Godolphin add Group 1 winners Tentyris and Observer to 2026 roster
By ANZ Bloodstock Staff
ANZ News
Tentyris (Credit: Racing Photos)
Darley Australia has made the surprise announcement that two of the country’s best horses, Tentyris
(Street Boss) and Observer (Ghaiyyath), will head to the breeding barn this spring.
Tentyris, a brilliant winner of last year’s stallion-making Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr 1,
1200m), will commence stud duties at Darley’s Kelvinside Stud for a fee of $88,000 (inc GST); while
in a boost for Victoria’s breeding industry, Observer will take up residence at Northwood Park for a
service fee of $33,000 (inc GST).
It had been anticipated that the prized colts might race on as four-year-olds, but the team at
Darley have instead chosen to call time on their respective careers, which have yielded a combined
four Group 1 wins and more than $5 million in prize-money.
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Tentyris broke the race record when he romped to victory for co-trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman in
the Coolmore last spring, no mean feat considering the calibre of previous winners, which include;
Encosta De Lago (Fairy King), Northern Meteor (Encosta De Lago), Zoustar (Northern Meteor), Brazen
Beau (I Am Invincible) and Home Affairs (I Am Invincible), all of whom are making their mark at
stud.
Blistering speed is one attribute breeders admire, consistency is another and Tentyris promptly
picked up where he left off this autumn with another Group 1 victory at Flemington in the Black
Caviar Lightning Stakes (Gr 1, 1000m). In doing so, he became only the fourth three-year-old colt to
win the Lightning Stakes in the past 25 years.
“Tentyris was a top class two-year-old, a multiple stakes-winning two-year-old. After a narrow
defeat in the Blue Diamond and a brilliant win in the Todman he unfortunately missed his opportunity
in the Slipper,” Godolphin Australia managing director, Andy Makiv, told ANZ News.
“As a three-year-old, his stunning win in the Coolmore was breathtaking and his win in the
Lightning, spinetingling.
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“The honour roll in the Lightning is the best of the best. At a stallion level you see the likes of
Fastnet Rock, Testa Rossa, Home Affairs and General Nediym. They don’t miss.”
Similarly, Observer’s career highlight also came at Flemington where he won this year’s
Australian Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m). An exceptionally talented and versatile galloper, Observer proved
one of the best three-year-old milers in the country, placing in the Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1 1600m)
last spring before making a clean sweep of the Moonee Valley Vase (Gr 2, 2040m) and Victoria Derby
(Gr 1, 2500m).
“Observer was a metropolitan-winning two-year-old, a multiple Group 1-winning three-year-old,
by a champion and out of a sister to a champion,” Makiv said.
From a full-sister to
Pierro (Lonhro), Observer’s pedigree needs little introduction to the Australian breeder, whilst his
sire Ghaiyyath (Dubawi) is an emerging star at stud.
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“Tentyris and Observer are two of the best from our amazing three-year-old crop,” Makiv said.
Makiv also noted that the results reflected the people behind the horses.
“This season is a credit to everyone involved, from those on the farms to our people in the office,
right through to the trainers and their staff,” he added.
“To be so competitive on the
racetrack this season and win races like the Coolmore, Lightning, Guineas and Derby is something
everyone at Godolphin should be very proud of.”
Darley will reveal its full stallion roster and fees for the 2026 breeding season this Thursday.
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Morning Briefing
Australia
Ascot aspirant bound for Brisbane
Lady Of Camelot (Credit: Sportpix)
Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon) will have a pair of runs over the Queensland Winter
Carnival to convince connections she is ready for the demands of a Royal Ascot campaign. The
four-year-old mare is primed for her comeback in the $300,000 Victory Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m)
at Eagle Farm on May 2, before co-trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott step their 2024
Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) heroine back up to Group 1 level in the $1.5 million Doomben
10,000 (Gr 1, 1200m) on May 16. Lady Of Camelot hasn’t been at the races for more than 12
months but her two recent trials proved she has retained her natural brilliance,
particularly her most recent effort when winning a 900-metre heat at Canterbury on April 10.
“We need everything to go right for us, but she is ready to go,” said Bott. “Her two trials
have been good, her fitness levels are improving every day and she won’t need to trial again
before the Victory Stakes.” The daughter of Written Tycoon (Iglesia) may contest the Group 1
sprint double won by Choisir (Danehill Dancer) back in 2003, the King Charles III Stakes
(formerly King’s Stand) over 1000 metres on the opening day and the Queen Elizabeth II
Jubilee Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) five days later. Australia is set to have one of its largest Royal
Ascot contingents for some time, with Joliestar (Zoustar), Generosity (Divine Prophet),
Charm Stone (I Am Invincible) and Overpass (Vancouver) all slated to make the trip to
England, where Henry Dwyer’s mighty mare Asfoora (Flying Artie) is busy preparing for her
third tilt at the world-famous festival.
Freedman fillies eye Sangster success
The father and son training team of Anthony and Sam Freedman are set to send a talented trio
of sprinters on an interstate raid to Adelaide this Saturday, when the Robert Sangster
Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) takes centre stage. Sam Freedman confirmed that last-start Typhon Tracy
Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) winner Point Barrow (Blue Point), currently the $4 favourite for the
Sangster, would take her place at Morphettville, while her stablemate Ameena (Tassort) will
bid to go one better in the $1 million contest having finished runner-up last year.
Stakes-winning filly Inkaruna (I Am Invincible) rounds out the stable’s three-pronged
attack, but Freedman believes Point Barrow deserves her place at the top of the market and
has pinpointed the daughter of Darley’s shuttler Blue Point (Shamardal) as his top seed.
“Point Barrow has done nothing wrong and this has been a target race for the whole prep,”
Freedman told Racing.com. “She had a nice gallop on Saturday so she’s going well, and she is
coming in with the strongest form. Circumstances in the Oakleigh Plate meant we didn’t see
her at her best, and since then she was obviously a great winner the other day at Caulfield.
Shoals won this race a little while ago [in 2018] and obviously had a better CV than Point
Barrow, but they have a similar sort of racing style – get back and swoop down the middle. I
don’t think I’d swap her for any other. Her Oakleigh Plate run, she was beaten
two-and-a-half lengths and she wasn’t at her best, so I think that’s as strong a form as we
will see going into it.”
Moloney reckons Recon is the real deal
Having fully vindicated jockey Patrick Moloney’s faith in him with a slashing win in the
Hareeba Stakes (Listed, 1200m), Recon (Cosmic Force) will chase further sprint features in
the coming weeks. Moloney’s confidence stemmed from riding the Pat Carey and Harris
Walker-trained gelding in work in the lead-up to last Saturday’s contest at Mornington.
Recon surged home from near last place on the point of the turn to score by 1.5 lengths, in
the process taking his Newgate-based sire’s stakes tally to six. “I’ve done a stack of
gallops on this horse so I’ve been glued to his back since he’s been with Pat and Harris,”
Moloney told The Verdict podcast. “I galloped him last Saturday morning and he galloped with
a fast one, La Astro Chat, who ran second earlier on Saturday. Recon’s not much of a
galloper in work, he just does as much as he needs to, but he fair dinkum kicked the other
horse’s teeth in on Saturday morning. Nadia Daniels was on La Astro Chat, and I said to her
‘This horse (Recon) will just win the Hareeba’. Then I came back and told Harris the same
thing. He’s flying and he’s gone to another level. What level he gets to, I don’t know.
There are options coming up in Adelaide, but there’s also smaller stepping stones like the
Wangoom [at Warrnambool], or the Straight Six [at Flemington]. I’ll just leave it up to the
team to decide.”
Maher stable aiming to gang-tackle the St Leger
Ciaron Maher has at least one runner safely in the field for the VRC St Leger (Listed,
2800m), but the champion trainer of stayers is hoping to have a much bigger representation
in the Flemington feature. Awesome Artist (Trapeze Artist), Noble Falcon (Proisir) and
Godolphin galloper Intervened (Kermadec) joined Tasmanian Derby (Listed, 2200m) winner Dad
And Dave (Time Test) among the 28 entries for Saturday’s $200,000 contest. Dad And Dave and
Awesome Artist should both be guaranteed their places in the 18-runner field, but the
stable’s lower-rated pair Noble Falcon and Intervened are currently outside the cut line and
Maher’s assistant trainer Jack Turnbull is keen to see them sneak their way into the
starting line-up. “We feel it’s a good option for them and all our horses are going to
relish the trip,” Turnbull said. “They’re going to furnish and learn with racing. They’re
raw young horses that are bred to stay and will continue to learn and mature as they get
older.” Maher is chasing a second success in Victoria’s traditional Anzac Day feature,
having won the 2021 edition with Through Irish Eyes (Tavistock) in partnership with David
Eustace, now training in Hong Kong. Dad And Dave has finished down the tack at his past two
starts, in the Alister Clark Stakes (Gr 2, 2000m) and Galilee Series Final (Listed, 2400m),
but he is safely in the St Leger field thanks to his earlier wins at Listed level in the
Launceston Guineas (Listed, 2000m) and Tasmanian Derby. Having previously run over 2000
metres at Canberra, Awesome Artist finished tenth in the Galilee Final but was unsuited by a
muddling tempo. “They might have just gone a fraction sedate throughout,” Turnbull said.
“He’s a bit one-paced and needs a true gallop.”
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New Zealand
James eyes yet another fillies’ feature
Roger James’ renowned record of picking off Australian Group 1s for three-year-old fillies
stretches back almost 25 years, and he will look to add another feature race to his CV this
Saturday. The Kiwi horseman and his co-trainer Robert Wellwood will saddle up Confesara
(Toronado) in the Australasian Oaks (Gr 1, 2000m) at Morphettville in Adelaide. The $1
million contest marks the Australian debut for the $85,000 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale
purchase, who is yet to race beyond 1500 metres in her brief career. However, a strong
second behind her stablemate Dealt With (Ace High) in a 1300-metre trial at Cambridge last
Tuesday confirmed the filly’s trip across the Tasman. “She ran second to another one of
ours, who is a good open class sprinter, and they ran a very quick time so her trial was
good and it will improve her,” James said. “She lacked a bit of luck at times during the
season, but she’s a highly-talented filly. We always thought she was up to an Australian
trip, but we sat at home and took things quietly and her form dictated that we’re on the
right path.” James knows what it takes to win Australian features with the fairer sex,
having claimed Group 1s with Sixty Seconds (Centaine), Giovana (Blues Traveller) and Silent
Achiever (O’Reilly) when training in his own right before teaming with Wellwood and tasting
more success through the likes of Prowess (Proisir) and Orchestral (Savabeel). Confesara has
not been to the races since a narrow but impressive win in the $100,000 Windsor Park Stud
3YO Trophy (1500m) on Champions Day at Ellerslie in early March. That followed a minor
placing in the Uncle Remus Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m), where she finished 1.6 lengths behind the
subsequent Vinery Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) winner Belle Cheval (Savabeel).
Campbell keen to press on with comeback kid
Riverplate (Credit: Race Images)
Andrew Campbell is bidding for stakes success with two members of his stable this week. The
Otaki trainer has Friday’s Anzac Mile (Listed, 1600m) in mind for comeback king Riverplate
(Flying Artie), while talented filly Hayworth (Ace High) is set to contest the Warstep
Stakes (Listed, 2000m) a day later at Riccarton. Riverplate won for the second time since an
unlikely return to racing when successful in an open sprint at Wanganui last Saturday,
following his victory at Trentham last month. “It’s been very satisfying, he’s a grouse old
horse and was retired for a while,” Campbell said. “We brought him back from Australia and
gave him a few gallops but he put a hole in his suspensory [ligament], so we decided to pull
the pin on him.” At that stage the eight-year-old was sent to Libby and Sam Bleakley’s
Highden Park, where he was due to live out his days. “He was going to be one of the kids’
ponies but after about eight months Libby rang me and said we should get him scanned again,
because he’d been running around like a two-year-old,” Campbell said. “We did that and it
was as clean as a whistle, so I put the syndicate back together to have a bit of fun. I take
him to the beach a lot and he loves it, he hasn’t looked back so I’ve nominated him for
Friday. We’ll keep him going for as long as he’s enjoying it and we’re all enjoying the ride
as well.”
Curtain comes down on Mercurial’s career
Mercurial (Credit: Race Images)
Group 1 winner Mercurial (Burgundy) has been retired from racing and will now embark on a
second career as an eventer. The seven-year-old won six of his 46 career starts for trainer
Stephen Marsh, headlined by his victory in the 2024 edition of the Telegraph (Gr 1, 1200m).
He was also stakes-placed on four occasions, including in the Railway Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m),
earning more than $600,000 in prize-money in the process. Mercurial finished ninth in his
racing swansong at Ellerslie last Saturday, with the decision subsequently taken to call
time on his lucrative career. “He has been retired and he gets a nice new home as an
eventer,” Marsh said. “He took us to a lot of the big dances, and he won a Group 1. He was a
model of consistency and he retires a sound horse who needs the paddock and then the next
stage of life, when he will be well looked after. He has been great and has given us all a
really good ride.”
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Asia
HK: Stern test awaits Romantic Warrior
James McDonald has conceded Hong Kong superstar Romantic Warrior (Acclamation) will face one
of the toughest tests of his celebrated career in the QEII Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) at Sha Tin this
Sunday. Japan’s outstanding middle-distance galloper Masquerade Ball (Duramente) stands in
the way of Romantic Warrior’s bid to land his fourth QEII success. Masquerade Ball hasn’t
been sighted since he stretched the world’s best racehorse, French star Calandagan
(Gleneagles), to his limit in a memorable renewal of the Japan Cup (Gr 1, 2400m) last
November. “Masquerade Ball is a proper horse,” McDonald said. “Apart from Forever Young,
this would be Romantic Warrior’s toughest test to date. It will be a good clash between
those two but you have to throw in Royal Champion, who has gone to a new level since he has
gone back home and won [the Group 1 Turf Cup] in Saudi Arabia like an aeroplane. This race
will be no pushover, that’s for sure.” The world’s leading prize-money earner still in
training, Romantic Warrior boasts an ultra-impressive race record of 22 wins and five
placings from his 29 career starts. McDonald, who is aiming for his 12th Group 1 victory in
tandem with Romantic Warrior, believes that ‘father time’ is yet to catch up with the
gallant gelding. “He’s an eight-year-old now but he’s going as well as ever,” he said. “He’s
such a champion racehorse, and they can do things that others can’t.”
HK: Collett set to broaden his horizons
James McDonald won’t be the only Sydney-based jockey in action at Sha Tin on Sunday, with
fellow hoop Jason Collett set to make his Hong Kong debut as he looks to broaden his
international riding experience later in the year. Collett has picked up the mount in the
QEII Cup on the Haruki Sugiyama-trained entire Giovanni (Epiphaneia), who is a stakes winner
and has been placed at Group 1 level in his native Japan. “I’ve ridden overseas before in
Macau, Singapore and Mauritius and at Ascot for the Shergar Cup, but this is the first time
I’ve ridden in Hong Kong,” Collett said. The nine-time Group 1 winner will compete at
Randwick’s eight-race Anzac Day meeting this Saturday, before catching an overnight flight
to Hong Kong to ride on Champions’ Day. Collett has also made an application to the Japan
Racing Association to ride there during the northern hemisphere summer, and if approved he
would join Melbourne-based jockeys Damian Lane and Mick Dee. “Giovanni is raced by the owner
and trainer I’m hoping to be riding for in Japan, and they wanted me to have a sit on the
horse in Hong Kong before I go over to Japan,” he said. Collett heads to Hong Kong in fine
fettle after producing one of the rides of the autumn carnival with his brilliant
front-running effort on Changingoftheguard (Galileo) in the Sydney Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) earlier
this month. He produced another peach at Randwick last Saturday on Asterix (Tavistock) to
win the JRA Plate (Gr 3, 2000m), before guiding his Chris Waller-stablemate Lazzura
(Snitzel) to second place behind Beiwacht (Bivouac) in the All-Aged Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m).
HK: Globetrotting Sosie takes up the challenge
Andre Fabre is following through on a long-term plan to send the versatile Sosie (Sea The
Stars) for a tilt at the QEII Cup at Sha Tin this Sunday. Last December, Sosie (Sea The
Stars) gave Fabre a fourth win in the Hong Kong Vase (Gr 1, 2400m) on his 80th birthday when
he outstayed his rivals to round off another successful year for the veteran horseman,
highlighted by three Group 1 wins. Sosie also finished third in the Prix de l’Arc de
Triomphe (Gr 1, 2400m) at Longchamp last October, underlining his consistency and durability
at the elite level. Fabre, who has won the Arc on eight occasions, acknowledged the
impressive record of Hong Kong colossus Romantic Warrior as well as the international
form-lines brought by Masquerade Ball and Royal Champion (Sharmadal), but connections were
still keen to take up the challenge. “Romantic Warrior is a super horse, but Sosie is
training well and he should run well,” said Fabre. “It’s his first run of the year and the
race is pretty tough. In terms of ratings, we have the fourth [highest] chance, but Sosie
adapted well to the course last time. [Jockey] Maxime Guyon was keen to ride him despite
there being a good meeting at Longchamp the same day. We’re happy to compete and
[owner-breeders] the Wertheimer brothers, they like a challenge.” Fabre believes that
Sosie’s optimum trip is 2400 metres, yet the five-year-old’s versatility has seen him win
both the Prix Ganay (Gr 1, 2100m) and the Prix d’Ispahan (Gr 1, 1850m) last year.
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International
IRE: O’Brien stablemates quinella the Alleged Stakes
Starford (4 g Beckford - Red Stars by Manduro) led home a Joseph O’Brien one-two in the
Alleged Stakes (Gr 3, 1m 2f) at the Curragh on Sunday, prevailing by three-quarters of a
length over stablemate Beset (Expert Eye). The winner appeared to benefit from race fitness,
having finished fifth in a handicap at the same venue just two weeks earlier. “It’s a nice
surprise, but Joseph and the team thought he had a solid each-way chance,” winning rider
Scott McCullagh told Racing TV. “Joseph thought he’d come on from his first run, and he goes
on the ground well. I couldn’t believe the position I got from the draw. By halfway I was
happy, I let him fill himself up and we got a nice run through.” Starford was one of three
winners at the meeting for O’Brien, who has two Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) wins on a
glittering CV.
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Kiwi Chronicles
No place like home
Lupo Solitario (Credit: Race Images)
Lloyd Jackson
When things don’t go according to plan, often it’s best to pull up stumps and go back to basics, not
dissimilar to the path that Lupo Solitario (Satono Aladdin) found himself on a year ago.
As a three-year-old he left New Zealand for Hong Kong after landing three of six starts, beginning
his career with a trial win at two. After his second raceday win he indicated a bright future by
running a most promising second behind future dual Group 1 winner Crocetti (Zacinto) in the James
& Annie Sarten Memorial (Gr 2, 1400m).
His third win (at start four) saw him defeat top filly Orchestral (Savabeel) in the Bonecrusher
Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m) and these two met again at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day. Orchestral, a future
New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) victress, turned the tables on Lupo Solitario that day. His final
New Zealand start that season was to run eighth in the Karaka Millions 3YO (RL, 1600m), also won by
Orchestral.
Hong Kong beckoned but the son of Satono Aladdin (Deep Impact) never showed anything close to his
New Zealand form. In seven tries he was unable to raise anyone’s hopes. On one occasion he fell and
on another, even the addition of champion rider James McDonald made no difference. There was only
one thing to do. Go back home and enjoy some home cooking.
Back in Matamata with his original trainer Danica Guy, the gelding took just two starts to show
something of his old self when a slightly unlucky fourth in a Benchmark 75 over 1400 metres at his
home track in late February. A month ago. Another start in the same grade at Pukekohe saw him unwind
strongly to return to the winners’ circle. He was back.
In a competitive Easter Handicap (Gr 3, 1600m), run last Saturday, Lupo Solitario was given the
perfect run by Wiremu Pinn, sitting one out and one back to the top of the straight. With a
beautiful view of the run home they strode to the lead before the 300m and enjoyed a comfortable
lead with 100m to run. A strong late challenge from ultra honest mare Top Shelf (Savabeel) meant the
margin was only a head but Lupo Solitario held on for his best win yet, his career fifth for
earnings in excess of $300,000.
Guy did not expect such a run, believing the off track would not suit, forcing the connections to
try and race handier than usual. After the win Guy commented that it was great to have the gelding
back in the stable.
An $82,500 purchase from Rich Hill Stud’s Book 2 draft of the 2022 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale, he
remains the sole winner from She’s Aloof (Pentire), herself a half-sister to the Listed winners
Include (Gallant Guru) and Sharp Princess (Pins). The former, Include, was one of the better 3YOs in
the South Island, scoring three at Listed level. Their grandam, Slightly Aloof (Centaine), ranks as
a sister to the champion filly Slight Chance (Centaine), successful in the VRC Oaks (Gr 1, 2500m),
one of her six Group 1 victories.
Two goals
Solid Gold (Credit: Race Images)
Venerable Savabeel (Zabeel) refuses to be ignored. Solid Gold (Savabeel) and the Ellerslie
Championship Stakes (Gr 3, 2100m) brought up individual stakes winner number 159, just seven shy of
his own sire’s magnificent 166 individual stakes winners. Magnificent because Zabeel (Sir Tristram)
never left New Zealand shores for a dual hemisphere stud career, as many stallions have. Then again,
neither has Savabeel.
Although rising 25, he continues to be well represented in numbers. He has 90 four-year-olds, 81
three-year-olds and 61 two-year-olds of racing age plus a further 33 rising two-year-olds on the
ground. The race after the Championship Stakes, the Easter Handicap (Gr 3, 1600m), saw Top Shelf
(Savabeel) finish within a head of adding to the total. Number 160 could happen as early as May 9
should Top Shelf land the Rotorua Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m).
Another goal is the New Zealand Sire Premiership. Currently, $100,000 separates Rich Hill Stud’s
Proisir (Choisir) and Waikato Stud’s Savabeel. Proisir halted Savabeel’s complete and utter
domination of the New Zealand stallion ranks when he landed the title in 2023-24.
Savabeel was heading for nine in succession but took back the title the last two seasons with
Proisir the runner up both years. It’s an enthralling battle and with three months remaining it’s
anyone’s guess as to the outcome.
Solid Gold, owned and bred by Waikato Stud, started for just the sixth time. On Saturday, she
arrived at headquarters with four placings and a very convincing last-start maiden win, also at
Ellerslie, over 1600 metres, sufficient to see her start a warm favourite.
Given a lovely ride by George Rooke, Solid Gold moved up from midfield to be right in behind the
leaders turning for home. She found a gap at the 300m and levelled up near the 200m before slugging
it out with a determined La Diem (Wootton Bassett) to the line, seeming to have the latter’s measure
over the last few strides.
A home-bred and retained by Waikato Stud, therefore never offered for sale, Solid Gold is from a
family that has been hugely active over the last dozen years.
Consider that she is a sister to Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Major Beel (Savabeel), bred
in 2019. They are two stakes winners from Gram (O’Reilly), an unraced half-sister to three stakes
winners, namely 2014-foaled Gold Fever (Savabeel), 2013-foaled Gold Rush (So You Think) and
2012-foaled Calavarite (Lonhro).
Within the same time frame, Gold Fever has produced New Zealand Champion 2YO and Group 1 winner La
Dorada (Super Seth). Gold Fever has produced Brisbane Listed winner Gold Bullion (Savabeel) and
Calavarite has produced Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) victor Golden Mile (Astern). Their dam, Gold
Rocks (Oratorio) was no slouch either. She took out Perth’s 2YO Championship the Karrakatta Plate
(Gr 2, 1200m).
When Solid Gold is eventually represented by her first foal for sale her page will read that she is
a sister to a Derby winner and a three-quarter sister to a Group 2 winning dam of a champion Group 1
2YO. It’s no wonder that Waikato Stud kept Solid Gold, because she is.
Go Albert
Go Racing and Albert Bosma have good filly in Miss Janet (Home Affairs). The filly should be
unbeaten. A rousing and close third after a poor start combined with a jumping exhibition on debut,
she quickly made amends with a really nice win in Saturday’s Star Way Stakes (Listed, 1200m).
Unlike at Matamata, her first start, this time she was first into stride and gave her opponents no
chance even if she ran out a little close to home. Eased near the line, she was simply too good. She
is talented but that talent may result in our not seeing her race again in New Zealand. The NZB Kiwi
(Listed, 1500m) might entice Go Racing but in the meantime the syndicate’s successful connections
with Chris Waller could see her in Sydney next spring. Her win warrants it.
Miss Janet brings up the fourth individual stakes winner for Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) in a
dream start for the stallion whose initial crop also includes this year’s Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr
1, 1200m) winner Guest House.
Miss Janet herself was bred and sourced in Australia, appearing at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold
Coast Yearling Sale where she fetched $170,000, purchased by Go Racing in conjunction with Stuart
Boman of Blandford Bloodstock. When purchased, the filly’s dam had produced two winners but since
then another two, including Miss Janet.
Their grandam Booklet (Take Of The Cat) scored at Listed level in Adelaide while her dam Carabine
(Anabaa) was a Sydney winning half-sister to Iron Horse (Zephyr Zip), an Epsom Handicap (Gr 1,
1600m) specialist as he landed one and was also twice third in the same race. Courtesy of his dam,
Spyglass (Sir Sian), an Auckland Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) winner, Iron Horse was successful up 2840m, not
something expected by stock of the brilliant Zephyr Zip (Zephyr Bay).
Spyglass’s South African-performed daughter Sydney’s Spy (Snippets) is the granddam of successful
Western Australian-based stallion Gingerbread Man (Shamardal). Much further back, the family traces
directly to Fortune’s Wheel (Night Raid), a sister to the incomparable Phar Lap (Night Raid) who was
foaled 100 years ago this coming October.
What could have been
Can you believe that it is more than four years since Asterix (Tavistock) won the New Zealand Derby
(Gr 1, 2400m). Time really does fly and Asterix has had quite a career which, remarkably, spans just
25 starts, primarily due to soundness issues and injuries. He returned to winning form on Saturday
by taking out the JRA Plate at Group 3 level over 2000 metres.
In a patient ride by Jason Collett, Asterix was held up until the last possible moment, dived
between runners at the 50m on the way to landing his sixth win and top $1.1 million in earnings.
Since his New Zealand Derby win he added the Avondale Cup (Gr 2, 2400m) as a five-year-old then was
transferred to Chris Waller’s stable from which he took out The Beauford (Listed, 2300m) at
Newcastle last spring. Although seven years old his race career is that of a four or five year old
so perhaps we can expect to see him in Brisbane for the winter and further success.
Asterix was one of three New Zealand-breds to succeed at Randwick and the second by former Cambidge
Stud sire Tavistock (Montjeu). From his last small crop is Unique Ambition, whose record now stands
at four wins after scoring the Midway Benchmark 72 over 1400 metres. She was secured at the 2022 NZB
Karaka Yearling Sale for $220,000 and Saturday’s win has put her bank balance in the black at
$244,000.
Race 2 on the card went to Ishikari, the daughter of Novara Park’s Staphanos (Deep Impact). The
Benchmark 72 race was her fourth win in 12 starts, beginning her career in New Zealand with a trial
win at Te Awamutu. Ishikari was not offered for sale but her earnings now exceed $120,000.
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Results
Monday, April 20, 2026
Tab Meetings
Muswellbrook NSW Soft(5)
ShowHide
Muswellbrook NSW Soft(5)
R1: Magic Millions Mdn Plate, $27,000, 1280m
Fierceness (AUS) (br G 3
Fierce Impact (JPN) - Rebel Miss (AUS) T:
Matthew Smith J: Ashley Morgan
Microgravity (AUS) (b G 3 The Autumn Sun (AUS) - Gravity
Zero (AUS))
Rolling Home (AUS) (ch C 2 Bivouac (AUS) - Status Quo
(AUS))
