Gilded Water set for Geelong Cup tilt

Ciaron Maher is aiming for a calmer performance from Gilded Water (Fastnet Rock) in Wednesday’s Geelong Cup (Gr 3, 2400m), as the King Charles III-owned galloper chases a Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) berth. Bred by the late Queen Elizabeth II, Gilded Water raced too fiercely in The Bart Cummings (Gr 3, 2520m) last start, finishing third, though the form has held up with winner Valiant King (Roaring Lion) placing third in last Saturday’s Caulfield Cup (Gr 1, 2400m). "He ran so well to hang on for third," Maher’s assistant trainer Jack Turnbull told Racing.com. "It's very hard to maintain those sectionals and the form around him's been solid. Hopefully, it works out Wednesday and then we can be represented with him in the Melbourne Cup." Turnbull confirmed a gear change for the Geelong Cup, with the addition of a Norton bit. "He had a strong gallop Saturday behind Interpretation," he said. "We had the Norton bit on, that'll be the addition come Wednesday. Declan Bates will ride, hopefully we can go two spots better than what we did in The Bart Cummings to qualify. Physically, he's very well, he's fit as a fiddle, he just needs to be controlled."

Waller trio complete final Cox Plate preparations

Chris Waller’s Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) contenders Via Sistina (Fastnet Rock), Aeliana (Castelvecchio) and Buckaroo (Fastnet Rock) completed their final workouts at Moonee Valley on Tuesday morning in smooth fashion ahead of Saturday’s weight-for-age championship. Last year’s winner Via Sistina was far more composed than 12 months ago, when she dumped James McDonald before her dominant Cox Plate victory. Sporting earmuffs, the mare worked solo under McDonald. "She's the same as last year," Waller said. "I know she hasn't won in her last couple of runs, but the sectional times, if you break them down, I think she's going as well. We just haven't had the pressure in the races that we would have liked. Subsequently she hasn't won." Waller said he is mindful of race tempo but is confident the mare is ready to perform. "She needs to make her own luck, her own sectional times. We'll be riding our own race. It's a Cox Plate." Aeliana, who has shown steady improvement since arriving in Melbourne, earned her place in the field after pleasing Waller with her work last Saturday. "Her blood pathology is spot-on, her recovery is good, she's working well," he said. "She's just a young horse that's still maturing." Waller said Buckaroo, who bypassed the Caulfield Cup under topweight, would appreciate any rain in the lead-up to Saturday. "We can see a little bit of rain coming. We need a bit of rain, but he's a warhorse and he'll run up to his best."

Via Sistina and Treasurethe Moment’s draws please Fairgray

Sam Fairgray, Yulong’s COO, expressed his satisfaction after Via Sistina and Treasurethe Moment (Alabama Express) drew barriers five and one respectively for Saturday’s Cox Plate. James McDonald has been booked on Via Sistina, who will bid to defend her crown in the Group 1, while Damian Lane will take the ride on the Matt Laurie-trained Treasurethe Moment. "I think both are ideally where we wanted them," Fairgray told Racing.com. "I think Troy [Stephens] our racing manager spoke to both James and Damian and they were the barriers they wanted. We're out of the right gates, so bring on Saturday." While Via Sistina galloped at The Valley on Tuesday morning, Laurie elected to keep Treasurethe Moment
back at her home track at Mornington instead. "Matt's such a conservative trainer that he would not have her running in the Cox Plate if he didn't think that she was 100 per cent," Fairgray said. “Her work's been very, very good, she stayed at home today because Matt didn't want her to have to be standing in the float in the traffic to and from the track, so she had a nice clean of the lungs this morning and she's all set for Saturday."

Shinn confident Antino can deliver

Blake Shinn is hoping Antino (Redwood) can deliver him an elusive Cox Plate victory when the Group 1-winning duo line up in Saturday’s feature. The leading jockey, who has gone close in the race aboard Humidor (Teofilo) and Fiorente (Monsun), said he expects the spotlight to be on his mid-race tactics but will make his move based on feel. “I think they’ll be anticipating something is going to happen, from my point of view,” Shinn told The Verdict podcast. “But it all comes down to what’s going to happen and the race unfolding. I know Antino’s versatility and his adaptability to make a long run. He’s got a great sprint. He can do anything. He is the type of horse that I can ride the race as I see it and work around what’s happening in front of me.” Shinn believes Antino is peaking perfectly for his grand final after a strong runner-up performance in the Turnbull Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m). “His run in the Turnbull was excellent. He covered ground that day and had more weight than all the opposition and got beaten by a superstar in Sir Delius. I think that run put the writing on the wall to set him up nicely for the Cox Plate. All the indications are he’s trained on well since. This is a race he’s been set for and it’s about peaking at the right time. I think the horse is showing that he’s right on track.”

Globe not a certain starter

Mick Price has revealed he will not hesitate to withdraw Cox Plate hopeful Globe (Charm Spirit) if the Group 1 winner is not fully sound ahead of Saturday’s feature at Moonee Valley. The Might And Power Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) victor is under an injury cloud, with Racing Victoria officials monitoring his fitness closely in the lead-up to the race. “He had to do a sleip test. It's a video of their action. RV contacted [Michael Kent] Junior late yesterday and said on half of the test, the horse wouldn't pass. I've contacted the owners and let them know,” Price told Racing.com. "He's down the beach this morning. The horse does have an irritation in the off front fetlock. If that horse is not right, I'm not happy with him, I'm not going to run him. We x-rayed it. It's bone clean, but the joint capsule has an irritation where it attaches to the bone. It's more a soft tissue thing. On Saturday morning if the horse is not 100 per cent, he won't run.”

Kearney’s set for first Group 1 runner

Co-trainers Mitch and Desiree Kearney are set to be represented by their first Group 1 runner when Sheeza Diva (Pierro) takes her chance in Saturday’s Spring Champion Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) at Randwick. The daughter of Pierro (Lonhro) was last seen finishing fourth in the Gloaming Stakes (Gr 3, 1800m) at Rosehill earlier in the month and, while the trainers are tempering their expectations, they expect her to give a good account of herself. “Sheeza Diva is not built like your typical stayer,” Desiree Kearney told Racing NSW. “She is fine and neat, but every jockey who rides her kept saying she needed more distance. After she ran a close third over 1600 metres in a Class 1 handicap at Kembla Grange at her next run, we decided to have a go at the Gloaming. She finished off well that day and almost got third, and hasn’t missed a beat at home since. Sheeza Diva loves her work, and enjoys racing. We’re not going there on Saturday with great expectations that she will win, though you have to be in it to win it. But we’re confident she will run really well again.”

Manaal to tackle The Invitation

Michael Freedman will chase further spring success with Manaal (Tassort) when the classy mare lines up in Saturday’s $2 million The Invitation (1400m) at Rosehill. Under set weights and penalties conditions, Manaal will carry 59 kilograms, just half a kilogram less than multiple Group 1 winner Stefi Magnetica (All Too Hard), a scenario Freedman believes suits his in-form mare. "She's great and she'll line up in The Invitation," Freedman said. Having already beaten fellow contenders Gerringong (Blue Point), Firestorm (Satono Aladdin) and Gangsta Granny (Written Tycoon) this campaign when giving away weight, Freedman is hopeful Saturday’s race will be an ideal lead-up to a Golden Eagle (Gr 1, 1500m) bid for Manaal. "She's probably a little bit unproven, really untried at the mile, but I think the 1500 [metres] will be fine so she might back up into a Golden Eagle," he said. "I mean, she ran a terrific race in the Coolmore [Classic, when fifth] back in the autumn over 1500 [metres]. She's only had one run over the mile in the Champagne Stakes as a two-year-old when it was knee deep in mud, and they called the meeting off straight after."

Champions day next for Pier

Following a strong third in last Saturday’s King Charles III Stakes (Gr 1, 1609m) at Randwick, Darryn and Briar Weatherley will take Pier (Proisir) to Melbourne to compete on Champions Stakes Day. Pier has been consistent since arriving in Australia in May, placing in the BRC Sprint (Gr 3, 1350m) before winning the Wayne Wilson (Listed, 1600m) in Brisbane. After a spell, Pier ran second in the Theo Marks Stakes (Gr 2, 1300m) and fifth in the Epsom Handicap (Gr 1, 1600m), although Darryn Weatherley said the gelding was too highly strung on the day. “His behaviour on the day in the Epsom, he was a little bit on the toe and he was quite agitated,” Weatherley said. “With the two-week back-up into the King Charles, it just worked perfectly, he was a different horse altogether. He was in a better frame of mind and he paraded like a Group 1 horse. He was right in the zone and raced accordingly. I was stoked, I couldn’t have been happier.” The gelding is set to be transported to Melbourne next Tuesday, with the Weatherleys weighing up nominations for both the Champions Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) and Champions Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m). “We will probably nominate for both races and see what one looks more suitable,” Weatherley said. “At this stage, I am leaning toward the 2000-metre race.”

Deakin to press on to Melbourne Cup

Phillip Stokes has confirmed Deakin (Australia) will continue towards the Melbourne Cup despite feeling the effects of his Caulfield Cup run. The Irish import was brighter on Monday morning after a tough effort in Saturday’s feature, in which he failed to handle the high-pressure conditions. “He felt the run,” Stokes told Racing.com. “It was a hard race and he had a hard run. We’ve got him back at the farm now, but he’ll keep going to the Melbourne Cup. He ate up better this morning. Sunday morning he was a bit flat but he’s on the improve this morning.” While Deakin’s performance was disappointing, Stokes had reason to celebrate on Saturday when Stretan Angel (Harry Angel) returned to winning form for the first time since her 2022 Danehill Stakes (Gr 2, 1100m) triumph. “It was great to see her back winning,” Stokes said of last season’s Lightning Stakes (Gr 1, 1000m) and Newmarket Handicap (Gr 1, 1200m) placegetter. “She’s come through well so she’ll go to a Group 3 mares race on Derby Day and then maybe we’ll look at the slot race, the Meteorite at Cranbourne.” Stretan Angel is set to line up next in the Ichiban Sprint (Gr 3, 1100m) at Flemington on November 1.

Snitzel colt wins Hawkesbury trial

Tenenbaum, a well-bred son of Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice), landed the sole juvenile trial at Hawkesbury on Tuesday morning. Trained by Brad Widdup, the colt travelled smoothly throughout the 800-metre heat and, when asked to quicken, strode away to score by a head. Tenenbaum was purchased by his owners Mulberry Racing for $750,000 from the Arrowfield draft at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale earlier in the year. He is out of the Listed winning mare C’Est Beau La Vie (Bernardini), making him a brother to Hong Kong Derby (2000m) winner Cap Ferrat. This is the same family as dual Hong Kong Group 3 scorer Jolly Banner (Lonhro) and multiple Group 1-winning champion Makybe Diva (Desert King).

Kyneton meeting abandoned

Tuesday's Kyneton meeting was abandoned due to concerns with sections of the track around the home bend. The first race was run and won by Steven and Lachie King with Coral Impact (Staphanos), but several jockeys expressed concerns with the surface when returning to scale. The track was inspected by stewards and participants before being aerated and then inspected again, but the riding group wasn't satisfied and voted against continuing the meeting. "We had three riders report that their mounts slipped in the first race, in differing areas of the track around the home turn," Racing Victoria chief steward at the meeting Damien Carr told Racing.com before the vote. "The track manager has run the aerator over the track, he's done as much as he can. We've had a look at it and the riders have had a look at it."

NZB Breeze-Ups completed ahead of sale

The final day of NZB’s 2025 Ready to Run Sale breeze-ups saw a further 202 two-year-olds gallop down the home straight at Te Rapa racecourse.

Held over two consecutive days on the same turf track, day two of the breeze-ups had a Soft 5 track rating, with an average time of 10.93.

Bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo, who has had a lot of success with Group 1 winners out of NZB’s Ready to Run Sale, was on course at Te Rapa for the breeze-ups.

“I’m trying to buy an athlete. Movement is everything in a racehorse in my opinion.

“If they’ve got a bit of size and scope and they’re well conformed, a good temperament does help, but it’s all about movement for me.”

NZB managing director Andrew Seabrook was delighted with the conditions over the past few days.

“I’m pleased we moved the breeze-ups back a week, that has enabled us to gallop these youngsters on a consistent turf surface across the two days, which is in fantastic order thanks to the Waikato Thoroughbred Racing team.

“The strong wind proved the most challenging factor this year, particularly on the second day. However, we do display the wind speed and direction for each lot, so buyers can take the blustery conditions into account when viewing the breeze-up videos.

“We are delighted with the calibre of horse that’s been on display over the past two days. The quality we have seen is a credit to the expert preparers who present these two-year-olds to such a high standard.

“We can now look forward to getting them up to Karaka for the sale in November.”

The 2025 edition of NZB’s Ready to Run Sale is set to take place on November 12 and 13 at the Karaka sales centre.

Click here to view the breeze-up times.

Weatherley hoping for improved run from Bulgari at Te Aroha

Darryn and Briar Weatherley will saddle up promising three-year-old Bulgari (Hello Youmzain) at Te Aroha on Wednesday, hoping the colt can bounce back to form having been below his best this preparation, finishing sixth in both the Sir Colin Meads Trophy (Listed, 1200m) and Hawke’s Bay Guineas (Gr 2, 1400m). “Bulgari was a bit of a headscratcher at Te Rapa, I thought he would go a better race,” Darryn Weatherley said. “He was ridden beautifully in the Hawke’s Bay Guineas, the gap presented itself at the top of the straight and he went to poke his head through and never finished it off. We were scratching our heads as to whether he is just a sprinter or perhaps the heavy track got to him. Looking at the Hello Youmzain’s, they might just be sprinters. I am hoping the 1150 metres [on Wednesday], he will turn his form around. I am really happy with the condition of the horse, he looks fantastic.”

Wood confident in That’s Gold ahead of Te Aroha return

Cambridge-based trainer Chris Wood is hopeful That’s Gold (Lucky Vega) can make a winning return when he resumes in a maiden over 1150 metres at Te Aroha on Wednesday. The three-year-old showed promise as a juvenile, with seven starts including a fourth placing in the Counties Challenge Stakes (Listed, 1100m), and Wood believes he can go to another level this season. “He showed me a lot last time in, things just didn’t go his way,” the trainer said. “He has got plenty of ability, he is a good mover, so hopefully things fall into place.” That’s Gold finished runner-up in an 850-metre Te Awamutu trial earlier this month, giving his trainer confidence the gelding is ready to perform first-up. “He is nice and bright, and he has trialled up well,” Wood said. “He has had a bit of practice and knows what he is there for. It is quite a nice little maiden field, but I expect him to run a race.”

Canheroc preparing for New Zealand Cup

Chris Wood is looking ahead to the New Zealand Cup (Gr 3, 3200m) with Canheroc (El Roca), who will have his final lead-up run over 2400 metres at Te Rapa on Monday. “He went a good race last-start at Rotorua [when fourth in the Staphanos Classic],” Wood said. “It was a bit of a slowly run race and we had to go a little bit earlier than what we wanted. He worked as good this morning as he has worked this time in and I think he will be very competitive there. From there it is on to the New Zealand Cup. I don’t think we will run both days, he just needs the one run into the Cup. He is booked on the second flight going out of Auckland, so everything going right he will just be down there for the Cup.”

HK: High-flying Purton seeks 1,900th Hong Kong win at Happy Valley

Zac Purton will chase another landmark on Wednesday night as he bids for an astonishing 1,900th Hong Kong win with seven rides at Happy Valley. Purton, who is sat one shy of the milestone, reunites with Horsepower (Harry Angel) in the Class 2 Longines Cup Handicap (1000m) from barrier three for Frankie Lor. “He’s done a really good job and all of his best runs have been at Happy Valley over 1000 metres. When he’s ventured outside of that, he’s been a little bit disappointing, but he’s his own creator of bad habits – he wants to over-race, hang and do things wrong. Over 1000 they run along and it gets him off the bit and into a nice rhythm,” Purton said. The 88-rated son of Harry Angel (Dark Angel) has trialled twice ahead of his seasonal bow. “In his first trial, he slipped coming out of the gates and was slow out and then wanted to charge and take off,” Purton continued. “He was a bit better in his last trial, but it’s just hard to get a guide on where he is really at without sending him to the races. Whether he’s on a mark that has now got the better of him, we’ll find out. There’s only one way to find out and that’s by going back to the races.”

HK: Helios Express heads Size trio in Premier Bowl

Helios Express (Toronado) is aiming to go one better at Sha Tin on Sunday when he lines up in the Premier Bowl Handicap (Gr 2, 1200m) for John Size. Second in last year’s edition behind Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress), Helios Express makes his reappearance as one of 14 entries in the contest and one of three for Size. Hoping to capitalise on the reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year’s absence this weekend, Size said: “Helios Express seems alright. He has a heavy weight, so he has to deal with that. He’s coming up okay, but the handicap’s not going to help him much. We have to run him in a handicap to get him started.”

312 for Dubawi

Darley’s leading stallion Dubawi (Dubai Millennium) joined an elite group of stallions to have sired 200 individual Group winners when Sugar Island (2 f ex Heaven On Earth by Galileo) landed the Staffordstown Stud Stakes (Gr 3, 1m) at the Curragh on Tuesday. Providing the influential stallion with his 312nd individual stakes winner overall, the filly defeated Thundering On (Frankel) by two and three quarter lengths with another four and a three-quarter lengths back to the winner’s stablemate Ice Dancer (Wootton Bassett) in third. Bred and co-owned by Westerberg, the filly is out of the winning mare Heaven On Earth (Galileo) making her a half-sister to the stakes-placed winner Mother Earth (Justify). Heaven On Earth herself is out of dual Group 1 winner Lillie Langtry (Danehill Dancer) and she is also the dam of multiple elite-level winner Minding (Galileo), who in turn produced Henry Longfellow (Dubawi), winner of the National Stakes (Gr 1, 7f), who is covering his first book of mares at Rosemont Stud in Victoria. Lillie Langtry is also the dam of multiple Group 1 winner Tuesday (Galileo), top-flight winner Empress Josephine (Galileo) and Kissed By Angels (Galileo), whose record is headed by a Group 3 score. In winning Tuesday’s Group 3, Sugar Island becomes the 25th stakes winner bred on the Dubawi / Galileo (Sadler’s Wells) cross, a cohort headed by three Group 1 winners. With this 200 Group winner, Dubawi joins Galileo and Danehill (Danzig) to achieve the feat.

UK: O’Brien holds strong hand in final Group 1 of season

Aidan O’Brien has nine of the 13 horses who remain in contention for Saturday’s Futurity Stakes (Gr 1, 1m) at Doncaster as he attempts to win the final Group 1 race of the UK season for a record-extending 12th time. Benvenuto Cellini (Frankel), who won the Champions Juvenile Stakes (Gr 2, 1m) at the Irish Champions Festival last month, is odds-on to follow up while O’Brien also has the likes of impressive Zetland Stakes (Gr 3, 1m 2f) winner Pierre Bonnard (Camelot) and Beresford Stakes (Gr 2, 1m) victor Hawk Mountain (Wootton Bassett) among his nine-strong team. The home challenge is headed by Andrew Balding’s unbeaten colt Item (Frankel).