Looking for this year’s Aurie’s Star Handicap betting odds, field and tips? The experts at Neds have put together everything you need to know on the race.
Aurie’s Star Handicap 2026 Results
The official 2026 Aurie’s Star Handicap results will be available below once the race takes place on Friday, July 31, 2026.
- #6 Boomtown Boss
- #8 Royal Insignia
- #2 Arkansaw Kid
Boomtown Boss ($13) pulled off a boilover in the 2026 Aurie’s Star Handicap results, storming up the inside to score after a chaotic start that saw favourite War Machine scratched for breaking through the gates. Daniel Moor nursed the Spirit Of Boom sprinter through a patient stalking ride before surging past the on‑pace pair Royal Insignia and Arkansaw Kid, with stewards later dismissing a protest for excessive whip use on the grounds it didn’t influence the finish. The win handed Tony Gollan his second Aurie’s Star trophy and flagged the Queensland raider as a genuine straight‑track threat heading towards a possible tilt at the Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality next month.
2026 Aurie’s Star Handicap Odds & Finishing Order
The 2026 Aurie’s Star Handicap odds are already taking shape as punters target Flemington’s traditional August sprint, with early Aurie’s Star Handicap Odds 2026 markets highlighting fresh spring hopefuls, straight‑track specialists and proven Group performers resuming. As one of the most reliable early‑spring form races, the Aurie’s Star Handicap betting 2026 landscape is packed with value, driven by fitness edges, tempo profiles and the unique demands of Flemington’s famous straight. With market movers, stable intent and sectional strength all influencing prices in the lead‑up, this year’s edition again promises a competitive betting contest — making it a prime play for Neds punters chasing sharp early‑spring racing opportunities.
The latest Aurie’s Star Handicap 2026 odds followed by the official race finishing order after the event will be available below.
| 6. Boomtown Boss (1) J: Daniel Moor 54kg x3059T: Tony Gollan | ||
| 8. Royal Insignia (4) J: Luke Cartwright 54kg x7562T: Grahame Begg | ||
| 2. Arkansaw Kid (2) J: Mark Zahra 59kg 3273xT: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes | ||
| 5. Ndola (3) J: Jye Mcneil 54.5kg 213×1T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |
Aurie’s Star Handicap 2026 Tips
Our insider Aurie’s Star Handicap 2026 betting tips will be available here the week of the race and a detailed betting preview published on the Neds Blog.
2026 AURIE’S STAR HANDICAP BETTING TIPS, PREDICTIONS & FAVOURITES
| 1. War Machine (1) Scratched: | |||
| 5. Ndola (3) J: Jye Mcneil 54.5kg 213×1T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |
| 8. Royal Insignia (4) J: Luke Cartwright 54kg x7562T: Grahame Begg |
Latest Aurie’s Star Handicap News
The Aurie’s Star Handicap is a Group 3 race held during the Melbourne Winter Racing Carnival in early August as a lead-up into the spring.
Named after The Goodwood, Oakleigh Plate and Newmarket Handicap winner, Aurie’s Star, the Aurie’s Star Handicap marks the start of the new season in Victoria and is officially the first Group race on the calendar.
Run over 1,200 metres down the famous ‘Straight Six’ track at Flemington, the Aurie’s Star Handicap holds a prize-purse of $200,000 as of 2021 and attracts a fair share of talented sprinters hoping to step up in distance to the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield in the coming weeks. So Si Bon (2019) won the Aurie’s Star at 20/1 before a next-up Memsie Stakes second franking the form out of the Flemington Group 3.
Horses that do well in the Aurie’s Star Handicap may choose to back-up in Caulfield’s Group 3 The Heath 1100 Stakes (1100m) over less distance on Memsie Stakes Day.
From the inaugural race until 2004, the Aurie’s Star was run as an Unlisted handicap. From 2005 to 2009, it was a Listed race, before becoming a Group 3 race in 2010.
The venue for this race was temporarily shifted to Moonee Valley Racecourse in 2007.
Plenty of good horses have won the Aurie’s Star Handicap over the years including recent victories by the likes of Temple Of Boom (2011), Tiger Tees (2014), Hey Doc (2017), Voodoo Lad (2018), and Home Of The Brave (2020).
Aurie’s Star Handicap 2026 – Quick Information
- Race Day: Friday, July 31, 2026
- Track Location: Flemington Racecourse
- Track Surface: Turf
- Track Direction: Straight
- Race Distance: 1,200 metres
- Weight Conditions: Handicap
- Qualification: Open
- Type: Thoroughbred
- Grade: Group 3
- Operator: Victoria Racing Club
- Prize Purse: $200,000
- Inaugural Race: 1996
- 2026 Aurie’s Star Handicap Winner: Boomtown Boss
Aurie’s Star Handicap Betting 2026
There are many different ways to bet on the Aurie’s Star Handicap, and we have included some of the most popular options below:
| Bet Type | How To Place This Type of Bet on This Year’s Aurie’s Star Handicap |
|---|---|
| Win Bet | Place your bet on the horse you think will take first place in this year’s race. |
| Place Bet | Place your bet on the horse you think will place in the top three finishers at this year’s Aurie’s Star Handicap. Pays less than a win bet but offers safer odds. |
| Each-Way Bet | If your runner finishes 1st in the Aurie’s Star Handicap, 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 Aurie’s Star Handicap, in order to win the Quinella. |
| Exacta Bet | You must select the runners that finish 1st and 2nd in the correct order, within the Aurie’s Star Handicap to win the Exacta. |
| Trifecta Bet | You must select runners to finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the correct order, within the Aurie’s Star Handicap to win the Trifecta. |
| First Four | You must select runners that finish 1st, 2nd ,3rd and 4th in the correct order, within the Aurie’s Star Handicap 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 Aurie’s Star Handicap, in order to be eligible to place a Quaddie. |
How To Bet on the Aurie’s Star Handicap in 2026
- Login at Neds
- 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 Aurie’s Star Handicap Betting above).
- Select the horse(s) for the race.
Which Horse Will Win the Aurie’s Star Handicap in 2026
The best way to pick which horse will win the Aurie’s Star Handicap in 2026 is to take into account their lead-up racing form, assess the barriers and look at the weights.
Additional factors to consider when selecting the Aurie’s Star Handicap winner include:
- Favourites – Horses offering low single figure odds have proven successful in recent years, so sticking with favourites might be even better advice than it usually is.
- Handicap Help – Look for horses that gain relief from the handicap, or that can handle the extra weight.
- Ollie Factor – Jockey Damien Oliver holds the Aurie’s Star Handicap record of five wins most recently aboard Home Of The Brave (2020).
Aurie’s Star Handicap Favourites 2026
The Aurie’s Star favourites for 2026 include Lindsay Park’s resuming The Everest performer War Machine, last start Black-Type winner at the track Ndola and Arkansaw Kid who is a Group 1 placegetter over in New Zealand.
It’sourtime ($3.90 in 2023) and Right To Party ($3.90 in 2024) are the latest Aurie’s Star Handicap favourites to get the job done.
Aurie’s Star Handicap 2026 Field
The official Aurie’s Star 2026 field and barriers are released the week of the race and will be available right here.
The Aurie’s Star Handicap 2026 final field features a compact but class line-up of spring-bound sprinters led in betting by the resuming War Machine drawn the inside alley.
| Entrant | Last 6 | Sex | Barrier | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. War Machine (1) Scratched: | |||||
|
2. Arkansaw Kid
J: Mark Zahra
T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |
23273x | G | 2 | 59kg | |
|
3. Star Patrol
J: Craig Newitt
T: Clinton McDonald |
0x230x | G | 7 | 55.5kg | |
|
4. Cote Atlantique
J: Declan Bates
T: Henry Dwyer |
x22206 | G | 6 | 55kg | |
|
5. Ndola
J: Jye Mcneil
T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |
2213x1 | G | 3 | 54.5kg | |
|
6. Boomtown Boss
J: Daniel Moor
T: Tony Gollan |
2x3059 | G | 1 | 54kg | |
|
7. Fancify
J: Jabez Johnstone
T: Ciaron Maher |
38x629 | M | 5 | 54kg | |
|
8. Royal Insignia
J: Luke Cartwright
T: Grahame Begg |
9x7562 | G | 4 | 54kg | |
|
9. Windstorm
J: Akira Sugawara
T: Logan Mcgill |
x97400 | G | 8 | 54kg | |
Aurie’s Star Handicap Race Day 2026
2026 Aurie’s Star Handicap Day takes place at Flemington on Friday, July 31, 2026.
Aurie’s Star Handicap Barrier Draw 2026
The 2026 Aurie’s Star Handicap barrier draw will be released to the public a few days before the race and published in our above Aurie’s Star Handicap Field section.
Aurie’s Star Handicap Nominations 2026
The Aurie’s Star Handicap 2026 nominations are taken the Monday of race week and will be published in full below.
Aurie’s Star Handicap Weights 2026
Handicap conditions apply to this race. Final 2026 Aurie’s Star Handicap weights are announced at 4:00PM (local time) on the Monday of race week and will be published in our above Aurie’s Star Handicap Field section.
2026 Aurie’s Star Handicap Topweight:
- No. 1 War Machine (60.5kg)
Aurie’s Star Handicap Acceptances 2026
Aurie’s Star 2026 final acceptances close on the Wednesday of race week and will be available in our above Aurie’s Star Handicap Field section.
Aurie’s Star Handicap Jockeys 2026
Riders must be declared by 1:00PM on the Wednesday of race week with the official 2026 Aurie’s Star Handicap jockeys to be published in our above Aurie’s Star Handicap Field section.
Aurie’s Star Handicap Scratchings 2026
2026 Aurie’s Star Handicap scratchings close at 7:30 AM on Friday, July 31, 2026.
Aurie’s Star Handicap Prize Money 2026
The 2026 Aurie’s Star Handicap prize purse is worth $200,000 in total, distributed from places first through 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 |
Aurie’s Star Handicap Race Number 2026
The 2026 Aurie’s Star race number is scheduled as Flemington Race 7 at 3:50pm (AEST) on Friday, July 31, 2026. There is a total of nine races at Flemington on Aurie’s Star Handicap Day.
Aurie’s Star Handicap 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 Aurie’s Star Handicap Form Guide following final acceptances.
FULL 2026 AURIE’S STAR HANDICAP FORM GUIDE & RACE FACTS
Aurie’s Star Handicap Live 2026
You can watch or listen to the 2026 Aurie’s Star Handicap live, across the following mediums.
Pay television: Sky Racing 1 (channel 526 on Foxtel)
Radio: Radio Sport National
Free to air television: 7 Network; Cannels 78 (and 68 in regional areas)
Streaming: Racing.com
Mobile: Neds App
Aurie’s Star Handicap Winners
Winners of the Aurie’s Star Handicap going back to 2000 are displayed in the table below.
| Year | Winner | Trainer/s | Jockey | Weight | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Boomtown Boss | Tony Gollan | Daniel Moor | 54 kgs | 1:08.73 |
| 2025 | King Of Roseau | Peter Snowden | Michael Dee | 54 kgs | 1:09.18 |
| 2024 | Right To Party | Anthony & Sam Freedman | Jye McNeil | 54 kgs | 1:09.81 |
| 2023 | It’sourtime | Danny O’Brien | Michael Dee | 55.5 kgs | 1:08.68 |
| 2022 | Sirius Suspect | Saab Hasan | Ethan Brown | 54 kgs | 1:09.97 |
| 2021 | The Astrologist | Leon & Troy Corstens | Damien Thornton | 57 kgs | 1:10.50 |
| 2020 | Home Of The Brave | James Cummings | Damien Oliver | 59 kgs | 1:10.58 |
| 2019 | So Si Bon | David & Ben Hayes & Tom Dabernig | Luke Nolen | 55.5 kgs | 1:11.07 |
| 2018 | Voodoo Lad | Darren Weir | Damien Oliver | 59 kgs | 1:09.64 |
| 2017 | Hey Doc | Tony McEvoy | Luke Currie | 59 kgs | 1:09.99 |
| 2016 | Sooboog | Darren Weir | Michael Dee | 54 kgs | 1:10.06 |
| 2015 | Shiraz | Tony McEvoy | Damien Oliver | 54.5 kgs | 1:09.43 |
| 2014 | Tiger Tees | Joseph Pride | Damien Oliver | 59.5 kgs | 1:09.86 |
| 2013 | Broken | Darren Weir | Luke Nolen | 54 kgs | 1:12.51 |
| 2012 | Shanghai Warrior | Pat Hyland | Steven King | 54 kgs | 1:11.40 |
| 2011 | Temple Of Boom | Tony Gollan | James McDonald | 54 kgs | 1:10.55 |
| 2010 | Elusive Touch | Mark Kavanagh | Stephen Baster | 53 kgs | 1:11.13 |
| 2009 | Mic Mac | Greg Eurell | Damien Oliver | 55.5 kgs | 1:09.66 |
| 2008 | Grand Duels | Byron Cozamanis | Brad Rawiller | 55 kgs | 1:10.48 |
| 2007 | Monet Rules | Leon Corstens | Peter Mertens | 53 kgs | 1:12.00 |
| 2006 | Bel Danoro | Lee Freedman | Craig Newitt | 52 kgs | 1:09.88 |
| 2005 | Niconero | David Hayes | Craig Williams | 54 kgs | 1:10.76 |