Looking for early info on this year’s The Damien Oliver betting odds and field? The experts at Neds have put together everything you need to know before this year’s race.
The Damien Oliver 2026 Results
The official 2026 The Damien Oliver results will be available below once the race takes place on Saturday, October 31, 2026.
- #2 Private Eye
- #7 Cote Atlantique
- #15 Zou Sensation
The 2026 The Damien Oliver results at Flemington saw evergreen Group 1 winner Private Eye ($9) turn back the clock with a brilliant victory in the Group 2 feature, further enhancing his reputation as one of Australia’s toughest and most consistent performers. The nine-year-old, trained by Joseph Pride and expertly ridden by James McDonald, settled comfortably before unleashing his trademark finish to defeat Cote Atlantique by 1½ lengths, with Zou Sensation a nose away in third. The performance took Private Eye’s career earnings beyond $12.4 million and immediately sparked Group 1 discussion, with connections likely to target the CF Orr Stakes (1400m) at Sandown Hillside later this month. Bookmakers were quick to respond, slashing the veteran’s CF Orr Stakes 2026 odds from $51 into $8 at Neds after his impressive Derby Day triumph.
2026 The Damien Oliver Race Replay
2026 The Damien Oliver Odds & Finishing Order
The Damien Oliver odds 2026 are some of the most competitive markets on Victoria Derby Day, with a quality field of sprinters and milers converging on Flemington for the prestigious Group 2 handicap. With runners often emerging from key spring races and arriving with differing weight advantages, The Damien Oliver betting 2026 markets produce significant value opportunities for punters willing to follow the form and market moves. Keep up to date with the latest The Damien Oliver odds, betting fluctuations, barrier draw news, and market movers with Neds to identify the leading contenders and uncover value in this exciting 1400m spring feature.
The latest The Damien Oliver 2026 odds followed by the official race finishing order after the event will be available below.
| 2. Private Eye (9) 59kgx2732 | |||
| 7. Cote Atlantique (15) 55kg65321 | |||
| 15. Zou Sensation (5) 53kg05739 | |||
| 13. Amenable (6) 53kg8×344 | |||
| 16. Recon (14) 53kgx6004 | |||
| 4. Desert Lightning (10) 57.5kg0x667 | |||
| 11. Steparty (12) 54.5kg150×2 | |||
| 12. Persian Spirit (3) 54kgx2401 | |||
| 5. Warnie (1) 57kgx4164 | |||
| 6. Here To Shock (8) 55.5kg0x645 | |||
| 18. King Zephyr (11) 53kg268×4 | |||
| 17. Scheelite (2) 53kg080×4 | |||
| 9. Cafe Millenium (16) 54.5kg0x037 | |||
| 14. Holymanz (7) 53kg754×0 | |||
| 10. Hughes (4) 54.5kg115×3 | |||
| 8. Welwal (13) 55kg4144x | |||
| 1. Pericles (3)SCRATCHED: | |||
| 3. War Machine (18)SCRATCHED: | |||
| 19. Estremo (2)SCRATCHED: | |||
The Damien Oliver 2026 Tips
Our Neds’ exclusive 2026 The Damien Oliver tips will be detailed here the week of the race and a full betting preview available on the Neds Blog.
| 5. Warnie (1) 57kgx4164 |
| 2. Private Eye (9) 59kgx2732 |
| 7. Cote Atlantique (15) 55kg65321 |
Formerly known as the Linlithgow Stakes, The Damien Oliver is a Group 2 sprint run and won at Flemington Racecourse on Victoria Derby Day.
The 1400m showdown takes place on a Saturday in either late October or early November on the opening day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival and is an open handicap race offer $500,000 in prize money.
First contested in 1868, the event was formerly a weight-for-age race and before 2006 was run on VRC Oaks Day. Since being moved five days earlier, it now serves as a nice lead-up into the Group 1 $3 million Champions Sprint and Group 1 Champions Mile on Stakes Day at HQ.
Glamour Puss (2005) was the last galloper to complete the then Linlithgow Stakes – VRC Sprint Classic double.
The race has held Group 2 status since 1979 and plenty of good horses have won the Linlithgow Stakes including Phar Lap (1930), Chatham (1931-33), Ajax (1937-38), Sky High (1962), Vain (1969), Mahogany (1996), Fastnet Rock (2004), Illustrious Lad (2016) and Osborne Bulls (2018) who went on to win five consecutive Group 1 races.
The race was renamed ahead of the 2023 edition to The Damien Oliver in honour of retiring champion Australian hoop Damien Oliver.
The 2024 The Damien Oliver form was franked with the winner Another Wil running a next-up second in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes. He also returned in the autumn of 2025 to claim the CF Orr Stakes. The runner-up Jimmysstar further franked the form taking out the 2025 Oakleigh Plate and All Aged Stakes at the top level before a third in the 2025 The Everest results.
The Damien Oliver 2026 – Quick Info
- Former Race Names: Linlithgow Stakes, Salinger Stakes, TAB Stakes
- Race Day: Saturday, October 31, 2026
- Track Location: Flemington Racecourse
- Track Surface: Turf
- Track Direction: Left-handed
- Race Distance: 1,400 metres
- Weight Conditions: Handicap
- Qualification: Open
- Type: Thoroughbred
- Grade: Group 2
- Prize Purse: $500,000
- Inaugural Race: 1868
- 2026 The Damien Oliver Winner: Private Eye
The Damien Oliver Betting 2026
There are many different ways to bet on The Damien Oliver (Linlithgow Stakes), and we have included some of the most popular options below:
| Bet Type | How to Place This Type of Bet on This Year’s The Damien Oliver |
|---|---|
| Win Bet | Place your bet on the horse you think will take first place in this year’s The Damien Oliver. |
| Place Bet | Place your bet on the horse you think will place in the top three finishers at this year’s The Damien Oliver. Pays less than a win bet but offers safer odds. |
| Each-Way Bet | If your runner finishes 1st in The Damien Oliver, 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 Damien Oliver, in order to win the Quinella. |
| Exacta Bet | You must select the runners that finish 1st and 2nd in the correct order, within The Damien Oliver to win the Exacta. |
| Trifecta Bet | You must select runners to finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the correct order, within The Damien Oliver to win the Trifecta. |
| First Four | You must select runners that finish 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th in the correct order, within The Damien Oliver 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 Damien Oliver, in order to be eligible to place a Quaddie. |
How to Bet on The Damien Oliver in 2026
- Log in 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 Damien Oliver Betting above.
- Select the horse(s) for the race.
Which Horse Will Win the Damien Oliver in 2026?
The best way to pick which horse will win The Damien Oliver in 2026 is to take into account their lead-up form in similar grade/distance races, any past form at the Flemington track and those that may be Group 1 performed dropping in grade.
Additional factors to consider when picking The Damien Oliver winner include:
- Past Performers: Many horses will contest multiple editions of the race and perform well including the recent back-to-back wins by Kemalpasa (2019-20). Kemalpasa also returned in 2021 to run a devastatingly close second to upset winner Justacanta ($17).
- Gilgai Lead-Up: Flemington’s Group 2 Gilgai Stakes (1200m) held at the same track and distance earlier in the spring makes a solid lead-up into the event, although no horses have done the double since Belle Du Jour (2001).
The Damien Oliver 2026 Favourites
Favourites in 2026 The Damien Oliver betting include the Ciaron Maher-trained Warnie coming off a game fourth in the Toorak Handicap, Bjorn Baker’s Street Boss seven-year-old Pericles chasing his first win since the Group 1 Futurity back in February and second emergency King Zephyr coming off a game fourth in the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes down the Flemington ‘Straight Six’ on October 3 but sweating on a start.
The Damien Oliver 2026 Field
The official The Damien Oliver 2026 field of final acceptances is announced the Wednesday of race week and will be published in full below.
The official The Damien Oliver 2026 final field is now out featuring a capacity line-up of sprinters including Lindsay Park’s last start Group 3 Moonga Stakes winner War Machine drawn wide out and nine-year-old runner-up in that same key lead-up, Private Eye, to be ridden by James McDonald.
| Entrant | Last 6 | Sex | Barrier | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Pericles (3) Scratched: | |||||
|
2. Private Eye
J: James McDonald
T: Joseph Pride |
5×2732 | G | 9 | 59kg | |
| 3. War Machine (18) Scratched: | |||||
|
4. Desert Lightning
J: Ben Melham
T: Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman |
80×667 | G | 10 | 57.5kg | |
|
5. Warnie
J: Mark Zahra
T: Ciaron Maher |
8×4164 | G | 1 | 57kg | |
|
6. Here To Shock
J: Daniel Stackhouse
T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |
70×645 | G | 8 | 55.5kg | |
|
7. Cote Atlantique
J: Declan Bates
T: Henry Dwyer |
065321 | G | 15 | 55kg | |
|
8. Welwal
J: Beau Mertens
T: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr |
34144x | G | 13 | 55kg | |
|
9. Cafe Millenium
J: Celine Gaudray
T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |
50×037 | G | 16 | 54.5kg | |
|
10. Hughes
J: Jett Stanley
T: Gavin Bedggood |
7115×3 | G | 4 | 54.5kg | |
|
11. Steparty
J: John Allen
T: Paul Preusker |
1150×2 | G | 12 | 54.5kg | |
|
12. Persian Spirit
J: Craig Williams
T: Symon Wilde |
8×2401 | G | 3 | 54kg | |
|
13. Amenable
J: Michael Dee
T: Grahame Begg |
48×344 | G | 6 | 53kg | |
|
14. Holymanz
J: Jabez Johnstone
T: Ciaron Maher |
3754×0 | G | 7 | 53kg | |
|
15. Zou Sensation
J: William Pike
T: L & T Corstens & W Larkin |
505739 | G | 5 | 53kg | |
|
16. Recon
J: Patrick Moloney
T: Pat Carey & Harris Walker |
0x6004 | G | 14 | 53kg | |
|
17. Scheelite
J: Craig Newitt
T: Ken & Kasey Keys |
1080×4 | G | 2 | 53kg | |
|
18. King Zephyr
J: Harry Coffey
T: Grahame Begg |
2268×4 | G | 11 | 53kg | |
| 19. Estremo (2) Scratched: | |||||
The Damien Oliver Race Day 2026
The 2026 The Damien Oliver takes place on Saturday, October 31, 2026 as part of Victoria Derby Day, which is the first of the famous four-day Melbourne Cup Carnival. The key Derby Day races are the:
- Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m),
- Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m),
- Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m),
- Group 2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m),
- Group 3 Begonia Belle Stakes (1100m) – run in 2026 as the Asahi Super Dry Sprint,
- Group 3 Rising Fast Sakes (1200m), and the
- Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m).
The Damien Oliver 2026 Barrier Draw
The 2026 The Damien Oliver barrier draw will be released to the public a few days before the race and published in our above The Damien Oliver Field section.
The Damien Oliver 2026 Nominations
2026 The Damien Oliver nominations close at 12:00 PM on the Monday of race week.
The Damien Oliver 2026 Weights
Open Handicap conditions apply to this race. Final 2026 The Damien Oliver 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 The Damien Oliver Field section.
2026 The Damien Oliver Topweight:
- No. 1 Pericles (59.5kg)
The Damien Oliver 2026 Acceptances
2026 The Damien Oliver final acceptances must be declared before 9:30 AM on the Wednesday of race week and will be published in our above The Damien Oliver Field section.
The Damien Oliver 2026 Jockeys
The final riders’ announcement is at 1:00 PM on the Wednesday of race week and the official 2026 The Damien Oliver jockeys will be published in our above The Damien Oliver Field section.
The Damien Oliver Scratchings 2026
2026 The Damien Oliver scratchings close at 7:30 AM on Saturday, October 31, 2026.
The Damien Oliver Prize Money 2026
The 2026 The Damien Oliver prize purse is worth $500,000 in total, distributed from places first through to eighth.
| Place | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| 1st | $300,000 |
| 2nd | $90,000 |
| 3rd | $45,000 |
| 4th | $22,500 |
| 5th | $12,500 |
| 6th | $10,000 |
| 7th | $10,000 |
| 8th | $10,000 |
The Damien Oliver Race Number 2026
The 2026 The Damien Oliver race number is scheduled as Flemington Race 5 at 3:00pm (AEDT) on Saturday, October 31, 2026. There are nine races in total that day at Flemington Racecourse.
The Damien Oliver 2026 Form Guide
The final form guide will be available the week of the race. You can check below for a link to our full 2026 The Damien Oliver Form Guide following final acceptances.
The Damien Oliver Live 2026
You can watch or listen to the 2026 The Damien Oliver live, across the following mediums.
Pay television: Sky Racing 1 (channel 526 on Foxtel)
Radio: Radio Sport National
Free to air television: Channel 9
Streaming: Racing.com
Mobile: Neds App
Linlithgow Stakes / The Damien Oliver Winners
Winners of the race now run as The Damien Oliver going back to 2000 displayed in the table below.
| YEAR | WINNER | 2ND | 3RD | TIME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Private Eye | Cote Atlantique | Zou Sensation | 1:22.80 |
| 2025 | Warnie | Zou Sensation | Enxuto | 1:21.62 |
| 2024 | Another Wil | Jimmysstar | Steparty | 1:22.96 |
| 2023 | Cause For Concern | Bandersnatch | Munhamek | 1:22.35 |
| 2022 | Old Flame | Poland | Ironclad | 1:23.60 |
| 2021 | Justacanta | Kemalpasa | Isaurian | 1:10.0 |
| 2020 | Kemalpasa | Order Of Command | Bold Star | 1:10.4 |
| 2019 | Kemalpasa | Order Of Command | Zoutori | 1:10.0 |
| 2018 | Osborne Bulls | Bons Away | Runson | 1:09:8 |
| 2017 | Rich Charm | Missrock | The Monstar | 1:08.9 |
| 2016 | Illustrious Lad | Counterattack | Southern Legend | 1:08.3 |
| 2015 | Eclair Choice | Hot Snitzel | Dothraki | 1:09.3 |
| 2014 | Deep Field | Driefontein | In Cahoots | 1:11.0 |
| 2013 | Fontelina | Spirit Of Boom | Rarefied | 1:09.0 |
| 2012 | Fontelina | Spirit Of Boom | Tiger Tees | 1:08.8 |
| 2011 | Sister Madly | Rarefied | Temple Of Boom | 1:10.4 |
| 2010 | Whitefriars | Beaded | Chasm | 1:11.1 |
| 2009 | Eagle Falls | Turffontein | Absolutelyfabulous | 1:08.9 |
| 2008 | Hot Danish | Fighting Fund | Sunburnt Land | 1:10.1 |
| 2007 | Swick | Great is Great | Typhoon Zed | 1:08.9 |
| 2006 | Dance Hero | Shadoways | Miss Andretti | 1:08.6 |
| 2005 | Glamour Puss | Barely A Moment | Cape Of Good Hope | 1:08.9 |
| 2004 | Takeover Target | Recurring | St Basil | 1:08.2 |
| 2003 | Ancient Song | Into The Night | Blessum | 1:11.0 |
| 2002 | Rubitano | Intelligent Star | Cosmic Strike | 1:07.1 |
| 2001 | Sudurka | Hire | Camena | 1:08.4 |
| 2000 | Easy Rocking | Umrum | Tilt The Scales | 1:10.0 |