Seven for Stay Inside

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Our Emperor (2 c ex Our Crown Mistress by Star Witness) became the seventh individual winner for Newgate Farm’s Stay Inside (Extreme Choice) when making a winning debut at Warwick Farm on Wednesday. Ridden by Tim Clark, having won one and finished second in a trio of trials prior to this debut, the colt impressed as he easily defeated Iommi (Written By) by 3.7 lengths. There was a further half-length back to Exit Clause (Zousain) in third. “Very talented colt,” stated co-trained Adrian Bott. “Always been that from the outset. We saw him earlier, I think he was out at the official two-year-old trials and then just had a little bit of immaturity there at that point. So he's been put away and he's come back stronger and better this time through. I'm sure there's some good targets for him in store going forward. The best part about that is obviously the attitude that the horse has got. He's so professional and for Tim to ask him and give him that message there early, he was just as quick to come back underneath him. He was able to relax beautifully throughout the run and he rated himself lovely, just conserved himself, and Tim knew exactly what he had underneath him. A professional attitude to go with it. I think no doubt he's going to be aimed up at the spring. So it's just about what's the exact path to get there, what is the exact target, what's his best distance, you know, will we look to stretch him over a little bit further or just keep him to the short explosive trips with the sustained speed he showed." Purchased by his trainers as well as Bruce Slade’s Kestrel Thoroughbreds from the Newgate Farm draft at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale for $280,000, Our Emperor is a half-brother to Group 2 placegetter Moravia (Snitzel) being one of three winners out of the dual Listed-winning Star Witness (Starcraft) mare Our Crown Mistress. Stay Inside will stand the 2026 breeding season at an unchanged fee of $66,000 (inc GST).

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Lovatsville reveal 2026 fees for six-strong roster

Lovatsville has unveiled its 2026 stallion roster — a six-horse line-up headlined by the arrival of Espionage (Zoustar) and built, top to bottom, around fees pitched with a breeders-first mentality.

A multiple Group-winning two-year-old son of Champion Sire Zoustar (Northern Meteor), Espionage has been tipped by Lovatsville’s Sam White to make an immediate impact. Coolmore has retained an interest, and Espionage will stand at an introductory fee of $11,000 (all fees inc GST).

“He is a great coup for our farm and for Victoria, and Coolmore’s continued backing underlines his credentials in this market,” said White. “He’s a beautifully coloured stallion with a fabulous Zoustar-styled head — a brilliant loose mover with a plunging girth and a great shoulder. He has scope, short cannons, great length to his hocks, and an outstanding demeanour.”

After finishing as the second-most active freshman sire of 2025, Move To Strike (I Am Invincible) holds firm at $16,500. Move To Strike was the first Group 1-winning two-year-old ever produced by I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit), and on the strength of what the sireline has delivered through the past year – including the feats of Home Affairs and Hellbent – he looks an exciting prospect.

“Move To Strike was a revelation for us last season – he was well supported in a competitive market, with breeders impressed by his physique, his juvenile form and his brilliant pedigree,” White added. “He’s deep, dark, strong, and has a fantastic temperament. He’s got the head, hip and girth we expect to see as dominant attributes in his foals, and for all that his sireline has achieved in the past twelve months, he looks like a free lick of the ice cream at $16,500.”

Now into their third seasons at stud, Gold Trip (Outstrip) and Generation (Snitzel) both represent value given their credentials. Gold Trip, a world-class weight-for-age star, returns at $5,500, while Generation stands at $6,600.

“We have a few interesting deals and initiatives in place this season. One of them is an additional 25 per cent discount on Generation’s fee for any Written Tycoon-line mares that visit him,” White noted. “It’s an exceptional cross, and one we’d like to exploit.”

Rounding out the roster at the value tier, Royal Meeting (Invincible Spirit) and Fierce Impact (Deep Impact), who both stand at $8,800. Royal Meeting is the sire of a Group 1-winning two-year-old from his first crop in Hayasugi, and is quietly building a real profile in Hong Kong.

Fierce Impact, meanwhile, continues to return over 8 per cent black-type performers to runners.

Reflecting on the season ahead, White concluded: “We’ve taken the view this year that we meet the market. It’s a competitive game, and the industry is healthy — but when conditions are challenging, we need to be sure we’re on the journey with everyone in it. We have some exciting initiatives in play, some interesting discounts and opportunities — and we welcome your phone call to discuss the possibilities.”

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Botanist tops MM Digital sale, significant drafts for next edition

Talented three-year-old colt Botanist (Wootton Bassett) sold for $55,000 and topped the Magic Millions Digital (15-20 May) Sale which wrapped up on Wednesday.

Northern Rivers-based Viva Racing teamed up with leading bloodstock agent Neil Jenkinson to secure the son of Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj) from the Coolmore Stud draft.

Botanist, who is from the Group-winning mare Tulip (Pierro), is a winner at Warwick Farm from just five starts and looks to have a nice future for his new connections.

“The team is very happy with the result and found the whole process of selling through Magic Millions Digital straightforward,” Coolmore’s John Kennedy said.

“We’ve had plenty of horses sell online previously and race on with great success so we wish his new owners all the very best.”

Jack Bruce Racing and Clarke Bloodstock secured the first lot of the sale, the Chris Waller Racing-offered Crusader Voyage (Camelot) for $45,000. A placegetter in six of his ten starts, Crusader Voyage is from blue hen Sea Siren (Fastnet Rock) and is a half-brother to triple international Group 1 winner Warm Heart (Galileo).

“We saw some very good results in the sale but overall the market well and truly identified the ones they wanted,” Magic Millions head of digital Bryce Bevan said. “We have a good track record of moving on horses post-sale and that is where our attention will be for the next few days.”

The next Magic Millions Digital (29 May-4 June) Sale will present good opportunities for buyers with confirmation of two significant drafts.

Leading Western Australian thoroughbred nursery Geisel Park Stud will present an unreserved dispersal of their stock with approximately 60 lots on offer featuring a quality line up of weanlings, yearlings, racehorses, shares and broodmares.

The Hesket Thoroughbreds Unreserved Reduction, which presents lots in the Newington Farm draft at next week’s National Broodmare Sale, will continue in the next Magic Millions Digital Sale also.

Given the significance of these drafts, please note the sale has been extended by one day and will close from 12pm AEST on Thursday, June 4.

Nominations for the Magic Millions Digital (29 May-4 June) Sale are open now and will close next Wednesday, May 27, at midnight. For more information on Magic Millions Digital or to lodge an entry click here.

Recon on a reconnaissance mission at Sandown

After a luckless run in The Goodwood (Gr 1, 1200m), Recon (Cosmic Force) gets the chance to make amends when he steps back up to 1400 metres at Sandown on Saturday before the talented four-year-old heads for a winter spell. Co-trainer Pat Carey believes The Goodwood was the one that got away from his Hareeba Stakes (Listed, 1200m) hero Recon, who found himself in restricted room in the Morphettville straight before unleashing his trademark late burst to finish 1.3 lengths behind the eventual winner Desert Lightning (Pride Of Dubai). Recon has raced over 1400 metres on one previous occasion, registering a fast-finishing fifth at Flemington in January, and Carey is keen to give his charge another test over the trip as he ponders a potential spring preparation geared towards the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m). “He got into an awkward position in The Goodwood, he charged at the line late but ran out of room, so that was a great opportunity that went missing,” Carey said. “He’s progressing through the grades well and it looks like he’s open to continued improvement, but he needs to get into a proper handicap now. It may be that he can sneak into a race like the Sir Rupert Clarke on the minimum, or something like that, but he’s got to continue to improve to warrant that consideration.”

Derby placegetter to make return at Randwick

Derby placegetter Firm Agreement (Yes Yes Yes) will make his return to the racetrack on Saturday when he tackles the Academy Brand Handicap (1600m) at Randwick. Second in last year's Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2400m), the four-year-old has not been seen since running down the field in the Pakenham Cup (Listed, 2500m) and co-trainer Rob Archibald hopes the gelding can get back on track this campaign. "He has been frustrating because he was so good as a three-year-old," Archibald, who trains in partnership with his wife Annabel, said. "Maybe now he's a bit more mature, a bit stronger, fingers crossed he comes back a bit better this 'prep'." Archibald also expects the four-year-old to appreciate a rain-affected track with Randwick rated a Soft 7 on Wednesday. "He's a horse that loves a bit of sting out of the track," he said. "He's had a really long break, he seems to have come back well, so hopefully he can run well."

Accidental Bid bound for the Derby

Despite his unplaced effort in the Rough Habit Plate (Gr 3, 2000m), connections of Accidental Bid (Phoenix Of Spain) have declared that the European import will still press onto the Queensland Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) at the end of the month. On the back of his sixth placing in the Rough Habit, bookmakers eased Accidental Bid’s Derby price out from $4 to $11 but Jamie Lovett, of Australian Bloodstock, believes there was more merit to the run than first appeared. Accidental Bid burst onto the scene in Australia with back-to-back wins at Pakenham, the second by some 7.75 lengths, and while he was ultimately no match for the Chris Waller-trained Kilman (Super Seth) at Doomben last Saturday, Lovett was not deterred by what he saw. “I needed to see him do that in a better grade, so I’m probably a bit more bullish about him in the Derby now than I was going into that race,” he told Racing.com. “We were a bit guarded going into that race, with a month between runs. He drew out wide and was facing the breeze the whole way. He was chasing the horse that ended up winning on the fence, and I just thought he just peaked on his run the last bit. But through the line, Johnny [Allen] had trouble pulling him up and he thinks he will love the 2400 metres of the Derby. Most horses don’t stay the Derby trip, but on that I am adamant he will. So he definitely deserves his chance.”

Barbarino makes winning debut at Caulfield Heath

Pakenham-based trainer Bill Papazaharoudakis left Caulfield Heath a happy man on Wednesday after watching his three-year-old gelding Barbarino (Vino Rosso) make a winning debut. The gelded son of Vino Rosso (Curlin) lined up in the Sportsbet Blackbook Plate (1200m) as a $2.70 equal-favourite under Jamie Mott and defeated Ninetyfiveinafifty (Pariah) by 1.8 lengths with a further 0.2 lengths back to the third-placed Melbourne Magic (Overshare). "He was probably ready last prep, but we just don't rush them," Papazaharoudakis said of Barbarino starting his career as a three-year-old. "We don't have many, so we try to look after them, but he's shown a bit. We had been looking for something for him at Pakenham, but we were happy to come here as the race was here. He can gallop, but you never know till you get here." Papazaharoudakis admitted to concerns pre-race how Barbarino would handle his first day at the race. "It was a bit of a worry, but he presented well," Papazaharoudakis said. "We had never let him off a bit before, so I'll have to see what Motty says about him, but I put those winkers on, and he was overdoing it a little bit early. I was a bit worried, but it was a good win, great ride." Purchased for just $8,000 by his trainer at the 2023 Inglis Great Southern Sale, Papazaharoudakis said he had already taken calls on the availability of Barbarino following his debut success. "We've had a few already, but I don't think he's going anywhere," Papazaharoudakis said. "My wife loves him and she's in the ownership."

Blueblood mare goes back-to-back

Well-bred mare Superfabulistic (Super Seth) continued her rise through the grades at Warwick Farm on Wednesday, making it back-to-back victories with a strong performance in the Precise Air Handicap (1600m). Sporting the colours of Waikato Stud, the progressive daughter of Super Seth (Dundeel) defeated The Creator (Wrote) by 1.9 lengths and has now won three of her seven starts for trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. “I thought at her last two runs she has been very strong through the line,” Bott said. “I think in time she will get over a bit further. I think it is was her fifth run this campaign and we just want to give her time. She is going to be a lovely mare going forward.” Superfabulistic is a half-sister to Group 1-winning mare Icebath (Sacred Falls) and commenced her campaign with a third placing before two narrow runner-up finishes prior to her back to back wins. “Mark Chittick and the team at Waikato Stud are so patient with their horses and happy to give her time,” Bott said. “I’m delighted to get them a result but I think we can achieve bigger and better things with her going forward.”

Hello Captain makes winning return

Champion trainer Chris Waller isn’t expecting Hello Captain’s (Hello Youmzain) winning run to stop anytime soon. Waller produced the three-year-old son of Hello Youmzain (Kodiac) for an effortless first-up victory over 1100 metres at Warwick Farm in the hands of James McDonald. Hello Captain was sent out an odds-on favourite on his return and was allowed to drift to the back of the field before picking up ground 500 metres from home. He swung widest into the straight and, when asked for a serious effort, the gelding responded positively to win with authority, beating stablemates Nandina (So You Think) and Wootton Way (Wootton Bassett) by 0.8 lengths and 1.5 lengths respectively. “He showed glimpses of that in Queensland, hence why we brought him back to Sydney,” Waller said. “He’s well-bred being by Hello Youmzain and I think he’ll win his next one too.” Hello Captain hadn’t raced since he won at the Sunshine Coast on Boxing Day off the back of a debut runner-up finish at Doomben. “He is a beautiful horse and he will shoot through the grades,” McDonald said. “He was a bit rocky in the gates and he came out slowly and didn’t muster speed, so going up in distance will help him. He was inclined to wander late in the piece as well, so there is plenty to look forward to.”

Ascot plans on track despite equine influenza outbreak

Despite alarm in the United Kingdom over a potential outbreak of equine influenza, Overpass (Vancouver) and Joliestar (Zoustar) remain on course to travel to England to compete at Royal Ascot next month. British racing officials have reacted to a sharp increase in positive cases in non-thoroughbred horses by introducing a raft of biosecurity measures for participants. Overpass and Joliestar are both scheduled to board a flight to England early next month to make their international debuts at the Royal Ascot carnival, which takes place in Surrey from June 16-20. Overpass, like Henry Dwyer’s mare Asfoora (Flying Artie), is being targeted at the King Charles III Stakes (Gr 1, 5f) on the opening day, while Joliestar is set to contest the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) on the final day. “It’s obviously a concern, so we will have to keep a close eye on the situation over there,” said Overpass’ trainer, Bjorn Baker. “Overpass came through his barrier trial win last Friday in great shape, so we are looking forward to Royal Ascot.” At this stage, the English flat racing season is unlikely to be impacted by the outbreak although a National Hunt meeting at Plumpton was abandoned earlier this month when there was a confirmed case of the deadly virus in a non-thoroughbred horse yard adjacent to the track.

Baker’s delight set to continue at Hawkesbury

Bjorn Baker believes his purple patch of form can continue when he saddles up a pair of progressive gallopers at Thursday’s Hawkesbury meeting. Fresh from a weekend treble, headlined by a first stakes win for War Eternal (Pierro) in the Bernborough Handicap (Listed, 1600m) at Doomben, Baker is hopeful his dynamic duo Monotone (Lonhro) and Diacon (Tassort) can extend the hot streak in their respective races. Tommy Berry will get the leg-up on both runners, with slick triallist Monotone well-supported to break his maiden in the opening race on the program, and Diacon the early favourite for Class 1 Handicap over 1100 metres. “Monotone is a talented type by Lonhro,” said Baker. “He had a spell after two runs in his first prep and has since come back with two trials. He won the latest of them at Warwick Farm, and he did it in good style. He’s on the way up and should run well at Hawkesbury. Diacon is a nice filly by Tassort that has had three starts and performed well in each of them. She ran fourth at Gosford on debut and then won well at the same track before a second, again at Gosford, before being spelled. She’s had two trials to get ready for her return to racing, and she looks ready to perform well.”

Coffs Harbour meeting transferred to Inverell

The meeting scheduled to take place at Coffs Harbour this Friday has been transferred to Inverell Racecourse. Following 165mls of rain over the past seven days, the track at Coffs Harbour was rated a Heavy 10 on Wednesday morning and with further rainfall forecast by the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), Racing NSW made the decision to transfer the meeting. The surface at Inverell is currently rated a Soft 6 and may improve before raceday, with favourable weather conditions predicted. Distance amendments have been applied to two races on the program, further info is available here.

Bull set to depart politics at the end of the year

Aaron Morrison has praised the contribution and commitment of Tim Bull after the shadow racing minister announced he would not be contesting the 2026 Victorian state election. Having served as the Member for East Gippsland for the past 16 years, Bull revealed he would be stepping away from the world of politics at the end of this year. Racing Victoria’s CEO paid tribute to Bull, labelling him a “passionate advocate” for the sport of thoroughbred racing throughout his time in the Victorian Parliament. “It’s vital for racing that we have strong and passionate advocates for our sport in parliament, and Tim Bull has been just that for many years,” Morrison said. “One of Victorian racing’s great strengths is the strong bi-partisan support it receives in parliament, and that comes down to the work and character of people like Tim. He loves racing and has been an incredible advocate for our sport across Victoria – particularly for the many people who derive a living from participating in, and supporting, our industry.”

Novara Park release fees for 2026

Novara Park has announced its 2026 service fees, with owner Luigi Muollo reinforcing the stud’s commitment to offering breeders quality bloodlines and genuine value across its stallion roster.

Sweynesse (Lonhro) continues to build momentum following another strong season headlined by Wigmore’s South Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) victory.

The stallion has also been represented by consistent filly Miss Starlight, now crowned NZB Southern Filly of the Year, while Group-performed sprinter Sweynesday will step out in Queensland for the first time when contesting Saturday’s BRC Sprint (Gr 3, 1350m) en route to the Stradbroke Handicap (Gr 1, 1400m).

Meanwhile In Hong Kong, multiple Group 1 winner Lucky Sweynesse returned from an injury-plagued season to land the Chairman’s Trophy (Gr 2, 1600m), while also being Group 1-placed behind superstars Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress) and Romantic Warrior (Acclamation).

“I am rapt for Sweynesse,” Muollo said. “There is more ahead of him. He is still relatively young and they sell well at the sales and as tried horses.

Sweynesse will stand at an unchanged fee of $7,000 (all fees plus GST).

Staphanos (Deep Impact) continues to produce quality gallopers, with his eldest crop five-year-olds and Muollo points out that his fillies in particular have excelled.

With 11 stakes performers from 107 starters, Staphanos’ progeny range from Group 1-winning juvenile Pignan to Group 1-placed milers Movin Out and Special Sakura through to proven stayers like Basilinna. The son of Deep Impact (Sunday Silence) will remain at $9,000.

“Looking at the 18 proven stallions in New Zealand that sit above Staphanos in service fees, no other stallion beats his percentage of Group One winners and performers to runners for his fillies,” Muollo said.

“He is ahead of the likes of Savabeel, Proisir, and Per Incanto, and incredibly I think he can build on this with his best crops yet to come.”

King Of Comedy (Kingman) will also stand at an unchanged fee of $7,000 after producing a number of promising performers including Manawatu Classic (Gr 3, 2000m) placegetter King Jakkal and Sir Ruby, a leading three-year-old in Malaysia, in addition to emerging three-year-old The Explosive.

Meanwhile, Novara Park’s newest addition to the stallion roster, The Foxes (Churchill), has already attracted strong breeder interest with his debut fee $10,000.

The son of Churchill (Galileo) won stakes races across four consecutive seasons and boasts one of the most powerful pedigrees available to breeders.

“Novara Park is always looking at offering upside and value for money to breeders,” Muollo said.

“Our stallion line-up offers breeders the best bloodlines in the world while our fees give our clients affordability and a live foal guarantee.”

Calendar confirmed for next season

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) has unveiled its calendar for the 2026/2027 season, with 310 thoroughbred race meetings scheduled to take place across the country. The final program for the upcoming season has been finalised following extensive consultation with the country’s race clubs and industry stakeholders. The number of 2026/2027 meetings represents a minor increase on this season’s tally of 308, with the return of Hastings counterbalanced by the unavailability of Awapuni as it undergoes an extensive renovation. NZTR’s general manager of racing, Mitch Lamb, said the release of the calendar marks a significant milestone for the industry. “The racing calendar is the backbone of our season and there has been a huge amount of work across the industry to get us to this point,” he said. “The calendar process is a great example of the constructive working relationship between the racing codes, Entain and TAB NZ, as well as the valuable input received from our clubs and industry organisations. Next season presents some obvious challenges for us when it comes to calendar and dates planning, and no doubt the evolving nature of the racing landscape will demand that we continue to be adaptable when we approach this each and every season. Our clubs were active in their submissions post the release of the draft calendar, and whilst not all submissions can be incorporated, it was great to see collaborative efforts on multiple fronts between individual clubs so we thank all of them for their efforts.”

Kennedy keen on a pair of mares on his home deck

Wingatui trainer Terry Kennedy is readying his arsenal to land a blow on his home track this Friday. Kennedy is set to be represented by up to six runners on the program, and has nominated a pair of mares in Proudtobehere (Belardo) and Generation Joy (Ghibellines) as his top seeds. The former is shooting for successive home track victories when she steps out over the mile, with jockey Mereana Hudson set to pilot the last-start course and distance victor. “Proudtobehere would have to be one of my best chances”, Kennedy said. “She was very good last time, and just keeps improving. She hasn’t missed a beat since and has gone forward very well.” Generation Joy will also contest a mile race, and Kennedy believes the mare will be highly competitive dropping back in grade after two solid efforts in stakes company. “She’s back to her own grade and she goes well over a mile,” he said. “She hasn’t raced since Easter so she’s on the fresh side, which is good, and she’ll back up over 2200 metres on Sunday week [in the Wairio Cup]. She hardly ever runs a bad race, she’s only won three times but has won over $100,000 in prize-money, so she’s done pretty well.”

HK: Purton pays tribute to his peer

Zac Purton has paid tribute to his fellow jockey James McDonald as the pair prepare to renew their rivalry at Sha Tin on Sunday. It was honours even last Saturday after Purton and McDonald both rode a double on Doomben 10,000 day, and once ‘J-Mac’ has completed his riding duties at Doomben this Saturday, he will board an overnight flight to Hong Kong to reunite with his favourite horse, Romantic Warrior (Acclamation). Despite his fierce determination, Purton has virtually conceded defeat to McDonald and his prized mount in Sunday’s feature race, the Champions & Chater Cup (Gr 1, 2400m). Purton is already guaranteed a ninth jockeys’ premiership in Hong Kong, but he revealed his frequent forays to ride in Australia are stoking the fires of an emerging rivalry with McDonald. “There’s always going to be a rivalry in any sport with anyone at the top,” Purton told Racing.com. “We’re both competitive, we both want to win but we get along with each other really well actually. We were sitting next to each other there at Doomben, and we had a bit of a laugh during the day. He just does his thing, and I do my thing. I like the way he rides. He goes out there and rides, in my opinion, in the right manner. He’s just focused on what he’s doing, and he’s not worried about what I’m doing or what anyone else is doing. I ride the same way. I just go out there and try to give my horse the best chance to win the race. It’s good to see him and it’s nice to be getting compared to a great of the turf like him.”

HK: Cap Ferrat aims to down the champ

Craig Williams will reunite with Cap Ferrat (Snitzel) in Sunday’s Champions & Chater Cup as the pair aim to end Romantic Warrior’s winning streak in his backyard. Romantic Warrior is shooting for 11 wins in succession in Hong Kong – if successful Danny Shun’s stable star would also complete the Triple Crown – but Cap Ferrat arguably enters Sunday’s contest in career-best form. Trainer Francis Lui is adamant his 2025 Hong Kong Derby (Listed, 2000m) winner is now firmly back on track, having regained firm and fitness following an injury setback earlier in the season. Cap Ferrat has thrived since returning to competitive action, most recently chasing home Mark Newnham’s My Wish (Flying Artie) in the Champions Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) on April 26. If he can replicate that performance over the extended distance on Sunday, Lui believes Cap Ferrat is capable of giving the hot favourite a fright. “I’m really happy with him,” said Lui. “My assistant trainer Vincent [Sit] rode him, and he was very happy with his gallop on Tuesday. I think his condition right now is the best he’s been all season, and Craig Williams is a good partner for him. He surprised me last start [in the Champions Mile]. He placed in this race last season, so hopefully we can be in the first three again.”

US: Breeders’ Cup heroine Cy Fair headed for Royal Ascot

Last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (Gr 1, 5f) winner Cy Fair (Not This Time) is set to compete at next month's prestigious Royal Ascot meeting after being confirmed for the opening day’s King Charles III Stakes (Gr 1, 5f) by her part-owners Medallion Racing, where she will take on both 2024 winner Asfoora (Flying Artie) and Bjorn Baker’s Overpass (Vancouver). Cy Fair finished third on her reappearance at Keeneland last month but took a step forward when winning a Grade 3 at Churchill Downs almost three weeks later to book her ticket to the royal meeting. A statement from Medallion Racing said: "We're excited to take Cy Fair to Royal Ascot. We feel like she is one of the best turf sprinters in America, and we wanted to test her against some of the best in Europe and Australia. We think five furlongs at Ascot is her ideal distance."

US: Gun Runner filly tops second and final session of record Fasig-Tipton Sale

A filly by Gun Runner (Candy Ride) topped the second and final day of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale in America when selling to agent Pedro Lanz for US$1.37 million (approx. AU$1.92 million). The daughter of the Three Chimneys sire was bred by Chester and Mary Broman out of the unraced Uncle Mo (Indian Charlie) mare Modest Maven, the dam of Grade 2-placed Arctic Arrogance (Frosted). Buying on behalf of KAS Stables, having bought the session-topping US$2.1 million (approx. AU$2.94 million) Flightline (Tapit) colt on Tuesday for the Saudi Arabian-owned operation, Lanz told Bloodhorse: "Beautiful filly, May foal. She still has time to develop and get bigger and stronger. Beautiful mare by Uncle Mo. I remember Arctic Arrogance fighting in that Kentucky Derby race [Withers Stakes] in New York, and finishing second, a tough race. She has everything you can ask for." The agent, who confirmed the filly would be trained by Brad Cox, added: "We needed a filly. I was reviewing the results of the prior sales. This was the first chance at this sale; there was one [Gun Runner] yesterday [Tuesday], but she was my favourite. So I told them, if you want the best filly, in my opinion, she's the one." At the end of trade on day two, a total 384 horses had changed hands for turnover of US$52,875,500 (approx. AU$74.15 million), including private sales, up 19.3 per cent from last year's single-session sale which saw 327 horses sell for US$44,317,500 (approx. AU$62.15 million). The average also increased 1.6 per cent year-on-year to US$137,697 (approx. AU$193,110), while the median leapt 16 points to US$70,000 (approx. AU$98,170). Overall, 73 horses failed to meet their reserve, resulting in an RNA rate of 16 per cent.

IRE: Gstaad gunning for Guineas redemption

After finishing runner-up in the English 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m), Gstaad (Starspangledbanner) bids to go one better in the Irish equivalent when he returns to the Curragh on Saturday. Having chased home George Boughey’s Bow Echo (Night Of Thunder) in the Classic at Newmarket, Gstaad is the odds-on market leader to land another Irish 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) triumph for his trainer Aidan O’Brien. The master horseman believes Gstaad’s run in the Guineas was full of merit, particularly as he raced keenly throughout. “Gstaad pulled hard the whole way [in the Guineas],” said O’Brien. “At Newmarket with no cover, he ran a great race, he quickened away from the third horse and they were eight lengths ahead. George’s horse got a little bit of cover in the first part of the race, and it’s hard to quicken if you don’t have cover. That’s what happened to Gstaad, and he drifted to the right instead of coming to the left. So we were delighted with the run, the winner was very good on the day and it didn’t work out totally for us.”

UK: Ascot in an arms race for the world’s best horses

Ahead of this year’s royal festival, Ascot’s director of racing and public affairs, Nick Smith, has admitted that it is becoming increasingly hard to recruit international horses given the prize-money levels on offer across the globe. Smith has confessed that in the modern racing landscape, the prestige of Royal Ascot alone is no longer enough to lure some of the globe’s best horses to English shores. Three Australian raiders join a strong international contingent at Royal Ascot this year, but the sport’s increasing globalisation means that an increasing number of carnivals are now competing for the world’s leading talent. “Things have changed quite a lot – 25 years ago, the options for travel were much, much less,” Smith said. “The spring program internationally has developed exponentially, there are so many opportunities now. Even at this time of year, [it is tough] with the opportunities there for connections in Saudi, as well as Dubai. We’ve always managed to get horses from most major racing continents. The issue now is our prize-money, because while it’s really competitive on a European scale, it isn’t really competitive on a global scale. The King George at £2 million is pretty close, but it’s getting tougher and tougher, and we’re looking at ways to invest more and more into prize-money to try to alleviate that.”