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Red Anchor Stakes News
The 2026 Red Anchor Stakes ran at Flemington on Saturday October 24, 2026 as part of Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day and was won in a narrow but impressive effort by the Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr-trained Buggsy ($3.40).Â
The Group 3 Red Anchor Stakes 2026 is a key three-year-old sprint feature of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival, offering emerging gallopers the opportunity to secure valuable black-type success against their own age group. Named in honour of champion colt Red Anchor, whose remarkable spring campaign included victories in the Caulfield Guineas, Cox Plate and Victoria Derby, the race has become an important proving ground for young sprinters and future stakes performers. In 2026, the Red Anchor Stakes takes on added interest as it is run at Flemington Racecourse due to the redevelopment of Moonee Valley, introducing a new challenge for the field as they tackle the famous straight and expansive circuit. On this page, you’ll find the latest Red Anchor Stakes odds 2026, Red Anchor Stakes betting 2026 updates, field information, barrier draw, form guide, tips, results, and market movers as punters assess the leading three-year-old chances in this exciting spring sprint contest.
2026 Red Anchor Stakes Results
Stay tuned for the official 2026 Red Anchor Stakes results and finishing order on Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day.
- #2 Buggsy
- #3 The Speed Machine
- #5 Valaroso
Winning Margin: 0.25 lengths
Winning Time: 1:10.10
The 2026 Red Anchor Stakes results produced a potentially exciting new Coolmore Stud Stakes contender, with the Mick Price & Michael Kent Jr-trained Buggsy ($3.40) proving too tough in the Group 3 feature over 1200m at Flemington on Cox Plate Day. Ridden by Craig Williams, the son of Harry Angel dug deep after a mid-race scare in blinkers to defeat stablemate The Speed Machine by a long head, with Valaroso a further long neck away in third, stopping the clock in 1:10.10. The victory was Buggsy’s third win from just six starts and immediately sparked interest in next Saturday’s Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington, where he firmed from $51 into $34 with Ladbrokes. Co-trainer Michael Kent Jr revealed the Red Anchor had been the colt’s target for weeks, praising his toughness after a messy passage, while Williams described the three-year-old as a “warrior” following his determined straight-track success. Whether connections elect to back him up seven days later remains to be seen, but Buggsy’s breakthrough black-type victory has him firmly on the radar for one of Australia’s premier three-year-old sprint races.
Click here for the full story.
2026 Red Anchor Stakes Race Replay
2026 Red Anchor Stakes Odds & Finishing Order
See below for the latest Red Anchor Stakes 2026 odds followed by the official finishing order after the event this spring.
| 2. Buggsy (3) 57kg3×146 | |||
| 3. The Speed Machine (5) 57kg116×2 | |||
| 5. Valaroso (2) 57kg5×21 | |||
| 6. Half Pipe (1) 57kg75445 | |||
| 7. Inner Gold (6) 57kg7×612 | |||
| 9. Turbo Saint (4) 57kg12 | |||
| 1. Big Wigs (7)SCRATCHED: | |||
| 4. Barracks (6)SCRATCHED: | |||
| 8. Peyton (10)SCRATCHED: | |||
| 10. Regal Harry (1)SCRATCHED: | |||
2026 Red Anchor Stakes Tips
Stay tuned for our insider Red Anchor Stakes 2026 Tips on the potential Coolmore Stud Stakes lead-up this spring.
Favourite: No. 5 Valaroso
| 5. Valaroso (2) 57kg5×21 |
Each Way Danger: No. 2 Buggsy
| 2. Buggsy (3) 57kg3×146 |
Best Roughie: No. 7 Inner Gold
| 7. Inner Gold (6) 57kg7×612 |
The Red Anchor Stakes is a 1200m sprint traditionally held at Moonee Valley Racecourse in late October on Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day. Note, in 2026 the event moves to Flemington with The Valley closed for redevelopment.
Held under set weights with penalties conditions, the Red Anchor Stakes is restricted to three-year-old sprinters and offers $240,000 in prize money.
The Red Anchor Stakes is held on Cox Plate Day alongside a host of other Group status spring features. These include the renowned Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m), Group 2 Moonee Valley Vase (2040m), the Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) which offers the winner a ballot exemption into the Melbourne Cup field, Group 2 Crystal Mile (1600m), Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1200m), and the Group 3 Tesio Stakes (1600m).
Classier types tend to perform well under the set weights plus penalties conditions of the Red Anchor Stakes. Some fairly decent young horses have gotten up over Group 1 types in recent years, so when punting don’t be too quick to immediately jump on the well-known horses when placing your bets on the Red Anchor Stakes.
Horses tend to target the Red Anchor Stakes following runs in races with similar conditions and similar distances including the Group 3 Blue Sapphire Stakes (1200m) over the Caulfield Cup Carnival.
Following the Red Anchor Stakes, some runners may go on to the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m), run a week later at Flemington Racecourse on VRC Derby Day.
The 2020 Red Anchor Stakes form was later franked with the winner Portland Sky winning the following autumn’s Group 1 Oakleigh Plate.
| Red Anchor Stakes 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Date: | Saturday October 24, 2026 |
| Track: | Moonee Valley Racecourse (Flemington in 2026) |
| Distance: | 1200m |
| Race Type: | 3YOs SW+P |
| Status: | Group 3 |
| Prize Money: | $240,000 |
2026 Red Anchor Stakes Betting
The latest Red Anchor Stakes 2026 betting odds from Ladbrokes will be provided at Races.com.au for punters to lock in tips on the three-years-old sprint on Cox Plate Day at the best price.
Generation ($2.20 in 2021), Archo Nacho ($2.60 in 2023) and Napoleonic ($3 in 2025) are the latest favourites in Red Anchor Stakes betting to salute for the punters.
2026 Red Anchor Stakes Form Guide
The Red Anchor Stakes form guide is an important tool for punters analysing one of the key three-year-old sprint races of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival. Run over 1200 metres at Flemington Racecourse in 2026 while Moonee Valley undergoes redevelopment, the Group 3 feature attracts a talented field of emerging sprinters looking to add black-type success to their résumés. The form guide provides crucial information including recent performances, track and distance statistics, barrier draws, jockey and trainer combinations, and betting market moves. By studying the Red Anchor Stakes form guide, punters can identify the three-year-olds best equipped to handle the rise in class and the unique challenges of sprint racing at Flemington.
What Punters Should Look for in the Red Anchor Stakes Form Guide:
- Strong 1200m form – Horses with proven performances over 1200m often hold a significant advantage in this sprint feature.
- Three-year-old sprint form – Recent results against their own age group can be an excellent guide to a runner’s chances.
- Black-type credentials – Horses coming through Group and Listed races generally bring the strongest form lines into the event.
- Lead-up race form – Pay close attention to runners exiting key spring races such as the Danehill Stakes, Poseidon Stakes, Blue Sapphire Stakes, Caulfield Guineas Prelude, and other three-year-old sprint features.
- Flemington record – Previous performances at Flemington, particularly down the straight or over sprint trips, can be a valuable indicator.
- Barrier draw – Depending on track conditions and field size, barriers can influence race tactics and positioning.
- Early speed and tactical versatility – Three-year-old sprint races are often run at a genuine tempo, making tactical speed a key asset.
- Trainer and jockey combinations – Leading stables frequently target the race with progressive spring three-year-olds aimed at black-type success.
FULL 2026 RED ANCHOR STAKES FORM GUIDE
Want to discover value runners using smart form suggestions?
Form Genius is a powerful form analysis tool that makes doing the form easy by getting through mountains of data at the touch of a button! Ask it anything and get fast, form-based answers on any runner, jockey or trainer in any race. Use the smart prompts for deep insights and to sharpen your punting even further.
Ask Form Genius...
- Which runner has the best trainer/jockey combo at Flemington?
- Which runner has the best form on this track?
- Which runners are mapped as leaders in the Red Anchor Stakes?
Want to discover value runners using smart form suggestions?
Form Genius is a powerful form analysis tool that makes doing the form easy by getting through mountains of data at the touch of a button! Ask it anything and get fast, form-based answers on any runner, jockey or trainer in any race. Use the smart prompts for deep insights and to sharpen your punting even further.
Get Free Access to Form Genius Now2026 Red Anchor Stakes Field
The Red Anchor Stakes field tends to attract three-year-olds who have had fairly extensive preparations already that season. Horses that run in the Red Anchor Stakes field usually do so following several black type races already that season including Sydney’s Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) or Caulfield’s Group 3 HDF McNeil Stakes (1200m) in September.
Napoleonic (4th in 2025) was the last Roman Consul Stakes graduate to back-up and win the Red Anchor Stakes on Cox Plate Day.
The 2026 Red Anchor Stakes field and barriers are released on the Wednesday leading-up to Cox Plate Day and will be published in full below.
The Red Anchor Stakes 2026 final field features a competitive line-up of three-year-old sprinters led in betting by the Cindy Alderson-trained Valaroso coming off a big win at Seymour and progressive Harry Angel colt Buggsy coming off a sixth in the Group 2 Danehill Stakes.
| Entrant | Last 6 | Sex | Barrier | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Big Wigs (7) Scratched: | |||||
|
2. Buggsy
J: Craig Williams
T: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr |
13×146 | C | 3 | 57kg | |
|
3. The Speed Machine
J: Blake Shinn
T: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr |
116×2 | G | 5 | 57kg | |
| 4. Barracks (6) Scratched: | |||||
|
5. Valaroso
J: Logan Bates
T: Cindy Alderson |
5×21 | G | 2 | 57kg | |
|
6. Half Pipe
J: Chad Schofield
T: Annabel & Rob Archibald |
175445 | C | 1 | 57kg | |
|
7. Inner Gold
J: Beau Mertens
T: Ciaron Maher |
57×612 | C | 6 | 57kg | |
| 8. Peyton (10) Scratched: | |||||
|
9. Turbo Saint
J: Damian Lane
T: Clinton McDonald |
12 | G | 4 | 57kg | |
| 10. Regal Harry (1) Scratched: | |||||
2026 Red Anchor Stakes Nominations
Nominations for the Red Anchor Stakes in 2026 close the Monday leading-up to the race.
Red Anchor Stakes History
The Red Anchor Stakes was inaugurated in 1985, with Seiger taking out the first edition. Since then, the Red Anchor Stakes has provided classy three-year-olds with an opportunity to showcase their skills against other horses of similar levels of skill.
The Red Anchor Stakes has always been held over 1200m. Between the years of 1990 and 2005 the race ran as the CS Hayes Stakes. Between 2006 and 2011 it was referred to as the City Pacific Finance Stakes. Following that, it adopted the name Telstra Phonewords Stakes.
Notable Red Anchor Stakes winners include Rubiton (1986), Sequalo (1993), Yell (2002), Royal Asscher (2007), Karuta Queen (2011) and four-length champion Napoleonic (2025).
Red Anchor Stakes results and winning times are listed below.
Red Anchor Stakes History
| Year | Place | Horse | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Red Anchor Stakes | 1st | Buggsy | 1 minute 10.10 seconds |
| The Speed Machine | |||
| 3rd | Valaroso | ||
| 2025 Red Anchor Stakes | 1st | Napoleonic | 1 minute 10.08 seconds |
| Live | |||
| 3rd | Ornithology | ||
| 2024 Red Anchor Stakes | 1st | Bittercreek | 1 minute 10.50 seconds |
| Pisces | |||
| 3rd | Winnasedge | ||
| 2023 Red Anchor Stakes | 1st | Archo Nacho | 1 minute 11.35 seconds |
| Maharba | |||
| 3rd | Don’t Hope Do | ||
| 2022 Red Anchor Stakes | 1st | Sejardan | 1 minute 13.40 seconds |
| Sweet Ride | |||
| 3rd | Shalailed | ||
| 2021 Red Anchor Stakes | 1st | Generation | 1 minute 10.89 seconds |
| Scissor Step | |||
| 3rd | Sudoko | ||
| 2020 Red Anchor Stakes | 1st | Portland Sky | 1 minute 12.95 seconds |
| 2nd | Bella Nipotina | ||
| 3rd | Valaquenta | ||
| 2019 Red Anchor Stakes | 1st | Sartorial Splendor | 1 minute 11.22 seconds |
| 2nd | Condo’s Express | ||
| 3rd | Three Beans | ||
| 2018 Red Anchor Stakes | 1st | Charge | 1 minute 10.00 seconds |
| 2nd | Sunset Watch | ||
| 3rd | Ringerdingding | ||
| 2017 Red Anchor Stakes | 1st | Eptimum | 1 minute 09.98 seconds |
| 2nd | Single Bullet | ||
| 3rd | Trekking | ||
| 2016 Red Anchor Stakes | 1st | Archives | 1 minute 12.14 seconds |
| 2nd | Crafted | ||
| 3rd | Big John Cannon | ||
| 2015 Red Anchor Stakes | 1st | Holler | 1 minute 9.8 seconds |
| 2nd | Brockhoff | ||
| 3rd | Demonstrate | ||
| 2014 Red Anchor Stakes | 1st | Galaxy Pegasus | 1 minute 9.9 seconds |
| 2nd | Law | ||
| 3rd | Nicoscene | ||
| 2013 Red Anchor Stakes | 1st | Thermal Current | 1 minute 11.3 seconds |
| 2nd | Not Listenin’tome | ||
| 3rd | Selectify | ||
| 2012 Red Anchor Stakes | 1st | Hidden Warrior | 1 minute 11.2 seconds |
| 2nd | Haussmann | ||
| 3rd | Chosen Moment | ||
| 2011 Red Anchor Stakes | 1st | Karuta Queen | 1 minute 10.6 seconds |
| 2nd | Miss Stellabelle | ||
| 3rd | Amah Rock | ||
| 2010 Red Anchor Stakes | 1st | That’s Not It | 1 minute 11.6 seconds |
| 2nd | Happy Trails | ||
| 3rd | Lone Rock | ||
| 2009 Red Anchor Stakes | 1st | Avenue | 1 minute 10.0 seconds |
| 2nd | Governance | ||
| 3rd | Broken | ||
| 2008 Red Anchor Stakes | 1st | Millbank | 1 minute 11.1 seconds |
| 2nd | Gold In Dubai | ||
| 3rd | Montana Flyer | ||
| 2007 Red Anchor Stakes | 1st | Royal Asscher | 1 minute 11.2 seconds |
| 2nd | El Mandon | ||
| 3rd | Wilsons Promontory | ||
| 2006 Red Anchor Stakes | 1st | Corton Charlemagne | 1 minute 11.6 seconds |
| 2nd | Fair Horizons | ||
| 3rd | Evacuate | ||
| 2005 Red Anchor Stakes | 1st | Coronga | 1 minute 12.6 seconds |
| 2nd | Facing The Breeze | ||
| 3rd | Angkhasa | ||
| 2004 Red Anchor Stakes | 1st | Oratorio | 1 minute 14.8 seconds |
| 2nd | Kingify | ||
| 3rd | World Peace | ||
| 2003 Red Anchor Stakes | 1st | Youth | 1 minute 11.3 seconds |
| 2nd | Flagmentation | ||
| 3rd | Happy Strike | ||
| 2002 Red Anchor Stakes | 1st | Yell | 1 minute 10.9 seconds |
| 2nd | Tycoon Ruler | ||
| 3rd | Before Too Long | ||
| 2001 Red Anchor Stakes | 1st | Deprave | 1 minute 12.5 seconds |
| 2nd | Firm | ||
| 3rd | La Lagune | ||
| 2000 Red Anchor Stakes | 1st | Sound The Alarm | 1 minute 12.1 seconds |
| 2nd | Wurabinda | ||
| 3rd | Senet Pete | ||
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