Looking for this year’s Australia Stakes betting odds, field and form guide? The experts at Neds have put together everything you need to know before this year’s race.
Australia Stakes 2026 Results
The official 2026 Australia Stakes results will be available below once the race takes place on Friday, January 23, 2026.
- #4 Hedged
- #2 Veight
- #1 War Machine
Hedged ($9.50) proved he’s the real deal on Friday night, claiming a dominant victory in the 2026 Australia Stakes results for trainer Gavin Bedggood setting a new Pakenham track record. The talented sprinter showed incredible maturity to hunt down the favourite War Machine – who held for third – and pull away for an authoritative two-length win over Veight at Pakenham. Harry Coffey provided a polished steer, staying patient before clicking the gelding into gear to showcase a sharp turn of foot that left his rivals in the dust. After conquering a seasoned field of sprinters, Hedged leaves Pakenham as a rising star and a major player for the Group 1 targets ahead.
Australia Stakes 2026 Results
| 4. Hedged (1) J: Harry Coffey 58.5kg 62710 T: Gavin Bedggood | ||
| 2. Veight (3) J: Luke Currie 58.5kg 90x0x T: Tony & Calvin Mcevoy | ||
| 1. War Machine (2) J: Jamie Melham 58.5kg x100x T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes | ||
| 5. Nadal (4) J: Ethan Brown 58.5kg x5962 T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 3. Maharba (5) J: Jordan Childs 58.5kg 408x9 T: Grahame Begg |
Australia Stakes 2026 Tips
Our insider 2026 Australia Stakes tips will be detailed here the week of the race and a full betting preview available on the Neds Blog.
CLICK HERE FOR OUR COMPLETE 2026 AUSTRALIA STAKES NIGHT PREVIEW & TIPS
| 1. War Machine (2) J: Jamie Melham 58.5kg x100x T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |
| 2. Veight (3) J: Luke Currie 58.5kg 90x0x T: Tony & Calvin Mcevoy |
| 3. Maharba (5) J: Jordan Childs 58.5kg 408×9 T: Grahame Begg |
Run over 1,200 metres, the Australia Stakes is a Group 2 race taking place in late January on a Friday night each summer which traditionally runs at Moonee Valley.
In 2026 with Moonee Valley under redevelopment the event will take place at Pakenham Racecourse.
With a $350,000 prize purse, this weight-for-age sprint serves as a key lead-up into the Group 1 features of the Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival.
Starting out as a Listed race, this race was made a Group 3 race in 1990, followed by an upgrade to Group 2 status in 1994.
This race was previously a key lead up into the Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) – which was formerly held at Caulfield the following month – and the great mare Black Caviar (2012) followed by Streets Of Avalon (2021) nearly a decade later are the latest horses to do the double.
In 2025, the CF Orr was moved from the autumn to the spring.
More recently Marabi won the Australia Stakes as the odds-on favourite in 2022 before a next-up victory in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) on Blue Diamond Stakes Day.
The 2024 Australia Stakes produced that year’s Australian Guineas winner Southport Tycoon who improved on his second to Veight in the Group 2 lead-up to claim the mile classic. Veight meanwhile won the Australia Stakes in 2024, finished fourth in that year’s CF Orr, second in the Australian Guineas, and then saluted in Sydney’s Group 1 George Ryder Stakes.
The 2025 Australia Stakes winner Schwarz franked the form that autumn winning the Group 1 William Reid Stakes back at Moonee Valley.
Australia Stakes 2026 – Quick Information
- Race Day: Friday, January 23, 2026
- Track Location: Moonee Valley Racecourse (Pakenham in 2026)
- Track Surface: Turf
- Track Direction: Left-handed
- Race Distance: 1,200 metres
- Weight Conditions: Weight for age
- Qualification: Three-year-olds and over
- Type: Thoroughbred
- Grade: Group 2
- Prize Purse: $350,000
- Inaugural Race: 1989
- 2026 Australia Stakes Winner: Hedged
Australia Stakes Betting 2026
There are many different ways to bet on the Australia Stakes in 2026, and we have included some of the most popular options below:
| Bet Type | How To Place This Type of Bet on This Year’s Australia Stakes |
|---|---|
| Win Bet | Place your bet on the horse you think will take first place in this year’s Australia Stakes. |
| Place Bet | Place your bet on the horse you think will place in the top three finishers at this year’s Australia Stakes. Pays less than a win bet but offers safer odds. |
| Each-Way Bet | If your runner finishes 1st in the Australia Stakes, 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 Australia Stakes, in order to win the Quinella. |
| Exacta Bet | You must select the runners that finish 1st and 2nd in the correct order, within the Australia Stakes to win the Exacta. |
| Trifecta Bet | You must select runners to finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the correct order, within the Australia Stakes to win the Trifecta. |
| First Four | You must select runners that finish 1st, 2nd ,3rd and 4th in the correct order, within the Australia Stakes 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 Australia Stakes, in order to be eligible to place a Quaddie. |
How To Bet on the Australia Stakes in 2026
- Log in at neds.com.au
- 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 Australia Stakes Betting above).
- Select the horse(s) for the race.
Which Horse Will Win the Australia Stakes in 2026
The best way to pick which horse will win the Australia Stakes in 2026 is to take into account any early summer lead-up form, previous Group 2 or higher performers, and those with a good race record at the track.
Additional factors to consider when picking the Australia Stakes winner include:
- Single Figure Fancies – Mourinho ($41 in 2015) was the last Australia Stakes winner to salute at double-figures.
- First-Up Factor – First-up runners with a good fresh record have a strong strike-rate in the Australia Stakes with Streets Of Avalon (2021), Veight (2024), and Schwarz (2025) the latest first-up runners to salute.
Australia Stakes Favourites 2026
Favourites in 2026 Australia Stakes betting include Lindsay Park’s resuming Stradbroke Handicap champion War Machine, classy Capitalist five-year-old Hedged, and the Ciaron Maher-trained X’mas Stakes runner-up Nadal.
Marabi ($1.80 in 2022), Jigsaw ($3.10 in 2023), and Veight ($2.15 in 2024) are the last Australia Stakes favourites to win.
Australia Stakes 2026 Field
The official Australia Stakes 2026 field of final acceptances is announced on the Wednesday of race week and will be published in full below.
The Australia Stakes 2026 final field features a diminutive but exciting line-up of autumn carnival bound sprinters led by Lindsay Park’s resuming Stradbroke Handicap champion War Machine.
| Entrant | Last 6 | Sex | Barrier | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. War Machine
J: Jamie Melham
T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |
1x100x | G | 2 | 58.5kg | |
|
2. Veight
J: Luke Currie
T: Tony & Calvin Mcevoy |
090x0x | G | 3 | 58.5kg | |
|
3. Maharba
J: Jordan Childs
T: Grahame Begg |
x408x9 | G | 5 | 58.5kg | |
|
4. Hedged
J: Harry Coffey
T: Gavin Bedggood |
262710 | G | 1 | 58.5kg | |
|
5. Nadal
J: Ethan Brown
T: Ciaron Maher |
7x5962 | G | 4 | 58.5kg | |
| 6. Aztec Ruler (6) Scratched: | |||||
|
7. Cannonball
J: John Allen
T: Patrick Kearney |
7x6702 | G | 6 | 58.5kg | |
| 8. Jimmy Recard (7) Scratched: | |||||
Australia Stakes Day 2026
The 2026 Australia Stakes takes place as the feature event at Pakenham Racecourse on Friday, January 23, 2026.
Australia Stakes Barrier Draw 2026
The 2026 Australia Stakes barrier draw will be released to the public a few days before the race and published in our above Australia Stakes Field section.
Australia Stakes Nominations 2026
2026 Australia Stakes nominations close at 12:00 PM on the Monday of race week.
2026 Australia Stakes nominations extended until 10:00am (AEDT) – 20/01/2026
| Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Ballot | Weight | True Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | x2111x100x | WAR MACHINE (NZ) | G | 5 | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | 1 | 58.5kg | 113 | ||
| 2 | 421x090x0x | VEIGHT | G | 5 | Tony & Calvin McEvoy | 2 | 58.5kg | 109 | ||
| 3 | x312x408x9 | MAHARBA | G | 5 | Grahame Begg | 3 | 58.5kg | 103 | ||
| 4 | 228x146x85 | A LITTLE DEEP | M | 6 | Ciaron Maher | 4 | 56.5kg | 101 | ||
| 5 | 535×262710 | HEDGED | G | 5 | Gavin Bedggood | 5 | 58.5kg | 99 | ||
| 6 | 41417×5962 | NADAL | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher | 6 | 58.5kg | 98 | ||
| 7 | 85377×6702 | CANNONBALL | G | 6 | Patrick Kearney | 7 | 58.5kg | 95 | ||
| 8 | 8x111367x | JIMMY RECARD | C | 3 | Ciaron Maher | 8 | 55kg | 85 | ||
| 9 | 14x1740x | SPACE RIDER | C | 3 | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | 9 | 55kg | 72 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
Australia Stakes Weights 2026
Weight for age conditions apply to this race. Final 2026 Australia Stakes weights will be announced by 4:00 PM on the Monday of race week with weights on the final acceptances to be published in our above Australia Stakes Field section.
Australia Stakes Acceptances 2026
Final 2026 Australia Stakes acceptances must be declared before 9:30 AM on the Wednesday of race week and will be published in our above Australia Stakes Field section.
Australia Stakes Jockeys 2026
The final riders must be announced by 1:00 PM on the Wednesday of race week with the official 2026 Australia Stakes jockeys to be published in our above Australia Stakes Field section.
Australia Stakes Scratchings 2026
2026 Australia Stakes scratchings close at 7:30 AM on Friday, January 23, 2026.
Australia Stakes Prize Money 2026
The 2026 Australia Stakes prize purse is worth $350,000 in total, distributed from places first through tenth.
| Place | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| 1st | $210,000 |
| 2nd | $63,000 |
| 3rd | $31,500 |
| 4th | $15,750 |
| 5th | $8,750 |
| 6th | $7,000 |
| 7th | $7,000 |
| 8th | $7,000 |
Australia Stakes Race Number 2026
The 2026 Australia Stakes race number is scheduled as Pakenham Race 7 at 9:15pm (AEDT) on Friday, January 23, 2026. There are eight races in total that night at Southside Pakenham Racecourse.
Australia Stakes 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 Australia Stakes Form Guide following final acceptances.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2026 AUSTRALIA STAKES FORM GUIDE
Australia Stakes Live 2026
You can watch or listen to the 2026 Australia Stakes 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
Australia Stakes Winners
Winners of the Australia Stakes going back to the year 2000 are displayed in the table below.
| Year | Winner | Trainer/s | Jockey | Weight | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Hedged | Gavin Bedggood | Harry Coffey | 58.5 kgs | 1:07.58 (R) |
| 2025 | Schwarz | Jonn O’Shea & Tom Charlton | Blake Shinn | 58.5 kgs | 1:10.46 |
| 2024 | Veight | Tony & Calvin McEvoy | Damian Lane | 55 kgs | 1:09.64 |
| 2023 | Jigsaw | Cindy Alderson | Daniel Moor | 58.5 kgs | 1:09.75 |
| 2022 | Marabi | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Ben Allen | 56.5 kgs | 1:11.42 |
| 2021 | Streets Of Avalon | Shane Nichols | Zac Spain | 58.5 kgs | 1:10.06 |
| 2020 | Scales Of Justice | Lindsey Smith | Dean Yendall | 58.5 kgs | 1:09.77 |
| 2019 | Whispering Brook | Darren Weir | Mark Zahra | 56.5 kgs | 1:09.84 |
| 2018 | Thronum | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Mark Zahra | 58.5 kgs | 1:10.48 |
| 2017 | Malaguerra | Peter Gelagotis | Ben Melham | 58.5 kgs | 1:09.29 |
| 2016 | Holler | John O’Shea | Craig Williams | 55 kgs | 1:10.96 |
| 2015 | Mourinho | Peter Gelagotis | Vlad Duric | 58.5 kgs | 1:09.95 |
| 2014 | Richie’s Vibe | Tony Vasil | Damien Oliver | 58.5 kgs | 1:10.96 |
| 2013 | Sea Lord | Stephen Brown | Luke Currie | 58.5 kgs | 1:10.50 |
| 2012 | Black Caviar | Peter Moody | Luke Nolen | 56.5 kgs | 1:09.44 |
| 2011 | Whitefriars | Rick Worthington | Jim Cassidy | 58.5 kgs | 1:09.66 |
| 2010 | Black Caviar | Peter Moody | Luke Nolen | 53 kgs | 1:10.18 |
| 2009 | Lucky Secret | Tony Vasil | Danny Brereton | 58.5 kgs | 1:11.22 |
| 2008 | Let Go Thommo | Simon Zahra | Steven King | 58.5 kgs | 1:10.80 |
| 2007 | El Segundo | Colin Little | Damien Oliver | 58.5 kgs | 1:11.23 |
| 2006 | California Dane | Lee Freedman | Noel Callow | 54 kgs | 1:09.81 |
| 2005 | Super Elegant | Tony Vasil | Greg Childs | 57.5 kgs | 1:10.59 |
| 2004 | Vocabulary | Mick Price | Danny Nikolic | 55 kgs | 1:11.50 |
| 2003 | Yell | John Hawkes | Darren Gauci | 54 kgs | 1:10.32 |
| 2002 | Royal Code | David Hall | Steven Arnold | 54 kgs | 1:11.01 |
| 2001 | Piavonic | Tony Noonan | Nash Rawiller | 55 kgs | 1:11.80 |
| 2000 | Slavonic | Mick Price | Brett Prebble | 57.5 kgs | 1:12.10 |
How do I bet on the 2026 Australia Stakes?
Log in at neds.com.au
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 Australia Stakes Betting).
Select the horse(s) for the race.
Which horse will win the 2026 Australia Stakes?
The best way to pick which horse will win the Australia Stakes in 2026 is to take into account any early summer lead-up form, previous Group 2 or higher performers, and those with a good race record at the track.
Additional factors to consider when picking the Australia Stakes winner include:
Single Figure Fancies - Mourinho ($41 in 2015) was the last Australia Stakes winner to salute at double-figures.
First-Up Factor - First-up runners with a good fresh record have a strong strike-rate in the Australia Stakes with Streets Of Avalon (2021), Veight (2024), and Schwarz (2025) the latest first-up runners to salute.