2026 Family Stakes Day Tips & Preview 

ANNIE’S ROSE (10) was luckless when resuming over 1200m at Randwick, and it’s best to put a line through that run. 

The Kristen Buchanan-trained mare was beaten by the outside barrier last start in a stronger race Randwick race when forced to settle a long last before rocketing home in the quickest final 200m of the meeting to finish 1.92 lengths to Cinsault who subsequently won the Group 2 Millie Fox Stakes. 

She’s since been back to the trials where she produced a pleasing piece of work and that will have primed her up for a big performance here.  

Golden Slipper winning jockey Zac Lloyd takes the ride and should give her a nice run midfield or better behind a strong speed. 

If import BARNAVARA (2) runs up to her international runs, then she’ll be awfully hard to beat in the Group 2 Neville Sellwood Stakes. 

The Calyx mare was last seen leading all the way to win the Group 1 Prix De L’opera Longines over this distance in October. 

In the Chris Waller Weekly Preview show this week, Assistant Trainer Charlie Duckworth stated that her two recent pieces of work have been very good with the second better than first and that she’d hard to beat. 

Fittingly the world’s best jockey James McDonald takes the ride and should be able to cross from the outside barrier and settle in a prominent position. 

PLAGIARISM (1) hasn’t had much go right this preparation and is due for a change of luck. 

The Waterhouse & Bott-trained colt was never on the track first-up in the Inglis Millennium but still managed to finish 1.46 lengths fourth. 

He then looked to be working powerfully to the line in the Group 2 Skyline Stakes only for him to weaken late due to lameness in his near foreleg and finish just under a length fifth. 

An outside barrier is far from ideal but there’s not a lot of speed in the race which should see Adam Hyeronimus cross and lead fairly comfortably. 

CAPTAIN FURAI (11) loomed as a winning chance last start over this course and distance but just found the track too firm and didn’t let down like he could, finishing two lengths third. 

The Chris Waller-trained gelding let down powerfully from the back two starts ago to win impressively over 1300m here.  

He’s at peak fitness now, won fourth-up previously and will love getting his toe in the ground.  

James McDonald will give him every chance from the inside barrier. 

STORM LEOPARD (5) was luckless last start in the VOBIS Platinum Guineas at Flemington and should have finished closer than 4.41 lengths fifth. 

The Team Hayes-trained gelding was forced to settle a long way off the lead after drawing wide and then went via the cape when round the home turn before picking up strongly in the final furlong. 

Two starts back he showed an electric turn of foot off a slow speed when easily accounting for his rivals over a mile at Ballarat.  

Tommy Berry can give his mount every chance from the low draw. 

OHOPE WINS (1) arrives from New Zealand in magnificent form for the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes. 

The Ocean Park filly has gone to another level since stepping up to this distance three starts ago where she let down powerfully from the back to win the Group 2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes. 

She possesses a booming finish and demonstrated that clearly in her past two races where she came from near the tail to win the Group 2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies Classic and the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks. 

Now in the Chris Waller stable, she recently showed that she has settled in well with a pleasing trial. 

The outside barrier isn’t a concern given she faced those circumstances in each of her wins and will settle back for James McDonald anyway. 

IDLE FLYER (6) was doing her best work late when finishing 1.47 lengths fourth in the Group 3 Wenona Girl Quality first-up.  

The Matthew Smith-trained Group 3 winning mare is sure to improve given she boasts a perfect three from three second-up record. 

She looked super in a recent trial where she let down powerfully to comfortably win. 

Zac Lloyd has only been beaten once in six starts on her and should give a her lovely run just behind the speed. 

AELIANA (9) is on the quick back-up after narrowly claiming the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes last Saturday. 

The Chris Waller-trained mare has been in cracking form this preparation with two runner-up finishes to Autumn Glow, one by just a neck, to start her campaign. 

The only time she previously raced over this distance was in last year’s Group 1 Australian Derby when bolting in by 5.16 lengths.  

There is some uncertainty around whether she’ll handle the quick turnaround but in her favour is James McDonald piloting. 

SEPALS (1) returned in magnificent order in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap where he hit the line hard once clear to finish 1.06 lengths fourth. 

The Cliff Brown-trained gelding is undefeated in two second-up races, including the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes over 1400m last preparation. 

In his only previous Sydney start, he ran a cracking race to finish second to Autumn Glow in the Golden Eagle over this distance. 

The strong speed will be to his liking. 

GANGSTA GRANNY (1) impressed when returning in the Group 3 Wenona Girl Quality with a win. 

The Team Hawkes-trained mare worked over from an outside barrier to settle second before dashing clear late to win by just under a length. 

She’ll strip fitter and has only tasted defeat once in three second-up races, which was third in the Group 2 Sheraco Stakes. 

The outside barrier isn’t ideal, but we get the services of James McDonald to navigate any trouble.