The third of the Group l races at Randwick this Saturday is the Doncaster Mile (1600m), where star filly Sheza Alibi is a short priced favourite.
Down below is a speed map, runner preview and $100 betting strategy for the 2026 Doncaster Mile.
2026 Doncaster Mile Runner Preview:
1. Gringotts: Ran a much improved race in the George Ryder but for me, he is really poorly weighted. Keen to risk.
2. Pericles: Pericles brings A1 form and commands respect. Strong winner of the Futurity first up before going to the George Ryder where she kept chasing without threatening behind Autumn Glow. Drawn wide, but will press forward and be around the mark I am sure.
3. Headley Grange: He’s flying…but I do question him at the end of a strong mile. If this was 1400m, he’d be right in the mix, but 1600m for me says maybe not. IMO, he’d be an ideal Stradbroke horse.
4. Evaporate: He’s one of the more overrated horses in the country. If he wins, too good, but for mine, he’s limited.
5. Linebacker: Back for redemption after being luckless in this race last year. But, just not sure how well he’s going this time in. I have others ahead.
6. Militarize: If he wins the Doncaster, racing may as well shut down. Seriously…he couldn’t…surely.
7. Autumn Boy: There is that sense of timing and the Waller polish with Autumn Boy, with that 2000m back to 1600m formula. Race was set up for him in the Rosehill Guineas but even allowing for that, he was quite dominant in the run to the line. Gets good weight relief, Blinkers FINALLY go on…he’ll take beating.
8. Steparty: Ran very well in the All Star Mile…but gee I think that race, as a whole, is a tad shaky, and the fact he was wide no cover and stuck on says that race is risky and thus, he is risky.
9. Vivy Air: Rocketed to the line in the Coolmore Classic behind Lazzura…which tells me that race was junk, and albeit a short sample size, that was the case in the Emancipation last Saturday. I can’t have her.
10. Attica: The each way bet for me here is clearly Attica. For me, crazy he didn’t go to the Rosehill Guineas given he screamed out of a 2000m horse after the Randwick Guineas. But Joe Pride and Godolphin used the George Ryder as a lead up to this and in the inferior ground I thought, he ran really well late. He’ll eat up a truly run mile and with only 50kg on his back…I think he’s a great gamble.
11. Cristal Clear: Super first up winner of the Ajax but I have others ahead of him.
12. Scheelite: Had the pattern in his corner and took advantage to win at Flemington. Too hard here for me.
13. Encap: Plain in the George Ryder, not for me here.
14. Hellsing: Bursting to win but needs it easier.
15. Sheza Alibi: She’s a star, don’t get me wrong. But, she is poison odds. Tricky barrier, taking on the big boys for the first time, and that Randwick Guineas was a proper race re tempo. She could easily blow these away but she has enough queries, for me, to say she’s a risk.
16. Sixties: Arrogant win in the Phar Lap and is flying but just think this is a bridge too far.
2026 Doncaster Mile $100 Betting Strategy:
$10 Win/$40 Place Pericles and Attica
Group l Strategy Outlay: $5300
Group l Strategy Return: $4163
2026 Doncaster Mile Field
| No | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GRINGOTTS (NZ) | Ciaron Maher | Nash Rawiller | 2 | 58.5kg |
| 2 | PERICLES | Bjorn Baker | Craig Williams | 14 | 57kg |
| 3 | HEADLEY GRANGE | Joseph Pride | Jason Collett | 7 | 54.5kg |
| 4 | EVAPORATE (NZ) | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | Zac Purton | 12 | 54.5kg |
| 5 | LINEBACKER (NZ) | Tom Charlton | Zac Lloyd | 9 | 53kg |
| 6 | MILITARIZE (NZ) | Chris Waller | Tim Clark | 10 | 53kg |
| 7 | AUTUMN BOY | Chris Waller | Kerrin McEvoy | 1 | 52kg |
| 8 | STEPARTY | Paul Preusker | Tyler Schiller | 6 | 51.5kg |
| 9 | VIVY AIR | Ciaron Maher | Reece Jones | 11 | 51kg |
| 10 | ATTICA | Joseph Pride | Andrew Adkins | 3 | 50kg |
| 11 | CRISTAL CLEAR | Annabel & Rob Archibald | Braith Nock (a) | 8 | 50kg |
| 12 | SCHEELITE | Ken & Kasey Keys | Ms Winona Costin | 15 | 50kg |
| 13 | ENCAP | Gary Portelli | Ms Alysha Collett | 4 | 50kg |
| 14 | HELLSING (IRE) | Annabel & Rob Archibald | Ryan Houston (a) | 5 | 50kg |
| 15 | SHEZA ALIBI | Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman | Ms Jamie Melham | 13 | 49kg |
| 16 | SIXTIES | Chris Waller | Ms Rachel King | 16 | 49kg |
2026 Doncaster Mile Odds
2026 Doncaster Mile Speed Map
Think there will be front end pressure here. Gringotts, hard fit, will press forward. Cristal Clear will settle handy, while out wide, the likes of Pericles, Scheelite and Sixites will push on, generating a solid gallop.
