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The 2026 Sydney Stakes results at Randwick on Saturday produced a standout performance from Queensland sprinter Grafterburners, who announced himself as a genuine contender for Melbourne’s elite sprint ranks with a commanding victory in the Group 2 feature over 1200m.
Trained by Kelly Schweida and expertly ridden by Nash Rawiller, the four-year-old son of Graff settled beautifully off the speed in this year’s Group 2 $2 million Sydney Stakes (1200m) before unleashing a powerful finishing burst to defeat race favourite Marhoona by 1½ lengths, with veteran sprinter Overpass a further half-neck away in third.
The win was worth more than just black-type glory, with Ladbrokes quickly trimming Grafterburners’ Champions Sprint 2026 odds from $51 into $15, putting him firmly in contention for the Group 1 feature at Flemington on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Champions Sprint 2026 Odds
| 1. Tempted | ||
| 2. Joliestar | ||
| 3. Jimmysstar | ||
| 4. Jigsaw | ||
| 5. Point Barrow | ||
| 6. Headwall | ||
| 7. Overpass | ||
| 8. Skybird | ||
| 9. Angel Capital | ||
| 10. Extragalactic | ||
| 11. Giga Kick | ||
| 12. Grafterburners |
Schweida was delighted to see the talented colt finally showcase his ability on one of Australia’s biggest stages after a frustrating 12 months that included a barrier scratching in last season’s Galaxy.
“He was good today. He got a good ride from Nash,” he told Sky Thoroughbred Central.
“I said to Nash, ‘whatever you do, don’t lead. You just do your own thing. He’ll only do what you make him do.’
“Really pleased for the owners and my special thanks to David Payne.”
The trainer revealed Grafterburners had remained in Sydney for three weeks leading into the race and believed the performance highlighted the value he represents after being purchased for just $70,000 at the Inglis sales.
“He certainly does. We paid $70,000 for him at Inglis, so it keeps the dream alive,” Schweida added.
“Just watching the replay, he was pretty strong through the line. If he pulls up all right, I wouldn’t mind having a crack at that race in Melbourne in a few weeks.”
The Group 1 $3 million Champions Sprint (1200m) on November 7 now appears increasingly likely, with the trainer making no secret of his desire to secure a breakthrough Group 1 victory with the valuable colt.
“He needs a Group One, being a colt,” Schweida said.
“That race last year was The Galaxy and he had a little hissy-fit when scratched at the barriers. That was his Group One that we thought got away from us.
“He definitely needs to try to win one.”
While acknowledging the likely presence of several Everest runners in the Champions Sprint, Schweida believes his talented sprinter deserves his chance after Saturday’s performance.
“We’ll be there. Whether he’s good enough, a lot of the Everest horses will go there, but it was good to get a win,” he said.
The trainer also reflected on the impact the Galaxy scratching had on the horse’s preparation, believing it derailed what could have been an even bigger campaign.
“It buggered his whole carnival up because we had to go home and trial, and then come back and run into Tempted,” he said.
“But he showed today what he’s capable of doing, and they were pretty good horses there today and he was strong through the line.”
Rawiller was equally impressed by the colt’s performance, describing him as a horse with enormous talent who is finally putting everything together mentally.
“He is all class, a little bit too much arrogance,” Rawiller said.
“What a beautiful horse. He got into a nice rhythm today, felt like he had the race in his keeping.
“We were curled up there and let go with one run. He was awesome really.”
The champion jockey believes Grafterburners possesses Group 1-quality ability if he continues to mature.
“Just a really high-class animal,” Rawiller said.
“It has taken a long time for him to get his head right and that might stop him being one of our next Jimmysstars, but he’s a good horse on his day like that.”
Now a seven-time winner with more than $3.2 million in earnings, Grafterburners has added another major prize to an already lucrative career and appears poised for an assault on the spring’s final elite-level sprint. With the Champions Sprint looming and his market price dramatically slashed, Saturday’s Sydney Stakes success may prove the performance that elevated the Schweida-trained colt from talented sprinter to genuine Group 1 contender.
