Canterbury Stakes

Ladbrokes Tip: Canterbury Stakes favourites have a gun record and are usually the best bet

The latest edition of the Canterbury Stakes took place on Saturday, March 7, 2026 as part of Randwick Guineas Day in Sydney and saw the talented Chris Waller-trained mare Joliestar ($2.25F) salute for the punters leading an all-Waller trifecta. 

2026 Canterbury Stakes Results

The official Canterbury Stakes results 2026 and finishing order will be announced below on Saturday, March 7, 2026.

Joliestar ($2.25F) secured her fourth career Group 1 and made it back-to-back wins this prep with Chris Waller’s classy mare given a peach of a ride by James McDonald to surge into the clear inside the final 50m racing down stablemate Beiwacht to salute for the punters in the 2026 Canterbury Stakes results. The also Waller-trained Lady Shenandoah ran third in a stable trifecta. Joliestar will next race in the TJ Smith Stakes on April 4 before boarding a plane to chase international glory at Royal Ascot.

2026 Canterbury Stakes Odds

The season’s best Canterbury Stakes 2026 odds will be available below the week of the race so stay tuned for the best Randwick Guineas Day Group 1 racing markets followed by the official Canterbury Stakes results following the event.

Canterbury Stakes Tips

The best Canterbury Stakes betting tip is to back the favourite as they have a stellar record in the weight-for-age feature, which is one of Australia’s youngest Group 1 races.

From 2011 – 2026 seven of the Canterbury Stakes favourites saluted for the punters, most recently Joliestar ($2.25 in 2026).

Other Canterbury Stakes tips include looking at horses coming off a last-start win as they have a strong showing in the winners’ list and checking for any Gai Waterhouse-trained starters.

Waterhouse has saddled-up over 20 runners in the race over the past three decades for an incredible eight wins including four of the five champions from 2011 – 2015. She also more recently ran second with Global Glamour in 2018.

The latest Gai Waterhouse trained Canterbury Stakes winner was Royal Patronage (2025) who she trained in partnership with Adrian Bott. 

2026 Canterbury Stakes Tips

Bookmark this page for our insider Ladbrokes’ Canterbury Stakes tips 2026 with exotic betting selections to make on the Randwick Guineas Day support act this autumn.

The Canterbury Stakes is one of two Group 1 races held at Sydney’s Royal Randwick Racecourse on Randwick Guineas Day on a Saturday in early – mid March each year.

The meeting is one of the first Group 1 race days during the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival and is headlined by the three-year-olds facing off in the Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m). The Group 1 Canterbury Stakes is the major support act on the card and offers $750,000 in prize money as of 2024.

Originally run at Canterbury Racecourse it has taken place at Randwick after being transferred from Rosehill Gardens in 1997. Contested over a middle sprint distance of 1300m it is run under weight-for-age conditions and is open to horses aged three-years-old and upwards, holding Group 1 status since 2013 when star colt Pierro won.

The Canterbury Stakes winner is exempt from ballot for the upcoming George Ryder Stakes and Doncaster Mile run at Rosehill and Randwick Racecourses respectively over the following four weeks.

Forbidden Love (2022) was the last runner to complete the Canterbury Stakes – George Ryder Stakes double.

Canterbury Stakes Race Info

• Date: Saturday, March 7, 2026
• Track: Royal Randwick Racecourse
• Distance: 1300m
• Conditions: Weight-for-age
• Status: Group 1
• Prize Money: $750,000
• First Run: 1929

Canterbury Stakes Betting

Favourites in the Canterbury Stakes odds have dominated the race throughout history including 15 winning since 1996, most recently Happy Clapper ($4.60 in 2018), Forbidden Love ($2.20 in 2022) and Joliestar ($2.25 in 2026).

Because the race often attracts a small field the Canterbury Stakes barriers rarely affect the betting markets however the standout gate producing nine winners in the past 30 years is barrier nine.

Last start winners saluted in the race six times from 2011 – 2025 so those horses coming off a win often dominate the Canterbury Stakes betting markets – the latest being Savatiano (2021) coming off a Group 2 Expressway Stakes victory and Group 2 Guy Walter Stakes winner the Saturday prior Forbidden Love in 2022.

There was an upset in 2024 with Lady Laguna ($11), coming off a second in the Group 2 Millie Fox Stakes (1300m), beating the favourites Think It Over ($2.35F) and Espiona ($2.45) with a stylish boil-over.

Another Canterbury Stakes upset result occurred in 2025 with Royal Patronage at big odds of $20. 

Canterbury Stakes Field

The Canterbury Stakes race field attracts a wide variety of weight-for-age gallopers that come via different lead-up races and are often targeting different next-up options.

Because of the ballot exemptions on offer to the winner many Canterbury Stakes winners go on to run in the George Ryder Stakes and Doncaster Mile over 1500m and 1600m respectively later in the autumn.

Rarely does the race attract its capacity number of runners and the Canterbury Stakes field often features small numbers including in 2026 (10), 2025 (11), 2024 (7), 2023 (11), 2022 (9), 2021 (9), 2020 (7), (2019 (7), 2018 (9), 2017 (8), 2016 (7), 2015 (8), 2014 (10), and 2011 (5) when More Joyous defeated home just four rivals. There were also only five runners in the 2008 Canterbury Guineas field when Mentality won as a 4/1 shot.

Canterbury Stakes nominations close the Monday before the race with the final field and barrier draw out two days later.

2026 Canterbury Stakes Field

The Canterbury Stakes 2026 field and barrier draw will be published below once announced on the Wednesday leading up to Randwick Guineas Day so stay tuned to see what gun sprinters make the starting line-up.

The Canterbury Stakes 2026 final field features a smart line-up of autumn sprinters including Chris Waller’s multiple Group 1 winning mare Joliestar coming off a win fresh in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes.

Randwick R9 - Super Seth @ Coolmore Canterbury Stakes (G1)

Final Race time: 

	Entrant	Last 6	Sex	Barrier	Weight
	1. Gringotts J: Tommy Berry T: Ciaron Maher	52110x	G	8	59kg
	2. Headley Grange J: Chad Schofield T: Joseph Pride	61110x	G	10	59kg
	3. Linebacker J: Dylan Gibbons T: John O'shea & Tom Charlton	8x717x	G	6	59kg
	4. Yorkshire J: Jason Collett T: John O'shea & Tom Charlton	1x011x	G	5	59kg
	5. Encap J: Rachel King T: Gary Portelli	x6497x	G	1	59kg
	6. Joliestar J: James McDonald T: Chris Waller	x153x1	M	4	57kg
	7. Lady Shenandoah J: Nash Rawiller T: Chris Waller	2472x3	M	9	57kg
	8. Beiwacht J: Adam Hyeronimus T: Chris Waller	3214x8	C	3	56kg
	9. Napoleonic J: Zac Lloyd T: John O'shea & Tom Charlton	141x22	C	7	56kg
	10. Nepotism J: Tyler Schiller T: M, W & J Hawkes	x9877x	C	2	56kg

View Results

2026 Canterbury Stakes Nominations

The Canterbury Stakes 2026 Nominations are open until the Monday of Randwick Guineas Day and will be available in full below.

2026 Canterbury Stakes nominations extended until 11:00am (AEDT) – 03/03/2026

The Canterbury Stakes 2026 nominations attracted a smart line-up of WFA hopefuls led in all-in betting by Chris Waller’s three-time Group 1 winning mare Joliestar coming off a Group 2 Expressway Stakes win fresh.

	Last 10	Horse	Sex	Age	Trainer	Hcp Rating
1	190x3214x8	BEIWACHT	C	3	Chris Waller	105
2	7437x6497x	ENCAP	G	5	Gary Portelli	98
3	310x52110x	GRINGOTTS (NZ)	G	6	Ciaron Maher	118
4	2x1161110x	HEADLEY GRANGE	G	5	Joseph Pride	110
5	12×3796104	HERE TO SHOCK (NZ)	G	8	Ben, Will & JD Hayes	110
6	1921x153x1	JOLIESTAR	M	5	Chris Waller	118
7	111x2472x3	LADY SHENANDOAH	M	4	Chris Waller	116
8	x2618x717x	LINEBACKER (NZ)	G	4	John O’Shea & Tom Charlton	107
9	62x1141x22	NAPOLEONIC	C	3	John O’Shea & Tom Charlton	96
10	311x9877x	NEPOTISM	C	3	Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes	96
11	7x1420x50x	ROYAL PATRONAGE (FR)	H	7	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	113
12	x2111x011x	YORKSHIRE	G	5	John O’Shea & Tom Charlton	107

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

Canterbury Stakes Form Guide

The Canterbury Stakes form guide shows runners in the race come off a mix of lead-up runs and there is no standout race line to follow into the event.

The only races to produce multiple Canterbury Stakes winners over the past decade are the Group 2 Apollo Stakes and the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes both held the previous month at Randwick.

Canterbury Stakes form also shows the barriers of all runners and while there is a fairly even spread one gate has produced more winners than any other, nine, but not since Empire (2002) and Defier (2003) went back-to-back.

Mares also stand out in the Canterbury Stakes form guide with Joliestar (2026) the latest to beat home the boys.

The Canterbury Stakes form often stacks-up in other Group 1 autumn and spring races later in the year. In 2021 the Canterbury Stakes winner Savatiano ran second next-up in the All Aged Stakes, while the third placed Masked Crusader took out Melbourne’s Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley.

Forbidden Love franked the 2022 Canterbury Stakes form winning the George Ryder next start before a Doncaster Mile fourth while the runner-up Lighthouse won the Group 1 Coolmore Classic next-up.

The 2023 Canterbury Stakes runner-up Imperatriz franked the form winning her next five starts on the trot including the Group 1 William Reid Stakes, Moir Stakes, Manikato Stakes and Flemington’s Champions Sprint over the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

The upset 2025 Canterbury Stakes winner, Royal Patronage, franked the form with a second in that year’s Doncaster Mile results.

Canterbury Stakes Form Facts

• From 2011-26 seven last start winners saluted including Appearance (2014) who completed the Apollo Stakes – Canterbury Stakes double, Le Romain (2017) who came off a Southern Cross Stakes win at the track, Expressway Stakes winning mare Savatiano (2021), Forbidden Love (2022) on the short turnaround after winning the previous Saturday’s Group 2 Guy Walter Stakes, and Joliestar (2026) who was the last to complete the Expressway Stakes / Canterbury Stakes double.
• From 2006 – 2026 eight favourites in Canterbury Stakes betting saluted for the punters, most recently Joliestar ($2.25 in 2026).
• Mares have a strong recent record in Canterbury Stakes results with eight saluting from 2011 – 2026 most recently Joliestar (2026).

2026 Canterbury Stakes Form Guide

A link to our comprehensive Canterbury Stakes 2026 Form Guide will be provided for punters the week of the race.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR FULL 2026 CANTERBURY STAKES FORM GUIDE

Past Canterbury Stakes Results

The Canterbury Stakes race results and final finishing order of all runners in the field is released when the race event takes place on Randwick Guineas Day in early March each autumn.

The Canterbury Stakes winner, starting prices, successful margin and winning time are all listed in the results post-race.

Notable recent Canterbury Stakes winners include international Group 1 performer Artorius (2023), Pierro (2013), and dual winner More Joyous (2011-12) both prepared by the race’s most successful trainer Gai Waterhouse.

Joliestar (2026) was the last Canterbury Stakes winning mare.

Holler (2016) was the last three-year-old Canterbury Stakes winner.

Trapeze Artist holds the current Canterbury Stakes race record winning in 2019 in a time of 1 minute 14.19 seconds.

Recent Canterbury Stakes Winners

Past Canterbury Stakes winners and placegetters dating back to the year 2001 are detailed in the below table.

Year	Winner	Runner-Up	Third	Time
2026	Joliestar	Beiwacht	Lady Shenandoah	1:15.47
2025	Royal Patronage	Here To Shock	Magic Time	1:14.87
2024	Lady Laguna	Think About It	Espiona	1:15.19
2023	Artorius	Imperatriz	Electric Girl	1:15.93
2022	Forbidden Love	Lighthouse	Private Eye	1:19.29
2021	Savatiano	Mizzy	Masked Crusader	1:14.41
2020	The Bostonian	Savatiano	Mister Sea Wolf	1:16.21
2019	Trapeze Artist	Shoals	Prompt Response	1:14.19 (Record)
2018	Happy Clapper	Global Glamour	Invincible Gem	1:14.25
2017	Le Romain	Chautauqua	Hauraki	1:20.0
2016	Holler	First Seal	Kermadec	1:15.4
2015	Cosmic Endeavour	Catkins	Criterion	0:56.7
2014	Appearance	Not Listenin’Tome	Red Tracer	1:17.2
2013	Pierro	More Joyous	Solzhenitsyn	1:15.9
2012	More Joyous	Monton	Metal Bender	1:18.4
2011	More Joyous	Love Conquers All	Demerit	1:17.8
2010	Hot Danish	Black Piranha	Mr Baritone	1:16.4
2009	All Silent	Forensics	Royal Discretion	1:16.5
2008	Mentality	Racing To Win	Sniper’s Bullet	1:32.3
2007	Malcolm	Cheeky Choice	Kosi Bay	1:16.5
2006	Paratroopers	Patezza	Dance Hero	1:16.2
2005	Dance Hero	Falkirk	Ike’s Dream	1:17.0
2004	Yell	Grand Armee	True Glo	1:16.0
2003	Defier	Cosmic Rays	Gordo	1:09.1
2002	Empire	Diamond Dane	Shogun Lodge	1:10.3
2001	Shogun Lodge	Assertive Lad	El Mirada	1:10.0

FAQ

Who won the 2026 Canterbury Stakes?

The 2026 Canterbury Stakes was won by five-year-old Zoustar mare Joliestar who posted her fourth Group 1 victory at $2.25 favouritism for trainer Chris Waller with jockey James McDonald aboard on 57kg from barrier 4 to win by 0.59 lengths leading a stable trifecta on a Good (4) track in a time of 1:15.47.

Who won the 2025 Canterbury Stakes?

The 2025 Canterbury Stakes was won by Royal Patronage at $20 for trainers Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott with jockey Tim Clark aboard on 59kg from barrier 10 to win by 0.37 lengths in a time of 1:14.87.

When is the Canterbury Stakes 2026?

Saturday, March 7, 2026

What is the prize money for the Canterbury Stakes 2026?

$750,000

Where is the Canterbury Stakes 2026?

Randwick Racecourse, Alison Rd, Randwick NSW 2031.

How do I bet on the 2026 Canterbury Stakes?

Bet online or via the latest iOS/Android apps with Ladbrokes.
The first step is to create an account at ladbrokes.com.au. 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 2026 Canterbury Stakes?

The best way to pick which horse will win the Canterbury Stakes is to take into account the form, assess the barriers, and consider the weight the horse will carry (among other factors). Check out ladbrokes.com.au in the lead up to the race for full form information.