The Turnbull Stakes 2026 is a major early-October highlight in the heart of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival, and one of Flemington’s most influential Group 1 contests. Run over 2000 metres under set weights plus penalties, the race brings together proven middle-distance stars, emerging stayers and Cox Plate hopefuls looking to stamp themselves ahead of the major features. With fitness, distance progression, and Flemington’s spacious layout all shaping early markets, the Turnbull Stakes is a key form race for punters chasing reliable indicators and genuine value. Our Turnbull Stakes guide delivers the latest Turnbull Stakes odds, form analysis and spring betting insights to keep you ahead of the action.

2026 Turnbull Stakes Results

Stay tuned for the official 2026 Turnbull Stakes results and finishing order and to see what horses may be eyeing a Cox Plate run at The Valley!

• 1st: TBD
• 2nd: TBD
• 3rd: TBD

Winning Margin: TBD

Winning Time: TBD

Turnbull Stakes Tips

Stay tuned for our insider Turnbull Stakes 2026 Tips on the Spring Cups’ lead-up this season.

Check out our full 2026 Turnbull Stakes preview, predictions & best bets now! 

• Favourite: No. 2 Sir Delius

• Each Way Danger: No. 5 Aeliana

• Best Roughie: No. 13 Saint George

Turnbull Stakes News

Turnbull Stakes 2026 Field, Tips & Flemington Best Bets

• Melbourne Cup Favourite Sir Delius Wins Turnbull Stakes 2025, Beats Antino and Via Sistina
• Turnbull Stakes 2025 Tips & Best Bets
• Via Sistina Heads 2025 Turnbull Stakes Field & Odds
• 2025 Makybe Diva Stakes Results: Mr Brightside Wins Again, Beats Aeliana & Via Sistina
• 2025 Memsie Stakes Winner is Treasurethe Moment Fresh Over Mr Brightside

The Turnbull Stakes is a Group 1 race for staying types held in early October at Flemington Racecourse and currently runs on the same Saturday as the Epsom Handicap at Randwick in Sydney. Offering $750,000 in prize money, the event is the marquee race at the meeting.

There are five other Group status races on the Turnbull Stakes Day card with the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m), the Group 2 Rose Of Kingston Stakes (1400m), Group 2 Gilgai Stakes (1200m), Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1200m), and the Group 3 The Bart Cummings (2500m) for Caulfield Cup types.

The Turnbull Stakes is for four-year-old entries and up run under set weight conditions plus penalties. This 2000m middle-distance event always attracts an elite field of highly competitive runners, many of which use the race as a key lead-up to the carnival’s feature races including the Caulfield and Melbourne Cup races.

Since being awarded Group 1 status however, the Turnbull Stakes is now seen as a premier race in its own right and not simply a preparatory race. As the first quality middle-distance race at the carnival, the Turnbull Stakes provides stayers with a chance to run over the more suitable 2000m building up to the longer 2400m and 3200m races later in the spring.

In past years the Turnbull Stakes has proven a truly excellent guide to the spring feature races, with the Turnbull Stakes providing a number of Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup winners and Cox Plate winners. The Turnbull Stakes paired with any of these three later events makes for some great betting doubles throughout the carnival. Champion mare Winx completed the Turnbull Stakes – Cox Plate double in both 2017 and 2018, a feat achieved again by another Waller trained mare Via Sistina in 2024.

Trainer Chris Waller made it four wins on the trot in the Turnbull Stakes results with Kings Will Dream saluting in 2019 followed by Verry Elleegant in 2020.

Verry Elleegant (2020) and Incentivise (2021) are the last runners to complete the Turnbull Stakes – Caulfield Cup double.

The Turnbull Stakes form was further franked in the 2021 Melbourne Cup results with the 2020 winner Verry Elleegant defeating the 2021 champ Incentivise in the iconic two-mile showdown that spring.

In 2023 the Turnbull Stakes was won by the previous year’s Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip who went on to frank the form with a third in that season’s Caulfield Cup results. West Wind Blows meanwhile ran second in both the Turnbull and Caulfield Cup in 2023, while Soulcombe was third in the Turnbull before his Melbourne Cup second to Without A Fight that year.

Chris Waller posted his sixth Turnbull Stakes win in 10 years in 2024 training the quinella with Via Sistina narrowly beating Buckaroo.

Via Sistina went on to frank the 2024 Turnbull Stakes form with her runaway eight-length Cox Plate win at The Valley next start. She went on to win a host more Group 1 races including that year’s Champions Stakes during the Melbourne Cup Carnival and the 2025 Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Via Sistina returned as the favourite in the 2025 Turnbull Stakes but ultimately ran third behind that year’s Underwood Stakes champion Sir Delius from the Waterhouse/Bott yard.

The 2025 Underwood Stakes/Turnbull Stakes double champ Sir Delius went on to frank the form the following autumn with a number of big Group 1 performances including his two-length Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes victory in 2026. Supermare Via Sistina meanwhile improved on her third in the 2026 Turnbull trifecta to complete the Group 1 Cox Plate / Champions Stakes double that spring before her retirement.

2026 Turnbull Stakes Betting

The Turnbull Stakes 2026 betting markets and updated odds from Ladbrokes will be available at Races.com.au as soon as released.

Verry Elleegant ($5 in 2020) was the last Turnbull Stakes favourite to salute for the punters. Verry Elleegant jumped the $2.10 favourite in the 2021 Turnbull Stakes but only managed to run fourth to Incentivise ($2.70).

There was a notable upset in 2022 with Smokin’ Romans winning at Turnbull Stakes odds of $21, and again in 2023 with the previous year’s Melbourne Cup hero Gold Trip saluting at $19.

Turnbull Stakes Field

2026 Turnbull Stakes Form

The Turnbull Stakes form guide is the key reference punters use to assess every runner heading into the 2000m Group 1 held at Flemington in early October under set weights plus penalties. It brings together each horse’s recent form, distance progression, track record, jockey and barrier details, sectional data, and stable patterns — giving punters a clear snapshot of who is ready to peak in one of the carnival’s most influential middle-distance races. Because the Turnbull regularly launches Cox Plate, Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup campaigns, the form guide is essential for identifying genuine spring contenders.

What Punters Should Look for in the Turnbull Stakes Form Guide:

• Distance progression — Horses stepping up from 1600m with strong closing splits often improve sharply at 2000m.
• Set weights + penalties suitability — This condition favours proven Group performers and lightly-raced improvers who carry less weight.
• Flemington form — The big, open track rewards horses with a sustained turn of foot. Prior Flemington success is a major tick.
• Sectional strength — Fast last-600m and last-200m splits in lead-up runs are strong indicators of a horse ready to peak at 2000m.
• Spring targets — Top stables often target the Turnbull as a key steppingstone. Horses with clear grand final campaigns (Cox Plate, Caulfield Cup, Melbourne Cup) usually arrive fit and improving.
• Barrier draw — Inside gates help on-pacers control the race, while swoopers need a draw that allows clean air and momentum.
• Speed map — Identifying who leads, who rolls forward, and who gets the perfect stalking run is crucial in a race often run at a genuine tempo.
• Market moves — Early firmers are worth respecting, especially those showing sharp improvement in their second-up or third-up runs.

FULL 2026 TURNBULL STAKES FORM GUIDE

2026 Turnbull Stakes Nominations

The 2026 Turnbull Stakes nominations are released by Racing Victoria on the Monday leading-up to Turnbull Stakes Day.

The Turnbull Stakes 2026 nominations are now out featuring 21 middle-distance gallopers led in all-in betting by the defending champion Sir Delius on his way to the Cox Plate.

2026 Turnbull Stakes Final Field

The Turnbull Stakes field attracts a quality line-up of spring gallopers each year coming via a host of different lead-up races including the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m). Sir Delius (2025) was the last horse to complete the Underwood Stakes – Turnbull Stakes double.

The official Turnbull Stakes 2026 Final Field & Barriers will be announced on the Wednesday of race week and published in full below.

The 2026 Turnbull Stakes field features a cracking line-up of 15 Spring Cups’ hopefuls including hot favourite Sir Delius chasing back-to-back Turnbull trophies and Chris Waller’s multiple Group 1 winning mare Aeliana.

Turnbull Stakes Barrier & Speedmap

1

Zahrann Midfield

2

Aeliana Midfield

3

Light Infantry Man Pace

4

Cosmic Crusader Midfield

5

Ohope Wins Backmarker

6

Middle Earth Backmarker

7

She's A Hustler Midfield

8

Buckaroo Backmarker

9

Sir Delius Off Pace

10

Kings Valley Backmarker

11

Asterix Off Midfield

12

Deakin Midfield

13

Saint George Off Midfield

14

Half Yours Backmarker

15

Soul Of Spain Midfield

Turnbull Stakes History

Named in honour of the incumbent VRC Chairman Mr. Richard Turnbull, the Turnbull Stakes was first run in 1948 when Beau Gem claimed victory. It was originally a 12 furlong (approx. 2400m) Principal race up until 1972 when the distance was changed to the shorter length of 2000m with Australia’s adoption of the metric system.

The race was run as a handicap event through until 1963 when weight-for-age conditions were adopted until 1970 when eventually the Turnbull Stakes became a set weights plus penalties race. In 1979 the event was elevated to Group 2 status and remained the same until 2006 when it was installed as a Group 1 event following the win of the infamous Makybe Diva in 2005.

Notable winners of the Turnbull Stakes include Rising Fast (1954), Galilee (1968), Super Impose (1989), Let’s Elope (1991), Naturalism (1992), Sunline (2000), Northerly (2002), and Efficient (2009).

In 2012 Green Moon won the Turnbull Stakes before taking out the ‘race that stops the nation’ with a Melbourne Cup victory two starts later on the first Tuesday of November.

One of the most famous recent Turnbull Stakes winners was Winx who won her Flemington debut in the race in 2017 by six and a half lengths and then successfully defended her Turnbull Stakes title in 2018.

Via Sistina won the 2024 Turnbull Stakes before an eight-length romp home in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate.

Turnbull Stakes Previous Race Winners

Turnbull Stakes FAQs

What is the Turnbull Stakes?
The Turnbull Stakes is a premier Group 1 2000m race held at Flemington in early October under set weights plus penalties, acting as a key spring yardstick for middle-distance stars.

When is the Turnbull Stakes run?
The race takes place in early October, right in the middle of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival. The 2026 edition will run on Sunday October 3. 

Where is the Turnbull Stakes held?
The Turnbull Stakes is run at Flemington Racecourse, home to some of Australia’s most important spring features.

What distance is the Turnbull Stakes run over?
The race is contested over 2000 metres, making it a crucial test for horses progressing towards longer spring targets.

How many horses run in the Turnbull Stakes?
The Turnbull Stakes typically attracts a capacity field of 14-16 runners, depending on acceptances and the strength of the middle-distance division.

What type of horses contest the Turnbull Stakes?
Proven Group performers, rising stayers, and Cox Plate or Caulfield Cup hopefuls commonly target the race.

What are the key lead-up races?
The Makybe Diva Stakes, Underwood Stakes, and Naturalism Stakes often provide the strongest form lines into the Turnbull.

Is the Turnbull Stakes a reliable spring form race?
Yes — Turnbull runners frequently progress to the Cox Plate, Caulfield Cup, and Melbourne Cup, making it one of the most influential spring pointers.

Where can I find Turnbull Stakes odds?
Updated odds are available as soon as markets open at Ladbrokes, with price shifts driven by fitness, distance changes, and stable confidence.