Australian Guineas

See the 2024 Australian Guineas Preview and results.

See the 2023 Australian Guineas Preview and results.

See the 2022 Australian Guineas Preview and results.

See the 2021 Australian Guineas Preview and results.

The first Australian Guineas was run in 1986, making it a relatively new race. It is Set Weights over 1600m with a 2kg allowance for fillies. In 1986 it was a Group 3 race and the inaugural winner was the class horse True Version. From 1987 on it has been a Group 1 race. In 1998 the Cadbury Australian Guineas became the third leg of the inaugural Australian Triple Crown for Three Year Olds and was ran over 2000m on Australian Cup Day in 1998, 1999 and 2000.

In 2001 the Guineas reverted to its original distance and date of mid-February. In 1995 there was a re-structure of VRC autumn metropolitan race dates and programs, and the 2005 Cadbury Australian Guineas was run on Newmarket Handicap day as part of the VRC’s Super Saturday, which is the first day of the Flemington Festival of Racing.

Prizemoney for the race is $1,000,000 and in 2007 it was run at Caulfield, as Flemington track was being reconstructed.

When Mystic Journey won in 2019 she was the first Tasmanian trained horse to win a Group 1 equivalent race in 133 years since Malua won the 1886 Australian Cup. She also became the 5th filly to win the race (the first since Mosheen in 2011). When Hitotsu won in 2022 he was the first horse to win this race first-up.

Last filly to win: Mystic Journey (2019)

Fastest time (1600m): Apache Cat (2006) & Jolly Old Mac (1992) 1:34:00

Victoria Derby & Australian Guineas: Hitotsu (2022); Mahogany (1994); King’s High (1989).

Interesting trivia: 2004 winner Reset was sired by 1990 winner Zabeel. 1995 winner Baryshnikov is a half-brother (from the same dam) to Zabeel. 2021 winner Lunar Fox was 300/1.

In March 2008 it was won by Light Fantastic who had gone from a maiden to a Group 1 winner in a space of 33 days. Past winners include many quality horses including King’s High (1989), Triscay (1991), Mahogany (1994) and Miss Finland (2007).

It is interesting that the fastest time is held jointly by two horses 14 years apart – Apache Cat (2006) and Jolly Old Mac (1992).

From the archives:

Australian Guineas Preview & Tips 2018

Track: Soft    Weather: Fine

There is a full field of 16 runners plus 2 emergencies for the $1,000,000 Australian Guineas, with 2 fillies in the field. The betting is fairly open and the favourite is Cliff’s Edge who won the Group 3 Manfred Stakes before 2^nd in the Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes last start. Second favourite is Grunt who won the Colin Hayes to make it 3 wins in a row for him. Third favourite is the filly Aloisia who won the G1 Thousand Guineas in the spring and who resumed for 2 lengths 5^th in the G3 The Vanity.

Addictive Nature has only been unplaced once in 6 starts. Mighty Boss won the Caulfield Guineas and should be fit after two runs back. Peaceful State has 2 wins and 2 places from 5 starts. Main Stage resumed for 4^th in the Colin Hayes after being tightened, and won second-up last campaign. The rest of the field is currently at 16 to 1 or longer including Embellish who is a Group 1 winner in New Zealand.

The following are the top 4 selections from our tipster panel for this years race.