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Another Wil ready to start back
Ciaron Maher could send Another Wil (Street Boss) to Saturday’s P.B. Lawrence Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Caulfield. The Group 1-winning seven-year-old arrived from Sydney last Saturday morning at trainer Ciaron Maher’s Ballarat stable and will take in some light work on Tuesday. Joining Another Wil on the trip from Sydney were Light Infantry Man (Fast Company) and Warnie (Highland Reel), who are both entered for this weekend’s Group 2 alongside other potential engagements. Another Wil was winless during 2025 but did run a close-up fourth in the Kingsford-Smith Cup (Gr 1, 1300m) at Eagle Farm in May. “He had a couple of small niggles, and it was like he lost confidence and he got really keen, and when he was keen, he was running his races upside down and wasn’t finishing off,” Turnbull said. “He seems to have softened and relaxed a bit and at his best, and if he can get back to his best, he can mix it with the best milers. The beauty with a horse like him, there are so many options, and we may have to get a little bit crafty as to where we place him with his handicap mark.”
Freedman eyeing up weekend’s Sydney features
Ballarat-based trainer Mitch Freedman could send Attrition (Churchill) to Rosehill on Saturday as he gears the seven-year-old up for the Hill Stakes. The son of Churchill (Galileo) landed the $2 million Group 2 in 2024 before running second to Lindermann (Lonhro) last year, and Freedman is targeting the race again. “The Grand Final is the Hill Stakes again and whatever happens after that is a bonus,” Freedman said. “He’s very similar to what he’s been the last couple of seasons, but we’ve probably played around with his preparation a bit because we had longer to start at ground zero with him, so we’ve just been able to get a bit more work into him early on. Hopefully that mean it’s pretty smooth sailing with him from the get-go.” Along with the $200,000 Spring Preview (1400m) at Rosehill, Attrition has been nominated for Saturday’s P.B. Lawrence Stakes at Caulfield. Meanwhile, Asakura (Churchill) is entered for the BenchMark 94 (1200m) at Rosehill along with the Regal Roller Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) and a 1400-metre BenchMark 90 at Caulfield.
Waerea bidding for Hawkesbury success
A crack at next year’s Provincial-Midway Championships is already on the mind of Brad Widdup with Waerea (Bivouac). The consistent four-year-old gelding has won one and ran second in a further four of his six starts to date and is the $1.40 favourite for Tuesday’s Elite Sand & Soil Provincial Class 1 Handicap (1300m) at Hawkesbury. The son of Bivouac (Exceed And Excel) is coming in off the back of a runner-up placing behind Condone (Justify) in a Benchmark 64 (1200m) at Wyong, where he was beaten just 0.1 lengths. “I’m not sure if Waerea was unlucky or not that day,” Widdup told Racing NSW. “He got out into the clear and just failed to pick up the winner [Condone] in a tight finish. Waerea is certainly very consistent and with that run behind him, I want to see him put his rivals away tomorrow, even with 60kg topweight. I’d like to give him a preparation now with the aim of going to the Provincial-Midway Championships next year, and the owners are on board with that.”
High-priced purchase scores at Pakenham
I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) colt Utopic Future made a winning debut on Monday, taking out a 1400-metre maiden at Pakenham. The Ciaron Maher-trained three-year-old was sent off a $9 chance under Thomas Stockdale and hit the front late on before finding plenty for pressure to deny La Reina Vega (Lucky Vega) by 0.1 lengths. A $600,000 Inglis Easter purchase from Yarraman Park for Hong Kong Bloodstock and NPC, Utopic Future was bred by Yarraman in partnership and is the first foal out of the stakes-winning Lope De Vega (Shamardal) mare Noor Sahara. From the family of champion sprinter-miler Dream Ahead (Diktat) and Group 1 winner Fairyland (Kodiac), Noor Sahara was sold at the 2025 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for $550,000 to Alma Vale Thoroughbreds and had a colt sell for $400,000 at Inglis Easter this year to KPW Bloodstock.
Kropp relishes Townsville Cup victory
Toowoomba-based trainer Matt Kropp enjoyed a win in the Townsville Cup (2000m) on Saturday courtesy of Leg Drive (Grunt). Ridden by Tasha Chambers, the five-year-old gelding defeated That’s Molly (Dissident) by 0.3 lengths. Not only was it Kropp’s first victory in the 2000 metre feature, but it was also the first time he had ventured to Townsville’s Cluden Park. “I had never had a starter at Townsville before this year, so I brought up a team of five, including one for my son Will,” Kropp told Racing Queensland. “Will’s horse, Sweet Pretender, ran second in the Townsville Guineas and I won the Cup with Leg Drive, so it’s been a good trip. Will had Lucky Exchange go north last year, when he ran third in Cairns, but this is the first time I’ve ever taken horses away to Townsville. Tash rode him perfectly and obviously she’d done her homework as she had him in fourth place most of the way. It was a good win and he’ll go for a spell now, but I’m not sure where to go with him next campaign.”
Coolmore welcome first SH City Of Troy foal
European Champion two-year-old and World Champion three-year-old City Of Troy (Justify) produced his first Australian-bred foal on the weekend, a colt out of Northuldra (Choisir) bred by Coolmore and partners. “We have seen photos and heard glowing reports of the City Of Troy foals in Ireland for a while now,” said Justin Carey, Coolmore’s stud manager. “Our expectations of them are extremely high, so we’re delighted to produce such an impressive colt with his first foal on the farm. He’s a quality, straightforward colt, exactly what we hoped for when we bred the mare to City Of Troy. We supported him with both quantity and quality last year, so we look forward to welcoming many more of them throughout the season, but this colt has set a strong benchmark.” City Of Troy produced a two-year-old Timeform rating of 125p, higher than any Australian juvenile since Pierro (Lonhro). As a three-year-old he won a further three Group 1’s, including beating Sea The Stars’ (Cape Cross) track record by almost a second in the International Stakes (Gr 1, 1m 2.5f), defeating Calandagan (Gleneagles). This was to be the world’s highest-rated race of 2024.