The latest edition of the ATC Premier’s Cup ran on Saturday, August 22, 2026 at Royal Randwick on Winx Stakes Day and saw the Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr-trained import, Boniface ($2.45F), salute for the punters for his breakthrough win in Australia.
The 2026 ATC Premier’s Cup is an early race forming part of the spring’s big staying program at Royal Randwick, and Ladbrokes punters are already tuning into the latest Premier’s Cup odds and insider Premier’s Cup betting predictions for one of Sydney’s key 2000m spring lead‑ups. This race consistently attracts proven metropolitan stayers, emerging middle‑distance types and Cup‑bound runners looking to build fitness and momentum ahead of the major features. With tempo, barriers, weight swings and stable intent all playing a major role in market fluctuations, the Premier’s Cup is a crucial early‑season form guide — giving Ladbrokes punters a clear read on which horses are ready to peak, and which are still building towards bigger targets deeper into the carnival.
Premier’s Cup 2026 Results
The official 2026 Premier’s Cup Results & Finishing Order will be provided below once the race is run and won on Saturday, August 22, 2026.
- #5 Boniface
- #9 So You Are
- #7 Matusalem
Boniface ($2.45F) announced himself in Australia with a strong victory in the 2026 Premier’s Cup results at Randwick on Saturday, the French‑bred 4YO proving too classy in the 2000m Group 3. The Make Believe gelding, already a three‑time winner in Europe including the Prix La Troienne at Saint‑Cloud, settled beautifully outside the leader before producing his sharp turn of foot to score in 2:03.80, closing in 34.65. A $2.45 favourite, he held off So You Are and Matusalem by ½ length x short head, breaking through after a pair of Randwick seconds earlier in the prep. Trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr said the highly‑strung import had “trained on really well” and simply needed the right race to show his best, while jockey Tommy Berry praised his rhythm and confidence‑boosting ride. With 4 wins from 10 starts, Boniface’s Premier’s Cup victory marks his first Australian success and signals he’s ready to progress deeper into the spring staying features.
2026 Premier’s Cup Replay
2026 Premier’s Cup Odds & Finishing Order
The season’s top Premier’s Cup 2026 odds and betting market links will be available below once final acceptances are announced followed by the official finishing order after the event.
| 5. Boniface (5) 54kgx5225 | |||
| 9. So You Are (3) 53kg74324 | |||
| 7. Matusalem (7) 53.5kg50×62 | |||
| 2. Thebudgiesmugla (6) 55kg51611 | |||
| 10. Elliptical (1) 53kgx6954 | |||
| 6. Sky Lab (2) 54kg97980 | |||
| 8. Belvedere Boys (8) 53kg52458 | |||
| 1. Changingoftheguard (4) 59.5kg9910x | |||
| 3. Glory Daze (8)SCRATCHED: | |||
| 4. Nellie Leylax (5)SCRATCHED: | |||
Premier’s Cup Tips
Solid Premier’s Cup tips include backing the Sydney-trained stayers, locking in horses allocated 54.5kg and under in the weights and looking at the autumn form in similar races as a guide.
In-form horses prepared by Gai Waterhouse also make a good Premier’s Cup tip as she has won the race six times, most recently with Eliyass (2024).
Chris Waller horses also do well in Premier’s Cup betting, the master horseman having prepared two winners including Wu Gok (2019) who beat home four stablemates in an all-Waller first five that year.
Ladbrokes Tip: The Premier’s Cup (ATC) should not be confused with Brisbane’s Group 3 Premier’s Cup (BRC) held during the winter!
2026 Premier’s Cup Predictions & Best Bets
Our Ladbrokes’ exclusive Premier’s Cup betting tips for 2026 will be detailed below listing the spring stayers to back and sack in the Group 3 event this season so stay tuned.
| 5. Boniface (5) 54kgx5225 |
| 2. Thebudgiesmugla (6) 55kg51611 |
| 10. Elliptical (1) 53kgx6954 |
The Group 3 Premier’s Cup (ATC) is a 2000m staying showdown for horses aged three-years-old and above run at Royal Randwick in August each Sydney Spring Racing Carnival. The quality handicap race offers $250,000 in total prize money.
In 2022 the Premier’s Cup was moved from the San Domenico Stakes Day meeting at Rosehill to the Winx Stakes Day program at Randwick, with the distance increased from 1900m to 2000m the year prior.
The staying race is one of five Group status races on the card, which is headlined by the Group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m) for the season’s WFA stars.
The other key support acts on the program include the: Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) for Flight Stakes-bound fillies, Group 3 Show County Quality (1200m), and the Group 3 Toy Show Quality (1100m).
It was inaugurated in 1947 as the Rosehill Cup before being renamed in 1989 as the Premier’s Cup.
The Premier’s Cup can serve as a nice early lead-up into tougher Sydney staying races over the spring including Randwick’s Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m). Magic Hurricane (2015) was the last horse to complete the ATC Premier’s Cup – The Metropolitan double. Others to win both races in the same year include Glencadam Gold (2012) and Railings (2005) with the latter also winning that year’s Caulfield Cup.
More recently, Mugatoo won the 2020 Premier’s Cup before a subsequent second in The Metropolitan results. He would also return the following autumn to take out Melbourne’s The All-Star Mile race.
The best out of the Premier’s Cup race in Sydney may continue on to target a run in the ‘Race That Stops A Nation’ – the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on the first Tuesday of November.
Premier’s Cup Race Info
- Date: Saturday, August 22, 2026
- Track: Randwick Racecourse (as of 2022)
- Distance: 2000m (as of 2022)
- Conditions: 3YOs & Above – Quality Handicap
- Status: Group 3
- Prize Money: $250,000
- First Run: 1947
Premier’s Cup Betting
Premier’s Cup odds are led each season by quality Sydney-trained stayers proven in Group company that contested tougher races in the autumn.
Horses proven up to 2000m and further in distance, as well as those allocated between 53kg – 54.5kg in the handicaps dominate Premier’s Cup betting.
From 2009-26, 14 of the 17 Premier’s Cup winners carried between 53kg – 54.5kg to victory with Mugatoo (57kg in 2020) the first to have more than 54.5kg on his back since Red Lord (56.5kg in 2008). In 2024 Eliyass carried 57kg to victory, while in 2025 Nellie Leylax carried 55kg to victory on a Heavy (10) track.
Mugatoo ($1.90 in 2020), Harpo Marx ($4.40 in 2021), Eliyass ($2.50 in 2024) and Boniface ($2.45 in 2026) are the latest favourites in Premier’s Cup betting to salute for the punters.
There was a notable upset in 2022 with Arapaho saluting at ATC Premier’s Cup odds of $21.
Premier’s Cup Field
The Premier’s Cup race field attracts a class line-up of the season’s most exciting stayers, many of which may be resuming for the spring.
A good next-up option for horses out of the Premier’s Cup field is the Group 3 Newcastle Gold Cup (2300m) and Mugatoo (2020) was the last to do the double.
In 2023 the ATC Premier’s Cup also produced the Newcastle Gold Cup winner with Military Mission (2nd) improving on his second to take out the latter. He further franked the form with a Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes win at Caulfield in October and ran 10th in the Melbourne Cup results.
The Listed Wyong Gold Cup (2100m) is another nice follow-up race for Premier’s Cup horses and Wu Gok (2019) is the last to salute in both spring events.
The field is comprised of mainly local Sydney-trained stayers that have an outstanding record in the race. The Kiwi-trained Activation (2006) was the last Premier’s Cup winner to come from outside of a Sydney stable.
The Premier’s Cup nominations close the Monday of race week followed by final acceptances on the Wednesday.
2026 Premier’s Cup Field
The official Premier’s Cup 2026 field and barriers for Group 3 staying race will be announced by Racing NSW on the Wednesday leading up to Winx Stakes Day and published in full below.
The 2026 Premier’s Cup final field features a class line-up of potential spring Cups-bound staying types including Bjorn Baker’s Caloundra Cup winner Thebudgiesmugla after his third win on the trot.
| Entrant | Last 6 | Sex | Barrier | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. Changingoftheguard
J: Tim Clark
T: Kris Lees |
69910x | G | 4 | 59.5kg | |
|
2. Thebudgiesmugla
J: Dylan Gibbons
T: Bjorn Baker |
051611 | G | 6 | 55kg | |
| 3. Glory Daze (8) Scratched: | |||||
| 4. Nellie Leylax (5) Scratched: | |||||
|
5. Boniface
J: Tommy Berry
T: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr |
1x5225 | G | 5 | 54kg | |
|
6. Sky Lab
J: Shannen Llewellyn
T: Paul Perry |
097980 | G | 2 | 54kg | |
|
7. Matusalem
J: Tyler Schiller
T: Chris Waller |
050x62 | G | 7 | 53.5kg | |
|
8. Belvedere Boys
J: Kerrin Mcevoy
T: Matthew Dunn |
552458 | G | 8 | 53kg | |
|
9. So You Are
J: Rachel King
T: Bjorn Baker |
174324 | G | 3 | 53kg | |
|
10. Elliptical
J: Andrew Adkins
T: Chris Waller |
3x6954 | G | 1 | 53kg | |
2026 Premier’s Cup Nominations
Nominations for the 2026 Premier’s Cup close on the Monday of race week with the list of potential runners in the staying feature to be published here.
Premier’s Cup Form Guide
The Premier’s Cup form guide features all the must-know information for punters including the saddlecloth numbers, jockeys, trainers, barriers and lead-up form of the runners in the race.
The Premier’s Cup form has stacked-up in later Group 1 spring races many times in recent years including in The Metropolitan results and in Melbourne’s Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley in late October. Both Mugatoo (2020) and Avilius (2018) went on to run fourth in the Cox Plate results following their respective Premier’s Cup victories.
The 2022 Premier’s Cup form was franked with the upset winner Arapaho going on to win the Group 1 Tancred Stakes (2400m) the next autumn in 2023. In 2023 the Premier’s Cup third placed Bois D’Argent franked the form with a host of subsequent top three runs including winning the 2024 Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m) in Brisbane the following winter. In 2024 the Premier’s Cup winner Eliyass went on to run third in that year’s Group 1 Turnbull Stakes trifecta.
2026 Premier’s Cup Form Guide
A link to our detailed Premier’s Cup 2026 form guide will be provided for punters below the week of the race.
COMPLETE 2026 PREMIER’S CUP FORM GUIDE & RACE COMMENTARY
Past Premier’s Cup Results
Premier’s Cup race results have been dominated by Sydney-trained stayers and those under $10 in betting in recent years.
Notable Premier’s Cup winners include dual Cox Plate champion Hydrogen (1952), Railings (2005), Glencadam Gold (2012), Avilius (2018), and Mugatoo (2020).
Break Card (2011) was the last Premier’s Cup winning mare.
Tails (1969,1970) is to date the only multiple Premier’s Cup champion.
Recent Premier’s Cup Winners
Recent Premier’s Cup winners dating back to the year 2000 are detailed in the below table.
| Year | Winner | Trainer/s | Jockey | Weight | Distance | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (Run at Royal Randwick over 2000m) |
BONIFACE (FR) | Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr | Tommy Berry | 54kg | 2000m | 2:03.80 |
| 2025 (Run at Royal Randwick over 2000m) |
NELLIE LEYLAX (IRE) | Annabel & Rob Archibald | Alysha Collett | 55kg | 2000m | 2:09.06 |
| 2024 (Run at Royal Randwick over 2000m) |
ELIYASS (FR) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tim Clark | 57kg | 2000m | 2:02.85 |
| 2023 (Run at Royal Randwick over 2000m) |
HOSIER (IRE) | Mark Minervini | Jason Collett | 54.5kg | 2000m | 2:04.70 |
| 2022 (Run at Royal Randwick over 2000m) |
ARAPAHO (FR) | Bjorn Baker | Rachel King | 56kg | 2000m | 2:05.02 |
| 2021 (Run at Kembla Grange) |
HARPO MARX (IRE) | Bjorn Baker | Rachel King | 53kg | 2000m | 2:04.00 |
| 2020 | MUGATOO(IRE) | Kris Lees | Kerrin McEvoy | 57kg | 1900 m | 1:56.02 |
| 2019 | WU GOK | Chris Waller | Tommy Berry | 53kg | 1900 m | 2:00.51 |
| 2018 | AVILIUS(GB) | James Cummings | Glyn Schofield | 53kg | 1900 m | 2:01.13 |
| 2017 | DEE I CEE(NZ) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Rachel King | 53.5kg | 1900 m | 1:55.02 |
| 2016 | SENSE OF OCCASION | Kris Lees | Tim Clark | 54kg | 1900 m | 1:59.85 |
| 2015 | MAGIC HURRICANE (IRE) | John O’Shea | Sam Clipperton | 54kg | 1800 m | 1:51.77 |
| 2014 | GREATWOOD (GB) | Gai Waterhouse | Tommy Berry | 54kg | 1800 m | 1:54.44 |
| 2013 | LESS IS MORE (FR) | David Vandyke | Jay Ford | 54.5kg | 1800 m | 1:49.11 |
| 2012 | GLENCADAM GOLD(IRE) | Gai Waterhouse | Tommy Berry | 54kg | 1800 m | 1:49.88 |
| 2011 | BREAK CARD | Gerald Ryan | Jay Ford | 53kg | 1800 m | 1:52.36 |
| 2010 | SNOW ALERT | Chris Waller | Damien Oliver | 54.5kg | 1800 m | 1:48.38 |
| 2009 | EMPEROR BONAPARTE(NZ) | David Payne | Blake Shinn | 53kg | 1800 m | 1:51.03 |
| 2008 | RED LORD | Anthony Cummings | Corey Brown | 56.5kg | 1800 m | 1:49.37 |
| 2007 | RACE NOT HELD | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2006 | ACTIVATION(NZ) | Graeme Rogerson | Michael Rodd | 60.5kg | 1800 m | 1:50.80 |
| 2005 | RAILINGS | John Hawkes | Darren Beadman | 53.5kg | 1800 m | 1:49.08 |
| 2004 | BUSH HONEY | Guy Walter | Danny Beasley | 53kg | 1800 m | 1:49.54 |
| 2003 | DOMINE | John Hawkes | Darren Beadman | 55.5kg | 1800 m | 1:49.73 |
| 2002 | GAMESMAN | Gai Waterhouse | Jim Cassidy | 53.5kg | 1900 m | 1:55.95 |
| 2001 | MULAN PRINCESS(NZ) Gai Waterhouse | Chris Munce | 58kg | 1900 m | 1:55.39 | |
| 2000 | SUPER REVENIR Phil McLeod | Paul Falvey | 52.5kg | 1900 m | 1:57.67 |
FAQ
How do I bet on the ATC Premier's 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 ATC Premier's Cup 2026?
The best way to pick which horse will win the Premier's 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 ATC Premier's Cup 2026?
The 2026 Premier's Cup (ATC) is set to run in Sydney on Saturday August 22 as one of the key support acts on Winx Stakes Day. It is scheduled as Randwick Race 5 at 2:00pm (AEST) on the 10-race card.
What is the prize money for the ATC Premier's Cup 2026?
The 2026 ATC Premier's Cup prize money is set at $250,000 which is paid from 1st to 10th place including $140,000 going to the winner.
Where is the ATC Premier's Cup 2026?
The 2026 Premier's Cup (ATC) is set to run at Sydney's Royal Randwick Racecourse, home to many iconic races including the world's richest turf race - The Everest - each October, and is located at Alison Road, Randwick, NSW 2031.
What distance is the ATC Premier's Cup run over?
The ATC Premier’s Cup is run over 2000 metres, a key middle‑distance trip at Royal Randwick that helps identify which stayers are ready to elevate through the Sydney spring features. This distance is a major factor for Ladbrokes punters analysing early Premier’s Cup odds and shaping confident Premier’s Cup betting plays.
How many horses run in the ATC Premier's Cup?
Field sizes for the ATC Premier’s Cup typically land between 12 and 16 runners, with Randwick regularly attracting a deep mix of proven stayers and emerging middle‑distance types. This competitive line‑up is an important consideration for Ladbrokes punters analysing early Premier’s Cup odds and shaping confident Premier’s Cup betting plays, as bigger fields often create more tempo, tactical pressure and value opportunities.
Who won the 2026 Premier's Cup
The 2026 Premier's Cup was won by five-year-old Make Believe gelding Boniface at $2.45 favouritism for trainers Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr with jockey Tommy Berry aboard from barrier 5 on 54kg to win by 0.57 lengths in a time of 2:03.80 on a Soft (6) track.
Who won the 2025 Premier's Cup?
The 2025 Premier's Cup was won by five-year-old Calyx gelding Nellie Leylax at $5.50 for trainers Annabel & Rob Archibald with jockey Alysha Collett aboard on 55kg from barrier 4 to win by 2.39 lengths on a Heavy (10) track in a time of 2:09.06.