The money is coming for Chris Waller‘s last start Group 1 champ Campione D’italia to add a second elite level to his budding CV when he lines-up favourite in the Champagne Stakes 2026 at Royal Randwick this weekend.

The final Group 1s of the autumn in Sydney will be run and won on Saturday with All Aged Stakes Day featuring a star-studded line-up in the meeting’s feature and a talented crop of two-year-olds doing battle in the $1 million Champagne Stakes (1600m).

Sitting top of the latest Champagne Stakes odds at $2.60 through Ladbrokes.com.au is Campione D’italia and he’s deserving of his favouritism.

Waller’s progressive Snitzel colt has gone from strength-to-strength this prep starting with breaking his maiden status fresh in the Group 2 Skyline Stakes (1200m) here at Randwick by a nostril flare in late February.

He heads into Saturday’s event looking every bit the colt on an upward surge, perfectly drawn in barrier four and once again teaming up with James McDonald.

His campaign has already showcased a lethal turn of foot — first with that shock Sykline win, then with a huge, luckless Golden Slipper run where he stormed home from last for fourth.

He confirmed his class stepping to 1400m in the Inglis Sires’, cruising past them with plenty in reserve in a performance that screamed he’d relish the mile.

Now fully fit, mentally switched on with the pre?race earmuffs, and improving as the distances rise, he shapes as the runner most likely to thrive over 1600m.

With the strongest form lines, the ideal map and the right rider, it is easy to see why the punters are coming for him to complete the Inglis Sires’ / Champagne double for the first time since the fellow Waller-trained Militarize in 2023.

The danger occupying the second line of Champagne Stakes betting at $5.50 is the widely drawn Miss Chanel out in gate 12 from the Waterhouse/Bott yard.

Five fillies have beaten home the boys in this event since 2012 with She’s Extreme (2022) the latest.

This daughter of Tagaloa remains a maiden after six starts but she’s been progressing well and finishing in the money in some strong form races.

Two back at Caulfield she crossed second to Big Wigs by a pimple in the $1 million VOBIS Showdown before racing out of her skin last start.

She comes into the Champagne as a filly on the rise after a terrific performance at this level in the Inglis Sires’, powering home from the tail to grab second and was still finding the line strongly through the post.

That effort highlighted both her toughness and her ability to sustain a long run, traits that make her a genuine top?three contender again stepping to the mile.

She’s honest, she’s improving, and she won’t be far away when it counts so long as she and jockey Regan Bayliss can get into the right spot from gate 12.

A further two juveniles are under $10 for the win with Fireball ($6.50) a stablemate to the favourite and the undefeated Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou-trained Southend ($8).

Fireball won the Inglis Millennium here in February before a wide alley saw him finish sixth in the Skyline.

He too comes via the traditional Slipper – Sires’ path having run seventh and third respectively, the latter a very brave performance when forced back from wide out before coming right round them late, and he should relish a more favourable alley this time drawn gate two with Timmy Clark retaining the ride.

As for Southend, this two-time winning colt is out to make it a hat-trick and keep his flawless record intact up in grade.

He only debuted on March 6 at Newcastle wining the Paul Perry 2YO Handicap (1300m) by over a length before stepping up in class to take out the Group 3 TL Baillieu over 1400m at Rosehill on Slipper Day.

Looking every bit like he’ll see out a strong mile, he gets his chance from barrier five with Dylan Gibbons in the saddle again.  

Further down the markets and representing potential value if the better fancied don’t show up in their best form are the likes of the Anthony & Sam Freedman-trained Zambales ($12) who ran fourth in the Blue Diamond earlier this prep and the rails-drawn Shamus Award filly Salann ($18) coming off an eye-catching Listed Fernhill Handicap (1600m) second at the track and trip only last weekend.

The 2026 Champagne Stakes is set to run as Randwick Race 7 at 3:00pm (AEST) on the 10-race card.

2026 Champagne Stakes Field & Odds

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