Looking for this year’s Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) betting markets, race day tips and odds? The experts at Neds have put together everything you need to know before this year’s race.
Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) 2026 Results
The official 2026 Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) results will be available below once the race takes place on Saturday, January 31, 2026.
- #4 Willaidow
- #2 The Instructor
- #1 Zarastro
Willaidow ($4.60) kicked off his campaign in style with a gritty yet authoritative win in the 2026 JRA Plate (Southern Cross Stakes) results at Rosehill, giving the Marc and Mitchell Conners training partnership a milestone moment. The seven‑year‑old Shamus Award gelding was held up until the final stages but, once James McDonald found clear air, he unleashed a sharp late surge to reel in The Instructor and score in a tight but deserved finish. Stopping the clock at 1:09.12, the victory secured back‑to‑back wins in the Group 3 feature and delivered the Conners duo their first stakes success together—a fitting achievement for a family steeped in racing tradition.
| 4. Willaidow (2) J: James McDonald56kg x576xT: Marc & Mitchell Conners | ||
| 2. The Instructor (5) J: Adam Hyeronimus58.5kg 16x27T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | ||
| 1. Zarastro (4) J: Angela Jones59kg 2x40xT: Tony Gollan | ||
| 7. Fire Star (3) J: Andrew Adkins53kg 02825T: Peter Snowden | ||
| 8. Meridiana (1) J: Zac Lloyd53kg 1212xT: John Sargent | ||
| 5. Disneck (7) J: Josh Parr55.5kg 958x1T: Bjorn Baker | ||
| 6. Enriched (6) J: Tommy Berry55kg 3121xT: Michael Freedman |
Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) 2026 Tips
Our insider 2026 Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) tips will be detailed here the week of the race and a full betting preview available on the Neds Blog.
Run over 1,200 metres in February at Rosehill Gardens, the Southern Cross Stakes – run in 2026 as the JRA Plate – is a quality handicap sprint open to horses aged three-years-old and over.
It was previously held a little later in the month at Randwick on Apollo Stakes Day but has moved forward to head its own feature meeting as of 2024 at Rosehill Gardens.
The Group 3 event is a nice early starting point for gallopers eyeing tougher races over the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival and can serve as a potential lead-up to the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Randwick. Le Romain (2017) and Lady Laguna (2024) are the latest to do the Southern Cross – Canterbury Stakes double.
The 2021 Southern Cross Stakes winner Masked Crusader went on to finish runner-up in the Canterbury Stakes, win Melbourne’s Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m) and finish second in the TJ Smith Stakes that autumn. His spring was also impressive and headlined by a second in the world’s richest turf race – the now $20 million The Everest (1200m).
Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) 2026 – Quick Information
- 2026 Race Name: JRA Plate
- Race Day: Saturday, January 31, 2026
- Track Location: Rosehill Racecourse
- Track Surface: Turf
- Track Direction: Right-handed
- Race Distance: 1,200 metres
- Weight Conditions: Set weights (plus penalties)
- Qualification: Three-years-old and older
- Type: Thoroughbred
- Grade: Group 3
- Operator: Australian Turf Club
- Prize Purse: $250,000
- Inaugural Race: 1940
- 2026 Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) Winner: Willaidow
Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) Betting 2026
There are many different ways to bet on the Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate), and we have included some of the most popular options below:
| Bet Type | How To Place This Type of Bet on This Year’s Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) |
|---|---|
| Win Bet | Place your bet on the horse you think will take first place in this year’s Southern Cross Stakes. |
| Place Bet | Place your bet on the horse you think will place in the top three finishers at this year’s Southern Cross Stakes. Pays less than a win bet but offers safer odds. |
| Each-Way Bet | If your runner finishes 1st in the Southern Cross 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 Southern Cross 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 Southern Cross Stakes to win the Exacta. |
| Trifecta Bet | You must select runners to finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the correct order, within the Southern Cross Stakes to win the Trifecta. |
| First Four | You must select runners that finish 1st, 2nd ,3rd and 4th in the correct order, within the Southern Cross 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 Southern Cross Stakes, in order to be eligible to place a Quaddie. |
How To Bet on the Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) in 2026
- Log in at neds.com.au
- Make a deposit, using your credit card, PayPal or other safe electronic method
- Make sure to check out form guide, once it’s released
- Decide what kind of bet you’re going to place (Win, Place, Each-Way, Trifecta + more betting options, please read our section on Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) Betting above).
- Select the horse(s) for the race.
Which Horse Will Win the Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) in 2026
The best way to pick which horse will win the Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) in 2026 is to take into account their previous Sydney racing form, assess the barrier draw and look for the class Group performers in the mix.
Additional factors to consider when picking the Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) winner include:
- Favourites – The shorter-priced runners, many down in grade off Group 1 runs the previous campaign, do well in this race.
- Boys’ Club – The mares have a fairly ordinary strike-rate in this race with just three saluting since 2010 most recently Eckstein (2019) and Lady Laguna (2024).
Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) Favourites 2026
Favourites in 2026 Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) betting include Michael Freedman’s resuming Group 2 Arrowfield Sprint winner Enriched, the Tony Gollan trained Group 1 runner-up Zarastro, and Russian Revolution five-year-old The Instructor with the fitness edge.
Special Reward ($3 in 2020), Masked Crusader ($2.25 in 2021), Lost And Running ($2.20 in 2022), and Lady Laguna ($2.25 in 2024) are the last Southern Cross Stakes favourites to win.
Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) 2026 Field
The official 2026 Southern Cross Stakes field of final acceptances is announced on the Wednesday of race week and will be published in full below.
The 2026 JRA Plate (Southern Cross Stakes) final field features a small but competitive line-up of autumn bound sprinters including the resuming Tony Gollan trained topweight Zarastro and John Sargent’s consistent mare Meridiana drawn the rails.
| Entrant | Last 6 | Sex | Barrier | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. Zarastro
J: Angela Jones
T: Tony Gollan |
52x40x | G | 4 | 59kg | |
|
2. The Instructor
J: Adam Hyeronimus
T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
316x27 | G | 5 | 58.5kg | |
| 3. Compelling Truth (6) Scratched: | |||||
|
4. Willaidow
J: James McDonald
T: Marc & Mitchell Conners |
8x576x | G | 2 | 56kg | |
|
5. Disneck
J: Josh Parr
T: Bjorn Baker |
1958x1 | G | 7 | 55.5kg | |
|
6. Enriched
J: Tommy Berry
T: Michael Freedman |
x3121x | H | 6 | 55kg | |
|
7. Fire Star
J: Andrew Adkins
T: Peter Snowden |
002825 | G | 3 | 53kg | |
|
8. Meridiana
J: Zac Lloyd
T: John Sargent |
x1212x | M | 1 | 53kg | |
Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) Race Day 2026
The 2026 Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) takes place at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse on Saturday, January 31, 2026. The other key events on the card include the:
- Group 3 $250,000 Widden Stakes (1100m), and the
- Group 3 $250,000 Canonbury Stakes (1100m).
Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) Barrier Draw 2026
The 2026 Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) barrier draw will be released to the public a few days before the race and will be published in our above Southern Cross Stakes Field section.
Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) Nominations 2026
2026 Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) nominations close at 11:00 AM on the Monday of race week.
2026 Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) nominations extended until 11:00am (AEDT) – 27/01/2026
| Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 121x160x33 | CANDLEWICK | M | 4 | Joseph Pride | 76 |
| 2 | 1630x3121x | ENRICHED | H | 4 | Michael Freedman | 98 |
| 3 | 30×1002825 | FIRE STAR | G | 5 | Peter Snowden | 94 |
| 4 | 80x7075x0x | JOHNNY ROCKER | G | 6 | Bjorn Baker | 95 |
| 5 | 0x11316x27 | THE INSTRUCTOR | G | 5 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | |
| 6 | 52048x576x | WILLAIDOW | G | 7 | Marc & Mitchell Conners | 100 |
| 7 | 271x52x40x | ZARASTRO | G | 7 | Tony Gollan |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) Weights 2026
Quality handicap conditions apply to this race. Final weights are announced at 4:00 PM on the Tuesday of race week with the official 2026 Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) weights on the final acceptances to be published in our above Southern Cross Stakes Field section.
Lost And Running (61kg in 2022) is the last Southern Cross Stakes topweight to win.
2026 Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) Topweight:
- No. 1 Zarastro (59kg)
Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) Acceptances 2026
2026 Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) final acceptances must be declared before 9:00 AM on the Wednesday of race week and will be published in our above Southern Cross Stakes Field section.
Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) Jockeys 2026
The final riders must be announced by 12:00 PM on the Wednesday of race week with the official 2026 Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) jockeys to be published in our above Southern Cross Stakes Field section.
Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) Scratchings 2026
2026 Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) scratchings close at 7:30 AM on Saturday, January 31, 2026.
Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) Prize Money 2026
The 2026 Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) prize purse is worth $250,000 in total, distributed from places first through tenth.
| Place | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| 1st | $140,000 |
| 2nd | $46,250 |
| 3rd | $22,400 |
| 4th | $11,000 |
| 5th | $6,100 |
| 6th | $4,000 |
| 7th | $3,500 |
| 8th | $3,500 |
| 9th | $3,500 |
| 10th | $3,500 |
Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) Race Number 2026
The 2026 Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) race number is scheduled as Rosehill Race 8 at 4:45pm (AEDT) on Saturday, January 31, 2026. There are ten races in total that day at Rosehill Racecourse.
Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) Form Guide 2026
The final form guide will be available the week of the race. You can check below for a link to our full 2026 Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) Form Guide following final acceptances.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2026 JRA PLATE FORM GUIDE
Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) Live 2026
You can watch or listen to the 2026 Southern Cross Stakes (JRA Plate) live, across the following mediums.
Pay television: Sky Racing 1 (channel 526 on Foxtel)
Radio: Radio Sport National
Streaming: Racing NSW
Southern Cross Stakes / JRA Plate Winners
Winners of the Southern Cross Stakes / JRA Plate going back to the year 2000 are displayed in the table below.
| Year | Winner | Trainer/s | Jockey | Weight | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Willaidow | Marc & Mitchell Conners | James McDonald | 56 kgs | 1:09.12 |
| 2025 | Willaidow | Marc Conners | Tyler Schiller | 54 kgs | 1:09.44 |
| 2024 | Lady Laguna | Annabel Neasham | James McDonald | 56 kgs | 1:08.74 |
| 2023 | Quantico | John O’Shea | Kerrin McEvoy | 55 kgs | 1:09.57 |
| 2022 | Lost And Running | John O’Shea | Hugh Bowman | 61 kgs | 1:09.54 |
| 2021 | Masked Crusader | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Tommy Berry | 53.5 kgs | 1:10.62 |
| 2020 | Special Reward | Kris Lees | Brenton Avdulla | 54 kgs | 1:10.02 |
| 2019 | Eckstein | Kurt Goldman | Sam Clipperton | 54.5 kgs | 1:09.16 |
| 2018 | Kaepernick | John O’Shea | Brenton Avdulla | 55.5 kgs | 1:10.53 |
| 2017 | Le Romain | Kris Lees | Hugh Bowman | 61 kgs | 1:10.39 |
| 2016 | Big Money | Rodney Northam | Robert Thompson | 57.5 kgs | 1:09.46 |
| 2015 | Heart Testa | Chris Waller | Jason Collett | 55 kgs | 1:09.61 |
| 2014 | Terravista | Joseph Pride | Jason Collett | 54 kgs | 1:08.63 |
| 2013 | Skytrain | Peter Snowden | Joshua Parr | 57 kgs | 1:13.57 |
| 2012 | No Evidence Needed | John Thompson | Joao Moreira | 55 kgs | 1:10.06 |
| 2011 | Sister Madly | Anthony Cummings | Rod Quinn | 53 kgs | 1:08.59 |
| 2010 | Kenny’s World | Graeme Murray | Corey Brown | 53 kgs | 1:11.05 |
| 2009 | Marchinski | Tracey Bartley | Grant Buckley | 53 kgs | 1:10.12 |
| 2008 | Hoystar | Peter Snowden | Danny Nikolic | 53 kgs | 1:10.09 |
| 2007 | The Free Stater | Paul Cave | James Innes | 53 kgs | 1:08.75 |
| 2006 | Collate | Allan Denham | Zac Purton | 53.5 kgs | 1:09.59 |
| 2005 | Cool Front | John O’Shea | Darren Beadman | 52 kgs | 1:10.18 |
| 2004 | Britt’s Best | Kris Lees | Larry Cassidy | 53.5 kgs | 1:10.00 |
| 2003 | Gordo | John Hawkes | Corey Brown | 54.5 kgs | 1:10.19 |
| 2002 | Lord Essex | John Hawkes | Rod Quinn | 54.5 kgs | 1:10.29 |
| 2001 | Ab Initio | John Hawkes | Larry Cassidy | 56 kgs | 1:09.00 |
| 2000 | Pimpala Prince | Gordon Yorke | Shane Treweek | 54.5 kgs | 1:09.83 |