---

---

The Shorts 2026 took place on Saturday, September 19, 2026 and was won in a huge first-up upset by the Joe Pride-trained Mazu ($19) who will not press on for a fourth The Everest bid.  

The Shorts 2026 is one of Sydney’s premier early spring sprints, a high-pressure Group 2 clash at Randwick that regularly shapes the path towards The Everest and other major short-course features. Run over 1100m, the race brings together explosive sprinters first-up, seasoned Group performers and rising stars looking to stamp themselves as genuine spring contenders. With fast tempos, elite speed profiles and form lines that consistently stack up at the top level, The Shorts is a must-follow event for punters comparing the latest 2026 The Shorts odds, tracking market movers and locking in confident The Shorts betting plays. This page delivers everything you need to analyse the field, study the form and get set for one of Randwick’s most influential sprint races of the carnival.

2026 The Shorts Results

Stay tuned for the official The Shorts 2026 race results and finishing order at Randwick on Saturday, September 19, 2026 and to see what sprinters could have The Everest in sight this season.

Winning Margin: 0.32 lengths

Winning Time: 1:02.42 seconds

The 2026 The Shorts results at Randwick produced a popular upset with veteran sprinter Mazu ($19) rolling back the years for trainer Joe Pride and jockey Rachel King to claim the $1 million Group 2 feature. The eight-year-old son of Maurice, a former Doomben 10,000 winner, showed his trademark toughness to edge out Joliestar ($3.70) by a neck, with stablemate King’s Secret ($16) a nose away in third, giving Pride a memorable first and third result in the sprint showdown. Despite his well-known pre-race antics, Mazu again delivered when it mattered most, registering his 11th career victory and taking his earnings beyond $8 million. Pride praised the durable gelding as an “old marvel” and confirmed neither Mazu nor King’s Secret are likely The Everest runners, with races such as the Premiere Stakes, Sydney Stakes, and Russell Balding Stakes now under consideration, while King lauded Mazu’s consistency, declaring the evergreen sprinter “doesn’t know how old he is.”

2026 The Shorts Odds & Finishing Order

See below for the latest The Shorts 2026 odds followed by the official finishing order after the event this spring.

2026 The Shorts Tips

Stay tuned for our insider The Shorts 2026 Tips on the key spring sprint lead-up this September.

Read our full 2026 The Shorts Field Preview, Tips & Best Bets now!

Favourite: No. 3 Headwall

Each Way Danger: No. 2 Joliestar

Best Roughie: No. 5 Mazu

The Shorts is held on its own feature race day in mid-September at Sydney’s Royal Randwick Racecourse. The Group 2 The Shorts headlines the card and offers $1 million in prize money.

Replacing the George Main Stakes at the meeting as of 2023 is the $1 million 7 Stakes (1600m) which offers an Epsom Handicap ballot exemption. The other key support acts on the race card are the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes (1400m), Group 3 Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m), and the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m).

The Shorts is a short-distance sprint race over 1100m for horses aged three-year-olds and up at set weights plus penalties.

Many runners kick off their Sydney Spring Racing Carnival campaign in The Shorts so looking for the star fresh performers is a good tip, while the best out of The Shorts results may go all the way to Flemington during the Melbourne Cup Carnival for a shot at the Group 1 Champions Sprint (1200m).

Private Eye (2023), Joliestar (2025) and upset champ Mazu (2026) are the latest first-up The Shorts winners.

It is now also a key lead-up for sprinters contesting the Group 1 $20 million The Everest (1200m), a weight-for-age feature held back at Randwick in mid-October. In 2017 The Shorts winner Redzel went on to complete The Everest – VRC Classic double.

In 2020 the previous year’s The Shorts runner-up Classique Legend won the race and went on to become the latest horse to do The Shorts – The Everest double.

The 2021 The Shorts form was franked with the runner-up Nature Strip going on to win that year’s The Everest – VRC Sprint Classic double. Nature Strip also returned the following autumn for a record-equalling third win in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes before a trip to Royal Ascot that June where he won the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes in the UK by 4.5 lengths.

The 2021 The Shorts winner Eduardo further franked the form running third in The Everest trifecta behind Nature Strip before his win in the Group 1 Winners Stakes (now Russell Balding Stakes) at Rosehill and strong 2022 autumn campaign that included a TJ Smith Stakes second placing.

Nature Strip returned in the 2022 The Shorts on the back of a dominant UK victory in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes to win first-up before a fourth in The Everest that spring.

The Shorts 2022 form was further franked with the runner-up Overpass travelling to Perth the following autumn to win the inaugural $4 million The Quokka race at Ascot in April of 2023.

The 2023 The Shorts winner Private Eye went on to run third in The Everest trifecta at his next start, while the runner-up Overpass travelled to Perth that summer and won the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes and The Quokka to further frank the form.

The 2024 The Shorts form was franked by the runner-up Stefi Magnetica who returned the following autumn to win the 2025 Group 1 Doncaster Mile.

The 2025 The Shorts winner, Joliestar, went on to run well in that year’s Champions Sprint (3rd) at Flemington down the straight before returning in 2026 to take a host more feature races including the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes and TJ Smith.

In 2026 The Shorts was won in a notable upset by the Joe Pride-trained Mazu ($19) who had previously run in three editions of The Everest with his best result being a 3rd to Giga Kick in 2022.

2026 The Shorts
Date:	Saturday, September 19, 2026
Track:	Royal Randwick Racecourse
Distance:	1100m
Conditions:	3YO & Up – Set Weights + Penalties
Status:	Group 2
Prize Money:	$1,000,000
Inaugurated:	1945

The Shorts Records
Race Record:	1:01.3 set by Redzel in 2017

2026 The Shorts Betting

The top The Shorts 2026 betting odds and links to the markets at Ladbrokes will be available here at Races.com.au the week of the race so stay tuned.

Pierata ($2.70 in 2019), Classique Legend ($4.40 in 2020), Nature Strip ($2.40 in 2022), and I Am Me ($2.60 in 2024) are the latest favourites in The Shorts betting to salute for the punters.

There was a notable upset in 2023 with Private Eye winning at The Shorts odds of $12, and again in 2026 by another Joe Pride-trained sprinter Mazu at $19.

2026 The Shorts Form

The Shorts form guide is the key resource punters use to break down every runner contesting Randwick’s high-pressure Group 2 sprint. As one of Sydney’s most influential early spring 1100m races — and a major lead-up to The Everest — the form guide pulls together each sprinter’s recent runs, speed profile, track record, first-up stats, and tactical pattern to help punters make confident, data-driven decisions. With elite short-course horses often resuming here, understanding the nuances of the form guide is essential for anyone assessing The Shorts betting markets.

What Should Punters Look for on The Shorts Form Guide:

• First-up strike rates — many top sprinters resume here, and their fresh records are crucial.
• Randwick 1100m form — the track’s long straight rewards horses with a strong finishing burst.
• Early speed & map position — on-pace runners often control the race tempo, but backmarkers with elite sectionals can swoop late.
• Trial form — sharp barrier trials are a major indicator of readiness for Everest-bound sprinters.
• Track conditions — many elite sprinters have clear preferences for firm or soft ground.
• Stable intent — leading Sydney stables often target this race as a key stepping-stone to The Everest.

FULL 2026 THE SHORTS FORM GUIDE

2026 The Shorts Field

The Shorts 2026 field of final acceptances and barrier draw are released on the Wednesday of race week attracting the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival’s top sprinters. Many runners in The Shorts field contest the event first-up.

The official The Shorts 2026 Final Field & Barrier Draw will be published in full below once announced by Racing NSW.

The 2026 The Shorts field features a dozen smart short-distance specialists including Chris Waller’s resuming Group 1 winning mare Joliestar drawn wide, the stable’s new addition Jokers Grin who won Perth’s The Quokka last year and the Michael Freedman-trained Ninja coming off a first-up Group 2 Missile Stakes win.

2026 The Shorts Nominations

Nominations for The Shorts race in 2026 close the Monday leading-up to the now million-dollar feature.

The Shorts 2026 nominations attracted 16 potential The Everest-bound sprinters led in all-in betting by Headwall coming off a good second fresh in the Concorde and the defending Chris Waller-trained champion mare Joliestar.

The Shorts History

The Shorts is a time-honoured Sydney Spring Racing Carnival sprint race, first contested back in 1867. A number of standout short-distance gallopers have won The Shorts over history including Hot Danish (2010), Terravista (2014) and Takedown (2016).

For one year in 2011 the event was conducted at Rosehill over 1200m instead of the 1100m at Royal Randwick. It gained black-type (Listed) status in 1979 and was eventually upgraded to Group 3 and then Group 2 status, increasing the quality of contenders each season.

More recently the status of The Shorts race at Randwick was boosted by record-setting champ Redzel (2017) whose next run produced success in the inaugural running of The Everest. The Everest is the richest turf race in the world and Redzel went back-to-back in 2018.

The Shorts history on the 2018 winner Ball Of Muscle is also interesting with the sprint finishing runner-up in 2015, 2016 and 2017 before finally taking out the race at his fourth attempt.

In 2019 Pierata won The Shorts defeating Classique Legend and dual The Everest champion Redzel. He went on to run fifth in that year’s The Everest results, before taking out the Winners Stakes named that season in honour of the previous year’s The Everest champion Redzel (2018).

Classique Legend completed The Shorts – The Everest race double in 2020.

In 2021 the previous year’s runner-up Eduardo went one better winning The Shorts in an upset over that year’s subsequent The Everest champion Nature Strip.

Nature Strip won The Shorts in 2022 ahead of his unsuccessful The Everest title defence when fourth.

Joliestar (2025) was the last The Shorts winning mare.

Prizemoney for The Shorts was boosted to $1 million ahead of the 2023 edition.

Recent The Shorts Results

Year	Place	Horse	Time
2026 The Shorts	1st	Mazu	1 minute 02.42 seconds
	2nd	Joliestar
	3rd	King’s Secret
2025 The Shorts	1st	Joliestar	1 minute 02.13 seconds
	2nd	Briasa
	3rd	Generosity
2024 The Shorts	1st	I Am Me	1 minute 02.40 seconds
	2nd	Stefi Magnetica
	3rd	Mazu
2023 The Shorts	1st	Private Eye	1 minute 02.66 seconds
	2nd	Overpass
	3rd	Buenos Noches
2022 The Shorts	1st	Nature Strip	1 minute 05.01 seconds
	2nd	Overpass
	3rd	Lost And Running
2021 The Shorts	1st	Eduardo	1 minute 03.54 seconds
	2nd	Nature Strip
	3rd	Gytrash
2020 The Shorts	1st	Classique Legend	1 minute 2.23 seconds
	2nd	Eduardo
	3rd	Bivouac
2019 The Shorts	1st	Pierata	1 minute 3.93 seconds
	2nd	Classique Legend
	3rd	Redzel
2018 The Shorts	1st	Ball Of Muscle	1 minute 2.87 seconds
	2nd	Invincible Star
	3rd	Brave Smash
2017 The Shorts	1st	Redzel	1 minute 1.83 seconds (R)
	2nd	Ball Of Muscle
	3rd	Nieta
2016 The Shorts	1st	Takedown	1 minute 3.2 seconds
	2nd	Ball Of Muscle
	3rd	Kaepernick
2015 The Shorts	1st	Rebel Dane	1 minute 4.67 seconds
	2nd	Ball Of Muscle
	3rd	Shiraz
2014 The Shorts	1st	Terravista	1 minute 2.48 seconds
	2nd	I’m All The Talk
	3rd	Famous Seamus
2013 The Shorts	1st	Sessions	1 minute 3.26 seconds
	2nd	Aeronautical
	3rd	Spirit Of Boom
2012 The Shorts	1st	Pampelonne	1 minute 9.64 seconds
	2nd	Satin Shoes
	3rd	Appearance
2011 The Shorts	1st	Love Conquers All	1 minute 8.71 seconds
	2nd	Albert The Fat
	3rd	Winter King
2010 The Shorts	1st	Hot Danish	1 minute 9.51 seconds
	2nd	Whitefriars
	3rd	Shellscrape
2009 The Shorts	1st	Gold Trail	1 minute 4.82 seconds
	2nd	Fritz’s Princess
	3rd	Sniper’s Bullet
2008 The Shorts	1st	Fritz’s Princess	1 minute 4.03 seconds
	2nd	Hot Danish
	3rd	Keen Commander
2007 The Shorts	Race Not Held
2006 The Shorts	1st	Bentley Biscuit	1 minute 3.36 seconds
	2nd	Magnus
	3rd	Spark Of Life
2005 The Shorts	1st	Black Ink	1 minute 3.4 seconds
	2nd	Mustard
	3rd	Fumble
2004 The Shorts	1st	Dance The Waves	1 minute 4.61 seconds
	2nd	Secret Land (NZ)
	3rd	Legally Bay
2003 The Shorts	1st	Lucky Night	1 minute 4.84 seconds
	2nd	Fair Embrace
	3rd	Poetic Papal
2002 The Shorts	1st	Empire	1 minute 4.11 seconds
	2nd	Shags
	3rd	Fouardee
2001 The Shorts	1st	Oamaru Force	1 minute 3.47 seconds
	2nd	Pembleton
	3rd	Fair Embrace
2000 The Shorts	1st	Bradshaw	1 minute 3.78 seconds
	2nd	Guineas
	3rd	Upright

The Shorts FAQs

What is The Shorts?
The Shorts is a Group 2 1100m sprint at Randwick and one of Sydney’s most important early spring races, often used as a key lead-up to The Everest.

When is The Shorts held?
The race is run in September as part of the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival. The 2026 edition is scheduled for Saturday the 19th of September.

What distance is The Shorts run over?
The Shorts is contested over 1100 metres, a fast, high-pressure trip that suits elite short-course sprinters.

Who can run in The Shorts?
The race is open to top-level sprinters, attracting Group performers, Everest hopefuls and first-up stars resuming for their spring campaigns.

Where is The Shorts run?
The race takes place at Randwick Racecourse, a track that rewards strong finishers and sprinters capable of sustaining high speed.

Is The Shorts an important Everest lead-up?
Yes — The Shorts is one of the most influential early spring sprints, regularly featuring horses heading straight into The Everest.

What are the most popular betting markets for The Shorts?
Punters typically target The Shorts odds following final acceptances including:

• Win/Place
• Exotics (Quinella, Trifecta, First Four)
• Speed map driven same race The Shorts multis
• First-up form plays

Does The Shorts produce future Group 1 winners?
Frequently — many elite sprinters launch their spring campaigns here before progressing to major Group 1 sprints.

Where can I find the latest odds and market movers?
You can follow updated prices, trends and betting insights at Ladbrokes.