WHO:
The best weight-for-age mile horses
WHAT:
Group 1 1600-metre weight-for-age, run as the King Charles III Stakes since 2023
WHEN:
Saturday 17 October 2026 (The Everest day)
WHERE:
Randwick Racecourse
WHY:
To share a prize pool of AUD$5,000,000
Who will win the King Charles III Stakes?
It looks as though Zaaki is taking this path on his way to the Cox Plate and given the way he won the Tramway Stakes (1400 metres) there is every reason to make him the favourite for this event.
It is likely the first time he and Verry Elleegant are going to go head to head which makes for an exciting contest.
Depending on how much trainer Anabel Neasham has him screwed down, he might just a monty for this race based on his first-up effort after a brilliant Brisbane winter carnival.
THE EARLY CONTENDERS
Zaaki has stamped his authority on the Australian weight-for-age racing scene with an incredible winter campaign in Queensland.
After running respectable races in some hotly contested Group affairs down in Sydney, trainer Anabel Neasham decided to send her new recruit up north to tackle the Doomben Cup (2000m).
The British import would go on to win that by seven lengths as a $2.2 favourite and claim his stake as favourite for the Cox Plate.
He then continued his impressive winning run with a hard-fought win in the Q22 (2200m) at Eagle Farm to further solidify his credentials.
The star mare from the Chris Waller comes into this race in attempt to take the crown for the first time.
She is yet to win the race and disappointed behind stablemate Kolding last year, but Waller clearly had bigger things in mind that day.
Her resuming run will set her up perfectly for this race and it is just a matter of her being able to get through Zaaki.
Rain will do her chances no harm either with hte only query being the gap between runs and a potential Caulfield Cup double being the grand final.
Think It Over is very firm in the market after his brilliant victory in the Chelmsford Stakes when resuming from a spell.
This is Kerry Parker’s stable star at the moment and it is no wonder why given the way he hit the line.
He chased so hard after the tearaway leader and savaged the line to win by a nose.
The mile is going to be absolutely ideal for him and he might just be the one to nab the top two chances in the market who have grand final races to aim at.
Scored a cracking victory when resuming in the Winx Stakes off the back off some handy trial runs.
She is clearly the second Anabel Neasham’s picks behind stablemate Zaaki, but he is not without a chance.
The further up in distance he goes the better he will be, but he does possess a massive sprint that can win a race like this.
It will all be dependant on tempo. Doubt he has the brilliance of his stablemate and Verry Elleegant, but if the race sets up favourably for him he is a proven Group 1 winner.
Possibly the biggest enigma in Australian racing.
When you’re on him, he puts in a stinker or dives at the line and just misses.
Alternatively, you leave him out and he wins like a champion horse.
Either way, he must be considered a genuine chance having won the Doncaster Handicap last year at this course and distance.
He did start the $3 favourite in the Chelmsford and might be allowed a forgive run one last time.
Hungry Heart is a mare on the rise who showed a stack of improvement last preparation on her way to two Group 1 victories.
The now four-year-old mare scored the Vinery Sud Stakes and ATC Oaks double prior to returning to the race track in the Winx Stakes.
She hit the line powerfully upon resuming after steeling near last and looks set to catapult towards some nice staying races.
Doubt she will be ready to fire in this race, but the mile will suit her better than the 1400-metre race she saw herself in last start.
EARLY TIP – Zaaki $2.7 win
Zaaki could almost go undefeated this spring if he collects this cheque in the George Main.
The win was too hard to ignore in the Tramway Stakes with brilliance and versatility shining through over a distance much shorter than his best.
He has the makings of a horse like Manikato who had a sensational sprint but also had the ability to mix his distance ranges.
THE FAMOUS WINNERS
2025-2010
Winx and Chris Waller have dominated this race.
The mighty mare would win this event three times in a row from 2016-2018 and Waller continued his stranglehold on the race with Kolding in 2020, Verry Elleegant in 2021 and Fangirl in 2023, the first running under the King Charles III Stakes name.
Waller has trained nine winners since Shootout (2012) was victorious with Sacred Falls (2014) and Kermadec (2015) also scoring victory.
Joe Pride’s Ceolwulf then broke the Waller grip with back-to-back wins in 2024 and 2025, the first horse to go twice since Winx, and Anamoe (2022) gave James Cummings and Godolphin their win in between.
Gai Waterhouse’s champion mare More Joyous took out the event in 2010.
2009-1999
Lonhro (2003) would arguably be the best horse to win the race during this time with Grand Armee (2004) hot in heels.
Gun Ingham-owned galloper Viscount (2001) was a winner of the race.
Multiple Group 1 winner Shogun Lodge (1999) also proved a success.
1998-1988
Star front-running demon Vo Rogue (1989) is the pick of the bunch in through this decade.
The Queensland icon made the most of his leading ability by leading from start to finish in a dogged display of stamina and strength.
Shaftesbury Avenue (1990) become a winner of the race and another Ingham family-owned runner in the form of Juggler (1996) took home the event by a narrow margin.
Other winners
Kingston Town made this race his own in 1981 and 1982 and in the process continued the record breaking amount of George Main winners trained by trainer Tommy Smith.
Smith’s record stands at 11 wins, with Chris Waller chasing him down on nine.
There have been a handful of horses to have done the double in the race alongside Winx, Ceolwulf and Kingston Town.
Regal Rhythm (1967 & 1968), Count Radiant (1964 & 1965) and Shannon (1946 & 1947) all join illustrious company as multiple winners of the event.
RECENT WINNERS
| Year | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Kolding | Ceolwulf | Joseph Pride | $10 |
| 2024 | Kolding | Ceolwulf | Joseph Pride | $6.50 |
| 2023 | Fangirl | Chris Waller | James McDonald | $5.50 |
| 2022 | Anamoe | James Cummings | James McDonald | $1.65 |
| 2021 | Chris Waller | Chris Waller | James McDonald | $1.75 |
| 2020 | Kolding | Chris Waller | Tommy Berry | $8 |
| 2019 | Avilius | James Cummings | Kerrin McEvoy | $3 |
| 2018 | Winx | Chris Waller | Hugh Bowman | $1.10 |
| 2017 | Winx | Chris Waller | Hugh Bowman | $1.12 |
| 2016 | Winx | Chris Waller | Hugh Bowman | $1.09 |
| 2015 | Kermadec | Chris Waller | Glyn Schofield | $2.35 |
| 2014 | Sacred Falls | Chris Waller | Zac Purton | $4 |
| 2013 | Streama | Guy Walter | Blake Shinn | $8.5 |
| 2012 | Shootout | Chris Waller | Hugh Bowman | $4 |
| 2011 | Sincero | Stephen Farley | Chris O’Brien | $2.15 |
| 2010 | More Joyous | Gai Waterhouse | Corey Brown | $1.60 |
How do I bet on the King Charles III Stakes?
Punch in betnation.com.au on your internet browser or download and open the BetNation application on your smart phone.
Find the racing futures markets and click on the King Charles III Stakes markets.
The race is run at Randwick on Saturday 17 October 2026, the same afternoon as The Everest and the Caulfield Cup, so all three futures markets sit together.
