Australian racing tips for October 17, 2026

Rupert McIntosh

Horse racing previews, form & tips

October 15, 2026

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Welcome to our preview and free tips for one of the greatest days on the Australian racing calendar. What’s not to love when you have The Everest featuring the world’s best horse in Sydney and the Thousand Guineas-Caulfield Cup meeting in Melbourne.

Of course, The Everest is the world’s richest horse race on turf with $A20 million ($US13.9 million) in prizemoney, with the Hong Kong superstar Ka Ying Rising again making the trip to Sydney to try to win the rich sprint for the second year in a row.

Ka Ying Rising is an odds-on favourite to win again despite drawing poorly in gate 11 of 12 and also the threat of a wet track at Randwick. The six-year-old gelding has never started even on a slow track, but given his record of 22 wins and two seconds from 24 starts, you would be brave to bet against him winning.

Is there another Wunderbar among The Everest? Of course, Wunderbar is the only horse to have beaten Ka Ying Rising in a race, achieving the feat by a nose and a short head at the champ’s second and third race starts. Ka Ying Rising has not been bested since.

Caulfield also boasts a mighty attractive meeting with Caulfield Cup and Thousand Guineas a superb Group 1 double. The Caulfield Cup is a famed lead-up to the Mebourne Cup, while the Thousand Guineas is a time-honoured race for three-year-old fillies.

The big races at Randwick and Caulfield are also boosted by powerful support cards. Our in-form racing tipster has run a critical over the Group 1 and Group 2 races on the day and come up with some free tips and analysis to steer you in the right direction.

The Group 2 Windsor Park Stud Soliloquy Stakes for three-year-old fillies at Ellerslie on Saturday is another highlight of ANZ racing, while there are good metro meetings at Doomben in Brisbane, Morphettville in Adelaide and Ascot in Western Australia..

Read on for our best bets of the day for Saturday, October 17, 2026.

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Group 2 Henley Homes Sprint (1000m)

(2) Cavalry Girl just missed in the Group 1 Moir Stakes over this distance at Sandown last start. This is an easier race and she is in rare form, even if she is up in the weights. Cavalry Girl is a real flyer and the race could well be decided in the first 200m of this contest. (8) Hidden Motive and (7) Don’t Hope Do are also high-speed types and they are drawn inside her; if Cavalry Girl crosses them without burning too much fuel, the race is at her mercy. (6) Pallaton is the one that could swoop without surprising and his best racing is yet to come. (3) Gallant Son also should be suited by the pace and his draw of four means he should be able to settle just behind the speed. (1) Sweynesday did not fire last campaign in good company and is much better than that.

Rupert McIntosh tips: 6,3,2,1. Best bet: Pallaton to finish over the top.

Group 1 Stow Storage Thousand Guineas (1600m)

A top-quality race for the three-year-old fillies and it can be hard to line up as many of the combatants are stepping out to a mile for the first time. They are also mostly extremely lightly raced and unexpected horses can blossom out the extra trip. (3) Saintly Dancer bolted in with the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes at Flemington last start in the wet over the mile, so she is proven at the trip. Meanwhile, the unbeaten (8) Over The Bridge is jumping up 400m at her third race start. (11) Sing Your Song steps up in class but looks suited by the extra distance, while (13) Platinum Pearl is a maiden filly by Frankel and she has been well backed to win the VRC Oaks in a few weeks at the 2500m, so she should be savaging the line. (9) Regal Ambition is a smart filly but is drawn awkwardly in gate 11 and will need some luck.

Rupert McIntosh tips: 9,11,3,13. Best bet: Regal Ambition each-way.

Group 1 Sportsbet Caulfield Cup (2400m)

The arrival of a trio of British-trained galloper has added a lot of interest to this storied Cup. (7) Enfjaar, (10) Wine Dark Sea and (13) Starford are the newcomers and all are being kept very safe in the betting and also for betting in the Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday in November. Wine Dark Sea may by the one with the most upside but has drawn gate 19, posing a dilemma for star jockey Damian Lane. The favourite for the Cup is our old pal (2) Cosmic Crusader, which landed the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes last start. If he extends to the 2400m effectively he will take a power of beating despite the wide draw. Last year’s Cups double hero (1) Half Yours is not racing quite as well this time around and has the hefty 57kg to deal with, but showed signs of improvement last start. (12) Saint George can be forgiven for one ordinary run, as can (16) Zahrann. The latter two are drawn perfectly to get every chance in a tough staying contest..

Rupert McIntosh tips: 16,2,10,1. Best bet: Zahrann excels at the distance.

Group 2 Nationwide Tristarc Stakes (2400m)

(12) Concord Connie has come up short for this tricky closing event and that’s fair enough as she is a lightly raced mare of great promise. We have been keen to back (11) Butternut Princess at a big price and she was unlucky last start. She will bob up and win this type of race at good odds soon and this could be the one. (4) Shadhavar is a consistent mare and she loves this track. She should be at her peak at her fourth run back from a spell. (10) Terilee caught eye first up and looks a contender at good each-way odds.

Rupert McIntosh tips: 4,12,11,10. Best bet: Shadhavar each-way.

Group 2 Toyota Forklifts Sydney Stakes (1200m)

This is the consolation for the quality sprinters that missed out on a start in The Everest, though it carries $2m prizemoney and has also been lifted to Group 2 status for 2026. (1) Overpass is a genuine Group 1 sprinter which performed well at Royal Ascot earlier this year. He’s drawn the carpark for his resuming run but has the tactical speed to be among the leaders early. (15) Marhoona is an emergency for the big race and is the favourite for this one. (7) Beadman has been a little inconsistent but his best would stack up well against most of these, while (18) Golden Straand is a lightly raced five-year-old racing in great heart..

Rupert McIntosh tips: 15,1,18,7. Best bet: Marhoona each-way.

Group 1 The Tab Everest  (1200m)

The reigning champion (1) Ka Ying Rising is expected to just be too good again but there are two factors that could prevent David Hayes’ Hong Kong superstar claiming the major prize. Firstly, he has not been tested on heavy ground and if the Sydney wet continues that could be what he faces on Saturday. Secondly, the wide barrier; Ka Ying Rising possesses explosive sustained speed and tactical versatility but Zac Purton needs to get him one-off the fence either outside the lead or one pair back within the first 200m or so. Especially with this main rival (9) Tempted drawn gate one and also four from four on wet ground. (8) Joliestar should be in a position to strike late for James McDonald from gate five, while the likes of (7) Ninja and (2) Jimmysstar possess big finishing sprints and could be the late swoopers if the leading group get the staggers up the straight. In any case it’s impossible to tip against the world’s best sprinter with any conviction but we are not sure the $1.50 on offer is any value.

Rupert McIntosh tips: 1,8,9,7. Best bet: Ka Ying Rising-Jolie Star quinella.

Group 1 King Charles III Stakes (1609m)

This Group 1 has thrown up a small field with champion mare (5) Autumn Glow scaring off rivals. She has won 13 of her 14 starts and lines up against just four rivals here after the scratching of the bold front-runner (6) Pride Of Jenni. As we saw last weekend with the defeat of Sheza Alibi these quality races with small fields can throw up surprises but it’s hard to imagine here. The market says (1) Ceolwulf is the major danger and it should be a race in two with the other three contestants at 20-1 and better. (3) Just Folk should get an easy lead and does not know how to run a bad race.

Rupert McIntosh tips: 5,1,3,4. Best bet: Autumn Glow.

Group 2 Windsor Park Stud Soliloquy Stakes (1400m)

As with the Caulfield Thousand Guineas this race brings together the most promising three-year-old fillies in training and the best performed filly to date is (1) Hawea, which should cope with the 1400m with few problems. (2) Liguria chased her home last time out and the Snitzel filly is draw better than the topweight and possibly offers better value at around $9. (10) Shalabiya is an impressive type, while the money suggests (5) Asturia will run a great race. (13) Rose Aye Reign broke through last start and could go on with it now.

Rupert McIntosh tips: 2,1,13,5. Best bet: Liguria great each-way value.