Futurity Stakes Tips, Betting, Odds, Horses & More 2026

The Futurity Stakes, a weight-for-age race at Caulfield Racecourse will be held on Saturday 21st February 2026. The 1,400m trip has to be one of the highlights of the Australian racing calendar. Due to prize money and Group 1 status, we will see a high-quality group of runners this year. 

Fast facts coming at you! Check out all the key pieces of information about the Futurity Stakes here:

The Futurity Stakes falls on Blue Diamond Stakes day, which sees three key Group 1s run at Caulfield Racecourse (the other Group 1 being the Oakleigh Plate). It’s an excellent start to the Autumn Racing Carnival, with other key Group One races taking place in the coming months.

It is no double that Caulfield Racecourse is one of the top tracks in the country and we see many Group 1 races take place on this track. There have been many star-studded fields that line up for Futurity Stakes glory and we are expecting nothing less in this year’s edition of the race. 

The prize money for this weight-for-age epic is currently sitting at $750,000. While it is not the $2,000,000 that is on offer for the Blue Diamond Stakes, $750,000 is certainly nothing to be scoffed at! Be sure to tune in on February 21, 2026, for an action-packed day of races. 

You’ve come to the right place here at OnlyRacing. On this page, we will cover all the important details, like how and where to bet on the race. We will also get into the race and horse history, as well as previous winners of the Futurity Stakes.

With all that being said, make sure you visit OnlyRacing closer to the meet on February 21 to see our latest tips for the race and odds for all the runners in the final field. These tips will include best bets, exotics and multi-picks to satisfy your punting needs. 

In recent years, we’ve seen multiple Group 1 races have their prize money increased. Although, the winner doesn’t take home the entire $750,000, here’s the current prize money breakdown for the Futurity Stakes:

Tips are our bread and butter here at OnlyRacing and when it comes to Futurity Stakes tips, we take our job very seriously! Our experts are dedicated to providing you with the best free horse racing tips going around. We've got so many tips floating around, including our Caulfield tips, so you'll never miss out.

Our 2026 Futurity Stakes tips aren’t available just yet. The final field hasn’t been confirmed so we are waiting until race week, when we know more about the runners taking part in the race to put together our best bet, next best and best roughie. It’s sure to be another epic edition of the Futurity Stakes and we can’t wait to see which runners are confirmed.

While we wait for the 2026 field to be confirmed, read our 2025 Futurity Stakes tips in all their glory right here:

Futurity Stakes Best Bet - Mr Brightside

I tipped Mr Brightside to win the Futurity Stakes in 2024 and he lines up again here in 2025. I see no reason to jump off the current $2.00 favourite with PlayUp. In 2024, Mr Brightside went from winning the CF Orr Stakes into the Futurity Stakes (which he won as well). This year, he has followed a similar format.

He competed in the CF Orr Stakes but was just pipped by Another Wil by 0.2L after the pair gapped the rest of the field. We don’t see Another Wil in this one, but I Wish I Win does line up, who I believe will be Mr Brightside’s toughest competitor. Craig Williams sticks and they draw the widest barrier of them all, but it is a small field and he is good enough to overcome.

Futurity Stakes Next Best - I Wish I Win

Mr Brightside is the clear stand out for me (and the market clearly agrees), but if anyone is going to worry Mr Brightside I think it will be I Wish I Win. The 6YO is currently on the second line of betting with Play at $4.80. We haven’t seen I Wish I Win this year, which is somewhat of a query, but he is a multiple Group 1 winner, so he is more than capable.

I don’t think he had the Spring Racing Carnival he was looking for, so a long break was probably needed. He did have a great 2024 Autumn and Winter Racing Carnival, which included a victory in the Kingsford Smith Cup. He has a first-up record of 8:3-2-2 and gets the services of Jamie Melham. He’ll have a good chance in this one.

Futurity Stakes Best Roughie - Tom Kitten

Tom Kitten is another that we haven’t seen race since last year, but we’ve seen him trial twice this year at Warwick Farm. The gelding has won at Group 1 level previously, in a 2,000m, but he was also successful first-up at 1,400m last prep. Tom Kitten has a first-up record of 4:2-0-0 and he is currently paying $10 with PlayUp for the win.

I believe there’s still some upside to the gelding and while it will be difficult to compete with the likes of Mr Brightside, he is capable of a top-three finish. He was competitive enough last prep and I think he’ll be all the better for the extended rest. Gets a good enough barrier and will probably settle in mid-field, so will need some breaks to help them through.

Betting on the Futurity Stakes doesn’t need to be difficult, especially when you have help from your friends here at OnlyRacing! There are many different betting apps to choose from and lots of different markets as well. We are here to help you make the most of your Futurity Stakes day betting. 

There are a few different markets you can bet on, and some of our recommendations include:

• Quaddie at Caulfield Racecourse. If you can land a Quaddie - dinner is on you!
• Quinella/ Trifecta/ First Four in the Futurity Stakes race. You could even try a Boxed First Four, which means you have more chances of winning.
• Fixed Win/ Place bets on your favourite runners in the Futurity Stakes and across the whole meet at Caulfield Racecourse, which also includes two other Group 1s.
• Multi bet across several races at the Futurity Stakes meet. There tend to be eight or more races on the card for key days.

Liking the look of one of the options listed above? Well, the job is only half done! Now you need to decide who you are going to bet with! There are many horse racing betting sites available in Australia, so you are certainly spoilt for choice.

While you’ve got a lot of options available, it’s important to remember that not all options are created equal. It is a good idea to check out our review on some of the elite Australian betting sites. We leave no stone unturned on our quest to find you the perfect bookmaker.

Some of the aspects we cover in our reviews include; the range of markets available, how good their mobile app is, the different features and products available and of course, the all-important betting sites bonuses. Can’t forget about those!

We have a long list of recommended bookies, but we won’t go through them all now, we will just list our top three that we think you’ll love for your Futurity Stakes betting. The first cab off the rank has to be Volcanobet. We think Volcanobet is one of the best betting apps because of its unique (and fun) approach to betting.

Another bookmaker that we think you should consider for all your Futurity Stakes betting needs is BetGalaxy. The well-designed app and website will mean you can place your racing bets even faster.

Everyone wants betting promotions from their bookie, and this is why we think you’ll like Vicbet. We can’t go into any real detail about the bonuses they offer, so you’ll have to check them out for yourself!

There you have it readers! Our top three recommended bookmakers that we think you’ll love. More is always better, we say, so if you’re looking for additional recommendations on who to bet with, feel free to check out our “Betting Sites” section above!

The final field for the 2026 Futurity Stakes is yet to be announced. While we don’t know which runners will grace us with their presence, if history is anything to go by, we will see a high-quality field of runners fighting it out for the lion’s share of the $750K that’s on offer.

With the field released, the odds for the Futurity Stakes will likely continue to fluctuate. Many things influence a change in the odds, so make sure you keep an eye out for what’s going on. If you find a price you like, get on it while you still can!

While we wait for the 2026 Futurity Stakes field to be confirmed, you can see which runners took part in the 2025 race here:

For the 2025 Futurity Stakes, we saw another small field, this time just 11 runners were expected to take the starting barriers on Saturday. There weren’t any emergencies listed either, so with the pre-race scratching of Place Du Carrousel, we saw the field size reduced to just 10 runners.

Unfortunately, scratchings are very commonplace, even in key Group 1 races where there is a lot of prize money up for grabs. Scratchings can happen at any time, which is annoying but it can happen for several different reasons. 

For example, a horse can be scratched at the starting gate on a vet’s advice, or the connections of a horse scratch their runner as they decide to target a different race. Remember that if your horse is scratched, you will get your stake back. So, you live to fight another day!

When looking at the final field, you should also consider the barrier draw. Although, with races that include such a small field, the barrier draw doesn’t have as much importance, as there is plenty of space for the runners to deploy their perfect race strategy.

When it comes to a Group 1 race that has so much history like the Futurity Stakes, you’ll find there are heaps of form indicators for you to study. Looking at the form guide can help you find a winner in the race. There is a lot of information to look at, but there’s no need for you to stress because we take care of all the hard work for you.

We go through all the patterns and indicators and list them all here in one convenient place for you! So, if you’re going to have a bet on the Futurity Stakes this year, make sure you think about some of these key stats. 

We rarely see a capacity field for the Futurity Stakes, this means that the barrier draw doesn’t have as much weight as it would in other races, because there is plenty of space for all runners to deploy their ideal race strategy. The race distance is an interesting one, at 1,400m it brings in a mix of sprinters going up in distance along with middle-distance runners.

You’ll find a lot of the star sprinters will usually avoid this race, as there are shorter races in Melbourne and then later in the Autumn Racing Carnival, there are several Sydney sprint races with a lot of prize money on the line. What you will find is that some horses might be on a two-week backup from the CF Orr Stakes, which is run at the same distance.

In the last decade or so, we’ve seen seven of the Futurity Stakes winners come out of the CF Orr Stakes, including the 2025 winner Mr Brightside (who finished second in the CF Orr Stakes). The Futurity Stakes is also known as a good lead-up event for the All-Star Mile, which is run at 1,600m. 

When it comes to the ideal age of winners, 3YOs have had success in this race. They have won on 11 occasions in the last 37 years. This is also a race where the favourites have had success, from 2010 we’ve seen 12 winners start as the favourite. 

In 2024, winner Mr Brightside was the heavy $1.50 favourite. It was the same story in 2025 with Mr Brightside winning as the favourite at odds of $1.70 and the 7YO was just able to hold on, winning by 0.1L.

We see top horses competing year in and year out in the Futurity Stakes. With such a rich history, it is difficult to narrow down the key horses to just a handful. We have tried our best to focus on the very top category of horses that have won this Group 1.

We know there are plenty of other great horses that we haven’t listed here, but we don’t want to be writing forever! Check out a handful of key horses from previous editions of the Futurity Stakes below:

Phar Lap - 1931

Yep, that’s right, the horse many consider to be the greatest of all time, Phar Lap, won the Futurity Stakes in 1931. Phar Lap has won several major Group 1s, including the biggest Group 1 of them all, the Melbourne Cup. Overall, he had a record of 51:37-3-2 and he even has a race named in his honour, the Phar Lap Stakes at Rosehill Racecourse.

Ajax - 1938-1940

The mighty Ajax won the Futurity Stakes three years in a row. In those same three years, he also went back-to-back-to-back in the All Aged Stakes, Memsie Stakes and Underwood Stakes. Talk about a dominant period! In the end, Ajax had a career record of 46:36-7-2, meaning he missed a placing only once throughout his entire career.

Manikato - 1979-1981 & 1983

If you think what Ajax was able to do was impressive, Manikato was able to win the Futurity Stakes on four separate occasions! He won three years in a row from 1979 to 1981 and then again in 1983 for good measure. Manikato has won several other Group 1 races as well, and he even now has a Group 1 named in his honour the Manikato Stakes, a $2,000,000 race run at Moonee Valley.

Schillaci - 1993 & 1995

Another multiple winner of the Futurity Stakes, so how could we exclude Schillaci from our list! Schillaci ended his career with a record of 36:16-5-5 and was a multiple Group 1 winner, winning races like the Oakleigh Plate, The Galaxy and George Ryder Stakes.

Alizee - 2019

The most recent winner of the Futurity Stakes that we are going to include in our list - Alizee. The mare amassed a total of over $3,000,000 in prize money throughout her career and has won multiple Group 1s including the Queen of the Turf Stakes and the Flight Stakes. In the end, she had a career record of 29:10-3-3.

The odds are an important piece of the puzzle! It is also important to remember that the odds for any horse race will likely change dramatically in the days and hours leading up to jump time. You’ll find that all the different horse racing betting apps will release odds for the Futurity Stakes in the lead-up to the event.

Different bookmakers also might be offering different odds in their horse racing markets. This is why we recommend you sign up for multiple bookies, so you can always get the best odds! The changes in odds are very common, so we suggest that you jump on your desired runner when the market is “Before Noms”.

This is because you’ll get your stake back if your horse doesn’t end up running in the race. If you’re betting when it says “All-In”, then you won’t get your stake back if your horse doesn’t jump. As well as this, the odds for your chosen horse are likely to be higher, so you’ll get more bang for your buck!

PlayUp hasn’t released its markets for the 2026 Futurity Stakes yet, but you can see which runners were more favoured in the market for the 2025 race:

*Odds correct as of 20/02/2025.

With a race that’s been running as long as the Futurity Stakes has, there’s bound to be a lot of history. The Futurity Stakes is one of three Group 1 races that takes place on the same day, known as Blue Diamond Stakes day. The Autumn Racing Carnival is one of the biggest horse racing carnivals of the year and Blue Diamond Stakes day is a major day in the carnival!

The first running of the Futurity Stakes was back in 1898 and was won by Resolute. This Group 1 has been run at a distance of 1,400m for the majority of its race history. There was a time, however, when the race was run at 1,600m (from 2006 until 2010) as it was a part of the Asian Mile Challenge series.

While the race has mostly taken place at Caulfield Racecourse, it was moved to Flemington Racecourse during World War II and in 1996 due to the reconstruction of Caulfield Racecourse. In 2023, the race was moved to Sandown Lakeside, again due to the reconstruction of Caulfield Racecourse. As well as this, the winner of this race gets automatic entry into the All-Star Mile, a race held in March worth $2,500,000.

It’s no secret that the Futurity Stakes is just one of many races on the calendar. If you’re interested in learning about more than just the Futurity Stakes, make sure you check out our Group One races list. We’ve got all the key races listed there!

So, what was the finishing order of the Futurity Stakes? Well, you’ve come to the right place as we have all the Futurity Stakes results information you’ve been looking for. This includes a table with the full finishing order of the most recent race along with a video race replay.

In 2025, Mr Brightside managed to go back-to-back, winning again as the pre-race favourite, with odds of $1.70. The 7YO was just able to hold on to win by 0.1L against a fast-finishing Tom Kitten, who jumped from barrier two. 

Wrapping up the final minor placing was I Wish I Win, who was on the second line of betting with odds of $7.50 at race jump. The 6YO finished 0.3L off the leader. In the end, there was a total of 8.97L that split the entire field and the race was run in a time of 1:22.55.

Check out the full Futurity Stakes results here:

It was a pretty interesting race, even though only 10 runners took part! If you want to see the video replay of what happened during the 2025 Futurity Stakes, check it out here:

There have been some pretty epic winners of the Futurity Stakes throughout its history. If you want to know who won the race each year up until 2010, check out the table we have so nicely put together for you here:

Got some more burning questions about the Futurity Stakes that we haven’t answered yet? Well, you’re in luck because we’ve written this FAQ section just for you. Hopefully, any final questions you have have been answered in this section.