Winx Stakes 2026 - Barrier Draw & Final Field

Alex Marsh

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Last updated: Wed 19 Aug 2026 02:27

Alex Marsh 1 hour ago

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The barrier draw has been completed for the Winx Stakes
The 2026 edition will be run at Randwick on Saturday, August 22
The Winx Stakes is the first Group 1 of season 2026/27

Autumn Glow has drawn barrier three in the 2026 Winx Stakes. (Getty)

The Winx Stakes is the first Group 1 of the new Australian racing season, with the 1400m weight-for-age feature to be run at Royal Randwick on Saturday, August 22.

Winx Stakes 2026 - Barriers & Final Field
Winx Stakes History

A mouth-watering first-up clash between Autumn Glow (barrier 3) and Sheza Alibi (barrier 1) headlines the feature, with the two mares firmly established among the most exciting gallopers in Australian racing.

Autumn Glow returns looking to bounce back from the only defeat of her 12-start career.

The Chris Waller-trained mare won her first 11 races, collecting Group 1 victories in the Epsom Handicap, Verry Elleegant Stakes and George Ryder Stakes before being beaten as a short-priced favourite over 2000m in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Importantly, Autumn Glow is unbeaten over the Randwick 1400m and won the Apollo Stakes over this track and distance when resuming during the autumn.

Sheza Alibi adds another major layer to the race after connections elected to accept for the Winx Stakes rather than wait a further week for the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield.

The Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained mare has won her past five starts, with her autumn campaign culminating in dominant Group 1 victories in the Randwick Guineas and Doncaster Mile.

Sheza Alibi has also been brought along steadily for her return, progressing from a second in her first Pakenham jump-out to victory in her second hit-out.

Chris Waller also has significant depth behind the favourite, including Aeliana (barrier 11), who ended her autumn campaign with consecutive Group 1 victories in the Ranvet Stakes and Tancred Stakes.

The mare was runner-up to Autumn Glow in both the Apollo Stakes and Verry Elleegant Stakes earlier in that preparation, giving her established form around the leading contender.

Fangirl (barrier 10) is already a Winx Stakes winner, having claimed the 2023 edition, and the multiple Group 1 winner again brings an excellent Randwick record into her first-up assignment.

Gringotts (barrier 7) arrives fresh following two winter trials and looked ready to return when comfortably winning his latest Warwick Farm hit-out, while he has already proven himself at weight-for-age level through his Group 1 George Ryder Stakes success.

Dual Group 1 winner Autumn Boy (barrier 6) adds further depth after a three-year-old season highlighted by victories in the Caulfield Guineas and Rosehill Guineas.

Idle Flyer (barrier 9) also brings Group 1 credentials into the race after breaking through at the highest level in the Queen Of The Turf Stakes over the Randwick mile during the autumn.

Beiwacht (barrier 4), Lady Shenandoah (barrier 2) and Ceolwulf (barrier 8) are among the other established performers who add further depth to a high-quality opening Group 1 of the new season.

Winx Stakes 2026 - Barriers & Final Field

No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight
1	Ceolwulf (NZ)	Joseph Pride	Chad Schofield	8	59kg
2	Gringotts (NZ)	Ciaron Maher	Ethan Brown	7	59kg
3	Lindermann	Chris Waller	Hugh Bowman	12	59kg
4	Midnight Dynamite	Bjorn Baker	Tim Clark	5	59kg
5	Beiwacht	Chris Waller	Nash Rawiller	4	58.5kg
6	Autumn Boy	Chris Waller	Adam Hyeronimus	6	58.5kg
7	Green Spaces	Bjorn Baker	Rachel King	14	58.5kg
8	Autumn Glow	Chris Waller	James McDonald	3	57kg
9	Aeliana (NZ)	Chris Waller	TBA	11	57kg
10	Fangirl	Chris Waller	Tommy Berry	10	57kg
11	Idle Flyer	Matthew Smith	Tyler Schiller	9	57kg
12	Lady Shenandoah	Chris Waller	Kerrin McEvoy	2	57kg
13	Barnavara (IRE)	Chris Waller	Sam Clipperton	13	57kg
14	Sheza Alibi	Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman	Luke Nolen	1	56.5kg

Winx Stakes History

The Winx Stakes, registered as the Warwick Stakes, is the opening Group 1 race of the Australian racing season and is contested over 1400m under weight-for-age conditions at Royal Randwick.

First run in 1923, the race has long held an important place on the Sydney racing calendar and was renamed the Winx Stakes in 2018 to honour champion mare Winx, who won three consecutive editions from 2016 to 2018.

Chris Waller has dominated the modern era of the race, preparing nine winners since 2010, including four of the past six.

The most recent winners are Fangirl in 2023 and Via Sistina, who completed back-to-back victories in 2024 and 2025.