Australian racing tips for October 24, 2026
It’s W.S. Cox Plate day on Saturday and the oft-touted weight-for-age championship of Australasia will be run at Flemington for the first time, though over its regular distance of 2040 metres.
With the traditional Cox Plate venue of Moonee Valley closed for major building works, we head to Melbourne’s racing headquarters for a powerhouse Cox Plate meeting featuring the great race and a string of enticing support races.
Sydney will also host a great day of racing at Randwick for Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes Day. Our racing gurus have had their eye in for the first part of spring and the good news is the racing gets better and the betting pools deeper with the Melbourne Cup looming in a couple of weeks.
We’ve wheeled out the big guns this week to run the rule over most of the Group racing at Flemington and Randwick, and hopefully the author can steer you into a winner or two to build a bank for the Melbourne Cup carnival from Saturday week.
As well the strong Flemington and Randwick cards, there are metropolitan meetings at Eagle Farm, Morphettville and Ascot, though the Brisbane meeting at Eagle Farm must be in some doubt given the heavy rain the Queensland capital has endured all week.
Read on for our best bets of the day for Saturday, October 24, 2026.
Flemington Race 3
Group 2 Drummond Golf Vase (2040m)
(2) True Rebel is a strong favourite for the Victoria Derby at this track a week after this and he has been heavily backed to dominate this pipe-opener, in which other derby contenders could emerge. The gelding has had only three starts for a win and two placings bu has been racing as though this distance and further will suit him much better. His main rival in the betting, (5) Written Empire was just behind True Rebel at their recent meeting but has drawn gate one here so should get a perfect smother, though it’s not clear whether he will appreciate the 2040m. It was hard to miss the run of (11) Joely last start and the filly is on a VRC Oaks path. (3) Hierarchy is a striking colt from the Anthony and Sam Freedman stable and he could be right in the mix for the derby with a good run here.
Brad McGrath tips: 3,2,5,11. Best bet: Hierarchy each-way.
Flemington Race 5
Group 2 Cirka McEwen Stakes (1200m)
No horse in the country has been racing in better form than the eight-year-old (2) Jigsaw, which resumed to win the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes at Caulfield on October 10 over 1100m. That was his eighth win on the bounce and he will again go forward here under Logan Bates, though he may have company from the noted mudlark (1) Mazu, which will find this easier than recent runs and will firm up in the betting if rain arrives. Jigsaw has a phenomenal record with 17 wins from 41 starts but the one worry is that he not been placed in four starts down the Flemington straight. (8) Extragalactic is a promising mare with the world’s best jockey James McDonald in the saddle and she will be the one charging home. (5) Smooth Chino is an emerging WA sprinter which could win without surprising.
Brad McGrath tips: 2,5,8,1. Best bet: Jigsaw fits the bill.
Flemington Race 6
Group 2 Kia Ora Stud Mile (1600m)
This is a race for the class not quite up to tackling a Cox Plate, and the one on the way up is clearly (12) Surfin’ Bird, a lightly raced mare with six wins from only 11 starts for the Waterhouse-Bott stable. She should truck forward for Jordan Childs and while the long Flemington straight will test her, she is four from four at the distance. (3) Sun God is at 14-1 and better but will relish the added trip and the hefty class drop, as will (6) Buckaroo, arguably the best-performed horse in the race. (7) Another Wil was within three lengths of Sheza Alibi at this track and distance and that is good form for this type of race.
Brad McGrath tips: 6,12,3,7. Best bet: Buckaroo but box up the four tips in a quinella/trifecta.
Flemington Race 7
Group 2 Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m)
This version of the Moonee Valley Cup could have a far bigger bearing on the Melbourne Cup than most other years given it is run at the vast Flemington track and not the tight-turning Valley circuit with a short straight. Also, it appears many more of the Cup contenders than usual are taking this route to the first Tuesday in November. The likes of (2) Juja Kibo, (3) Pinhole, (7) Mr Monaco, (9) Kings Valley, (11) King Pedro, (12) Aethelwulf and (18) Kizlyar are all at $51 or less to win the Melbourne Cup. Aethelwulf in particular has a sense of timing about him. The son of Japanese stallion Saxon Warrior has had only eight starts for five wins and two seconds, though it remains to be seen if he will extend to the 3200m of the Melbourne Cup. This race should reveal a little about that. Juja Kibo got the better of Aethelwulf last start and should be able to follow that horse across at the start as they are both drawn wide. In fact the three likely leaders are drawn the outside three gates so the start will be fascinating.
Brad McGrath tips: 12,7,3,2. Best bet: Aethelwulf is on the up.
Flemington Race 8
Group 1 Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m)
The Group 1 Cox Plate just lacks a little lustre this year without brilliant mares Autumn Glow and Sheza Alibi, leaving (3) Sir Delius to fly the flag as a truly top-level performer. The Frankel stallion has run fourth at both runs since a spell, but the target has always been this race and he heads betting around $4.20. Of course the might mare Via Sestina won the Cox Plate the past two years but she was retired after the spring carnival last year. The only mare in the race this year is (10) Aeliana and she threatens to peak on the right day for James McDonald. (11) Warwoven is the late arrival on the scene. The colt has obliterated three-year-old rivals in recent starts and if he can handle the 2040m at the big track, he will take some beating with the featherweight. He loses nothing by having Rachel King in the saddle as she has developed into one of the best jockeys in the country. (2) Light Infantry Man returned to form last start and ran a good race in he Cox Plate last year.
Brad McGrath tips: 3,11,2,10. Best bet: Sir Delius has the class
Randwick Race 6
Group 2 Asahi Super Dry Craven Plate (1800m)
(1) Lindermann has won this race the past two years and his style of racing will give him every chance of making it a hat-trick. Nash Rawiller will likely take him straght to the front and he will be almost impossible to get past unless the likes of (3) Eliyass makes him work even a little to take the lead. (5) Plymouth ran a big race in the Epsom at 100-1 and he has the services of the hottest jockey in the country in Zac Lloyd. He would have to at leas repeat his latest effort to have a chance. The betting says (2) Tom Kitten is the biggest danger to the favourite and he is a top-class galloper at his best.
Brad McGrath tips: 1,5,2,8. Best bet: Lindermann to win.
Randwick Race 7
Group 1 Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes (2000m)
(8) Global Goal heads the market after an electric performance to win the Group 1 Flight Stakes. The John Sargent-trained filly steps up to 2000m in peak condition and has a weight pull against the boys. The other filly in the race is the unbeaten (9) Proxima Dea, a brave type which looked beaten last start but kept coming to make it four from four. Those looking for value should keep a close eye on (4) Wonka, which was a slightly unlucky second in the Gloaming Stakes behind Proxima Dea. (7) Mindgames looms as an intriguing runner stepping up to a middle distance and he has been well backed at big odds. The likes of (2) Cormier and (5) Stormy Marco look suited up in trip.
Brad McGrath tips: 4,8,9,5. Best bet: Wonka each-way can get the chocolates
Randwick Race 8
Group 2 The Invitation (1400m)
(2) Idle Flyer is a smart mare and she will relish getting back against her own sex in this Group 2. She has been slightly disappointing in recent starts but this race is a whole lot easier than what she has faced and she relishes this track and handles the wet. (1) Lazzura is a Snitzel mare at the top of her game and she is good enough to overcome the wide gate. She may have to push forward a little harder than jockey Tommy Berry would like. (9) Gerringong returned in great order and has Nash Rawiller doing the steering, while (6)
Stylish can run a race at big odds.
Brad McGrath tips: 2,6,9,1. Best bet: Idle Flyer each-way.
