button in SafariH.O.R.S.E. Event Extended as Manns Takes Command
Saturday also saw the debut of the festival’s first mixed-game event, the AUS $2,500 H.O.R.S.E., which proved popular enough to require an additional day of play.
Originally scheduled to crown a champion in a single day, the tournament drew 64 entries, creating a $144,000 prize pool and forcing organizers to extend the event to Sunday to determine a winner.
Just 18 players remain, all chasing one of the nine paid positions, where AUD $43,200 awaits the eventual champion.
Leading the charge is Sascha Manns, who returns with a commanding stack and strong momentum. The Maltese player arrives in Melbourne in red-hot form after winning the H.O.R.S.E. Championship at the Irish Open last month, and he now sits firmly in position to claim the first Aussie Millions title of 2026.
Closest behind him are Nathanial Hutton (263,000) and Matthew Ginn (236,000), both still within striking distance.
The remaining field also includes one of the biggest names in Australian poker history: Joe Hachem. The 2005 WSOP Main Event champion sits 10th of 18 players with 157,000, well positioned to make a run toward the final table.
Another Main Event champion, Michael Mizrachi, also entered the field after arriving in Melbourne Saturday morning, but his run came to an early end before the close of play.
Aussie Millions ambassador Van Marcus also made it over the first hurdle.
The action resumes at 12:15 p.m. and PokerNews will be sure to let you know when the bubble bursts and when the champion is crowned.
Day 2 Chip Counts
$2,500 H.O.R.S.E Payouts
| Place | Prize (AUS$) |
|---|---|
| 1 | $43,200 |
| 2 | $27,360 |
| 3 | $18,000 |
| 4 | $13,680 |
| 5 | $11,160 |
| 6 | $9,380 |
| 7 | $8,280 |
| 8 | $7,200 |
| 9 | $5,760 |