The Invitation Tips, Field & Odds | Best Bets

The Invitation is a $2 million Group 2 set-weights-and-penalties race for fillies and mares over 1400m at Royal Randwick, run on Saturday 24 October 2026. Our tips, field and best bets are published in race week.

The Invitation. Racing NSW created the richest race in the country for fillies and mares, and it is unlike almost anything else on the calendar: there are no nominations and no ballot, because all twelve runners are invited. The $2 million Group 2 is run over 1400m at Royal Randwick on Saturday 24 October 2026. This is our complete guide to the race: the 2026 date, how the invitation system works, recent winners, betting markets and FAQs.

The Invitation: Key Details

Detail	Value
Race	The Invitation (Group 2)
Date	Saturday 24 October 2026
Venue	Royal Randwick, Sydney
Distance	1400m
Conditions	Set weights and penalties, fillies and mares
Field size	12 runners, all invited
Prize money	$2 million
Broadcast	Channel 7 and 7plus, plus Sky Racing

Also on Spring Champion Stakes Day: Spring Champion Stakes. The same Saturday in Melbourne: Cox Plate.

 

When is The Invitation & What Time?

The Invitation is run on Saturday 24 October 2026 at Royal Randwick, on the same afternoon as the Cox Plate at Flemington and the Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick. The exact start time is confirmed in race week.

How the Invitation System Works

Most big Australian races are filled by nominations, weights and a ballot. The Invitation is not. Racing NSW and the Australian Turf Club invite twelve fillies and mares, so the field is curated rather than earned on ratings alone.

• No ballot, no emergencies. Once the twelve are named, the field is the field.
• Set weights and penalties. Unlike a handicap, the weight spread is narrow, so class tends to hold up.
• It reads like a mares championship. Invitations follow spring form, so the market is usually short about a proven Group 1 mare.

For punters the practical effect is a small, high-quality field. Twelve runners over 1400m at Randwick means fewer genuine chances than a capacity handicap, and exotics prices are correspondingly tighter.

The Invitation Tips, Best Bets & Predictions

Our best bets go up once the twelve invitations are confirmed and the barriers are drawn. Three things are worth tracking in the lead-up.

• Spring mares form. The Invitation sits late in the Sydney spring, so the strongest guide is a mare who has already been competitive at weight-for-age level.
• The 1400m question. The trip suits milers dropping back and sprinters stretching out, which is where the value usually sits rather than with the obvious sprinter.
• The draw. Randwick 1400m starts in the chute, so an inside gate is less decisive here than at Caulfield, but a wide draw in a twelve-horse field still costs ground.

The Invitation Recent Winners

The Invitation was first run in 2021. Kerrin McEvoy won the first two runnings, having also won the first two runnings of The Everest.

Year	Winner	Note
2025	Stefi Magnetica	Latest running
2023	Espiona	Group 1 mare confirmed the race’s class
2022	Promise Of Success	Kerrin McEvoy, his second Invitation
2021	Icebath	Inaugural winner

 

How to Watch The Invitation

The Invitation is shown on Channel 7 and 7plus as part of Sydney’s spring coverage, with full race-day vision on Sky Racing and live streams through most licensed Australian bookmakers with a funded account.

Best Bookmakers for The Invitation

For a full comparison of the leading Australian racing bookmakers, see our best horse racing betting sites in Australia guide.

The Invitation FAQs

When is The Invitation 2026?

Saturday 24 October 2026 at Royal Randwick, over 1400m for fillies and mares.

How do horses get into The Invitation?

There are no nominations and no ballot. Racing NSW and the Australian Turf Club invite twelve fillies and mares, so the field is curated.

How much is The Invitation worth?

$2 million, which made it the richest race for fillies and mares in Australia when it was launched.

Who won the most recent Invitation?

Stefi Magnetica won in 2025, after Espiona in 2023, Promise Of Success in 2022 and Icebath in the inaugural 2021 running.

Is The Invitation a Group 1?

No. It is run as a Group 2 under set weights and penalties, despite carrying $2 million in prize money.