The latest edition of $1 million The Shorts ran on Saturday, September 19, 2026 at Royal Randwick and was won in a huge first-up, all-the-way upset by the talented Joe Pride-trained veteran eight-year-old sprinter Mazu ($19).
The Shorts 2026 is one of Sydney’s most explosive early‑spring sprints, a fast‑run 1100m Group 2 at Randwick that regularly sets the tone for the major short‑course features ahead. This is where the big names return, the Everest hopefuls step out, and the market starts to take shape as punters track trial form, speed profiles and early‑spring momentum. With elite sprinters resuming, sharp tempos guaranteed and genuine betting value on offer, The Shorts is a prime target for punters comparing the latest 2026 The Shorts odds, watching for market confidence and locking in smart The Shorts betting plays ahead of one of the most influential sprint races of the carnival.
2026 The Shorts Results
The Shorts 2026 race results and full finishing order will be published below once the race is run and won on Saturday, September 19, 2026.
- #5 Mazu
- #2 Joliestar
- #9 King's Secret
The 2026 The Shorts results at Randwick delivered one of the feel-good results of the spring when veteran sprinter Mazu ($19) turned back the clock for Joe Pride and Rachel King, scoring a thrilling upset in the $1 million Group 2 feature at his fifth attempt. The eight-year-old son of Maurice, already a Group 1 winner and one of Sydney racing’s toughest performers, dug deep late to defeat Joliestar ($3.70) by a neck, with stablemate King’s Secret ($16) a nose away in third to give the Pride stable a memorable first-and-third finish. Mazu’s 11th career victory took his earnings beyond $8 million and again highlighted his remarkable durability, while connections indicated races such as the Premiere Stakes, Sydney Stakes, and Russell Balding Stakes are more likely spring targets than a return to The Everest. King was full of praise for the evergreen gelding after the win, noting that despite his quirky pre-race antics, Mazu remains as genuine as ever and “doesn’t know how old he is.”
2026 The Shorts Race Replay
2026 The Shorts Odds & Finishing Order
The Shorts 2026 betting odds and market links to [ladbrokes] will be available below the week of the race so stay tuned for the best The Shorts markets this spring followed by the official finishing order after the event.
The Shorts 2026 Results
| 5. Mazu (1) 56kg3361x | |||
| 2. Joliestar (10) 56kg11x3x | |||
| 9. King’s Secret (3) 55kg382×4 | |||
| 6. Spicy Martini (7) 56kgx121x | |||
| 3. Headwall (4) 56kg2x1x2 | |||
| 10. Mal Coupe (6) 55kg246×7 | |||
| 12. Flying For Fun (11) 54kg1949x | |||
| 8. Grafterburners (5) 55kgx300x | |||
| 1. Ninja (8) 57kg215×1 | |||
| 11. Brave One (9) 55kgx919x | |||
| 4. Jokers Grin (2) 56kgx115x | |||
| 7. Marhoona (2)SCRATCHED: | |||
The Shorts Tips
Good The Shorts tips include looking for proven Randwick performers, in-form sprinters drawn close to the rails and those higher up the betting markets. The favourites also have a gun record in the race over the past two decades so sticking with those under $10 in betting is also a good tip.
Any returning The Shorts performers returning for another run or graduates from the previous season’s The Everest race also make a top The Shorts betting tip.
In 2021 the previous year’s The Everest 11th placegetter Eduardo won The Shorts.
In 2022 the previous year’s The Everest champion Nature Strip won The Shorts improving on his second in the race the season prior, while the 2023 The Shorts was won first-up by the previous spring’s The Everest runner-up.
In 2025, three-time Group 1 winning mare Joliestar won The Shorts having finished seventh in the previous year’s The Everest results.
In 2026, Mazu won The Shorts first-up in a big boilover in his fifth attempt following his previous runs in 2022 (5th), 2023 (9th), 2024 (3rd) and 2025 (4th). He also contested three editions of The Everest in 2022 (3rd), 2023 (11th) and 2025 (9th) but was not set for another shot at the world’s richest race on turf after his 2026 The Shorts win.
Ladbrokes Tip: The Shorts serves as a key lead-up to the $20 million The Everest race
2026 The Shorts Predictions & Best Bets
Our Ladbrokes’ exclusive The Shorts 2026 betting tips and exotic Randwick race selections will be detailed below the week of the race so bookmark this page for the runners to back and sack in the Group 2 sprint this season.
| 3. Headwall (4) 56kg2x1x2 |
| 2. Joliestar (10) 56kg11x3x |
| 5. Mazu (1) 56kg3361x |
The Shorts is a Group 2 race run at Royal Randwick Racecourse on its own feature race meeting in mid-September during the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival. A sprint feature contested over 1100m it is open to horses aged three-years-old and above and is run at set weights plus penalties.
It was previously contested on the same day as the George Main Stakes before that event was moved to The Everest Day in October and renamed the Group 1 $5 million King Charles III Stakes (1600m).
The Shorts is now the feature race at the meeting and as of 2023 offers a lucrative $1 million in stakes.
Added to the card for the first time in 2023 is the unlisted $1 million 7 Stakes (1600m) which replaces the George Main Stakes as the mile feature on the card and offers the winner an Epsom Handicap ballot exemption.
The Group 3 Bill Ritchie Handicap and Group 2 Kingston Town Stakes offering the winners an Epsom Handicap and The Metropolitan ballot exemption respectively are the other features on The Shorts Day program, along with the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes for Flight Stakes-bound fillies.
The Shorts is a good lead-up to interstate Group 1 races held during the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival as well as the $20 million The Everest (1200m) run at Royal Randwick in mid-October,
The Shorts – The Everest double was completed by Redzel in 2017, the gun sprinter going on to win the latter again in 2018 before Classique Legend (2020) became the latest horse to win both races in the same season.
More recently, Nature Strip improved on his second in The Shorts in 2021 to win The Everest that spring along with the VRC Sprint Classic (now known as the Champions Sprint) in Melbourne.
Nature Strip returned a winner in the 2022 The Shorts results ahead of his title failed defence in The Everest race when fourth.
The Shorts Race Info
- Date: Saturday, September 19, 2026
- Track: Royal Randwick Racecourse
- Distance: 1100m
- Conditions: Set Weights + Penalties
- Status: Group 2
- Prize Money: $1,000,000
- First Run: 1867
The Shorts Betting
The Shorts betting markets are dominated by horses sharp enough to handle the short 1100m distance of the race.
Gallopers with good lead-up form, nice records fresh, previous winning form at the Randwick track and those with experience in tougher class races also sit high up The Shorts odds.
Most of the runners in The Shorts odds are first-up, but looking for the best out of a lead-up race like the Group 3 Concorde Stakes (1000m) a fortnight earlier can be a good guide to the markets. Redzel (2017) followed by I Am Me (2024) are the latest sprinters to complete the Concorde Stakes – The Shorts double.
Private Eye (2023), Joliestar (2025) and Mazu (2026) are the latest The Shorts winners to take out the race first-up for the spring.
In 2019 Pierata ran second to Redzel in the Concorde Stakes before winning The Shorts as the $2.70 favourite.
The following year, Classique Legend improved on a second from the 2019 The Shorts to take out the 2020 edition as the $4.40 favourite.
That form line repeated itself in 2021 with the 2020 runner-up Eduardo winning the race.
Nature Strip was runner-up in the 2021 The Shorts but returned to win in 2022 having saluted in the previous spring’s The Everest results to become the latest The Shorts favourite to win at $2.40 odds before the 2024 win by I Am Me ($2.60F).
There was a notable upset in 2023 with Private Eye winning at $12 The Shorts odds, and an even bigger boilover in The Shorts 2026 results by Mazu ($19).
The Shorts Field
The Shorts race field attracts a class line-up of spring sprinters and proven short distance specialists.
Many runners come into the race first-up and may back-up in the following month’s Group 2 Premiere Stakes (1200m) also held at Randwick Racecourse.
In 2015 Rebel Dane won The Shorts before a second in the Premiere Stakes. He then went to Melbourne and ran third to Chautauqua in Moonee Valley’s Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m).
In 2011 The Shorts winner Love Conquers All finished third next start in the Premiere Stakes. The double was last achieved by Hot Danish (2010). Hot Danish had previously won the All Aged Stakes and Doomben 10,000 earlier that year and went on to place third in the Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m) that October at Flemington.
Briasa (2nd in 2025) was the last The Shorts graduate to go on and win the Premiere Stakes.
If not resuming in The Shorts field, horses may come off an earlier Sydney run in the Group 3 Concorde Stakes (1000m). In 2013 the Concorde Stakes runner-up Sessions backed up and won The Shorts and two runs later placed third in the Manikato Stakes in Victoria.
In 2015 Ball Of Muscle ran third in the Concorde and second in The Shorts before a second to Buffering in the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) in Melbourne the next month. That same year (2015) Concorde Stakes winner Shiraz ran third in The Shorts next-up.
Ball Of Muscle has a long history in The Shorts field, the 2015 runner-up also placing second in 2016 behind Takedown and second to Redzel in 2017. Finally Ball Of Muscle finished first, winning The Shorts in 2018 in his fourth appearance.
Redzel (2017) saluted for The Shorts punters winning the Concorde Stakes – The Shorts double. In 2019 The Shorts winner Pierata improved on a lead-up second in the Concorde Stakes. Redzel won his third straight Concorde Stakes in 2019 before a third in The Shorts results that year.
In 2021 Nature Strip that year’s subsequent The Everest champion won the Concorde Stakes at his third attempt before running second to upset The Shorts winner Eduardo next-up.
Nature Strip returned to win The Shorts 2022 first-up off a UK victory in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot.
The Shorts nominations are taken the Monday before the race takes place that Saturday with the final field of acceptors and barriers out on the Wednesday.
2026 The Shorts Field
The official The Shorts 2026 final field and barriers will be detailed in full below once acceptances are released by Racing NSW on the Wednesday of race week.
The 2026 The Shorts field features a dozen smart short-distance specialists including Chris Waller’s resuming Group 1 winning mare Joliestar drawn wide, the stable’s new addition Jokers Grin who won Perth’s The Quokka last year and the Michael Freedman-trained Ninja coming off a first-up Group 2 Missile Stakes win.
| Entrant | Last 6 | Sex | Barrier | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. Ninja
J: Tommy Berry
T: Michael Freedman |
1215×1 | G | 8 | 57kg | |
|
2. Joliestar
J: James McDonald
T: Chris Waller |
111x3x | M | 10 | 56kg | |
|
3. Headwall
J: Zac Lloyd
T: Matthew Smith |
32x1x2 | G | 4 | 56kg | |
|
4. Jokers Grin
J: Adam Hyeronimus
T: Chris Waller |
1x115x | G | 2 | 56kg | |
|
5. Mazu
J: Rachel King
T: Joseph Pride |
x3361x | G | 1 | 56kg | |
|
6. Spicy Martini
J: Taylor Marshall
T: Toby Edmonds |
0x121x | M | 7 | 56kg | |
| 7. Marhoona (2) Scratched: | |||||
|
8. Grafterburners
J: Jason Collett
T: Kelly Schweida |
1x300x | H | 5 | 55kg | |
|
9. King’s Secret
J: Andrew Adkins
T: Joseph Pride |
x382x4 | G | 3 | 55kg | |
|
10. Mal Coupe
J: Tyler Schiller
T: Stephen O’halloran |
1246×7 | G | 6 | 55kg | |
|
11. Brave One
J: Dylan Gibbons
T: M, W & J Hawkes |
3x919x | G | 9 | 55kg | |
|
12. Flying For Fun
J: Mollie Fitzgerald
T: Bryce Heys |
x1949x | M | 11 | 54kg | |
2026 The Shorts Nominations
The early The Shorts 2026 nominations are taken on the Monday of race week.
The Shorts 2026 nominations attracted 16 potential The Everest-bound sprinters led in all-in betting by Headwall coming off a good second fresh in the Concorde and the defending Chris Waller-trained champion mare Joliestar.
The Shorts Form Guide
The Shorts form guide details all the key information for punters like the jockeys, trainers, barriers and lead-up runs of the sprinters in the field.
Form guide facts to look out for are runners coming off a last start win, local hopes with good Sydney form in the Group sprint races and those drawn a single-digit barrier.
The Shorts form has also stacked up in better races both in Sydney and Melbourne in recent years including in 2014 when Terravista won the Group 2 before a subsequent Group 1 Darley Classic (1200m) victory at Flemington during that years Melbourne Cup Carnival.
The Shorts form was also worth following into bigger spring races in 2017 when Redzel won the inaugural edition of the world’s richest race on turf – The Everest.
Classique Legend franked The Shorts form in 2020 backing up to win The Everest, while The Shorts third placegetter that year Bivouac ran second in The Everest results before winning Flemington’s Group 1 VRC Classic.
The 2021 The Shorts form was franked with the runner-up Nature Strip winning The Everest – VRC Sprint Classic double that spring, returning for a third TJ Smith Stakes success the following autumn, and heading to the UK in June of 2022 for a 4.5 length Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes win at Royal Ascot.
The 2021 The Shorts winner Eduardo meanwhile finished third in that year’s The Everest results before his victory in the Winners Stakes (now Russell Balding Stakes).
After a second to Nature Strip in the 2022 The Shorts results, Overpass franked the form the following autumn winning the inaugural $4 million The Quokka race in WA in 2023.
Overpass returned to run second again in The Shorts 2023 and went on to win Perth’s Winterbottom Stakes that summer before a successful The Quokka title defence.
The 2024 The Shorts form was franked by the runner-up Stefi Magnetica who returned the following autumn to win the 2025 Group 1 Doncaster Mile.
Joliestar, the 2025 The Shorts winner, kept her form humming through the spring, finishing third in the Champions Sprint down the Flemington straight before returning in 2026 to add major silverware, including the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes and TJ Smith Stakes.
2026 The Shorts Form Guide
A link to our detailed The Shorts 2026 Form Guide & Betting Preview will be provided for punters below the week of the race.
Past The Shorts Results
The Shorts race results have been dominated by class Group performers over the past decade, and single-figure hopes with the last double-figure winners being Lucky Night ($16 in 2003), Private Eye ($12 in 2023) and Mazu ($19 in 2026).
Notable recent The Shorts winners include Joliestar (2025), Nature Strip (2022), Eduardo (2021), Classique Legend (2020), Redzel (2017), Rebel Dane (2015), Terravista (2014), Hot Danish (2010), and Bentley Biscuit (2006).
Also interesting looking at The Shorts results is that Ball Of Muscle ran second in all three editions from 2015-17 before winning the event in 2018. Mazu meanwhile ran in four previous editions of The Shorts race before his 2026 upset as an eight-year-old.
Joliestar (2025) was the last The Shorts winning mare.
Mother Duck (1987) was the last three-year-old The Shorts winner.
Redzel holds the current The Shorts race record winning over 1100m in 2017 in a time of 1 minute 1.83 seconds.
Recent The Shorts Winners
Recent The Shorts winners and placegetters dating back to the year 2000 are detailed in the below table.
| Year | Winner | Runner-Up | Third | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Mazu | Joliestar | King’s Secret | 1:02.42 |
| 2025 | Joliestar | Briasa | Generosity | 1:02.13 |
| 2024 | I Am Me | Stefi Magnetica | Mazu | 1:02.40 |
| 2023 | Private Eye | Overpass | Buenos Noches | 1:02.6 |
| 2022 | Nature Strip | Overpass | Lost And Running | 1:05.0 |
| 2021 | Eduardo | Nature Strip | Gytrash | 1:03.5 |
| 2020 | Classique Legend | Eduardo | Bivouac | 1:02.2 |
| 2019 | Pierata | Classique Legend | Redzel | 1:03.9 |
| 2018 | Ball Of Muscle | Invincible Star | Brave Smash | 1:02.8 |
| 2017 | Redzel | Ball Of Muscle | Nieta | 1:01.8 |
| 2016 | Takedown | Ball Of Muscle | Kaepernick | 1:03.2 |
| 2015 | Rebel Dane | Ball Of Muscle | Shiraz | 1:04.6 |
| 2014 | Terravista | I’m All The Talk | Famous Seamus | 1:02.4 |
| 2013 | Sessions | Aeronautical | Spirit Of Boom | 1:03.2 |
| 2012 | Pampelonne | Satin Shoes | Appearance | 1:09.6 |
| 2011 | Love Conquers All | Albert The Fat | Winter King | 1:08.7 |
| 2010 | Hot Danish | Whitefriars | Shellscrape | 1:09.5 |
| 2009 | Gold Trail | Fritz’s Princess | Sniper’s Bullet | 1:04.8 |
| 2008 | Fritz’s Princess | Hot Danish | Keen Commander | 1:04.0 |
| 2007 | Race Not Held | – | – | – |
| 2006 | Bentley Biscuit | Magnus | Spark Of Life | 1:03.4 |
| 2005 | Black Ink | Mustard | Fumble | 1:03.4 |
| 2004 | Dance the Waves | Secret Land | Legally Bay | 1:04.6 |
| 2003 | Lucky Night | Fair Embrace | Poetic Papal | 1:04.8 |
| 2002 | Empire | Shags | Fouardee | 1:04.1 |
| 2001 | Oamaru Force | Pembleton | Fair Embrace | 1:03.5 |
| 2000 | Bradshaw | Guineas | Upright | 1:03.8 |
FAQs
How do I bet on the 2026 The Shorts?
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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 Shorts 2026?
The best way to pick which horse will win The Shorts 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 Shorts 2026?
The 2026 The Shorts is set to run in Sydney on Saturday September 19 early during the Spring Carnival season as one of two million-dollar races on The Shorts Day card at Randwick along with the 7 Stakes. It is scheduled as Randwick Race 9 at 4:35pm (AEST) as the penultimate event on the card.
What is the prize money for The Shorts 2026?
The 2026 The Shorts prize money is set at $1 million which is paid from 1st to 10th place including $580,000 going to The Shorts winner.
Where is The Shorts 2026?
The Shorts 2026 will be run at Royal Randwick, the home of Sydney’s premier sprint races including the $20 million The Everest, for which The Shorts is a key lead-up into, and mile classics like the Epsom Handicap in October, which is located at Alison Road, Randwick, NSW 2031.
What distance is The Shorts run over?
The Shorts is run over 1100 metres, a sharp, high‑tempo sprint that consistently favours elite short‑course horses with genuine early speed and strong fresh form.
How many horses run in The Shorts?
The Shorts usually attracts a field of around 10–14 sprinters, depending on acceptances and how many top short‑course horses resume in the race each year. As a fast, high‑pressure Group 2 at Randwick, it consistently draws elite speedsters, Everest hopefuls and first‑up stars, giving punters plenty to assess when breaking down The Shorts form, speed maps and betting value.
Who won the 2026 The Shorts?
The 2026 The Shorts was won first-up by eight-year-old Maurice gelding Mazu at his fifth attempt in the event at blowout odds of $19 for trainer Joesph Pride with jockey Rachel King aboard on 56kg from barrier 1 to beat Joliestar by 0.32 lengths in a time of 1:02.42 on a Good (4) track.
Who won the 2025 The Shorts?
The 2025 The Shorts winner was five-year-old Zoustar mare Joliestar at $4.80 for trainer Chris Waller with jockey James McDonald aboard on 56kg from barrier 8 to win by 1.16 lengths on a Good (4) track in a time of 1:02.13.