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The Challenge Stakes is a Group 2 weight-for-age race held at Sydney’s Royal Randwick Racecourse in early March as a part of the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival. A 1000m open sprint the Challenge Stakes has increased notably in prize money in recent years and is now worth a lucrative $500,000.

2026 Challenge Stakes Results

Stay tuned for the official 2026 Challenge Stakes results and finishing order at Randwick on Saturday March 7, 2026 and to see which sprinters are TJ Smith Stakes bound.

• 1st: No. 4 Generosity ($10)
• 2nd: No 9 Marhoona
• 3rd: No. 2 Mazu

Winning Margin: 0.03 lengths

Winning Time: 0:56.63 seconds

Generosity ($10) broke through for her first Sydney win for Chris Waller with the progressive mare just getting up in a narrow photo thriller to score an upset in the 2026 Challenge Stakes results in Sydney. Driving through late off a well-rated ride by the on fire James McDonald, she just edged out Marhoona (2nd) and Mazu (3rd) to salute at double-figures and earn her shot at the Group 1 The Galaxy at Rosehill on Golden Slipper Day.

Click here for the full story.

Challenge Stakes 2026 Results

Randwick R7

Final Race time: 

1st 4. Generosity (4) J: James McDonald 56.5kg T: Chris Waller	9.50WIN	2.50PLACE
2nd 9. Marhoona (8) J: Zac Lloyd 54kg T: Michael Freedman	9.50WIN	2.50PLACE
3rd 2. Mazu (6) J: Rachel King 58.5kg T: Joseph Pride	9.00WIN	2.45PLACE
4th 1. Giga Kick (5) J: Nash Rawiller 58.5kg T: Clayton Douglas	3.10WIN	1.50PLACE
5th 3. Skybird (3) J: Tim Clark 56.5kg T: Mitchell Freedman	12.00WIN	2.90PLACE
6th 7. Monte Supreme (7) J: Jason Collett 56.5kg T: Bjorn Baker	67.00WIN	8.50PLACE
7th 5. In Flight (1) J: Jay Ford 56.5kg T: Joseph Pride	27.00WIN	4.80PLACE
8th 6. The Black Cloud (9) J: Sam Clipperton 56.5kg T: Joseph Pride	15.00WIN	3.30PLACE

For current odds on all of our live racing markets, please visit www.ladbrokes.com.au/racing. Data retrieved: 07/03/2026 03:28:31 PM (Australia/Brisbane)

View Results

The Challenge Stakes is one of the key support races on Randwick Guineas Day and accompanies the Group 1 $1 million Randwick Guineas (1600m) and $750,000 Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m).

A possible lead-up race into the Challenge Stakes field is the Group 3 Southern Cross Stakes (1200m) held at Randwick in February, but many of the horses race first-up in the half-a-million-dollar showdown.

The likely next-up autumn targets for horses out of the Challenge Stakes include the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) and April’s Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) held as part of ‘The Championships’.

Nature Strip (2020) is the latest horse to have completed the Challenge Stakes – TJ Smith Stakes double.

In 2021 Nature Strip returned to run second as the beaten odds-on favourite in the Challenge Stakes won by Eduardo in a new record time of 55.2 seconds.

That form was franked with Eduardo (2021) going on to complete the Challenge Stakes – The Galaxy double before a TJ Smith Stakes third behind Nature Strip.

Nature Strip went on to win the now $20 million The Everest (1200m) that spring, with Eduardo third in the world’s richest turf race.

The 2022 Challenge Stakes saw great guns Nature Strip and Eduardo clash for the ninth time in their careers. Eduardo managed to go back-to-back and successfully defend his Challenge Stakes title, while Nature Strip was forced to settle for third after a shock late run by $61 roughie Shelby Sixtysix who finished second.

The Challenge Stakes 2022 form was franked with the third placed Nature Strip winning that year’s TJ Smith Stakes where Eduardo finished second. Nature Strip then headed overseas and was enormous at Royal Ascot in the UK winning the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes by over four lengths. Upset Challenge Stakes runner-up that year Shelby Sixtysix meanwhile went on to win the Group 1 The Galaxy that autumn.

Dual defending champion Eduardo returned in the 2023 Challenge Stakes but was denied a third success beaten by a nose on the line by the mare Passive Aggressive in an upset.

In 2023 the previous year’s The Everest winner Giga Kick ran third in the Challenge Stakes results and went on to frank the form with a TJ Smith Stakes second before wins in the All Aged Stakes and Brisbane’s Doomben 10,000 at elite level.

Passive Aggressive returned fresh in the 2024 Challenge Stakes to go back-to-back with a successful title defence emulating Eduardo (2021-22) in going back-to-back.

The 2024 Challenge Stakes form was subsequently franked by the runner-up, Zapateo, who won the Group 1 The Galaxy next start.

The Challenge Stakes 2026 ran on Saturday March 7, 2026 as a lead-up to the TJ Smith Stakes in Sydney over the autumn carnival and was won in a thrillingly close upset by Chris Waller’s former Perth based mare Generosity ($10). 

2026 Challenge Stakes
Date:	Saturday March 7, 2026
Track:	Royal Randwick
Distance:	1000m
Race Type:	Weight-For-Age
Status:	Group 2
Prize Money:	$500,000

2026 Challenge Stakes Betting

This autumn’s top Challenge Stakes 2026 betting odds will be available here at Races.com.au complete with pricing from Ladbrokes.com.au as soon as betting on the TJ Smith Stakes lead-up opens.

There was a notable upset in 2026 with Generosity narrowly winning at a Challenge Stakes starting price of $10.

2026 Challenge Stakes Form Guide

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2026 CHALLENGE STAKES FORM GUIDE

2026 Challenge Stakes Tips

Stay tuned for our insider Challenge Stakes 2026 Tips on the important Group 2 autumn sprint this season.

2026 Challenge Stakes Field

The Challenge Stakes field attracts a class line-up of short-distance sprinters chasing the lucrative prize money on offer in the Group 2 including runners down in grade off a Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (1000m) start over the same metres at Flemington earlier in the autumn.

The 2018 Challenge Stakes winner Redzel was the last to come off the Black Caviar Lightning improving on his second to salute for the punters as the odds-on favourite. In 2020 Nature Strip ran fourth in the Black Caviar Lightning before atoning to win the Challenge Stakes, Redzel placing second in both races.

In 2022 Eduardo improved on a lead-up Black Caviar Lightning third to successfully defend his Challenge Stakes title. Eduardo returned for a second in the 2023 Challenge Stakes the following year.

The 2026 Challenge Stakes field will be provided by Racing NSW on the Wednesday of race week.

The Challenge Stakes 2026 final field features a diminutive but elite line-up of short-distance specialists including former The Everest hero Giga Kick.

Click here to read more on the key runners in the 2026 Challenge Stakes field and betting markets.

No	Last 10	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight	Probable Weight	Penalty	Hcp Rating
1	27x36x11x5	GIGA KICK	Clayton Douglas	Nash Rawiller	5	58.5kg			116
2	516x54393x	MAZU	Joseph Pride	Ms Rachel King	6	58.5kg			110
3	2370x1x69x	SKYBIRD	Mitchell Freedman	Tim Clark	3	56.5kg			111
4	21335x937x	GENEROSITY	Chris Waller	James McDonald	4	56.5kg			107
5	4x2211164x	IN FLIGHT	Joseph Pride	Jay Ford	1	56.5kg			107
6	67x220x212	THE BLACK CLOUD	Joseph Pride	Sam Clipperton	9	56.5kg			100
7	720x11120x	MONTE SUPREME	Bjorn Baker	Jason Collett	7	56.5kg			96
8	6x1111720x	RAGING FORCE	Peter Snowden	Tommy Berry	2	56kg			94
9	121x13x6	MARHOONA	Michael Freedman	Zac Lloyd	8	54kg			100

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

2026 Challenge Stakes Nominations

Early nominations for the Challenge Stakes in 2026 close the Monday of race week.

2026 Challenge Stakes nominations extended until 11:00am (AEDT) – 03/03/2026

	Last 10	Horse	Sex	Age	Trainer	Hcp Rating
1	1163x112x4	BARAQIEL	G	7	Leon & Troy Corstens & Will Larkin	113
2	21335x937x	GENEROSITY	M	5	Chris Waller	107
3	27x36x11x5	GIGA KICK	G	6	Clayton Douglas	116
4	4x2211164x	IN FLIGHT	M	5	Joseph Pride	107
5	x212111x11	MAL COUPE	G	4	Stephen O’Halloran	87
6	121x13x6	MARHOONA	F	3	Michael Freedman	100
7	516x54393x	MAZU	G	7	Joseph Pride	110
8	720x11120x	MONTE SUPREME	M	5	Bjorn Baker	96
9	6x1111720x	RAGING FORCE	G	3	Peter Snowden	94
10	2370x1x69x	SKYBIRD	M	5	Mitchell Freedman	111
11	336145x8x8	SPRING LEE	M	5	Bjorn Baker	88
12	5121x311x1	TENTYRIS	C	3	Anthony & Sam Freedman
13	67x220x212	THE BLACK CLOUD	M	5	Joseph Pride	100

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

Challenge Stakes History

The first recorded winning of the AJC Challenge Stakes took place in 1966 when Tar Girl won with a finishing time of 58.5 seconds. Since then, the race has recorded a number of triple and double winners including English (2016-17), Star Of Florida in 2003-04, Cangronde in 1997-98, At Sea from 1985 to 1987, and Razor Sharp from 1982 to 1984.

See below for the full Challenge Stakes results dating back to 2000.

In 2018 Redzel set a Challenge Stakes winning record saluting in a time of 55.73 seconds. Redzel also ran third in the Challenge Stakes three times (2017, 2019, 2020).

Ball Of Muscle won the 2019 Challenge Stakes at his third attempt in the race.

The 2021 Challenge Stakes winner Eduardo set a new record time saluting in a slick 55.2 seconds when defeating the previous year’s champion and subsequent 2021 The Everest hero Nature Strip.

The Challenge Stakes result in 2022 nearly saw one of the biggest upsets in Australian sprinting history with Shelby Sixtysix ($61) running into second behind the back-to-back winner Eduardo and forcing the beaten odds-on favourite Nature Strip to finish third.

Passive Aggressive (2022-23) is the latest two-time Challenge Stakes winner.

Generosity (2026) was the last Challenge Stakes winning mare.

Recent Challenge Stakes Winners

Year	Place	Horse	Time
2026 Challenge Stakes	1st	Generosity	56.63 seconds
	2nd	Marhoona
	3rd	Mazu
2025 Challenge Stakes	1st	Jedibeel	55.97 seconds
	2nd	Kimochi
	3rd	I Am Me
2024 Challenge Stakes	1st	Passive Aggressive	56.61 seconds
	2nd	Zapateo
	3rd	Aft Cabin
2023 Challenge Stakes	1st	Passive Aggressive	57. 19 seconds
	2nd	Eduardo
	3rd	Giga Kick
2022 Challenge Stakes	1st	Eduardo	59.06 seconds
	2nd	Shelby Sixtysix
	3rd	Nature Strip
2021 Challenge Stakes	1st	Eduardo	55.2 seconds (R)
	2nd	Nature Strip
	3rd	Bella Vella
2020 Challenge Stakes	1st	Nature Strip	56.87 seconds
	2nd	Redzel
	3rd	Jungle Edge
2019 Challenge Stakes	1st	Ball Of Muscle	55.78 seconds
	2nd	Redzel
	3rd	Viridine
2018 Challenge Stakes	1st	Redzel	55.73 seconds
	2nd	Jungle Edge
	3rd	Super Too
2017 Challenge Stakes	1st	English	59.99 seconds
	2nd	Redzel
	3rd	Supido
2016 Challenge Stakes	1st	English	56.5 seconds
	2nd	Kinglike
	3rd	Boss Lane
2015 Challenge Stakes	1st	Miracles Of Life	56.7 seconds
	2nd	Va Pensiero
	3rd	Rubick
2014 Challenge Stakes	1st	Villa Verde	57.30 seconds
	2nd	Snitzerland
	3rd	Famous Seamus
2013 Challenge Stakes	1st	Snitzerland	56.16 seconds
	2nd	Decision Time
	3rd	Howmuchdoyouloveme
2012 Challenge Stakes	1st	Rain Affair	1:03.7 seconds
	2nd	Satin Shoes
	3rd	Neeson
2011 Challenge Stakes	1st	Hay List	56.8 seconds
	2nd	Keen Commander
	3rd	Solar Charged
2010 Challenge Stakes	1st	De Lightning Ridge	55.92 seconds
	2nd	Dorf Command
	3rd	Stryker
2009 Challenge Stakes	1st	Olonana	56.92 seconds
	2nd	Hoystar
	3rd	Fantene
2008 Challenge Stakes	1st	Hurried Choice	57.35 seconds
	2nd	Keen Commander
	3rd	German Chocolate
2007 Challenge Stakes	1st	Spark Of Life	56.89 seconds
	2nd	Whoever
	3rd	Biscayne Bay
2006 Challenge Stakes	1st	Snitzel	56.8 seconds
	2nd	Spark Of Life
	3rd	Media
2005 Challenge Stakes	1st	Impaler	56.25 seconds
	2nd	Snippetson
	3rd	Charge Forward
2004 Challenge Stakes	1st	Star Of Florida	56.39 seconds
	2nd	Mistegic
	3rd	Majestic Fiesta
2003 Challenge Stakes	1st	Star Of Florida	56.58 seconds
	2nd	Snowland
	3rd	Fair Embrace
2002 Challenge Stakes	1st	Bomber Bill	56.54 seconds
	2nd	Mistegic
	3rd	Ateates
2001 Challenge Stakes	1st	Pimpala Prince	59.24 seconds
	2nd	Ateates
	3rd	Notoire
2000 Challenge Stakes	1st	Easy Rocking	56.90 seconds
	2nd	Ab Initio
	3rd	Adam