Looking for this year’s Fred Best Classic? The experts at Neds have put together everything you need to know before this year’s race.
Fred Best Classic Tips 2026
Our insider 2026 Fred Best Classic tips will be detailed here the week of the race and a complete betting preview published on the Neds Blog.
Run over 1,400 metres, the Fred Best Classic is a Group 3 race taking place at Eagle Farm Racecourse (Doomben in 2025) in late May or early June on Kingsford Smith Cup Day as part of the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival. With a boosted prize purse of $300,000 as of 2023, the set weights race draws a quality field of three-year-olds each season.
For 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact on the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival, the Fred Best Classic ran at Doomben Racecourse over 1350m offering $125,000 in prize money.
The winner of the Fred Best Classic earns a ballot exemption into the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap field at Eagle Farm, with La Montagna (2006) the last horse to do the Fred Best Classic – Stradbroke Handicap double.
This race formerly served as an excellent lead in to the Queensland Guineas before a change to the carnival’s line-up in 2021.
In 2023 the Fred Best Classic winner Hawaii Five Oh ran a next-up third in that year’s Stradbroke Handicap trifecta.
The 2024 Fred Best Classic produced that year’s Stradbroke Handicap winner with the filly Stefi Magnetica winning the Group 1 on the back of a lead-up Fred Best third. She also won the following year’s Doncaster Mile in Sydney.
Fred Best Classic 2026 – Quick Information
- Race Day: Saturday, May 30, 2026
- Track Location: Eagle Farm Racecourse
- Track Surface: Turf
- Track Direction: Right-handed
- Race Distance: 1,400 metres
- Weight Conditions: Set weights
- Qualification: Three-year-olds
- Type: Thoroughbred
- Grade: Group 3
- Operator: Brisbane Racing Club
- Prize Purse: $300,000
- Inaugural Race: 1984
- 2026 Fred Best Classic Winner: TBD
Fred Best Classic 2026 Results
The official 2026 Fred Best Classic results will be available below once the race takes place on Saturday, May 30, 2026.
Fred Best Classic Betting 2026
There are many different ways to bet on the Fred Best Classic, and we have included some of the most popular options below:
| Bet Type | How To Place This Type of Bet on This Year’s Fred Best Classic |
|---|---|
| Win Bet | Place your bet on the horse you think will take first place in this year’s Fred Best Classic. |
| Place Bet | Place your bet on the horse you think will place in the top three finishers at this year’s Fred Best Classic. Pays less than a win bet but offers safer odds. |
| Each-Way Bet | If your runner finishes 1st in the Fred Best Classic, 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 Fred Best Classic, in order to win the Quinella. |
| Exacta Bet | You must select the runners that finish 1st and 2nd in the correct order, within the Fred Best Classic to win the Exacta. |
| Trifecta Bet | You must select runners to finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the correct order, within the Fred Best Classic to win the Trifecta. |
| First Four | You must select runners that finish 1st, 2nd ,3rd and 4th in the correct order, within the Fred Best Classic 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 Fred Best Classic, in order to be eligible to place a Quaddie. |
How To Bet on The Fred Best Classic
- Login 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 Fred Best Classic Betting above).
- Select the horse(s) for the race.
Which Horse Will Win the Fred Best Classic in 2026
The best way to pick which horse will win the Fred Best Classic in 2026 is to take into account their lead-up winter racing form, assess the barriers and look for the proven Group performers.
Additional factors to consider when picking the Fred Best Classic winner include:
- Distance – Some entrants in the past have had excellent records at 1400 metres, they stand to be ahead of the rest if in this year’s field.
- Best Lead Up – The Gold Coast Guineas and the Group 2 Queensland Guineas (1600m) are the best lead-up events. Apache Chase (2nd in 2021) was the last Queensland Guineas graduate to back-up and win the Fred Best Classic, while Roll On High (7th in 2024) was the last Gold Coast Guineas graduate to continue on and claim Fred Best Classic victory.
- Trainer – Peter Snowden holds the Fred Best Classic training record with three winners.
Fred Best Classic Favourites 2026
Favourites in 2026 Fred Best Classic betting will be updated here the week of the race.
Any in-form Peter Snowden-trained runner from Sydney in the line-up often starts as the Fred Best Classic favourite as he holds the training record having prepared three previous winners.
Following on from Military Zone ($3.30 in 2019) who handed Snowden his third, the trainer’s first in partnership with his son Paul, Dawn Passage ($2.15 in 2020) was the last Fred Best Classic favourite to salute for the punters.
Fred Best Classic Field 2026
| No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grafterburners | K M Schweida | Adam Hyeronimus | 18 | $10.00 |
| 2 | Sixties | C J Waller | Jamie Melham | 16 | $8.50 |
| 3 | Beadman | Peter Snowden | Mark Zahra | 8 | $10.00 |
| 4 | Skyhook | G Ryan & S Alexiou | Joshua Parr | 23 | $6.00 |
| 5 | Brave Monarch | Chris & Corey Munce | Martin Harley | 5 | $4.00 |
| 6 | Wodeton | C J Waller | Kerrin McEvoy | 20 | $21.00 |
| 7 | Estremo | C J Waller | James McDonald | 7 | $15.00 |
| 8 | Navy Pilot | C Maher | Ben Melham | 1 | $15.00 |
| 9 | Fabulantes | R L Heathcote | Brad Rawiller | 10 | $41.00 |
| 10 | Hidden Achievement | — | — | 19 | Scratched |
| 11 | Call Da Vinci | S B Laming | Kyle Wilson-Taylor | 15 | $34.00 |
| 12 | Hillier | Annabel & Rob Archibald | Nash Rawiller | 11 | $23.00 |
| 13 | Burma Star | C J Waller | Ryan Maloney | 2 | $67.00 |
| 14 | Skyglider | C J Waller | Tim Clark | 22 | $19.00 |
| 15 | Regal Award | P Stokes | Lachlan Neindorf | 17 | $23.00 |
| 16 | Cellarmaster (NZ) | Tom Charlton | Ethan Brown | 14 | $91.00 |
| 17 | Within The Law | Bjorn Baker | Tommy Berry | 13 | $23.00 |
| 18 | Artistic Venture | Tom Charlton | Ben E Thompson | 9 | $81.00 |
| 19 | Platinum Pantheon | L Latta | Mark Du Plessis | 12 | $81.00 |
| 20 | Wootton Lass | Annabel & Rob Archibald | Tom Sherry | 3 | $67.00 |
| 21 | Spanish Treasure | T J Gollan | — | 21 | $91.00 |
| 22 | I Am Carrot | Nacim Dilmi | Jason Collett | 6 | $31.00 |
| 23 | Kohler Kid | M J Lakey | Justin P Stanley | 4 | $126.00 |
Fred Best Classic Barrier Statistics
Barriers are important for the Fred Best Classic, but winners have come from everywhere recently.
Spicy Martini won in 2025 from barrier 5, but Roll on High won in 2024 from out wide in barrier 13. It all depends on the speed of the race, as runners can ping from a wide barrier and settle on the speed.
Winners in 2023 and 2022 both came from barrier nine, and Niccanova won from barrier 17 in 2017, which followed Counterattack’s win from barrier 15 in 2016.
Barriers 3-6 are best for the Fred Best Classic, and the favourite for the 2026 edition has drawn well.
Fred Best Classic Race Day 2026
The Fred Best Classic 2026 takes place at Eagle Farm Racecourse on Saturday, May 30, 2026 on 2026 Queensland Derby Day. There are a host of Group status races on the card including the:
- Group 1 $1,000,000 Queensland Derby (2400m),
- Group 1 $1,000,000 Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m),
- Group 2 $1,000,000 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m),
- Group 3 $200,000 Lord Mayor’s Cup (1800m), and the
- Group 3 $200,000 Premier’s Cup (2400m).
There are nine races on the Fred Best Classic Day Card, including the Group 1 Queensland Derby and Kingsford Smith Cup.
| Race Name | Number | Time | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drinkwise BM85 | 1 | 11:43 am | 1400m |
| Kilcoy Global Foods BM85 | 2 | 12:18 pm | 1000m |
| Living Turf Premier’s Cup | 3 | 12:53 pm | 2400m |
| The Straight Sires’ Produce | 4 | 1:28 pm | 1400m |
| Lord Mayor’s Cup | 5 | 2:03 pm | 1800m |
| Fred Best Classic | 6 | 2:38 pm | 1400m |
| Sky Racing Queensland Derby | 7 | 3:13 pm | 2400m |
| Ladbrokes Kingsford Smith Cup | 8 | 3:52 pm | 1300m |
| Magic Millions Helen Coughlan Stakes | 9 | 4:28 pm | 1200m |
Fred Best Classic 2026 Date & Race Time
The 2026 Fred Best Classic is run at 2:38 pm on Saturday, May 30. It’s the sixth race on the card at Eagle Farm, and the precursor to the two Group 1 features of the Brisbane Winter Carnival.
Fred Best Classic Barrier Draw 2026
The 2026 Fred Best Classic barrier draw will be released to the public a few days before the race and published in our above Fred Best Classic Field section.
Fred Best Classic Nominations 2026
2026 Fred Best Classic nominations close at 11 AM on the Monday of race week.
Fred Best Classic Weights 2026
Set weights apply to this race. Colts and geldings run at 57 kilograms, fillies at 55 kilograms. Final weights are announced at 4 PM on the Tuesday of race week with the official 2026 Fred Best Classic weights on the final acceptances to be published in our above Fred Best Classic Field section.
Fred Best Classic Acceptances 2026
2026 Fred Best Classic final acceptances must be declared before 9:00 AM on the Wednesday of race week and will be published in our above Fred Best Classic Field section.
Fred Best Classic Jockeys 2026
The final riders’ announcement is at 12 PM on the Wednesday of race week with the official 2026 Fred Best Classic jockeys to be published in our above Fred Best Classic Field section.
Fred Best Classic Scratchings 2026
2026 Fred Best Classic scratchings close at 7:30 AM on Saturday, May 30, 2026.
Fred Best Classic Prize Money 2026
The 2026 Fred Best Classic prize purse is worth $300,000 in total, distributed from places first through to tenth.
| Place | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| 1st | $145,000 |
| 2nd | $46,250 |
| 3rd | $23,750 |
| 4th | $12,500 |
| 5th | $6,875 |
| 6th | $3,125 |
| 7th | $3,125 |
| 8th | $3,125 |
| 9th | $3,125 |
| 10th | $3,125 |
Fred Best Classic Race Number 2026
The 2026 Fred Best Classic race number is 6 for Saturday, May 30, 2026. There are nine races in total that day held at Eagle Farm Racecourse.
Fred Best Classic Form Guide 2026
The final form guide will be available the week of the race. You can check below the week of the race for a link to the full 2026 Fred Best Classic form guide following final acceptances.
Fred Best Classic Live 2026
You can watch or listen to the 2026 Fred Best Classic live, across the following mediums.
Pay television: Sky Racing 1 (channel 526 on Foxtel)
Radio: Radio Sport National
Free to air television: Seven Network
Fred Best Classic Winners
Winners of the Fred Best Classic going back to 2000 are displayed in the table below.
| Year | Winner | Trainer/s | Jockey | Weight | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 2025 (Run at Doomben) | Spicy Martini | Toby Edmonds & Stephen McLean | Craig Williams | 55kg | 1:20.95 (over 1350m) |
| 2024 | Roll On High | Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman | Vlad Duric | 55kg | 1:24.69 |
| 2023 | Hawaii Five Oh | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Nash Rawiller | 57kg | 1:22.82 |
| 2022 | Vilana | James Cummings | Sam Clipperton | 57kg | 1:22.43 |
| 2021 | Apache Chase | Desleigh Forster | Jim Byrne | 57kg | 1:20.06 |
| 2020 | Dawn Passage | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Brad Stewart | 57kg | 1:18.83 (over 1350m) |
| 2019 | Military Zone | Peter & Paul Snowden | James McDonald | 57kg | 1:22.06 |
| 2018 | Perast | Paul Perry | Tim Clark | 57kg | 1:19.70 |
| 2017 | Niccanova | Steve Tregea | James Orman | 57kg | 1:26.59 |
| 2016 | Counterattack | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 57kg | 1:18.86 |
| 2015 | Najoom | Gai Waterhouse | Tommy Berry | 55kg | 1:19.00 |
| 2014 | Havana | Paul Messara | Luke Nolen | 57kg | 1:19.23 |
| 2013 | Platinum Kingdom | Lisa Latta | Jonathan Riddell | 57kg | 1:19.81 |
| 2012 | Mental | Peter Snowden | Kerrin McEvoy | 57kg | 1:19.36 |
| 2011 | Falino | Jeffrey Caught | Tim Clark | 56kg | 1:18.82 |
| 2010 | Stryker | Chris Waller | Jim Cassidy | 56kg | 1:19.14 |
| 2009 | Court | Clarry Conners | Damien Oliver | 54kg | 1:19.42 |
| 2008 | El Cambio | Peter Snowden | Corey Brown | 56.5kg | 1:19.25 |
| 2007 | Gold Edition | Ron Maund | Jim Cassidy | 54kg | 1:17.52 |
| 2006 | La Montagna | Barry Baldwin | Scott Galloway | 52.5kg | 1:18.57 |
| 2005 | Gumnuts | Bryan Guy | Jim Byrne | 55.5kg | 1:18.84 |
| 2004 | Gallieni | Gerald Ryan | Brad Pengelly | 55.5kg | 1:18.18 |
| 2003 | Proudly Agro | Barry Bowditch | Lacey Morrison | 55.5kg | 1:18.91 |
| 2002 | Tellson | Rex Lipp | Stathi Katsidis | 55.5kg | 1:17.87 |
| 2001 | Marlina | Clarry Conners | Leanne G Henry | 52.5kg | 1:19.21 |
| 2000 | Cryptavia | Russell Cameron | Jim Byrne | 52.5kg | 1:20.79 |