Looking for this year’s The Quokka betting guide, racing odds and tips? The experts at Neds have put together everything you need to know on the race.
The Quokka 2026 Results
The official 2026 The Quokka results will be available below once the race takes place on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
- #1 Jigsaw
- #3 Rey Magnerio
- #12 Talkanco
Cindy Alderson’s flying seven-year-old, Jigsaw ($4F), was huge saluting for the punters with his brave all-the-way victory in the 2026 The Quokka results. The last start William Reid Stakes champion extended his winning streak to make it seven straight off another well-rated ride by apprentice Logan Bates who crossed from the wide gate and lead from barrier to box, only briefly relinquishing the lead in a tense moment close to the finishing line before the horse fought back and held off Rey Magnerio in the $5 million feature with the filly Talkanco running third.
| 1. Jigsaw (13) J: Logan Bates 58.5kg 1×111T: Cindy Alderson | ||
| 3. Rey Magnerio (5) J: William Pike 58.5kg 331×6T: Robbie Griffiths | ||
| 12. Talkanco (3) J: Lucy Fiore 54.5kg 2×224T: Daniel & Ben Pearce | ||
| 6. Spywire (1) J: John Allen 58.5kg 61571T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 8. Rope Them In (10) J: Shaun Mcgruddy 58.5kg 249×1T: Steve Wolfe | ||
| 2. Caballus (9) J: Tommy Berry 58.5kg 81×21T: Bjorn Baker | ||
| 11. Smooth Chino (11) J: Mark Zahra 58.5kg 111×2T: Indianna Weinert | ||
| 10. Sisu Warrior (8) J: Shaun O’donnell 58.5kg 674×1T: Dion Luciani | ||
| 13. Luana Miss (6) J: Chris Parnham 54.5kg 117×4T: Trevor Andrews | ||
| 9. West Star (4) J: Clint Johnston-Porter 58.5kg x09x8T: Simon A Miller | ||
| 4. Magnificent Andy (2) J: Brad Parnham 58.5kg 5457xT: Stephen Miller | ||
| 5. Jedibeel (7) J: Tyler Schiller 58.5kg 09×42T: Brad Widdup |
The Quokka 2026 Tips
Our insider 2026 The Quokka tips will be published here the week of the race and a full betting preview found on the Neds Blog.
CLICK HERE FOR OUR COMPLETE 2026 THE QUOKKA DAY PREVIEW & TIPS
| 2. Caballus (9) J: Tommy Berry 58.5kg 81×21T: Bjorn Baker |
| 3. Rey Magnerio (5) J: William Pike 58.5kg 331×6T: Robbie Griffiths |
| 11. Smooth Chino (11) J: Mark Zahra 58.5kg 111×2T: Indianna Weinert |
The Quokka – run in 2026 as The BYD Quokka – is a new slot-race, in the same vein as Sydney’s $20 million The Everest (1200m) in the spring which has subsequently gained Group 1 status, that ran at Perth’s Ascot Racecourse for the first time in April of 2023.
The recent initiative by Perth Racing sees a massive autumn racing weekend in WA with a tri-code, slot-racing extravaganza giving away over $6 million in stakes. The three new events are The Quokka (thoroughbred racing), The Nullarbor (harness racing) and The Sandgroper (greyhounds).
The Special Conditions The Quokka race now offers an incredible $5 million in prize money making it Perth’s official richest ever race.
It was boosted from $4 million to $5 million ahead of the second running in 2024 and is also now Australia’s fifth richest horse race.
The weight-for-age sprint showdown runs over 1200m with The Quokka Day held on a Saturday in mid to late April, currently on the same date Sydney hosts the Group 1 All Aged Stakes and Group 1 Champagne Stakes.
The Quokka race is named in after the “happiest animal on Earth”, the quokka, which the state’s Rottnest Island is famous for.
The Quokka field is open to 13 slot-holders with slots available at a cost of $200,000 each.
The inaugural The Quokka champion Overpass franked the form returning to Perth that summer to salute in the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m).
Overpass returned for a successful The Quokka title defence in 2024 before also going back-to-back in that year’s Winterbottom Stakes results.
In 2025 Jokers Grin became the second horse to win The Quokka and the first locally trained champion from WA.
In 2026, Jigsaw won for slot holders Ladbrokes who went back-to-back. Jigsaw made it seven straight wins and became the first The Quokka favourite to salute for the punters with his huge all-the-way performance.
The Quokka 2026 – Quick Information
- 2026 Race Name: The BYD Quokka
- Race Day: Saturday, April 18, 2026
- Track Location: Ascot Racecourse
- Track Surface: Turf
- Track Direction: Left-handed
- Race Distance: 1,200 metres
- Weight Conditions: Weight for age
- Type: Thoroughbred
- Grade: Special Conditions (non-Black-Type) Slot Race
- Operator: Perth Racing
- Prize Purse: $5,000,000
- Inaugural Race: 2023
- 2026 The Quokka Winner: Jigsaw
The Quokka Betting 2026
There are many different ways to bet on The Quokka, 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 Quokka |
|---|---|
| Win Bet | Place your bet on the horse you think will take first place in this year’s The Quokka. |
| Place Bet | Place your bet on the horse you think will place in the top three finishers in this year’s The Quokka. Pays less than a win bet but offers safer odds. |
| Each-Way Bet | If your runner finishes 1st in The Quokka, 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 Quokka, in order to win the Quinella. |
| Exacta Bet | You must select the runners that finish 1st and 2nd in the correct order, within The Quokka to win the Exacta. |
| Trifecta Bet | You must select runners to finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the correct order, within The Quokka to win the Trifecta. |
| First Four | You must select runners that finish 1st, 2nd ,3rd and 4th in the correct order, within The Quokka 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 Quokka, in order to be eligible to place a Quaddie. |
How To Bet on The Quokka in 2026
- Log in at neds.com.au
- 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 Quokka Betting above).
- Select the horse(s) for the race.
Which Horse Will Win The Quokka in 2026
The best way to pick which horse will win The Quokka in 2026 is to take into account their recent lead-up form in the Perth sprint races, proven Group runners and any star interstate raiders making the trip west for the $5 million event.
Additional factors to consider when picking The Quokka winner include:
- Winterbottom Runners: Any sprinters that performed well in the previous summer’s Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) at the same track and distance are likely to perform well in The Quokka race. In 2023 Overpass completed The Quokka – Winterbottom Stakes double. Overpass returned to win The Quokka – Winterbottom Stakes double again in 2024.
The Quokka Favourites 2026
Favourites in The Quokka 2026 betting at time of publish include Bjorn Baker’s Group 1 Newmarket Handicap winner Caballus, the spring’s CF Orr champ Jimmysstar and Rey Magnerio who ran third in last summer’s Winterbottom Stakes before a Group 3 The Gold Rush win at the Ascot track in WA.
In 2026, Jigsaw ($4) became the first The Quokka favourite to salute for the punters.
The Quokka 2026 Field
The official 2026 The Quokka field of final acceptances will be published below once confirmed by Perth Racing the week of the race.
The Quokka 2026 field will feature 13 horses with slots in the event open for at $200,000 each.
The 2026 The Quokka final field features a capacity line-up of top-line sprinters including Cindy Alderson’s last start Group 1 William Reid Stakes champ Jigsaw chasing his incredible seventh win on the trot, Steve Wolfe’s Group 3 Roma Cup champ Rope Them In up in grade, The Galaxy runner-up Jedibeel, and the Bjorn Baker-trained Caballus coming off a Group 1 Newmarket Handicap win at HQ.
| Entrant | Last 6 | Sex | Barrier | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. Jigsaw
J: Logan Bates
T: Cindy Alderson |
11x111 | G | 13 | 58.5kg | |
|
2. Caballus
J: Tommy Berry
T: Bjorn Baker |
181x21 | G | 9 | 58.5kg | |
|
3. Rey Magnerio
J: William Pike
T: Robbie Griffiths |
1331x6 | G | 5 | 58.5kg | |
|
4. Magnificent Andy
J: Brad Parnham
T: Stephen Miller |
15457x | G | 2 | 58.5kg | |
|
5. Jedibeel
J: Tyler Schiller
T: Brad Widdup |
409x42 | G | 7 | 58.5kg | |
|
6. Spywire
J: John Allen
T: Ciaron Maher |
361571 | G | 1 | 58.5kg | |
|
7. Oscar's Fortune
J: Patrick Carbery
T: Dion Luciani |
264x13 | G | 12 | 58.5kg | |
|
8. Rope Them In
J: Shaun Mcgruddy
T: Steve Wolfe |
1249x1 | G | 10 | 58.5kg | |
|
9. West Star
J: Clint Johnston-Porter
T: Simon A Miller |
3x09x8 | G | 4 | 58.5kg | |
|
10. Sisu Warrior
J: Shaun O'donnell
T: Dion Luciani |
8674x1 | G | 8 | 58.5kg | |
|
11. Smooth Chino
J: Mark Zahra
T: Indianna Weinert |
x111x2 | G | 11 | 58.5kg | |
|
12. Talkanco
J: Lucy Fiore
T: Daniel & Ben Pearce |
22x224 | F | 3 | 54.5kg | |
|
13. Luana Miss
J: Chris Parnham
T: Trevor Andrews |
2117x4 | F | 6 | 54.5kg | |
| 14. Repossession (14) Scratched: | |||||
| 15. Cessation (15) Scratched: | |||||
| 16. Cut The Talk (16) Scratched: | |||||
| 17. Sky Duke (17) Scratched: | |||||
The Quokka 2026 Slot Holders
Slot Holder (Confirmed Horse):
- Woodbridge & JLS Thoroughbreds (Talkanco)
- TABtouch (Luana Miss)
- Sportsbet (Rey Magnerio)
- RAM Racing Syndicate #1 (Caballus)
- Unitbet / Chief Racing (Smooth Chino)
- Ladbrokes (Jigsaw)
- Magic Bloodstock Racing (West Star)
- Trackside NZ / Perth Racing (Jedibeel)
- Rapid Equine Breeding (Rope Them In)
- Trucking Nominees / Morton Racing (Magnificent Andy)
- Peters Investments (Oscar’s Fortune)
- RAM Racing Syndicate #2 (Spywire)
- Seacorp / Hallowell (Sisu Warrior)
Confirmed The Quokka 2026 Horses
Stay up to date below with the confirmed 2026 The Quokka horses as the slot holders for the $5 million event announce their contenders.
No. 1 JIGSAW
- Trainer: Cindy Alderson
- Slot Holder: Ladbrokes
- Jockey: Logan Bates (a)
- Barrier: 13
|
1. Jigsaw (13)
J: Logan Bates 58.5kg
1×111T: Cindy Alderson
|
No. 2 CABALLUS
- Trainer: Bjorn Baker
- Slot Holder: RAM Racing Syndicate #1
- Jockey: Tommy Berry
- Barrier: 9
|
2. Caballus (9)
J: Tommy Berry 58.5kg
81×21T: Bjorn Baker
|
No. 3 REY MAGNERIO
- Trainer: Robbie Griffiths
- Slot Holder: Sportsbet
- Jockey: William Pike
- Barrier: 5
|
3. Rey Magnerio (5)
J: William Pike 58.5kg
331×6T: Robbie Griffiths
|
No. 4 MAGNIFICENT ANDY
- Trainer: Stephen Miller
- Slot Holder: Tracking Nominees / Morton Racing
- Jockey: Brad Parnham
- Barrier: 2
|
4. Magnificent Andy (2)
J: Brad Parnham 58.5kg
5457xT: Stephen Miller
|
No. 5 JEDIBEEL
- Trainer: Brad Widdup
- Slot Holder: Trackside NZ / Perth Racing
- Jockey: Tyler Schiller
- Barrier: 7
|
5. Jedibeel (7)
J: Tyler Schiller 58.5kg
09×42T: Brad Widdup
|
No. 6 SPYWIRE
- Trainer: Ciaron Maher
- Slot Holder: RAM Racing Syndicate #2
- Jockey: John Allen
- Barrier: 1
|
6. Spywire (1)
J: John Allen 58.5kg
61571T: Ciaron Maher
|
No. 7 OSCAR’S FORTUNE
- Trainer: Dion Luciani
- Slot Holder: Peters Investments
- Jockey: Patrick Carbery
- Barrier: 12
|
7. Oscar’s Fortune (12)
J: Patrick Carbery 58.5kg
64×13T: Dion Luciani
|
No. 8 ROPE THEM IN
- Trainer: Steve Wolfe
- Slot Holder: Rapid Equine Breeding
- Jockey: Shaun McGruddy
- Barrier: 10
|
8. Rope Them In (10)
J: Shaun Mcgruddy 58.5kg
249×1T: Steve Wolfe
|
No. 9 WEST STAR
- Trainer: Simon A Miller
- Slot Holder: Magic Bloodstock Racing
- Jockey: Clint Johnston-Porter
- Barrier: 4
|
9. West Star (4)
J: Clint Johnston-Porter 58.5kg
x09x8T: Simon A Miller
|
No. 10 SISU WARRIOR
- Trainer: Dion Luciani
- Slot Holder: Seacorp / Hallowell
- Jockey: Shaun O’Donnell
- Barrier: 8
|
10. Sisu Warrior (8)
J: Shaun O’donnell 58.5kg
674×1T: Dion Luciani
|
No. 11 SMOOTH CHINO
- Trainer: Indianna Weinert
- Slot Holder: Unibet / Chief Racing
- Jockey: Mark Zahra
- Barrier: 11
|
11. Smooth Chino (11)
J: Mark Zahra 58.5kg
111×2T: Indianna Weinert
|
No. 12 TALKANCO
- Trainers: Daniel & Ben Pearce
- Slot Holder: Woodbridge & JLS Thoroughbreds
- Jockey: Ms Lucy Fiore
- Barrier: 3
|
12. Talkanco (3)
J: Lucy Fiore 54.5kg
2×224T: Daniel & Ben Pearce
|
No. 13 LUANA MISS
- Trainer: Trevor Andrews
- Slot Holder: TABtouch
- Jockey: Chris Parnham
- Barrier: 6
|
13. Luana Miss (6)
J: Chris Parnham 54.5kg
117×4T: Trevor Andrews
|
The Quokka Race Day 2026
2026 The Quokka Day takes place on Saturday, April 18, 2026 at Ascot Racecourse. The key support act on the card is the Group 2 $500,000 Karrakatta Plate (1200m) for two-year-olds.
The Quokka Prize Money 2026
The 2026 The Quokka prize money is set at $5 million with prize money paid from 1st right down to 14th.
| Place | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| 1st | $2,000,000 |
| 2nd | $600,000 |
| 3rd | $400,000 |
| 4th | $250,000 |
| 5th | $190,000 |
| 6th | $180,000 |
| 7th | $175,000 |
| 8th | $175,000 |
| 9th | $175,000 |
| 10th | $175,000 |
| 11th | $145,000 |
| 12th | $145,000 |
| 13th | $145,000 |
| 14th | $145,000 |
The Quokka Jockeys 2026
The Quokka 2026 jockeys will be updated in our above The Quokka Field section the week of the race.
Joshua Parr was the inaugural The Quokka winning jockey aboard Overpass in 2023 and won again on the same horse in 2024.
Patrick Carbery became the second The Quokka winning jockey in 2025 aboard Jokers Grin after a narrow loss in 2023 on runner-up Amelia’s Jewel.
In 2026, apprentice Logan Bates rode that year’s The Quokka winner Jigsaw to victory.
The Quokka Nominations 2026
Early The Quokka 2026 nominations will be published here as soon as confirmed.
The Quokka Race Number 2026
The 2026 The Quokka race number is scheduled as Ascot Race 8 at 3:45pm (AWST) / 5:45pm (AEST) on Saturday, April 18, 2026. There are ten races that day at Ascot Racecourse.
The Quokka Form Guide 2026
The final form guide will be available the week of the race. You can check below for our full 2026 The Quokka Form Guide following final acceptances.
CLICK HERE FOR OUR FULL 2026 THE QUOKKA FORM GUIDE
The Quokka Winners
Winners of The Quokka starting from the race’s inauguration in 2023 are displayed in the table below.
| YEAR | WINNER | SECOND | THIRD | TIME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Jigsaw | Rey Magnerio | Talkanco | 1:10.18 |
| 2025 | Jokers Grin | Headwall | Generosity | 1:09.31 |
| 2024 | Overpass | Amelia’s Jewel | Oscar’s Fortune | 1:08.88 |
| 2023 | Overpass | Amelia’s Jewel | Bella Nipotina | 1:09.53 |