Some of Australia’s leading thoroughbreds have been nominated for The
Pinnacles, setting the stage for five consecutive Saturdays of feature
racing at Ascot, where WA’s leading contenders will take on a strong
interstate challenge.
Racing WA and Perth Racing have today unveiled the first stage nominations for The Pinnacles, which begins on November 14 with the Quayclean Champion Fillies Stakes and TABtouch Placid Ark Stakes, to be followed by four further consecutive Saturdays of blockbuster action at Ascot, the headquarters for racing in Western Australia.
$10.5m in prizemoney is on offer for trainers from all around Australia over the course of The Pinnacles. From the eastern seaboard there’s strong representation from the leading stables of Ciaron Maher, Bjorn Baker, Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman, Ben, Will & JD Hayes, Chris Waller, Kris Lees, Leon & Troy Corstens, Robbie Griffiths, Lloyd Kennewell, Will Clarken & Charlotte Sorby, Matthew Smith and Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr.
The home team is headed by KING OF LIGHT, nominated for the MC Equine Surfaces Winterbottom Stakes, the Choices By Dallimores Gold Rush and the Swan Draught Railway Stakes, alongside WATCH ME ROCK, winner of the $1.5m Railway Stakes in November last year. Also featured in nominations is the recent Group 1 Underwood Stakes winner COSMIC CRUSADER, who won the Group 1 Northerly Stakes at Ascot in December last year.
Perth Racing CEO James Oldring extended a warm welcome to all potential interstate challengers:
“The quality of nominations at this early stage reflects the growing standing of The Pinnacles on the national racing calendar. We’ve worked hard to establish The Pinnacles as an Australian racing carnival, not simply a Western Australian feature, and attracting horses from some of the country’s leading stables is an encouraging endorsement of that ambition.
“Strong interstate participation is vital to the prestige of our Group 1 races, and we look forward to welcoming connections from across Australia to Ascot. Of course, our local contenders will be determined to keep the prizemoney and bragging rights here in WA.”
Hero nomination breakdown across all five feature racedays
Day 1 – Quayclean Champion Fillies’ Day (14 November 2026)
Champion Fillies’ Stakes (Group 3, $300,000, 1600m – nominations still open)
TABtouch Placid Ark Stakes (Listed, $500,000, 1200m – 84 nominations)
The $500,000 TABtouch Placid Ark Stakes has attracted 84 nominations, led by AURUM BELLE, winner of last year’s Group 3 Gimcrack Stakes and Listed Supremacy Stakes, alongside BIG RED ZOOM, a recent winner of the Listed Max Simmonds Stakes at Ascot.
Group 2 Karrakatta Plate winner AFIREOFGIDGEECOALS and Max Simmonds Stakes placegetter BOY CRUSH add further depth to the nominations for the three-year-old sprint.
Day 2 – Swan Draught Railway Stakes Day (21 November 2026)
Swan Draught Railway Stakes (Group 1, $1.5 million, 1600m – 75 nominations)
Defending champion WATCH ME ROCK headlines 75 nominations for the $1.5 million Swan Draught Railway Stakes as he attempts to secure consecutive victories in WA’s oldest Group 1 race. A strong interstate contingent includes Ciaron Maher’s Group 1 winner BUCKAROO, multiple Group-placed EVAPORATE for Ben, Will and JD Hayes, Listed winner DEPTH OF CHARACTER for Annabel and Rob Archibald, and Chris Waller’s Group 1-placed SIXTIES.
Leading the local challenge is Daniel Morton’s KING OF LIGHT, who has won six of his seven starts and is among the early favourites as he seeks a breakthrough Group 1 victory.
Also nominated are WESTERN EMPIRE, runner-up in last year’s Railway Stakes, and Chris Waller’s Group 1 Coolmore Classic winner LAZZURA, who brings a record of seven wins from 19 starts.
Sky Racing WA Guineas (Group 2, $500,000, 1600m – 84 nominations)
The $500,000 Group 2 Sky Racing WA Guineas has attracted 84 nominations, with several of WA’s leading three-year-olds potentially set to renew their rivalry over 1600m.
Group 3 winner AURUM BELLE is nominated alongside BIG RED ZOOM and HE’S A MACHINO, with the trio emerging as key contenders in the battle for three-year-old honours this season.
Current futures favourite TREASURED LEGACY, a half-sister to Group 1 winner WESTERN EMPIRE, has recorded two wins from four starts, while Sean and Jake Casey’s BEATTY is prominent in early betting following an impressive four wins from five starts.
Day 3 – MC Equine Surfaces Winterbottom Stakes Day (28 November 2026)
MC Equine Surfaces Winterbottom Stakes (Group 1, $1.5 million, 1200m – 85 nominations)
Two-time Winterbottom Stakes winner OVERPASS headlines 85 nominations as Bjorn Baker’s star sprinter seeks to become the first horse to win the Group 1 feature three times.
Runner-up in the 2025 edition, OVERPASS could face a formidable interstate challenge led by 2026 Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap winner WAR MACHINE and 2025 The Quokka winner JIGSAW, a dual Group 1 winner for Cindy Alderson.
Also among the nominations is Baker’s stablemate CABALLUS, who is set to contest the $20 million Everest in Sydney this weekend, adding further depth to the potential interstate lineup.
Day 4 – TABtouch Northerly Stakes Day (5 December 2026)
TABtouch Northerly Stakes (Group 1, $1.5 million, 1800m – 110 nominations)
The $1.5 million TABtouch Northerly Stakes has attracted 110 nominations, with several leading Railway Stakes contenders also entered for the 1800m Group 1 feature.
Defending champion COSMIC CRUSADER, who recently added the Group 1 Underwood Stakes to his record, is among the headline nominations alongside Chris Waller’s MILITARIZE and GOD’S WINDOW, POUNDING for Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman, and Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr’s SABAJ and ON DISPLAY.
COSMIC CRUSADER and GOD’S WINDOW feature prominently in early betting markets, with Group 1 winner BUCKAROO and local contender KING OF LIGHT also attracting attention.
Day 5 – Choices By Dallimores Gold Rush Day (12 December 2026)
Choices By Dallimores Gold Rush (Group 3, $1.5 million, 1400m – 125 nominations)
The $1.5 million Gold Rush brings The Pinnacles to a close, with 125 nominations for the 1400m feature providing an attractive target for contenders from both the Winterbottom and Railway Stakes.
The step up from 1200m offers Winterbottom Stakes contenders another opportunity at feature race success, with OVERPASS, JOKERS GRIN, WAR MACHINE and JIGSAW among the notable nominations.
Railway Stakes contenders WESTERN EMPIRE, WATCH ME ROCK and COSMIC CRUSADER have also been nominated, with the 1400m distance presenting an alternative to their mile assignments.
Among the interstate nominations are Bjorn Baker’s Group 1 winners CABALLUS and PERICLES.
CABALLUS is set to contest the $20 million Everest in Sydney, while PERICLES has amassed more than $7.23 million in prizemoney, including victory in the 2026 Group 1 Futurity Stakes over the same 1400m distance.
Second stage nominations don’t close until Monday 26 October, and there is still plenty of speculation that Perth might be set to welcome one of the stars of the Australian thoroughbred ranks in PRIDE OF JENNI, following positive comments from her owner, Tony Ottobre, on radio this morning. With 17 black-type races spanning various distances across the five race days of The Pinnacles, over $10.5 million in prize money beckons exciting contenders in 2026.
For more information and updates, please visit Perth Racing’s website or Racing WA.
