2026 Winx Stakes Day Tips & Preview (Randwick)

While we haven’t seen Ferinzo at the races since February, he hasn’t turned in a poor performance since debuting; winning three of five starts and placing on the other two occasions. He’s trialled up extremely well and can hit the ground running this week.

Dee Dee Express has raced consistently through four starts this time in, recording an eye-catching win in Class 1 company at Moruya before filling the minors over 1100m at Canterbury last time out, beaten less than half a length. In peak order this week, her form is good enough to see her salute in something like this.

Kiwi raider I Park takes winning form into another winnable race at Randwick. Having finished off the pace at Rosehill at his first Australian start, I Park took plenty of improvement into a near miss over 1900m at Canterbury before hitting the line to get up in a similar race over this route last time out. In peak order this week, he does rise in the weights, but he need only hold his form to be right in the thick of it again.

King Of The Sea turned in some competitive performances without recording an elusive victory during his debut Australian preparation, and he was last seen finishing an agonizingly close second behind Tazima at Randwick in May, beaten a photo. With the benefit of two recent trials to his name, he launches over a mile this week and is further boosted by the booking of James McDonald.

While yet to strike in four runs back this time, Boniface hasn’t been far away at his three latest starts, finishing the runner up in a pair of BM88 contests here most notably, while he was only a length away in the Premier’s Cup Prelude last time out. He’s drawn ideally this week under Tommy Berry, gets into the race well under the conditions and should appreciate getting further out in trip.

Apocalyptic was outstanding last spring, recording three-consecutive black type victories, including the Group 1 Flight Stakes, before only just missing again in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas. She made just two appearances during the autumn of this year and while she failed to win, both performances were full of merit. Two recent trials have suggested she’s furnished into a strong horse, and with regular rider Tommy Berry engaged, she should get her chance to return a winner.

Queenslander Pembrey returns to action and adds plenty of intrigue in the Silver Shadow Stakes. We haven’t seen her at the races since Slipper Day, and she did finish well off the pace in that contest, but Pembrey was otherwise good during her two-year-old prep, winning in dominant fashion up at Eagle Farm before heading south to take out the Group 3 Magic Night Stakes. A Deagon trial performance earlier this month suggested she’s returned a better horse and with James McDonald engaged, I think she’ll get her chance.

In five starts during his debut preparation, Campione D’Italia experienced a meteoric rise to prominence, winning the Group 2 Skyline Stakes at just his second start before adding the Group 1 Sires’ Produce to his CV two starts later. Those performances bookended a credible fourth placing in the Golden Slipper, while he was last seen finishing a head second in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes. Having trialled well around some excellent older horses, this looks an ideal campaign launchpad for him.

It’s the first Group 1 of the season, and what a Group 1 it is! The Winx Stakes field is always packed with talent, but the showdown between Autumn Glow and Sheza Alibi adds all the more intrigue this year. All things considered, I’m going to have a Same Race Multi and include both mares to finish in the Top 2. While she did suffer the first defeat of her career at her latest start in April, Autumn Glow remains a star of the Australasian Turf and is unbeaten at this point of her prep, while Sheza Alibi deserves her position in the market following her incredible domination of the Doncaster Mile. I’m also going to include Lady Shenandoah to finish in the Top 4. A multiple Group 1 winner in her own right, Lady Shenandoah has been a model of consistency since debuting and is unbeaten over 1400m.

Same Race Multi selections:

• 8 Autumn Glow (Top 2)
• 14 Sheza Alibi (Top 2)
• 12 Lady Shenandoah (Top 4)

Columbia Blue can bounce back in the last on Winx Stakes Day. Having recorded a dominant victory over 1200m at Rosehill two back, Columbia Blue was simply set too big of a task when settling off the pace and rattling home to only just miss here last time out. In peak order, she he can settle just a little handier to the speed this time before calling on that big turn of foot again.