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The best of the young staying types in Sydney face off in Randwick’s feature race of the weekend, and Races.com.au have you covered with our expert 2026 Spring Champion Stakes tips, field preview and best bets.
While punters will be paying plenty of attention to the stacked Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day card further south, there’s still plenty to tune into across the border with the action headlined by a compact but classy line-up of three-year-olds facing off in the Group 1 $2 million Spring Champion Stakes (2000m).
A race won by a host of quality youngsters over the years from the mighty Kingston Town (1979) to Sharp ‘N’ Smart (2022) in more recent times, the event can serve as a potential VRC Derby lead-up and always draws a crowd of keen form followers.
The latest Spring Champion Stakes odds at Ladbrokes this season are led by John Sargent‘s progressive filly Global Goal at $2.80 looking to beat home the boys and secure back-to-back spring Group 1s.
Having come through the Princess Series, she put her abilities on show when claiming victory in the Flight Stakes over the mile on Epsom Day and is now out to be the first Spring Champion Stakes winning filly since Montefilia in 2020.
Montefilia was also the last filly to do the Flight Stakes – Spring Champion Stakes double that Global Goal chases on Saturday with the favourite drawn in gate three with Dylan Gibbons sticking with.
The danger on the second line of Spring Champion Stakes betting at $5.50 drawn the outside alley is fellow filly, the undefeated David Payne-trained Proxima Dea.
Payne chases a third win following his recent victories with Ace High (2017) and the aforementioned winning filly Montefilia so knows what it takes to prepare a three-year-old champion.
Proxima Dea has been the picture of consistency so far and her form is very hard to deny heading into her acid test this weekend.
The nicely bred daughter of Tarzino boasts a flawless four-from-four record and is up in grade having only run in her first Group race last time out.
Fresh on October 10 she raced out of her skin at Rosehill to deny Wonka narrowly in the Group 3 Gloaming Stakes (1800m) which has proven a strong form race to follow into the Spring Champion in recent history.
Payne was bullish about her chances over the extra distance post her Gloaming victory, and she’s a definite must include for exotics on the weekend.
“That’s her, she is so game and just keeps coming,” he told Sky Thoroughbred Central.
“She doesn’t know when to give up.
“She will even be better once you go further.
“There is improvement to come for the Spring Champion.”
The best fancied of the boys in this year’s Spring Champion Stakes field at $7 is Scarole for trainer of the moment Ciaron Maher.
Nash Rawiller rode the Ole Kirk colt for his last start third in the Gloaming when under a half-length beaten.
Scarole missed the kick that day slowly out the gates by nearly two lengths and looks a genuine chance to close the gap and turn the tables over the 2000m should he get clean out from barrier four on Saturday.
Ace horseman Chris Waller has a typically strong hand numbers wise saddling up a trio of runners led in the markets by Stormy Marco who comes off a Gloaming fifth.
He was a half-length off the winner having been eased back the early stages, already has Group 1 experience when 3rd in the winter’s JJ Atkins in Brisbane and ninth over the unsuitably short 1400m of the Golden Rose and is one who should relish the step-up in trip for the Spring Champion.
Waller’s other runners are Diameter ($17) who ran sixth at his latest in the Caulfield Guineas and the consistent Wonka ($11) who is drawn well in gate two and flying under the radar.
Snitzel colt Wonka is yet to run out of the First Four in his six career starts, is a Black-Type winner at the track having taken out the Listed Dulcify Quality two back and was next best over the line behind Proxima Dea in the Gloaming off a soft run with improvement pending now.
Cormier meanwhile rounds out the single figure fancies at $8.50 with the Maurice colt bringing in similar form lines including a fourth in the Gloaming having set the pace for most of the race.
“He ran fantastic,” was jockey Kerrin McEvoy’s assessment after the Gloaming.
“Plan wasn’t to lead. We sort of landed there with a good beginning.
“He did get into a nice rhythm in front. He will stay further.
“Will enjoy going to Randwick in a couple of weeks.
“A lovely big strong horse with the best still ahead of him this prep.”
The 2026 Spring Champion Stakes is set to run as Randwick Race 7 at 4:00pm (AEDT) on the 10-race card.
Spring Champion Stakes 2026 Best Bets
Favourite: No. 8 Global Goal
| 8. Global Goal (3) J: Dylan Gibbons 54.5kg 1×331 T: John Sargent | |||
| Form hard to fault. Most recently won by a long-neck in the G1 Flight Stakes at this track on October 3 over 1600m on a soft track defeating De Armas carrying 56kg at $3.30. Before that 3rd of 9 in the G2 Tea Rose Stakes at this track on September 19 over 1400m, 1.1 len behind Bangkok Hottie with 56kg at $7.50. Should eat up the extra 400m and looks the one to roll again. | |||
Each Way Danger: No. 9 Proxima Dea
Best Roughie: No. 4 Wonka
2026 Spring Champion Stakes Same Race Multi Selections
$12 (at time of publish) through Ladbrokes
- Top 2 – No. 8 Global Goal
- Top 3 – No. 9 Proxima Dea
- Top 4 – No. 4 Wonka
