Caulfield Betting Tips for September 27, 2026 - Race-by-Race Preview for Manikato Stakes Day
Caulfield’s Manikato Stakes Day 2026 presents a high-quality nine-race card, led by the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m), plus major features such as the Feehan, Stutt, Stocks, JRA Cup, and Scarborough Stakes. The preview tips 'Pride Of Jenni' as a strong bet, with 'Regal Ambition' and 'Moonlight Circus' highlighted as value each-way plays. Seasoned trainers and jockeys with strong records feature across the program. Bettors should watch form reversals and respected combos to find the best value in the quality fields.
- Caulfield hosts a nine-race Manikato Stakes Day program on Sunday, September 27
- The card also features the Feehan Stakes, Stutt Stakes, Stocks Stakes, JRA Cup and Scarborough Stakes
- Race-by-race analysis covers all nine races, including the Group 1 Manikato Stakes
Sunday’s Caulfield card is stacked with feature racing, led by the Manikato Stakes. (Getty)
A strong nine-race program will be run at Caulfield on Sunday, headlined by the Group 1 Manikato Stakes over 1200m.
- Caulfield Tips September 27
- Ladbrokes Brian Kruger Handicap Tips (Race 1)
- Sportsbet Jim Moloney Stakes Tips (Race 2)
- Drummond Golf JRA Cup Tips (Race 3)
- Dominant Scarborough Stakes Tips (Race 4)
- Ladbrokes Feehan Stakes Tips (Race 5)
- MSC Signs Stutt Stakes Tips (Race 6)
- Ladbrokes Stocks Stakes Tips (Race 7)
- Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes Tips (Race 8)
- Sportsbet Testa Rossa Stakes Tips (Race 9)
The supporting card also features the Feehan Stakes, Stutt Stakes, Stocks Stakes, JRA Cup and Scarborough Stakes as the Melbourne spring continues to build.
Our best and value bets for Caulfield on Sunday are below, while Live Racing & Sports Updates has the latest previews and analysis from all codes.
Caulfield Tips September 27
Ladbrokes Brian Kruger Handicap Tips (Race 1)
The Clinton McDonald and Ben Melham combination always demands respect, having teamed up for 15 winners at better than a 28% strike rate over the past 12 months, with an ROI north of 18%. This season alone they have already combined for five winners at 38.5%, with an ROI of around 40%.
5. Tales Of Time is among those recent winners after making a stylish return at Sandown on September 9, coming from off the speed to justify short favouritism.
That followed a late two-year-old campaign that included a dominant Warrnambool maiden win and an eye-catching second in the Group 3 Maribyrnong Plate on debut. This is his first run beyond 1000m, but the manner of that fresh victory suggests the extra 100m should suit.
7. Shooting Brake could be the value after racing competitively in decent company across all four starts. He was good at his only previous Caulfield appearance and the rise from 1000m to 1300m last time may have stretched him, so back to 1100m third-up looks a better setup.
11. Jarbardar was a big debut winner before finishing runner-up behind the smart Natural Fling and has trialled nicely ahead of his stable debut for Tony and Calvin McEvoy, while 2. Verzain can improve after failing to settle down the Flemington straight first-up.
Selections: 5-7-11-2.
Sportsbet Jim Moloney Stakes Tips (Race 2)
10. Regal Ambition looks a progressive filly for Lindsay Park after making a stylish return at Sandown on September 9.
Alinghi's granddaughter had finished off well when beaten as favourite on debut in a handy Ballarat maiden before being spelled, and arrived at Sandown off some slick jump-out work. She overcame some early inconvenience there and defeated Stipulation, who had race fitness on her side and has since franked the form with a win at Geelong.
This is clearly harder, but the rise to 1440m should suit and Michael Dee can potentially settle her closer from barrier four.
4. Pretty Baby deserves favouritism after an outstanding Melbourne debut in the Listed Atlantic Jewel Stakes at Sandown, extending her winning sequence after a hat-trick in Adelaide, although she is now very deep into the preparation.
1. Cherry Bombshell improved sharply second-up when fourth in a decent form race in Sydney and should appreciate the rise in trip, while 8. Katoto could be VRC Oaks type and is ready for further after resuming over 1200m in Sydney.
Selections: 10-4-1-8.
Drummond Golf JRA Cup Tips (Race 3)
The JRA Cup is one of the biggest raffles on Sunday's program, with 11. Darkbonee looking to atone after disappointing as favourite last time.
He reportedly did not appreciate racing between runners and has since completed a tick-over jump-out. His previous form this campaign is difficult to knock, having caught the eye fresh before handling a sharp rise in grade with a soft second-up victory.
A colder ride from the wide draw may suit the son of Palentino if he can be brought to the outside for one uninterrupted run.
12. Autumn Mystery improved sharply when stepping to 1700m at Flemington second-up and was a Group 3 winner over this track-and-trip last spring, making him dangerous at a price.
8. Suntora as good Caulfield statistics and should be nearing her peak third-up, while 2. Future History comes through the same Flemington race and getting to 2000m second-up looks ideal.
Selections: 11-12-8-2.
Dominant Scarborough Stakes Tips (Race 4)
Mark Zahra and Ciaron Maher have struck at better than 23% together over the past 12 months with a profitable ROI, and this season they have combined for four winners from 12 starters with an ROI north of 71%.
Zahra went to Bendigo to ride 12. Over The Bridge on debut and the daughter of Toronado produced a comfortable victory on Soft 6 ground after showing plenty of raw ability in her lead-up work.
She had completed only one jump-out going into that debut, leaving obvious scope for improvement, and this does not look an especially deep Group 3 for the three-year-old fillies.
Stablemate 3. Calamari Ring could be the value after working home well in both runs this preparation and looks ready for 1200m third-up. She also defeated subsequent Blue Diamond winner Streisand on debut.
10. Sunbliss worked home nicely behind Tales Of Time first-up and we'll see how that form works out in the opener, while 2. Chayan owns some of the strongest exposed form in the race despite a plain Sydney return.
Selections: 12-3-10-2.
Ladbrokes Feehan Stakes Tips (Race 5)
5. Pride Of Jenni returns in a race that looks ideally suited to her strengths, with regular rider Declan Bates likely to let the nine-year-old roll forward and establish her own tempo.
Traditional speed maps almost go out the window when she races, and several of these have previously been forced outside their comfort zones trying to chase her.
Her fresh form has improved with age, winning both first-up attempts in 2025, while she is already a Group 1 winner over this trip after her memorable Empire Rose Stakes performance.
Her previous preparation was again excellent, including a third-up fifth in the Queen Of The Turf followed by a Hollindale Stakes victory. That form has since worked out strongly through Birdman, who turned the tables in the Doomben Cup before later winning the Underwood Stakes.
4. Zambardo did enough first-up in the So You Think Stakes and could improve into a fast-run mile second-up, while 1. Mr Brightside's overall record and outstanding Caulfield statistics demand respect. 6. Treasurethe Moment was plain last start but remains unbeaten over this track and trip.
Selections: 5-4-1-6.
MSC Signs Stutt Stakes Tips (Race 6)
1. Diameter looks to be building towards a peak performance in the Group 2 Stutt Stakes, with James McDonald taking the ride from barrier one.
The Godolphin colt proved his mile credentials during his juvenile campaign when winning the Listed Fernhill Stakes before backing up seven days later with a competitive third in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes over the same distance.
He looked in need of his first-up run under 61kg in the Up And Coming Stakes before producing a luckless effort in the Exford Plate on September 12, where he arguably should have finished much closer with clear running.
The step from 1400m back to 1600m is ideal.
10. Lara Antipova arrived from New Zealand unbeaten, including a Group 1 victory, and bounced back strongly from a plain Australian debut to win the Exford Plate. 8. Boy's Bounce improved when stretching from 1200m to 1500m at start two, while 4. Cliff Runner's Exford Plate effort was quite good sectionally before peaking late. He's the blowout.
Selections: 1-10-8-4.
Ladbrokes Stocks Stakes Tips (Race 7)
12. Moonlight Circus is a knockout chance in the Stocks Stakes after an eye-catching return in a BM78 at Caulfield on Memsie Stakes Day.
The Michael Kent-trained mare was restrained from a wide barrier and ridden for luck, but the gaps never fully appeared before she still produced the fastest final 200m of the race in a one-length defeat.
She has moved nicely in a subsequent Cranbourne jump-out, barrier five gives Ethan Brown the option to settle closer and her only previous run over the Caulfield mile resulted in a Group 3 placing last spring.
1. Sass Appeal has burnt punters at her past two starts, but she did not appear comfortable on the Soft 6 first-up before sticking on well in a fast-run Flemington race that favoured the swoopers. Back against her own sex with Damian Lane aboard looks a better setup.
2. Too Darn Discreet rattled home first-up at Flemington and has won two of four second-up attempts, while both of her previous Caulfield victories have come at stakes level. 5. Changing Colours is flying, but this is harder and there are some map concerns.
Selections: 12-1-2-5.
Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes Tips (Race 8)
The booking of James McDonald for 13. Extragalactic is significant, and the Trent Edmonds-trained mare appeals at an each-way price in the Manikato Stakes.
She was a run behind heading into the Moir Stakes after being scratched a fortnight earlier because of the wet ground, yet still produced an excellent first-up effort on a Soft 7 to finish fourth of 13.
While she was a dominant fresh winner over 1000m during the autumn, 1200m looks more suitable at this level and she completed a winning double over this track and trip on April 4.
That preparation ended with a narrow defeat in The Goodwood at only her seventh career start, and a firmer Caulfield track should allow her turn of foot to become even more effective. Barrier two also gives McDonald the chance to keep her within striking distance of the leaders.
9. Oliveanotherday deserves another chance after being rolled as an odds-on favourite in the Bobbie Lewis Stakes. The lightly raced gelding had won four straight beforehand, including The Heath at Caulfield first-up, and returning around a bend at a track where he remains unbeaten looks a much better setup.
5. Beiwacht produced another big ratings peak when winning the Memsie Stakes on speed first-up, although the drop from 1400m to 1200m is the obvious query, while 7. Beadman was strong late when third in the Concorde Stakes and is capable of figuring if they can make ground.
Selections: 13-9-5-7.
Sportsbet Testa Rossa Stakes Tips (Race 9)
9. Harry's Yacht missed a start as an emergency in last week's Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, but this Listed set-weights-and-penalties contest looks a much more suitable winning opportunity.
His return in The Heath was very good over 1100m, which is now short of his best, and he finished strongly through the line before being given a searching Flemington jump-out on September 11.
That should have him ready for 1440m, while his Caulfield record around this distance reads three wins and a third from four attempts. Ben Allen also has plenty of tactical options from barrier five.
13. Bucceleuch is chasing a hat-trick after two strong Sandown wins to open the campaign and drops 4kg for this Listed assignment, although he also holds a Mornington acceptance for Saturday and draws awkwardly here.
6. Lim's Saltoro can improve at a big price after a good Adelaide return and a five-week gap into a fast-run Flemington race, while 4. Here To Shock has strong Caulfield and second-up statistics. The veteran maps well.
Selections: 9-13-6-4.
Verdict
Our best and value bets for Manikato Stakes Day 2026 are:
Diameter
To Win
$3.40 - 3 Units
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