Chris Waller’s triple Group 1-winning powerhouse Joliestar is widely expected to add another top-tier trophy to her collection, finding herself in a highly favourable weight-for-age assignment second-up in Saturday’s 2026 Canterbury Stakes at Royal Randwick.
Joliestar is tipped to keep the Group 1 wins coming in the 2026 Canterbury Stakes in Sydney. Photo: Bradley Photos.
Randwick Guineas Day features a double-header of Group 1 action, with the three-year-old classic supported by a high-class sprint field in the $750,000 Canterbury Stakes (1300m).
Exactly one year ago, Joliestar secured the Newmarket Handicap at Flemington.
Now a seasoned five-year-old, the daughter of Zoustar has opened as a commanding $2.50 favourite in Canterbury Stakes betting at Ladbrokes as she looks to remain undefeated this campaign.
She enters this contest following a brilliant first-up victory in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m), further enhancing her formidable Randwick statistics (10:4-2-1).
The slight step up to 1300m is viewed as an advantage for the mare, who claimed the Group 1 Kingsford-Smith Cup over this distance in Brisbane last winter.
The Double Chase: Joliestar is aiming to become the first sprinter since Savatiano in 2021 to complete the prestigious Expressway Stakes / Canterbury Stakes double.
With champion hoop James McDonald retaining the ride, Joliestar looks the one to beat.
Her explosive late speed in the Expressway suggests she has returned in career-best form, and she maps to get a similar economical run this weekend.
The primary threat comes from within her own stable in the form of fellow multi-Group 1 winner Lady Shenandoah ($4.50).
The four-year-old Snitzel mare finished third behind Joliestar in the Expressway and will be out to reverse that result.
Last season, Lady Shenandoah was a dominant force, winning the Flight Stakes before securing the Group 1 Surround Stakes / Coolmore Classic double in the spring.
While she hasn’t returned to the winner’s circle since her Coolmore triumph, she has remained competitive against the country’s best sprinters.
Jockey Nash Rawiller stays aboard and is expected to settle her back from barrier nine before launching a late challenge.
Two other contenders are currently being kept safe by the bookies under double-figure odds: the resuming Gringotts ($8.50) for Ciaron Maher and the market mover Linebacker ($9) for the O’Shea & Charlton partnership.
Tommy Berry takes the mount on the $6 million earner Gringotts.
The six-year-old gelding is looking to bounce back from an 11th-place finish in the Group 2 Ingham, where he was brave in defeat despite carrying 61kg from the outside fence.
Before that, he was unstoppable, completing the Big Dance / The Gong double for two consecutive years.
While a high-quality animal under these conditions, he may find the 1300m a touch short of his absolute best.
Linebacker, a son of Super Seth, has attracted early specking as he prepares for his 2026 debut.
On this day last year, he caused a major upset by defeating Broadsiding in the Randwick Guineas.
He later proved his class over this specific course and distance with a dominant 2.6-length win in the Silver Eagle.
His most recent appearance saw him finish seventh in the Golden Eagle behind the invincible Autumn Glow—form that is holding up exceptionally well.
A recent winning trial at Randwick on February 19 suggests he is ready to fire.
For those hunting value, Napoleonic ($10) presents as an intriguing each-way prospect. The
Wootton Bassett colt is looking to become the first three-year-old to win the Canterbury Stakes since Holler in 2016.
He enters his first Group 1 assignment fit and firing, having run second behind the star filly Tempted in the Eskimo Prince and chasing home Ninja in the Hobartville Stakes.
The 2026 Canterbury Stakes is scheduled as Race 9 at 5:15pm (AEDT), serving as the penultimate event on Saturday’s Randwick program.
2026 Canterbury Stakes Field & Barriers
| No | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Barrier | Weight | Age | Sex | Last Starts | Prize Money |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gringotts | Tommy Berry | Ciaron Maher | 8 | 59kg | 6 | G | 2110x | $6,116,700 |
| 2 | Headley Grange | Chad Schofield | Joseph Pride | 10 | 59kg | 5 | G | 1110x | $1,710,110 |
| 3 | Linebacker | Dylan Gibbons | John O’shea & Tom Charlton | 6 | 59kg | 4 | G | x717x | $1,745,750 |
| 4 | Yorkshire | Jason Collett | John O’shea & Tom Charlton | 5 | 59kg | 5 | G | x011x | $1,664,050 |
| 5 | Encap | Rachel King | Gary Portelli | 1 | 59kg | 5 | G | 6497x | $1,446,950 |
| 6 | Joliestar | James McDonald | Chris Waller | 4 | 57kg | 5 | M | 153×1 | $6,743,475 |
| 7 | Lady Shenandoah | Nash Rawiller | Chris Waller | 9 | 57kg | 4 | M | 472×3 | $3,371,750 |
| 8 | Beiwacht | Adam Hyeronimus | Chris Waller | 3 | 56kg | 3 | C | 214×8 | $1,040,275 |
| 9 | Napoleonic | Zac Lloyd | John O’shea & Tom Charlton | 7 | 56kg | 3 | C | 41×22 | $346,550 |
| 10 | Nepotism | Tyler Schiller | M, W & J Hawkes | 2 | 56kg | 3 | C | 9877x | $926,950 |
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