Australian racing tips for October 3, 2026

Rupert McIntosh

Horse racing previews, form & tips

October 1, 2026

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Another week closer to the Melbourne Cup carnival and the racing around Australia on Saturday is once again outstanding.

In Melbourne we have the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes featuring the top-class galloper Sir Delius, which will be aiming to confirm his favouritism for the Cox Plate.

In Sydney there are a couple of Group 1 races: the Flight Stakes for the three-year-old fillies and the TAB Epsom in which we get to see the unbeaten Enzedder Well Written strut her stuff. Will she measure up to some of the best Australian milers? We think she can and bookies are offering a decent price to find out.

Also in Sydney, the brilliant sprinting mare Tempted takes on a nifty field in the Group 2 Premiere Stakes, with The Everest looming large in a couple of weeks’ time.

Elsewhere in Australian racing there are major meetings at Eagle Farm, Murray Bridge in South Australia and Kalgoorlie to keep you interest. Good punting to all.

Read on for our best bets of the day for Saturday, October 3, 2026.

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Group 2 TAB One Pool Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m)

This time-honoured race for the three-year-old fillies is devilishly difficult to unwrap. The topweight (1) Leopard Shark has had eight starts, three other acceptors have had six starts, and the rest four starts or fewer. They are also a bunch lightly raced fillies stepping out to a testing 1600m at Flemington; some will relish the added journey and could sharply improve, while others will struggle and some will want even further with the VRC Oaks coming up in a month’s time. But the beauty of the race is if you can snaffle the winner, or even a big-priced placegetter, you will have cash and a filly to follow over the spring carnival. (11) Stipulation appeals as the latter, and is drawn well, in the right stable and has John Allen, a noted patient rider of stayers, on board. She should be hitting the line hard. (3) Profligate is at the top of early markets and is prepared by a master trainer of fillies and mares in Grahame Begg. (5) Portinari is still a maiden after six stats but has been tackling good class. She has a tough barrier but is smart.

Rupert McIntosh tips: 11,3,2,14. Best bet: Stipulation each-way.

Group 2 Cirka Rose Of Kingston Stakes (1400m)

Another open contest for the older mares, and (7) Gold Coast Belle let down followers last start but should be given a chance to redeem herself after caving in to finish seventh in the Let’s Elope Stakes over this course and distance three weeks ago. She has won three times over this distance and has also won five of only eight starts with two seconds, so the latest flop was really out of character. She might get a trail this time with the speedy (14) Tennessee Bound likely to push forward from a wide gate for Jabez Johnstone. If the on-speed runners are dominating on the day, they will both take some beating as they arguably have more upside than rivals here. (10) On Display caught the eye last time but will likely get back a long way from the draw, while (18) Butternut Princess should be rock-hard fit and is due to pop up in this type of race.

Rupert McIntosh tips: 14,18,7,10. Best bet: Tennessee Bound to win.

Group 2 Asahi Super Dry Danehill Stakes (1100m)

This race is arguably the highlight of a great day’s racing with the clash of a boom filly in (10) Natural Fling against a potential boom colt in (3) The Next Episode. Natural Fling blitzed rivals first-up before tackling a Group 1 at only her fourth start and losing no admirers when third in the Moir Stakes over 1000m at Sandown. She has plenty of speed and should be on-pace out wide down the Flemington straight. The Next Episode is a $2.8 million Snitzel colt who has shown huge potential, including in comfortably beating Natural Fling over 1000m at the Gold Coast. He will be spotting the filly a start but if he picks his way through the field OK, he will be rocketing home. And they have solid opposition more than capable of springing a surprise. (11) Over Excited has had only two starts but is an outstanding prospect, while (7) Mbube and (2) Big Sky are colts with their best in front of them.

Rupert McIntosh tips: 3,10,2,7. Best bet: The Next Episode to power home.

Group 1 TAB Turnbull Stakes (2000m)

So we arrive at the Group 1 race on the Flemington card, and multiple Group 1 winner (2) Sir Delius is a top-class stallion which remains the favourite for the upcoming Cox Plate. He returned to finish close-up in the Makybe Diva Stakes and has a great second up record. He is perfectly suited by the 2000m at Flemington and is a well-deserved favourite as arguably the best male horse in the country. As a five-year-old with only 14 starts for seven wins, he may well have his best racng ahead. (5) Aeliana rattled home last start to signal a return to her best form and this track and distance also look ideal for her. (4) Cosmic Crusader has been a money-making machine for our followers in recent months, but the top couple look to have an edge in class. Mind you, with a record of 10 wins and seven placings from only 21 starts and more than $2 million in prizemoney, the Maurice gelding is hard to knock. (11) Buckaroo is a tough-as-teak type and you know he will run you a race at good odds. Melbourne Cup winner (1) Half Yours has yet to measure up in weight-for-age company but his return run was good and he could run into the placings.

Rupert McIntosh tips: 2,1,4,5. Best bet: Sir Delius too good here.

Group 2 Gilgai Stakes (1200m)

A good sprint to follow the Turnbull and the mare (15) Skybird heads the market even though she has not won for about 18 months. (8) Jimmy Recard is a lightly raced and talented type from the Ciaron Maher stable. He is a stallion by I Am Invincible and is a dual acceptor; if he startsin the final race at Randwick in preference to this, we think he’s worth a small investment, as he is here at a big price or in multiples. (6) Smooth Chino is a West Australian sprinter with a good record and runs his best races second-up from a spell, as is the case here. (4) Hedged is a reliable sprinter with Blake Shinn up and he is never far away, though he does not win as often as you would like. This is a race of many chances and the value play may be boxing up 4-5 runners in a trifecta.

Rupert McIntosh tips: 8,15,4,6. Best bet: Jimmy Recard each-way.

Group 1 Darley Flight Stakes (1600m)

A small but talented field to contest the grand final of the Princess Series for three-year-old fillies and bookies think the top three will fight it out. (1) Bangkok Hottie has been so good in beating the rest of the fillies in the Group 2 double of the Tea Rose Stakes and Furious Stakes and she should have no trouble stretching out to a mile. (2) Striking Alibi and (3) Global Goal have been hot on her heels in recent runs and could each close the gap with another run under their belts. (5) De Armas brings different form and looms as the major knockout hope.

Rupert McIntosh tips: 3,1,2,5. Best bet: Global Goal to keep improving.

Group 2 Asahi Super Dry Metropolitan (2400m)

This is for the real stayers and there are a few here which could go on and make an impression in the Group 1 cups during the Melbourne spring. (1) The Euphrates is progressive import in the Waterhouse-Bott stable which did the right thing by WGL followers winning in good style last start. Her will make his own luck out in front for top front-running rider Tim Clark. (5) Juja Kibo pushed the topweight to the line all the way last time and is again likely to race in the first few. (7) Aethelwulf is the hot favourite and has an outstanding record of five wins from only seven starts and has tightened into about $15 for the Melbourne Cup with a string of wins. This is his first attempt at 2400m but it should not pose any issues, especially with red-hot jockey Zac Lloyd in the saddle from the perfect gate three. (12) Pinhole is racing well and looms as a lightweight chance, while the frustrating (2) Soul Of Spain is good enough and gets James McDonald.

Rupert McIntosh tips: 7,1,2,5. Best bet: Aethelwulf is improving with each run.

Group 1 TAB Epsom (1600m)

This storied mile race throws up one of the most interesting runners of late in the star Kiwi mare (6) Well Written, which is unbeaten after seven starts and rates as the best galloper in New Zealand. She has all the favours for her Australian debut: gate three for hot jockey Zac Lloyd, though her trainer Stephen Marsh hopes the forecast wet weather holds off. She has already collected a couple of Group 1s, but this is easily her biggest test. She does not bring quite the same boom Sunline did all those years ago, but she is certainly a high-quality combatant that could measure up to Australia’s best. (3) Autumn Boy is the early favourite and has drawn the pole with James McDonald doing the steering. (4) Idle Flyer has drawn poorly and will likely have to drop back in the field but looks over the odds here at about $18, while (17) Declichy Boulevard looms as the best lightweight hope.

Rupert McIntosh tips: 6,4,3,17. Best bet: Back the Kiwi Well Written to measure up.

Group 2 Precise Air Premiere Stakes (1200m)

This race may not be much of a betting proposition with gun mare (10) Tempted stifling betting, but it should be a good watch nonetheless. You can secure $1.60 if you don’t mind taking short odds and she is an outstanding mare who should be too good. We are wary of (3) Headwall which has had issues but is stacked with ability and arguably should have beaten Tempted a couple of starts back. (2) Caballus can sprint well fresh, while (4) Ninja has drawn wide but drops out anyway and should be savaging the line. (15) Plaintiff isone for the exotics at a big price which is still on an upward spiral.

Rupert McIntosh tips: 10,15,4,3. Best bet: Tempted in a quinella with Plaintiff.