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The $1 million Percy Sykes Stakes is a lucrative Group 2 sprint for two-year-old fillies run on Day 2 of The Championships at Royal Randwick in April.
Percy Sykes Stakes News
The Percy Sykes Stakes is a lucrative Group 2 race for two-year-old fillies run on Day 2 of Sydney’s ‘The Championships’ on the second Saturday of April annually.
2026 Percy Sykes Stakes Results
Stay tuned for the official 2026 Percy Sykes Stakes results and finishing order at Randwick on Saturday April 11, 2026.
- 1st: No. 6 Cherry Bombshell ($17)
- 2nd: No. 1 Medicinal
- 3rd: No. 5 Ciaron’s Star
Winning Margin: 0.79 lengths
Winning Time: 1:09.59
The progressive Annabel & Rob Archibald-trained Lucky Vega filly Cherry Bombshell ($17) made it three wins on the trot handling a sharp rise in grade to beat home her better fancied rivals by three-quarters of a length in the 2026 Percy Sykes Stakes results. Given a perfectly timed ride by Ben Thompson, the up-and-comer made up plenty of late ground inside the final furlong charging past the front runners to deny the beaten favourite Medicinal in her best performance yet.
2026 Percy Sykes Stakes Odds
| 6. Cherry Bomshell (8) J: Ben Thompson55kg 511T: Annabel & Rob Archibald | ||
| 1. Medicinal (7) J: Jamie Melham57kg 611T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes | ||
| 5. Ciaron’s Star (5) J: Tommy Berry55kg 3164T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 2. Satono Glow (4) J: Zac Lloyd57kg 11T: Tom Charlton | ||
| 3. Lumbini (9) J: Tim Clark55kg 1272T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | ||
| 4. Screen Icon (1) J: Chad Schofield55kg 2×72T: John P Thompson | ||
| 9. Reachin’ Out (3) J: Regan Bayliss55kg 1T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | ||
| 7. Rachini (2) J: Rachel King55kg 5×514T: Bjorn Baker | ||
| 8. She’s Extra (6) J: Damian Lane55kg 112T: Kris Lees |
The meeting is also known as Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day and features four Group 1 races including the $5 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) and $2 million Sydney Cup (3200m) for stayers.
Contested over 1200m at Royal Randwick Racecourse the Percy Sykes Stakes is run under set weights plus penalties and is now worth $1 million in total prize money and was upgraded to Group 2 status for the first time in 2017.
Fillies may come into the Percy Sykes Stakes field via a run in the world’s richest race for juveniles – the Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) – or the Group 2 Magic Night Stakes (1200m) earlier during the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival or be dropping in grade off a run in the Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m).
Tempted (2025) was the last Golden Slipper graduate (3rd) to win the Percy Sykes Stakes next race.
The 2023 Percy Sykes runner-up Tiz Invincible went on to frank the form with multiple Group 2 wins during the Princess Series of races that spring, while the third place-getter Kimochi went on to run second in both the Group 1 Flight Stakes and Group 1 Thousand Guineas results in the spring.
In 2024 the Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot ran second in the Percy Sykes Stakes to Eneeza who improved on a seventh in the world’s richest race for two-year-olds.
Lady Of Camelot went on to frank the Percy Sykes Stakes form in 2024 when also running top four in the spring’s Group 1 Moir Stakes (3rd), the $20 million The Everest (4th), and Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (3rd).
The 2025 Percy Sykes Stakes form was firmly franked with the winning filly Tempted returning for a stellar spring that included a Golden Rose third and second in the world’s richest turf race – The Everest. She also resumed in the 2026 autumn carnival and won the Group 1 Surround Stakes as a three-year-old.
The 2026 Percy Sykes Stakes took place on Saturday April 11, 2026 on Day 2 of Sydney’s ‘The Championships’ at Royal Randwick and was won in an impressive upset by the progressive Rob & Annabel Archibald-trained Cherry Bombshell ($17).
| Percy Sykes Stakes 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Date: | Saturday April 11, 2026 |
| Track: | Randwick Racecourse |
| Distance: | 1200m |
| Race Type: | 2YO Fillies – SW+P |
| Status: | Group 2 |
| Prize Money: | $1 million |
2026 Percy Sykes Stakes Betting
The latest odds on the fillies in the Percy Sykes Stakes 2026 field will be available at Ladbrokes.com.au throughout the autumn with the complete with Percy Sykes Stakes betting markets links also published here at Races.com.au for punters.
The latest favourites in Percy Sykes Stakes betting to salute for the punters were Away Game ($3.20 in 2020), Paris Dior ($4 in 2022), and Tempted ($3.10 in 2025).
There was a notable upset in 2023 with Kristilli winning at Percy Sykes Stakes odds of $19, and again in 2026 with Cherry Bombshell ($17).
2026 Percy Sykes Stakes Form Guide
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2026 PERCY SYKES STAKES FORM GUIDE
2026 Percy Sykes Stakes Tips
Stay tuned for our insider Percy Sykes Stakes 2026 Tips on the million-dollar two-year-old’s feature this autumn.
To Win: No. 1 Medicinal
Wide open edition of the Percy Sykes with plenty of winning chances but ultimately, I’ve landed on the well rated MEDICINAL (7) who has hit her straps now and chases a hat-trick. The Lindsay Park-trained daughter of Brazen Beau broke her maiden status second-up at Ballarat by a runaway margin in February before handling a sharp rise in grade to claim the Group 3 Ottawa Stakes (1000m) at Flemington in early March. She’s been kept fit with a subsequent winning Randwick hit out over 1050m on Heavy going proving herself the Sydney way and gets her chance now to keep the wins coming at the same track. She’ll settle off pace from the gate with Jamie Melham continuing associations and looks capable of making up the ground to run out a strong six-furlongs. Respect.
|
1. Medicinal (7)
J: Jamie Melham57kg
611T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes
|
2026 Percy Sykes Stakes Field
The Percy Sykes Stakes field attracts a smart field of young fillies usually dropping down in grade off a run in the Golden Slipper field. The race has a capacity of fourteen starters plus four emergencies, but rarely does the Percy Sykes Stakes field run at capacity.
The official 2026 Percy Sykes Stakes field is out the Tuesday leading up to the race following the early Percy Sykes Stakes Nominations taken in February and the Percy Sykes Stakes First Acceptances in March about four weeks out from the April event.
The Percy Sykes Stakes 2026 final field features just nine two-year-old fillies led by Lindsay Park’s Group 3 Ottawa Stakes winner Medicinal making her Sydney race debut and the undefeated Tom Charlton-trained Satono Glow out to make it three-from-three.
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Probable Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 611 | MEDICINAL | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | Ms Jamie Melham | 7 | 57kg | Â | Â | Â |
| 2 | 11 | SATONO GLOW (NZ) | Tom Charlton | Zac Lloyd | 4 | 57kg | Â | Â | Â |
| 3 | 1272 | LUMBINI | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tim Clark | 9 | 55kg | Â | Â | Â |
| 4 | 2×72 | SCREEN ICON | John Thompson | Chad Schofield | 1 | 55kg | Â | Â | Â |
| 5 | 3164 | CIARON’S STAR | Ciaron Maher | Tommy Berry | 5 | 55kg |  |  |  |
| 6 | 511 | CHERRY BOMSHELL | Annabel & Rob Archibald | Ben Thompson | 8 | 55kg | Â | Â | Â |
| 7 | 5×514 | RACHINI | Bjorn Baker | Ms Rachel King | 2 | 55kg | Â | Â | Â |
| 8 | 112 | SHE’S EXTRA | Kris Lees | Damian Lane | 6 | 55kg |  |  |  |
| 9 | 1 | REACHIN’ OUT | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Regan Bayliss | 3 | 55kg |  |  |  |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
2026 Percy Sykes Stakes First Acceptances
The official 2026 Percy Sykes Stakes First Acceptances are taken in mid-March along with all the other The Championships races narrowing down the list of potential runners in the lucrative Group 2 race.
The 2026 Percy Sykes Stakes first acceptances close at midday on Tuesday the 10th of March 2026.
2026 Percy Sykes Stakes Nominations
Early nominations for the Percy Sykes Stakes in 2026 close on a Tuesday in early February and usually attract over 200 juveniles.
The 2026 Percy Sykes Stakes nominations attracted 163 two-year-old fillies led in all-in betting by Clinton McDonald’s Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes winning filly Streisand.
Percy Sykes Stakes History
The Percy Sykes Stakes was first run back in 1960 as the Keith Mackay Handicap and was won by Primrose Lane. It started out as a non-black type race and gained its now Group 2 race status for the first time in 2017. The event is still officially registered as the Keith Mackay Handicap despite it not being raced under handicap conditions, in honour of the former AJC Chairman Keith Mackay.
For one year in 2014 the race was known as the Royal Randwick Stakes and added to the ATC Championships series of races enjoying a notable boost in prize money. The current race name – Percy Sykes Stakes – is in honour of esteemed veterinarian Percy Sykes who passed away in 2014. He is best known for his work with legendary trainers including Bart Cummings, Gai Waterhouse and her father TJ Smith – whom the TJ Smith Stakes is named after.
Keith Mackay Handicap / Percy Sykes Stakes Winners
During the early stages of Percy Sykes Stakes history, the race didn’t hold a huge amount of prestige and attracted a mediocre class of fillies.
As it increased in status and prize money the Percy Sykes Stakes winners have also improved with notable champions of the event including Tempted (2025), Streama (2011), Eloping (2014), Missrock (2016), Shoals (2017) who went on to defeat the older mares during Melbourne Cup Carnival in the Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m), and the brilliant Away Game (2020).
See below for the list of Percy Sykes Stakes winners and placegetters going back to 2000.
| Year | Place | Horse | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Percy Sykes Stakes | 1st | Cherry Bombshell | 1 minute 09.59 seconds |
| 2nd | Medicinal | ||
| 3rd | Ciaron’s Star | ||
| 2025 Percy Sykes Stakes | 1st | Tempted | 1 minute 09.22 seconds |
| 2nd | Savvy Hallie | ||
| 3rd | Within The Law | ||
| 2024 Percy Sykes Stakes | 1st | Eneeza | 1 minute 09.74 seconds |
| 2nd | Lady Of Camelot | ||
| 3rd | Erno’s Cube | ||
| 2023 Percy Sykes Stakes | 1st | Kristilli | 1 minute 11.62 seconds |
| 2nd | Tiz Invincible | ||
| 3rd | Kimochi | ||
| 2022 Percy Sykes Stakes | 1st | Paris Dior | 1 minute 14.44 seconds |
| 2nd | Willinga Beast | ||
| 3rd | Lady Laguna | ||
| 2021 Percy Sykes Stakes | 1st | Jamaea | 1 minute 10.92 seconds |
| 2nd | Crystal Bound | ||
| 3rd | Joyous Legend | ||
| 2020 Percy Sykes Stakes | 1st | Away Game | 1 minute 12.26 seconds |
| 2nd | Vangelic | ||
| 3rd | See You Soon | ||
| 2019 Percy Sykes Stakes | 1st | Anaheed | 1 minute 09.67 seconds |
| 2nd | Flit | ||
| 3rd | Villami | ||
| 2018 Percy Sykes Stakes | 1st | Pure Elation | 1 minute 10.08 seconds |
| 2nd | Fiesta | ||
| 3rd | Outback Barbie | ||
| 2017 Percy Sykes Stakes | 1st | Shoals | 1 minute 13.7 seconds |
| 2nd | Formality | ||
| 3rd | Serena Bay | ||
| 2016 Percy Sykes Stakes | 1st | Missrock | 1 minute 11 seconds |
| 2nd | Prompt Response | ||
| 3rd | Spright | ||
| 2015 Percy Sykes Stakes | 1st | Ottoman | 1 minute 12.4 seconds |
| 2nd | Calaverite | ||
| 3rd | Lake Geneva | ||
| 2014 Royal Randwick Stakes | 1st | Eloping | 1 minute 10.8 seconds |
| 2nd | Ygritte | ||
| 3rd | Shaumari | ||
| 2013 Keith Mackay Handicap | 1st | Everage | 1 minute 13.4 seconds |
| 2nd | Little Miss Smiley | ||
| 3rd | Major Conquest | ||
| 2012 Keith Mackay Handicap | 1st | Single Style | 1 minute 10.5 seconds |
| 2nd | Driefontein | ||
| 3rd | Meidung | ||
| 2011 Keith Mackay Handicap | 1st | Streama | 1 minute 8.5 seconds |
| 2nd | Charm’s Honour | ||
| 3rd | Houston Benefactor | ||
| 2010 Keith Mackay Handicap | 1st | Golden Millennium | 1 minute 10.2 seconds |
| 2nd | Boto Vermelho | ||
| 3rd | Parables | ||
| 2009 Keith Mackay Handicap | 1st | Readyor | 1 minute 13.1 seconds |
| 2nd | Amarantha | ||
| 3rd | Tallow | ||
| 2008 Keith Mackay Handicap | 1st | Shoboard | 1 minute 12.6 seconds |
| 2nd | Strawberry Field | ||
| 3rd | Silent But Deadly | ||
| 2007 Keith Mackay Handicap | 1st | Sliding Cube | 1 minute 11.1 seconds |
| 2nd | Gamble Me | ||
| 3rd | Mega Lass | ||
| 2006 Keith Mackay Handicap | 1st | Catechuchu | 1 minute 10.6 seconds |
| 2nd | Heart Of The Fire | ||
| 3rd | Admirelle | ||
| 2005 Keith Mackay Handicap | 1st | Blizzardly | 1 minute 12.3 seconds |
| 2nd | Regal Cheer | ||
| 3rd | Heart Strings | ||
| 2004 Keith Mackay Handicap | 1st | Strawberry Storm | 1 minute 11.5 seconds |
| 2nd | Sweet Ransom | ||
| 3rd | Monsoon Wedding | ||
| 2003 Keith Mackay Handicap | 1st | Bella Corona | 1 minute 12.0 seconds |
| 2nd | Shamekha | ||
| 3rd | Danish Magic | ||
| 2002 Keith Mackay Handicap | 1st | Before Too Long | 1 minute 10.2 seconds |
| 2nd | Verstak | ||
| 3rd | Cirque du Soleil | ||
| 2001 Keith Mackay Handicap | 1st | Allez France | 1 minute 10.8 seconds |
| 2nd | Miss Bussell | ||
| 3rd | Breezer | ||
| 2000 Keith Mackay Handicap | 1st | Actress | 1 minute 9.7 seconds |
| 2nd | She’s A Pretender | ||
| 3rd | Mielleuse | ||
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