Cairns Cup 2026 Betting Odds & Race Preview

The latest edition of the Cairns Cup took place at Ladbrokes Cannon Park on Saturday, August 29, 2026 as part of the Norther Queensland Winter Racing Carnival and was won in a stunning two length upset by the Janel Ryan-trained Choir Boy ($26).

Cairns Cup Day delivers one of Queensland’s most exciting staying features, and our 2026 Cairns Cup preview sets you up with everything you need to follow the action, find the form, and get your bets on with confidence. As the Far North’s premier winter staying test, the Cairns Cup attracts proven stayers, emerging local hopes and interstate raiders chasing tropical glory, making it a key betting race for punters looking to boost value and land a winner. With track conditions, tempo maps, key contenders, past‑winner trends and Cairns Cup tips all in one place, this guide is built to keep you engaged from the jump and help new players get started with Ladbrokes. Whether you’re chasing the latest 2026 Cairns Cup odds, hunting a roughie, or locking in a late play, ourCairns Cup betting hub gives you the latest intel to stay ahead of the market and make the most of one of Queensland’s great regional racing days.

2026 Cairns Cup Results

The official Cairns Cup Results 2026 and race finishing order will be known once the race is run and won on Saturday, August 29, 2026 and published below.

Choir Boy ($26) produced one of the great boilovers on Saturday in the 2026 Cairns Cup results, the eight‑year‑old — who survived a terrifying flesh‑eating bacterial infection last year — lifting for Atherton trainer Janel Ryan to score an emotional victory at Cannon Park. Once given little chance in the $150,000 staying feature, the veteran gelding surged clear for Ivo Fry to hold off Zoology and Journalism, completing a remarkable comeback for a stable that only has four horses in work. Ryan said the win was “a miracle” after months of treatment to save the gelding’s leg, while Fry praised Choir Boy’s rhythm and sustained action throughout the 2100m. The Cup headlined a strong local card that also saw Melbourne Cup‑winning jockey Robbie Dolan strike with Miss Moneypenny and Bianca Mia land the Daintree Guineas, but it was Choir Boy’s fairytale triumph that stole the show in front of a packed Cairns crowd.

2026 Cairns Cup Race Replay

2026 Cairns Cup Odds & Finishing Order

The leading Cairns Cup 2026 betting odds will be available here for punters the week of the race so stay tuned to access the premium winter racing odds in Queensland this season followed by the official finishing order after the event.

Cairns Cup Tips

Cairns Cup tips include backing stayers coming off a top three run in a similar status lead-up race around the sunshine state and looking for any returning runners that have previous experience in the event.

In 2022 Namazu won the race after a fourth in the Cairns Cup results the previous year.

Ladbrokes Tip: The Cairns Cup makes a perfect next-up option for Townsville Cup graduates

2026 Cairns Cup Predictions & Best Bets

Our Ladbrokes’ exclusive Cairns Cup 2026 betting tips and Cairns racing selections will be detailed below the week of the race.

As the countdown to the Sydney and Melbourne Spring Racing Carnivals happen elsewhere around the country, up in Far North Queensland the August racing action is headlined by the popular Cairns Cup.

Ladbrokes Cannon Park is host to the Cairns Cup race each year, which is a quality handicap event contested over 2100m.

The Cairns Cup currently offers $150,000 in prize money and is part of the popular FNQ Cups double following on from the Townsville Cup (2000m) held at Cluden Park three weeks earlier.

Namazu (2022) was the last horse to complete the Townsville Cup – Cairns Cup double.

Cairns Cup Day is part of the wider Northern Queensland Winter Racing Carnival.

Cairns Cup Race Facts

• Date: Saturday, August 29, 2026
• Track: Ladbrokes Cannon Park
• Distance: 2100m
• Conditions: Quality Handicap
• Status: Non-Listed
• Prize Money: $150,000

Cairns Cup Betting

Cairns Cup betting markets are dominated by in-form locally Queensland-trained stayers in good form coming off strong runs in lead-up races including the Townsville Cup.

Last start winners are traditionally installed at shorter Cairns Cup odds as those coming off a lead-up win have a strong recent record.

Paniagua ($2.30 in 2020) and Mahagoni ($3.10 in 2024) are the latest favourites in Cairns Cup betting to salute for the punters.

There was a notable upset in 2023 with The Driller winning at Cairns Cup odds of 50/1, and another blowout Cairns Cup result in 2026 with comeback king Choir Boy at $26.

Cairns Cup Field

The Cairns Cup race field attracts a quality line-up of mainly Queensland-trained stayers coming off lead-up runs in earlier winter races over 2000m plus in distance.

2026 Cairns Cup Field

The official Cairns Cup 2026 field and barrier draw will be released on the Thursday of race week and published in full below so stay tuned to see the horses that make the line-up.

The 2026 Cairns Cup final field features a wide-open line-up of gallopers narrowly led in betting by Smart Legend drawn the outside barrier and coming off a good lead-up Ladbrokes Handicap victory at Townsville.

Cairns R7 - Red Beret Hotel Cairns Cup

Final Race time: 

	Entrant	Last 6	Sex	Barrier	Weight
	1. Zoology J: Aidan Holt T: Peter & Will Hulbert	006364	G	4	60kg
	2. Smart Legend J: Ryan Wiggins T: Stephen Massingham	149261	G	14	59.5kg
	3. Journalism J: Adam Sewell T: Lachie Manzelmann	341133	G	13	58.5kg
	4. Going Nuclear J: Ashley Butler T: Matthew Mcguire	351169	G	2	54kg
	5. Choir Boy J: Ivo Fry T: Janel Ryan	385211	G	11	54kg
	6. Hopeful J: Lacey Morrison T: Graham Hughes	093806	G	7	54kg
	7. Kureder J: Ben Kennedy T: Stephen Massingham	x08484	G	1	54kg
	8. Sigiriya Rock J: Sean Cormack T: Steven Royes	3x9722	G	8	54kg
	9. Rajnish J: Chris Whiteley T: Jade Doolan	60x692	G	9	54kg
	10. That's Molly J: Fiona Sandkuhl T: Krystin Allender	56x082	M	6	53.5kg
	11. Alabama Moonlight J: Nathan Thomas T: Trevor & Peter Rowe	411854	G	5	52.5kg
	12. Ella Te Ama J: Krysten Swaffer T: Trevor & Peter Rowe	746820	M	10	52kg
	13. The Penske File J: Isabella Teh T: Jennifer Hatfield	892305	G	12	52kg
	14. The Driller J: Robbie Dolan T: Lachie Manzelmann	788921	G	3	52kg
	15. Medal (10)  Scratched:

View Results

2026 Cairns Cup Nominations

The early Cairns Cup 2026 nominations are taken the Monday ahead of the race.

Cairns Cup Form Guide

The Cairns Cup form guide features all the facts and stats you need to place a well-informed wager on the race including the jockey, trainer, weight allocation, barrier, age and lead-up form of all the horses in the field.

The Cairns Cup form often stacks up in subsequent Queensland races over the spring – summer season. In 2022 the Cairns Cup winner Namazu franked the form the following January running second in the 2023 Sunshine Coast Cup at Caloundra.

2026 Cairns Cup Form

A link to our detailed Cairns Cup 2026 Form Guide & Betting Preview will be available for punters below the week of the race.

Past Cairns Cup Results

The Cairns Cup race results are known each year after the event runs at Cannon Park on a Saturday in late-August and display the winning horse, successful trifecta, winning margin and time so you can see how your bets went.

Recent Cairns Cup Winners

Recent Cairns Cup winners and placegetters dating back to the year 2000 are detailed in the below table.

Year	Winner	Second	Third
2026	Choir Boy	Zoology	Journalism
2025	Rogue Bear	Kipling’s Journey	Sir Grace
2024	Mahagoni	Magic Conqueror	Cashin’ Chex
2023	The Driller	Sayl	Flash Aah
2022	Namazu	Play Me Now	Arctic Wolf
2021	Tutelage	Maquereau	Bullion Wolf
2020	Paniagua	Best Hoffa	Guangzhou
2019	The Harrovian	Follow Suit	Astoria
2018	We Just Love It	Multifacets	Lady Skills
2017	Chivadahlii	Ranked	Flying Light
2016	Chateau Dettori	Rocknet	Artibai
2015	Seafight	Knowing Me	San Raymond
2014	Payteevee	Ladretto	Strato Mostro
2013	More More More	Sarbi	Common Objective
2012	Cash Attack	Our Private Jet	I Got One
2011	Magnum Forty Four	I Got One	Cash Attack
2010	Line By Line	Onalar	Tora Tora Tora
2009	Stage Shaker	Sooth Sayer	House Of Woodwind
2008	Pure Silence	In Rehearsal	Sooth Sayer
2007	Kalgoorlie Kid	Cross Bar	Legal Brief
2006	Super Bitz	Melling	Legal Brief
2005	Magritte	Kitnat	Snippety Snip
2004	Varmint	Questwin	Cautious Spirit
2003	Regal Punch	Forest Pride	Metallic
2002	Better Still	Cautious Spirit	Sports Freak
2001	Pretty Fox	Saudi Warrior	Party King
2000	Mr Marumo	Rising Beat	Star Home

FAQs

How do I bet on the Cairns Cup 2026?

Bet online or via the latest iOS/Android apps with Ladbrokes.
The first step is to create an account at Ladbrokes.
The process is quick and easy! Once you've created your account you can make a deposit via credit card, or any other of our secure payment methods. Next up, head to the racing page and find the race and runner that's right for you.

Which horse will win the Cairns Cup 2026?

The best way to pick which horse will win the Cairns Cup 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 Cairns Cup 2026?

The 2026 Cairns Cup is set to run on Saturday the 29th of August as the feature race of the Far North Queensland's winter racing carnival. It is scheduled as Cairns Race 7 at 4:19pm (AEST) as the penultimate event on the Cairns Cup Day card.

What is the prize money for the Cairns Cup 2026?

The 2026 Cairns Cup prize money is set at $750,000 which is paid from 1st to 10th place including $87,000 going to the Cairns Cup winner.

Where is the Cairns Cup 2026?

The 2026 Cairns Cup is set to run at Ladbrokes Cannon Park (Cairns Racecourse), which is located at 585-619 Mulgrave Road, Woree, QLD 4868.

What distance is the Cairns Cup run over?

The Cairns Cup is contested over 2100m at Cairns’ Cannon Park Racecourse, making it one of Far North Queensland’s key staying tests. The trip is long enough to expose horses that don’t genuinely stay, yet short enough to suit on‑pace runners who can roll into a rhythm and build momentum from the 600m. Historically, the 2100m distance rewards tough, fit stayers and locally trained horses familiar with the tropical conditions, while visiting runners often target the race as a stepping stone toward the Cairns Amateurs the following month. The distance also plays a major role in betting strategy, with punters often favouring horses proven beyond 2000m or those coming off strong runs at Townsville or Mackay.

How many horses run in the Cairns Cup?

The Cairns Cup generally attracts a capacity field of 14 runners, plus up to five emergencies, making it one of Far North Queensland’s most competitive staying races and a key betting event for punters chasing value. The number is shaped by Cannon Park’s track layout and the race’s 2100m start, which comfortably accommodates 14 starters without compromising safety or tempo. Field size also plays a major role in Cairns Cup betting, with full fields often producing stronger early markets, wider spreads in mid‑tier chances, and more opportunities for punters hunting roughies or strong on‑pace profiles.

Who won the 2026 Cairns Cup?

The 2026 Cairns Cup was won in a terrific boilover by eight-year-old Divine Prophet gelding Choir Boy at $26 for trainer Janel Ryan with jockey Ivo Fry aboard on 54kg from barrier 11 to win by 1.9 lengths in a time of 2:10.81 on a Good (4) track.

Who won the 2025 Cairns Cup?

The 2025 Cairns Cup was won by eight-year-old Kodiac gelding Rogue Bear at $8.50 for trainer Tom Button with jockey Justin Huxtable aboard on 57kg from barrier 6 to win by 0.28 lengths on a Good (4) track in a time of 2:07.57.