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The $2 million 2026 Sydney Stakes ran on Saturday October 17, 2026 as part of The Everest Day line-up at Randwick as a Group 2 race for the first time and was won by Kelly Schweida’s always honest Queenslander Grafterburners ($6.50). 

The Sydney Stakes 2026 is one of the most exciting sprint races of the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival, offering horses that miss a start in The Everest the opportunity to compete for valuable Group race success on one of Australian racing’s biggest days. Run over 1200 metres at Royal Randwick, the Group 2 weight-for-age event regularly attracts a strong field of proven sprinters, emerging talents, and unlucky Everest hopefuls eager to make their mark. With its lucrative prizemoney, competitive fields, and direct connection to the nation’s richest sprint race, the Sydney Stakes has become a popular target for trainers and a key betting event for punters. At Races.com.au, racing fans can find the latest Sydney Stakes odds 2026, field updates, form analysis, and expert Sydney Stakes betting 2026 tips as the contenders prepare to clash on the star-studded Everest Day program.

2026 Sydney Stakes Results

Stay tuned for the official 2026 Sydney Stakes results and finishing order listing the winner of the $2 million The Everest Day support act.

Winning Margin: 1.39 lengths

Winning Time: 1:09.48

The 2026 Sydney Stakes results at Randwick saw Queensland sprinter Grafterburners ($6.50) emerge as a serious contender for Melbourne’s spring sprint features, powering to victory in the Group 2 $2 million contest over 1200m. The Kelly Schweida-trained son of Graff, ridden patiently by Nash Rawiller, settled off the speed before producing a devastating finishing burst to defeat favourite Marhoona by 1½ lengths, with Overpass a further half-neck away in third. The victory took the four-year-old’s record to seven wins from 18 starts and boosted his earnings beyond $3.2 million, while also prompting a significant move in futures betting, with Ladbrokes slashing his Champions Sprint 2026 odds from $51 into $15. Schweida indicated a Group 1 assault at Flemington is now firmly on the radar for the talented colt, who finally showcased his full ability after an interrupted campaign, while Rawiller praised Grafterburners as a “high-class animal” whose talent is beginning to match his maturity.

Click here for the full story.

2026 Sydney Stakes Race Replay

Rothfire in 2025, Grafterburners in 2026, The Queenslanders have taken the Sydney Stakes again!@nashhot @schweidaracing pic.twitter.com/o6Z7asXxgn

— 7HorseRacing ? (@7horseracing) October 17, 2026

2026 Sydney Stakes Odds & Finishing Order

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

2026 Sydney Stakes Tips

Stay tune for our exclusive Sydney Stakes 2026 Tips on The Everest Day $2 million sprint consolation prize this spring.

Read our full 2026 Sydney Stakes Predictions, Best Bets & Same Race Multi Selections.

Favourite: No. 15 Marhoona

Each Way Danger: No. 13 Skybird

Best Roughie: No. 14 Generosity

The Sydney Stakes is a lucrative sprint held on The Everest Day at Royal Randwick in Sydney during mid-October now offering an incredible $2 million in prize money. It was upgraded to Group 2 status in 2026.

There is a battle for the punters’ attention that takes place on The Everest date with Sydney hosting the world’s richest turf race supported by the likes of the Sydney Stakes on the same day Melbourne’s Caulfield Cup Day meeting is held.

There are only 12 slots up for grabs in the $20 million The Everest field and the Sydney Stakes offers a nice consolation prize for sprinters that did not secure a start in the feature race of the day.

Contested over the same distance (1200m) as The Everest race, the Sydney Stakes is a weight-for-age event that has a field capacity of 18 starters.

Horses in the Sydney Stakes field may also be named as one of the six The Everest emergencies and must run in The Everest field should there be a scratching.

The Sydney Stakes also serves as a nice lead-up into the $3 million Winners Stakes – a race previously renamed each year in honour of the previous season’s The Everest winner until a name change to the Russell Balding Stakes in 2024. In 2019 the event was known as the Redzel Stakes and saw the Sydney Stakes winner Deprive run fourth.

The 2021 Sydney Stakes form was franked with the winner Big Parade running fourth in that year’s Winners Stakes (run as the Classique Legend Stakes) before returning the next autumn for a Group 1 The Galaxy second in 2022. Standout meanwhile finished runner-up in the Sydney Stakes and third in the Classique Legend Stakes results that spring.

I Am Me franked the 2023 Sydney Stakes form running back-to-back Group 1 seconds in the Manikato Stakes and Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at her next two starts. Ciaron Maher’s mare would return for a stellar 2024 season including winning the Group 3 Concorde Stakes and Group 2 The Shorts to earn a slot in the 2024 The Everest field.

The form out of the 2023 Sydney Stakes was franked with the third placed mare, Bella Nipotina, going on to win a host of feature races most notably the $20 million The Everest a year later to the day in 2024!

The 2024 Sydney Stakes winner Overpass franked the form heading west to win Perth’s Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes two starts later.

Rothfire won the 2025 Sydney Stakes and would return home in the winter of 2026 for a Group 1 Doomben 10,000 win in Brisbane.

Sydney Stakes 2026
Date:	Saturday October 17, 2026
Track:	Royal Randwick Racecourse
Distance:	1200m
Race Type:	Weight-for-age
Status:	Group 2
Prize Money:	$2,000,000

2026 Sydney Stakes Betting

Betting odds on the Sydney Stakes 2026 are out the week of the race and are led by horses that were on The Everest path but did not secure a slot in the $20 million feature.

The latest 2026 Sydney Stakes odds will be provided here at Races.com.au once released with market links to Ladbrokes.

Big Parade ($2.40 in 2021) followed by I am Me ($4.80 in 2023) are the latest favourites in Sydney Stakes betting to win.

There was a notable upset in 2022 with Rocketing By winning at Sydney Stakes odds of $61!

Rothfire also won at double-figure Sydney Stakes odds of $13 in 2025.

2026 Sydney Stakes Form Guide

The Sydney Stakes form guide is an essential tool for punters analysing one of the premier sprint races on The Everest Day program at Royal Randwick. Run over 1200 metres under weight-for-age conditions, the Group 2 feature attracts a high-quality field of established sprinters, emerging stars, and talented runners that narrowly miss a place in The Everest. The form guide provides detailed information on each horse’s recent performances, barrier draw, jockey and trainer combinations, track and distance statistics, and current campaign form, helping punters identify the runners best suited to the conditions and capable of competing at Group level.

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

• Weight-for-age form – With all runners competing under weight-for-age conditions, proven form at this level is a key factor when assessing the field.
• 1200m credentials – Strong performances over the 1200m sprint trip are often a reliable indicator of Sydney Stakes success.
• Recent Group race form – Horses coming through Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3 sprint races generally bring the strongest form lines.
• The Everest-related form – Many Sydney Stakes runners have either been considered for or narrowly missed a place in The Everest, making their recent performances worth close attention.
• Randwick track record – Previous success at Royal Randwick can be a significant advantage, particularly over the testing six-furlong course.
• Barrier draw – A favourable gate can help runners secure a suitable position and avoid covering extra ground in a competitive sprint.
• Track conditions – Assess whether runners have a preference for firm, soft, or heavy ground, especially if rain is forecast.
• Sectional times – Horses capable of producing strong closing splits or sustaining a genuine tempo throughout the race are often among the leading chances.
• Trainer and jockey combinations – Leading sprinting stables and top riders frequently target the race with high-quality contenders.
• Current spring form – Runners that have been consistently competitive against elite sprint opposition during the Sydney Spring Carnival are often the horses to beat.

FULL 2026 SYDNEY STAKES FORM GUIDE

2026 Sydney Stakes Field

The Sydney Stakes field attracts a quality line-up of sprinters, many of which failed to gain a run in the $20 million The Everest held at the same meeting.

Horses may come into the Sydney Stakes field via a number of spring lead-ups including the Group 2 Premiere Stakes on Epsom Handicap Day or the Group 2 Golden Pendant for the mares.

Grafterburners (4th in 2026) was the last Sydney Stakes winner to come via the Premiere Stakes.

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

The 2026 Sydney Stakes field features a bumper line-up of spring sprinters and The Everest emergency runners led narrowly in betting at time of publish by the Michael Freedman-trained Snitzel mare Marhoona coming off a fourth to Tempted in the Group 2 Premiere Stakes at the track and trip.

2026 Sydney Stakes Nominations

Early nominations for the Sydney Stakes in 2026 are taken the Monday leading-up to the race.

The 2026 Sydney Stakes nominations attracted a bumper 25 spring sprinters led in all-in betting by the resuming Bjorn Baker-trained Overpass who won the race back in 2024.

2026 Sydney Stakes History

The Sydney Stakes was first run in 1968 as a Principal race called City Tattersall’s Lightning Handicap. The sprint was upgraded to a Listed Black-Type race in 1978 before becoming a Group 3 feature in 2018 before getting upgraded to a Group 2 in 2026.

In 2017 the race was renamed as the Sydney Stakes and with a notable increase in prize money became targeted as an event for sprinters that did not make The Everest field on the same day.

Originally run over 1000m then 1100m, the Sydney Stakes distance was also increased to 1200m in 2017.

A number of quality racehorses have won the event including Shogun Lodge (2003), dual winner Famous Seamus (2012-13), Group 1 winning mare In Her Time (2017), and Pierata (2018).

In 2022 the Sydney Stakes prize money was boosted to an unprecedented $2 million in total stakes and saw Rocketing By become one of the event’s longest-priced winners at 60/1!

Sydney Stakes Results

Year	Place	Horse	Time
2026 Sydney Stakes	1st	Grafterburners	1 minute 09.48 seconds
	2nd	Marhoona
	3rd	Overpass
2025 Sydney Stakes	1st	Rothfire	1 minute 08.52 seconds
	2nd	Iowna Merc
	3rd	With Your Blessing
2024 Sydney Stakes	1st	Overpass	1 minute 08.73 seconds
	2nd	Coal Crusher
	3rd	Southport Tycoon
2023 Sydney Stakes	1st	I Am Me	1 minute 08.57 seconds
	2nd	Airman
	3rd	Bella Nipotina
2022 Sydney Stakes	1st	Rocketing By	1 minute 10.56 seconds
	2nd	In The Congo
	3rd	Weona Smartone
2021 Sydney Stakes	1st	Big Parade	1 minute 09.51 seconds
	2nd	Standout
	3rd	Prime Candidate
2020 Sydney Stakes	1st	Trumbull	1 minute 09.79 seconds
	2nd	Standout
	3rd	Singore Fox
2019 Sydney Stakes	1st	Deprive	1 minute 08.62 seconds
	2nd	Champagne Cuddles
	3rd	Brutal
2018 Sydney Stakes	1st	Pierta	1 minute 10.82 seconds
	2nd	Jungle Edge
	3rd	Clearly Innocent
2017 Sydney Stakes	1st	In Her Time	1 minute 8.26 seconds
	2nd	Impending
	3rd	Ball Of Muscle
2016 Sydney Stakes	1st	Spieth	1 minute 3.24 seconds
	2nd	Kaepernick
	3rd	Le Cordon Bleu
2015 Sydney Stakes	1st	Dothraki	1 minute 2.44 seconds
	2nd	That’s A Good Idea
	3rd	Artlee
2014 Sydney Stakes	1st	Deep Field	1 minute 3.39 seconds
	2nd	That’s A Good Idea
	3rd	Shamalia
2013 Sydney Stakes	1st	Famous Seamus	1 minute 3.52 seconds
	2nd	Ichihara
	3rd	Rarefield
2012 Sydney Stakes	1st	Famous Seamus	1 minute 1.96 seconds (R)
	2nd	Too Many Reds
	3rd	Zaratone
2011 Sydney Stakes	1st	Title	1 minute 4.59 seconds
	2nd	Rarefield
	3rd	Midnight At Ascot
2010 Sydney Stakes	1st	Whitefriars	1 minute 2.22 seconds (R)
	2nd	De Lightning Ridge
	3rd	Cardinal Virtue
2009 Sydney Stakes	1st	News Alert	1 minute 2.77 seconds
	2nd	Black Prince
	3rd	Wasted Emotions

Sydney Stakes FAQs