The latest edition of the Aurie’s Star Handicap ran on Thursday, July 30, 2026 at Flemington Racecourse with a dramatic edition of the event won in a narrow upset by Queensland raider Boomtown Boss ($13).
Aurie’s Star Handicap odds tighten quickly every year, and punters flock to this early‑spring Flemington feature because it reliably showcases straight‑track specialists and fresh‑legged sprinters ready to peak. If you’re chasing Aurie’s Star Handicap tips, smart money starts with analysing jump‑outs, proven straight‑course form and how the track pattern plays over the famous six furlongs. With elite Group performers resuming and emerging types looking to announce themselves, it’s a prime betting race for value hunters and favourites‑backers alike. For readers looking to bet with confidence, this page breaks down everything you need to know — from live Aurie’s Star Handicap betting 2026 to form insights that help convert casual readers into informed punters. Whether you’re comparing odds, locking in early value, or searching for the best tip to anchor your weekend multi, the Aurie’s Star Handicap is one of the most reliable straight‑track guides of the season.
2026 Aurie’s Star Results
The full Aurie’s Star Handicap results and finishing order for 2026 will be updated right here once the Group 3 takes place on Thursday, July 30, 2026 at Flemington.
- #6 Boomtown Boss
- #8 Royal Insignia
- #2 Arkansaw Kid
Boomtown Boss ($13) pulled off a boilover in the 2026 Aurie’s Star Handicap results, storming up the inside to score after a chaotic start that saw favourite War Machine scratched for breaking through the gates. Daniel Moor nursed the Spirit Of Boom sprinter through a patient stalking ride before surging past the on‑pace pair Royal Insignia and Arkansaw Kid, with stewards later dismissing a protest for excessive whip use on the grounds it didn’t influence the finish. The win handed Tony Gollan his second Aurie’s Star trophy and flagged the Queensland raider as a genuine straight‑track threat heading towards a possible tilt at the Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality next month.
2026 Aurie’s Star Handicap Odds & Finishing Order
The latest Aurie’s Star Handicap 2026 odds and betting market links on the Flemington Group 3 sprint will be available below as soon as markets open on the August showdown followed by the official finishing order after the event.
| 6. Boomtown Boss (1) J: Daniel Moor 54kg x3059T: Tony Gollan | ||
| 8. Royal Insignia (4) J: Luke Cartwright 54kg x7562T: Grahame Begg | ||
| 2. Arkansaw Kid (2) J: Mark Zahra 59kg 3273xT: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes | ||
| 5. Ndola (3) J: Jye Mcneil 54.5kg 213×1T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes | ||
| 4. Cote Atlantique (6) J: Declan Bates 55kg 22206T: Henry Dwyer | ||
| 3. Star Patrol (7) J: Craig Newitt 55.5kg x230xT: Clinton McDonald | ||
| 7. Fancify (5) J: Jabez Johnstone 54kg 8×629T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 9. Windstorm (8) J: Akira Sugawara 54kg 97400T: Logan Mcgill |
Aurie’s Star Handicap Tips
Good Aurie’s Star Handicap tips to consider each season include looking for the proven Flemington straight track performers in the field coming off a strong lead-up that are well-weighted in the handicap feature.
Another top Aurie’s Star Handicap betting tip is to lock-in the favourites in the markets with punters’ picks boasting a strong recent record in the race. Previous Group 1 winners and those with a gun first-up record when resuming in the spring lead-up also make good Aurie’s Star betting tips.
2026 Aurie’s Star Handicap Tips
Our insider Ladbrokes’ 2026 Aurie’s Star Handicap betting tips will be detailed below the week of the race.
FULL 2026 AURIE’S STAR HANDICAP TIPS, PREDICTIONS & BEST BETS
| 1. War Machine (1) Scratched: | |||
| 5. Ndola (3) J: Jye Mcneil 54.5kg 213×1T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |
| 8. Royal Insignia (4) J: Luke Cartwright 54kg x7562T: Grahame Begg |
Latest Aurie’s Star Handicap News
The Aurie’s Star Handicap is the first Group race of the new racing season held in Melbourne and takes place in early August at Flemington Racecourse.
Holding Group 3 status the open handicap sprint is contested over 1200m down the famous Flemington ‘Straight Six’ track and offers a total of $200,000 in prize money as of 2021.
Officially held during the winter racing season, the Aurie’s Star Handicap makes a good starting point for Melbourne and Sydney Spring Racing Carnival hopefuls.
Often graduates out of the Aurie’s Star Handicap race at Flemington step-up in distance and target the season’s first elite level race, the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield. In 2019 the upset Aurie’s Star winner So Si Bon went on to run second in the Memsie Stakes.
Some horses may also opt to come out of the Aurie’s Star and drop down in distance on Memsie Stakes Day for the Group 3 The Heath 1100 Stakes (1100m).
Aurie’s Star Handicap Race Info
- Date: Thursday, July 30, 2026
- Track: Flemington Racecourse
- Distance: 1200m
- Conditions: Open Handicap
- Status: Group 3
- Prize Money: $200,000
- First Run: 1996
Aurie’s Star Betting
Proven sprinters with a strong record over the distance (1200m) sit high up the Aurie’s Star Handicap betting markets, especially those with past experience down the famous Flemington straight.
Favourites have a dominant recent record in the race including odds-on favourites in the Aurie’s Star Handicap betting markets.
Shorter Aurie’s Star Handicap odds are usually offered for the class horses in the race, especially any previous Group 1 performers. For example, the 2018 Aurie’s Star Handicap was won by Hey Doc who had saluted in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at the track during that year’s autumn carnival.
That said, upsets do occur with the longest-priced Aurie’s Star Handicap winner in recent history being So Si Bon (2019) who jumped at $21 Aurie’s Star odds.
It’sourtime ($3.90 in 2023) and Right To Party ($3.90 in 2024) are the latest Aurie’s Star Handicap favourites to win.
There was a notable upset by Queensland raider Boomtown Boss in the 2026 edition with the eventual winner paying $13 Aurie’s Star Handicap odds.
Aurie’s Star Handicap Field
The Aurie’s Star Handicap race field attracts a quality line-up of early season spring sprinters, many of which have upcoming Group 1 ambitions over the coming Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.
The majority of horses in the Aurie’s Star Handicap field are resuming racing. There are however a number of potential lead-up races held over the winter that gallopers may have contested on their way to the Aurie’s Star Handicap field including Caulfield’s Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) over 100m shorter in mid-July.
Another potential lead-up into the field for the Aurie’s Star Handicap is the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m), contested over the same distance at Caulfield Racecourse in late July.
Horses out of the Aurie’s Star Handicap field may go on to contest Caulfield’s Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) or be kept at the traditional 1200m sprint distance over the carnival season. In 2017 Hey Doc won the Aurie’s Star Handicap before a Memsie Stakes fourth. He would also go on to win the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Cox Plate Eve as a $21 roughie.
The race nominations close the Monday of race week with the final field and barrier draw released the Wednesday before the race takes place that Saturday.
2026 Aurie’s Star Handicap Field
The Aurie’s Star Handicap 2026 Final Field & Barriers are set for release on the Wednesday leading-up to the race and the full list of acceptors and gates will be detailed below once announced.
The Aurie’s Star Handicap 2026 final field features a compact but class line-up of spring-bound sprinters led in betting by the resuming War Machine drawn the inside alley.
| Entrant | Last 6 | Sex | Barrier | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. War Machine (1) Scratched: | |||||
|
2. Arkansaw Kid
J: Mark Zahra
T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |
23273x | G | 2 | 59kg | |
|
3. Star Patrol
J: Craig Newitt
T: Clinton McDonald |
0x230x | G | 7 | 55.5kg | |
|
4. Cote Atlantique
J: Declan Bates
T: Henry Dwyer |
x22206 | G | 6 | 55kg | |
|
5. Ndola
J: Jye Mcneil
T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |
2213x1 | G | 3 | 54.5kg | |
|
6. Boomtown Boss
J: Daniel Moor
T: Tony Gollan |
2x3059 | G | 1 | 54kg | |
|
7. Fancify
J: Jabez Johnstone
T: Ciaron Maher |
38x629 | M | 5 | 54kg | |
|
8. Royal Insignia
J: Luke Cartwright
T: Grahame Begg |
9x7562 | G | 4 | 54kg | |
|
9. Windstorm
J: Akira Sugawara
T: Logan Mcgill |
x97400 | G | 8 | 54kg | |
2026 Aurie’s Star Handicap Nominations
Nominations for the Aurie’s Star Handicap 2026 are announced by the VRC the Monday of race week with the complete list of early entries to be published here.
Aurie’s Star Handicap Form Guide
The Aurie’s Star Handicap form guide is released when the field comes out the Wednesday of race week and details all the information from jockeys, trainers, barriers and weights to the lead-up runs and track / distance records of the sprinters in the field.
Over the years the Aurie’s Star Handicap form has stacked up in later spring Group races in both Sydney and Melbourne including the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes (1200m) that the 2011 winner Temple Of Boom took out two starts later.
Temple Of Boom also ran second in the 2012 Aurie’s Star Handicap before a second in the Group 3 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) at the same track next start. The 2012 Aurie’s Star third placegetter Zamorar meanwhile came off a Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) second and also ran second in the Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes (1400m) next start.
The 2021 Aurie’s Star Handicap form was franked with the winner The Astrologist going on to record placings in the 2022 Newmarket Handicap (2nd) and 2022 The Goodwood (3rd) at Group 1 level the following year.
The 2024 Aurie’s Star form was franked with the winner, Right To Party, going on to win that spring’s Group 2 Gilgai Stakes before a Group 1 Champions Sprint second over the Melbourne Cup Carnival. The form was further franked by the third placegetter Zarastro who returned in 2025 to win the Gold Coast’s $1 million Magic Millions Sprint before a second in Brisbane’s Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup in the winter.
2026 Aurie’s Star Handicap Form
A link to our detailed Aurie’s Star Handicap 2026 Form Guide and betting preview will be provided for punters the week of the race.
COMPLETE 2026 AURIE’S STAR HANDICAP FORM GUIDE & RACE COMMENTARY
Past Aurie’s Star Handicap Results
The Aurie’s Star Handicap race results have been dominated by single-figure chances and notable recent Aurie’s Star Handicap winners include The Astrologist (2021), Tiger Tees (2014), Temple Of Boom (2011), and, Mic Mac (2009).
There has been plenty of classy Aurie’s Star Handicap winners in the past few years including Hey Doc (2017) and Voodoo Lad (2018) who both went on to enjoy Group 1 wins.
In 2020 the Aurie’s Star Handicap results saw the 2018 runner-up Home Of The Brave atone and hand jockey Damien Oliver with a record fifth win in the race.
No horse has won the Aurie’s Star Handicap more than once to date.
Right To Party (2024) was the last Aurie’s Star Handicap winning mare.
Boomtown Boss holds the current 1200m Aurie’s Star Handicap race record winning in 2026 in a time of 1 minute 08.73 seconds.
Recent Aurie’s Star Handicap Winners
Recent Aurie’s Star Handicap winners and placegetters dating back to the year 2008 are detailed in the below table.
| Year | Winner | Runner-Up | Third | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Boomtown Boss | Royal Insignia | Arkansaw Kid | 1:08.73 |
| 2025 | King Of Roseau | Bandi’s Boy | Marble Nine | 1:09.18 |
| 2024 | Right To Party | Zarastro | It’sourtime | 1:09.81 |
| 2023 | It’sourtime | Umgawa | Chassis | 1:08.6 |
| 2022 | Sirius Suspect | Stageman | Shooting For Gold | 1:09.9 |
| 2021 | The Astrologist | Romancer | Too Good Too Hard | 1:10.5 |
| 2020 | Home Of The Brave | Great Again | Game Keeper | 1:10.5 |
| 2019 | So Si Bon | Malibu Style | Sesar | 1:11.0 |
| 2018 | Voodoo Lad | Home Of The Brave | Brave Song | 1:09.6 |
| 2017 | Hey Doc | Cannyescent | Grande Rosso | 1:09.9 |
| 2016 | Sooboog | Dibiyani | Tashbeeh | 1:10.0 |
| 2015 | Shiraz | Play Master | Le Bonsir | 1:09.4 |
| 2014 | Tiger Tees | Mr Chard | Zamorar | 1:09.8 |
| 2013 | Broken | Temple Of Boom | Cavallo Nero | 1:12.5 |
| 2012 | Shanghai Warrior | Golden Archer | Zamorar | 1:11.4 |
| 2011 | Temple Of Boom | Rekindled Interest | Offenders | 1:10.5 |
| 2010 | Elusive Touch | Leica Larrikin | Beltrois | 1:11.1 |
| 2009 | Mic Mac | All American | El Segundo | 1.09:6 |
| 2008 | Grand Duels | Stavka | Valedictum | 1.10:4 |
FAQs
How do I bet on the 2026 Aurie's Star Handicap?
Bet online or via the latest iOS/Android apps with Ladbrokes. The first step is to create an account at Ladbrokes.
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Next up, head to the racing page and find the race and runner that's right for you.
Which horse will win the 2026 Aurie's Star Handicap?
The best way to pick which horse will win the Aurie's Star Handicap is to take into account the form, assess the barriers, and consider the weight the horse will carry (among other factors). Check out Ladbrokes
in the lead up to the race for full form information.
When is the Aurie's Star Handicap 2026?
The 2026 Aurie's Star Handicap is set to run at the very start of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival kicking off Group racing for the new season on Saturday August 1. It is scheduled as Flemington Race 7 with a jump time of 3:50pm (AEST).
What is the prize money for the Aurie's Star Handicap 2026?
The 2026 Aurie's Star Handicap prize money is set at $200,000 which is paid from 1st to 8th place including $120,000 going to the Aurie's Star Handicap winner.
Where is the Aurie's Star Handicap 2026?
The Aurie's Star Handicap takes place at Melbourne's iconic Flemington Racecourse, home to the world-famous Melbourne Cup race on the first Tuesday of November, which is located at 448 Epsom Rd, Flemington VIC 3031.
What distance is the Aurie's Star Handicap run over?
The Aurie’s Star Handicap is run over 1200 metres down the Flemington straight, a trip that puts the spotlight on straight‑track specialists, first‑up sprinters and sharp jump‑out horses who thrive over the famous six furlongs.
Who won the 2026 Aurie's Star Handicap?
The 2026 Aurie's Star Handicap was won by five-year-old Spirit Of Boom gelding Boomtown Boss at $13 for trainer Tony Gollan with jockey Daniel Moor aboard on 54kg from barrier 1 to win by 0.4 lengths on a Good (3) track in a time of 1:08.73 .
Who won the 2025 Aurie's Star Handicap?
The 2025 Aurie's Star Handicap was won by four-year-old Capitalist gelding King Of Roseau at $3.40 for trainer Peter Snowden with jockey Michael Dee aboard on 54kg from barrier 10 to win by 1.5 lengths on a Good (4) track in a time of 1:09.18.