they go quickly enough up front, he has the turn-of-foot needed to finish over the top of them late in the piece.

He turned his form around with an impressive victory at Randwick last start. That was a tough effort to beat Headwall, who has since run well, and the Russell Balding Stakes should be a good form guide for the C.F Orr Stakes. He has more toughness than many runners in this field, which makes him a winning threat, so he should be included in C.F Orr Stakes predictions at the current odds.

Chris Waller trains Angel Capital, who is an enigmatic sprinter, but he’s almost impossible to leave out of selections. He won the Sir Rupert Clarke this way of going two starts back before finishing eighth in The Everest. He might be better suited to races that are going to be run at a fast tempo, but he has been respected in betting markets, and based on talent alone, he can’t be overlooked.

The Lindsay Park-trained gelding got back to winning form when beating Private Eye last start. Private Eye has since won during Melbourne Cup Week, so it’s a solid form guide. We wouldn’t be quick to dismiss his chances. He’s a Group 1 winner, and his confidence levels should be high following that performance at Caulfield.

The four-year-old gets another great chance to win at Group 1 level, and this race should pan out perfectly for him. He’s unbeaten over the distance, which is his best asset, and he should control the speed with James McDonald riding. If they let him get away with murder in front, they won’t catch him. He looks set for a bounce back to winning form, so the early betting moves are warranted.

There has been no betting interest for the former Kiwi runner. He is proven at the top level, but his best days might be behind him. His form this preparation has left little to be desired, and at the triple-figure odds, it would take a brave punter to climb on.

There could be some late betting interest in Splash Back, who is a Group 1 winner. The six-year-old mare by Le Havre will always have that class on her side, and she could get back in the run and hit the line. She won her only start at Sandown, and not many runners in this field have experience at the track. She is a genuine chance if they run along in front.

A popular runner after scoring a dominant win at Flemington during Cup Week. She has eight wins from 19 starts, and her form this season has gone to another level. She is already a three-time winner this prep, and she put 4.3 lengths on a tidy field last start. This is a huge rise in class, but given the way this race will be run, she should run well.