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Warwoven books Slipper spot with Pago Pago Stakes win
By Mary-Jo Jackson
@ANZ_News
Bjorn Baker will head into next weekend’s $5 million Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) with more than one leading chance after Warwoven (Sword Of State) secured his place in the field with a professional victory in Saturday’s Pago Pago Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) at Rosehill.
Already holding a strong hand with equal Slipper favourite Paradoxium (Extreme Choice), Baker was eager to guarantee Warwoven’s start in Rosehill’s juvenile showpiece, and the colt delivered, earning the ballot exemption that comes with victory in the Group 3 lead-up.
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Under his regular rider Rachel King, Warwoven ($2.70) settled just off the speed before quickening smartly in the straight, going on to score by a length over $41 chance Outspan (Bivouac), with the $2.20 favourite Central Europe (Frankel) just 0.1 lengths further away in third.
The Sword Of State (Snitzel) colt’s winning time of 1:10.41 was marginally quicker than that posted by Pembrey (Prague) in the fillies’ equivalent, the Magic Night Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m), run earlier on the program.
It is quite the feat that Baker has managed to qualify the two colts for the Slipper, both having had their preparations interrupted.
Warwoven was controversially scratched from January’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) after Queensland Racing veterinarians deemed him lame, while stablemate Paradoxium also missed the race due to pneumonia before announcing his return with a brilliant victory in last week’s Todman Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m).
Baker said he was pleased to see Warwoven rebound after the colt suffered a first defeat when fourth on reappearance in last month’s Skyline Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m).
"We're not counting our chickens until he's at the start line [of the Slipper]," Baker said, “but it was great to see him do that. He's a promising horse. He had to do a bit of work early today, so hopefully he can peak next week.
"We've got to, first and foremost, see how he comes through, but two in the Slipper…it is very special.
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"Things in this game have a funny way of working. You can be down and out, and it only takes one runner to get back on track."
King was also encouraged by the colt’s improvement from his first-up effort.
"There's more under the bonnet, and I think if he gets challenged, there's even more under the bonnet than today," the winning rider said. "He's very exciting."
Saturday’s success saw Warwoven firm into $7 (from $9) for the Golden Slipper, sitting on the second line of betting behind Reisling Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) winner Chayan (I Am Invincible) and Paradoxium, both rated $5 chances. Baker confirmed King will retain the ride.
The Pago Pago Stakes/Golden Slipper double has been won four times by Inspired (Vain) (1984), Rory's Jester (Crown Jester) (1985), Stratum (Redoute’s Choice) (2005) and Shinzo (Snitzel) (2023).
Warwoven was bought by his trainer and owners Ridgmont, S and J Gosling and Jim Clarke for $380,000 at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the draft of his breeders Kia Ora Stud. He is out of the Group 2-winning Makfi (Dubawi) mare Needle And Thread, herself a sister to Listed winner and three-time Group 1 placegetter Savile Row, who stands at Mapperley Stud in New Zealand.
Despite his already high profile, Saturday’s Group 3 win was Warwoven’s first at stakes level and the second as a sire for Cambridge Stud’s Sword Of State. Twin Hills will offer the only progeny of the son of Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) at the upcoming Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale later this month. The colt is catalogued as Lot 322.
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Gollan’s Prague filly enters Slipper scene with Magic win
Pembrey stamped herself as a potential late Golden Slipper contender for Tony Gollan after she powered to victory in the Magic Night Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday.
Ridden by James McDonald, the daughter of second-season sire Prague (Redoute’s Choice) was sent off the $2.05 favourite and controlled the race from the front before extending strongly in the straight to score by 1.4 lengths over Lumbini (Russian Revolution), with By Choice (Written By) a further 1.1 lengths away in third.
Pembrey was not among the original Golden Slipper entries, but her Magic Night success guarantees a place in next Saturday’s $5 million juvenile feature should connections elect to pay the $150,000 late entry fee.
Gollan said the decision would depend on how the filly recovers from her Rosehill performance.
"She's done well over the last two weeks in Sydney and to us it looks as though there's enough left in the tank to go again in seven days,'' Gollan said.
"We'll let the team make the decision if they want to pay up, we have a look at her all week and see what we've got.
"But she's a nice filly who has hit form at the right time, she handles wet or dry so it won't matter what the weather throws at us during the week, and she shows good speed so ticks all the boxes.
"We came to Sydney to run in the Golden Slipper so my gut feeling is to back up. We will see how she pulls up but I would imagine we will run her.''
McDonald said he was keen to make amends after the filly’s previous defeat in last month’s Sweet Embrace Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) when fifth behind Spicy Miss (Trapeze Artist), beaten 1.6 lengths
"I learned a lot, it was a bad ride last start,'' McDonald said.
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"I'm so happy I can make amends today and Tony was solid by keeping me on. I'm glad I could repay him and the connections because she's a beautiful filly.
"She began a lot cleaner today and I was alert to her this time. She lengthened well and really built through the gears.''
McDonald also compared her favourably with Chayan, the equal favourite for the Slipper who he partnered to win last week’s Reisling Stakes.
"Pembrey's a beautiful filly. Last week's filly [Chayan] was great as well and she's very similar,'' he said.
Should she line up back at Rosehill next week, Pembrey would attempt to become the seventh filly to complete the Magic Night–Golden Slipper double, the latest being Kiamichi (Sidestep) in 2019.
Three late entries – Closer To Free (Street Boss), Music Time (All Too Hard) and potentially Pembrey – are expected to be paid up by Monday’s deadline.
Pembrey was passed in as part of Vinery Stud’s draft at Book 2 of the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and retained to race by her breeders Kia Ora Stud, who enjoyed a juvenile stakes double having also bred Pago Pago Stakes winner Warwoven.
She is the first stakes winner from eight overall for her Group 2-winning dam Se Sauver (Bel Esprit) also the dam of Listed-placed winner Amplify (Microphone). Se Sauver is herself a half-sister to 2013 South Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) winner Escado (Casino Prince).
Saturday’s win was also a first stakes winner for the New South Wales-based operation’s resident Prague, who stood the 2025 breeding season at a reduced fee of $11,000 (inc GST).
Lazzura defies big weight to land deserved first Group 1
Chris Waller extended his remarkable hold on the Coolmore Classic (Gr 1, 1500m) at Rosehill on Saturday when the admirable Lazzura (Snitzel) handed the champion trainer a fourth successive win in the Group 1 feature.
The daughter of Snitzel was a four-time stakes winner heading into Saturday’s contest, headlined by wins in the Let's Elope Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) and Phar Lap Stakes (Gr 2, 1500m) across two campaigns last year. Her best result at Group 1 level had been when third in last year’s Surround Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) behind Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel), beaten 2.9 lengths.
Ridden by James McDonald in the Coolmore Classic, the mare stamped her class when carrying the equal top-weight of 58 kilograms to a 0.4-length victory over Arctic Glamour (Frosted), with Vivy Air (Hellbent) flashing home a further 0.3 lengths away in third.
Sent off the $4.20 favourite, Savvy Hallie (Hellbent) led before weakening to finish eleventh of the 14 runners, with her jockey Nash Rawiller suggesting the filly simply failed to see out the distance strongly.
Lazzura became the first mare since the legendary Sunline (Desert Sun) (60 kilograms) in 2002 to carry more than 57 kilograms to victory in the race. It was a fourth-straight win in the feature for Waller after wins by Lady Shenandoah, Zougotcha (Zoustar) and Espiona (Extreme Choice).
“Well deserved,” said Waller, who enjoyed a stakes treble on the day completed by Birdman (Free Eagle) in the Peter Young Stakes (Gr 2, 1800) and Sixties (Flying Artie) in the latest renewal of the Phar Lap Stakes.
“She’s been running around against some very good horses without a lot of luck going her way."
After being narrowly beaten by Cinsault (Brazen Beau) first-up in the Mille Fox Stakes (Gr 2, 1300m), Waller was pleased to see Lazzura show her fighting qualities.
"We had her a bit underdone first-up and rode her a pair too close. Today, we didn't panic from the draw. We went back, got cover three-wide," the winning trainer said.
"I thought, following that run last start, you're going to fold up that last 100 [metres], but she was strong.”
The win also moved McDonald to 128 Group 1 victories, leaving him just one shy of the Australian record held by the now-retired Damien Oliver.
McDonald could have the chance to equal that mark as soon as next Saturday at Rosehill, where his rides are set to include unbeaten star Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) in the George Ryder Stakes (Gr 1, 1500m).
A humble McDonald said the record was far from his mind.
"It's a funny feeling because 'Ollie' is so great, I don't feel like I should be in that echelon just yet," the winning rider said. "I feel very privileged to be in the position where I'm getting there slowly.
"It wasn't me, it was her just really biting down on the mouthguard and having a really decent crack.
"I thought she was all-out with 100 metres to go, but that will to find the line, it's something you can't teach them, you can't train in them."
Waller said Lazzura’s next target would be decided in consultation with her owners, with the Doncaster Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) or Queen Of The Turf Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) on April 4 and 11 under consideration.
"I've got a philosophy that horses don't just win one Group 1. If they're good enough to win one, they normally win two or three," he said.
Bred by Arrowfield and Jungle Pocket, Lazzura was bought from the latter’s draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by B2B Thoroughbreds for $500,000 in 2023. She is out of the winning Japanese-bred mare Laguna Azzurra (Heart’s Cry), making her a half-sister to the Listed-placed winner Portorosa (Not A Single Doubt).
Laguna Azzurra herself is a daughter of the three-time Listed winner Silky Lagoon (Brian’s Time), who also produced dual Grade 3 scorer Seewind (Deep Impact). Arrowfield will offer Lazzura’s sister at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. The filly is catalogued as Lot 383.
The win marked a 26th individual Group 1 winner for Arrowfield’s late great stallion Snitzel, who died last year aged 22.
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