Looking for this year’s MRC Foundation Cup (TS Carlyon Cup) betting markets, field and racing tips? The experts at Neds have put together everything you need to know before this year’s race.
MRC Foundation Cup (TS Carlyon Cup) 2026 Results
The official 2026 MRC Foundation Cup (TS Carlyon Cup) results will be available below once the race takes place on Saturday, February 7, 2026.
- #1 Light Infantry Man
- #11 Immediacy
- #7 Holymanz
Ciaron Maher’s evergreen seven-year-old Light Infantry Man ($4.20) proved a class above diving right on the line to post a narrow first-up win in the 2026 MRC Foundation Cup results at Caulfield on Saturday, producing a strong staying performance to secure the Group 3 and lock in his spring credentials. Settling midfield with a smooth run throughout, the talented import built momentum approaching the turn before powering clear in the straight and showing plenty of fight to run down the leader for a tight but convincing victory ahead of the autumn majors.
| 1. Light Infantry Man (10) J: Ethan Brown60kg 9552xT: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 11. Immediacy (1) J: John Allen57kg 6110xT: Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | ||
| 7. Holymanz (3) J: Ben Allen58kg x8315T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 6. Regal Zeus (4) J: Jamie Mott58kg 01011T: John Mcardle | ||
| 4. Whisky On The Hill (11) J: Damian Lane58.5kg 1351xT: Glen Thompson | ||
| 5. Rise At Dawn (2) J: Jamie Melham58kg 32345T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes | ||
| 8. Air Assault (12) J: Lachlan Neindorf58kg 1168xT: Andrew Gluyas | ||
| 12. Welcometotheshow (9) J: Luke Currie57kg 31111T: Tyler Donaldson-Aitken | ||
| 3. Casino Seventeen (7) J: Thomas Stockdale58.5kg 2510xT: Gavin Bedggood | ||
| 14. Litzdeel (8) J: Craig Williams56.5kg 5421xT: Danny O'brien | ||
| 9. Attrition (5) J: Dean Yendall57kg 246x8T: Mitchell Freedman | ||
| 13. Saganti (14) J: Beau Mertens57kg x35x7T: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr | ||
| 2. Willydoit (13) J: Michael Dee60kg x879xT: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 10. Charterhouse (6) J: Harry Coffey57kg 41007T: Gavin Bedggood |
MRC Foundation Cup (TS Carlyon Cup) 2026 Tips
Our insider 2026 MRC Foundation Cup (TS Carlyon Cup) tips will be detailed above the week of the race and a full betting preview available on the Neds Blog.
Run over 1,600 metres in February at Caulfield Racecourse* on Rubiton Stakes Day, the T.S. Carlyon Cup – currently run as the MRC Foundation Cup – is a Group 3 event offering $200,000 in prize money.
*In 2023 the 2023 TS Carlyon Cup and C.F. Orr Stakes Day card ran at Ladbrokes Park Hillside, Sandown.
The set weights plus penalties clash is open to horses aged four-years-old and above and serves as a nice lead-up to some of the tougher races of the Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival.
The best out of the TS Carlyon Cup often back-up in the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) back at the track on Blue Diamond Stakes Day and Avilius (2019) and Miss Siska (2020) both recently completed the double.
Often the TS Carlyon Cup serves as an early lead-up into the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington and the last horse to do the double was Manighar (2012).
In 2023 the Carlyon Cup champ, Pounding, went on to run third in that year’s Australian Cup results.
The 2025 Carlyon Cup ran as the JRA Plate and was won by the reigning Caulfield Cup winner Duke De Sessa in an upset.
In 2026 the event was renamed and run as the MRC Foundation Cup and saw the previous autumn’s Australian Cup champion Light Infantry Man win first-up and hand trainer Ciaron Maher with a third straight win in the event.
MRC Foundation Cup (T.S. Carlyon Cup) 2026 – Quick Information
- Race Day: Saturday, February 7, 2026
- Track Location: Caulfield Racecourse
- Track Surface: Turf
- Track Direction: Left-handed
- Race Distance: 1,600 metres
- Weight Conditions: Set weights (plus penalties)
- Qualification: Open
- Type: Thoroughbred
- Grade: Group 3
- Operator: Melbourne Racing Club
- Prize Purse: $200,000
- Inaugural Race: 1977
- 2026 MRC Foundation Cup Winner: Light Infantry Man
MRC Foundation Cup (TS Carlyon Cup) Betting 2026
There are many different ways to bet on the MRC Foundation Cup (T.S. Carlyon 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 MRC Foundation Cup (T.S. Carlyon Cup) |
|---|---|
| Win Bet | Place your bet on the horse you think will take first place in this year’s T.S. Carlyon Cup. |
| Place Bet | Place your bet on the horse you think will place in the top three finishers at this year’s T.S. Carlyon Cup. Pays less than a win bet but offers safer odds. |
| Each-Way Bet | If your runner finishes 1st in the T.S. Carlyon 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 T.S. Carlyon 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 T.S. Carlyon Cup to win the Exacta. |
| Trifecta Bet | You must select runners to finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the correct order, within the T.S. Carlyon Cup to win the Trifecta. |
| First Four | You must select runners that finish 1st, 2nd ,3rd and 4th in the correct order, within the T.S. Carlyon 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 T.S. Carlyon Cup, in order to be eligible to place a Quaddie. |
How To Bet on the MRC Foundation Cup (TS Carlyon Cup) 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 T.S. Carlyon Cup Betting above).
- Select the horse(s) for the race.
Which Horse Will Win the MRC Foundation Cup (TS Carlyon Cup) in 2026?
The best way to pick which horse will win the MRC Foundation Cup (T.S. Carlyon Cup) in 2026 is to take into account their lead-up autumn form, assess the barrier draw, consider the weight the horse will carry and look for the proven performers at the track in the mix.
Additional factors to consider when picking the MRC Foundation Cup (TS Carlyon Cup) winner include:
- Seasons Beginnings – This will be the first run of the season for a lot of horses. Look for strong performers coming out of a spell with a good first-up record. Light Infantry Man (2026) was the last first-up winner of the event.
- Older Runners – Horses aged five and above have the best record in the race with Publishing (2008) followed by Pounding (2023) the last four-year-old TS Carlyon Cup winners.
- Boys’ Club – The mares have a poor record against the male gallopers in the event with Miss Siska (2020) the first to win since 2005. Yonce (2024) was the last TS Carlyon Cup winning mare.
MRC Foundation Cup (TS Carlyon Cup) Favourites 2026
Early favourites in 2026 MRC Foundation Cup (TS Carlyon Cup) betting include Ciaron Maher’s two-time Group 1 champion Light Infantry Man, in-form Zoustar five-year-old Regal Zeus chasing a hat-trick after back-to-back Black-Type wins this summer, and last year’s NZ Derby winner across the Tasman Willydoit.
Miss Siska ($2.20 in 2020) followed by Best Of Days ($3.30 in 2021) are the latest TS Carlyon Cup favourites to win. Miss Siska also finished runner-up in the 2021 results when missing out on back-to-back victories in the event.
Duke De Sessa (2025) caused a boilover winning at a $17 starting price!
MRC Foundation Cup (TS Carlyon Cup) 2026 Field
The official 2026 MRC Foundation Cup (T.S. Carlyon Cup) field of final acceptances is set for release the Wednesday of race week and will be published in full below.
The MRC Foundation Cup 2026 final field features a strong line-up of older milers including Ciaron Maher’s resuming Australian Cup champ from last autumn Light Infantry Man and NZ Derby champ Willydoit now also with Maher down under.
| Entrant | Last 6 | Sex | Barrier | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. Light Infantry Man
J: Ethan Brown
T: Ciaron Maher |
69552x | G | 10 | 60kg | |
|
2. Willydoit
J: Michael Dee
T: Ciaron Maher |
4x879x | G | 13 | 60kg | |
|
3. Casino Seventeen
J: Thomas Stockdale
T: Gavin Bedggood |
82510x | G | 7 | 58.5kg | |
|
4. Whisky On The Hill
J: Damian Lane
T: Glen Thompson |
91351x | G | 11 | 58.5kg | |
|
5. Rise At Dawn
J: Jamie Melham
T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |
x32345 | G | 2 | 58kg | |
|
6. Regal Zeus
J: Jamie Mott
T: John Mcardle |
501011 | G | 4 | 58kg | |
|
7. Holymanz
J: Ben Allen
T: Ciaron Maher |
7x8315 | G | 3 | 58kg | |
|
8. Air Assault
J: Lachlan Neindorf
T: Andrew Gluyas |
81168x | G | 12 | 58kg | |
|
9. Attrition
J: Dean Yendall
T: Mitchell Freedman |
3246x8 | H | 5 | 57kg | |
|
10. Charterhouse
J: Harry Coffey
T: Gavin Bedggood |
841007 | G | 6 | 57kg | |
|
11. Immediacy
J: John Allen
T: Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
x6110x | G | 1 | 57kg | |
|
12. Welcometotheshow
J: Luke Currie
T: Tyler Donaldson-Aitken |
231111 | H | 9 | 57kg | |
|
13. Saganti
J: Beau Mertens
T: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr |
5x35x7 | G | 14 | 57kg | |
|
14. Litzdeel
J: Craig Williams
T: Danny O'brien |
x5421x | M | 8 | 56.5kg |
MRC Foundation Cup (T.S. Carlyon Cup) Race Day 2026
The 2026 MRC Foundation Cup (TS Carlyon Cup) takes place on Saturday, February 7, 2026 at Caulfield Racecourse. The key races on the card include the:
- Group 2 $300,000 Rubiton Stakes (1100m),
- Group 2 $350,000 Blue Diamond Prelude Fillies (1100m),
- Group 3 $350,000 Blue Diamond Prelude Colts & Geldings (1100m),
- Group 3 $200,000 Peter Le Grand Stakes (1100m) – formerly the Kevin Hayes Stakes,
- Group 3 $200,000 Kevin Heffernan Stakes (1400m), and the
- Group 2 $300,000 Autumn Stakes (1400m).
MRC Foundation Cup (TS Carlyon Cup) Barrier Draw 2026
The 2026 MRC Foundation Cup (T.S. Carlyon Cup) barrier draw will be released to the public a few days before the race and will be published in our above TS Carlyon Cup Field section.
MRC Foundation Cup (TS Carlyon Cup) Nominations 2026
2026 MRC Foundation Cup (TS Carlyon Cup nominations) close at 12:00 PM on the Monday of race week.
| Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 464x81168x | AIR ASSAULT | G | 5 | Andrew Gluyas | 100 |
| 2 | 8x933246x8 | ATTRITION | H | 6 | Mitchell Freedman | 110 |
| 3 | 276582510x | CASINO SEVENTEEN | G | 8 | Gavin Bedggood | 104 |
| 4 | 583841007x | CHARTERHOUSE (GB) | G | 8 | Gavin Bedggood | 94 |
| 5 | 32334x997x | GO DADDY (IRE) | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher | 88 |
| 6 | 08237×8315 | HOLYMANZ (NZ) | G | 6 | Ciaron Maher | 101 |
| 7 | 6707x6110x | IMMEDIACY (NZ) | G | 5 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 99 |
| 8 | 607×824004 | JENNILALA | M | 6 | Gavin Bedggood | 98 |
| 9 | 10x069552x | LIGHT INFANTRY MAN (FR) | G | 7 | Ciaron Maher | 111 |
| 10 | 6321x5421x | LITZDEEL | M | 4 | Danny O’Brien | 92 |
| 11 | 463x06120x | PLYMOUTH | G | 4 | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | 96 |
| 12 | 428×501011 | REGAL ZEUS | G | 5 | John McArdle | 107 |
| 13 | 4x50x32345 | RISE AT DAWN (NZ) | G | 5 | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | 104 |
| 14 | 326x5x35x7 | SAGANTI (FR) | G | 5 | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | 89 |
| 15 | 813×725723 | VERDAD | G | 5 | Robbie Griffiths | 90 |
| 16 | 1134231111 | WELCOMETOTHESHOW | H | 4 | Tyler Donaldson-Aitken | 88 |
| 17 | 3x8591351x | WHISKY ON THE HILL (GB) | G | 6 | Glen Thompson | 100 |
| 18 | 11014x879x | WILLYDOIT (NZ) | G | 4 | Ciaron Maher | 104 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
MRC Foundation Cup (TS Carlyon Cup) Weights 2026
Set weights plus penalties apply to this race. Final weights are announced at 4:00 PM on the Monday of race week with the official 2026 MRC Foundation Cup (TS Carylon Cup weights) on the final acceptances to be published in our above TS Carlyon Cup Field section.
Duke De Sessa (60kg in 2025) and the fellow Ciaron Maher-trained Light Infantry Man (60kg in 2026) are the latest TS Carlyon Cup topweights to win.
2026 MRC Foundation Cup Topweights:
- No. 1 Light Infantry Man (60kg)
- No. 2 Willydoit (60kg)
MRC Foundation Cup (TS Carlyon Cup) Acceptances 2026
2026 MRC Foundation Cup (TS Carlyon Cup) final acceptances must be declared before 9:30 AM on the Wednesday of race week and will be published in our above TS Carlyon Cup Field section.
MRC Foundation Cup (TS Carlyon Cup) Jockeys 2026
The final riders must be announced by 1:00 PM on the Wednesday of race week with the official 2026 MRC Foundation Cup (TS Carlyon Cup) jockeys to be published in our above TS Carlyon Cup Field section.
MRC Foundation Cup (TS Carlyon Cup) Scratchings 2026
2026 MRC Foundation Cup (T.S. Carlyon Cup) scratchings close at 7:30 AM on Saturday, February 7, 2026.
MRC Foundation Cup (T.S. Carlyon Cup) Prize Money 2026
The 2026 MRC Foundation Cup (T.S. Carlyon Cup) prize purse is worth $200,000 in total, distributed from places first through to eighth.
| Place | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| 1st | $120,000 |
| 2nd | $36,000 |
| 3rd | $18,000 |
| 4th | $9,000 |
| 5th | $5,000 |
| 6th | $4,000 |
| 7th | $4,000 |
| 8th | $4,000 |
MRC Foundation Cup (TS Carlyon Cup) Race Number 2026
The 2026 MRC Foundation Cup race number is scheduled as Caulfield Race 9 at 4:55pm (AEDT) on Saturday, February 7, 2026. There are ten races in total that day at Caulfield Racecourse.
MRC Foundation Cup (TS Carlyon 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 MRC Foundation Cup (T.S. Carlyon Cup) Form Guide following final acceptances.
CLICK HERE FOR OUR FULL 2026 MRC FOUNDATION CUP FORM GUIDE
MRC Foundation Cup (T.S. Carlyon Cup) Live 2026
You can watch or listen to the 2026 MRC Foundation Cup (T.S. Carlyon Cup) live, across the following mediums.
Pay television: Sky Racing 1 (channel 526 on Foxtel)
Free to air television: Channels 78 (and 68 in regional areas)
Radio: Radio Sport National
Streaming: Racing.com
Mobile: Neds App
T.S. Carlyon Cup / MRC Foundation Cup Winners
Winners of the T.S. Carlyon Cup / MRC Foundation Cup going back to the year 2000 are displayed in the table below.
| Year | Winner | Trainer/s | Jockey | Weight | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Light Infantry Man | Ciaron Maher | Ethan Brown | 60 kgs | 1:35.58 |
| 2025 | Duke De Sessa | Ciaron Maher | Harry Coffey | 60 kgs | 1:37.58 |
| 2024 | Yonce | Ciaron Maher | John Allen | 55 kgs (carried 55.5 kgs) | 1:37.50 |
| 2023 | Pounding | Peter Moody | Ms Jamie Kah | 57 kgs | 1:35.12 |
| 2022 | Earlswood | Maddie Raymond | Damian Lane | 58.5 kgs | 1:36.09 |
| 2021 | Best Of Days | James Cummings | Damien Oliver | 57 kgs | 1:37.65 |
| 2020 | Miss Siska | Grahame Begg | Damian Lane | 55 kgs | 1:36.44 |
| 2019 | Avilius | James Cummings | Kerrin McEvoy | 57.5 kgs | 1:37.08 |
| 2018 | Gailo Chop | Darren Weir | Mark Zahra | 58.5 kgs | 1:38.22 |
| 2017 | Burning Front | Darren Weir | Brad Rawiller | 57 kgs | 1:35.98 |
| 2016 | Burning Front | Darren Weir | Brad Rawiller | 56 kgs | 1:36.91 |
| 2015 | Smokin’ Joey | Wez Hunter | Chris Parnham | 58.5 kgs | 1:35.69 |
| 2014 | Chase The Rainbow | Rick Hore-Lacy | Craig Williams | 56 kgs | 1:37.78 |
| 2013 | Budriguez | David Jolly | Craig Williams | 56 kgs | 1:36.18 |
| 2012 | Manighar | Peter Moody | Luke Nolen | 56 kgs | 1:37.17 |
| 2011 | Lord Pyrus | Judy Mawer | Craig Williams | 55.5 kgs | 1:37.28 |
| 2010 | Rightfully Yours | Mick Price | Craig Newitt | 56 kgs | 1:23.00 |
| 2009 | Time Matters | Darren Weir | Steven Arnold | 55.5 kgs | 1:23.00 |
| 2008 | Publishing | John Sadler | Steven Arnold | 57 kgs | 1:23.71 |
| 2007 | Apache Cat | Greg Eurell | Glen Boss | 58 kgs | 1:22.25 |
| 2006 | Live In Vain | Peter Moody | Luke Nolen | 54.5 kgs | 1:22.36 |
| 2005 | Niagara Falls | Peter Moody | Steven King | 52.5 kgs | 1:36.75 |
| 2004 | La Sirenuse | Tony McEvoy | Brady Cross | 51 kgs | 1:36.24 |
| 2003 | No Deposit | Robert Smerdon | Nash Rawiller | 55.5 kgs | 1:35.63 |
| 2002 | Piper Star | Roger James | Scott Seamer | 53.5 kgs | 1:38.07 |
| 2001 | Northerly | Fred Kersley | Greg Childs | 58 kgs | 1:35.10 |
| 2000 | Skoozi Please | Graeme Rogerson | Jim Cassidy | 56 kgs | 1:39.06 |