McDonald and Waller bring up an elite 50 as Via Sistina shines once again on Champions Day
Via Sistina (Fastnet Rock) produced a dominant display to score a remarkable 12th triumph at the highest level when successfully defending her crown in Saturday’s Champions Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) on a wet, windy and unseasonably cold day at Flemington.
The heavy conditions did not faze the reigning Australian Horse of the Year, who tracked up three-wide with cover under James McDonald and put her rivals away in typically effortless fashion. She crossed the line 2.8 lengths ahead of Zambardo (Belardo) with Tom Kitten (Harry Angel) finishing a further 0.7 lengths away in third.
Last year Via Sistina landed the Group 1 off the back of a victory in the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) and she repeated the feat on Saturday.
Chris Waller said he was delighted to see the mare continue to perform at the highest level as she approaches the twilight of her career.
"She was tough today. She went back from the draw, James didn't panic and it was awesome to see her in the straight," the winning trainer said.
"They [Yulong] are sportsmen, they love their racing. I knew not to ask because I knew they'd have liked her to race here. It was as simple as that.”
Waller said since joining his stable in 2024, Via Sistina has gone from strength to strength and 11th Group 1s later can now boast just shy of $19.5 million in career earnings.
“We were told she was a very good horse. Her international form was something special and it's rare for us to get a really high-class horse down here like her and she was just maturing,” he said.
“We've got her at the right time. They did an amazing job with her over there looking after her. She was a big, raw mare and didn't worry about her age. She's just matured.
Despite the baltic conditions in Melbourne, Waller said the racing at Flemington had given fans a day to savour.
“Seeing the Sprint, the Mile and now this race, it's giving everyone an extra taste of the great horses,” he said. “They have given the racing public something to cheer for and what a great day it's been with Ceolwulf, Giga Kick and now Via Sistina. Three serious horses on an amazing day of racing.
"They're tough horses and when you look after them, they look after you."
The win marked an impressive milestone for the Waller / McDonald axis, with the victory delivering the combination a 50th Group 1 win in partnership.
“They have given the racing public something to cheer for and what a great day it's been with Ceolwulf, Giga Kick and now Via Sistina
Waller said: "It is an honour to be working with him. It makes my job and possibly his job that little bit easier.
"There's no pressure, no pre-race stress, and I didn't even give any instructions.
"He said 'I'll go and ride her like Hughie [Bowman] used to ride Winx', best horse in the race, give her some clean air, and I said, 'that sounds good to me."
McDonald was enjoying his ninth Group 1 win on board the mare and described her as a ‘pleasure to ride.’
"She deserves her champion status and I thought being a dual Cox Plate winner it's very satisfying," the winning rider said.
"She sits alongside some of the greats that have ever graced our racetracks and I think she really deserves that because she's been a long servant and a fantastic one at that.
"How good are they [Waller team]? They just prep them up beautifully, Waller and his team. She was cool today, real cool,” he said. “Every time he says one is improving, it's improving. He said that about Via today and he was spot on.
"She started her prep in amazing fashion. Certain things didn't go her way, but when you're riding a dual Cox Plate winner on Champions Day and the last Group 1 of a fantastic four days, it is very special.
"It felt like every man and his dog was on her today but she duly obliged and the race couldn't have panned out any better for us, to be fair.
"It was just like riding a trial early and letting her blend in at the six [hundred], four, two, and that's all she did."
Bred by Laundry Cottage Stud, Via Sistina is the fifth and very much the best of seven named foals out of the unraced Nigh (Galileo). Suggesting major influence from Fastnet Rock (Danehill) in their mating during his shuttling career to Ireland, only one other of Nigh’s offspring has won, and that is Fougere (Bated Breath), who claimed only a Nottingham handicap in 19 starts.
Via Sistina is another example of Fastnet’s potency when crossed with daughters of Coolmore’s perennial breed-shaping sire Galileo (Sadler’s Wells), with the mare among the 31 stakes winners for the nick and she is also one of 11 Group 1 scorers bred on the cross.
The yearling Via Sistina was sold by agent Jamie Railton to Stephen Hillen Bloodstock for £5,000 from Book 3 of Tattersalls December Yearling Sale in 2019. From those inauspicious beginnings, she was bought by Evergreen Equine at Tattersalls’ December Mares Sale in 2023 for 2,700,000gns, from the draft of Ireland’s Grove Stud, before coming to Australia to race in the Yulong green and white.
Nigh now has a three-year-old filly yet to race called Via Sienna (Bated Breath), and last year had a colt by Too Darn Hot (Dubawi).
TAB Champions Stakes (GR 1)
Show
TAB Champions Stakes (GR 1)
$3,000,000, Flemington, 3yo+, 2000m, Heavy(9)
-
Via Sistina (IRE) 7 b M 57kg
Fastnet Rock (AUS) - Nigh (IRE), by Galileo (IRE)
2nd Dam: Native Force (IRE), by Indian Ridge (IRE)
3rd Dam: La Pellegrina (IRE), by Be My Guest (USA)
B: Laundry Cottage Stud Farm T: C J Waller J: J B Mc Donald
GBG2,700,000, Tattersalls December Mare Sale 2023
V: Grove Stud, Ireland
P: Evergreen Equine
GBG5,000, Tattersalls December Yearling Sale 2019
V: Jamie Railton (Agent)
P: Stephen Hillen Bloodstock
-
Zambardo (NZ) 4 b G 58kg
Belardo (IRE) - Zambezi (NZ), by Zabeel (NZ)
B: Fairdale & Goodwood Studs, Central, NZ T: M Price & M Kent Jnr J: Jamie Melham
-
Tom Kitten (AUS) 5 b/br G 59kg
Harry Angel (IRE) - Transfers (AUS), by Street Cry (IRE)
B: Godolphin Australia VIC T: A & S Freedman J: B Melham
Margins: 2.8 lens, 0.7 lens. Time: 2:07.90 (last 600m)
Betting: $1.80, $13.00, $10.00
Then followed: Pier (NZ), Light Infantry Man (FR), Attrition (AUS), Alenquer (FR), Golden Path (NZ), Point King (IRE), Kovalica (NZ), Benagil (AUS), last.
1st dam: NIGH, by Galileo. Unraced. Dam of-
2014 g. Nigh or Never, by Excelebration. Placed in GB.
2015 g. Harawi, by Camelot. Placed
at 3 in GB.
2016 f. by Charm Spirit. Died.
2017 f. Delicate Touch, by Dutch Art.
Unraced.2018 VIA SISTINA (f by Fastnet Rock). Horse of the Year in Australia in
2024-25. Leading Older Female on the WBR Rankings in 2024. Champion Middle Distance Horse in
Australia in 2024-25. 16 wins from 1400m to 2100m, £433,805, €277,150,
A$18,201,650, to 2025-26, MVRC WS Cox P., Gr.1-twice, 2050m-in track record
time, ATC Queen Elizabeth S., Gr.1, Verry Elleegant S., Gr.1,
Ranvet S., Gr.1-twice, Winx S., Gr.1-twice, VRC LKS Mackinnon
S., Gr.1-twice, Turnbull S., Gr.1, Curragh Pretty Polly S.,
Gr.1, Newmarket Dahlia S., Gr.2, Toulouse Prix Fille de l'Air,
Gr.3, Newmarket British Fillies' H., 2d ATC Queen Elizabeth S.,
Gr.1, Ascot Champion S., Gr.1, Deauville Prix Jean Romanet,
Gr.1, Newmarket Pride S., Gr.3, 3d VRC Makybe Diva S.,
Gr.1, Turnbull S., Gr.1, Newmarket Falmouth S.,
Gr.1, ATC Apollo S., Gr.2, 4th Windsor Winter Hill S.,
Gr.3.
2020 f. Fougere, by Bated Breath. Winner at 10¼f in
2024 in GB.
2021 c. Nazionale, by Ten Sovereigns. Placed at 3 in
2024 in GB.
2022
f. Via Sienna, by Bated Breath. Unraced.
2024 c. by Too Darn Hot.
Ceolwulf comes out on top in titanic Champions Mile tussle
Trevor Marshallsea
ANZ News
Joe Pride declared Ceolwulf (Tavistock) had removed any doubt he was the best horse he’d trained after the gelding’s triumph in an epic Champions Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Appallingly cold, wet and windy conditions on the last day of the Melbourne Cup carnival at least provided the backdrop to two of the most stirring finishes of the week, 40 minutes apart.
First, Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) overcame Magic Time (Hellbent) by 0.2 lengths after a tooth-and-nail final furlong of the VRC Champions Sprint (Gr 1, 1200m).
One race later, Ceolwulf and Pericles (Street Boss) came away from their seven rivals in a gripping struggle in the Mile.
Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) set out to repeat her usual bold front-running display but in the Heavy 9 conditions was a spent force by the turn.
Treasurethe Moment (Alabama Express) had this time tried to put pressure on Pride Of Jenni in front, but while she held the lead for the first half of the home straight, her run also petered out.
With $2.90 favourite Mr Brightside (Bullbars) clearly not going to threaten, it was left to Warwick Farm rivals - Pride’s Ceolwulf and Bjorn Baker’s Godolphin-raced gelding Pericles - to battle for the victory, moving up in better going out wide, after travelling fourth and fifth in the run respectively.
Pericles, at $19 to Ceolwulf’s $5, gained the clear ascendancy, going to the front by a neck at the 150 metres with the race seemingly at his mercy.
But under vigorous riding from Chad Schofield, the blinkered Ceolwulf, now with a clear view of his rival, fought back heroically as the pair went to the line together, with Pride’s charge ultimately prevailing by a threadbare 0.06 lengths.
Baker’s other runner Stefi Magnetica (All Too Hard) was third at $11, a gaping 4.56 lengths away, with Treasurethe Moment hanging on for fourth at $5 to close out an unfulfilled spring, and Mr Brightside fifth.
Pride has had such Group 1 luminaries in his stable as Terravista (Captain Rio), Think About It (So You Think), Eduardo (Host) and Vision And Power (Carnegie).
But he said five-year-old Ceolwulf had erased any lingering doubts that he deserved to be ranked above them all following this fourth elite success, and his second in as many starts after successfully defending his title in Randwick’s King Charles II Stakes (Gr 1, 1609m) on October 18.
“I’ve thought for a long time he’s the best horse I’ve trained and with his last two wins, he’s certainly cemented his spot there,” Pride told Racing.com.
“That was fantastic, really special. I love winning races here. This horse has really turned it on in the second half of the preparation and has strung a couple of very good wins together.
“I thought at the 200 that he wasn’t enjoying it, he was wandering around a little bit, but as soon as Pericles challenged him, he rallied, and it was a really good go to the line with two good horses.
“That’s the key to him; he comes good later in his preparation.”
“I’ve thought for a long time he’s the best horse I’ve trained and with his last two wins, he’s certainly cemented his spot there
Ceolwulf took his earnings past $10 million with his seventh win from 25 starts. Unusually, all previous 24 had come in Sydney.
“I normally travel my horses at some stage of their career but through circumstance he hadn’t had a trip away,” Pride said.
“But it’s nice to see him do that today as some horses don’t like it, don’t enjoy it, but he’s relished it.”
Bred by Sir Brendan and Lady Jo Lindsay - owners of Cambridge Stud where Tavistock (Montjeu) stood until his death in 2019 - Ceolwulf was bought by Pride from the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale in 2022, for $170,000.
He’s the second of seven foals, and one of only two to race, for unraced British import Las Brisas (Shamardal), whose second dam was the mother of Cerulean Sky (Darshaan), winner of Longchamp’s Prix Saint-Alary (Gr 1, 2000m) and Irish Oaks (Gr 1, 1m 4f) victor Moonstone (Dalakhani).
Pride tipped that Ceolwulf might be back at Flemington next spring to contest the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m).
“I’d love to be back here for the Cox Plate. Whether or not he is as good at 2000 [metres] as he is at a mile, we’ll find out in the autumn [and] probably in the Queen Elizabeth. Great way to finish the year,” he said.
Schofield was full of praise for Ceolwulf’s effort in the dogfight to the line.
“He jumped really well today and he took the most out of that good jump and put himself in a more forward position and when the race heated up around the 600 metres, I was still going really well,” he said.
“He ambled into it and then he had a good look when he hit the big Flemington straight for the first time. He got a bit lost for a while until Pericles got in front of him, and then he could see him with his blinkers and he was the stronger horse late.
“If you had asked me how I was feeling at the 400, I’d have said it was race over. He ambled up and came into it but in the Flemington straight he put his head up and baulked. That allowed Pericles to get a margin on me, and when he saw him he went again.”
Schofield paid for his desperation in the finish, being suspended for 11 meetings and fined $35,000 for over-using the whip. He was also suspended for 18 meetings for careless riding near the 1400 metres. With the suspensions to be served cumulatively, he will be out from November 16 until December 17.
Lexus Champions Mile (GR 1)
Show
Lexus Champions Mile (GR 1)
$3,000,000, Flemington, 3yo+, 1600m, Heavy(9)
-
Ceolwulf (NZ) 5 br G 59kg
Tavistock (NZ) - Las Brisas (GB), by Shamardal (USA)
2nd Dam: Bright Halo (IRE), by Bigstone (IRE)
3rd Dam: Solo de Lune (IRE), by Law Society (USA)
B: B J Lindsay MNZM & Mrs J E A Lindsay, Auckland, NZ T: Joseph Pride J: C Schofield
NZ$170,000, New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale 2022
V: Riversley Park Ltd
P: JW Pride
-
Pericles (AUS) 6 br G 59kg
Street Boss (USA) - Accessories (GB), by Singspiel (IRE)
B: Godolphin Australia VIC T: Bjorn Baker J: B Melham
-
Stefi Magnetica (AUS) 5 b M 57kg
All Too Hard (AUS) - Mid Summer Music (AUS), by Oamaru Force (AUS)
B: Cressfield Thoroughbreds NSW T: Bjorn Baker J: J R Collett
Margins: 0.1 lens, 4.5 lens. Time: 1:38.94 (last 600m)
Betting: $5.00, $21.00, $11.00
Then followed: Treasurethe Moment (AUS), Mr Brightside (NZ), Von Hauke (NZ), Lake Forest (GB), Pride of Jenni (AUS), Steparty (AUS), last.
1st dam: LAS BRISAS, by Shamardal. Unraced. Dam of-
2018 c. Thewithiesforever, by Shalaa. Unraced.2020 CEOLWULF (g by Tavistock).
7 wins from 1400m to 2000m, A$10,936,795, to 2025-26, ATC King Charles III S.,
Gr.1-twice, Epsom H., Gr.1, VRC Champions Mile,
Gr.1, ATC Neville Sellwood S., Gr.3, Bankstown Sports H.,
James Squire H., 2d ATC Australian Derby, Gr.1, Rosehill Guineas,
Gr.1, Ming Dynasty H., Gr.3, Kingston Town S.,
Gr.3, 3d ATC George Ryder S., Gr.1, 7 S., Paulele at Darley
H., 4th ATC Winx S., Gr.1, Chelmsford S., Gr.2, Apollo S.,
Gr.2.
2021 foal by Reliable Man. Dead.
2022 f. Lupa Capitolina, by
Almanzor. Raced 3 times.
2024 c. by Sword of State.
2025 f. by Chaldean.
Giga Kick adds to Group 1 tally with gripping Sprint success
Trevor Marshallsea
ANZ News
Reborn sprinter Giga Kick secured his third top tier triumph two-and-a-half years after his second with a gripping victory in the VRC Sprint at Flemington on Saturday.
The Clayton Douglas-trained gelding had shaped as a potential champion early in his career, winning his first five starts culminating in The Everest (1200m) of 2022.
But while he managed his first two Group 1 successes at starts nine and ten in Randwick’s All Aged Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) and the Doomben 10,000 (Gr 1, 1200m) in the late autumn of 2023, injuries conspired to dull his progress, restricting the six-year-old to just 18 starts before Saturday.
This preparation, however, he resumed with his first win since that Doomben 10,000 success, taking Caulfield Schillaci Stakes (Gr 2, 1100m), and in the toughness of a Heavy 9 at Flemington on Saturday, the hulking chestnut looked back to his best, fighting out a titanic duel with wet track demon Magic Time to prevail by 0.2 lengths.
The race was hit by drama before it began, with favourite Tentyris (Street Boss) ruled out under veterinary advice after the star Godolphin three-year-old colt had reared in the gates and put a leg over a partition.
Mark Zahra settled $5 shot Giga Kick in the middle of the nine-runner ruck behind the pacemakers, who including $2.70 favourite Joliestar (Zoustar), while Michael Dee sat out the back on $11 chance Magic Time.
With the field drifting towards the outside rail, Dee took Magic Time to the inside and she and Giga Kick - emerging through the centre - took up the running at the 150 metres. While Grahame Begg’s mare was a head in front at the 50 metres and appearing likely to slip away, Giga Kick gritted his teeth and fought back to score the bravest of wins.
The sprinter who put his sire Scissor Kick (Redoute’s Choice) on the map - before he was sold off to another part of the map entirely to stand in his present home of Tunisia - has now earned almost $15 million with the $1.8m first prize from his ninth win.
“He’s a champ, this horse, and I love him,” an elated Douglas told Racing.com.
“He’s done so much for my career, and he’s taken me everywhere with Group 1 wins in Sydney and Queensland.
“He’s done a tremendous job to get back to Group 1 level and I will be forever grateful for him.
“He just fronts up. He’s an older horse. He missed 12 months with injury.”
Giga Kick’s only previous heavy track outing had come the start before his All Aged victory in April 2023, when he ran I Wish I Win (Savabeel) to a 0.58 length second in Randwick’s TJ Smith Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m), also on a Heavy 9.
“Champions do what champions do and he’s just a good horse,” Douglas said. “He was a young three-year-old running in the TJ Smith with I Wish I Win, and he seemed to handle it.”
Giga Kick gave Zahra his eighth and final winner of the Melbourne Cup carnival, sealing him the Ron Hutchinson Award as the week’s most successful jockey.
“It's so good to see him back,” Zahra said.
“It was pretty tight up the straight. We were all hugged up on the outside there and it looked like Magic Time was going to hold me, but his last 50 [metres], he had a proper crack the old boy and got his head out at the right time.
“I wanted to be on the back of Joliestar but J-Mac pushed me out of the way so I had to get Jedibeel out of the way and the gap came and I was able to squeeze through there.
“Great win, great thrill.”
“Champions do what champions do and he’s just a good horse
Bred by Jonathan Munz’s GSA Bloodstock, Giga Kick was entered but withdrawn from the 2021 Inglis HTBA Yearling Sale, and continued to race in the red and white stripes of his breeder’s Pinecliff Racing.
The six-time stakes winner is one of Scissor Kick’s only two Australian stakes winners - the other being Gold Coast Listed scorer Dzsenifer - and is the tenth and best of 11 named foals out of Rekindled Applause (Royal Applause), who had her last drop in 2021.
Aside from Giga Kick, Rekindled Applause is also the second dam of another Group 1 winner - and present day Yulong sire - Alabama Express (Redoute’s Choice).
She’s also a half-sister to three stakes winners on three separate continents.
Rekindled Interest (Redoute’s Choice) won the MVRC Vase (Gr 2, 2040m) for Munz in 2010 and, on the same day a year later, ran third in the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m).
Where We Left Off (Dr Devious) won the Monmouth Matchmaker Stakes (Gr 3, 1800m) in the US having also bagged a pair of Listed events, while Porticcio (Lomitas) landed a Listed race in Toulouse, France.
VRC Champions Sprint (GR 1)
Show
VRC Champions Sprint (GR 1)
$3,000,000, Flemington, 3yo+, 1200m, Heavy(9)
-
Giga Kick (AUS) 6 ch G 58kg
Scissor Kick (AUS) - Rekindled Applause (GB), by Royal Applause (GB)
2nd Dam: Rekindled Affair (IRE), by Rainbow Quest (USA)
3rd Dam: Seasonal Pickup (USA), by The Minstrel (CAN)
B: G S A Bloodstock Pty Ltd VIC T: Clayton Douglas J: M Zahra -
Magic Time (AUS) 6 b M 56kg
Hellbent (AUS) - Time Awaits (AUS), by Nicconi (AUS)
B: Muir Woodside Pty Ltd NSW T: G M Begg J: M J Dee
-
Joliestar (AUS) 5 b M 56kg
Zoustar (AUS) - Jolie Bay (AUS), by Fastnet Rock (AUS)
B: Mr C Barham QLD T: C J Waller J: J B Mc Donald
Margins: 0.2 lens, 1.3 lens. Time: 1:13.29 (last 600m)
Betting: $5.00, $11.00, $2.80
Then followed: Libertad (AUS), Benedetta (AUS), Tropicus (AUS), Flying for Fun (AUS), Caballus (AUS), Jedibeel (NZ), last.
1st dam: Rekindled Applause, by Royal Applause. 4 wins-3 at 2-to 1500m, €170,753, Milano Premio delle Puledre, Premio Delleana, Premio Merlara, Premio Mezzera, 2d Milano Premio Coolmore, L, Premio Seregno, L, Roma Criterium Femminile, L, Milano Premio Cremona, 3d Milano Premio Vittorio Crespi, L, Premio Erba, Premio Orta, 4th Milano Premio Dormello, Gr.3. Dam of-
2007 f. Lago Ovation, by Encosta de Lago. Raced once. Dam of-ALABAMA EXPRESS
(Redoute's Choice) 4 wins-1 at 2-to 1400m, A$554,750, MRC CF Orr S.,
Gr.1, Gothic S., L, VRC Donate to Salvation Army H.
Sire.Larking. Winner at 1500m, 2d WATC Amelia Park Lodge H., 3d WATC PSC
Insurance H.Valyrian Steel - Tyson (Mac.). 3 wins to 1350m in Aust. and
Macau.Rekindled Choice. Unraced. Dam of-Dusan. 3 wins at 1000m, A$94,650 in
Aust.Our Chief. Winner at 2 in 2024-25 in Aust.Nacho Nacho Man.
Winner at 800m in Aust.
2008 f. Rekindled Outlook, by Flying Spur. Raced
twice. Dam of-Just Kick (Staphanos) Placed at 2 & 3 to 2025-26, 3d VRC
Anzac Day S., L, MRC Sportsbet P.Brian Lamont. 5 wins from
1200m to 2200m, NZ$114,191, to 2024-25, 2d Auckland TR Co-Op Taxis H., BOP RC Ixom H., Fashions
in the Field H., Whangarei RC Harcourts Just Rentals H.Sabai Sabai. 4 wins at
1100m in Aust.
2009 f. Popular Acclaim, by Exceed and Excel. Winner at 2,
2d MRC Swift Signs H., 3d VRC Better Beyond 2YO P., MRC Hyland Race Colours 2YO H., MVRC
Essendon Mazda 55 Second Challenge Heat H., MRC Mimco H. Dam of-Tripod Terror.
Winner at 1200m, A$102,100, in 2024-25, 2d SAJC Carbine Club H., Sportsbet H.,
3d Murray Bridge RC Magic Millions SA 3&4YO Classic.Major Day. Winner at
1600m in Aust.2011 Rekindled Power (c by Redoute's Choice).
Winner at 1400m, A$79,210, 3d ATC Royal Sovereign S., Gr.2,
It's Betting Season at TAB H., 4th BRC Mick Dittman P., L.
2012 g.
Rekindled Effort - Victory Machine (H.K.), by Redoute's Choice. 6 wins at
1000m, 1200m, A$13,750, HK$4,493,125 in Aust. and HK, HKJC Panasonic Beauty Device H., Chevalier
Lifts & Escalators H., Luk Wu H.-twice, Serving the Community H., 2d HKJC Faculties of
Business H., Lady Royal Oak Offshore H., 3d HKJC Tai Hing H.
2013 f. Rekindled Glow, by
Redoute's Choice. Unraced. Dam of-Tagline (Tagaloa) 2 wins at
1200m, 1350m, A$97,000, in 2025-26, 2d VRC Amanda Elliott H., L, 3d MRC Pin
& Win H.Ruins of Rome. Winner at 1200m in 2024-25, BRC Gallopers Sports
Club P., 2d BRC Impressu P.Monastery. 5 wins-1 at 2-from 1400m to 2000m,
A$160,525, to 2025-26, 2d ATC TAB 2YO H.
2014 g. Rekindled Force, by Redoute's Choice.
2 wins at 1000m, 1200m, 3d ATC TAB Highway H.2015
Shuffle Up (g by Redoute's Choice). 3 wins from 1300m to
2400m, A$144,080, ATC Ranvet H., 2400m-in track record time, 2d ATC Carbine Club S.,
Gr.3, TAB Rewards H., Heineken H., 3d ATC TAB H.
2018 f. Miss Gaga, by
Scissor Kick. Winner at 1000m in Aust.2019 GIGA KICK (g by
Scissor Kick). Champion Sprinter & 3YO Male in Australia in 2022-23.
9 wins-2 at 2-to 1400m, A$14,884,345, to 2025-26, VRC Champions Sprint,
Gr.1, ATC All Aged S., Gr.1, BRC Doomben Ten Thousand S.,
Gr.1, VRC Danehill S., Gr.2, MRC Schillaci S.,
Gr.2, Vain S., Gr.3, ATC The Everest, VRC Trevor Clarke 2YO
H., 2d ATC TJ Smith S., Gr.1, The Everest, Gr.1, 3d SAJC
Goodwood H., Gr.1, ATC Challenge S., Gr.2, MVRC Ian McEwen S.,
Gr.2, 4th ATC Premiere S., Gr.2.
2021 g. Pantoja, by
Pariah. Winner at 1200m in 2024-25 in Aust.
Calamari Ring proves to be a tasty buy for To
Trevor Marshallsea
ANZ News
After a wet and wild day at Flemington, owner Leo To will be hoping lightning has struck twice following the Inglis Banner (RL, 1000m) success of his two-year-old filly Calamari Ring (Street Boss).
Four years ago, the Sydney-based expat Hong Kong businessman ventured to the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale in the early days of building his Australian thoroughbred interests, and picked up a bargain filly by Brave Smash (Tosen Phantom) for $21,000.
She became Kimochi, who earned $2.12 million in a Group 1 winning career for Gary Portelli, being sold along the way to Yulong for $2.2m at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale.
To plundered another Inglis weanling auction - last year’s Great Southern sale - to purchase Calamari Ring, and while he had to stretch a little further to acquire her for $140,000, in partnership with agent Shane McGrath, the move looks set to pay off again.
Ridden by Ethan Brown, the Ciaron Maher-trained filly showed great maturity to head up the centre of the Flemington straight in driving rain and lead in ten male and female rivals by 0.2 lengths on debut in the Banner - comfortably eclipsing her purchase price in one hit with the $240,000 first prize.
“I’m a big fan of the Inglis weanling sales,” To said.
“As with my approach before, I always find there is great value at the weanling sales, so we didn’t have any hesitation about securing her.
“The money we pay at weanling sales is much better value than at the yearling sales. If she was at the yearling sales, I’d probably have had to pay $300,000 or $400,000 for her. So, it’s beautiful.
“I’ll continue to buy at the weanling sales. They’re my favourite.”
Calamari Ring was one of the first horses bought in To’s association with McGrath.
“She had beautiful size, she was very strong and very correct - just the best horse in the sale,” To said. “Shane has a very good eye, and he picked her for me.”
Maher was delighted with the filly’s debut performance, tipping she had “a bright future”.
“God I thought she’s done a great job,” the winning trainer told Racing.com. “She came up the middle of the track, had never seen the straight.
“She’s always shown ability. I didn’t think she’d get to the races this early, but as good horses do, they do well in training, and every time we’ve asked a little bit of her it brought her on.”
Calamari Ring lined up off the back of two jump-outs, the latest a victory at Cranbourne on October 20 as the only two-year-old against ten older males and females.
“Ciaron thought enough of her to trial against three-year-olds and she held her own in what looked wet enough ground,” Brown said.
“I was always confident she was going to handle it today. She’s just prepared so well.
“She was very professional and made my job easy, for a young horse. She’s nice and fit for a heavy track first up, and you can’t kick your career off in much better fashion than that.
“I did have a look at the track and I thought anywhere up the middle was fine. Once she let down, she let down nice.”
“I always find there is great value at the weanling sales, so we didn’t have any hesitation about securing her
Bred and sold by Victoria’s Two Bays Farm, Calamari Ring is the fourth foal - all fillies - out of Excelsior Island (Exceed And Excel), a two-time winner in New Zealand and half-sister to that country’s Champion 2YO of 2011-12, Warhorse (General Nediym).
Excelsior Island now has a fifth filly foal, by Rubick (Encosta De Lago), and was covered last season by Dirty Work (Written Tycoon).
Street Boss (Street Cry) now has 84 stakes winners from 1,477 runners worldwide at 5.7 per cent. In Australia, Darley Victoria’s $66,000 stallion has 29 black type victors from 561 runners 5.2 per cent.
The Banner brought a quinella for fillies bought in tandem with McGrath, with second place going to Streisand (Magnus) at $6.50.
Her trainer Clinton McDonald and McGrath paid $100,000 for the daughter of Magnus (Flying Spur) from Northmore Thoroughbreds’ draft at this year’s Inglis Premier Yearling Sale in Melbourne.
Third went to $7 chance Bohemian Rhapsody (Prague) from the Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m)-winning stable of Tony and Calvin McEvoy, at $7.
Darby Racing strike gold at Rosehill
Trevor Marshallsea
ANZ News
Darby Racing showed they could be set for another major juvenile season when they took the quinella in Saturday’s $1 million Golden Gift (1100m) at Rosehill with Revengeance (Hellbent) and Spicy Miss (Trapeze Artist).
Well ridden by Josh Parr, the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained colt Revengeance sat just off the pace before pushing to the lead at the 200-metre mark and coming away to score by 0.91 lengths as $2.60 favourite.
The Ciaron Maher-trained Spicy Miss had tracked up behind Revengeance and came four wide around the turn, sticking on well to her task to take second at $15.
Revengeance, who ran third in the Breeders’ Plate (Gr 3, 1000m), and debutant Spicy Miss hail from the typical Darby playbook, both being relatively inexpensive purchases.
Darby bought Revengeance for $100,000 from the draft of breeders Davali Thoroughbreds at this year’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, while going to $150,000 to secure Spicy Miss at Magic Millions Gold Coast, sold by Widden Stud on behalf of breeder Bert Vieira.
Revengeance, who signalled a potentially bright future by winning his heat at Sydney’s first official two-year-old barrier trials on September 22, was wound into $11 equal favouritism for the Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) after Saturday’s win.
Bott said the $580,000 earned had made the path to the world’s richest juvenile event so much easier.
“We’ll work back from the Slipper as to what that path is,” he told Channel 7. “Whether it’s the Blue Diamond, whether it’s Inglis Millennium, we have a few different lead-up options.
“Whether we go a traditional path, we’ll see what pans out and see what we think is the best way to get him to the Slipper. Obviously he’s got the money now.
“He’s a lovely type. Josh gave him a lovely ride today, and just used that race experience to advantage. He rode the high pressure there, got into a lovely spot just in behind the speed and produced at the right time. He was excellent late, good through the line, and there was a lot to like about that win.”
Bott paid tribute to Scott Darby’s syndications company, whose two-year-old successes include the 2017 Golden Slipper with $20,000 purchase She Will Reign (Manhattan Rain), and last season’s Inglis Banner, Inglis Nursery (RL, 1000m) and Sweet Embrace Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) with $30,000 buy Within The Law (Lucky Vega).
“They’re incredible at selecting and what they do, and incredible the way they manage their horses,” he said. “They’re an absolutely pleasure and a dream to deal with. They’re very professional in everything they do. It’s an honour to be able to train for them and get nice horses like this in the yard.”
Parr, who also rode Revengeance in the Breeders’ Plate, said the colt would handle the 1200 metres of the Slipper and other races without “a worry at all”.
“Speaking of his ability, I can’t speak highly enough,” he said. “He’s improved each time I’ve sat aboard him now.
“His action seems to be ironing out a little bit. You could see in his first trial, he looked like a kangaroo coming up the straight. But today he flattened out really well and I can’t wait to see him in March [for the Slipper].”
“You could see in his first trial, he looked like a kangaroo coming up the straight. But today he flattened out really well
Revengeance is the first foal out of Havasu (Sacred Falls), a half-sister from dual New Zealand Listed winner Halobelle (My Halo) to Miss Federer (Swiss Ace), who won three Listed races and a Group 3, also east of the Tasman.
Havasu now has a yearling filly and a filly foal by Vinery Stud’s $33,000 stallion Exceedance (Exceed And Excel).
Despite being advertised as a Group 3, the Golden Gift does not carry black type status. It is among 18 events Racing NSW announced as having had status upgrades since the start of last season, but whose supposed upgrades have been rejected by international authorities.
NZB has been associated with the Newcastle race every year since its 2021 inception, including in 2024, when it was run for the first time under its subsequently rejected upgrade to Listed, as The New Zealand Bloodstock Beauford.
However, RNSW’s diary shows the event, to be held next Saturday, will be run merely as The Beauford. RNSW still insists it is a Listed event, just as it insists the day’s feature - The Hunter (1300m) - is a Group 2, when in fact neither race has black type status. The same applies to Saturday’s Five Diamonds (1800m) at Rosehill, advertised as “Listed”.
Amid NSW’s ongoing black type shambles, the association of Inglis and NZB with the Golden Gift and The Beauford while they were advertised under their faux new statuses had drawn criticism from certain quarters, considering how fundamental the integrity of the black type pattern is to how sales companies operate.
Since the NSW 18’s supposed upgrades are not recognised by international authorities, they are also not recognised by Arion - the southern hemisphere’s largest supplier of pedigree information - and thus are not reflected in sales catalogues, including at Inglis, NZB, or Magic Millions.


























