Over 60 three-year-olds nominated as Randwick Guineas field tightens

Seventy-four three-year-olds have been nominated for The Agency Randwick Guineas, the Australian Turf Club listing shows the Group 1 1600m for the autumn carnival carries $1,000,000 in prize money with $580,000 to the winner and nominations having closed at midday AEDT on Tuesday 10 February 2026. The volume of entries, Races.com.au reported, tightens an already competitive autumn pathway and puts a premium on barrier draws and late acceptances ahead of the March 7 race at Royal Randwick.

Early market snapshots presented by Races.com.au place Chris Waller’s Caulfield Guineas-winning colt Autumn Boy and the Sandown Guineas-winning filly Sheza Alibi as joint market leaders at $3.50 win and $1.63 place. Races.com.au’s all-in betting table also shows Ninja at $4.60 win, Attica at $6.00 win, Napoleonic at $15.00 win and Observer at $21.00 win, giving a clear picture of the front-runners and how early money is shaping the book.

Decorum emerges as a dual-interest profile in the nominations and race-day form files. SkyRacingWorld lists Decorum as a 3yo colt by Snitzel out of Ms Bad Behavior, trained by Michael Freedman, ridden by Tommy Berry and sold for $550,000 at the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale as lot 170. SkyRacingWorld’s race table shows Decorum with an SP of $1.65 and lists him as first in that context; Races.com.au’s Randwick Guineas market entry, by contrast, shows Decorum at $26.00 win and $7.25 place. Berry told Sky RacingWorld, "I just can't wait to get him to 2000 (metres). He feels like he's looking for that sort of ground," and added, "There is definitely a good race in him. I'm just not sure which one it is."

Racing.com’s commentary singles out Observer as a top-mile candidate after a dominant Victoria Derby win and a G2 Autumn Stakes victory over 1400m, noting the son of Ghaiyyath as "the most exciting mile-plus three-year-old in the country" and listing the Australian Guineas, Randwick Guineas, Rosehill Guineas, Australian Cup and Australian Derby as potential targets. Racing also framed Autumn Boy as "the reigning G1 Caulfield Guineas winner with upside to burn," underlining the depth of talent and the multiple high-value targets available to connections this autumn.

The Hobartville Stakes at 1400m remains the principal lead-up to the Randwick Guineas, Races.com.au confirms, and historical doubles from Hobartville to Randwick include Celestial Legend in 2024 and The Autumn Sun in 2019 among others. The ATC calendar positions the Sky Racing Rosehill Guineas at 2000m on Golden Slipper Day, March 21, with $750,000 in prize money, underscoring the quick-turn options for successful Randwick Guineas runners towards longer classic assignments.

Races.com.au has indicated a full form guide and the published nominations will follow; the Australian Turf Club remains the authoritative source for final confirmations, prize-money distributions and operational details. Trainers can contact the ATC Trainers Service Centre on 1800 138 704 or international +61 3 8354 2500 for nomination and acceptance procedures, while JustHorseRacing notes streaming availability varies by state and recommends signing up with compatible bookmakers to view the March 7 Randwick Guineas.