Australian racing tips for October 10, 2026
Strap yourself in for another day of high-octane horse racing, with Caulfield on centre stage with a trio of Group 1s on the best day of the year at the Melbourne track.
The highlight should be the brilliant mare Sheza Alibi in the Might And Power. She’s tackling 2000m for the first time but has scared her rivals off to the extent that there only five other runners. It’s hard to see her getting beaten but stranger things have happened.
The Caulfield Guineas looms as an exciting contest and it has a history of chucking up rough winners, while the Toorak is always an open affair.
There is also outstanding racing at Rosehill in Sydney and our tipsters have shared their thoughs on the Group 1 and Group 2 races at both venues, as well as the Group 1 Livamol Classic at Hastings in New Zealand.
Elsewhere, the are strong metropolitan cards at Eagle Farm, Morphettville and Ascot.
Read on for our best bets of the day for Saturday, October 10, 2026.
Caulfield Race 4
Group 2 Sportsbet Herbert Power Stakes (2400m)
This tough staying contest should be a good guide to the Melbourne Cup this year with a couple of the runners at the pointy end of betting for the great race. Rising star mare (14) Shockletz has already locked in a start for the 2026 Melbourne Cup by winning the Lexus Archer at Flemington last month, and the question will be whether she is at her peak for this or will trainer Ciaron Maher have her ticking over with an eye to the Cup. In any case she has been outstanding in her two runs this campaign. Early favourite for this race is the Chris Waller-trained import (12) Pinhole, which James McDonald partners and could be his Melbourne Cup ride. (4) Zakouma will appreciate this distance and even further and is lightly raced for a six-year-old. The 2024 Melbourne Cup winner (6) Knight’s Choice goes around here and is fitter now, though he may need even further than the 2400m journey.
Rupert McIntosh tips: 14,12,4,3. Best bet: Shockletz is in form.
Caulfield Race 6
Group 2 Henley Homes Schillaci Stakes (1100m)
A couple of winning machines head the betting for this quality sprint race in (1) Jigsaw and (2) Rey Magnerio. Jigsaw has a stunning record of 16 wins and only five placings from 40 starts, and he has done his best racing in the past year as a seven-year-old. He’s now eight but has drawn the inside gate for this; he should lead and will take a power of running down even with 58.5kg. Rey Magnerio, likewise, has a great record with 10 wins and 11 placings from 28 starts. He should get a great run too from barrier three. Blue Diamond winner (9) Streisand has been chucked in against the older sprinters but with only 51kg, she could be the late challenger. (7) Inkaruna is improving and draws for a soft run.
Rupert McIntosh tips: 1,7,2,9. Best bet: Jigsaw hard to beat and try the quinella with Inkaruna.
Caulfield Race 7
Group 1 Sportsbet Might And Power (2000m)
Just six runners in the first Group 1 of the afternoon at Caulfield. The outstanding mare (6) Sheza Alibi has stifled betting on the race and it would be a major surprise if she was to be beaten, even if she is being tested at 2000m for the first time. (1) Birdman was a Group 1 winner at this track last start but it’s doubtful he has the turn of foot to go with the champ. (5) Treasurethe Moment looms as the probable leader but would need to turn her form around to trouble the top two.
Rupert McIntosh tips: 6,1,4,5. Best bet: Sit back and watch Sheza Alibi go to work.
Caulfield Race 8
Group 1 Sportsbet Caulfield Guineas (1600m)
(2) Warwoven, the Sword Of State colt from the Bjorn Baker stable, has gone to a new level at his past two starts, and was dominant in winning the Group 1 Golden Rose. If he can bring that form to Melbourne, he is clearly the one to beat in this stallion-making race for three-year-olds. But this is a race that has a history of boilovers and there are plenty of beautifully bred colts and geldings here which could jump out of the ground out to a mile. (7) Central Europe is still a maiden and was disappointing in the Golden Rose, but he gets an important change here: James McDonald in the saddle. (11) Call Me Coach is unbeaten after two starts and while he has been thrown in at the deep end, there is no reason he can’t measure up. (4) Tron Bolt is another which showed huge potential in Queensland during the winter and has been screaming out for this trip and possibly further. (5) Blind Raise has won four out of five and leads the Victorian brigade in trying to upstage the invading Sydney colts.
Rupert McIntosh tips: 2,7,11,5. Best bet: Warwoven looks a class act.
Caulfield Race 9
Group 1 Hyland Race Colours Toorak Hcp (1600m)
The Toorak Handicap is the most wide open of the three Group 1s on the card. (6) Regal Award is the early favourite but you can secure around $6 with Australian bettings sites about him so there is value at every turn. We have been with (2) Lady Shenandoah regularly and she is suited stepping out to a mile. She has drawn awkwardly in gate nine but that is offset by having the world’s best jockey James McDonald in the saddle. Lady Shenandoah should be at her peak now third-up from a spell. (13) Changing Colours is a strong lightweight chance in her biggest test yet and if you rate her chances you should also give a place chance to the roughie (11) Too Darn Discreet, which was outstanding in third behind Changing Colours last time. Alas Too Darn Discreet is drawn wide and could get caught out again. (1) Evaporate is a classy type and draws to get all the favours.
Rupert McIntosh tips: 2,11,1,13. Best bet: Lady Shenandoah each-way, and a good race for exotics.
Rosehill Race 6
Group 2 Tab Roman Consul Stakes (1200m)
Promising filly (14) Satono Glow takes on 12 colts and 1 gelding but the punters believe she can more than measure up as she will likely start second favourite in this prestigious race. Top colt (1) Paradoxium is the other one punters have come for early, and he has draw better than the filly, barrier two as opposed to the awkward gate nine. Double figure odds are available about the rest of the field, with (3) Castillo King a lightly raced type which should be attacking the line hard. (5) Blessed Eagle is a bulletproof colt from the Waterhouse-Bott yard, while (7) Steel Will let us down when well beaten behind Paradoxium at Flemington last start but is better suited over this trip. (10) Phillip Island is better than his 50-1-plus odds indicate.
Rupert McIntosh tips: 7,1,14,10. Best bet: Steel Will each-way.
Rosehill Race 7
Group 2 Toyota Forklifts Hill Stakes (1900m)
(6) Zambardo is set to peak at his third run from a spell and could surprise at around the $10 mark, though all the early money is with the favourite (1) Lindermann. The latter is a known quantity and even though he has drawn wide he is likely to lead and take plenty of getting past. Lindermann is going as well as he ever has and responds well to standover jockey Nash Rawiller. He is the red with some sportsbooks. (4) Militarize should improve at this stage of his campaign and no jockey in Australia is riding with more confidence than Zac Lloyd. This is an open race with half a dozen chances including (2) Eliyass, which thrives in this distance range. The swoopers will be hoping one of the outsiders takes on Lindermann in the lead.
Rupert McIntosh tips: 1,6,2,9. Best bet: Lindermann to win.
Hastings Race 9
Group 1 Livamol Classic (2040m)
The NZ racing spotlight turns to Hastings for the climax of the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival and a weight-for-age showcase to test New Zealand’s elite middle-distance horses. Race favourite (1) Waitak leads the charge following an impressive victory in the opening leg of the series. The Wexford Stables gelding looks ideally suited stepping up to 2040 metres, though he faces stiff opposition. Key challenger (2) Tuxedo is primed to strike after a surging runner-up finish, while each-way chance (10) She’s a Dealer and Cody Cole’s contender (6) Atmospheric add depth to the line-up. Expect a high-stakes tactical affair, with the country’s top jockey Craig Grylls to prevail on the favourite.
Rupert McIntosh tips: 1,2,6,11. Best bet: Waitak’s a class act .
