Australia Latest
Hoskin on thrilling Derby adventure with Kiwi Geneva
Last-start Group 3 winner Geneva (Time Test) has earned his place in Saturday’s South Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2500m), marking trainer Kylie Hoskin’s first trans-Tasman campaign. Winner of the Manawatu Classic (Gr 3, 2100m) following a third-placing in the New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m), Geneva’s preparation on the track has been smooth sailing, but his journey across the Tasman has been anything but. Despite some travel hiccups, there is no dampening Hoskin’s enthusiasm for the challenge. “It’s really exciting to be contesting a Group One in Australia,” Hoskin said. “You always hope you’re going to have one good enough to get over here, so it’s very exciting. The travel has been a bit of a nightmare as the plane we were originally scheduled to fly to Melbourne on had an engine issue and was delayed. The plan was to fly over here and then head up to Aaron Bain’s at the old Lindsay Park at Angaston. He was going to have us for the week, but we missed our interstate truck. So we’re currently at Ballarat at Henry Dwyer’s and everyone’s been super helpful. He is heading to Adelaide on Thursday night because that is the last interstate truck, so we’ve had to pivot a bit.” The winner of three of his 12 starts, Geneva has raced every month between August and March and enters Saturday’s contest with five weeks between runs. “We’ve spaced a lot of his races, so he’s often had a month in between runs,” Hoskin said. “He’s a naturally fit horse. I don’t have to pile a heap of work into him. He eats well, and he’s a pretty calm and cool character. I’m not worried about the fact he’s been up a while.”
Royal Ascot question to be answered for Lady Of Camelot
The run of Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon) in Saturday’s Victory Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Eagle Farm will go a long way to deciding whether the Group 1-winning mare travels over to the UK for June’s Royal Ascot meeting or not. The four-year-old daughter of Written Tycoon (Iglesia), who won the Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) back in 2024, has not raced since March, 2025 where she was third in the Coolmore Classic (Gr 1, 1500m), and co-trainer Adrian Bott feels this weekend’s Group 2 will provide a lot of clues. “I think we’ll get a very good gauge on Saturday,” Bott, who trains in partnership with Gai Waterhouse, told Racing.com. “She’ll answer a lot of questions for us. It will be really interesting to see what sort of benefit that long spell will give her. We know she’ll improve off the run, but she needs to show us she’s up and ready. We don’t want to go over half-hearted. We want to see her at her very best and even, to an extent, somewhat improved from what we’ve seen from her. If that is the case, we’ve got the right timing, we’ve got the right races and the right horse. She hasn’t won since the Slipper, I don’t think, but she’s run some incredible races around the right horses in the biggest events since then – against her own age and at weight-for-age, over trips from 1100m to 1500m – so she’s very versatile. She travelled up there [Brisbane] the other day and arrived in really good order. She’s done all her main work here [Sydney]. She’s had a couple of trials and an exhibition gallop at the races on Saturday to top her off nicely. If she doesn’t end up going over there [Royal Ascot], Queensland has some lovely races that will suit her and then that will allow her to bounce straight into the spring.”
Tenenbaum set to headline Widdup’s Hawkesbury hopes
Brad Widdup will look to promising colt Tenenbaum (Snitzel) to lift stable morale when he lines up in the Clarendon Stakes (1400m) at Hawkesbury on Saturday. The Hawkesbury trainer has endured a setback with stable star Jedibeel (Savabeel) sidelined following his Perth trip, but Tenenbaum has emerged as a leading contender to press claims for a Queensland winter campaign. A $750,000 Inglis Easter purchase, the son of Snitzel has raced twice, resuming with an impressive maiden win at Wyong before backing up with a dominant trial performance at Hawkesbury. “He won well the other day at Wyong,” Widdup told Racing NSW. “I didn’t want to chase the big races after a setback, so this has always been the race to have a crack at.” The Clarendon Stakes has produced high-class performers including Zoustar (Northern Meteor), and Widdup is hopeful Tenenbaum can add his name to that list. “Brisbane is definitely on the radar, but let’s get through Saturday first,” he said. A strong performance could see the colt progress towards the J J Atkins (Gr 1, 1600m) at Eagle Farm. Widdup also has runners engaged across the card, including Hyperbolic (Proisir) in the Hawkesbury Gold Cup (Gr 3, 1600m) and Audrey’s Lane (Pierro), who is likely to contest a Midway Handicap (1500m). Meanwhile, Jedibeel is expected to undergo throat surgery after his disappointing run in The Quokka (1200m), with Widdup hopeful the gelding can return following a spell.
Jigsaw sent for spell after seven-win streak
Jigsaw (Manhattan Rain) will not extend his winning sequence this season, with trainer Cindy Alderson electing to send the sprinter for a winter spell. The rising eight-year-old has won seven races in succession, including tThe Quokka (1200m) and the William Reid Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m), but will now be given time to freshen up ahead of a spring return. “I took him to the farm this morning and he’s gone out for a holiday,’’ Alderson told Racing.com. “He was looking so fine, so resplendent as he was cantering around this morning, but I just thought ‘he’s done his job’ and really, he’s more than done his job. He’s just been awesome. There’s only really Queensland, which is another trip after being to New Zealand and then to Perth and I just thought his last run [win in the Quokka], I know there were reasons for it, but I just thought he was a little bit below what he had been as he was out on his feet on the line. I would say he would be out for May and June and he’ll come back August/September and we’ll be looking for a run sometime in October.” Jigsaw’s winning run began in the Apache Cat Classic (1200m) at Cranbourne last October and also included a victory in the Railway Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m). “I am absolutely thrilled beyond words with the preparation he’s had and the journey that we’ve been on and the fun that he’s given us all and the satisfaction and all those things,’’ Alderson said. “But I am probably under no illusion. He’s a damn good horse, but I don’t know if he’s top, top draw.” A return for the spring could bring races such as The Everest (Gr 1, 1200m) into consideration.
Wide draw puts Smart As Smart start in doubt
Smart As Smart (Smart Missile) faces an uncertain start in the Voodoo Ranger Handicap (1710m) at Ipswich on Wednesday after drawing the outside barrier. Trainer Renita Beaton said the race shapes as an ideal third-up option for the son of Smart Missile (Fastnet Rock), but the wide gate has left connections weighing up whether to run. “We’ve had to run him from terrible draws in the past and he’s just been one of the most unlucky horses and I just don’t want to do that to his owners again,” Beaton said. “Look, we might draw bad again next time and you have to go around, but if I can protect him for one more run I will. We’ll wait until tomorrow [Wednesday] to see if there are any scratchings and if there is, we may run him.” A decision will depend on possible scratchings, with Jace McMurray booked to ride and reduce the gelding’s impost to 59 kilograms. Smart As Smart has been in consistent form this preparation, winning first-up at Doomben over 1350 metres before finishing a narrow second over 1640 metres at his latest outing. “He’s in really good order, he’s always been such a consistent horse for me,” Beaton said. “Every time I take him to the races he seems to show up and he’s very honest. “He’s in very good order, he’s racing very well and consistently and there’s no reason why he won’t go and do that again.”
Lloyd swaps saddle for pre-training
Listed-winning jockey Madison Lloyd has all but called time on her riding career, having not ridden since May last year as she focuses on her growing pre-training operation. The 25-year-old, who partnered 213 winners in six years in the saddle, opened Madison J Lloyd Pre-Training at Michelle Payne’s former Miners Rest property last August and says she is thriving in her new role. “I have no regrets,” Lloyd told Racing.com. “I kept my jockey licence just in case it didn’t work out, but I’d be surprised if I did come back. At this stage, I’m loving this too much.” Lloyd said the shift has delivered a better quality of life after the mental toll of race riding, which included early mornings, strict weight management and long hours travelling to meetings. “I find this job a lot easier, mentally, than riding trackwork and driving to the races every day,” she said. Her business typically has around 12 horses in work, with Lloyd particularly enjoying the challenge of educating young horses and working through issues with problem gallopers. Her career highlight came aboard Frankie Pinot (Your Song) in the Wangoom Handicap (Listed, 1200m) in 2022. Now retired, the gelding resides at Lloyd’s property. “He’s here with me in my paddock,” she said. “He’s happy and fat.”
Dance parts with Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock
Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock (ATB) has been sold, with Stephen Everett and Tash Blakley’s SCT Syndications taking ownership of the long-established operation. Co-founder Darren Dance said the decision to sell, alongside wife Liz, was made with a focus on ensuring continuity for clients and the future success of the business. “It came out of the blue, to be honest,” Dance told Racing.com. “We had a few approaches, but this one happened quickly and felt like the right fit. You want the business to carry on with people who share the same values, and Stephen and Tash will do a good job.” The Dances, who established ATB in 1997, have gradually stepped back from operations following the sale of their breeding farms, with plans to travel influencing the timing of the decision. “Given we want to spend the next couple of years travelling, it didn’t seem fair to owners and trainers to keep operating while absent,” Dance said. Horses purchased by ATB will continue to race under existing ownership structures and retain the familiar stable colours. ATB has enjoyed sustained success over nearly three decades, highlighted by dual Group 1 winner Platelet (Strategic), international performer Dandino (Dansili), and globetrotter Jakkalberry (Storming Home), as well as Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) placegetter Heartbreak City (Lando). “There’s a lot of great memories,” Dance said. “From buying Platelet out of a paddock to competing internationally, it’s been an incredible journey.”
Stewards charge Vincent Hall over prohibited substance
Racing Victoria (RV) stewards have issued a charge against trainer Vincent Hall following an investigation into a post-race sample taken from his runner Harmonett (Epaulette). The charge has been laid under Australian Rule of Racing AR 240(2), relating to the presence of a prohibited substance in a sample taken from a horse at a race meeting. Harmonett was brought to Sandown-Hillside on January 21, 2026 to contest the Brad Masters Plumbing Handicap (1000m), winning the race. A post-race urine sample was subsequently taken and later analysis detected the presence of Fexofenadine. Fexofenadine is classified as a prohibited substance under Prohibited List B of the Australian Rules of Racing. The substance was identified by both Racing Analytical Services Limited and the Australian Racing Forensics Laboratory. Fexofenadine is an antihistamine commonly used in humans to treat allergic conditions such as hay fever and hives, and is not registered for use in horses. Under AR 240(2), a trainer and any person in charge of a horse at the relevant time are deemed to have breached the rules if a prohibited substance is detected in a sample taken before or after a race. The matter has been referred to a stewards’ panel, with a hearing date yet to be set.
National Thoroughbred Week expands to ten-day program in 2026
National Thoroughbred Week will return in 2026 with an expanded ten-day program across Australia and New Zealand, running from November 20 to November 30. Following a successful inaugural edition, the event has been extended from five days to provide greater flexibility for hosts and allow the public to attend across two full weekends. The initiative offers behind-the-scenes access to the thoroughbred industry, with training stables, breeding farms, retrainers, race clubs, veterinary hospitals and equine organisations opening their doors. The 2025 pilot attracted more than 5,000 attendees across 84 events delivered by over 100 hosts and partners. “2025 proved there is a real appetite for this kind of transparent industry access that shows the magic happening behind the scenes,” said National Thoroughbred Week project manager, Tai Ryan. “We had families, students, racing fans and people completely new to the industry walking through farms, stables and equine facilities, meeting the horses and seeing their level of care. The next step is to build on that momentum and create a structure that allows National Thoroughbred Week to grow in a sustainable way, while keeping the same grassroots spirit that made the pilot so special.” A national committee and local hub structure will be introduced in 2026 to support growth, alongside calls for volunteers across key areas including education, media, sponsorship and grants, with further information here.