Flight Stakes 2026 Odds, Betting & Race Preview

Looking for this year’s top Flight Stakes betting markets, tips and race form? The expert tipsters at Neds have put together everything you need to know before this year’s race.

2026 Flight Stakes Odds

The Flight Stakes odds 2026 are already reacting to early Princess Series form, with punters watching closely for fillies showing sharp improvement through the Silver Shadow, Furious and Tea Rose Stakes. Market moves are being driven by late sectionals, distance progression and stable plans, with the leading chances tightening as they step up to the Randwick mile. As profiles become clearer and the top fillies separate themselves from the pack, Flight Stakes betting 2026 is heating up — and Neds keeps punters ahead of the market with fresh odds, key form insights and value‑focused analysis for this Group 1 showdown for three‑year‑old fillies.

The latest Flight Stakes odds followed by the official race finishing order after the event will be available below.

Flight Stakes 2026 Tips

Our insider 2026 Flight Stakes tips will be detailed above the week of the race and a full Flight Stakes betting preview available on the Neds Blog.

Part of the Epsom Handicap racecard at Royal Randwick during the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival, this event is exclusively for three-year-old fillies bearing set weights, making it a good value bet for any seasoned punters who have been watching the up-and-coming fillies and can factor in which horses will get an advantage from the weight system.

The Group 1 Flight Stakes takes place over a mile (1600m) and offers $750,000 in prize money after being boosted from half-a-million in 2021. It is named in honour of dual Cox Plate winning mare Flight (1945, 1946).

A good race to pay attention to before the Flight Stakes is the Tea Rose Takes, which takes place earlier in September. Also for 3 year old fillies and with set weights, but 200 metres shorter in distance, winning or placing in the Tea Rose Stakes has come to be known as a strong indicator of Flight Stakes success. Funstar (2019), the fellow Chris Waller-trained Zougotcha (2022) and Apocalyptic (2025) are the latest fillies to complete the Tea Rose Stakes – Flight Stakes double. 

The Flight Stakes is the final leg of the Princess Series of Races which also includes the Tea Rose Stakes, Silver Shadow Stakes and Furious Stakes.

The top Flight Stakes graduates may back-up against the boys on the seven day turnaround into the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m), a double completed by Montefilia in 2020.

Flight Stakes fillies may also be invite to contest the newly created $2 million The Invitation (1400m).

The Flight Stakes winner also earns a ballot exemption for the following year’s Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) held during ‘The Championships’ at Randwick in April.

In 2022 the Flight Stakes runner-up She’s Extreme franked the form heading south two starts late to win Flemington’s Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m) over the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

The 2024 Flight Stakes form was firmly franked with the winner Lady Shenandoah returning the following autumn to win her next three starts on the trot including the Group 1 Surround Stakes and Group 1 Coolmore Classic in 2025.

Flight Stakes 2026 – Fast Facts

• Race Day: Saturday, October 3, 2026
• Track Location: Randwick Racecourse
• Track Surface: Turf
• Track Direction: Right-handed
• Distance: 1600m
• Weight Class: Set weights
• Qualification: Three-year-olds (only fillies)
• Type: Thoroughbred
• Grade: Group 1
• Operator: Australian Turf Club
• Prize Purse: $750,000
• Inaugural Race: 1947
• 2026 Flight Stakes Winner: TBD

Flight Stakes 2026 Results

The official 2026 Flight Stakes results will be available below once the race takes place on Saturday, October 3, 2026. 

Flight Stakes Betting 2026

There are many different ways to bet on the Flight Stakes, and we have included some of the most popular options below:

Bet Type	How To Place This Type of Bet on This Year’s Flight Stakes
Win Bet	Place your bet on the horse you think will take first place in this year’s Flight Stakes.
Place Bet	Place your bet on the horse you think will place in the top three finishers at this year’s Flight Stakes. Pays less than a win bet but offers safer odds.
Each-Way Bet	If your runner finishes 1st in the Flight Stakes, you will collect both the Win and the Place dividend. If your horse finishes 2nd or 3rd you will collect the Place dividend.
Quinella Bet	You must select the runners that finish 1st and 2nd in any order, within the Flight Stakes, in order to win the Quinella.
Exacta Bet	You must select the runners that finish 1st and 2nd in the correct order, within the Flight Stakes to win the Exacta.
Trifecta Bet	You must select runners to finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the correct order, within the Flight Stakes to win the Trifecta.
First Four	You must select runners that finish 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th in the correct order, within the Flight Stakes to win the First 4.
Quadrella Bet (Quaddie)	You must select the winners of four nominated races to win the Quaddie. This means you would have to select three other races apart from the Flight Stakes, in order to be eligible to place a Quaddie.

How To Bet on The Flight Stakes in 2026

1. Join up at neds
2. Make a deposit, using your credit card, PayPal or other safe electronic method
3. Make sure to check out the form guide, once it’s released
4. Decide what kind of bet you’re going to place (Win, Place, Each-Way, Trifecta + more betting options
5. Select the horse(s) for the race.
6.  

Which Horse Will Win the Flight Stakes in 2026

When deciding on which horse will win the Flight Stakes in 2026 there are a number of key factors to consider including their lead-up spring racing form, previous record over 1600m and past Group 1 performances.

Other things to look at when picking the Flight Stakes winner include:

• Waterhouse Wonders – Gai Waterhouse has trained an incredible 11 previous Flight Stakes winners so watching for fillies out of the Tulloch Lodge stable can be a good bet. Her latest were 40/1 outsider Never Been Kissed in 2021 followed in 2023 by Tropical Squall ($9).
• Tea Rose Form – The Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes has provided more Flight Stakes winning fillies than any other lead-up.

Flight Stakes Favourites 2026

Flight Stakes favourites for 2026 at time of publish include the autumn’s Group 2 Reisling Stakes winner Chayan, Chris Waller’s untapped daughter of Frankel Satin Serenade and Satono Glow who won her opening two career starts before a fourth in the Group 2 Percy Sykes.

Favourites have an excellent strike rate in the race with the last Flight Stakes favourite to win being Apocalyptic ($1.65 in 2025).

Flight Stakes Field 2026

The official Flight Stakes 2026 field is announced on the Tuesday of race week and will be published in full below. 

Flight Stakes 2026 Race Day

The Flight Stakes 2026 takes place on Saturday, October 3, 2026, as part of Epsom Handicap Day 2026 which features a triple shot of Group 1 racing action. Along with Flighty Stakes the other key features running at Royal Randwick that day are the:

• Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m),
• Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m),
• Group 2 Premiere Stakes (1200m),
• Group 3 Gimcarck Stakes (1000m), and the
• Group 3 Breeders’ Plate (1000m).

Flight Stakes 2026 Barrier Draw

The official Flight Stakes 2026 barrier draw is conducted the Tuesday of race week and will be available in our above Flight Stakes Field section.

Flight Stakes 2026 Nominations

2026 Flight Stakes nominations close 11 AM, Monday the 7th of September 2026.

Flight Stakes 2026 Weights

Set weights apply to this race. 2026 Flight Stakes weights are declared at 4 PM on the Tuesday of race week and will be published in our above Flight Stakes Field section. 

Flight Stakes 2026 Acceptances

2026 Flight Stakes final acceptances will be declared by 9 AM on the Tuesday of race week. The official Flight Stakes acceptances will be published in our above Flight Stakes Field section. 

Flight Stakes Jockeys 2026

Riders must be announced by 12 PM on the Wednesday of race week. The official 2026 Flight Stakes jockeys will be available in our above Flight Stakes Field section.

Flight Stakes 2026 Scratchings

2026 Flight Stakes scratchings will be announced at 7:30 AM on Saturday, October 3, 2026. 

Flight Stakes 2026 Prize Money

The total 2026 Flight Stakes prize purse is $750,000 – distributed to places first through tenth.

Place	Prize Money
1st	$430,500
2nd	$141,000
3rd	$74,250
4th	$33,375
5th	$18,375
6th	$7,500
7th	$7,500
8th	$7,500
9th	$7,500
10th	$7,500

Flight Stakes Race Number 2026

The 2026 Flight Stakes race number is TBC for Epsom Handicap Day on Saturday, October 3, 2026. There are ten races in total that day at Royal Randwick.

Flight Stakes 2026 Form Guide

The final form guide will be available the week of the race. You can check below for a link to our full Flight Stakes 2026 Form Guide following final acceptances. 

Flight Stakes Live 2026

You can watch or listen to the 2026 Flight Stakes live, across the following mediums.

Pay television: Sky Racing 1 (channel 526 on Foxtel)

Radio: Radio Sport National

Free-to-air television: Seven Network

Streaming: Racing NSW

Flight Stakes Winners

A list of the past Flight Stakes winners in Australia going back to 1964 can be found below. View a complete list of past Flight Stakes winners from the race’s inauguration to the present.

Year	Winner	Jockey	Trainer/s	Weight (kg)
2026	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD
2025	Apocalyptic	Tommy Berry	Michael Freedman	56
2024	Lady Shenandoa	Zac Lloyd	Chris Waller	56
2023	Tropical Squall	Adam Hyeronimus	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	56
2022	Zougotcha	James McDonald	Chris Waller	56
2021	Never Been Kissed	Regan Bayliss	Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott	56
2020	Montefilia	Hugh Bowman	David Payne	56
2019	Funstar	James McDonald	Chris Waller	56
2017	Oohood	Tim Clark	Tony McEvoy	56
2017	Alizee	Glyn Schofield	James Cummings	56
2016	Global Glamour	T. Clark	Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott	56
2015	Speak Fondly	T. Berry	Gai Waterhouse	56
2014	First Seal	B. Shinn	John P Thompson	56
2013	Guelph	K. McEvoy	PETER SNOWDEN	56
2012	Norzita (NZ)	H. Bowman	Bart Cummings	56
2011	Streama	H. Bowman	G H WALTER	56
2010	Secret Admirer	B. Avdulla	Grahame Begg	56
2009	More Joyous (NZ)	N. Rawiller	Gai Waterhouse	56
2008	Samantha Miss	H. Bowman	Kris Lees	56
2007	Race Not Run	–	–	–
2006	Cheeky Choice	H. Bowman	Gai Waterhouse	56
2005	Fashions Afield	D. Beasley	Gai Waterhouse	56
2004	Lotteria	J. Cassidy	Gai Waterhouse	56
2003	Unearthly	C. Brown	D A HAYES	56
2002	Royal Purler	P. Payne	Gregory Hickman	56
2001	Ha Ha	J. Cassidy	Gai Waterhouse	54
2000	Unworldly	L. Cassidy	J R HAWKES	54
1999	Danglissa	C. Munce	Gai Waterhouse	54
1998	Sunline (NZ)	L. Cassidy	T J MCKEE	54
1997	Only A Lady	G. Cooksley	Clarry Conners	54
1996	*Assertive Lass / Dashing Eagle	R.S. Dye / D. Beadman	Bart Cummings	54
1995	Pontal Lass	G. Boss	Gai Waterhouse	54
1994	Danarani	K. Moses	Clarry Conners	54
1993	Angst	C. Carmody	Bart Cummings	54
1992	Slight Chance (NZ)	G. Cooksley	R H THOMSEN	54
1991	Electrique	D. Beadman	F W MITCHELL	54
1990	Triscay	L. Dittman	J DENHAM	54
1989	A Little Kiss (NZ)	R.S. Dye	T J SMITH	54
1988	Research	L. Dittman	Clarry Conners	54
1987	Judyann	K. Moses	N C BEGG	54
1986	Bounding Away	L. Dittman	T J SMITH	54
1985	Tingo Tango	S. Scriven	D R BOUGOURE	54
1984	Goleen	M. Schumacher	I W HOCKING	54
1983	La Caissiere	R. Quinton	N C BEGG	54
1982	Gelsomino (NZ)	M. de Montfort	–	54
1981	Allez Show	G. Allendorf	–	54
1980	Fiancee	R. Quinton	–	54
1979	Snowing	J. Duggan	–	54
1978	Jubilee Walk	P. Cook	–	54
1977	Sun Sally	J. Duggan	–	54
1976	Apollua	J. Duggan	–	54
1975	Gloomy Isle	L. Olsen	–	54
1974	Cap D’Antibes	P. Cook	–	54
1973	Better Comment	K. Moses	–	54
1972	Siduri	K. Langby	–	54
1971	Better Gleam	G. Moore	–	8 7
1970	Tropic Jewel	D. Lake	–	8 7
1969	Natal Lass	G. Moore	–	8 7
1968	Flying Fable	G. Moore	–	8 7
1967	Flying Gauntlet	M. Schumacher	–	8 7
1966	Candy Floss	G. Moore	–	8 7
1965	Fawnia	R. Selkrig	–	8 7
1964	Reveille	G. Moore	–	8 7