The next edition of the Show County Quality runs on Saturday, August 22, 2026 at Royal Randwick on Winx Stakes Day.
The 2026 Show County Quality returns as one of Randwick’s key early‑spring sprints, and Ladbrokes punters are already tuning into the latest Show County Quality odds and early Show County Quality betting moves. This Group 3 1200m handicap reliably draws a mix of sharp first‑up sprinters, proven Sydney performers and emerging talents looking to launch their spring campaigns with intent. With weight swings, barrier draws, raceday tempo and stable confidence all playing a major role in market fluctuations, the Show County Quality is a genuine form and betting pointer for the weeks ahead — giving punters a strong early read on who’s ready to fire fresh and who’s building towards bigger targets deeper into the carnival.
2026 Show County Quality Odds
The season’s top Show County Quality 2026 odds and betting market links will be available below once final acceptances are announced followed by the official finishing order after the event.
Show County Quality Tips
Good Show County Quality tips include looking for Group 1 graduates from the autumn, proven four and five-year-old horses with winning Sydney form in similar company and strong 1200m performers.
Sprinters heading towards events including The Everest, Randwick specialists, well-weighted runners and any form horses out of the Missile Stakes also make good Show County Quality tips.
Ladbrokes Tip: The Show County Quality now serves as a potential lead-up into The Everest race!
2026 Show County Quality Tips
Our Ladbrokes’ exclusive Show County Quality betting tips for 2026 will be detailed below listing the horses to back and sack in the Group 3 race this season so stay tuned.
The Group 3 Show County Quality is a 1200m sprint showdown for horses at Royal Randwick Racecourse in August each Sydney Spring Racing Carnival. The race is a quality handicap event and offers $250,000 in total prize money and was upgraded from a Listed race in 2013.
The event runs as one of the key support races on Winx Stakes Day, which is headlined by the Group 1 Winx Stakes – formerly the Warwick Stakes – and that also features the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes, the Group 3 Toy Show Quality and the Group 3 Premiere’s Cup (2000m).
First run in 1993, the Show County Quality is named in honour of former star two-year-old Show County who won a number of very good races during his juvenile years including the Skyline Stakes and Stan Fox Stakes in 1989.
Plenty of top gallopers have won the race including most famously the Caulfield Cup – Melbourne Cup champion Might And Power (1997).
The Show County Quality now serves as a potential lead-up for sprinters looking to secure a slot in that season’s coveted $20 million The Everest – the world’s richest turf race held at the same track and distance in October.
Show County Quality Race Info
- Date: Saturday, August 22, 2026
- Track: Royal Randwick Racecourse
- Distance: 1200m
- Conditions: 3YOs & Upwards – Quality Handicap
- Status: Group 3
- Prize Money: $250,000
- First Run: 1993
Show County Quality 2026 Results
The official 2026 Show County Quality Results & Finishing Order will be provided below once the race is run and won on Saturday, August 22, 2026 as part of the Winx Stakes Day race card.
Show County Quality Betting
Show County Quality odds are led each season by resuming sprinters that have form in tougher grade races.
First-up runners with a strong record fresh, proven Randwick performers along with any graduates out of the Group 2 Missile Stakes held a fortnight before sit high up the Show County Quality betting markets.
Joliestar (2024) and Lazzura (2025) are the latest first-up Show County Quality winners.
Deprive ($3.30 in 2019), Showmanship ($3.30 in 2022), and Joliestar ($2.60 in 2024) are the latest favourites in Show County Quality betting to salute.
Show County Quality Field
The Show County Quality race field attracts a quality line-up of nice spring sprinters each season, many of which are kicking off their campaigns in an easier grade race.
The event is often contested by past Group 1 performers and potential The Everest horses and can serve as a good lead-up into many other big spring races.
Horses out of the Show County Quality field may step out over more distance over the coming months targeting a race like the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m).
In 2020 the Show County runner-up Probabeel went on to win that year’s Epsom Handicap, while Private Eye (2021) was the last horse to complete the Show County Quality – Epsom Handicap double.
2026 Show County Quality Field
The official Show County Quality 2026 field and barriers will be announced by Racing NSW on the Wednesday leading up to Winx Stakes Day and published in full below.
2026 Show County Quality Nominations
Nominations for the 2026 Show County Quality close on the Monday of race week with the list of potential runners in the sprint feature to be published here.
Show County Quality Form Guide
The Show County Quality 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.
Looking at the form guide for runners with proven ability at the track and distance and for those that either are resuming with a good first-up record, or graduates of the previous season’s tougher Group 1 Sydney races are important tips to take.
The Show County Quality form has also stacked up in later, tougher grade races including the Epsom Handicap and George Main Stakes (now the King Charles III Stakes) in recent years.
In 2021 the Show County Quality third-placed mare Icebath would go on to win the inaugural edition of the $2 million The Invitation that October.
In 2023 the Show County winner Buenos Noches franked the form with a next-up Group 2 The Shorts third before finishing a credible eighth in that spring’s The Everest results.
The 2024 Show County Quality winner, Joliestar, would return in 2025 and win the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap at Flemington as well as Brisbane’s Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup.
Lazzura was a real spring star in 2025, taking out the Show County Quality before backing it up with a next‑up win in the Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes. She kept that momentum rolling into 2026, elevating to the top tier with a brilliant victory in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic.
2026 Show County Quality Form Guide
A link to our detailed Show County Quality 2026 form guide will be provided for punters below the week of the race.
Past Show County Quality Results
Show County Quality race results have been dominated by quality horses at single-figures in recent years, with Might And Power (1997) the most famous.
Other notable recent Show County Quality winners include Lotteria (2005), Rebel Dane (2013), Terravista (2014), Le Romain (2018), and Private Eye (2021).
Lazzura (2025) is the latest Show County Quality winning mare.
Deploy holds the current Show County Quality race record winning in 2017 in a time of 1 minute 08:00 seconds.
Recent Show County Quality Winners
Recent Show County Quality winners dating back to the year 1999 are detailed in the below table.
| Year | Winner | Trainer | Jockey | Weight | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 2025 | Lazzura | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 56 kgs | 1:12.20 |
| 2024 | Joliestar | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 55 kgs | 1:09.80 |
| 2023 | Buenos Noches | Matthew Smith | Dylan Gibbons | 58.5 kgs | 1:10.25 |
| 2022 | Showmanship | Danny O’Brien | James McDonald | 54.5 kgs (carried 55 kgs) | 1:10.92 |
| 2021 | Private Eye | Joseph Pride | Jay Ford | 54 kgs | 1:10.20 |
| 2020 | Roheryn | James Cummings | Jason Collett | 53 kgs | 1:11.23 |
| 2019 | Deprive | James Cummings | Ms Rachel King | 53.5 kgs | 1:08.63 |
| 2018 | Le Romain | Kris Lees | James McDonald | 61 kgs | 1:08.62 |
| 2017 | Deploy | Gerald Ryan | Brenton Avdulla | 55.5 kgs | 1:08.06 |
| 2016 | Tycoon Tara | Peter & Paul Snowden | Kerrin McEvoy | 54 kgs | 1:09.92 |
| 2015 | Decision Time | Clarry Conners | Christian Reith | 54 kgs | 1:09.05 |
| 2014 | Terravista | Joseph Pride | Hugh Bowman | 56 kgs | 1:12.39 |
| 2013 | Rebel Dane | Gary Portelli | Glen Boss | 54.5 kgs | 1:09.53 |
| 2012 | Moment Of Change | Peter Moody | Peter Robl | 54 kgs | 1:09.42 |
| 2011 | Skytrain | Peter Snowden | Kerrin McEvoy | 53 kgs | 1:12.67 |
| 2010 | Kenny’s World | Graeme Murray | Tye Angland | 53 kgs | 1:10.66 |
| 2009 | Swift Alliance | Gai Waterhouse | Blake Shinn | 53 kgs | 1:09.83 |
| 2008 | Bank Robber | Gai Waterhouse | Corey Brown | 53 kgs | 1:11.96 |
| 2007 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2006 | Primus | John O’Shea | Hugh Bowman | 56.5 kgs | 1:09.87 |
| 2005 | Lotteria | Gai Waterhouse | Lenny Beasley | 56.5 kgs | 1:09.91 |
| 2004 | Athelnoth | Tiger Holland | James Innes | 53 kgs | 1:10.92 |
| 2003 | Sportsman | Gregory Hickman | Zac Purton | 54 kgs | 1:11.86 |
| 2002 | Presently | Bruce McLachlan | James Innes | 53 kgs | 1:09.82 |
| 2001 | Kingsgate | Gai Waterhouse | Glen Boss | 52 kgs | 1:10.83 |
| 2000 | Stanzaic | John Size | Glen Boss | 53.5 kgs | 1:09.81 |
| 1999 | Upright | John Hawkes | Larry Cassidy | 51.5 kgs | 1:10.27 |
FAQ
How do I bet on the Show County Quality 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 Show County Quality 2026?
The best way to pick which horse will win the Show County Quality 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 Show County Quality 2026?
The 2026 Show County Quality is set to run in Sydney on Saturday August 22 as one of the key support acts on Winx Stakes Day.
What is the prize money for the Show County Quality 2026?
The 2026 Show County Quality prize money is set at $250,000 which is paid from 1st to 10th place including $140,000 going to the Show County Quality winner.
Where is the Show County Quality 2026?
The 2026 Show County Quality 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 Show County Quality run over?
The Show County Quality is run over 1200 metres, a sharp early‑spring sprint that puts a premium on tactical speed and race‑day freshness. This 1200m Randwick trip is a key factor Ladbrokes punters weigh up when assessing the latest Show County Quality odds and shaping confident Show County Quality betting plays.
How many horses run in the Show County Quality?
Field sizes for the Show County Quality generally sit between 12–16 runners, giving Ladbrokes punters a competitive early‑spring lineup of proven sprinters, sharp first‑up types and emerging carnival prospects to assess. The final field often plays a key role in shaping both Show County Quality odds and confident Show County Quality betting strategies heading into Randwick’s 1200m feature.
Who won the 2025 Show County Quality?
The 2025 Show County Quality was won by four-year-old Snitzel mare Lazzura at $6 for trainer Chris Waller with jockey James McDonald aboard on 56kg from barrier 8 to win by 1.35 lengths on a Heavy (10) track to win in a time of 1:12.20.