The latest edition of the McEwen Stakes ran on Saturday, October 24, 2026 as part of the Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day card and was won in a devastatingly close upset down the straight by Smooth Chino ($8.50).
The McEwen Stakes 2026 offers punters a cracking late-spring sprinting opportunity, bringing together seasoned speedsters and in-form gallopers over a competitive 1200m weight-for-age test on one of the biggest race days of the year. Held on Cox Plate Day, the Group 2 feature frequently showcases horses coming through high-profile lead-ups such as the Moir Stakes and Manikato Stakes, creating strong and reliable form lines for bettors to assess. With a quality field, genuine tempo, and plenty of proven class on display, the race consistently attracts strong wagering interest and can uncover excellent betting value away from the day’s headline event. Here at Ladbrokes, you’ll find the latest McEwen Stakes odds 2026, McEwen Stakes betting 2026 markets, field updates, market movers, and expert insights to help you make informed decisions ahead of this exciting spring sprint feature.
2026 McEwen Stakes Results
The official McEwen Stakes 2026 results and finishing order will be known and published below on Saturday, October 24, 2026.
- #5 Smooth Chino
- #1 Mazu
- #8 Extragalactic
The 2026 McEwen Stakes results produced one of the surprises of Cox Plate Day at Flemington, with Western Australian sprinter Smooth Chino ($8.50) continuing his remarkable rise with a gutsy victory in the Group 2 feature over 1200m. Trained by Indiana Weinert and ridden by Austin Galati, the son of Maschino held off veteran speedster Mazu by a nose in a thrilling finish, while hot favourite Extragalactic was a length away in third after running on late. Clocking 1:09.80 for the trip, Smooth Chino registered his eighth win from just 13 starts and pushed his career earnings beyond $900,000. The Flemington breakthrough has also thrust the progressive five-year-old into Champions Sprint 2026 calculations, with bookmakers at Ladbrokes slashing his futures quote from $51 into $12 for the Group 1 feature on November 7. Having already placed in the Gilgai Stakes at headquarters this spring, Smooth Chino’s latest success confirmed his straight-track credentials and stamped him as one of the carnival’s emerging sprint stars.
2026 McEwen Stakes Race Replay
2026 McEwen Stakes Odds & Finishing Order
Market links to our top McEwen Stakes 2026 odds on the potential Group 1 winning sprinters of the spring will be detailed below the week of the race followed by the official finishing order after the event.
| 5. Smooth Chino (3) 58.5kg13×32 | ||
| 1. Mazu (8) 58.5kg61×10 | ||
| 8. Extragalactic (7) 56.5kg22×42 | ||
| 3. Rey Magnerio (6) 58.5kgx62x5 | ||
| 7. Splash Back (2) 56.5kg1961x | ||
| 4. Arkansaw Kid (1) 58.5kgx3043 | ||
| 2. Jigsaw (4) 58.5kg111×1 | ||
| 6. La Fracas (5) 58.5kg720×9 |
McEwen Stakes Tips
Good McEwen Stakes tips include looking for previous Group 2 winners, sprinters that can handle the sprint trip and class gallopers that have Group 1 experience especially in the Moir Stakes or Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes.
Single-digit runners also have a strong record in the race so backing horses under $10 in the markets is also a good McEwen Stakes betting tip.
Ladbrokes Tip: The McEwen Stakes is a good guide to the Group 1 Champions Sprint at Flemington
2026 McEwen Stakes Predictions & Best Bets
Our insider Ladbrokes’ McEwen Stakes 2026 best bet will be published below the week of the race so stay tuned!
| 8. Extragalactic (7) 56.5kg22×42 |
| 5. Smooth Chino (3) 58.5kg13×32 |
| 4. Arkansaw Kid (1) 58.5kgx3043 |
Previously run in September during the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival, it currently runs in late September at The Valley on Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day. Note, in 2026 the McEwen Stakes took place at Flemington with Moonee Valley closed for redevelopment.
Headlining the day’s action is the Group 1 $6 million Ladbrokes Cox Plate, while the McEwen Stakes attracts horses potentially heading towards the Champions Sprint at Flemington over the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
In 2024 the McEwen Stakes race distance changed from 1000m to 1200m so as to serve as a potential follow up for horses out of the earlier sprint majors including Sydney’s $20 million The Everest race.
The sprint is a weight-for-age event offering $300,000 in total prize money and was elevated from a Group 3 event for the 2013/14 season.
It previously made a nice spring kick-off for horses heading towards features like the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley.
Recent winners of the McEwen Stakes – Manikato Stakes double include Chautauqua (2015), Hay List (2010), and Miss Andretti (2006).
In 2023 Imperatriz achieved a rare feat backing-up from her McEwen Stakes victory to also win the Moir Stakes, Manikato Stakes and the VRC Champions Sprint that spring.
McEwen Stakes Race Facts
- Date: Saturday, October 24, 2026
- Track: Moonee Valley Racecourse (Flemington in 2026)
- Distance: 1200m (as of 2024)
- Conditions: Weight-for-age
- Status: Group 2
- Prize Money: $300,000
- First Run: 1995
McEwen Stakes Betting
McEwen Stakes betting odds are released by bookmakers shortly after the final field and barrier draw is out the Wednesday before the race. Betting is traditionally led by smart sprinters with form at the track that have been tested in tougher class.
If racing first-up, those with good records fresh are also dominant in McEwen Stakes betting each spring.
Imperatriz (2023) was the last McEwen Stakes winner to salute first-up.
Nature Strip ($1.50 in 2018) was the last favourite in McEwen Stakes betting to win when saluting at an odds-on quote.
There was a notable upset in 2025 with Jigsaw winning at McEwen Stakes starting price of $19.
McEwen Stakes Field
The McEwen Stakes race field attracts a class line-up of spring sprint types.
The event is now run on Cox Plate Day and there are a number of potential lead-up sprint races horses in the McEwen Stakes field may come via including the Group 1 Moir Stakes and the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes at Caulfield.
2026 McEwen Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw
The official McEwen Stakes 2026 Field & Barriers are released on the Wednesday of race week and will be published below.
The 2026 McEwen Stakes field features a compact but class line-up of eight spring sprinters led in betting by Trent Edmonds’ last start Group 1 Manikato Stakes second placed mare Extragalactic and the flying Cindy Alderson-trained defending champ Jigsaw chasing his ninth win on the trot.
| Entrant | Last 6 | Sex | Barrier | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. Mazu
J: Rachel King
T: Joseph Pride |
361×10 | G | 8 | 58.5kg | |
|
2. Jigsaw
J: Logan Bates
T: Cindy Alderson |
1111×1 | G | 4 | 58.5kg | |
|
3. Rey Magnerio
J: William Pike
T: Robbie Griffiths |
1x62x5 | G | 6 | 58.5kg | |
|
4. Arkansaw Kid
J: Ethan Brown
T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |
3×3043 | G | 1 | 58.5kg | |
|
5. Smooth Chino
J: Austin Galati
T: Indianna Weinert |
713×32 | G | 3 | 58.5kg | |
|
6. La Fracas
J: Blake Shinn
T: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr |
6720×9 | G | 5 | 58.5kg | |
|
7. Splash Back
J: Jordan Childs
T: Grahame Begg |
71961x | M | 2 | 56.5kg | |
|
8. Extragalactic
J: James McDonald
T: Trent Edmonds |
122×42 | M | 7 | 56.5kg |
2026 McEwen Stakes Nominations
The early McEwen Stakes 2026 Nominations close the Monday leading-up to the race.
McEwen Stakes Form Guide
The McEwen Stakes form guide provides punters with all the must-know information including the jockeys, trainers, barriers and lead-up form of the runners in the field.
In recent years the McEwen Stakes form has held up in many tougher spring races including the Moir Stakes and VRC Sprint Classic.
For example, the 2018 McEwen Stakes winner Nature Strip went on to win the following year’s Moir Stakes – VRC Sprint Classic double among other subsequent Group 1 sprint wins by the champion.
The 2021 McEwen Stakes form was franked with the third-placed mare September Run returning the next autumn to win the Group 1 William Reid Stakes in 2022.
The 2024 McEwen Stakes form was franked with the winner, Baraqiel, returning the following spring to claim the Group 1 Moir Stakes and run second in the Manikato ahead of his 2025 The Everest bid.
The 2025 McEwen Stakes winner Jigsaw would go on to win his next six starts on the trot including the $1 million Meteorite at Cranbourne, New Zealand’s Group 1 Sistema Railway, Group 1 William Reid in Melbourne during the 2026 autumn carnival and Perth’s $4 million The Quokka.
2026 McEwen Stakes Form Guide
A link to our complete McEwen Stakes 2026 Form Guide will be provided for punters below the week of the race.
McEwen Stakes Results
McEwen Stakes in the past decade have been dominated by the class horses in the race, many of which went on to enjoy Group 1 success later that campaign. Upsets still occur however including the win by Kuroshio ($16) in 2013 and Jigsaw ($19) in 2025.
Notable recent McEwen Stakes winners include brilliant Kiwi mare Imperatriz (2023) who dominated that year’s Group 1 spring sprint races, Nature Strip (2018) who went on to win the 2021 The Everest race, Chautauqua (2015), Buffering (2011), Hay List (2010), and Miss Andretti (2006).
Kuroshio (2013) was the last three-year-old McEwen Stakes winner.
Imperatriz (2023) was the last McEwen Stakes winning mare.
Imperatriz also holds the 1000m McEwen Stakes race record winning in 2023 in a time of 56.68 seconds.
In 2024 the McEwen Stakes distance increased to 1200m and won in 1 minute 9.13 seconds by Baraqiel who broke Miss Andretti’s class record.
Past McEwen Stakes Winners
Recent McEwen Stakes winners and placegetters dating back to the year 2000 are detailed in the below table.
| Year | Winner | Runner-Up | Third | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Smooth Chino | Mazu | Extragalactic | 1:09.80 |
| 2025 | Jigsaw | Klabel | Bridal Waltz | 1:09.91 |
| 2024 | Baraqiel | I Am Unstoppable | Mornington Glory | 1:09.13 (over 1200m) |
| 2023 | Imperatriz | Rothfire | Giga Kick | 0:56.68 (R) |
| 2022 | Rothfire | Zoustyle | Coolangatta | 0:58.90 |
| 2021 | The Inferno | Portland Sky | September Run | 0:59.48 |
| 2020 | Bella Vella | Ashlor | Brooklyn Hustle | 0:58.02 |
| 2019 | Faatinah | Bons Away | Edurado | 0:58.4 |
| 2018 | Nature Strip | Houtzen | Shoals | 0:56.9 |
| 2017 | Russian Revolution | Heatherly | Houtzen | 0.58.1 |
| 2016 | Wild Rain | Furnaces | Heatherly | 0:58.8 |
| 2015 | Chautauqua | Flamberge | Furnaces | 0:58.2 |
| 2014 | Angelic Light | Lankan Rupee | Eloping | 0:57.5 |
| 2013 | Kuroshio | Moment Of Change | General Truce | 0:57.8 |
| 2012 | Bel Sprinter | Platelet | Snitzem | 0:57.3 |
| 2011 | Buffering | Crystal Lily | Atomic Force | 0:58.5 |
| 2010 | Hay List | Catapulted | Reward For Effort | 0:59.6 |
| 2009 | Nicconi | Morgan Dollar | Secret Flyer | 0:57.4 |
| 2008 | Kaphero | Morgan Dollar | Lucky Secret | 0:59.4 |
| 2007 | Here De Angels | Gold Edition | Dr Nipandtuck | 0:57.4 |
| 2006 | Miss Andretti | Sassbee | Cargo Cult | 0:58.8 |
| 2005 | Strikeline | Truly Wicked | Titanic Jack | 0:59.8 |
| 2004 | Edgeton | Reactive | Mistegic | 1:01.8 |
| 2003 | Yell | The Big Chill | Dantana | 0:59.6 |
| 2002 | Mistegic | Shaye Spice | Aragonce | 1:00.2 |
| 2001 | Strategic Image | Sports | Ateates | 0:58.4 |
| 2000 | Testa Rossa | Sports | Chattanooga | 1:13.4 |