Turnbull Stakes 2026 Betting Odds - Flemington Market Builds Around Sir Delius
The 2026 Turnbull Stakes, a prestigious Group 1 race over 2000m at Flemington, features Sir Delius ($2.60) as the favourite following his win last spring. Key challengers include Aeliana, returning to her ideal distance after an improved Randwick run, and Birdman, fresh off a Group 1 Underwood Stakes victory. The race is historically a major lead-up for the Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate, and Melbourne Cup. With past winners like Winx and Rising Fast, this edition promises fierce competition among the spring's best middle-distance horses.
- Sir Delius is the 2026 Turnbull Stakes favourite at $2.60
- Aeliana and Birdman are major threats off strong recent runs
- The race is a key spring form guide to the Cup races
Sir Delius winning the 2025 Turnbull Stakes. (Getty)
The 2026 Turnbull Stakes takes centre stage at Flemington on Saturday, October 3, with the Group 1 over 2000m again shaping as one of the key weight-for-age races of the Melbourne spring.
Sir Delius heads betting at $2.60 with Unibet Australia as he looks to defend the Turnbull Stakes crown he won last spring.
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained entire resumed with a fourth behind Sheza Alibi in the Makybe Diva Stakes over 1600m, finishing 3.9 lengths from the winner in a race that was always expected to be short of his preferred distance range.
Aeliana is next at $3.80 after producing a much-improved second-up run in the Seven Sunrise Stakes at Randwick, where she finished 1.3 lengths behind Autumn Glow over 1600m.
The Chris Waller-trained mare now returns to 2000m, the distance at which she won the Ranvet Stakes during the autumn, and the rise in trip looks a natural progression following that strong Randwick performance.
Birdman sits on the third line at $4.60 after taking a significant step forward with victory in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes over 1800m at Caulfield.
The Waller-trained gelding finished strongly to defeat Cosmic Crusader by 1.75 lengths, with the stable indicating afterwards that 2000m at Flemington should suit him particularly well.
Cosmic Crusader is next at $11 after finishing runner-up to Birdman in the Underwood, continuing a consistent Melbourne preparation that had already produced victories in the Bletchingly Stakes and P.B. Lawrence Stakes.
The Andrea Leek-trained gelding again raced honestly at 1800m and now steps to 2000m for the first time this campaign, with the Turnbull set to provide another measure of where he sits among the leading middle-distance horses this spring.
Autumn Boy is quoted at $12 after finishing runner-up to Sheza Alibi in the Makybe Diva Stakes, where he improved sharply from his first-up run and again showed his strength at the Flemington mile.
Half Yours rounds out the leading six at $13 after resuming with a sixth in the same race, with his late work standing out as he made ground from the rear over a distance short of his best.
The defending Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup winner now gets his chance to prove himself at weight-for-age over 2000m, with connections using the Turnbull to determine whether the Cox Plate remains part of his spring path.
With last year’s winner at the top of betting, Birdman coming off an Underwood victory, Aeliana stepping back to 2000m and several other key spring contenders progressing through their preparations, the Turnbull Stakes market is tightening ahead of race week.
Turnbull Stakes 2026 Betting Odds
| Horse | Win |
|---|---|
| Sir Delius | $2.60 |
| Aeliana | $3.80 |
| Birdman | $4.60 |
| Cosmic Crusader | $11.00 |
| Autumn Boy | $12.00 |
| Half Yours | $13.00 |
| Buckaroo | $15.00 |
| Zahrann | $15.00 |
| Saint George | $23.00 |
| Deakin | $31.00 |
| Light Infantry Man | $41.00 |
| Middle Earth | $41.00 |
| Vauban | $51.00 |
| Ohope Wins | $51.00 |
| Soul Of Spain | $71.00 |
| Asterix | $101.00 |
| Kings Valley | $101.00 |
| Torranzino | $126.00 |
| Valiant King | $126.00 |
| Okita Soushi | $201.00 |
Odds provided by Unibet Australia & correct on 28/09/2026.
Turnbull Stakes History
First run in 1865, the Turnbull Stakes is one of Australia’s oldest and most important 2000m races.
Named in honour of former Victoria Racing Club chairman Richard Turnbull, the race has undergone several name changes over the years before the Turnbull Stakes title was restored in 1948.
Some of Australia’s finest middle-distance and staying gallopers feature on its honour roll, including Ajax, Rising Fast, Sunline and Winx.
Run over 2000m under set weights and penalties, the Group 1 is a major spring prize in its own right and has long been regarded as one of the strongest form references leading into the Cox Plate, Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup.
The most recent winners are Gold Trip in 2023, Via Sistina in 2024 and Sir Delius, who claimed the 2025 edition at Flemington.
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