Doncaster Mile Tips, Betting, Odds, Horses & More 2026

The Doncaster Mile, a handicap race at Randwick Racecourse, will be held on Saturday 4th April 2026. The 1,600m trip is one of the biggest races on the Australian racing calendar and always features some of the best horses the country has to offer. It is one of the most important races in the Autumn Racing Carnival each year.

Let’s get you started with some quick facts about the Doncaster Mile. Check out all the details in the table here:

Since 1866, the Doncaster Mile, also known as the Doncaster Handicap, has been one of the premier thoroughbred races in Australia. A true staple for racing enthusiasts around the country, especially in the state of New South Wales. The Doncaster Mile calls the lovely Randwick Racecourse (one of the top tracks in the country) its home and will return there once again in 2026.

As you would expect from the name, the race itself is run at 1,600m or approximately one mile. Luckily for the winner of the Doncaster Mile, they will be exempt from the ballot for the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes. 

The Queen Elizabeth Stakes is another one of the major Group One races during the Autumn Racing Carnival and is run with an extra 400m tacked on, compared to the Doncaster Mile. Gaining automatic entry to the richest race in Autumn (a whopping $5 million in prize money) goes quite nicely with a Doncaster Mile title.

It is also worth discussing what an exciting day it will be at Randwick Racecourse, without even factoring in the Doncaster Mile. There are three other Group 1s to be run on Doncaster Mile Day, including; the TJ Smith Stakes, the Australian Derby and the Inglis Sires Produce Stakes. Certainly a treat for all racing fans, especially the ones who are lucky enough to be at Randwick Racecourse on the day of the Doncaster Mile.

This Doncaster Mile page will take a deep look into the feature race itself, as well as our expert tips, race history, betting odds and more. By reading about the history of the Doncaster Mile, as well as the past winners of the race, hopefully, you gain a newfound appreciation for the race.

Also, be sure to check out our OnlyRacing tips page for a fresh take on the Doncaster Mile and other races at Randwick Racecourse on an exciting day. One of our experts will provide the usual tipping service for free!

Here at OnlyRacing, we live and breathe horse racing tips. We love providing our readers with the best free horse racing tips going around. There is no greater feeling than backing a winner if you ask us! So many tips can be found here at OnlyRacing, including our Randwick tips, that cover all the important race meets at the track.

Our 2026 Doncaster Mile tips aren’t ready to go just yet. We are waiting until the final field is confirmed, which happens each year during race week. When we know which runners are expected to take part, we can crunch all the numbers and provide our best bet, next best and best roughie for the Doncaster Mile.

Check out the runners we tipped for the 2025 Doncaster Mile right here, while you wait:

Doncaster Mile Best Bet - Tom Kitten

There are so many chances in the 2025 Doncaster Mile and it was difficult for me to nail down the one I think should go on top. Tom Kitten goes on top for me and he comes through the ideal lead-up race, the George Ryder Stakes. This race has produced 15 winners across the last 29 years.

At the time of writing, Tom Kitten is going around with odds of $7.00, which puts him on the third line of betting. Not much went right for him last time out, but he hit the line strongly which suggests that the extra 100m he’ll get here suits. Had to jump wide in the George Ryder Stakes, but this time out he gets barrier one. Enjoys his time at Randwick as well.

Doncaster Mile Next Best - Gringotts

I can’t go past Gringotts and the gelding slots in as my next best. The 5YO is currently on the second line of betting, with odds of $6.50 and he’s another coming through the George Ryder Stakes. He won that race, beating the likes of Fangirl, Ceolwulf and Royal Patronage home.

Gringotts has an excellent career record of 20:10-4-4 and it wouldn’t surprise me if he added another to the win column on Saturday. Tommy Berry sticks with him and barrier six looks to work in his favour as well. The handicap conditions are a little bit of a query, but he does carry less weight than he did in his last handicap race and he isn’t too far into his prep.

Doncaster Mile Best Roughie - Rise At Dawn

I’m hoping that there is at least one scratching, so we can see Rise At Dawn, who is currently the first emergency, book his place in the starting barriers. Rise At Dawn is currently going around with odds of $23 with PlayUp and I would expect them to shorten a bit if there is a scratching.

Comes into this one third-up after a win to kick off his prep and then he underperformed in the All-Star Mile last time out. He has been at the trials since and he gets in pretty light at the weights. The ground is probably going to be on the softer side and he has a great Soft record of 4:2-1-0.

Betting on the 2026 Doncaster Mile might seem like the most intimidating decision you will make for the meet at Randwick Racecourse. However, it isn’t as complicated as you may think. Over the years, the team at OnlyRacing has developed a great method for choosing which Australian bookmaker to place our bets with on any given race day.

1. Visit our bookmaker reviews page for a comprehensive list of all the different betting apps that are available where you can place your Doncaster Mile bets.
2. Scour as many of these  Australian betting sites  as you can to see what odds are on offer for the market of your choosing.
3. Whichever bookie has the best price for your favoured market, place your 2026 Doncaster Mile bets with them! That way you will be getting the maximum possible return if you win.

Now that you’ve got your betting method all sorted, the question remains - which bookie is the best one to go with? With so many horse racing betting sites, you’ve got some work to do when it comes to choosing!

There are a couple of bookies in particular that we like for all your Doncaster Mile betting needs. Firstly, we have PlayUp! They have some of the best betting sites bonuses going around, so keep your eyes peeled come Doncaster Mile time. We have found that their offering is more in tune with the racing punter, which is perfect for you.

Another bookie we think is the top dog is Betfocus. They are one of the best betting apps going around, especially if you love backing the favourite, as they have some pretty good deals. Their odds are competitive as well, so it can’t hurt to check them out!

QuestBet for example is one of the easiest bookies to use, meaning you can place your bets even faster. They have a decent range of betting promotions that are worthy of a squiz. They’ve got a wide range of betting markets, something to keep everyone happy.

While we have only touched on three recommended bookies, there are plenty more where that came from. So, be sure to check out our “Betting Sites” section earlier on this page if you're looking for more recommendations!

There are many different bet types available when betting on the Doncaster Mile and if you’re new to the world of horse racing betting, it can be a bit tricky to navigate. No need to stress though, as the team here at OnlyRacing has put together this lovely table for you, going through all the common Doncaster Mile bet types!

The field for the 2026 Doncaster Mile hasn’t been confirmed just yet. As the Doncaster Mile is one of the biggest races on the Australian calendar we expect a quality field, so keep your eyes peeled during race week for this information! We will also list the current odds for the Doncaster Mile, once available, in our “Odds” section later on this page. 

For the Doncaster Mile, some of the key dates include:

Remember that the field hasn’t been confirmed so the odds for potential Doncaster Mile runners will continue to fluctuate. In the weeks and days leading up to the big race, expect major changes in the odds for several different runners.

While the 2026 Doncaster Mile field isn’t available yet, you can check out which runners took part in the race back in 2025 here:

As we usually see in the Doncaster Mile, there was a capacity field of 20 runners for the 2025 event, including the usual four emergencies. We saw one pre-race scratching of Celestial Legend, which meant Rise At Dawn made his way into the field. The other three emergencies weren’t lucky enough to take part in the race.

Scratchings are a fact of life in horse racing, even in major races like the Doncaster Mile where there is a lot of prize money on offer. A horse can be scratched for several reasons and it can happen at any time. The good news, however, is that if you bet on the runner that ends up being scratched, you will get your stake back!

Something else to look closely at is the barrier draw. The barrier a horse starts from can play a major role in race tactics, especially in a race like the Doncaster Mile where there is a capacity field. Particular barriers have more wins than others and we will look more closely into this soon!

The barrier draw stats are always interesting to look at and see if there are any patterns to be picked up. Before the race, each horse is randomly selected a starting barrier. Have a look at the table as we go through the best and worst barriers of the Doncaster Mile (for the last couple of decades):

Looking at that data, there is quite an even spread of winners across the different barriers over the past couple of decades. There have been a couple of barriers that have seen multiple winners, while others haven’t seen any success. Stefi Magnetica got barrier five on the board with its first win in 2025.

Are you thinking about betting on the Doncaster Mile? One of the things you need to do before you put any money down is look into the form guide. The Doncaster Mile form guide will provide key indicators that will show patterns and guide you on your quest for a winning bet.

We like to make things easy for you here at OnlyRacing, so we have gone through a whole heap of data and found some key pieces of form that we think you should know! All the information that we think is the most important can be found in this section. Let’s get cracking, shall we?

The best lead-up race to look into is the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes, which takes place two weeks before the Doncaster Mile, at Rosehill Racecourse. In the last 30 editions of the Doncaster Mile, 16 of the winners contested the George Ryder Stakes. In 2025, Stefi Magnetica finished sixth in the George Ryder Stakes before winning the Doncaster Mile.

When it comes to the age of winning horses, the 3YOs have their hold over the Doncaster Mile, winning 33 times in total. The last 3YO winner was Celestial Legend in 2024. We have bad news for all those favourite punters out there, only six favourites have won the Doncaster Mile since 2004, with the last favourite to win being Mr Brightside in 2023.

Fillies and mares seem to have a good record in the Doncaster Mile as well, with a total of 35 females winning the race. Most recently, we saw Stefi Magnetica win the Doncaster Mile as a mare in 2025. 

As the Doncaster Mile is a handicap race, it’s a good idea to look through the weights given to each runner. Since 2003, only three winners have carried more than 55.5kg. Mr Brightside doesn’t come into these stats with his win in 2023, as he carried exactly 55.5kg. In 2025, Stefi Magnetica won with 54.5kg on her back.

We see only the best-of-the-best horses competing in the Doncaster Mile. With a race that has such a rich (and long) history, it is certainly difficult to pick just a handful of runners to feature in this section. But we have done our best (don’t get angry if the horse you love isn’t here)! 

Check out the key horses from previous editions of the Doncaster Mile here:

Mildura - 1940 & 1941

Mildura was the first multiple-winner of the Doncaster Mile winning in 1940, then backing it up and winning again in 1941. Mildura also won the Newmarket Handicap in 1940 before lining up and winning the Doncaster Mile. There have only been a handful of multiple winners of this race, but Mildura will always hold the title as the first-ever horse to do it!

Super Impose - 1990 & 1991

Super Impose’s 1990 and 1991 seasons were filled with win after win. Including the Doncaster Mile, Super Impose won the Epsom Handicap and the Warwick Stakes (now Winx Stakes) in both 1990 and 1991. He was also able to win the Cox Plate in 1992 and in 2007 he was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame.

More Joyous - 2012

More Joyous had a very successful career, especially in 2012, when she did the major double, winning both the Doncaster Mile and the Queen Elizabeth Stakes! She also won the Queen of the Turf Stakes in 2012 (and in 2011 as well). With a successful 2012, she was named Australian Champion Middle Distance Racehorse and ended her career with over $4 million in prize money.

Winx - 2016

The queen of the Autumn Racing Carnival herself, Winx. Did you think we could have a list of the top Doncaster Mile horses and not include Winx? Even if you’re not that into horse racing, you would know about Winx and all that she has achieved, which is way too much to include in just one paragraph. So, we will leave it with just this one number - $26,421,176 - that’s her total career prize money.

Happy Clapper - 2018

Happy Clapper was something of a cult hero during his race career and he ended up competing in a total of 26 Group 1s, winning three of them. He ended his career with a total prize money of $7,307,800 and he had an overall win percentage of 25%.

Mr Brightside - 2022 & 2023

The most recent back-to-back winner of the Doncaster Mile, Mr Brightside is a force to be reckoned with. Since winning the 2023 Doncaster Mile, Mr Brightside has competed in (and won) some of the best races in the country, including the Memsie Stakes and the Makybe Diva Stakes, in the 2023 season.

When you go to bet on the Doncaster Mile, you’ll see each horse has different odds attached to it. The lower the odds, the more chance that particular bookie thinks the runner has to win the race. If a particular horse is in good form and has won a number of its previous races, the odds will likely be short.

All the top horse racing betting apps will release odds for the Doncaster Mile before the race but our favourite bookie, PlayUp, hasn’t yet released their odds. If you’re betting in futures markets, you’ll find the odds will change fairly dramatically in the weeks leading up to the event, as more information about each potential runner comes to light.

We will list the Doncaster Mile odds in this section from PlayUp when they become available. We believe that betting in the futures horse racing markets is a good option because you can find the eventual favourite for much juicier odds. 

Also, if you are betting when the market is “Before Noms”, it means that if your horse doesn’t make the final field, you’ll get your stake back. This means you can have another crack at finding the Doncaster Mile winner! If the market is listed at “All-In” be aware that you won’t get your cash back if your horse doesn’t run.

While we wait for the 2026 Doncaster Mile odds, let’s take a look at how the odds stacked up for the race in 2025:

*Odds correct as of 03/04/2025.

If you love stats and interesting facts, then boy do we have a treat for you! We are going to look at some of the key facts about the Doncaster Mile as well as the racecourse it is run on, Randwick Racecourse.

Here are some facts about the Doncaster Mile that we think you’ll find interesting:

• From the years 1879 to 1884, the Doncaster Mile used to be raced at nine furlongs in distance under the name, the Doncaster Handicap. This was officially changed in 2010 to the Doncaster Mile we now know and love.
• Although the 1,600m Doncaster Mile might not be exactly a mile, it used to be before 1973, back when the imperial system was still preferred over the metric system.
• The record time a horse has won the Doncaster Mile at Randwick Racecourse was in 1 minute 33.17 seconds. 
• This record was set by Happy Clappy as recently as 2018 and broke the longstanding 1 minute 33.7 second time set by Belmura Lad back in 1979.
• The first-ever Doncaster Mile was won by legend Dundee in 1866.
• Gunsynd, more commonly known as Goondiwindi Grey, won the 1972 Doncaster Mile as the highlight of his famed career. 
• Known for boasting a distinctive grey coat and a balls-to-the-wall style of racing that made him a crowd favourite, Gunsynd’s 1971 Doncaster Mile victory will forever remain ingrained in racing fans’ hearts.
• The 1992 iteration of the Doncaster Mile had one of the most exciting finishes of all time when Soho Square won by a nose to claim the Doncaster Mile.

How’s that for some interesting stats? These are just some fun stats about the race and if you’re looking for form indicators to help you pick a Doncaster Mile winner, scroll up to our “Form Guide” section.

As one of the most prestigious Group One races on the Australian racing calendar, the Doncaster Mile has a long and storied history dating back to its first race over 150 years ago. Before we get into some of the memorable moments that have helped paint the tapestry of the Doncaster Mile nee Handicap, we will share some of the more interesting end results.

In 2015, the meet was shifted to take place on Easter Monday (April 6) due to heavy track conditions the week before. This marked the only change of scheduling in the history of the Doncaster Mile.

The only dead heat finish in the Doncaster Mile’s rich history was in only its sixth race ever back in 1871. That year, Sir William and Lottery tied in the Doncaster Mile and shared the spoils. A year prior in the 1870 Doncaster Mile, the fifth all-time Doncaster Mile race, Barbelle was crowned the winner after Falcon, who crossed the line first, was disqualified due to interference.

Each year, the Doncaster Mile is one of the major races in the Autumn Racing Carnival, one of the biggest horse racing carnivals of the year. The Doncaster Mile is just one of many races on the calendar, so if you want to learn about other races, take a look at our Group One races list.

The Doncaster Mile results are usually highly sought after, especially for those who weren’t able to watch the race live or on TV. So, who won the 2026 Doncaster Mile? Well, we don’t know that just yet, but we will bring you all the results information as soon as we can!

In 2025, we saw Stefi Magnetica win the Doncaster Mile as a 4YO mare. She finished sixth in the George Ryder Stakes before taking out the Doncaster Mile when going around with odds of $18. Royal Patronage, who jumped from barrier 16 was hot on her heels, finishing just 0.2L off the pace.

Filling in the final minor placings was Encap, who was paying a whopping $11.65 just to place in the Doncaster Mile and he jumped from barrier three. In the end, the 2025 race was run in a time of 1:35.28 and there was a total of just 9.8L that split the first and 20th runner across the finishing line.

Check out the full Doncaster Mile results here:

Words aren’t for everyone, why don’t you check out the full race replay of the 2025 Doncaster Mile here:

In each race, there can only be one winner (unless there is a dead heat, that is!) and we’ve got all the past Doncaster Mile winners for you to take a look at, up until 2010:

The Doncaster Mile is one of the biggest races on the whole calendar and attracts some of the highest quality horses, so it’s no surprise there is a lot of prize money on offer. In total, there is $4 million on offer and this is split between the top 10 runners. Check out the exact breakdown here:

Last, but certainly not least, we’ve put together a Doncaster Mile FAQs section for you, in case you have any final burning questions about this Group 1 race. Check out all the FAQs here: