Looking for this year’s Sydney Cup betting tips, field and form guide? The experts at Neds have put together everything you need to know before this year’s race.
Sydney Cup 2026 Results
The official 2026 Sydney Cup results will be available below once the race takes place on Saturday, April 11, 2026.
- #3 Changingoftheguard
- #4 Soul Of Spain
- #15 Highland Bling
Kris Lees’ Galileo seven-year-old Changingoftheguard ($51) was enormous up in trip on the quick back-up leading all-the-way for an upset 2026 Sydney Cup result for the ages. Rated to perfection by jockey Jason Collett, the galloper hit the front early from a good gate three draw and never relinquished his lead holding on to deny the fast-finishing Soul Of Spain with the still untapped Adelaide Cup runner-up Highland Bling in third.
2026 Sydney Cup Odds
Sydney Cup 2026 Results
| 3. Changingoftheguard (3) J: Jason Collett 55.5kg 9×699 T: Kris Lees | ||
| 4. Soul Of Spain (11) J: Tommy Berry 54.5kg x9426 T: Chris Waller | ||
| 15. Highland Bling (2) J: Ben Thompson 51kg 2×522 T: Phillip Stokes | ||
| 9. Athabascan (4) J: Tom Sherry 53kg x0285 T: Tom Charlton | ||
| 14. Litzdeel (6) J: Tyler Schiller 51kg 1×022 T: Danny O’brien | ||
| 8. Piggyback (7) J: Zac Lloyd 53kg x5145 T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 1. River Of Stars (5) J: James McDonald 56.5kg 4×044 T: Chris Waller | ||
| 13. Newlook (1) J: Rachel King 51kg 0x551 T: Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | ||
| 10. Juja Kibo (9) J: Craig Williams 52kg x9333 T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 6. Valiant King (10) J: Jye Mcneil 54.5kg 0x867 T: Chris Waller | ||
| 11. Mr Monaco (14) J: Jamie Melham 52kg 1×511 T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 5. Whisky On The Hill (13) J: Damian Lane 54.5kg x5661 T: Glen Thompson | ||
| 16. Hutchence (12) J: Alysha Collett 51kg x0579 T: Chris Waller | ||
| 12. Machine Gun Gracie (8) J: Luke Cartwright 51kg 44×91 T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |
Sydney Cup 2026 Tips
Our exclusive 2026 Sydney Cup tips will be detailed here the week of the race and a full betting preview published on the Neds Blog.
CLICK HERE FOR OUR COMPLETE 2026 THE CHAMPIONSHIPS DAY 2 PREVIEW & TIPS
| 2. Campaldino (14) Scratched: | |||
| 5. Whisky On The Hill (13) J: Damian Lane 54.5kg x5661 T: Glen Thompson |
| 15. Highland Bling (2) J: Ben Thompson 51kg 2×522 T: Phillip Stokes |
Run over 3,200 metres every March at Randwick Racecourse as the staying feature race on Day 2 of ‘The Championships’ each April, the Group 1 Sydney Cup is a lucrative $2 million handicap contest that attracts a quality line-up of gallopers each Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.
The Group 2 Chairman’s Handicap (2600m) run the Saturday prior is the traditional Sydney Cup lead-up and The Offer (2014) followed by Circle Of Fire (2024) are the latest horses to do the double.
The previous spring’s Melbourne Cup winner often returns as the Sydney Cup top-weight in the autumn, but the interstate double hasn’t been completed in the same season since Makybe Diva (2003-04).
Sydney Cup 2026 – Quick Information
- Race Day: Saturday, April 11, 2026
- Track Location: Randwick Racecourse
- Track Surface: Turf
- Track Direction: Right-handed
- Race Distance: 3,200 metres
- Weight Conditions: Handicap
- Qualification: Three-year-olds and older
- Type: Thoroughbred
- Grade: Group 1
- Operator: Australian Turf Club
- Prize Purse: $2,000,000
- Inaugural Race: 1862
- 2026 Sydney Cup Winner: Changingoftheguard
Sydney Cup Betting 2026
There are many different ways to bet on the Sydney Cup, and we have included some of the most popular options below:
| Bet Type | How To Place This Type of Bet on This Year’s Sydney Cup |
|---|---|
| Win Bet | Place your bet on the horse you think will take first place in this year’s Sydney Cup. |
| Place Bet | Place your bet on the horse you think will place in the top three finishers at this year’s Sydney Cup. Pays less than a win bet but offers safer odds. |
| Each-Way Bet | If your runner finishes 1st in the Sydney Cup, 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 Sydney Cup, in order to win the Quinella. |
| Exacta Bet | You must select the runners that finish 1st and 2nd in the correct order, within the Sydney Cup to win the Exacta. |
| Trifecta Bet | You must select runners to finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the correct order, within the Sydney Cup to win the Trifecta. |
| First Four | You must select runners that finish 1st, 2nd ,3rd and 4th in the correct order, within the Sydney Cup 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 Sydney Cup, in order to be eligible to place a Quaddie. |
How To Bet on the Sydney Cup in 2026
- Login 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 Sydney Cup Betting above).
- Select the horse(s) for the race.
Which Horse Will Win the Sydney Cup in 2026
The best way to pick which horse will win the Sydney Cup in [cf “year”] is to take into account their lead-up autumn staying form, assess the barriers, consider the weight the horse will carry and look for the proven Group 1 stayers in the mix.
Additional factors to consider when picking the Sydney Cup winner include:
- Top 4 Lead-Ups: Since 2006 Stand To Gain (2011), Explosive Jack (2023) and Chairman’s Quality 9th placegetter Changingoftheguard (2026) are the only Sydney Cup winners to finish out of the top four in their lead-up run.
- Back the Boys: Only two mares – Etah James (2020) and Jessicabeel (2010) – have beaten the boys in the Sydney Cup results over the past three decades.
Sydney Cup Favourites 2026
Favourites in 2026 Sydney Cup betting at time of publish include the Ciaron Maher-trained NE Manion Cup winner Mr Monaco chasing a hat-trick, Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott’s Group 2 Chairman’s Quality runner-up from last weekend Campaldino and Chris Waller’s proven two-miler Soul Of Spain set to relish a step up in trip.
From 2005-2026 seven Sydney Cup favourites have saluted for the punters, with Circle Of Fire ($5.50 in 2024) the first since The Offer (2014).
Sydney Cup 2026 Field
The official 2026 Sydney Cup field of final acceptances is announced on the Tuesday of race week and will be published in full below once announced.
The 2026 Sydney Cup final field features 16 class stayers led in betting by the widely drawn Ciaron Maher-trained NE Manion Cup champ Mr Monaco.
| Entrant | Last 6 | Sex | Barrier | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. River Of Stars
J: James McDonald
T: Chris Waller |
24x044 | M | 5 | 56.5kg | |
| 2. Campaldino (14) Scratched: | |||||
|
3. Changingoftheguard
J: Jason Collett
T: Kris Lees |
69x699 | G | 3 | 55.5kg | |
|
4. Soul Of Spain
J: Tommy Berry
T: Chris Waller |
3x9426 | G | 11 | 54.5kg | |
|
5. Whisky On The Hill
J: Damian Lane
T: Glen Thompson |
1x5661 | G | 13 | 54.5kg | |
|
6. Valiant King
J: Jye Mcneil
T: Chris Waller |
30x867 | G | 10 | 54.5kg | |
| 7. Paradise Storm (4) Scratched: | |||||
|
8. Piggyback
J: Zac Lloyd
T: Ciaron Maher |
8x5145 | M | 7 | 53kg | |
|
9. Athabascan
J: Tom Sherry
T: Tom Charlton |
0x0285 | G | 4 | 53kg | |
|
10. Juja Kibo
J: Craig Williams
T: Ciaron Maher |
3x9333 | G | 9 | 52kg | |
|
11. Mr Monaco
J: Jamie Melham
T: Ciaron Maher |
81x511 | G | 14 | 52kg | |
|
12. Machine Gun Gracie
J: Luke Cartwright
T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |
x44x91 | M | 8 | 51kg | |
|
13. Newlook
J: Rachel King
T: Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
80x551 | G | 1 | 51kg | |
|
14. Litzdeel
J: Tyler Schiller
T: Danny O'brien |
21x022 | M | 6 | 51kg | |
|
15. Highland Bling
J: Ben Thompson
T: Phillip Stokes |
12x522 | G | 2 | 51kg | |
|
16. Hutchence
J: Alysha Collett
T: Chris Waller |
7x0579 | G | 12 | 51kg | |
Sydney Cup Race Day 2026
The 2026 Sydney Cup takes place as part of Day 2 of ‘The Championships’ at Royal Randwick running on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Along with the Sydney Cup the meeting features a further three other Group 1 events with the running of the:
- Group 1 $5 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m),
- Group 1 $1 million Australian Oaks (2400m), and the
- Group 1 $1 million Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m).
Sydney Cup Barrier Draw 2026
The 2026 Sydney Cup barrier draw will be released to the public a few days before the race and will be published in our above Sydney Cup Field section.
Sydney Cup Nominations 2026
2026 Sydney Cup nominations are taken on Tuesday the 10th of February 2026.
The Sydney Cup 2026 nominations drew 80 autumn stayers with betting on the two-mile classic currently led by the Chris Waller-trained Caulfield Cup third placegetter from the spring Valiant King.
Sydney Cup First Acceptances 2026
2026 Sydney Cup first acceptances are taken on Tuesday the 10th of March 2026.
Sydney Cup Weights 2026
Handicap conditions apply to this race. The minimum weight is 49kgs. 2026 Sydney Cup weights are announced at 4 PM on Tuesday the 25th of February 2025 with weights on the final acceptors to be published in our above Sydney Cup Field section the week of the race.
2026 Sydney Cup Topweight:
- No. 1 River Of Stars (56.5kg)
Sydney Cup Acceptances 2026
2026 Sydney Cup final acceptances must be declared before 9 AM on the Tuesday of race week and will be published in our above Sydney Cup Field section.
Sydney Cup Jockeys 2026
The final riders’ announcement is at 12 PM on the Wednesday of race week with the official 2026 Sydney Cup jockeys to be published in our above Sydney Cup Field section.
Sydney Cup Scratchings 2026
2026 Sydney Cup scratchings close at 7:30 AM on Saturday, April 11, 2026.
Sydney Cup Prize Money 2026
The 2026 Sydney Cup prize purse is worth $2,000,000 in total, distributed from places first through to tenth.
| Place | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| 1st | $1,160,000 |
| 2nd | $380,000 |
| 3rd | $195,000 |
| 4th | $90,000 |
| 5th | $45,000 |
| 6th | $20,000 |
| 7th | $20,000 |
| 8th | $20,000 |
| 9th | $15,00 |
| 10th | $15,000 |
Sydney Cup Race Number 2026
The 2026 Sydney Cup race number is scheduled as Randwick Race 7 at 3:15pm (AEST) on Saturday, April 11, 2026. There are ten races in total that day at Randwick Racecourse.
Sydney Cup 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 Sydney Cup Form Guide following final acceptances.
CLICK HERE FOR OUR FULL 2026 SYDNEY CUP FORM GUIDE
Sydney Cup Live 2026
You can watch or listen to the 2026 Sydney Cup live, across the following mediums.
Pay television: Sky Racing 1 (channel 526 on Foxtel)
Radio: Radio Sport National
Free to air television: Network Seven
Streaming: Racing NSW
Sydney Cup Winners
Winners of the Sydney Cup going back to the year 2000 are displayed in the table below. To view a complete list of past Sydney Cup winners from the race’s inauguration in 1862 – the present visit our Sydney Cup winners’ page here.
In 2025 Arapaho won the Sydney Cup in a record time of 3 minutes 18.31 seconds.
| Year | Winner | Runner-Up | Third | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Changingoftheguard | Soul Of Spain | Highland Bling | 3:23.27 |
| 2025 | Arapaho | Waltham | River Of Stars | 3:18.31 |
| 2024 | Circle Of Fire | Athabascan | Kalapour | 3:20.89 |
| 2023 | Explosive Jack | True Marvel | Knights Order | 3:26.9 |
| 2022 | Knights Order | Sheraz | Daqiansweet Junior | 3:32.2 |
| 2021 | Selino | Rondinella | Miami Bound | 3:23.1 |
| 2020 | Etah James | The Chosen One | Raheen House | 3:28.4 |
| 2019 | Shraaoh | Vengeur Masque | Glory Days | 3:22.0 |
| 2018 | Who Shot Thebarman | Zacada | Sir Charles Road | 3:20.0 |
| 2017 | Polarisation | Who Shot Thebarman | Big Duke | 3:29.1 |
| 2016 | Gallante | Libran | Grand Marshal | 3:24.5 |
| 2015 | Grand Marshal | Who Shot Thebarman | Like A Carousel | 3:24.7 |
| 2014 | The Offer | Opinion | Sertorius | 3:23.8 |
| 2013 | Mourayan | Norsqui | Aliyana Tilde | 3:24.2 |
| 2012 | Niwot | Efficient | Once Were Wild | 3:20.4 |
| 2011 | Stand To Gain | Older Than Time | Solid Billing | 3:29.1 |
| 2010 | Jessicabeel | Divine Rebel | Harris Tweed | 3:21.8 |
| 2009 | Ista Kareem | Divine Rebel | Mr Tipsy | 3:27.4 |
| 2008 | No Wine No Song | Pentathon | Lang | 3:25.5 |
| 2007 | Gallic | Irazu | No Wine No Song | 3:27.3 |
| 2006 | County Tyrone | Zabeat | Three Chimneys | 3:22.6 |
| 2005 | Mahtoum | County Tyrone | Philosophe | 3:27.6 |
| 2004 | Makybe Diva | Manawa King | Mummify | 3:21.2 |
| 2003 | Honor Babe | County Tyrone | Grey Song | 3:30.5 |
| 2002 | Henderson Bay | Mr. Prudent | Spirit of Westbury | 3:26.7 |
| 2001 | Mr. Prudent | Prophet’s Kiss | Starina | 3:26.9 |
| 2000 | Streak | Sharscay | Ears’ Ronny | 3:30.3 |