The latest edition of the Moonga Stakes ran on Saturday, October 17, 2026 as the Harry White Stakes on Melbourne’s 2026 Caulfield Cup Day program and was won in a thrilling two-horse battle by War Machine ($3.70) who just edged out the favourite and last year’s winner Private Eye ($2.50F).
The Moonga Stakes 2026 is a race that consistently delivers plenty of betting intrigue, with a talented line-up of proven performers taking on the Caulfield 1400m. Held on Caulfield Cup Day, the Group 3 feature often attracts accomplished milers dropping back in distance, in-form spring campaigners, and horses looking to secure valuable black-type success on one of Australia’s biggest race days. With a reputation for producing strong form references and competitive betting markets, the Moonga Stakes is a popular race for punters searching for value among a field packed with experience and class. Stay across the latest Moonga Stakes odds 2026, market movers, field updates, and expert Moonga Stakes betting 2026 tips at Ladbrokes as the contenders chase Group race glory during the height of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.
2026 Moonga Stakes Results
The full Moonga Stakes 2026 Results & Finishing Order will be available below once the race takes place on Saturday, October 17, 2026.
- #2 War Machine
- #1 Private Eye
- #4 Hughes
The 2026 Moonga Stakes results, run as the Group 3 Harry White Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday, saw former Stradbroke Handicap winner War Machine ($3.70) return to winning form with a tough head victory over race favourite Private Eye, while Hughes finished a further three-quarters of a length away in third. The six-year-old son of Harry Angel, prepared by Ben, Will & JD Hayes and expertly ridden by Mark Zahra, enjoyed a perfect run just off the speed before proving too strong late despite a determined challenge from the runner-up. Hayes said the talented gelding had endured a frustrating run of bad luck with wide draws, unsuitable tracks and multiple scratchings before finally finding the right race, adding the performance suggested the Group 1 winner was back on track for bigger assignments. Zahra also credited pre-race gear adjustments and the efforts of the barrier staff after the gelding’s recent gate issues, with War Machine beginning cleanly, securing the run of the race and digging deep to record his eighth career victory and boost his earnings beyond $3.5 million.
2026 Moonga Stakes Race Replay
2026 Moonga Stakes Odds & Finishing Order
The season’s latest Moonga Stakes 2026 odds and links to our Moonga Stakes betting markets will be available below the week of the race so stay tuned for the best prices on the Champions Mile-bound horses this Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival followed by the official finishing order after the event.
| 2. War Machine (4) 59kg30×30 | ||
| 1. Private Eye (2) 59kg5×273 | ||
| 4. Hughes (8) 58.5kg7115x | ||
| 9. Amenable (9) 57kg48×34 | ||
| 5. Here To Shock (7) 58kg70×64 | ||
| 7. El Rocko (1) 58kg467×0 | ||
| 8. Cartoon Graveyard (3) 58kg0521x | ||
| 3. Willaidow (6) 58.5kg0645x | ||
| 6. Zou Sensation (5) 58kg50573 |
Moonga Stakes Tips
Good Moonga Stakes tips include looking for horses coming off a top three run in Group company especially any Group 1 graduates down in grade, runners with winning form over the 1400m distance and those getting in well in the weights.
Ladbrokes Tip: The Moonga Stakes serves as a nice lead-up into the Group 1 Champions Stakes field
2026 Moonga Stakes Predictions & Best Bets
Our Ladbrokes’ insider Moonga Stakes 2026 betting tips will be detailed below the week of the race so bookmark this page for the runners to back and sack in the Caulfield Cup Day showdown this spring.
| 1. Private Eye (2) 59kg5×273 |
| 2. War Machine (4) 59kg30×30 |
| 4. Hughes (8) 58.5kg7115x |
The Moonga Stakes is a Group 3 support race on the Caulfield Cup Day card at Caulfield Racecourse in mid-late October each Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.
The meeting is headlined by the Group 1 $6.5 million Caulfield Cup (2400m) and Group 1 $1.5 million Thousand Guineas (1600m) and also features a host of other Group status support races including the Group 2 Tristarc Stakes, Group 2 Caulfield Sprint, Group 3 Caulfield Classic, Group 3 Ethereal Stakes, and the Moonga Stakes.
Contested at set weights plus penalties, the Moonga Stakes is open to horses aged four-years-old and above and offers $240,000 in prize money.
The Moonga Stakes serves as a potential lead-up into the Group 1 Champions Mile (1600m) held at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day. Boban (2013) was the last galloper to complete the Moonga Stakes – Champions Mile (then Cantala Stakes) double.
Moonga Stakes Race Info
- Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026
- Track: Caulfield Racecourse
- Distance: 1400m
- Conditions: 4YOs & Upwards – Set Weights + Penalties
- Status: Group 3
- Prize Money: $240,000
- First Run: 1982
Moonga Stakes Betting
Moonga Stakes betting markets favour in-form spring gallopers with good lead-up form in races like the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m). Streets Of Avalon (4th in 2019) was the last Moonga Stakes winner to come via the Sir Rupert having also run an 11th in the Toorak Handicap in between.
From 2023 however the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes runs after the Moonga Stakes in November.
Buffalo River ($2.70 in 2021) and Private Eye ($2.05 in 2025) are the latest Moonga Stakes betting favourites to get the job done.
There was a notable upset in 2024 with Mighty Ulysess starting at Moonga Stakes odds of $14.
Private Eye also ran in the 2026 edition as the $2.50 favourite only to go down a head to the second elect War Machine ($3.70).
Moonga Stakes Field
The Moonga Stakes race field attracts a collection of the season’s exciting miler types that may be eyeing a Derby Day run in the Champions Mile.
The Moonga Stakes final field is announced the Wednesday of race week following the nominations taken the Monday leading-up to Caulfield Cup Day.
2026 Moonga Stakes Final Field
The official Moonga Stakes 2026 Final Field & Barriers will be released on the Wednesday of race week and detailed in full below so stay tuned to see what older horses make the starting line-up.
The Moonga Stakes (Harry White Stakes) 2026 final field features a quality line-up of sprinters led in betting by Joe Pride’s evergreen nine-year-old Private Eye coming off a third to gun 4YO Skyhook when giving weight away in the Group 2 Shannon Stakes.
| Entrant | Last 6 | Sex | Barrier | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. Private Eye
J: Blake Shinn
T: Joseph Pride |
65×273 | G | 2 | 59kg | |
|
2. War Machine
J: Mark Zahra
T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |
x30x30 | G | 4 | 59kg | |
|
3. Willaidow
J: Rachel King
T: Marc & Mitchell Conners |
10645x | G | 6 | 58.5kg | |
|
4. Hughes
J: Jett Stanley
T: Gavin Bedggood |
27115x | G | 8 | 58.5kg | |
|
5. Here To Shock
J: Daniel Stackhouse
T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |
270×64 | G | 7 | 58kg | |
|
6. Zou Sensation
J: Ben Allen
T: L & T Corstens & W Larkin |
x50573 | G | 5 | 58kg | |
|
7. El Rocko
J: John Allen
T: John Mcardle |
6467×0 | G | 1 | 58kg | |
|
8. Cartoon Graveyard
J: Craig Newitt
T: John Keys |
20521x | G | 3 | 58kg | |
|
9. Amenable
J: Michael Dee
T: Grahame Begg |
x48x34 | G | 9 | 57kg |
2026 Moonga Stakes Nominations
The Moonga Stakes 2026 Nominations are first taken on the Monday leading-up to Caulfield Cup week.
Moonga Stakes Form Guide
The Moonga Stakes form guide gives punters all the crucial information from trainers, jockeys and barriers to the lead-up runs and track / distance records of the horses in the race.
The 2021 Moonga Stakes form was franked with the third placegetter Justacanta winning the Group 2 Linlithgow Stakes (1200m) next start. The 2025 Moonga Stakes form held up later that spring with the runner-up, Warnie, going on to win the Group 2 The Damien Oliver (formerly known as the Linlithgow Stakes) and $1 million Supernova.
2026 Moonga Stakes Form Guide
A link to our comprehensive Moonga Stakes 2026 Form Guide will be available for punters the week of the race.
Past Moonga Stakes Results
The Moonga Stakes race results are confirmed on Caulfield Cup Day and detail the Moonga Stakes winner, winning margin and time along with the placegetters in the Moonga Stakes trifecta.
Notable Moonga Stakes winners include the Vo Rogue (1988), the heaviest-weighted Moonga Stakes winner Rough Habit (1992) who carted 62.5kg to victory, Boban (2013), Voodoo Lad (2016), Streets Of Avalon (2019), and dual The Everest placegetter Private Eye (2025).
Whateverwhenever (2012) was the last Moonga Stakes winning mare.
Volitant holds the current Moonga Stakes race record winning in 2005 in a time of 1 minute 21:37 seconds.
Buffalo River (2021 & 2023) was the last multiple Moonga Stakes winner. He also ran 2nd to Mighty Ulysses at big odds in 2024.
Recent Moonga Stakes Winners
Recent Moonga Stakes winners and placegetters dating back to the year 1988 are detailed in the below table.
| Year | Winner | 2nd | 3rd | Time |
| 2026 | War Machine | Private Eye | Hughes | 1:22.48 |
| 2025 | Private Eye | Warnie | Steparty | 1:24.15 |
| 2024 | Mighty Ulysses | Buffalo River | Pinstriped | 1:26.17 |
| 2023 | Buffalo River | Climbing Star | Cause For Concern | 1:23.41 |
| 2022 | Aegon | Bandersnatch | Lady Of Honour | 1:25.1 |
| 2021 | Buffalo River | King Magnus | Justacanta | 1:24.4 |
| 2020 | Wild Planet | Morrissy | Fifty Stars | 1:24.8 |
| 2019 | Streets Of Avalon | Variation | Royal Meeting | 1:23.9 |
| 2018 | Sircconi | Dreamforce | Perast | 1:24.9 |
| 2017 | Ulmann | Burning Front | Echo Effect | 1:23.4 |
| 2016 | Voodoo Lad | Takedown | Turnitaround | 1:24.5 |
| 2015 | Vashka | Under The Louvre | Coronation Shallan | 1:23.2 |
| 2014 | Lucky Hussler | Under The Louvre | Generalife | 1:23.4 |
| 2013 | Boban | Strawberry Boy | Galah | 1:23.8 |
| 2012 | Whateverwhenever | King’s Rose | Mcclintock | 1:23.7 |
| 2011 | Love Conquers All | Albert The Fat | Pinwheel | 1:21.9 |
| 2010 | Rothera | Sniper’s Bullet | Jungle Ruler | 1:25.8 |
| 2009 | McClintock | Rightfully Yours | Kiloton | 1:22.7 |
| 2008 | Royal Discretion | Turffontein | Stickpin | 1.23.6 |
| 2007 | Lord Of The Dance | Polish Clown | Solar Secret | 1:22.6 |
| 2006 | Perfectly Ready | Live In Vain | Caprizzi Strip | 1:22.3 |
| 2005 | Volitant | Yell | Shadow | 1:21.3 |
| 2004 | Amtrak | Pink Fit | Monahan Tweed | 1:24.6 |
| 2003 | Thorn Park | Lord Volksraad | Regal Roller | 1:22.5 |
| 2002 | Assertive Lad | El Nino | Prince Rubiton | 1:22.9 |
| 2001 | Flavour | Inspire | Make Mine Magic | 1:24.8 |
| 2000 | Cellar | Hire | Weasel Will | 1:21.8 |
| 1999 | Another Neptune | Strident | Weasel Will | 1:23.5 |
| 1998 | Buster Jones | Blazing Steel | Bezeal Bay | 1:24.3 |
| 1997 | Monets Cove | Delsole | Confiscate | 1:22.6 |
| 1996 | Mamzelle Pedrille | Hero Wind | Hunza Court | 1:24.6 |
| 1995 | Royal Blue | Taos | Social Rule | 1:24.2 |
| 1994 | Star Dancer | Chemin De Fer | Sportsbeat | 1:23.2 |
| 1993 | Cogitate | Cocky Beau | Unequalled | 1:22.7 |
| 1992 | Rough Habit | Rare Chance | Black Rouge | 1:30.0 |
| 1991 | Steineck | Pontormo | Prince Ormenium | 1:23.8 |
| 1990 | Royal Pay | Sioux Chief | Procol Harum | 1:27.3 |
| 1989 | Heavenly View | Better Loosen Up | Acid Print | 1:23.2 |
| 1988 | Vo Rogue | Prismatic Star | Jet Fighter | 1:23.1 |