Looking for this year’s Bill Ritchie Handicap betting odds, form guide and tips? The experts at Neds have put together everything you need to know on the race.
Bill Ritchie Handicap 2026 Results
The official 2026 Bill Ritchie Handicap results will be available below once the race takes place on Saturday, September 19, 2026.

- #3 General Salute
- #10 Matcha Latte
- #1 Headley Grange
The 2026 Bill Ritchie Handicap results at Randwick saw General Salute ($12) score an impressive first-up victory for trainers Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou, overcoming a steady tempo to claim the Group 3 feature under a well-judged ride from Tim Clark. The six-year-old son of Russian Revolution settled closer to the speed than anticipated before producing a sharp turn of foot in the straight to defeat fellow outsider Matcha Latte ($13) by a half-length, while Headley Grange ($4 favourite) filled third. The win added another black-type success to General Salute’s resume and pushed his career earnings beyond the $1 million mark. While the performance put him firmly in the spring spotlight, connections have confirmed the Epsom Handicap is off the table, with the $1.5 million Group 3 Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on October 10 now the preferred next target.
2026 Bill Ritchie Handicap Race Replay
2026 Bill Ritchie Handicap Odds & Finishing Order
The 2026 Bill Ritchie Handicap odds are already sharpening as punters assess which milers are primed to fire in this competitive Group 3 1400m spring feature at Randwick. Early markets for Bill Ritchie Handicap odds 2026 tend to move quickly as in‑form runners produce strong sectionals, stable confidence becomes clear, and key Epsom Handicap hopefuls show they’re ready to elevate. With handicaps often creating genuine betting value, Bill Ritchie Handicap betting 2026 gives punters a wide range of angles to analyse — from weight drops and ideal draws to proven Randwick mile form — making it one of the most attractive early‑spring markets.
The latest Bill Ritchie Handicap 2026 odds followed by the official race finishing order after the event will be available below.
Bill Ritchie Handicap 2026 Results
| 3. General Salute (3) 57.5kg2913x | |||
| 10. Matcha Latte (1) 53kg613×3 | |||
| 1. Headley Grange (4) 61kg510×1 | |||
| 4. Linebacker (7) 57kg7630x | |||
| 6. Formal Display (5) 54.5kg1131x | |||
| 8. Sixties (2) 54kg3185x | |||
| 9. Althoff (6) 53kg5×211 | |||
| 12. Taken (9) 53kg5224x | |||
| 13. Palmetto (8) 53kg0020x | |||
| 7. Anemacore (10) 54kg53214 | |||
| 2. Private Eye (14)SCRATCHED: | |||
| 5. Hellsing (3)SCRATCHED: | |||
| 11. Fully Lit (11)SCRATCHED: | |||
| 14. Grand Impact (6)SCRATCHED: | |||
| 15. Mr Miller (13)SCRATCHED: | |||
Bill Ritchie Handicap 2026 Tips
Our exclusive Bill Ritchie Handicap 2026 betting tips will be published here the week of the race and a full tipping preview available on the Neds Blog.
| 1. Headley Grange (4) 61kg510×1 |
| 6. Formal Display (5) 54.5kg1131x |
| 5. Hellsing (3)SCRATCHED: | |||

The Group 3 Bill Ritchie Handicap is a quality handicap race for middle-distance gallopers aged three and above contested over 1400m at Royal Randwick Racecourse in mid-September.
Held as part of The Shorts Day card in Sydney, the Bill Ritchie Handicap offers $250,000 in prize money and is a key lead-up into the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) held back at the track over a mile a fortnight later.
Kolding (2019), Probabeel (2020), Top Ranked (2022), and Rediener (2023) are the latest runners to complete the Bill Ritchie Handicap – Epsom Handicap double.
Bill Ritchie Handicap 2026 – Quick Information
- Race Day: Saturday, September 19, 2026
- Track Location: Randwick Racecourse
- Track Surface: Turf
- Track Direction: Right-handed
- Race Distance: 1,400 metres
- Weight Conditions: Quality Handicap
- Qualification: Three-Year-Olds and above
- Type: Thoroughbred
- Grade: Group 3
- Operator: Randwick Racecourse
- Prize Purse: $250,000
- Inaugural Race: 1867
- 2026 Bill Ritchie Handicap Winner: General Salute
Bill Ritchie Handicap Betting 2026
There are many different ways to bet on the Bill Ritchie 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 Bill Ritchie Handicap |
|---|---|
| Win Bet | Place your bet on the horse you think will take first place in this year’s Bill Ritchie Handicap. |
| Place Bet | Place your bet on the horse you think will place in the top three finishers at this year’s Bill Ritchie Handicap. Pays less than a win bet but offers safer odds. |
| Each-Way Bet | If your runner finishes 1st in the Bill Ritchie 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 Bill Ritchie 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 Bill Ritchie Handicap to win the Exacta. |
| Trifecta Bet | You must select runners to finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the correct order, within the Bill Ritchie Handicap to win the Trifecta. |
| First Four | You must select runners that finish 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th in the correct order, within the Bill Ritchie 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 Bill Ritchie Handicap, in order to be eligible to place a Quaddie. |
How To Bet on the Bill Ritchie Handicap in 2026
- Join up at neds
- 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 the Bill Ritchie Handicap Betting above).
- Select the horse(s) for the race.
Which Horse Will Win the Bill Ritchie Handicap in 2026?
The best way to pick which horse will win the Bill Ritchie Handicap in 2026 to take into account the form, assess the barriers, look at their past runs in Sydney and recent Group performances.
Additional factors to consider when picking the Bill Ritchie Handicap winner include:
- Boys’ Club: Just four mares have won the Bill Ritchie Handicap in the past 20 years with Judged (2008), Steps And Time (2012), Probabeel (2020), and Atishu (2021).
- Waller Factor: Trainer Chris Waller has an outstanding record in the race preparing five winners from 2012-24 with Boban (2013), Sadler’s Lake (2015), Comin’ Through (2017), Kolding (2019), Atishu (2021), Rediener (2023), and most recently Mchale (2024).
Bill Ritchie Handicap 2026 Favourites
Bill Ritchie Handicap 2026 favourites include Chris Waller’s Written Tycoon gelding Althoff chasing a hat-trick and the stable’s resuming Group 1 Australian Guineas placegetter Sixties.
Probabeel ($2.45 in 2020) followed by Atishu ($3.50 in 2021) are the latest Bill Ritchie Handicap favourites to win.
Bill Ritchie Handicap Field 2026
The official 2026 Bill Ritchie Handicap field of final acceptances is announced the Wednesday leading-up to the race and will be published in full below.
The Bill Ritchie Handicap 2026 field features a capacity line-up of middle-distance gallopers including Joe Pride’s first-up Group 2 Tramway Stakes winner Headley Grange and his always honest stablemate Private Eye with a wide draw to overcome.
| Entrant | Last 6 | Sex | Barrier | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. Headley Grange
J: Adam Hyeronimus
T: Joseph Pride |
7510×1 | G | 4 | 61kg | |
| 2. Private Eye (14) Scratched: | |||||
|
3. General Salute
J: Tim Clark
T: Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou |
x2913x | G | 3 | 57.5kg | |
|
4. Linebacker
J: Zac Lloyd
T: John O’shea & Tom Charlton |
77630x | G | 7 | 57kg | |
| 5. Hellsing (3) Scratched: | |||||
|
6. Formal Display
J: Braith Nock
T: Annabel & Rob Archibald |
11131x | G | 5 | 54.5kg | |
|
7. Anemacore
J: Jason Collett
T: Shaun Dwyer |
253214 | G | 10 | 54kg | |
|
8. Sixties
J: Tommy Berry
T: Chris Waller |
13185x | H | 2 | 54kg | |
|
9. Althoff
J: Tyler Schiller
T: Chris Waller |
55×211 | G | 6 | 53kg | |
|
10. Matcha Latte
J: Ashley Morgan
T: Nacim Dilmi |
3613×3 | G | 1 | 53kg | |
| 11. Fully Lit (11) Scratched: | |||||
|
12. Taken
J: Dylan Gibbons
T: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr |
15224x | G | 9 | 53kg | |
|
13. Palmetto
J: Alysha Collett
T: John Sargent |
70020x | G | 8 | 53kg | |
| 14. Grand Impact (6) Scratched: | |||||
| 15. Mr Miller (13) Scratched: | |||||
Bill Ritchie Handicap Race Day 2026
The 2026 Bill Ritchie Handicap takes place on Saturday, September 19, 2026 as part of The Shorts Day 2026 card at Royal Randwick. The other Group status races on the card are the:
- Group 2 $1,000,000 The Shorts (1100m),
- Group 2 $1 million 7 Stakes (1600m),
- Group 2 $300,000 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m), and the
- Group 2 $300,000 Tea Rose Stakes (1400m).
Bill Ritchie Handicap Barrier Draw 2026
The 2026 Bill Ritchie Handicap barrier draw will be released the Wednesday of race week and published in our above Bill Ritchie Handicap Field section.
Bill Ritchie Handicap Nominations 2026
2026 Bill Ritchie Handicap nominations close at 11:00 AM on the Monday of race week.
Bill Ritchie Handicap 2026 Weights
Quality Handicap conditions apply to this race. Lowest handicap weight 53kg. Highest handicap weight 61kg. Final Bill Ritchie Handicap 2026 weights will be announced by 4:00 PM on the Tuesday of race week with the final weights announced in our above Bill Ritchie Handicap Field section.
Top Ranked (59.5kg in 2022) was the last Bill Ritchie Handicap top-weight to win.
2026 Bill Ritchie Handicap Topweight:
- No. 1 Headley Grange (61kg)
Bill Ritchie Handicap 2026 Acceptances
2026 Bill Ritchie Handicap final acceptances must be declared before 9:00 AM on the Wednesday of race week and will be published in our above Bill Ritchie Handicap Field section.
Bill Ritchie Handicap 2026 Jockeys
The final riders’ announcement is at 12:00 PM on the Wednesday of race week with the official 2026 Bill Ritchie Handicap jockeys to be published in our above Bill Ritchie Handicap Field section.
Bill Ritchie Handicap Scratchings 2026
2026 Bill Ritchie Handicap scratchings close at 7:30 AM on Saturday, September 19, 2026.
- No. 14 Grand Impact (6)
Bill Ritchie Handicap Prize Money 2026
The 2026 Bill Ritchie Handicap offers $250,000 in total prize money including $140,000 to the Bill Ritchie Handicap winner.
| 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 |
Bill Ritchie Handicap Race Number 2026
The 2026 Bill Ritchie Handicap race number is scheduled as Randwick Race 5 at 2:10pm (AEST) on Saturday, September 19, 2026. There are ten races in total that day at Randwick Racecourse.
Bill Ritchie 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 Bill Ritchie Handicap Form Guide following final acceptances.
Bill Ritchie Handicap Live 2026
You can watch or listen to the 2026 Bill Ritchie Handicap live, across the following mediums.
Pay television: Sky Racing 1 (channel 526 on Foxtel)
Radio: Radio Sport National
Streaming: Racing NSW
Bill Ritchie Handicap Winners
Winners of the Bill Ritchie Handicap going back to the year 1978 along with the placegetters and winning times are listed below.
| Year | Winner | Second | Third |
| 2026 | General Salute | Matcha Latte | Headley Grange |
| 2025 | With Your Blessing | Bosustow | Depth Of Character |
| 2024 | Mchale | Gringotts | Felix Majestic |
| 2023 | Rediener | Cuban Royale | Wild Planet |
| 2022 | Top Ranked | Purple Sector | Cross Talk |
| 2021 | Atishu | Looks Like Elvis | Aramayo |
| 2020 | Probabeel | Cuba | Brandenburg |
| 2019 | Kolding | Fierce Impact | Desert Lord |
| 2018 | Siege Of Quebec | Pierata | Music Magnate |
| 2017 | Comin’ Through | Tom Melbourne | Burning Passion |
| 2016 | Sons Of John | Torgersen | Federal |
| 2015 | Sadler’s Lake | Rudy | Heart Testa |
| 2014 | Manawanui | Rock Sturdy | Tougher Than Ever |
| 2013 | Boban | Belltone | Choice Bro |
| 2012 | Steps In Time | Said Com | Wild And Proud |
| 2011 | Thankgodyou’rehere | Startsmeup | Miss Keepsake |
| 2010 | Drumbeats | Kenny’s World | Captain Sonador |
| 2009 | McClintock | Walking or Dancing | Faulconbridge |
| 2008 | Judged | Rockwood | Kiloton |
| 2007 Race Not Held | – | – | – |
| 2006 | Coalesce | New Edge | Flaming |
| 2005 | Flaming | Devil | Messiaen |
| 2004 | Osca Warrior | Utzon | In a Bound |
| 2003 | Zabarra | Britt’s Best | Forum Floozie |
| 2002 | Zabarra | This Manshood | Swiss Echo |
| 2001 | Fouardee | Defier | Adamantly |
| 2000 | Landsighting | Tie The Knot | Valuate |
| 1999 | Brave Prince | Al Mansour | Stanzaic |
| 1998 | Bezeal Bay | Deep Snip | Super Crest |
| 1997 | Holy Roller | Pimpala Son | Prairie |
| 1996 | Mamzelle Pedrille | Persian Flyer | Headstrong |
| 1995 | Monopolize | Juggler | Flight To Fantasy |
| 1994 | Rouslan | Over The Top | Big Dreams |
| 1993 | Belas Knap | Cohort | Telesto Mighty Tango |
| 1992 | Prince Of Praise | East Ocean Friend | Stormy Guest |
| 1991 | Rechabite | Somalia | Be Able |
| 1990 | Our Poverty Bay | Remember Peter | Mocha |
| 1989 | Royal Reel | Our Palliser | Black Routine |
| 1988 | Pleasant Flight | Gold Trump | Regal Native |
| 1987 | Royal Reel | True Reason | Piccata |
| 1986 | Full Page | Shinakima The Cowboy(Dead Heat for 2nd) | – |
| 1985 | Dinky Flyer | Eureka Stockade | Magnitude |
| 1984 | Muffler | Tandrio | Wage Freeze |
| 1983 | Leica Planet | Lord Ballina | Elroy |
| 1982 | Note Of Victory | Christian Prince | Maybe Michelle |
| 1981 | Gooree Pride | High Classic | Irish Flyer |
| 1980 | Tulip Town | The Funofit | Snow Vain |
| 1979 | Drummer | Glenfield Lad | Daddy Cool |
| 1978 | Go Mod | Le Dejeuner | Tattenham Lad |