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Friday, February 27, 2026

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Lead Story

‘We feel that we've got a horse here to suit everyone’ - Newhaven brings firepower to the Inglis Premier Sale

By Tayla Dyke

@ANZ_News

Inspections were in full swing at Newhaven (Credit: Inglis)

Newhaven Park will present an 18-strong draft at the upcoming Inglis Premier Yearling Sale and also be keeping a close eye on the racetrack, where its unbeaten homebred Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) will chase her second Group 1 victory.

What's On

The Kelly family-bred daughter of The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice) has rapidly become one of the most exciting mares in Australia, and the iconic operation will be watching closely as she bids to extend her remarkable winning streak to ten in the Verry Elleegant Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) at Randwick.

Sold by Newhaven for a sale-topping $600,000 at the 2022 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale, Autumn Glow, went on to make a sale-leading $1.8 million at the Easter sale the following year, has continued to enhance the farm’s reputation for producing high-class racehorses, with her rise providing a timely boost ahead of Victoria’s key yearling auction.

“It is exciting, but then it gets a little bit more nerve-racking every start,” John Kelly told ANZ News, amid a busy inspection period at Oaklands Junction. “Everything is exciting at the moment - there is so much upside in her, there looks to be, so we'll just hope that she can deliver again.”

Drawn in barrier three, the Chris Waller-trained mare will again be partnered by James McDonald and is currently a $1.30 favourite with bookmakers. She is set to face a strong line-up that includes seven of her stable companions including Lindermann (Lonhro) and Aeliana (Castelvecchio) as well as Group 1 winners Ceolwulf (Tavistock) and Sir Delius (Frankel) for the Joe Pride and Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable respectively.

Lot 99: Cool Aza Beel ex Heriz filly (Credit: Inglis)

With her picket fence of victories growing longer and her dominant performances catching the eye of racing fans, comparisons have naturally been drawn with champion mare Winx (Street Cry), although Kelly believes such talk is premature.

“It’s a big comparison that's probably not really justified yet. When she gets to 30 straight, then you can start making comparisons. At the moment, she's got a long way to go. She's obviously very exciting, very talented, and it's great to have her sporting our brand, but we'll just take one start at a time and let's hope she can win on Saturday.”

Regardless of the result, attention will quickly turn to Oaklands Junction, where the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale begins on Sunday. Newhaven Park will offer a diverse draft across Book 1, with Kelly confident the farm has assembled a group capable of appealing to a broad cross-section of buyers.

“We feel that we've got a horse here to suit everyone, whether it's a filly or a colt, and hopefully the sale goes well,” Kelly said.

Lot 458: Star Witness ex Zouper Star colt (Credit: Inglis)

Among the early highlights is Lot 99, a filly by Newhaven’s resident sire Cool Aza Beel (Savabeel) out of the unraced Redoute’s Choice mare Heriz. The mare has already proven herself at paddocks having produced dual Group 3 winner Jamaican Rain (Manhattan Rain) and two-time Group 2-placed Diasonic (Reset).

“Cool Aza Beel has been well received this year, and she's one of the nicest fillies we've presented by him so far,” Kelly said.

Another pedigree update has added interest to Lot 223, a colt by Starspangledbanner (Choisir) from the dual winner My Sweet Fish (Shamus Award), a sister to Group-level winner Swats That. The colt’s page received a timely boost when his half-brother Flying Boom (Saxon Warrior) scored at Sha Tin earlier this month, enhancing an already commercial family.

“He’s a very nice Starspangledbanner colt out of My Sweet Fish, he’s been well admired.”

Newhaven will also consign Lot 396 on behalf of Mark Pilkington’s Seymour Bloodstock. By Shamus Award (Snitzel), the filly is out of Listed placegetter The Front Bar (Sessions). The mare was purchased in Western Australia with racing ambitions before injury redirected her toward the breeding barn, and her first offering for the farm has drawn favourable comments during inspections.

Kelly explained: “They bought the mare in WA to race, she came over and was very highly rated. Dan O'Sullivan had her very highly rated, but she actually hurt herself so she went to stud, and this is a lovely Shamus Award filly out of her.”

One of the most talked-about members of the draft is Lot 251, a striking son of Newhaven-based sire Xtravagant (Pentire) out of the Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) mare Paris Lights. From the same family as the talented Lavish Girl, the colt has already generated strong interest during parades and inspections.

“He is a rockstar and he's by Xtravagant, and he's a blood brother to Lavish girl, who was obviously a very good Xtravagant filly, which we raced,” Kelly said. “We bought the mare especially to breed him and he's the first foal we've got out of her. He's probably been the most admired horse in our draft, if I'm being frank with you. He's just a beautiful horse.”

Arguably the headline act of the Newhaven consignment arrives later in the catalogue. Offered as Lot 458, the son of Star Witness (Starcraft) is out of Zouper Star (Zoustar), making him a half-brother to last Saturday’s Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Streisand (Magnus). Purchased by Shane McGrath Bloodstock for $20,000 at the Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale, the colt has attracted strong attention in the lead-up to the auction.

“We've got a beautiful Star Witness colt, obviously he is the star of the draft being the half-brother to Streisand,” Kelly said. “He's been very well admired. He's been at Newhaven since June. He was purchased out of the Weinling sales, he's come up there and he's a very nice horse. He's really developed and come on since he arrived and he's got a great nature, he's a great mover, so we're really looking forward to selling him.”

The Melbourne sale continues a busy eastern seaboard campaign for the Boorowa nursery, which has already traded through this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast and Inglis Classic yearling sales. Kelly believes strong prize-money levels and sustained demand for quality bloodstock have helped underpin a resilient market so far in 2026.

“I think the market's very good, prize-money is very good,” said Kelly. “Racing is very exciting, especially at this time of the year. And I would go as far to say, I think the horse market this year is probably a little bit better than last year, a little bit more zing in it, and we've been very happy how we've gone this year, but as always, we just put our horses on the market with very low reserves, and we sell them.

“We've been coming to Melbourne for seven or eight years now, and we've always done really well down here.”

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Morning Briefing

Australia

O’ Ole Confirmed for Magic Millions National Sale

Dual stakes-winning filly O’ Ole (Ole Kirk) will provide breeders with a rare opportunity when she is offered as a broodmare prospect at the 2026 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, which is due to take place on May 26 and 27 on the Gold Coast. To be presented by Attunga Stud, O’ Ole is one of a select group to complete the Magic Millions Wyong 2YO (RL, 1200) and Gold Coast 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) double. An earner of almost $2 million from just nine starts, she was a $325,000 Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase by the then unproven sire Ole Kirk (Written Tycoon). Trainer Bjorn Baker said the filly made an impression from the outset. “The team and myself loved her from the first time we saw her,” Baker said. “She had the looks and the attitude. From day dot we knew we had a horse of immense ability. We bought her to win the Magic Millions and she was able to achieve it.” Baker believes O’ Ole possesses key attributes required for success at stud. “She has two of the big things required: speed and great temperament,” he said. “Along with that, she is a great type, good sized and well-balanced.” Attunga Stud’s Brian Nutt said O’ Ole will anchor what is shaping as one of the farm’s strongest drafts in years. “I haven’t put together a draft like this for many years,” Nutt said. “We’ve been honoured to sell mares like Bonny O'Reilly, Ruud Awakening, Savvy Coup and Eckstein, but this year’s draft as a group will be right up there.” Also confirmed for the draft is champion New Zealand mare Legarto (Proisir), along with Group 2 winner Double Market (Castelvecchio) and Sydney sprinter Bonita Queen (I Am Invincible).

Anamoe breeding right sells for $450,000

A breeding right in first-crop sire sensation Anamoe (Street Boss) realised $450,000 in Thursday night’s Inglis Digital February (Late) Online Sale, selling to Laird Morgan. The nine-time Group 1 winner has made a strong commercial start at stud, with his first yearlings averaging $469,032 in Book 1 at the 2026 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale – the highest average ever recorded by a first-season stallion at that sale. Anamoe also joined a select group of debut sires to produce a seven-figure yearling from their first crop to go through the ring. The $450,000 result reflects continued demand for access to the son of Street Boss (Street Cry), who will be represented by 11 lots at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, which begins on Sunday.

Maher brimming in confidence ahead of Tempted’s Group 1 task

Ciaron Maher is confident that his The Everest (Gr 1, 1200m) runner-up Tempted (Street Boss) can put up a big effort in Saturday's Surround Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) at Randwick. The three-year-old filly has only run at 1400 metres on one other occasion when third in the Golden Rose (Gr 1, 1400m) back in September, a run that preceded her second to superstar sprinter Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress) in The Everest. A first-up win in the Eskimo Prince Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) has the daughter of Street Boss (Street Cry) all set for this weekend's step back up to Group 1 company. “She’s developing all the time. She had a light prep last time around, she was very good at all her runs,’’ Maher told Racing NSW. “She’s only three, she’s still furnishing so she’s a bit stronger and a fraction heavier. All the mannerisms are pretty similar, she was pretty good first-up. I’m not concerned at all [about 1400 metres], she ran a peak first-up last time around and ran back two weeks and the winner was obviously very good. I thought we were solid. That’s why we took the extra week, we took on the colts and she performed accordingly. She’s two starts on a soft for two wins, she’s yet to run on the heavy so she could be better. I’m very confident she’ll improve off her first-up run and from what she’s shown she should be extremely hard to beat.”

Waller expecting good efforts from Surround pair

Chris Waller is expecting his two Surround Stakes-bound fillies to put up bold efforts in this weekend's Group 1, despite them being found further down the market. Waller will send both Karinska (Spirit Of Boom) and Panova (Trapeze Artist) to the 1400-metre contest, with the former having run fifth in the Light Fingers Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) last time out, while the latter has not been seen since taking out the Carbine Club Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) on November 1. "She is under-rated. That's not saying she can beat those good horses, it's a very good edition," Waller said of Karinska, a $34 chance. "We're not expecting too much, but if she's running top five then we're on track to finding our own way somewhere." Waller confirmed the Phar Lap Stakes (Gr 2, 1500m) at Rosehill on March 14 - which he has won eight times in the past 11 years - was her immediate goal, as is the case with Panova. "She will go to the Phar Lap and the Vinery. If she was really impressive in the Phar Lap, she could go to the Coolmore [Classic]," Waller said of Panova, a $17 shot. "She is a really good horse. She was impressive in those two wins. She came from well back in each of them. She is still carrying a bit of weight, but Saturday is a great starting point."

Rain could be key for Ceolwulf

Joe Pride has admitted that Ceolwulf (Tavistock) is likely to need some significant rainfall in the lead-up to Saturday if he is to beat Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) in the Verry Elleegant Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) at Randwick. Autumn Glow is a $1.30 favourite to extend her unbeaten sequence to ten on Saturday, with Ceolwulf finishing five lengths behind that rival when sixth in the Apollo Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) first-up for this preparation. "I'm not even thinking about winning chances because honestly, if that mare shows up with what she did the other day, you're probably not going to beat her at this stage of the preparation for us, with no blinkers and so early on," Pride said. "His best chance of running really well would be if the track is wet, so I've got my eye on that. That's probably what punters want to hear from me, 'is there a chance your horse could win? Well yes, but it would have to be wet, I would think'. Hopefully the first four or five and I'll be happy. That will be box ticked going forward and I'll know that he is on track. But I'm very happy with him."

Sir Delius ready for Autumn Glow face-off

Co-trainer Adrian Bott is another to concede that taking on Autumn Glow in this weekend's Verry Elleegant Stakes looks a tough task, but is hoping for a positive return performance from dual Group 1 scorer Sir Delius (Frankel). The five-year-old entire finished off last campaign with wins in the Underwood Stakes (Gr 1, 1800m) and Turnbull Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m), kicking off that preparation with a first-up second in the Chelmsford Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m). “We saw him first-up last preparation run a good honest race over the mile behind Lindermann [in the Chelmsford], hopefully he can run a similar sort of race,’’ Bott, who trains in partnership with Gai Waterhouse, told Racing NSW. “They aren’t going to be the ideal conditions for him, the mile is well short of his best and he’s bumping into a few horses with the benefit of a run. We’ve tried to keep a similar routine with him early. His first two trials were particularly pleasing and sharp, that latest one was a little dour which they can do by that stage of the preparation. He’s a horse that does what he needs to in his work. Once we saw him fully under pressure and tested at the elite level the way he responded was quite incredible.”

Warwoven bidding to stamp home Slipper chance

The Bjorn Baker-trained Warwoven (Sword Of State) will get a chance to solidify his place in next month's Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) when he lines up in Saturday's Skyline Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Randwick. The juvenile son of Sword Of State (Snitzel) has won both of his starts to date, a 1000-metre contest on debut at Randwick before then taking out the Jacquinot First Yearlings @ Magic Millions Handicap (1200m) at Eagle Farm on January 3, defeating Lumbini (Russian Revolution) by 3.3 lengths. “He’s been kept up to the mark, he didn’t lose a lot of residual fitness,’’ Baker told Racing NSW. “He was ready to go only about five or six weeks ago. He’s had a few good gallops and I’m happy with him. You can only worry about your own horse and he has given us plenty to worry about. But his work on Tuesday was excellent, Rachel [King] rode him, he was strong to the line and recovered well.” Baker has the top two in the betting for the Golden Slipper with Warwoven at $6 and Paradoxium (Extreme Choice) at $11, and is hoping Warwoven can improve that position even further. “It’s the iconic Sydney race, from a residual and breeding point of view there’s no better,’’ Baker said. “It’s what Sydney racing is about for me, fast horses that can get up and running early. I’m confident class is going to carry him a long way. There’s probably a little bit of improvement naturally going into the Golden Slipper but he couldn’t have done much more and his class and attitude will carry him far.”

Munce’s bidding to end home state drought in Skyline

Father-and-son trainers Chris and Corey Munce are hoping that they can become the first Queensland-based trainers to land Saturday's Skyline Stakes at Randwick since 1994 when they head to the track with Star Of Jamaica (Profiteer). The Profiteer (Capitalist) colt has won once from three starts and was last seen running fourth in the Inglis Millennium (RL, 1100m) at Randwick on February 7, beaten just over a length by Fireball (Snitzel). “They ran quick time and after analysing the race closely, I was very pleased with his run,” Corey Munce told Racing Queensland. “He needs to win to get into the Golden Slipper, but he’s been working very well and he put on ten kilograms in a week after his last run. Zac Lloyd is riding him again and it’s good to see when jockeys want to stay with a horse. I think he’s going to be an even better three-year-old next season. This is another test for him in the Skyline and if he doesn’t win, we have him nominated for the Sires’ Produce Stakes.”

Maher to decide on Sweet Embrace team

Ciaron's Star (I Am Invincible) is not yet a certain runner in this weekend's Sweet Embrace Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m), with the Ciaron Maher-trained filly unlikely to run if the ground deteriorates at Randwick. The last-start Pierro Plate (1100m) winner could take up a place alongside stablemate Spicy Miss (Trapeze Artist), but Maher's stable representative Johann Gerard-Dubord revealed his boss will make a decision on the morning of the race. "We have the option to either go two weeks [into Saturday], and three weeks into the Slipper, or wait an extra week, which will give her three weeks from last start and two weeks into the Slipper," Gerard-Dubord said. "She is by I Am Invincible. Usually, they don't tend to like those wet tracks. We've got a very open mind. If there was a bit of give, there would be no issue, but if the track was too wet, we'd be waiting an extra week." Spicy Miss, however, is a definite runner in the Group 2 having run second in both the Golden Gift (1100m) and Lonhro Plate (Listed, 1000m). "After the Gift, we knew we were a good chance to qualify for the Slipper, so working back from the Slipper, we have left plenty of improvement to come," Gerard-Dubord said. "We've still got more to come, but three weeks between runs and stepping up to 1200 [metres] will suit her, and a bit of rain around wouldn't bother her. Obviously, we'd love to get a win on the board, and if she did that or ran very well, we'd progress to the Slipper."

Ryan on weather watch with Arctic Glamour

Group 2-winning mare Arctic Glamour (Frosted) is another runner that could bypass Saturday's Randwick card if the forecast rainfall arrives. The Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained daughter of Frosted (Tapit) has failed to win in six attempts on soft ground and Ryan has admitted that Plan B will be employed should the rain arrive, meaning she would skip this weekend's Guy Walter Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) in favour of the Newcastle Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m) on March 6. "We will know on Saturday morning at 7.30 [AEDT]," Ryan said. "If she doesn't run Saturday, she will go to Newcastle. But she won't be running on rain-affected ground. [She's] as good as ever. Her fresh record is great, she's had seven goes for two wins, a second and a third, and there was one race first-up at Randwick you could just put a line through. Her first trial was good. She probably ran out of a bit of puff. Then the other day we went back and rode her quietly and she hit the line really well - I didn't want her to have a hard trial, I wanted her to run home for 300 or 400 metres, and she did that really well."

Axius to have Randwick test

Last-start Magic Millions Snippets (1200m) winner Axius (Justify) will be handed a bigger task on Saturday when he heads to Randwick for the Liverpool City Cup (Gr 3, 1300m). The four-year-old son of Justify (Scat Daddy) will be tested at a higher level by trainer Ciaron Maher and jockey Tim Clark admits he isn't sure just how good the gelding is. "He's been a horse that has been threatening to do something like he did," Clark said. "He's a big, tough, headstrong Justify gelding who really enjoyed riding the back of that good speed at the Gold Coast. It was a dominant performance up there and he still gets into this race with a very light weight." Axius will carry the 53.50-kilogram minimum on Saturday, with the handicaps headed by seasoned sprinter Coal Crusher (Turffontein) with 58 kilograms. "He's an interesting runner to see where he measures up," Clark added. "He beat The Instructor home at the Gold Coast and meets him better at the weights on Saturday. This race on Saturday is probably going to decide his future plans through the autumn and the winter and how high they can aim with him. But he has barely put a foot wrong during his career, and they've been very patient with him, so they're getting the rewards now."

Stockdale chases Guineas glory on Onavuitton

Tom Stockdale is excited to partner the Simon Zahra-trained Onavuitton (Castelvecchio) when the gelding lines up in Saturday's Australian Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) at Flemington. Stockdale revealed he was happy with Onavuitton's fourth-placed effort in the Autumn Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) at Caulfield on February 7. "We were happy with his run," Stockdale said. "He was a month between runs, and they never sat up in the race. They ran along at a good clip the whole way and Observer, he's a class horse. I thought he did a good job to keep rolling along on the hot speed like he did, especially off the gap between runs. He would have benefitted off it, and if you take the top three out and it's a very even race. He always puts his best foot forward and his run in the Sires' at Flemington was good and I think getting back to the bigger track at Flemington is only going to help him, especially stepping up to the mile. It's a race that can throw up a rough result and Simon's team is flying, they're getting result after result and I'm confident they will have him in tip-top order on Saturday.”

Lindsay Park double-up in Blamey

Saturday's Blamey Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) at Flemington will see Lindsay Park send a duo of hopefuls to the Group 2 mile. Both Apulia (Fiorente) and Plymouth (The Autumn Sun) will take their chance, with trainers Ben, Will and JD Hayes hoping the race can lead the pair to the Australian Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) back at Flemington on March 28. Apulia has landed the Ted Van Heemst Stakes (Gr 2, 2100m) and Perth Cup (Gr 2, 2400m) on his last two outings, and was also runner-up in the Victoria Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) as a three-year-old. "He's got good residual fitness from his trip to Perth, and we've kept him happy since he's been back," Ben Hayes said. "He had a good hit-out on the course proper last week in the jump-out where he was good through the line, and it showed he is on track. The mile will be at the shorter end for him, but he has won good races over that track and trip previously, so he can run well fresh. He was a fantastic three-year-old, but we just had to be on the patient side since with an injury and he's come back great. He nearly won a Derby, he was a centimetre away, and it's great to have him back." Meanwhile, Plymouth ran fourth in the Kevin Heffernan Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m) first-up at Caulfield on February 7, beaten four lengths by Tom Kitten (Harry Angel). "He had a great run first-up in the Kevin Heffernan and he's on a similar path to the Australian Cup," Hayes said.

Thunder Hawk set for emotional run

The Lucy Yeomans-trained Thunder Hawk (American Pharoah) will be an emotional runner for the yard at Cranbourne on Friday, with the day marking the one-year anniversary of Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m)-winning trainer Mike Moroney's death. Thunder Hawk heads into the 1200-metre event having won a recent barrier on the back of a freshen-up. “She’s trialled up nicely,” Yeomans told Racing.com. “She just doesn’t really win out of turn but if she could, it would be great because she’s still owned by some of Mike’s really loyal clients, Kariba Racing. They bought her back when she was sold online. They were very close with Mike, so if she could get the job done, that would be a super result. She’s going well, we’ve come back in trip with her, we just found that she wasn’t ever quite finishing her races off and she trialled up quite sharply.” Yeomans explained that her association with Moroney came through her family and through her partner, star jockey Blake Shinn. “My family were quite close with him, he used to spell his horses at my family’s farm,” Yeomans said. “They were quite close with him, and he was obviously very close with Blake, so I got to know him a bit better then. He was obviously a great man, and I didn’t realise tomorrow was one year since his passing, so I’ll give Hawkey a pep talk.”

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New Zealand

Robinson hoping to repeat history in Dunedin Guineas

Alottago pictured as a yearling (Credit: NZB)

Lance Robinson won the Dunedin Guineas (Listed, 1600m) seven years ago with Air Max (Nadeem) and he believes he has the right horse to double his tally in the race when he heads to Wingatui on Saturday. The Riccarton-based trainer will head south with his Group 3 performer Alottago (Tagaloa), who like many of his counterparts has had an interrupted preparation due to the abandonment of the Gore Guineas (Listed, 1335m) earlier this month. The son of Tagaloa (Lord Kanaloa) subsequently had his first-up run at Ashburton last week, where he finished fifth over 1200 metres, and Robinson has been pleased with his progress heading into the Dunedin Guineas. “That’s just the name of the game [Gore Guineas abandonment],” Robinson said. “He missed that run so we had to go to Plan B and go to that 1200-metre race the other day, which wasn’t really ideal, but we had to go somewhere to get a run into him. He has done everything right since his run the other day. He had a bit of a run along this [Thursday] morning and his work was excellent. He is right up to the mark.” Alottago will jump from barrier 14 and will be ridden by northern hoop Joe Doyle, who is still riding the high of winning the New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) aboard Ohope Wins (Ocean Park) last weekend. “I am not too worried about the barrier,” Robinson said. “He can get a bit of room out there and Joe is a good rider, and he will get him a bit of cover and he can make his own plans from out there. I would rather be out there with a little bit of room than cladded up on the fence behind slow horses.”

Bosson and Te Akau to make strong claim at Wingatui

Te Akau Racing will head to Wingatui’s Classics Day on Saturday in full force, including stable jockey Opie Bosson, who will fly south to ride several of their leading contenders at the lucrative meeting. Bosson, who recently recorded his 100th Group 1 win in the saddle, will partner four Te Akau runners on the ten-race card, including the in-form Insatiable (All Too Hard) in the Happy Retirement Wayne Stevens (1200m). The six-year-old gelding placed in three consecutive races, including the Stewards Stakes (Listed, 1200m), before breaking through for an elusive victory in the Peninsula Cup (1100m) earlier this month and will be joined by stablemate Trobriand (Kermadec). “He is always thereabouts and it was good to see him get one there last time,” assistant trainer Hunter Durrant said. “His work on the course proper at Riccarton on Tuesday was really good, he looks outstanding, he is probably one of the better-looking horses in the barn, so I am really confident with him.” Bosson will also ride promising juvenile Never Too Much (Rubick) in the KB Contractors (1100m), Purple Prose (Embellish) in the Speights (1600m), and Stonybreck (Tavistock) in the White Robe Lodge WFA (Gr 3, 1600m). The stable has several other stakes contenders, including last-start winner Perlino (Super Seth) in the Dunedin Guineas. “Perlino is a lovely filly by Super Seth that has come down and has done everything right,” Durrant said. “We expected her to run well at Riccarton last start, but probably not win in the fashion that she did. It was pretty convincing."

Muniandy chasing lucrative home spoils on Classics Day

Wingatui-based trainer Shankar Muniandy has made the Dunedin Guineas his own in recent years, and while he won’t get the opportunity to extend his record in the race at his local meeting on Saturday, he will be chasing some lucrative prize-money on offer with a former winner. Muniandy won the Guineas two years ago with Collect Your Cash (Rageese) before doubling his tally last year with Loose Sally (Turn Me Loose), and the latter will seek to continue her winning ways on Classics Day when she contests the $200,000 ODT Southern Mile Final (1600m). A standout for Muniandy as a three-year-old, Loose Sally was also victorious in the Warstep Stakes (Listed, 2000m) and placed in the NZB Insurance Stakes (Listed, 1400m) last season. She has returned with the same vigour as a four-year-old, posting three consecutive victories, and TAB bookmakers have duly installed her a $4 favourite for Saturday’s rich mile. “She is really well, she galloped on Wednesday and was outstanding,” Muniandy said. “She is in good form and hopefully everything goes her way.” Muniandy’s brother, apprentice jockey Ruvanesh Muniandy, will be in the saddle once again, with his two-kilogram claim bringing Loose Sally’s allocated weight down to 59.5 kilograms. “She won with 59.5 kilograms last start and after the claim she is going to carry the same weight again this week,” Muniandy said. “She is a big girl, she can handle it.”

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Asia

HK: Ferraris reunites with Dazzling Fit for Hong Kong Classic Cup

Luke Ferraris reunites with the David Eustace-trained Dazzling Fit (Ribchester) in the Hong Kong Classic Cup (Listed, 1800m) at Sha Tin on Sunday and believes he can be competitive despite being one of the lowest-rated entries in the field. A third-place finish in a Class 3 1800-metre contest under Zac Purton this month, raising Dazzling Fit’s rating to 76, was enough to secure a place in Sunday’s field. That day, he finished half-a-length behind the winner, to whom he gave 11 pounds, Hong Kong Derby (Listed, 2000m) prospect Flow Water Flow (Proisir). “He’s a nice horse and his lead-up has been pretty good,” Ferraris said. “He’s just going to need a race run to suit. He’s obviously still maturing and not the final product yet, but he’s given every sort of sign that he’s going to be a nice horse." Ferraris enjoyed a productive three-year-old campaign with Dazzling Fit last season, piloting him to two wins, a second and a third from five runs. He hasn’t ridden the gelding since October last year, but is happy to be partnering the New Zealand-bred again as he seeks a Hong Kong Classic Cup win to go alongside the Hong Kong Classic Mile (Listed, 1600m) title he claimed last season with My Wish (Flying Artie). “He’s pretty easy to ride,” Ferraris said of Dazzling Fit. “He can get fired up a little bit, but he’s got a great action, and a relatively good temperament. So he’s not hard to work with. I think he’ll appreciate the 1800 [metres]. If there can be a little bit of pace on just to help him get into a rhythm and settle, he’s got a big action on him and you want to see him use it. If he can get those things to suit, then, hopefully, he’s in with a shout."

HK: Mo relaxed ahead of Group 1 ride aboard Winning Wing

Dylan Mo says he is composed as he prepares to compete in his first Group 1 race aboard Winning Wing (Preferment) in Sunday’s Hong Kong Gold Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) at Sha Tin. Mo’s composure stems from the close partnership he’s built with Winning Wing, who was procured to race in Hong Kong by his close friend, former jockey-turned-bloodstock agent Kei Chiong. Three of Mo’s four wins this term have come aboard the Francis Lui-trained five-year-old with whom he’s developed a strong bond. Winning Wing has enjoyed a progressive season that has resulted in a 20-point boost in his rating. Much of the gelding’s improvement can fairly be attributed to Mo, who has not only been in the saddle for each of Winning Wing’s 15 career runs, but also rarely misses a trackwork session with the New Zealand-bred bay. While Mo is excited to rub shoulders with Hong Kong’s elite riders at Group 1 level for the first time, he said he doesn’t feel nervous because he’s confident about Winning Wing’s ability. “I’m very happy I can ride in the Group 1 with Winning Wing,” Mo said. “I’m not too excited that it’s a Group 1; I just very much enjoy that I can ride this horse in a Group 1. I’m very comfortable riding him in the race because I’ve been riding Winning Wing from his first start until now, so I know this horse. I think he is a very good horse."

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International

UK: Tattersalls release catalogue for Craven Breeze-Up Sale

Tattersalls has announced the catalogue for the 182 juveniles catalogued for the Craven Breeze-Up Sale, one of the first significant dates in the forthcoming flat season diary which will take place between April 13 and 15. One of its most successful recent graduates is Believing (Mehmas), bought by Highclere for 115,000gns from Kilminfoyle House Stud in 2022 and a 3,000,000gns acquisition by Coolmore’s MV Magnier a couple of years later. The Mehmas (Acclamation) mare won last year’s Al Quoz Sprint (Gr 1, 1200m). Among the interesting inclusions for the 2026 edition include a Minzaal (Mehmas) half-brother to Group 1 winner Powerful Glory (Cotai Glory), from Church Farm Stables on behalf of a partnership as Lot 129. Beechlea Bloodstock’s Harry Angel (Dark Angel) colt (Lot 33) is another who has had a tremendous update. His half-sister by Ten Sovereigns (No Nay Never) is Lush Lips, who went right up through the classes with Brendan Walsh in America last year culminating in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (Gr 1, 9f) at Keeneland. She was bought by Dixiana Farm for US$3,700,000 at Keeneland last November. There are also half-brothers in the field to Irish Derby (Gr 1, 1m 4f) winner Trading Leather (Teofilo) (Lot 63) and German 1,000 Guineas (Gr 2, 1600m) winner Unforgetable Filly (Sepoy) (Lot 146), by St Mark’s Basilica (Siyouni) and Too Darn Hot (Dubawi) respectively, as well as a Cotai Glory (Exceed And Excel) full-brother to Prix de l’Abbaye (Gr 1, 1000m) scorer The Platinum Queen (Lot 120). The breeze takes place at 9.30am on Monday April 13, with selling coming after the conclusion of racing on the first two days of Newmarket’s Craven Meeting.

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First Season Sire Runners

Friday, February 27, 2026