Peter Young Stakes

Ladbrokes Tip: The Peter Young Stakes winner traditionally backs-up in the Australian Cup later in the autumn

The latest edition of the Peter Young Stakes took place on Saturday, March 14, 2026 at Caulfield as a key Australian Cup lead-up and saw Chris Waller’s up-and-coming import Birdman ($3.30) easily account for his rivals with a strong 1.75 length victory.

2026 Peter Young Stakes Results

The official Peter Young Stakes 2026 results will be published in full below when the race is run and won on Saturday, March 14, 2026.

Chris Waller’s progressive five-year-old import Birdman ($3.30) continued his outstanding prep securing his second Group 2 victory on the trot with a soft win in the 2026 Peter Young Stakes results. Having gone to another level this campaign, the Free Eagle gelding came via a lead-up Blamey Stakes win at HQ and was given a perfectly timed ride by Ben Melham. Having sat on pace, Birdman delivered when asked on the straight, moving up to the leader before hitting the front inside the final furlong and drawing away for an effortless 1.75 length win. He has now firmed in from $6 to $3 outright favouritism in the all-in Group 1 Australian Cup odds to take out the Group 1 on March 28.

2026 Peter Young Stakes Odds

The updated Peter Young Stakes 2026 odds on the Group 2 event in Melbourne will be available the week of the race followed by the official Peter Young Stakes results after the event so, stay tuned.

Peter Young Stakes Tips

The Peter Young Stakes is the first weight-for-age race of the autumn contested over further than 1400m so always attracts plenty of talent making tipping in the feature a tough task.

The CF Orr Stakes has been a good guide in recent years so looking for top runs in that from horses looking for extra metres can prove good Peter Young Stakes tips. The last galloper to complete the CF Orr Stakes – Peter Young Stakes double however was Elvstroem (2005).

2026 Peter Young Stakes Tips

Our Ladbrokes’ insider Peter Young Stakes 2026 tips and betting selections will be available for punters below the week of the race sorting the best from the rest in the Australian Cup lead-up.

The Peter Young Stakes, formerly the St George Stakes, is a Group 2 race now run in mid-March during the Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival.

Formerly run in February on Blue Diamond Stakes Day, the weight-for-age race was moved to its own meeting in mid-March in 2025 taking place in Melbourne on the same date Sydney hosts the Group 1 Coolmore Classic at Rosehill.

The other key event on the Peter Young Stakes Day card is the $1 million The Showdown (1200m) open only to Two-Years-Old, VOBIS Sires eligible horses.

Contested over 1800m and run under weight-for-age conditions the Peter Young Stakes offers $500,000 in total prize money as of 2025 and attracts a field of top-class middle distance staying types.

The race is a traditional lead-up to the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington in March and the last horse to complete the double was Fiorente (2014).

More recently, Homesman improved on a Peter Young Stakes third to win the 2021 Australian Cup.

Peter Young Stakes Race Facts

• Date: Saturday, March 14, 2026
• Track: Caulfield Racecourse
• Distance: 1800m
• Conditions: Weight-for-age
• Status: Group 2
• Prize Money: $500,000
• First Run: 1900

Peter Young Stakes Betting

Peter Young Stakes odds and betting markets favour the older horses with proven weight-for-age form and that have Group 1 experience.

Upsets are not uncommon in the race but typically the favourite in Peter Young Stakes betting finishes in the money including in 2018 when the Peter Young Stakes favourite Gailo Chop saluted. The following year Avilius ($1.95 in 2019) saluted as the odds-on favourite in Peter Young Stakes betting.

Looking at the form of hopefuls coming out of the CF Orr Stakes and Futurity Stakes at the track the month prior is key and, if they are resuming, how they run fresh is important.

Cascadian ($2.05 in 2022) and Campionessa ($2.70 in 2024) are the latest favourites in Peter Young Stakes betting to salute.

Peter Young Stakes Field

The Peter Young Stakes race field runs at a 16-starter capacity and features plenty of Group 1 performers and winners each year.

Proven weight-for-age gallopers heading towards the Australian Cup on are in the mix every autumn and have often run in the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival majors including the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup.

In 2014 Fiorente completed the Melbourne Cup – Australian Cup double.

In 2023 the returning 2022 Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip ran second to his stablemate Steinem fresh in the Peter Young Stakes results, while he returned in 2024 and rounded out the Peter Young Stakes trifecta that year when third first-up.

In 2015 Mourinho came off a third in the Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) at the track to win the Peter Young Stakes, the season’s first Group 1 race a key lead-up to the clash. The following year Bow Creek (2016) took out the Peter Young Stakes off an unplaced CF Orr (13th) performance.

Another good lead-up into the Peter Young Stakes field is the Group 3 T.S. Carlyon Cup (1600m) held at Caulfield on CF Orr Stakes Day. Miss Siska (2020) and Avilius (2019) both completed the Carlyon Cup – Peter Young Stakes double.

In 2022 Cascadian improved on a first-up third in the C.F. Orr Stakes to salute for the punters in the Peter Young Stakes.

The 2026 Peter Young Stakes winner, Birdman, came via a lead-up Flemington win in the Group 2 Blamey Stakes 1600m).

Peter Young Stakes nominations close the Monday before the race with the final field of acceptances and barrier draw released on the Wednesday.

2026 Peter Young Stakes Field

The official Peter Young Stakes 2026 field and barriers will be announced below on the Wednesday of race week so bookmark this page to see the Australian Cup hopefuls lining-up in the $500,000 Group 2 feature.

The Peter Young Stakes 2026 final field features a small but class line-up of Australian Cup hopefuls including Ciaron Maher’s last start Group 3 TS Carlyon Cup winner Light Infantry Man who won last year’s Australian Cup and Chris Waller’s first-up Group 1 Futurity Stakes runner-up Buckaroo.

Caulfield R8 - Sportsbet Peter Young Stakes (G2)

Final Race time: 

	Entrant	Last 6	Sex	Barrier	Weight
	1. Light Infantry Man J: Harry Coffey T: Ciaron Maher	9552x1	G	1	59kg
	2. Buckaroo J: Jye Mcneil T: Chris Waller	2320x2	G	2	59kg
	3. Apulia J: Luke Currie T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes	110115	H	6	59kg
	4. Bankers Choice J: Daniel Stackhouse T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes	2x030x	G	4	59kg
	5. Birdman J: Ben Melham T: Chris Waller	768x41	G	5	59kg
	6. Whisky On The Hill J: Declan Bates T: Glen Thompson	351x56	G	3	59kg
	7. Chief Little Rock (5)  Scratched:
	8. Basilinna J: Dean Yendall T: Emma-Lee & David Browne	221x7x	M	7	57kg

View Results

2026 Peter Young Stakes Nominations

The official Peter Young Stakes 2026 nominations are open until the Monday of race week.

	Last 10	Horse	Sex	Age	Trainer	Hcp Rating
1	x23x110115	APULIA	H	5	Ben, Will & JD Hayes	109
2	2x31820x11	ASTRAL FLAME	M	4	Enver Jusufovic	82
3	11372x030x	BANKERS CHOICE (NZ)	G	8	Ben, Will & JD Hayes	102
4	0x10221x7x	BASILINNA (NZ)	M	5	Emma-Lee & David Browne	99
5	248x62640x	BERKSHIRE BREEZE (IRE)	G	7	Ciaron Maher	96
6	x251768x41	BIRDMAN (IRE)	G	5	Chris Waller	105
7	70x32320x2	BUCKAROO (GB)	G	7	Chris Waller	115
8	6582510×98	CASINO SEVENTEEN	G	8	Gavin Bedggood	103
9	2122x310x	CHIEF LITTLE ROCK (IRE)	G	5	Anthony & Sam Freedman	90
10	13x258x0x4	DESERT HERO (GB)	G	6	Ciaron Maher	105
11	63007×8822	GREGOLIMO (FR)	G	8	Glen Thompson	78
12	237×831537	HOLYMANZ (NZ)	G	6	Ciaron Maher	101
13	0x069552x1	LIGHT INFANTRY MAN (FR)	G	7	Ciaron Maher	112
14	x24183x7x7	PORTLAND (IRE)	G	5	Matthew Smith	90
15	522x21218x	VIVY AIR	M	5	Ciaron Maher	107
16	8591351×56	WHISKY ON THE HILL (GB)	G	6	Glen Thompson	101

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

Peter Young Stakes Form Guide

The CF Orr Stakes has been a key indicator on the Peter Young Stakes form guide in recent years as has the Melbourne Spring features like the Cox Plate the previous year.

The Peter Young Stakes form guide lists barriers, jockeys, trainers and lead-up runs for all the hopefuls in the field. Older horses have a better record in the race so looking at the galloper’s age on the form as well as their record at the track and distance is important.

The Peter Young Stakes has provided a host of subsequent Australian Cup winners over the years, so taking the double is a popular betting option, with Homesman (3rd in 2021) the latest Australian Cup champion to come out of the event.

The 2022 Peter Young Stakes winner Cascadian franked the form winning that year’s All Aged Stakes in Sydney, while the third place-getter Emissary returned in the spring to finish runner-up in the Melbourne Cup results.

The Peter Young Stakes 2023 form was franked with Gold Trip, winner of the Melbourne Cup the year prior, improving on his second to win the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) that spring before a Caulfield Cup third.

The 2025 Peter Young Stakes proved a serious form race, with Pride Of Jenni going on to claim the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes at Flemington in the spring. The form stacked up again through runner‑up Zardozi, who backed her effort by finishing third in the Australian Cup next start to round out a strong autumn trifecta.

2026 Peter Young Stakes Form Guide

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

CLICK HERE FOR OUR FULL 2026 PETER YOUNG STAKES FORM GUIDE

Past Peter Young Stakes Results

The Peter Young Stakes race results are traditionally dominated by older gallopers with Group 1 and WFA form that are tracking towards the Australian Cup as well as Sydney autumn features like the Ranvet Stakes.

Notable recent Peter Young Stakes winners include Pride Of Jenni (2025) in a brilliant first-up return to racing, Cascadian (2022) who won the last year’s Doncaster Mile in Sydney, the previous year’s Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente (2014), Theseo (2009), and Pompeii Ruler (2007).

Pride Of Jenni (2025) was the last Peter Young Stakes winning mare.

Recent Peter Young Stakes Winners

Past Peter Young Stakes winners and placegetters dating back to the year 2000 are detailed in the below table.

Year	Winner	Runner-Up	Third	Time
2026	Birdman	Apulia	Bankers Choice	1:48.60
2025	Pride Of Jenni	Zardozi	Bois D’Argent	1:47.99
2024	Campionessa	Vow And Declare	Gold Trip	1:50.45
2023	Steinem	Gold Trip	Keats	1:48.4
2022	Cascadian	Yonkers	Emissary	1:51.5
2021	Paradee	Shared Ambition	Homesman	1:49.6
2020	Miss Siska	Kings Will Dream	Mirage Dancer	1:49.6
2019	Avilius	Trap For Fools	Ace High	1:49.1
2018	Gail Chop	Single Gaze	Hartnell	1:48.2
2017	Stratum Star	Humidor	The United States	1:48.2
2016	Bow Creek	Fenway	Mourinho	1:48.6
2015	Mourinho	Happy Trails	Akzar	1:48.0
2014	Fiorente	Mourayan	Star Rolling	1:50.0
2013	Foreteller	Mr Moet	Budriguez	1:50.1
2012	Lucas Cranach	Illo	Manighar	1:48.8
2011	Heart Of Dreams	Precedence	Spacecraft	1:48.8
2010	La Rocket	Heart Of Dreams	Miss Maren	1:49.0
2009	Theseo	Baughurst	Zarita	1:47.8
2008	Princess Coup	Sirmione	Douro Valley	1:51.0
2007	Pompeii Ruler	Marasco	Aqua D’Amore	1:49.2
2006	Our Smoking Joe	Lad Of The Manor	Vroom Vroom	1:50.2
2005	Elvstroem	Makybe Diva	Casual Pass	1:49.5
2004	Lonhro	Sound Journey	Mummify	1:50.9
2003	Northerly	Fields Of Omagh	Mr Casanova	1:51.8
2002	Northerly	Old Comrade	Piper Star	1:49.2
2001	Cent Home	Giovana	Kaapstad Way	1:47.1
2000	Royal Voyage	Oliver Twist	Arena	1:49.1

FAQ

Who won the 2026 Peter Young Stakes?

The 2026 Peter Young Stakes was won by five-year-old Free Eagle gelding Birdman at $3.30 for trainer Chris Waller with jockey Ben Melham aboard on 59kg from barrier 5 to win by 1.75 lengths on a Good (4) track in a time of 1:48.60.

Who won the 2025 Peter Young Stakes?

The 2025 Peter Young Stakes was won by the returning Pride Of Jenni at $3.80 for trainer Ciaron Maher with jockey Craig Newitt aboard on 57kg from barrier 3 to win by 2.75 lengths in a time of 1:47.99.

When is the Peter Young Stakes 2026?

Saturday, March 14, 2026

What is the prize money for the Peter Young Stakes 2026?

$500,000

Where is the Peter Young Stakes 2026?

Caulfield Racecourse, Gate 22, Station St, Caulfield East VIC 3145.

How do I bet on the 2026 Peter Young 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 Peter Young Stakes?

The best way to pick which horse will win the Peter Young 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.