Manikato Stakes Tips 2026: Predictions & Best Bets

There is some trepidation with Jimmysstar, but we think the former Kiwi is primed for a big winning effort.

The race wasn’t run to suit him last time out at Caulfield when Beiwacht got away with murder at the front. There should be more pace up front, and Jimmysstar will be smoking his pipe out the back.

His best Group 1 performances came when he sat off the pace and warmed up with a big late burst. He has settled handier to the pace recently, and that has left him flat-footed in the straight.

Look for jockey Ethan Brown to take a position near the back of the field from barrier 8 before working into the race around the home turn. He could blow them away late, so take the $7 odds with our Manikato Stakes predictions.

There is no way we’re leaving Beiwacht out of our picks. If he gets a soft run in front, he will take some catching.

It’s all about the pressure he gets from Oliveanotherday, but if they hand the race to him on a silver platter, he’ll have no problem putting 2-3 lengths in them at the top of the straight before powering away with the win.

That’s exactly what happened in the Memsie Stakes when beating some smart types, and although 1400m is more up his alley, he has a placing over 1200m, and he’s being set for The Everest.

There is some New Zealand interest with Geegees Mistruth, who is trained by Mark Walker, and they combined to win a Group 1 last preparation.

The seven-time winner from 20 starts can be enigmatic at times, including bungling the start once, but at her best, she’s an incredible athlete, and she’ll get all favours from the inside draw on Sunday.

We expect her to settle just behind the speed, and if Blake Shinn can get her off the rails as they swing for home, she is powerful enough to finish over the top of them at a big price. The $27 odds are better than expected, so she’s a tremendous value option.

Punters get value odds with our Manikato Stakes SRM, which includes our three selected runners.

We have Jimmysstar Top 2, Beiwacht Top 3, and Geegees Mistruth Top 6, which pays $15.20 for our three-runner SRM.

There are some great odds available at Becha, especially for Jimmysstar to run in the Top 2 and Geegees Mistruth to run in the Top 6. They’re well worth including in Manikato Stakes tips, and the payouts are big enough to back our SRM with confidence.