# ANZ Bloodstock News > Australia & New Zealand Bloodstock News ## Posts - [Neveu and Ko Phangan emerge as Midnight Dynamite strikes again](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/neveu-and-ko-phangan-emerge-as-midnight-dynamite-strikes-again/): Homebred gelding Neveu (Rich Enuff) became his father’s 11th stakes winner when he held on to prevail in a thrilling... - [Eagle-eyed Richards prepares for big Saturday](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/eagle-eyed-richards-prepares-for-big-saturday/): Morphettville-based trainer Gordon Richards is gearing up for a bumper set of runners at his home track on Saturday, and... - [Value sires continue to punch above their weight](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/value-sires-continue-to-punch-above-their-weight/): The 2025-26 racing season is drawing to a close and, with stallion fees now announced across Australia and New Zealand,... - [Castillo King (AUS)](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/castillo-king-aus/): The Michael Freedman-trained Castillo King (Farnan) could be set for a step up to stakes class after making an impressive... - [Alexander takes aim at Byerley Handicap with promising Maurice filly Notified](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/alexander-takes-aim-at-byerley-handicap-with-promising-maurice-filly-notified/): It may be a fair jump in class to go from a Ballarat Synthetic maiden success to landing a prestigious... - [Angels Fury](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/angels-fury/): You can say what you like about men being stubborn, but you won’t change our minds. And sometimes it comes... - [Hard Kick set for winter launch as spring riches await](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/hard-kick-set-for-winter-launch-as-spring-riches-await/): With three winners from their last four juvenile runners, the Lindsay Park team is enjoying a late season baby boom... - [Today's International News Briefing Latest](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/international-morning-briefing/): 31 for Almanzor Cambridge Stud shuttler Almanzor (Wootton Bassett) sired his 31st individual stakes winner when Brielle landed the Aphrodite... - [Today's New Zealand News Briefing Latest](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/new-zealand-briefing/): Extreme Warrior two year old impresses on debut Southland trainer Ebony Turner is eyeing spring black-type targets with Glamour Extreme... - [Today's Australia News Briefing Latest](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/australia-briefing/): Nestor embraces life in dual role Kody Nestor is enjoying life as both jockey and trainer after taking out a... - [Today's Asia News Briefing Latest](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/asia-briefing/): Bankers Boss beats Mega pair Trained by Johnny Lim, three year old gelding Bankers Boss (Hellbent) won the feature RM200,000... - [Winnasedge gives Cliff’s Edge breakthrough stakes winner](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/winnasedge-gives-cliffs-edge-breakthrough-stakes-winner/): It’s been a little while coming, and his opportunities haven’t been vast, but the stakes winner has arrived that Bombora... - [Breeding barn beckons as in-form mare prepares for one last dance](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/breeding-barn-beckons-as-in-form-mare-prepares-for-one-last-dance/): Ahead of her proposed spring date with Zoustar (Northern Meteor), in-form mare Coeur Volante (Proisir) will bid to embellish her... - [Kiwi Chronicles - Late bookings?](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/kiwi-chronicles-late-bookings/): The foaling season is only weeks away and the breeding season kicks off merely four weeks after that, beginning September... - [Winnasedge earns stakes breakthrough in John Monash](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/winnasedge-earns-stakes-breakthrough-in-john-monash/): Nick Ryan believes the stars aligned for Winnasedge (Cliff’s Edge) at Caulfield on Saturday, and the Flemington trainer was delighted... - [Fresh Watchme Win ready to strike in Monash](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/fresh-watchme-win-ready-to-strike-in-monash/): Morphettville trainer Andrew Gluyas is looking forward to Saturday’s John Monash Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m), with stable stalwart Watchme Win... - [Kosei Top (AUS)](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/kosei-top-aus/): 2 g All Too Hard – Unplayable, by Darci Brahma O: RSS K9 (Mgr: K Kawakami) & Knine Inc. (Mgr:... - [Golden Eagle gets instant Group 1 status as APC upgrades host of Australian contests](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/golden-eagle-gets-instant-group-1-status-as-apc-upgrades-host-of-australian-contests/): November’s Golden Eagle (1500m) will be run as a Group 1 for the first time after being given a direct... - [Angels Fury steps out on the path to redemption](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/angels-fury-steps-out-on-the-path-to-redemption/): One-time Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) favourite Angels Fury (Harry Angel) is out for redemption at Caulfield this Saturday... - [Cellarmaster (NZ)](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/cellarmaster-nz/): From one of New Zealand breeding’s most storied families – the famed “Belle Line” – comes Cellarmaster (Bivouac), the brood’s... - [Mum’s the word as Asfoora’s career draws to a close](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/mums-the-word-as-asfooras-career-draws-to-a-close/): As he prepares for Asfoora’s (Flying Artie) homecoming party next month, part-owner and breeder Akram El-Fahkri has reflected on his... - [Legacy upheld](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/legacy-upheld/): July is here and the racing season has just a few more weeks to run before it’s over. August is... - [Momentum builds for Alabama Express](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/momentum-builds-for-alabama-express/): With a fresh stakes winner, the fifth from his first crop, and a huge boost in numbers among his rising... - [Ricky Yiu plots Hong Kong Derby path with Victor Supreme after Sha Tin four-timer](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/ricky-yiu-plots-hong-kong-derby-path-with-victor-supreme-after-sha-tin-four-timer/): Celebrating a quartet with a string of emerging gallopers at Sha Tin on Saturday, Ricky Yiu outlined long-range hopes to... - [Marwooba steps up to land Taj Rossi Final](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/marwooba-steps-up-to-land-taj-rossi-final/): Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj) colt Marwooba continued his rapid rise through the juvenile ranks when claiming his first black-type success in... - [Justify gelding Ndola breaks through in Santa Ana Lane Final](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/justify-gelding-ndola-breaks-through-in-santa-ana-lane-final/): Another Coolmore stallion on the stakes scoresheet during Flemington’s Finals Day was Justify (Scat Daddy), whose gelded son Ndola rewarded... - [Cellarmaster toughs it out to land Winx Guineas breakthrough](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/cellarmaster-toughs-it-out-to-land-winx-guineas-breakthrough/): The Tom Charlton-trained gelding Cellarmaster (Bivouac) was all-heart in Saturday’s Winx Guineas (Gr 3, 1600m), bursting from well back in... - [Winx within reach for Lucky Vega filly](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/winx-within-reach-for-lucky-vega-filly/): Trainer Bjorn Baker is confident former outstanding two-year-old Within The Law (Lucky Vega) can go close to breaking a lengthy... - [Winx Stakes set to provide big clue to second season sires’ table question](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/winx-stakes-set-to-provide-big-clue-to-second-season-sires-table-question/): A gelding and a colt with strong links to outstanding New Zealand racemares will contest an intriguing edition of the... - [Rising eight, going on six](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/rising-eight-going-on-six/): It would appear that Chris Waller has found the winning formula for Asterix (Tavistock). The former New Zealand Derby (Gr... - [Stay Inside has the numbers](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/stay-inside-has-the-numbers/): The opposite forces of statistics and dreams will rarely align in the breeding world, but Newgate Farm could be excused... - [Privacy Policy](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/privacy-policy/): Privacy Policy ANZ Bloodstock News ANZ Bloodstock News respects your privacy and is committed to handling personal information responsibly, transparently... - [Tiara fits Splash Back](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/tiara-fits-splash-back/): French-bred six-year-old Splash Back (Le Havre) brought the ultimate reward for her bold importation from Europe in becoming an elite... - [Tuileries heads up strong Saturday line-up for Snowden as he chases back-to-back Tatt’s Tiara’s](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/tuileries-heads-up-strong-saturday-line-up-for-snowden-as-he-chases-back-to-back-tatts-tiaras/): Peter Snowden is hopeful that last-start Group 3 winner Tuileries (So You Think) can plunder Group 1 glory on Saturday... - [Chaldean show continues as Bhima go to $250k for weanling by Cambridge Stud shuttler](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/chaldean-show-continues-as-bhima-go-to-250k-for-weanling-by-cambridge-stud-shuttler/): Cambridge Stud’s shuttler Chaldean (Frankel) has been very well received on his first trip over to the southern hemisphere and... - [Caspar Fownes stretches championship lead as Cody Mo posts a treble](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/caspar-fownes-stretches-championship-lead-as-cody-mo-posts-a-treble/): Bidding for a fifth Hong Kong trainers’ championship, Caspar Fownes tightened his grip on the 2025/26 title after teaming with... - [Omolong (AUS)](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/omolong-aus/): 2 c Extreme Choice – Samarmeteors by Northern Meteor) O: Yu Long Investments (Mgr: Y Zhang) & G Harvey B:... - [Cool Gent looks to bring the heat in the Tatt’s Stakes](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/cool-gent-looks-to-bring-the-heat-in-the-tatts-stakes/): After suffering a 15-length defeat on debut at Toowoomba last December, it is quite the turnaround for Cool Gent (Winning... - [Midnight Dynamite](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/midnight-dynamite/): From an agonising pinhooking failure – belying a family with several elite winners – Midnight Dynamite (Pierata) has gone on... - [Blue Gum announce acquisition of Libertad and Coleman](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/blue-gum-announce-acquisition-of-libertad-and-coleman/): Blue Gum Farm has announced the addition of two stallions for the 2026 breeding season, with Group 1-winning sprinter Libertad... - [Savabeel colts set to sizzle at Karaka](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/savabeel-colts-set-to-sizzle-at-karaka/): A pair of prized colts sired by the late, great Savabeel (Zabeel) are among the headline lots at the 2026... - [Team Munce eye Tatt’s Tiara triumph](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/team-munce-eye-tatts-tiara-triumph/): Buoyed by another fruitful weekend, Chris and Corey Munce are aiming to put the icing on their most successful season... - [Barham keeps it in the family](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/barham-keeps-it-in-the-family/): Joliestar (Zoustar) is set to contest Newmarket’s July Cup (Gr 1, 1207m) next month and to try Royal Ascot again... - [Brave Joliestar runs desperately close third as Almeraq springs surprise in Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/brave-joliestar-runs-desperately-close-third-as-almeraq-springs-surprise-in-queen-elizabeth-ii-jubilee-stakes/): In what was yet another spectacular finish to a feature race at Royal Ascot this week, the William Haggas-trained Almeraq... - [‘She's the best filly’ Precise backs up Irish Guineas win with battling Coronation success](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/shes-the-best-filly-precise-backs-up-irish-guineas-win-with-battling-coronation-success/): It may have been a little tougher than some had expected, but Aidan O’Brien’s star three-year-old filly Precise (Starspangledbanner) registered... - [Demerzel (AUS)](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/demerzel-aus/): 2 f Ole Kirk – Apicius by Redoute’s Choice O: Johnston Thoroughbreds (Mgr: T M Johnston), A P Grant, Horseshoe... - [TON UP!! Tenacious Scandinavia hands Aidan O’Brien his century of Royal Ascot winners under masterful Moore](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/ton-up-tenacious-scandinavia-hands-aidan-obrien-his-century-of-royal-ascot-winners-under-masterful-moore/): Ballydoyle maestro Aidan O’Brien notched up a century of winners at Royal Ascot on Thursday when Scandinavia (Justify) denied defending... - [It’s In The Blood - Tron Bolt](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/its-in-the-blood-tron-bolt/): That old sage Rick Jamieson has been at it again, with the boss of the Gilgai Farm production house creating... - [‘What he did there was mind-blowing’ – Global superstar Ombudsman reigns supreme with pulsating defence of Prince of Wales’s Stakes crown](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/what-he-did-there-was-mind-blowing-global-superstar-ombudsman-reigns-supreme-with-pulsating-defence-of-prince-of-waless-stakes-crown/): In a display of sheer dominance and authority, the John and Thady Gosden-trained Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder) collected his second... - [O’Brien lands King Charles III Stakes with Mission Central as Overpass runs a brave third](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/obrien-lands-king-charles-iii-stakes-with-mission-central-as-overpass-runs-a-brave-third/): Ballydoyle maestro Aidan O’Brien could have his sights set on landing a whopping payday in October’s The Everest (Gr 1,... - [Ding-dong battle sees 2,000 Guineas form upheld as Bow Echo narrowly denies Gstaad in St James’s Palace classic](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/ding-dong-battle-sees-2000-guineas-form-upheld-as-bow-echo-narrowly-denies-gstaad-in-st-jamess-palace-classic/): Billed as a rematch between the English 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) quinella Bow Echo (Night Of Thunder) and Gstaad... - [Royal Ascot Round-up](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/royal-ascot-round-up/): 18 for Dark Angel Yeomanstown Stud stallion Dark Angel (Acclamation) chalked up his 18th individual elite-level winner on Saturday when... - [It’s that time again! Aussies return with strongest hand yet for Royal Ascot raid](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/its-that-time-again-aussies-return-with-strongest-hand-yet-for-royal-ascot-raid/): Aussie fever has returned to Berkshire this week as Royal Ascot takes over, and familiar faces Henry Dwyer and Chris... - [Loving the distance](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/loving-the-distance/): Weekend Melbourne and Brisbane Group 1 racing was impacted by winter rains whereas Sydney’s racing at Rosehill was conducted on... - [Toronado strikes juvenile gold with Tron Bolt](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/toronado-strikes-juvenile-gold-with-tron-bolt/): JJ Atkins Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) hero Tron Bolt (Toronado) confirmed himself as one of the nation’s most exciting young... - [Freedman hoping to carry sales-ring success over to Queensland with stakes quintet](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/freedman-hoping-to-carry-sales-ring-success-over-to-queensland-with-stakes-quintet/): Off the back of another big week at the yearling sales, Randwick-based trainer Michael Freedman will make the journey to... - [Thundering On dazzles with facile Oaks display](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/thundering-on-dazzles-with-facile-oaks-display/): Joseph O’Brien was celebrating a second British Classic success on Friday when Thundering On ran out a truly facile winner... - [Caspar Fownes extends lead in Hong Kong trainers’ championship with Happy Valley double](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/caspar-fownes-extends-lead-in-hong-kong-trainers-championship-with-happy-valley-double/): Caspar Fownes’ push for the 2025/26 Hong Kong trainers’ title gained crucial momentum at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (3... - [Freedman extends his Extreme shopping spree](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/freedman-extends-his-extreme-shopping-spree/): Michael Freedman continued his Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) spending spree on the final day of the Magic Millions... - [Lope De Vega colt tops the charts on opening day](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/lope-de-vega-colt-tops-the-charts-on-opening-day/): The principle of supply and demand ultimately determines the value of any product, and so it was of no great... - [Keeping the faith](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/keeping-the-faith/): Punters lost faith but not the connections of Electron (Turn Me Loose), winner of Saturday’s AGC Training Centre Stakes (Listed,... - [Legend Zac Purton becomes first to ride 2,000 winners in Hong Kong](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/legend-zac-purton-becomes-first-to-ride-2000-winners-in-hong-kong/): Zac Purton broke new ground at Sha Tin this afternoon (Sunday, 31 May) as the Australian became the first jockey... - [Waller’s Providence provides landmark winners for McDonald and Wootton Bassett in classy Derby display](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/wallers-providence-provides-landmark-winners-for-mcdonald-and-wootton-bassett-in-classy-derby-display/): The late Wootton Bassett’s (Iffraaj) legacy has been extended by his first Australian-bred elite winner after Chris Waller and James... - [JJ Atkins next on the agenda for Berzelius following rousing Sires’ Produce win](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/jj-atkins-next-on-the-agenda-for-berzelius-following-rousing-sires-produce-win/): Australia’s highest-priced stallion Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) racked up stakes winner number 19 when longshot colt Berzelius defied... - [Headley Grange hits the big time with Kingsford-Smith victory](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/headley-grange-hits-the-big-time-with-kingsford-smith-victory/): Redoubtable gelding Headley Grange (Exosphere) took his role as an Inglis Digital poster boy to stunning new heights when he... - [Stradbroke to follow for Regal Award after Fred Best success](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/stradbroke-to-follow-for-regal-award-after-fred-best-success/): Highly rated punters’ headache Regal Award (Ole Kirk) became his young sire’s seventh stakes winner and capped a major day... - [Caspar Fownes surges back to top of trainers’ championship, while Joao Moreira fires in treble](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/caspar-fownes-surges-back-to-top-of-trainers-championship-while-joao-moreira-fires-in-treble/): Caspar Fownes reclaimed the lead in a rollercoaster battle for the Hong Kong trainers’ championship at Happy Valley on Wednesday... - [Front Rank (AUS)](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/front-rank-aus/): 3 g Snitzel – In The Vanguard by Encosta De Lago O: Go Bloodstock Australia B: Go Bloodstock Australia T:... - [Solid Kiwi filly bidding for Gold in Queensland Derby](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/solid-kiwi-filly-bidding-for-gold-in-queensland-derby/): Solid Gold (Savabeel) will be out to extend a streak while also breaking a drought as she strives to continue... - [Fiorenza tops Inglis Digital May (Late) Sale, headed for date with Lead Artist](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/fiorenza-tops-inglis-digital-may-late-sale-headed-for-date-with-lead-artist/): Fiorenza (Kingman) – who finished as top lot in the Inglis Digital May (Late) Online Sale that ended on Thursday... - [Nightline set to make headlines for Team Sears](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/nightline-set-to-make-headlines-for-team-sears/): Following the recent retirement of Antino, Redwood (High Chaparral) is in need of another headline horse and Westbury Stud’s quiet... - [NZB release online catalogue for National Weanling Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/nzb-release-online-catalogue-for-national-weanling-sale/): The countdown to NZB’s 2026 National Weanling Sale is underway, with a high quality catalogue of 140 youngsters by New... - [Outa my way!](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/outa-my-way/): Described by owner Trish Dunell as “my lovely girl”, South Australian Fillies Classic (Gr 3, 2546m) winner Fringes (Niagara) has... - [Attorney General breaks trial duck at Rosehill](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/attorney-general-breaks-trial-duck-at-rosehill/): There were six heats won by juveniles at the Rosehill trials on Monday, headed by $1. 5 million yearling purchase... - [Group 1-winning son of champion sire Into Mischief to make his way Down Under](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/59588-2/): Laurel River – a Group 1-winning son of record breaking stallion Into Mischief (Harlan’s Holiday) – will shuttle to Woodside... - [Riverstone Lodge maintains momentum with tightly held trio](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/riverstone-lodge-maintains-momentum-with-tightly-held-trio/): It was only in 2024 that Blandford-based Riverstone Lodge burst onto the scene as the leading vendor by average (three... - [Shinzo on speed dial for Inglis Foal Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/shinzo-on-speed-dial-for-inglis-foal-sale/): Inspections for this week’s Inglis Australian Weanling Sale moved up a notch at Riverside Stables on Sunday with growing interest... - [Kiwi-breds land another Classic as Wigmore wins South Australian Derby](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/kiwi-breds-land-another-classic-as-wigmore-wins-south-australian-derby/): New Zealand import Wigmore (Sweynesse) has been in work on both sides of the Tasman for six months but that... - [Wootton Bassett colt Excite leads home feature race quinella for James and Wellwood](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/wootton-bassett-colt-excite-leads-home-feature-race-quinella-for-james-and-wellwood/): The Roger James and Robert Wellwood stable were to the fore at Te Rapa on Saturday when progressive juveniles Excite... - [Private Harry primed for first-up Victory](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/private-harry-primed-for-first-up-victory/): Just days after being announced as the latest recruit to Yulong Stud’s NSW roster, Private Harry (Harry Angel) will get... - [Edmonds set to shoot for the stars with Extragalactic](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/edmonds-set-to-shoot-for-the-stars-with-extragalactic/): After some out of this world performances by Extragalactic (Deep Field), Trent Edmonds is hopeful his banner filly can give... - [Ole Kirk heads new-look 2026 roster at Vinery](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/ole-kirk-heads-new-look-2026-roster-at-vinery/): Vinery and Kia Ora Studs announced a consolidation of their stallion operations earlier this week and service fees for the... - [Wrote heads up 2026 roster for Highview Stud](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/wrote-heads-up-2026-roster-for-highview-stud/): Highview Stud have announced the service fees for their quartet of stallions ahead of the 2026 breeding season, headlined by... - [Mark Newnham continues superb season by reclaiming trainers’ championship lead](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/mark-newnham-continues-superb-season-by-reclaiming-trainers-championship-lead/): The Hong Kong trainers’ championship continued a season of constant fluctuation as Mark Newnham reclaimed the lead in the battle... - [Cilacap](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/cilacap/): The greatest family of the late George Altomonte’s Corumbene Stud yielded more stakes success when Cilacap (Written Tycoon) lifted Saturday’s... - [Moscatel (AUS)](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/moscatel-aus/): 2 f Snitzel – Sweet Sherry by Bel Esprit O: Resolute Racing (Mgr: Miss C Stone), C T Chow, Carpe... - [Devil Night and Private Harry to stand at Yulong's new Hunter Valley base as 2026 fees released](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/devil-night-and-private-harry-to-stand-at-yulongs-new-hunter-valley-base-as-2026-fees-released/): Having acquired the Hunter Valley’s Segenhoe Stud, Yulong have revealed that their two new stallion prospects, Devil Night (Extreme Choice)... - [Yulong expands into Hunter Valley with the purchase of legendary Segenhoe Stud](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/yulong-expands-into-hunter-valley-with-the-purchase-of-legendary-segenhoe-stud/): Yulong has announced the acquisition of Segenhoe Stud, marking a significant milestone in the company’s expansion into Australia’s premier thoroughbred... - [Kia Ora join forces with Vinery Stud for 2026 stallion roster](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/kia-ora-join-forces-with-vinery-stud-for-2026-stallion-roster/): A Hunter Valley power play has been executed with news Kia Ora Stud’s stallions Farnan (Not A Single Doubt), Captivant... - [Anamoe breeding right sells for $450,000 on Day 1 of April (Late) Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/anamoe-breeding-right-sells-for-450000-on-day-1-of-april-late-sale/): A breeding right in boom first season sire Anamoe (Street Boss) topped the opening day of the Inglis Digital April... - [Proisir heads Rich Hill’s quartet of stallions for 2026](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/proisir-heads-rich-hills-quartet-of-stallions-for-2026/): Rich Hill Stud has announced the 2026 service fees for its four-strong roster of stallions, with Proisir (Choisir) once again... - [Australian Bloodstock bid for another Group 1 with bargain northern hemisphere buy](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/australian-bloodstock-bid-for-another-group-1-with-bargain-northern-hemisphere-buy/): Accidental Bid (Phoenix Of Spain) is a northern hemisphere three-year-old seeking to win Saturday’s South Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2500m)... - [Novara Park announce well-bred Group 2 winner The Foxes for 2026](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/novara-park-announced-well-bred-group-2-winner-the-foxes-for-2026/): Novara Park Stud has announced that Group 2 scorer The Foxes (Churchill) will join their stallion roster this season at... - [Supplementaries finalised for Chairman's Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/supplementaries-finalised-for-chairmans-sale/): A total of 11 supplementary entries have been confirmed for next week’s Inglis Chairman’s Sale, taking the final catalogue to... - [Shuttle sensation Too Darn Hot unchanged as Darley reveal team of 16 for 2026](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/shuttle-sensation-too-darn-hot-unchanged-as-darley-reveal-team-of-16-for-2026/): Superstar shuttler Too Darn Hot (Dubawi) will once again headline Darley Australia’s roster for 2026 as the top-class nursery revealed... - [Multiple Group 1 winners headline star-studded Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale catalogue](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/multiple-group-1-winners-headline-star-studded-magic-millions-national-broodmare-sale-catalogue/): Magic Millions has assembled a world-class catalogue featuring seven Group 1 winners and 111 black type performers for its 2026... - [Alexis Badel posts 300th Hong Kong victory as Ethan Brown slots first win at Happy Valley](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/alexis-badel-posts-300th-hong-kong-victory-as-ethan-brown-slots-first-win-at-happy-valley/): Preparing to embark on a David and Goliath challenge aboard Beauty Waves (Starspangledbanner) against Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress) in the... - [Marsept (AUS)](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/marsept-aus/): 3 f Written Tycoon – Motown Lil, by Sebring O: P C Orton, G P Heffernan, H Roach, Healey Bloodstock... - [Rising star The Autumn Sun takes up Arrowfield flagbearer mantle with fee increase](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/rising-star-the-autumn-sun-takes-up-arrowfield-flagbearer-mantle-with-fee-increase/): The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice) has taken the next step in his exhilarating evolution as a sire, with his coronation... - [Per Incanto continues his rise for Little Avondale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/per-incanto-continues-his-rise-for-little-avondale/): Per Incanto (Street Cry) will stand for an elevated service fee of $75,000 (plus GST) at Little Avondale Stud in... - [Snitzel Dancer](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/snitzel-dancer/): One of the great blue hens of modern breeding has come to the fore again with a first-time black type... - [White Robe release fees for Alflaila and Ancient Spirit](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/white-robe-release-fees-for-alflaila-and-ancient-spirit/): White Robe Lodge stallions Alflaila (Dark Angel) and Ancient Spirit (Invincible Spirit) have both been announced to be standing at... - [Godolphin add Group 1 winners Tentyris and Observer to 2026 roster](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/godolphin-add-group-1-winners-tentyris-and-observer-to-2026-roster/): Darley Australia has made the surprise announcement that two of the country’s best horses, Tentyris (Street Boss) and Observer (Ghaiyyath),... - [Darling View Thoroughbreds purchase Group 1 winner Royal Patronage](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/darling-view-thoroughbreds-purchase-group-1-winner-royal-patronage/): Darling View Thoroughbreds has set the bar high in signing Group 1–winning sprinter Royal Patronage (Wootton Bassett) to stand on... - [Darling View graduates primed for big payday in The Quokka](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/darling-view-graduates-primed-for-big-payday-in-the-quokka/): With a pair of Darling View Thoroughbreds graduates contesting The Quokka (1200m) alongside another leading contender sired by the farm’s... - [Jigsaw juggernaut on a roll for Perth’s The Quokka](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/jigsaw-juggernaut-on-a-roll-for-perths-the-quokka/): Rejuvenated Melbourne sprinter Jigsaw (Manhattan Rain) has drawn the outside barrier for the $5 million The Quokka (1200m) at Ascot... - [Group 1 placegetter Admiration Express headlines MM Digital Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/group-1-placegetter-admiration-express-headlines-mm-digital-sale/): Recently retired Group race winner and Group 1 placegetter Admiration Express (My Admiration) will be offered by Jason Miller Racing... - [Strong Inglis competition to continue at HTBA Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/strong-inglis-competition-to-continue-at-htba-sale/): The Inglis HTBA Yearling Sale this Sunday provides a proven opportunity to buy bargain-priced colts and fillies now that the... - [Australian buyers active at Tattersalls Craven Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/australian-buyers-active-at-tattersalls-craven-sale/): Australian buyers were once again active at the Tattersalls Craven Sale, securing three lots from the premier breeze-up sale. Leading... - [Danny Shum fires in Happy Valley treble ahead of Romantic Warrior’s FWD QEII Cup tilt](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/danny-shum-fires-in-happy-valley-treble-ahead-of-romantic-warriors-fwd-qeii-cup-tilt/): Preparing to bid for a record fourth QEII Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) victory with Romantic Warrior (Acclamation) at Sha Tin... - [St Gotthard (AUS)](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/st-gotthard-aus/): 2 c Snitzel – Ms Bad Behavior by Blame O: Coolmore (T Magnier), Wynaus (D Smith), Westerberg (M Ryan), J... - [Newgate sets Australia-high fee for Extreme Choice](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/newgate-sets-australia-high-fee-for-extreme-choice/): Henry Field founded Newgate 15 years ago and now it is one of Australia’s leading stallion operations with Extreme Choice... - [Pair of Extreme Choice mares added to Chairman’s Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/pair-of-extreme-choice-mares-added-to-chairmans-sale/): Having had his progeny sell well at the recent Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, buyers will be afforded an opportunity to... - [Flying Fizz tops Inglis Digital April (Early) Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/flying-fizz-tops-inglis-digital-april-early-sale/): Flying Fizz (Street Boss) will be retired by purchaser Corumbene and sent straight to stud after selling for a sale-topping... - [Diameter](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/diameter/): Diameter (Brazen Beau) provided another huge tick for his undersung sire and elevated his dam up another rung as a... - [Ohope won](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/ohope-won/): Since the New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) transferred to Trentham (from Riccarton) during the 1970s, it took until 1990... - [Ottobre to offer ‘Jenni’ trio at Inglis Chairman’s Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/ottobre-to-offer-jenni-trio-at-inglis-chairmans-sale/): Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) will never be for sale and might keep racing as a nine-year-old next spring,... - [Ocean Park back in the frame as miracle filly Ohope Wins completes Oaks double](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/ocean-park-back-in-the-frame-as-miracle-filly-ohope-wins-completes-oaks-double/): Waikato Stud believe their ultra consistent stallion Ocean Park (Thorn Park) has again emphatically proved himself a sire under the... - [Kiwi superstar Ohope Wins adds her name to history books with famous Oaks success](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/kiwi-superstar-ohope-wins-adds-her-name-to-history-books-with-famous-oaks-success/): Star New Zealander Ohope Wins (Ocean Park) joined a select band of fillies to win the major Oaks double on... - [Sir Delius lands biggest career success in QEII as Autumn Glow’s run comes to an end](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/sir-delius-lands-biggest-career-success-in-qeii-as-autumn-glows-run-comes-to-an-end/): Sir Delius (Frankel) – the headline horse of the spring for reasons good and bad – proved his rare quality... - [Smith’s Flyer nothing like Idle as she lands huge Group 1 in Queen Of The Turf](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/smiths-flyer-nothing-like-idle-as-she-lands-huge-group-1-in-queen-of-the-turf/): Underrated filly Idle Flyer (Dundeel) gave more proof her sire’s gender tide was turning by upsetting a supposed three-horse race... - [Percy Sykes plan for Team Archibald’s Bomshell works out](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/percy-sykes-plan-for-team-archibalds-bomshell-works-out/): Cherry Bomshell (Lucky Vega) became her sire’s second Australian black type winner with an upset victory in Saturday’s Percy Sykes... - [Arrowfield Queens set for championship crowns](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/arrowfield-queens-set-for-championship-crowns/): Champion mare Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) is odds-on to complete what could be a memorable afternoon for Arrowfield Stud... - [Ciaron Maher Racing draft set to shine at Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/ciaron-maher-racing-draft-set-to-shine-at-magic-millions-national-broodmare-sale/): A last-start million-dollar race winner is among the highlights of a quality draft from one of the country’s most power... - [Broodmare Sale to also offer drafts from Hesket Thoroughbreds and Bell View Park](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/broodmare-sale-to-also-offer-drafts-from-hesket-thoroughbreds-and-bell-view-park/): Next month’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale will feature new opportunities for buyers, with the latest news of two unreserved... - [Yarraman’s ‘Vinnie’ remains at $220,000 for 2026](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/yarramans-vinnie-remains-at-220000-for-2026/): Yarraman Park Stud has announced its service fees for 2026 and once again their multiple champion sire I Am Invincible... - [Oaks link boosts NZB National Online Yearling Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/oaks-link-boosts-nzb-national-online-yearling-sale/): Saturday’s Australian Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) has added timely interest to the NZB National Online Yearling Sale, which concludes next... - [Joao Moreira fires in quartet on Hong Kong return for Caspar Fownes](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/joao-moreira-fires-in-quartet-on-hong-kong-return-for-caspar-fownes/): Completing a triumphant return to Hong Kong racing with a superb four-timer at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, Joao Moreira... - [Dragon Scroll (AUS)](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/dragon-scroll-aus/): 3 f Zoustar – Secret Trail by Denman O: Pinecliff Racing B: Widden Stud T: Clayton Douglas S: 2024 Inglis... - [Remarkable Savabeel leads Waikato Stud roster for 2026](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/remarkable-savabeel-leads-waikato-stud-roster-for-2026/): Waikato Stud’s Chittick family have been breeding, rearing and developing elite racehorses at its Matamata property since the 1990s with... - [Te Akau add trio of classy mares to Magic Millions Broodmare Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/te-akau-add-trio-of-classy-mares-to-magic-millions-broodmare-sale/): Three elite racemares from the powerhouse Te Akau Racing operation are set to be among the headline offerings at next... - [Blue Door](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/blue-door/): A large dose of intricate breeding appears to have worked wonders with Blue Door (Stay Inside), Bjorn Baker’s exciting two-year-old... - [Ringing Zoustar endorsement in P J Bell Stakes at Randwick](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/ringing-zoustar-endorsement-in-p-j-bell-stakes-at-randwick/): Joliestar stole the Zoustar (Northern Meteor) headlines when winning the T J Smith Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) on Saturday but... - [‘That was breathtaking’ – star filly Sheza Alibi dismantles Doncaster field By Trevor Marshallsea](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/that-was-breathtaking-star-filly-sheza-alibi-dismantles-doncaster-field-by-trevor-marshallsea/): Peter Moody was left pinching himself after Sheza Alibi (Saxon Warrior) confirmed herself as the latest superstar filly in his... - [Campione D’Italia cements stud future with Sires’ Produce success](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/campione-ditalia-cements-stud-future-with-sires-produce-success/): Newgate-China Horse Club colt Campione D’Italia (Snitzel) might not yet have the champion status hinted by his name, but proved... - [Joliestar all set for Royal Ascot raid after fifth Group 1 success](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/joliestar-all-set-for-royal-ascot-raid-after-fifth-group-1-success/): The TJ Smith Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) was the next on the card and Chris Waller’s Joliestar (Zoustar) delivered the... - [Baker’s Green Spaces a cut above in Australian Derby](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/bakers-green-spaces-a-cut-above-in-australian-derby/): Trainer Bjorn Baker was thrilled to emulate his father Murray in winning the Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) at Randwick... - [Zoustar lands stakes treble across standout Saturday](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/zoustar-lands-stakes-treble-across-standout-saturday/): On an afternoon headlined by his T J Smith Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) heroine Joliestar, Widden Stud’s reigning Champion Sire... - [Yulong double-handed in ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/yulong-double-handed-in-atc-sires-produce-stakes/): It’s all systems go for Yulong Investments with new acquisitions Streisand (Magnus) and Paradoxium (Extreme Choice) leading the charge on... - [Seraphox (AUS)](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/seraphox-aus/): Seraphox (AUS) 2 c Harry Angel – Foxy Touch by Foxwedge O: Starblue Racing Foxy, Ciaron Maher Racing, Ms P... - [Diego Velazquez a Group 1 addition to Swettenham Stud](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/diego-velazquez-a-group-1-addition-to-swettenham-stud/): Swettenham Stud has announced Frankel’s (Galileo) Group 1 Prix Jacques le Marois (1600m) winner Diego Velazquez will stand for an... - [Newgate Farm taking care of business at Riverside Stables](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/newgate-farm-taking-care-of-business-at-riverside-stables/): While Newgate Farm super sire Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) dominated the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale earlier this week,... - [Amnesty for ineligible foals](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/amnesty-for-ineligible-foals/): Thoroughbred Breeders’ Australia (TBA) has welcomed a Racing Australia amnesty for ineligible foals born in 2024 and 2025. The directive... - [Group 1 placegetter Tutta La Vita to be offered via Inglis Digital](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/group-1-placegetter-tutta-la-vita-to-be-offered-via-inglis-digital/): Group 1-placed mare Tutta La Vita (The Autumn Sun) will be a headline act when she is offered at the... - [Sassy Boom's dam tops Magic Millions Digital Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/sassy-booms-dam-tops-magic-millions-digital-sale/): Harbour Fun (Harbour Watch), the dam of Group 2 winner Sassy Boom (Spirit Of Boom), topped the latest Magic Millions... - ['I have no doubt that in months and years to come, we’ll be talking about the 2026 Chairman’s Sale'](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/i-have-no-doubt-that-in-months-and-years-to-come-well-be-talking-about-the-2026-chairmans-sale/): A top-drawer line-up of the finest breeding stock – as well as a share in Newgate stalwart Extreme Choice (Not... - [Idle Flyer](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/idle-flyer/): There are always some things – axioms, beliefs, shards of received wisdom – in racing and breeding that are held... - [Derby destroyer Road To Paris takes a trip to Sydney](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/derby-destroyer-road-to-paris-takes-a-trip-to-sydney/): After Belle Cheval (Savabeel) broke a mini drought for New Zealand-trained horses in Australian Group 1 races last week, Roger... - [Archer arrows in on some grand prizes with Belle Cheval](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/archer-arrows-in-on-some-grand-prizes-with-belle-cheval/): The Belle Cheval (Savabeel) story already has many twists and turns and after the filly’s breakthrough success in last Saturday’s... - [Young American Boersma makes a splash at Easter as he teams up with Arrowfield](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/young-american-boersma-makes-a-splash-at-easter-as-he-teams-up-with-arrowfield/): “Precocious” is a word heard extremely often at yearling sales. You just don’t often hear it about buyers. But it... - [Extreme Choice colt plays $3 million starring role at the Inglis Easter sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/extreme-choice-colt-plays-3-million-starring-role-at-the-inglis-easter-sale/): The thrilling appeal of Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) and the resilience of the Inglis Easter yearling market were... - [Inglis Easter Sale begins with ‘elite offering’ against an uncertain global backdrop](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/inglis-easter-sale-begins-with-elite-offering-against-an-uncertain-global-backdrop/): Inglis Easter, the southern hemisphere’s most important yearling sale, kicks off on Sunday marked by the competing forces of what’s... - [Aeliana comes out on top of Tancred thriller](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/aeliana-comes-out-on-top-of-tancred-thriller/): If Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) wasn’t around, Aeliana (Castevecchio) would be close to being hailed as Australian racing’s superstar... - [‘Magic filly’ Belle Cheval shines in Vinery Stud Stakes](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/magic-filly-belle-cheval-shines-in-vinery-stud-stakes/): The mighty Savabeel (Zabeel) chalked up his 36th elite winner when Belle Cheval scored a thrilling and dramatic victory in... - [Light Infantry Man fights off Pride Of Jenni to take the Australian Cup](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/light-infantry-man-fights-off-pride-of-jenni-to-take-the-australian-cup/): Another classic chapter of Australian Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) lore was written on Saturday as an epic home straight battle... - [Storm Leopard emerges as another star for Darley’s Ghaiyyath](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/storm-leopard-emerges-as-another-star-for-darleys-ghaiyyath/): Darley sire Ghaiyyath (Dubawi) continued on his unstoppable way when his son Storm Leopard powered to victory in Saturday’s Tulloch... - [Natalma backs US bloodlines in six-lot Inglis Easter draft](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/natalma-backs-us-bloodlines-in-six-lot-inglis-easter-draft/): John Ferguson’s Natalma Bloodstock will take its latest step into the Australian yearling market at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling... - [Father-and-son quinella Sires’ Produce Stakes](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/father-and-son-quinella-sires-produce-stakes/): Te Akau Racing continued their domination of New Zealand’s juvenile ranks when Seize The Day (I Am Invincible) comfortably took... - [Like mother like daughter in New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/like-mother-like-daughter-in-new-zealand-thoroughbred-breeders-stakes/): Progressive mare She’s A Dealer (Ace High) followed in the footsteps of her mum Say No More (Pentire) as she... - [‘Hopefully we’ve got the next Autumn Glow standing in one of the boxes at Riverside right now’](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/hopefully-weve-got-the-next-autumn-glow-standing-in-one-of-the-boxes-at-riverside-right-now/): Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) is one of the most exciting horses anywhere in the world right now and Silverdale... - [Legacy Bound and Tycoon Star clash at Flemington as their siblings head for the Easter Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/legacy-bound-and-tycoon-star-clash-at-flemington-as-their-siblings-head-for-the-easter-sale/): Many eyes around Riverside will be glued to screens just after 3pm on Saturday to take in the VRC Sprint... - [Bidding now open for Magic Millions Digital Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/bidding-now-open-for-magic-millions-digital-sale/): Bidding is now open for the Magic Millions Digital (27 March-1 April) Sale with 83 lots catalogued, the majority offered... - [Coolmore swoop for Golden Slipper winner Guest House](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/coolmore-swoop-for-golden-slipper-winner-guest-house/): Coolmore Australia have purchased last weekend’s Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Guest House (Home Affairs) in a big... - [Lovatsville to stand Group-winning juvenile Espionage in 2026](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/lovatsville-to-stand-group-winning-juvenile-espionage-in-2026/): Lovatsville Stud has added the multiple Group-race winner Espionage to its roster for the 2026 breeding season and the son... - [Reachin’ Out (AUS)](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/reachin-out-aus/): 3 f Stay Inside – Pasar Silbano by Elnadim O: GW Holdings (Mgr: G J Wilson), F W Cook, Mrs... - [Choice colt set to ignite Extreme bidding battle at Easter](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/choice-colt-set-to-ignite-extreme-bidding-battle-at-easter/): With the demand for Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) far outweighing what he is capable of supplying, Newgate Farm... - [Snitzel filly tops Inglis Digital March (Late) Online Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/snitzel-filly-tops-inglis-digital-march-late-online-sale/): Last-start winner Washington Lilac (Snitzel) topped the Inglis Digital March (Late) Online Sale, selling to Silverdale Farm for $172,500. Offered... - [Group 1 winner Startantes added to Magic Millions Broodmare Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/group-1-winner-startantes-added-to-magic-millions-broodmare-sale/): The catalogue for May’s Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale continues to strengthen with the addition of Group 1... - [Six Of The Best - Inglis Easter 2026](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/six-of-the-best-inglis-easter-2026/): Here, in lot order, is a look at a magnificent half dozen who’ll be turning heads and raising hands at... - [Hong Kong Derby hero Bowman lands Valley treble while Shum surges with four-timer](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/hong-kong-derby-hero-bowman-lands-valley-treble-while-shum-surges-with-four-timer/): After following up a third career triumph in the Hong Kong Derby (2000m) at Sha Tin last Sunday with a... - [Rogers proud of his golden run with Roll The Dice](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/rogers-proud-of-his-golden-run-with-roll-the-dice/): As the man who first identified the Guest House’s (Home Affairs) vast potential, Jeremy Rogers drew immense satisfaction from the... - [Dubai Honour in top shape for Tancred title defence](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/dubai-honour-in-top-shape-for-tancred-title-defence/): The William Haggas-trained Dubai Honour (Pride Of Dubai) is reportedly in brilliant shape ahead of the defence of his Tancred... - [Yarraman Park hellbent on achieving success with their emerging sire](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/yarraman-park-hellbent-on-achieving-success-with-their-emerging-sire/): With I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) in the twilight of his incredible career, Yarraman Park have been scouring the stallion... - [Group 1 winner Benedetta to star at Inglis Chairman’s Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/59119-2/): Group 1 winner Benedetta (Hellbent) is a high-class addition to this year’s Inglis Chairman’s Sale, with the Ciaron Maher-trained mare... - [Cool Archie to stand at his Newhaven Park birthplace](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/cool-archie-to-stand-at-his-newhaven-park-birthplace/): Group 1-winning juvenile Cool Archie (Cool Aza Beel) has been secured for stud duties by Newhaven Park ahead of the... - [Coolmore predicting big future for Home Affairs following dream Golden Slipper result ](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/hes-got-the-whole-industry-on-his-shoulders/): In 2022, in an article by this correspondent crystal balling the next big thing in Australian stallions, all roads led... - [Yulong announce Vinrock as latest addition to ever-growing stallion roster](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/yulong-announce-vinrock-as-latest-addition-to-ever-growing-stallion-roster/): Group 1-winning colt Vinrock (I Am Invincible) will join the Yulong roster for 2026, entering the stallion market at an... - [I Am Invincible’s dynasty surges as Invincible Ibis claims Hong Kong Derby laurels](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/i-am-invincibles-dynasty-surges-as-invincible-ibis-claims-hong-kong-derby-laurels/): Invincible Ibis capped off a brilliant 24 hours for I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) as a sire of sires when... - [Plenty of talent showcased on Derby undercard](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/plenty-of-talent-showcased-on-derby-undercard/): The undercard was dominated by exciting rising talent with four three-year-old geldings winning four of the first six races, with... - [Guest House lands Golden Slipper to give Coolmore’s Home Affairs breakthrough Group 1 success](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/guest-house-lands-golden-slipper-to-give-coolmores-home-affairs-breakthrough-group-1-success/): Powerful colt Guest House put a gilt-edged seal on his young sire Home Affairs’ (I Am Invincible) exciting stud career... - [Autumn Boy takes out Rosehill Guineas to provide McDonald with landmark win](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/autumn-boy-takes-out-rosehill-guineas-to-provide-mcdonald-with-landmark-win/): Chris Waller confirmed the exciting Autumn Boy (The Autumn Sun) would race on next season instead of a quick exit... - [Autumn Glow shines again in Ryder romp](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/autumn-glow-shines-again-in-ryder-romp/): Just when you thought it wasn’t possible, Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) became even more impressive in storming to win... - [Aeliana makes most of opportunity as she scores in Ranvet](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/aeliana-makes-most-of-opportunity-as-she-scores-in-ranvet/): One Waller-McDonald super mare revelled in the absence of another as Aeliana claimed her second elite-level victory in Saturday’s Ranvet... - [Economic pressures felt at the lower-end of the Adelaide Yearling Sale market](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/economic-pressures-felt-at-the-lower-end-of-the-adelaide-yearling-sale-market/): The challenging times at the lower end of the yearling market came to fore at the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling... - [Zoustar filly leads the way on the opening day in Adelaide](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/zoustar-filly-leads-the-way-on-the-opening-day-in-adelaide/): A filly by Australia’s reigning champion sire Zoustar (Northern Meteor) topped a tough first day of the Magic Millions Adelaide... - [Jackson joins Longwood as Chayan heads Slipper charge](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/jackson-joins-longwood-as-chayan-heads-slipper-charge/): Longwood Thoroughbreds has appointed internationally experienced horseman Kelly Jackson as farm manager. The news comes ahead of a major weekend... - [Big Wigs (AUS)](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/big-wigs-aus/): 2 c Gold Standard – Nooks And Crannies by Denman O: Makybe Racing & Breeding Pty Ltd (Mgr: T M... - [Arabian Summer confirmed for Chairman’s sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/arabian-summer-confirmed-for-chairmans-sale/): Group 1 placegetter Arabian Summer (Too Darn Hot) is another addition to this year’s Inglis Chairman’s Sale, for which entries... - [Magic Millions all set for two-day Adelaide Yearling Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/magic-millions-all-set-for-two-day-adelaide-yearling-sale/): The Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale, which has produced Group 1 winners Asfoora (Flying Artie) and Private Eye (Al Maher),... - [Salty Pearl](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/salty-pearl/): A day at Sha Tin in 2013 and strong memories of a grey Tasmanian mare are the plotlines behind breeder... - [Elite nursery Daandine Stud celebrates a century of success](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/elite-nursery-daandine-stud-celebrates-a-century-of-success/): From its base in Queensland’s picturesque Goomburra Valley, Daandine Stud is celebrating a century in the thoroughbred industry, a milestone... - [Gear change for Guest House as Price aims for breakthrough Slipper win](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/gear-change-for-guest-house-as-price-aims-for-breakthrough-slipper-win/): Mick Price is hoping a crossover noseband can improve the focus of the headstrong Guest House (Home Affairs) as he... - [Riverstone hopeful of some Home Affairs magic in Adelaide](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/riverstone-hopeful-of-some-home-affairs-magic-in-adelaide/): With their Magic Millions Adelaide draft featuring the only Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) progeny on offer at this week’s... - [Music Time set to soundtrack Vella’s Slipper fairytale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/music-time-set-to-soundtrack-vellas-slipper-fairytale/): It has been precisely two decades since Gratz Vella last saddled up a runner in the world’s richest juvenile race,... - [Nowhere else to go](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/nowhere-else-to-go/): A week after Ellerslie’s Champions Day, the New Zealand stakes races scene was pretty quiet. Tauranga’s Japan Trophy (Gr 2,... - [Spotlight Sports Group announces sale of ANZ Business to Charmein Phelan](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/spotlight-sports-group-announces-sale-of-anz-business-to-charmein-phelan/): Charmein Phelan has signed a deal to acquire ANZ Bloodstock News (ANZ News), marking an exciting new chapter in its... - [Big Wigs sets a gold standard for Tony’s team](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/big-wigs-sets-a-gold-standard-for-tonys-team/): As Tony Santic and his team prepare for life after Makybe Diva (Desert King), the timely tonic provided by the... - [Triple Group 1 winner Provence to be offered at Inglis Chairman’s Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/triple-group-1-winner-provence-to-be-offered-at-inglis-chairmans-sale/): Three-time Group 1-winning mare Provence (Savabeel) is the latest star attraction confirmed for the Inglis Chairman’s Sale, to be held... - [Warwoven cements Slipper spot with Pago Pago Stakes win](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/warwoven-cements-slipper-spot-with-pago-pago-stakes-win/): Bjorn Baker will head into next weekend’s $5 million Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) with more than one leading chance... - [Gollan’s Prague filly enters Slipper scene with Magic win](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/gollans-prague-filly-enters-slipper-scene-with-magic-wi/): Pembrey stamped herself as a potential late Golden Slipper contender for Tony Gollan after she powered to victory in the... - [Lazzura defies big weight to land deserved first Group 1 ](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/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... - [Zousain colt takes centre stage as Magic Millions March sale comes to a close](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/zousain-colt-takes-centre-stage-as-magic-millions-march-sale-comes-to-a-close/): A colt by Widden Stud resident Zousain (Zoustar) looks bound for Hong Kong after he topped the second and final... - [Daandine’s Better Than Ready filly headlines ‘selective’ first day at Magic Millions March Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/daandines-better-than-ready-filly-headlines-selective-first-day-at-magic-millions-march-sale/): Elite thoroughbred nursery Daandine Stud headlined a ‘selective’ day of trade at the Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale... - [The Next Episode (AUS)](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/the-next-episode-aus/): 2 c Snitzel ex Humma Humma by Denman O: P M Cunningham, Widden Stud Pty Ltd, Ciaron Maher Racing, W... - [Warwoven among Slipper hopefuls chasing last-chance qualifiers](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/warwoven-among-slipper-hopefuls-chasing-last-chance-qualifiers/): Saturday’s Magic Night Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) and Pago Pago Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) at Rosehill will provide the final... - [Group 1 winner Savaglee to stand at Mapperley Stud](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/group-1-winner-savaglee-to-stand-at-mapperley-stud/): Champion three-year-old Savaglee (Savabeel) will stand at Mapperley Stud this season after being secured by a syndicate headed by Windsor... - [Portelli keen on Verona Rose’s Coolmore chance](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/portelli-keen-on-verona-roses-coolmore-chance/): Gary Portelli is confident Verona Rose (Castelvecchio) – his $40,000 yearling who’s now worth close to $3 million – has... - [Paradoxium](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/paradoxium/): Of the many reasons to send a mare to Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt), one in particular received another... - [Magic Millions looking forward to revamped Gold Coast March Yearling Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/magic-millions-looking-forward-to-revamped-gold-coast-march-yearling-sale/): Magic Millions looking forward to revamped Gold Coast March Yearling Sale A healthy buying bench has been spotted inspecting yearlings... - [Bold Benita set to boss her rivals again](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/bold-benita-set-to-boss-her-rivals-again/): Having come perilously close to suffering a career-threatening injury in a trackwork mishap some six months ago, Bossy Benita (So... - [Eureka hoping for another Boom at Magic Millions March ](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/eureka-hoping-for-another-boom-at-magic-millions-march/): Leading Queensland nursery Eureka Stud will present the largest draft at this week’s Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale,... - [Warwoven looks to cement last minute Slipper spot in Pago Pago Stakes](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/warwoven-looks-to-cement-last-minute-slipper-spot-in-pago-pago-stakes/): Suddenly transformed after a horror start to 2026, Bjorn Baker is not daunted by history as he sends one-time favourite... - [No walkover](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/no-walkover/): Five, ten or 20 years from now a glance at the result of the 2026 NZB Kiwi (Listed, 1500m), will... - [Stretan Angel added to Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/stretan-angel-added-to-magic-millions-national-broodmare-sale/): Group 1 performed sprinter Stretan Angel (Harry Angel) has added more star power to May’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale... - [Sheza Alibi crushes colts in Randwick Guineas as Nolen lands milestone](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/sheza-alibi-crushes-colts-in-randwick-guineas-as-nolen-lands-milestone/): Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman’s star filly Sheza Alibi (Saxon Warrior) confirmed herself as one of the most exciting three-year-olds... - [Royal Ascot beckons for Joliestar](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/royal-ascot-beckons-for-joliestar/): Chris Waller has put the plans in place for a Royal Ascot raid with Joliestar (Zoustar) and the top-class mare... - [Caballus delivers Newmarket triumph for Newitt](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/caballus-delivers-newmarket-triumph-for-newitt/): Craig “Froggy” Newitt turned back the clock at Flemington on Saturday when guiding Sydney raider Caballus (I Am Invincible) to... - [Paradoxium surges into Slipper contention with Todman victory](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/paradoxium-surges-into-slipper-contention-with-todman-victory/): Saturday produced a fine few hours for Bjorn Baker, when Caballus’ talented juvenile stablemate Paradoxium (Extreme Choice) thrust himself firmly... - [Chayan surges into Slipper frame with Reisling Stakes win](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/chayan-surges-into-slipper-frame-with-reisling-stakes-win/): Annabel Archibald and Rob Archibald received a timely vote of confidence from champion jockey James McDonald after Chayan’s luckless seventh... - [Medicinal just what the doctor ordered in the Ottawa](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/medicinal-just-what-the-doctor-ordered-in-the-ottawa/): Godolphin’s promising filly Medicinal (Brazen Beau) was another juvenile to confirm her elite-level potential with a stylish victory in Saturday’s... - [Grinzinger Heart turns tables in VRC Sires’ Produce](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/grinzinger-heart-turns-tables-in-vrc-sires-produce/): The Ben Brisbourne-trained filly Grinzinger Heart (Toronado) turned the form of her debut fourth in the Talindert Stakes (Listed, 1100m)... - [Well Written remains unbeaten with hard fought Kiwi win](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/well-written-remains-unbeaten-with-hard-fought-kiwi-win/): It may have been a lot closer than anticipated, but Well Written’s (Written Tycoon) victory in Saturday’s $4 million NZB... - [Legarto boosts prospects ahead of Magic Millions date](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/legarto-boosts-prospects-ahead-of-magic-millions-date/): In what could be her swansong in New Zealand before she is offered at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Broodmare... - [Road To Paris leads to Derby Gold](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/road-to-paris-leads-to-derby-gold/): The name Roger James is synonymous with the New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) and the Cambridge conditioner has done... - [Tom Kitten lands second All-Star Mile](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/tom-kitten-lands-second-all-star-mile/): Godolphin’s ever-consistent five-year-old Tom Kitten (5 g Harry Angel ex Transfers, by Street Cry) made history at Flemington on Saturday... - [Australia calling Lara Antipova following Sistema triumph](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/australia-calling-lara-antipova-following-sistema-triumph/): Lara Antipova’s star continues to rise, with the exciting filly extending her unbeaten streak to four when taking out Saturday’s... - [Andrea Atzeni stars with Sha Tin quartet](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/andrea-atzeni-stars-with-sha-tin-quartet/): Andrea Atzeni’s surge up the Hong Kong jockeys’ championship gained further impetus at Sha Tin on Sunday when the Italian... - [Premier-topping Toronado gains juvenile stakes boost](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/premier-leader-toronado-lands-first-juvenile-stakes-winner/): Fresh from once more topping the aggregates at his home state yearling sale Inglis Premier, Swettenham Stud’s Toronado (High Chaparral)... - [Sheza Alibi set to test the boys in Randwick Guineas](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/sheza-alibi-set-to-test-the-boys-in-randwick-guineas/): Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman’s rising star Sheza Alibi (Saxon Warrior) will attempt to defy recent history when she lines... - [Legarto eyes fitting farewell on Champions Day](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/legarto-eyes-fitting-farewell-on-champions-day/): Unbeaten filly Well Written (Written Tycoon) may be the talk of the town, but for racing’s sentimentalists victory for Legarto... - [Gin Twist (AUS)](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/gin-twist-aus/): 2 f Home Affairs – Twist Tops by Beneteau O: Lindsay Park Bloodstock (Mgr: Ms S Hayes), T Needham, M... - [Makybe Diva](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/makybe-diva/): The Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) is not just Australia’s greatest horse race, but a national phenomenon. British racing folk... - [Oaks heroine Vibrant Sun added to National Broodmare Sale lineup](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/oaks-heroine-vibrant-sun-added-to-national-broodmare-sale-lineup-2/): Group 1-winning mare Vibrant Sun (The Autumn Sun) is the latest headline act set for the 2026 Magic Millions National... - [Baker’s dozen aiming to get the dough on Super Saturday](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/bakers-dozen-aiming-to-get-the-dough-on-super-saturday/): Ahead of a huge Saturday which is headlined by Stefi Magnetica’s (All Too Hard) bold bid to land her third... - [Extreme Warrior follows in father’s footsteps as curtain draws on ‘tremendous’ Premier sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/extreme-warrior-follows-in-fathers-footsteps-as-curtain-draws-on-tremendous-premier-sale/): Like father like son, Extreme Warrior (Extreme Choice) was in high demand as his home farm Rosemont Stud finished the... - [Gilgai lead the way as Premier Sale surpasses all expectations](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/gilgai-lead-the-way-as-premier-sale-surpasses-all-expectations/): The rare and unorthodox breeding wizardry of Ric Jamieson earned emphatic financial validation as his Gilgai Farm dominated another powerful... - [‘I wasn’t expecting that’ – No Nay Never colt proves popular at Premier](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/i-wasnt-expecting-that-no-nay-never-colt-proves-popular-at-premier/): No Nay Never (Scat Daddy) is one of Coolmore’s siring stars ... in Ireland. He has a resounding 8. 14... - [Spotlight on the south](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/spotlight-on-the-south/): South Island racing lives in the shadow of that in the North. November and the two Group 1 New Zealand... - [Bet Bet Creek gamble pays off as Stonehouse strikes $520,000 Premier high](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/bet-bet-creek-gamble-pays-off-as-stonehouse-strikes-520000-premier-high/): Ryan Arnel had a hunch he was doing the right thing in 2014 when he bought a property near Eddington,... - [Zoustar filly out of Nudge lights up strong Premier opening](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/zoustar-filly-out-of-nudge-lights-up-strong-premier-opening/): A combination of two expert judges of fillies by Zoustar (Northern Meteor), a powerful cross, and the buying power of... - [Brilliant Romantic Warrior edges closer to Triple Crown glory ](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/brilliant-romantic-warrior-edges-closer-to-triple-crown-glory/): An imperious Romantic Warrior (Acclamation) made light work of five rivals at Sha Tin on Sunday afternoon by winning a... - [Bentley and Stormy Grove deliver Hong Kong Classic Cup shock at Sha Tin](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/bentley-and-stormy-grove-deliver-hong-kong-classic-cup-shock-at-sha-tin/): Stormy Grove (Toronado) delivered a sensational run at long odds to score an upset and claim the second leg of... - [Three-time Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva dies aged 27](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/three-time-melbourne-cup-winner-makybe-diva-dies-aged-27/): Makybe Diva (Desert King), the only horse in history to win three Melbourne Cups (Gr 1, 3200m), has died at... - [‘It’s disappointing for the industry as a whole’ - Winx’s Snitzel colt withdrawn from Inglis Easter Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/its-disappointing-for-the-industry-as-a-whole-winxs-snitzel-colt-withdrawn-from-inglis-easter-sale/): The Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) colt out of champion mare Winx (Street Cry) has been withdrawn from the Inglis Australian Easter... - [Optimistic Inglis all set for strong Premier sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/optimistic-inglis-all-set-for-strong-premier-sale/): A half-brother to Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) queen Streisand (Magnus), siblings to 12 other top-tier victors, and offspring... - [Slipper picture sharpens as Spicy Miss and Campione D’Italia strike at Randwick](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/slipper-picture-sharpens-as-spicy-miss-and-campione-ditalia-strike-at-randwick/): Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) aspirations crystallised at Randwick on Saturday as Spicy Miss (Trapeze Artist) and Campione D’Italia (Snitzel)... - [Perfect ten – Autumn Glow dazzles again in Verry Elleegant Stakes](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/perfect-ten-autumn-glow-dazzles-again-in-verry-elleegant-stakes/): Autumn Glow’s (The Autumn Sun) remarkable rise gathered further momentum at Randwick on Saturday when the four-year-old extended her flawless... - [Tempted clinches first Group 1 with gritty Surround victory ](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/tempted-clinches-first-group-1-with-gritty-surround-victory/): Godolphin’s top-class filly Tempted (Street Boss) achieved a deserved first elite-level success at Randwick on Saturday, successfully stepping up in... - [‘Superstar’ Observer cements stud future with Guineas success](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/superstar-observer-cements-stud-future-with-guineas-success/): Shortly after Tempted’s Surround Stakes win, her stablemate Observer (Ghaiyyath) parlayed the success for Ciaron Maher and Godolphin with his... - [Premier stage beckons for Longwood’s reunited draft after bushfire ordeal](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/premier-stage-beckons-for-longwoods-reunited-draft-after-bushfire-ordeal/): Relief washed over Longwood Thoroughbred Farm on Monday when its draft of 21 yearlings arrived at Oaklands Junction for the... - [‘We feel that we've got a horse here to suit everyone’ - Newhaven brings firepower to the Inglis Premier Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/we-feel-that-weve-got-a-horse-here-to-suit-everyone-newhaven-brings-firepower-to-inglis-premier-sale/): Newhaven Park will present an 18-strong draft at the upcoming Inglis Premier Yearling Sale and also be keeping a close... - [Fireball Miss (AUS)](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/fireball-miss-aus/): 3 f Bivouac – Femme Fireball by Pierro O: Bennett Racing Pty Ltd (Mgr: N P Bennett), P King, Punt... - [Tropicus](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/tropicus/): Surging Kia Ora Stud has its latest stallion-in-waiting after four-year-old Tropicus (Too Darn Hot) resumed with an affirming elite-level victory... - [Penfold Thoroughbreds aiming for more Premier success](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/penfold-thoroughbreds-aiming-for-more-premier-success/): While she may have set an incredibly high benchmark with her inaugural draft at the 2025 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling... - [Ellis Wong graduates as Hong Kong’s homegrown talent shines](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/ellis-wong-graduates-as-hong-kongs-homegrown-talent-shines/): Apprentice Ellis Wong graduated into Hong Kong’s senior jockey ranks at Happy Valley on Wednesday night as fellow homegrown riders... - [Manolo Bling tops Inglis February (Late) Online Sale at $275,000](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/manolo-bling-tops-inglis-february-late-online-sale-at-275000/): Manolo Bling (Grunt) topped the Inglis Digital February (Late) Online Sale, which closed on Wednesday, when selling to Highgrove Stud’s... - [Sunrays out to emulate Staging’s Surround Stakes success](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/sunrays-out-to-emulate-stagings-surround-stakes-success/): Nearly three decades after his sprinting star Staging (Success Express) claimed the Surround Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m), owner-breeder Peter Moran... - [Kambula Stud to present quality draft at Inglis Premier](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/kambula-stud-to-present-quality-draft-at-inglis-premier/): South Australian nursery Kambula Stud will present its entire 2026 yearling crop at this week’s Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, marking... - [Paradoxium signals Slipper hopes with strong Rosehill trial](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/paradoxium-signals-slipper-hopes-with-strong-rosehill-trial/): Last December’s impressive Wyong Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) winner Paradoxium (Extreme Choice) showcased his Golden Slipper (Gr 1,... - [Pinatubo filly sets new record as Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale gets back on track](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/pinatubo-filly-sets-new-record-as-magic-millions-tasmanian-yearling-sale-gets-back-on-track/): Magic Millions’ Tasmanian Yearling Sale bounced back in resounding fashion from its flat 2025 edition, with a deeper range of... - [‘One of the biggest stories in our lifetime’ – RV courts Constitution Hill for the Cup](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/one-of-the-biggest-stories-in-our-lifetime-rv-courts-constitution-hill-for-the-cup/): Constitution Hill’s (Blue Bresil) owner says he has Melbourne on his mind – and Melbourne says it would love to... - [Deeper catalogue inspires confidence for Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/deeper-catalogue-inspires-confidence-for-magic-millions-tasmanian-yearling-sale/): Close relatives to Island State racing legends Mystic Journey (Needs Further), Still A Star (Toronado), Geegees Blackflash (Clangalang) and Durazzo... - [Ka Ying Rising surges into Hong Kong racing history with 18th straight win](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/ka-ying-rising-surges-into-hong-kong-racing-history-with-18th-straight-win/): David Hayes believes Ka Ying Rising’s (Shamexpress) extraordinary dominance can continue indefinitely after the world’s premier sprinter demolished quality opposition... - [Streisand hits the right note with Blue Diamond romp](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/streisand-hits-the-right-note-with-blue-diamond-romp/): She may have been “underrated” throughout her brief career but trainer Clinton McDonald believes a star has been born after... - [Too Darn Hot’s Tropicus snares maiden Group 1](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/too-darn-hots-tropicus-snares-maiden-group-1/): Tropicus (Too Darn Hot) became the fifth elite winner worldwide for his sensational sire and made a case for his... - [Stretan Ruler adds to family honour with Silver Slipper win](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/stretan-ruler-adds-to-family-honour-with-silver-slipper-win/): Pakenham trainer Phillip Stokes suggested Melbourne’s two-year-olds might be superior to Sydney’s this season after his well-related colt Stretan Ruler... - [Lofty targets on Sheza Alibi’s agenda](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/lofty-targets-on-sheza-alibis-agenda/): Peter Moody declared he had a very special filly on his hands – one with the Cox Plate (Gr 1,... - [Ohope Wins leads home quinella for Yulong and Ocean Park in New Zealand Oaks](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/ohope-wins-leads-home-quinella-for-yulong-and-ocean-park-in-new-zealand-oaks/): Yulong Investments has made a splash in New Zealand this season, buying up the nation’s leading three-year-old filly talent, and... - [All-Star plan for Pericles](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/all-star-plan-for-pericles/): Godolphin’s Andy Makiv said a gut feeling to send Pericles to Bjorn Baker was vindicated after the gelding finally broke... - [Gingerbread Man colt leads the way as Magic Millions Perth ends on a high](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/gingerbread-man-colt-leads-the-way-as-magic-millions-perth-ends-on-a-high/): Buoyant trade carried through to Book 2 of the 2026 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale, where a colt by Yarradale... - [Anamoe breeding right heads strong Inglis Feb (Late) catalogue](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/anamoe-breeding-right-heads-strong-inglis-feb-late-catalogue/): A breeding right in first-season sire Anamoe (Street Boss) headlines what Inglis describes as one of the strongest Digital catalogues... - [Reliable Man dies aged 18](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/reliable-man-dies-aged-18/): Westbury Stud has announced the death of high-class racehorse and outstanding stallion Reliable Man (Dalakhani), who was euthanised on veterinary... - [Mills strikes online for $525,000 to snare Ridgeport’s Zoustar filly in Perth](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/mills-strikes-online-for-525000-to-snare-ridgeports-zoustar-filly-in-perth/): Sparks flew early on day one of Thursday’s Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale when a filly by Australia’s reigning champion... - [Bel Esprit dies aged 26](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/bel-esprit-dies-aged-26/): Bel Esprit (Royal Academy), the influential stallion best known as the sire of unbeaten champion sprinter Black Caviar, has died... - [Tony Cruz and Angus Chung combine with Stunning Peach for Year Of The Horse Cup glory](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/tony-cruz-and-angus-chung-combine-with-stunning-peach-for-year-of-the-horse-cup-glory/): Tony Cruz will target Hong Kong’s elite 2000-metre races with Stunning Peach (Wootton Bassett) after the Irish-bred fulfilled long-held promise... - [Hard Kick (AUS)](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/hard-kick-aus/): 2 g All Too Hard – Friendly Donna by Exceed And Excel O: Lindsay Park Bloodstock (Mgr: Ms S Hayes)... - [‘The trajectory that he's on is something that's very rarely seen’ - Coolmore purchase Waikato's exciting stallion Super Seth](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/the-trajectory-that-hes-on-is-something-thats-very-rarely-seen-coolmore-purchase-waikatos-exciting-stallion-super-seth/): Coolmore has bought Waikato Stud’s rising young sire Super Seth, with the son of Dundeel (High Chaparral) set to relocate... - [Roll The Dice aiming to gatecrash the Blue Diamond party](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/roll-the-dice-aiming-to-gatecrash-the-blue-diamond-party/): This Saturday’s meeting at Caulfield shapes as a potentially defining day for Roll The Dice Racing with the syndicator’s first... - [Weeping Woman](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/weeping-woman/): Lonhro (Octagonal) over Street Cry (Machiavellian) and a tripling of the great Mr. Prospector (Raise A Native) are among the... - [Strong buying bench and star graduates fuel confidence ahead of Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/strong-buying-bench-and-star-graduates-fuel-confidence-ahead-of-magic-millions-perth-yearling-sale/): Western Australia’s premier yearling auction returns to the Swan Valley this week, with 358 lots catalogued for the 2026 Magic... - [Rich rewards await Closer To Free in the Blue Diamond](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/rich-rewards-await-closer-to-free-in-the-blue-diamond/): Danny O’Brien is already reaping the rewards of a more streamlined approach to his business, and after an impressive start... - [Stablemates set to clash as Price eyes another Blue Diamond quinella](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/stablemates-set-to-clash-as-price-eyes-another-blue-diamond-quinella/): Two headstrong, ultra competitive colts, out to seal a stud future, filling the top two spots in the market and... - [Keys confident of landing first Group 1 with Alibaba in Diamond](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/keys-confident-of-landing-first-group-1-with-alibaba-in-diamond/): Ken Keys is optimistic his advanced colt Alibaba (Alabama Express) will make his late entry fee a worthwhile investment as... - [Weather Gods strike again](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/weather-gods-strike-again/): The fact that weather is out of our control does not disguise our sheer disappointment when it ruins a popular... - [Blue Gum backs best years yet for Flying Artie](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/blue-gum-backs-best-years-yet-for-flying-artie/): Flying Artie (Artie Schiller) is living up to his name, with another stakes victory for his son Sixties on Saturday... - [Fownes joins elite club with 1,200th Hong Kong winner as double moves him level at top](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/fownes-joins-elite-club-with-1200th-hong-kong-winner-as-double-moves-him-level-at-top/): Caspar Fownes became only the fourth trainer in Hong Kong racing history to reach 1,200 wins at Sha Tin on... - ['This is a very sad day for everyone at Arrowfield' - Champion mare Miss Finland dies aged 22](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/this-is-a-very-sad-day-for-everyone-at-arrowfield-champion-mare-miss-finland-dies-aged-22/): Arrowfield Stud’s revered matriarch Miss Finland (Redoute’s Choice) was humanely euthanised on Friday aged 22 after suffering complications from a... - [RSA: Engelbrecht-Bresges praises strong, stimulating discussions at ARC](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/rsa-engelbrecht-bresges-praises-strong-stimulating-discussions-at-arc/): The 41st Asian Racing Conference (ARC) closed in Riyadh on Thursday, with Asian Racing Federation (ARF) chair and Hong Kong... - [Tulloch Lodge throw trio of Slipper hopefuls into Randwick’s Pierro Plate](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/tulloch-lodge-throw-trio-of-slipper-hopefuls-into-randwicks-pierro-plate/): Celebrated two-year-old trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have a three-horse squadron taking their next steps towards the Golden Slipper... - [Breathtaking Tentyris storms home to strike in Lightning](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/breathtaking-tentyris-storms-home-to-strike-in-lightning/): Tentyris (Street Boss) stamped himself as the most exciting sprinter in Australia and took a large step towards living up... - [Hard Kick lives up to his name in Talindert win](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/hard-kick-lives-up-to-his-name-in-talindert-win/): Hard Kick (All Too Hard) surged up the betting for the autumn’s two-year-old features and brought a welcome tonic for... - [Ciaron’s Star shines in Pierro Plate](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/ciarons-star-shines-in-pierro-plate/): Ciaron’s Star (I Am Invincible) and Ciaron Maher go together like a rhyming couplet, and the presumably sizeable space the... - [Autumn Glow stretches unbeaten run to nine](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/autumn-glow-stretches-unbeaten-run-to-nine/): On the same day that the Flemington Group 1 named after Black Caviar was run, Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun)... - [Unbeaten Sistema winner Return To Conquer to stand at Waikato Stud](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/unbeaten-sistema-winner-return-to-conquer-to-stand-at-waikato-stud/): Te Akau’s unbeaten Group 1 winner Return To Conquer (Snitzel) will be an exciting new addition to the Chittick family’s... - [Chau’s stellar February continues with Happy Valley hat-trick](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/chaus-stellar-february-continues-with-happy-valley-hat-trick/): Jerry Chau continued his remarkable run of form at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, riding a treble to surge into... - [Agrarian Girl (AUS)](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/agrarian-girl-aus/): 2 f Tassort – Liwa by Mulaazem O: Horseshoe Investments Pty Ltd, Mr D K Sarre, Mr A Bryson, Mr... - [Prix de l’Opera winner Barnavara heading to Waller](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/prix-de-lopera-winner-barnavara-heading-to-waller/): Group 1 winner Barnavara (Calyx), who became the highest-priced filly in training sold anywhere in the world last year when... - [Fireball](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/fireball/): Snitzel over Charge Forward, and a close-up doubling of Redoute’s Choice are to the fore in the sparkling and strongly... - [Grinzinger Heart looks to show some ticker in the Talindert ](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/grinzinger-heart-looks-to-show-some-ticker-in-the-talindert/): A glowing post-trial report from Craig Williams combined with his own lofty opinion of Grinzinger Heart (Toronado) has persuaded Ben... - [Big Sky's three-quarter sister tops Magic Millions Digital Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/big-skys-three-quarter-sister-tops-magic-millions-digital-sale/): Podcast (Microphone), a three-quarter sister to the current favourite for Saturday week’s Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m), topped the... - [Engelbrecht-Bresges issues warning over 'exponential' black market growth](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/engelbrecht-bresges-issues-warning-over-exponential-black-market-growth/): Black market betting is “rampant” on an international scale and domestic gambling regulators need to think globally to tackle it,... - [‘I’m busting to buy a Group 1 colt’ - Price backs Extreme Choice again at Classic](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/im-busting-to-buy-a-group-1-colt-price-backs-extreme-choice-again-at-classic/): Mick Price has ecstatic and agonising memories when it comes to Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) and yearling sales,... - [Ghaiyyath colt fetches $625,000 as Inglis Classic ends on a high](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/ghaiyyath-colt-fetches-625000-as-inglis-classic-ends-on-a-high/): Tony and Calvin McEvoy lodged a ringing vote of confidence in Ghaiyyath (Dubawi) as the Darley shuttler took another great... - [Harry Angel colt sets the standard on a solid day of trade at the Classic sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/harry-angel-colt-sets-the-standard-on-a-solid-day-of-trade-at-the-classic-sale/): New and highly structured entity the Equine Growth Fund (EGF) may have to rethink some plans due to the price... - [Dalziel goes back to The Autumn Sun well at Classic](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/dalziel-goes-back-to-the-autumn-sun-well-at-classic/): Former chef turned syndicator Wylie Dalziel was back at the scene of one of his greatest coups on Monday, cooking... - [Following up](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/following-up/): While the Almanzor (Wootton Bassett) story continues to grow, courtesy of First Five’s stunning BCD Sprint (Gr 1, 1400m) win,... - [Too Darn Hot offerings headline Tattersalls' southern hemisphere session](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/too-darn-hot-offerings-headline-tattersalls-southern-hemisphere-session/): Tattersalls Online has announced a dedicated southern hemisphere session within its Online February Sale, which will be held on February... - [Extreme Choice filly takes a starring role on day one at the Classic sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/extreme-choice-filly-takes-a-starring-role-on-day-one-at-the-classic-sale/): The rareness of Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) stock, an enticing blend of grandfathers and an imposing physical form... - [Kurrinda Bloodstock come out firing at Classic](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/kurrinda-bloodstock-come-out-firing-at-classic/): Back at the sale where they struck gold when buying Private Harry (Harry Angel) three years ago, Kurrinda Bloodstock flexed... - [Numbers emerges as Classic Series force after Centenary Vase romp](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/numbers-emerges-as-classic-series-force-after-centenary-vase-romp/): Numbers (Tivaci) firmly advanced his credentials for the remainder of the Hong Kong Four-Year-Old Classic Series with a commanding victory... - [McDonald back In Blue Diamond frame as Streisand strikes at Caulfield](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/mcdonald-back-in-blue-diamond-frame-as-streisand-strikes-at-caulfield/): Cranbourne-based trainer Clinton McDonald moved a step closer to a second Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) victory in three... - [Closer To Free forces his way into Blue Diamond calculations](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/closer-to-free-forces-his-way-into-blue-diamond-calculations/): Danny O’Brien’s rapidly emerging colt Closer To Free (Street Boss) surged into Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) contention following... - [Fireball explodes in Inglis Millennium](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/fireball-explodes-in-inglis-millennium/): Champion trainer Chris Waller further bolstered his Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) hand after unbeaten colt Fireball (Snitzel) delivered a... - [Depth and value to the fore as Inglis Classic gets underway](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/depth-and-value-to-the-fore-as-inglis-classic-gets-underway/): The 2026 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale gets underway at Riverside Stables on Sunday, with 715 (800 less 85 withdrawals) yearlings... - [Legarto lands second Herbie Dyke as Bosson gets his Group 1 century](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/legarto-lands-second-herbie-dyke-as-bosson-gets-his-group-1-century/): It was apt for Opie Bosson to bring up his 100th Group 1 win on Legends Day at Te Rapa.... - [Ultra-progressive First Five slots another Group 1](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/ultra-progressive-first-five-slots-another-group-1/): Te Rapa-based trainer David Greene is riding the crest of a wave after he doubled his Group 1 tally when... - [Riversdale to present quality Classic offering](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/riversdale-to-present-quality-classic-offering/): Scone-based operation Riversdale Farm will offer a draft of 27 yearlings at the Inglis Classic Sale, with owner Nick Hodges... - [Big Sky three-quarter sister heads MM Online Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/big-sky-three-quarter-sister-heads-mm-online-sale/): Podcast (Microphone), a three-quarter sister to unbeaten juvenile Big Sky (Bivouac) headlines the 41-lot Magic Millions Digital Sale, which is... - [Tennis star Nick Kyrgios bags first winner at Canberra](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/tennis-star-nick-kyrgios-bags-first-winner-at-canberra/): Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios enjoyed a memorable first day at the races on Friday after seeing his horse Divine... - [Alma Vale eyes major juvenile prizes as Inglis Classic Sale beckons](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/alma-vale-eyes-major-juvenile-prizes-as-inglis-classic-sale-beckons/): Alma Vale Thoroughbreds will have one eye firmly on the racetrack and the other on the sale ring this weekend,... - [‘Hopefully they’ll prove popular’ – Wentwood head back to Inglis Classic with four-strong haul](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/hopefully-theyll-prove-popular-wentwood-head-back-to-inglis-classic-with-four-strong-haul/): New Zealand’s Wentwood Grange Stud have come back across “the ditch” with a small but select draft for Inglis Classic,... - [Kaye Jay (AUS)](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/kaye-jay-aus/): 3 g Crackerjack King – Kaye Club by High Chaparral) O: Mrs B K Saunders & B A E Saunders... - [Highview announce Unreserved Deplenishing Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/highview-announce-unreserved-deplenishing-sale/): Longstanding vendors Highview Stud, who have been selling yearlings since 1986, have announced the staging of an Unreserved Deplenishing Sale... - [Six highlights for Inglis Classic](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/six-highlights-for-inglis-classic/): Here, in lot order, is a look at six likely head-turners at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, starting Sunday. Lot... - [Graham dreaming of Millennium glory with $70,000 Inglis buy Royal Exile ](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/graham-dreaming-of-millennium-glory-with-70000-inglis-buy-royal-exile/): Port Macquarie’s Jenny Graham – back in her second coming as a trainer with just a quintet of horses –... - [Connections out to land a big catch with Calamari Ring](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/connections-out-to-land-a-big-catch-with-calamari-ring/): A fresh Calamari Ring (Street Boss) is ready to fry her Inglis Millennium (RL, 1100m) rivals according to her owner... - [Eternal Warrior set to tune up for Blue Diamond task in Caulfield’s Preview](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/eternal-warrior-set-to-tune-up-for-blue-diamond-task-in-caulfields-preview/): Trainer Lloyd Kennewell is growing excited about the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) prospects of Eternal Warrior (Extreme Warrior)... - [A week to remember](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/a-week-to-remember/): A week to remember Not too long ago (2019) the scene at Cambridge Stud was somewhat bleak, the stud having... - [High hopes for heightened support as results swing in Trapeze Artist’s favour ](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/high-hopes-for-heightened-support-as-results-swing-in-trapeze-artists-favour/): A surge of results in his fourth campaign of runners has Widden Stud tipping demand for their stallion Trapeze Artist... - [Hayes brothers double parked in Chairman’s Stakes with pair of exciting fillies](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/hayes-brothers-double-parked-in-chairmans-stakes-with-pair-of-exciting-fillies/): Powerhouse stable Lindsay Park will saddle up two exciting fillies in Saturday’s Chairman’s Stakes (Gr 3, 1000m) at Caulfield, with... - [Godolphin draft headlines Inglis February (Early) Online Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/godolphin-draft-headlines-inglis-february-early-online-sale/): A strong Godolphin draft, a yearling by first-season sire Anamoe (Street Boss) and a deep mix of racing and breeding... - [Big Sky soars to Blue Diamond favouritism after Chairman’s Stakes win](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/big-sky-soars-to-blue-diamond-favouritism-after-chairmans-stakes-win/): Mick Price looks to have a big chance of landing a third career Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) after... - [Hidrix downs well-touted rivals in Canonbury to top Golden Slipper market](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/hidrix-downs-well-touted-rivals-in-canonbury-to-top-golden-slipper-market/): Another high-profile juvenile race market to get a shake-up on Saturday was the Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) after the... - [Chilly Girl too hot for her Widden Stakes rivals](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/chilly-girl-too-hot-for-her-widden-stakes-rivals/): A ‘quality filly’ is the way co-trainer Sterling Alexiou described Chilly Girl (Trapeze Artist) after she made a successful debut... - [‘It’s a pedigree from heaven’ - Group 1 winner Lead Artist to shuttle to Arrowfield in 2026](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/its-a-pedigree-from-heaven-group-1-winner-lead-artist-to-shuttle-to-arrowfield-in-2026/): Arrowfield Stud are thrilled to have landed a coup with Britain’s Juddmonte Farm in shuttling a new stallion John Messara... - [Exciting unraced prospects win Rosehill trials](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/exciting-unraced-prospects-win-rosehill-trials/): A pair of exciting unraced prospects won their prospective trials at Rosehill on Thursday morning. Heat four was taken out... - [Return To Conquer retired](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/return-to-conquer-retired/): Unbeaten Group 1-winning two-year-old Return To Conquer (Snitzel) has been retired from racing and is set to embark on a... - [Karaka Summer Sale caps historic NZB National Yearling Sale week](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/karaka-summer-sale-caps-historic-nzb-national-yearling-sale-week/): The final session of NZB’s 100th National Yearling Sale was held at Karaka on Thursday, highlighted by a strong first... - [Alibaba (AUS)](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/alibaba-aus/): 2 c Alabama Express – Rowsthorn, by Written Tycoon O: Mr K M Keys, Mrs L A Keys, Mrs G... - [‘He’s clearly very, very exciting’ – Price and Kent Jnr colt set for Chairman’s date at Caulfield](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/hes-clearly-very-very-exciting-price-and-kent-jnr-colt-set-for-chairmans-date-at-caulfield/): Trainer Michael Kent Jnr is seeing boundless horizons for a “very exciting” colt who’s shaping as a chip off the... - [Well Written](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/well-written/): Breeder David Digney could be excused for feeling some seller’s regret as the unbeaten Well Written (Written Tycoon) forges what’s... - [Share in Say You Will fetches $30,000 on Magic Millions Digital](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/share-in-say-you-will-fetches-30000-on-magic-millions-digital/): A share in recent Magic Millions The Debut (1000m) runner-up Say You Will (Pierata) has been snapped up for $30,000... - [Cambridge Stud stallions put rivals to the sword in a record-breaking Book 2](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/cambridge-stud-stallions-put-rivals-to-the-sword-in-a-record-breaking-book-2/): Cambridge Stud stallions dominated Book 2 of the New Zealand Bloodstock (NZB) National Yearling Sale as Embellish (Savabeel) achieved the... - [‘We’re very hands on’ - rugby league royalty Billy Slater turning his talents to racing and breeding](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/were-very-hands-on-rugby-league-royalty-billy-slater-turning-his-talents-to-racing-and-breeding/): In the pantheon of modern sporting greats, rugby league icon Billy Slater sits front and centre. His lengthy list of... - [Profitabelle impresses again at the trials](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/profitabelle-impresses-again-at-the-trials/): There were four heats run at Tuesday’s Randwick trials that were won by juveniles, with the Bjorn Baker-trained Profitabelle (Profiteer)... - [Cambridge Stud’s Sword Of State colt makes $1.1 million as Karaka delivers record-breaking Book 1](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/cambridge-studs-sword-of-state-colt-makes-1-1-million-as-karaka-records-recording-breaking-book-1/): Cambridge Stud’s burgeoning young sire Sword Of State (Snitzel) delivered the defining moment at the 100th New Zealand Bloodstock (NZB)... - [Well-related Justify colt joins Waller fold](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/well-related-justify-colt-joins-waller-fold/): The powerful buying combination of Guy Mulcaster and Chris Waller were active over the two days of Book 1 trade... - [Alabama Express in demand](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/alabama-express-in-demand/): Alabama Express (Redoute’s Choice) delivered a powerful statement at Karaka on Monday, producing two major results inside a ten-minute window... - [Pinhooking success for Carlaw Park](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/pinhooking-success-for-carlaw-park/): Carlaw Park enjoyed a standout pinhooking success on day two of Book 1 when Lot 341, a filly by Darly’s... - [Hayes eyes Sha Tin record after Ka Ying Rising’s historic Centenary romp](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/hayes-eyes-sha-tin-record-after-ka-ying-risings-historic-centenary-romp/): Moments after Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress) forged into Hong Kong racing history with a record-equalling win in Sunday’s HK$13 million... - [Romantic Warrior launches Triple Crown bid with commanding Stewards’ Cup win](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/romantic-warrior-launches-triple-crown-bid-with-commanding-stewards-cup-win/): Romantic Warrior (Acclamation) vanquished the field to claim a first victory in the HK$13 million Stewards’ Cup (Gr 1, 1600m)... - [Snitzel kingpin again as Waller and Mulcaster snare $850,000 colt at Karaka](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/snitzel-kingpin-again-as-waller-and-mulcaster-snare-850000-colt-at-karaka/): Snitzel’s (Redoute’s Choice) sale-ring dominance came to the fore during the opening session of the New Zealand Bloodstock (NZB) Karaka... - [Rubi’s Choice delivers Preview upset for Eurell](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/rubis-choice-delivers-preview-upset-for-eurell/): Rubi’s Choice (Rubick) delivered one of the more unexpected results among the juvenile ranks this season when she claimed the... - [NZ National Yearling Sale celebrates 100 years](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/nz-national-yearling-sale-celebrates-100-years-2/): Part 3 of Lloyd Jackson’s three-part series to mark a century of selling for New Zealand’s auction house The sires... - [Confidence high as a strong domestic and international contingent assemble for the 100th Karaka Sale](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/confidence-high-as-100th-karaka-sale-set-to-attract-strong-domestic-and-international-interest/): New Zealand Bloodstock is set to mark a significant milestone as the National Yearling Sale celebrates its 100th anniversary, offering... - [Roca continues Birchley's Dream Karaka record](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/birchleys-dream-karaka-run-continues/): Queensland-based trainer Liam Birchley continued his remarkable record in the Karaka Millions 2YO (RL, 1200m) when Dream Roca took out... - [Australia on the cards for ultra-impressive Well Written](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/australia-on-the-cards-for-ultra-impressive-well-written/): “Bring on Australia” was the message from winning jockey Matt Cartwright after Well Written (Written Tycoon) lived up to her... - [Jigsaw bounces back to form with fine Railway triumph](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/jigsaw-bounces-back-to-form-with-fine-railway-triumph/): Having failed to score in two-and-a-half years before rattling off a hat-trick last spring, born-again seven-year-old Jigsaw (Manhattan Rain) is... - [Tuxedo produces smart performance at Ellerslie](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/tuxedo-produce-smart-performance-at-ellerslie/): Tuxedo (Tivaci) made up for a heartbreaking second on Ellerslie’s feature raceday last year and pushed his earnings into seven... - [Milan Park pay tribute to John 'JJ' Jeffs](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/milan-park-pay-tribute-to-jj/): The Milan Park barn at Karaka is missing a familiar presence this year, after the death of long-serving friend and... - [Classy colt Kinnaird primed for a rich raid on the Karaka Millions](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/classy-colt-kinnaird-primed-for-a-rich-raid-on-the-karaka-millions/): Highview Stud supremo Brent Gillovic is hoping Kinnaird can turbocharge a big weekend for the family farm when the exciting... - [Big Sky (AUS)](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/big-sky-aus/): Big Sky (AUS) 2 c Bivouac – Zoom By by Red Dazzler O: R & C Legh Racing Pty Ltd,... - [‘It’s a pretty special opportunity’](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/its-a-pretty-special-opportunity/): Quality hailed as Inglis Easter Sale catalogue is revealed Winx’s (Street Cry) second foal will no doubt grab the main... - [NZ National Yearling Sale celebrates 100 years](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/nz-national-yearling-sale-celebrates-100-years/): The show must go on A significant milestone is about to take place this week, namely, the 100th New Zealand... - [Danny Shum reaches 900 wins as a trainer, Andrea Atzeni slots treble](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/danny-shum-reaches-900-wins-as-a-trainer-andrea-atzeni-slots-treble/): Preparing to chase Stewards’ Cup (Gr 1, 1600m) glory with champion Romantic Warrior (Acclamation) on Sunday, Danny Shum clocked up... - [Six of the best - Karaka 2026](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/six-of-the-best-karaka-2026/): Here, in lot order, is a look at six likely head-turners at Karaka’s 100th National Yearling Sale, starting Sunday. Lot... - [Hallmark ready to offer landmark draft at Karaka](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/hallmark-ready-to-offer-landmark-draft-at-karaka/): Some neat pieces of numerical symmetry surround Hallmark Stud’s presence at next week’s Karaka Yearling Sale. As New Zealand’s most... - [Magic Millions release quality-packed Adelaide Yearling Sale catalogue](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/magic-millions-release-quality-packed-adelaide-yearling-sale-catalogue/): A quality catalogue comprising 412 lots has been assembled for the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale, which begins its two-day... - [‘We’re getting pretty excited about this filly’ – Angelic juvenile set to dazzle in the Blue Diamond Preview](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/were-getting-pretty-excited-about-this-filly-angelic-juvenile-set-to-dazzle-in-the-blue-diamond-preview/): Fresh from another successful shopping trip on the Gold Coast last week, Astute Bloodstock’s Louis Le Metayer is hoping his... - [‘I thought the sale was sensational’ – Leading industry figures provide glowing reports on Magic Millions](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/i-thought-the-sale-was-sensational-leading-industry-figures-provide-glowing-reports-on-magic-millions/): A “steady to strong” forecast for the rest of the Australian yearling sale season according to a range of industry... - [‘This is obviously a smart horse’ – Ottobre goes to $270,000 for Book 2 topper as curtain comes down on Magic Millions](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/this-is-obviously-a-smart-horse-ottobre-goes-to-270000-for-book-2-topper-as-curtain-comes-down-on-magic-millions/): Tony Ottobre was delighted to have acquired his latest “Jenni” horse after buying Magic Millions Gold Coast’s Book 2 topper... - [Champion mare Via Sistina retired and set for a date with Dubawi](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/champion-mare-via-sistina-retired-and-set-for-a-date-with-dubawi/): Via Sistina (Fastnet Rock), Yulong’s multiple Group 1-winning champion, has been retired and will return to the UK to be... - [Henry Dwyer to have three-strong operation based in Newmarket](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/henry-dwyer-to-have-three-strong-operation-based-in-newmarket/): Intrepid Australian trainer Henry Dwyer is planning to increase his presence in British racing, with returning champion sprinter Asfoora (Flying... - [Patch Of Cosmo leads charge toward Four-Year-Old Classic Series](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/patch-of-cosmo-leads-charge-toward-four-year-old-classic-series/): Zac Purton lauded Manfred Man’s horsemanship after Patch Of Cosmo (Super Seth) successfully returned from injury to stake a claim... - [Third Magic Millions 2YO Classic triumph for Maher as Unit Five makes history on the Gold Coast](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/third-magic-millions-2yo-classic-triumph-for-maher-as-unit-five-makes-history-on-the-gold-coast/): Ciaron Maher once again proved himself an exceptional trainer of juveniles when exciting colt Unit Five, a son of Widden... - [Torque To Be Sure survives protest in Magic Millions 3YO Guineas](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/torque-to-be-sure-survives-protest-in-magic-millions-3yo-guineas/): Torque To Be Sure (Shamus Award) broke his maiden with a welcome feature race win for his Rosemont Stud sire... - [Tassort’s Toorak Jewel shines in The Debut](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/tassorts-toorak-jewel-shines-in-the-debut/): Newgate Farm-based stallion Tassort (Brazen Beau) and young trainer Paul Shailer could have a ready-made star on their hands after... - [Poster Girl brings up the Magic Millions double](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/poster-girl-brings-up-the-magic-millions-double/): A switch back to shorter trips has led to a bumper summer for Poster Girl (Alabama Express), the Chris and... - [King Of Roseau reigns in the Magic Millions Cup](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/king-of-roseau-reigns-in-the-magic-millions-cup/): King Of Roseau (4 g Capitalist ex Dominica by Choisir) relished the step back up to 1400 metres in Saturday’s... - [Snitzel on top again as the curtain comes down on ‘diverse’ Book 1 at Magic Millions](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/snitzel-on-top-again-as-the-curtain-comes-down-on-diverse-book-1-at-magic-millions/): A diverse buying bench and a deep catalogue combined to ensure the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale concluded on... - [Waller and Mulcaster make hay](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/waller-and-mulcaster-make-hay/): Chris Waller and Guy Mulcaster topped the buyers’ chart with 14 new recruits costing a combined $8. 685 million. The... - [New heights for Anamoe](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/new-heights-for-anamoe/): Anamoe’s first-crop yearlings have been all the rage on the Gold Coast, and Darley’s young gun passed a significant milestone... - [Snitzel show continues at Magic Millions with $1.6 million session-topper](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/snitzel-show-continues-at-magic-millions-with-1-6-million-session-topper/): Snitzel show continues at Magic Millions with $1. 6 million session-topper By James Thomas Four more seven-figure lots and another... - [Harron and TFI run hot](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/harron-and-tfi-run-hot/): The 12th seven-figure lot of this year’s Gold Coast Yearling Sale arrived late in the session when James Harron, acting... - [Frankel fever](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/frankel-fever/): International sire on fire Frankel (Galileo) supplied his second seven-figure yearling of the sale when Harron, once again bidding alongside... - [How John Warren struck gold while on a ‘busman’s holiday’ at Magic Millions](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/how-john-warren-struck-gold-while-on-a-busmans-holiday-at-magic-millions/): Highclere Stud’s John and Lady Carolyn Warren were among the breeders toasting a big result at the Magic Millions Gold... - [Jacaranda (AUS)](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/jacaranda-aus/): 2 f Home Affairs – Gracie’s Lass by Redoute’s Choice O: Coolmore (Mgr: T V Magnier), P Shanahan, Westerberg (Mgr:... - [Record result for Kingstar and Extreme Choice as Yulong go to $2 million for star colt at Magic Millions](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/record-result-for-kingstar-and-extreme-choice-as-yulong-go-to-2-million-for-star-colt-at-magic-millions/): Yulong Investments claimed the most sought after offering on day two of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale when... - [‘It is only going to get better’ - Anamoe’s first yearlings make a big early impression on the Gold Coast](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/it-is-only-going-to-get-better-anamoes-first-yearlings-make-a-big-early-impression-on-the-gold-coast/): The confidence surrounding the first yearlings by Darley’s Anamoe came to the fore on day two of the Magic Millions... - [Francis Lui posts 1,000th Hong Kong win with Speed Dragon’s January Cup triumph](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/francis-lui-posts-1000th-hong-kong-win-with-speed-dragons-january-cup-triumph/): Francis Lui soared into rarified territory with Speed Dragon’s (Darci Brahma) spectacular January Cup Handicap (Gr 3, 1800m) victory at... - [Shiki](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/shiki/): If Shiki (Too Darn Hot) wins the Gold Coast’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m), it would serve not only... - [Momentum behind Mulcaster](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/momentum-behind-mulcaster/): No buyer had a stronger second half of the day than the Guy Mulcaster-Chris Waller axis, and they ended the... - [Glentree take Avantage](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/glentree-take-avantage/): The second seven-figure lot arrived a short while after the session-topper when Glentree Thoroughbreds and Badgers Bloodstock combined at $1.... - [Maher and Redvers on a roll](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/maher-and-redvers-on-a-roll/): David Redvers and the Ciaron Maher team combined on five colts for a cumulative investment of $2. 9m. The most... - [Fortune favours PR Thoroughbreds](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/fortune-favours-pr-thoroughbreds/): Fortune favours PR Thoroughbreds Another colts partnership to land a headline lot was Mark Player and Rob Roulston’s PR Thoroughbreds,... - [‘The whole thing feels more vibrant and dynamic’ - showtime on the Gold Coast as major players descend on Magic Millions](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/the-whole-thing-feels-more-vibrant-and-dynamic-showtime-on-the-gold-coast-as-major-players-descend-on-magic-millions/): Magic Millions certainly know how to put on a show. Festivities during the Gold Coast Carnival range from a quiz... - [Outside the square](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/outside-the-square/): The sole New Zealand stakes race last weekend took place at Ellerslie, the last meeting at the track before the... - [TIME FOR MAGIC](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/time-for-magic/): Confidence high as the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale gets under way Australasia’s yearling sale season kicks off on... - [Coolmore land $2 million Frankel colt as records broken during the Magic Millions opener](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/coolmore-land-2-million-frankel-colt-as-records-broken-during-the-magic-millions-opener/): Good vibes ahead of the Gold Coast Yearling Sale translated into a lively opening session on Tuesday, with three seven-figure... - [Balius Farm prepare for first ever Magic Millions draft](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/balius-farm-prepare-for-first-ever-magic-millions-draft/): There’s a new face on the block at Magic Millions Gold Coast this year, with Victorian boutique stud Balius Farm... - [‘I will run naked to Sydney and back if he’s not a good stallion!’ - rave reviews for Anamoe’s debut Gold Coast yearlings](https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/i-will-run-naked-to-sydney-and-back-if-hes-not-a-good-stallion-rave-reviews-for-anamoes-debut-gold-coast-yearlings/): On paper, first-crop sire Anamoe (Street Boss) appears to have everything going for him. 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Prepared at the track by boutique trainer Jon O’Connor, Neveu was striving for his second win from five starts after scoring at the same venue three runs earlier, but despite sound form over 1200 metres since, was largely unwanted in betting at $17 over the extra trip in the Sires’. Jumping well from gate six for Andrew Stead, Nevue travelled sweetly in third place, one off the fence as the Waterhouse-Bott, China Horse Club eastern raider, the $750,000 yearling Spain (Snitzel), set a decent pace at $8 at his second start. As the leaders dominated, Nevue hit the front at the 300 and appeared set for a comfortable victory. To his credit, the Sydney colt fought back doggedly on the inside and looked like he might snatch an unlikely win, but Nevue got the bob in on the line to score by a tiny 0. 04 lengths. Raced by his breeder Chris Martin, Neveu raised a ninth stakes win for Morphettville-based O’Connor, who has a small team of 15 horses on his books. “It’s very satisfying,” O’Connor told ANZ News. “I had this race marked out for him many weeks ago now, so it’s great to have won it. “I wanted to be on speed, because the track was racing that way, and he’s got a lovely long stride. We’d been holding him up in his six furlong races because we didn’t want him going too hard, but today I said to Andrew, ‘Let’s let him use that lovely big stride and trust our judgement that he’ll run out the 1400 metres strongly’. “I was pretty confident in the straight when we hit the lead. And then it’s your natural inclination to look back in the field. Nothing was coming at us so I thought we were looking alright. “Then I looked back and Spain was coming again. I’ve seen enough of Waterhouse-Bott horses to know they don’t lay down. So it was pretty nervy at the end but I did think we’d hung on. ” The first foal of a mare O’Connor had trained for Martin - two-time Gawler winner Bubbles McGinty (Akeed Mofeed) - Neveu had impressed his trainer from the outset. “Every now and again a horse walks past you, at a yearling sale or somewhere, and you’re just blown away,” O’Connor said. “He walked into the stable and I thought ‘Wowee’. He was just an absolute stunner. “I said to my wife, ‘That horse who just stepped in will be the best horse we’ve had for a long time’. They can’t look that good and not be any good. “Aside from his body, he’s just got the most beautiful head and eye. He’s highly intelligent, and you knew that right from his first time in the barriers. He’s trained himself... Morphettville-based trainer Gordon Richards is gearing up for a bumper set of runners at his home track on Saturday, and almost all of them have one thing in common – they have outgrown their original purchase price. Richards, who trains in partnership with Damien Moyle, currently sits 18th in the trainers’ title for South Australia with 18 wins and a further 62 top-three placings. However, the pair’s current prize-money haul sees them jump up seven places to 11th in that table – with over $1. 04 million earned so far this season. And that prize-money pot is gathered from a stable with just 23 horses. A very nice return for owners indeed, and Richards is hoping that prize-money can be improved with a third of his stable racing this weekend. Leading the line for Richards and Moyle will be Shivouac (Bivouac), a juvenile colt that made a big first impression on his debut at the track on July 8. Running over 1050 metres under Matthew Chadwick, the son of Darley’s red-hot sire Bivouac (Exceed And Excel) produced a dazzling display to defeat She’s Iconnic (Nicconi) by 4. 8 lengths in a time of 1:03:06s. He now lines up in Saturday’s final two-year-old only black type race of the 2025-26 campaign, the South Australia Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m), however, Richards admits that wasn’t always the plan. “So the following Saturday there is a two and three-year-old race, the Lightning Stakes. That was our original plan, but then I looked at that and I thought, well, it's been a pretty tough race and you run against the best of the two-year-olds and the best of the three-year-olds over a short trip,” Richards told ANZ News. The ‘best of the two-year-olds and the best of the three-year-olds’ that Richards is referring to include the likes of champion sprinter Nature Strip (Nicconi), dual Group 1 scorer Viddora (I Am Invincible) and Group 2 winner Beau Rossa (Unencumbered), all who sit on the Lightning Stakes’ (Listed, 1050m) roll of honour in recent years. “So it might be better to go the easier way,” Richards admitted. “He'll get a trip, this horse, whether it's tomorrow or not I don't know, but it just makes it a little bit easier for him, even though it is 1400 , up from 1050. “If we could hang around the trip, ideal, but I think Nature Strip won it one year and Viddura won another year so it’s not an easy race to win. “It's a Group 3 too this Saturday rather than a Listed race so yeah we’ll run in that. He'll go to the paddock after that and come back for some time in the spring. ” Should he win, Shivouac would be the sixth stakes winner for Bivouac this season and third from his second crop of two-year-olds. Shivouac was a mere $30,000 purchase for Richards from the 2025 Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale – a tried and tested sale for the trainer in recent... The 2025-26 racing season is drawing to a close and, with stallion fees now announced across Australia and New Zealand, attention is rapidly shifting from the racetrack to the breeding shed. For breeders, the coming weeks present some of the most important decisions of the year. While the commercial appeal of the industry’s elite stallions is undeniable, another question is equally relevant: where does the best value lie? The answer may have been on display over the weekend. Four of the five Australian stakes races run last week were won by horses conceived from service fees below $30,000, a timely reminder that black-type success continues to come from stallions outside the top end of the market. It is a trend that extends well beyond a single weekend. Across the 2025-26 Australian racing season, stallions standing at or below the equivalent of $30,000 at the time of service have been responsible for a remarkable number of stakes winners, including performers at the highest level. From emerging young sires whose fees have since increased to proven stallions consistently delivering above their price point, the value end of the market continues to punch above its weight. Rich Enuff (Written Tycoon), who stood for $8,800 when Neveu was conceived, has continued to prove an efficient source of winners, operating at 68. 3 per cent winners to runners. D’Argento (So You Think), meanwhile, is making a strong case for the value bracket, with the Bowness Stud stallion sitting at 57. 6 per cent winners to runners after Ladies Pro completed a Belmont Oaks (Listed, 2000m)-Belmont Classic (Listed, 2200m) double and will stand his 2026 season at a fee of $11,000. Eminent (Frankel), whose NZ$7,500 + GST service fee produced Grafton Cup (Listed, 2350m) winner King Pedro, added another staying result to the value column, while Omaha Beach (War Front), who shuttled to Australia for only two seasons, was represented by Ramornie Handicap (Listed, 1200m) winner Band Of Brothers. The latter has done his work from a book that was hardly viewed as commercial gold, yet his Australian runners are performing above expectation, with Omaha Beach sitting at 62. 8 per cent winners to starters. The results also underline that breeders have not needed to remain inside the traditional Hunter Valley corridor to find value and upgrade their mares. Few have provided a sharper example than Ghaiyyath (Dubawi), whose early Australian crop was conceived from a $27,500 service fee. The Darley shuttler has always stood at Northwood Park in Victoria and was backed largely by breeders in that state at his initial fee. He has already been represented by eight Australian stakes wins this season, headed by Observer’s Victoria Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) - Australian Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) double. That Classic profile has been supported by depth, with Storm Leopard, Different Gravy, Freedom Flame and Yum also adding black type for the stallion whose first results have quickly pushed him beyond his original value tag to a fee of $88,000. Alabama Express (Redoute’s Choice) presents... The Michael Freedman-trained Castillo King (Farnan) could be set for a step up to stakes class after making an impressive winning debut at Warwick Farm on Wednesday. Having shown plenty of promise in a pair of trials prior to this week's contest, the Farnan (Not A Single Doubt) colt proved even better on the racetrack as he downed Group 2-placed colt Eviction Notice (Stay Inside) by a taking 3. 2 lengths under Tommy Berry in the 1100-metre maiden. There was a further 0. 8 lengths back to Maritime Magnate (Capitalist) in third place. "We knew Eviction Notice was going to be a bit tricky. Being one of Gai's and with Rachel on board, it's speed all the way, and a few others had some runs under their belts as well," Freedman's stable representative Sophie Johnson said. "It was really good to see. He's been a professional horse from day one. He's not a problem being a colt, and he handles himself really well. " Johnson confirmed The Rosebud (Listed, 1100m) at Rosehill on August 15 would be considered for Castillo King. "All being well. It's definitely a race that's on the cards for him but it can go any way with horses," she said. Winning jockey Berry revealed he cut short his break from race riding to come back for the colt. "I probably wasn't going to come back until Saturday, but when I saw him in I didn't want to forgo that ride," Berry said. "He's a smart colt. He's got a great attitude, and he will appreciate getting over a little bit further. He was out of his comfort zone the whole way trying to hold that box seat, but I loved what I saw late. "Now the pressure is off, he's done it, and he ran good time. He was put under really good pressure, so the sky is the limit. " Purchased by TFI and Michael Freedman Racing for $180,000 from the draft of Lime Country Thoroughbreds at the 2025 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum-bred Castillo King is the third winner from as many to race out of the Exceed And Excel (Danehill) mare Boorooj, herself a half-sister to Group 1 winner Invest (Dehere). It may be a fair jump in class to go from a Ballarat Synthetic maiden success to landing a prestigious handicap at Flemington, but that is exactly what the Archie Alexander-trained Notified (Maurice) will be bidding to produce when she heads to Headquarters on Saturday. With only five runners being nominated for the 1800-metre contest named after the legendary Bylerley Turk, who is regarded as one of the three male progenitors of the modern thoroughbred alongside the Darley Arabian and the Godolphin Arabian, Notified comes into the race as the sole winner. Starting out life with a fifth-placed effort over 1200 metres on the Ballarat Synthetic, the juvenile daughter of Maurice (Screen Hero) then returned to that surface to land a 1500-metre maiden by 0. 8 lengths from Flying Capital (Capitalist) and will be racing just a fortnight on from that success. “She's had a very easy time of it, this race is quite a quick turnaround for a two-year-old normally but she's had two runs and both have been at Ballarat on the synthetic surface so both have been very non-taxing runs,” Ballarat-based Alexander told ANZ News. “She's had one gallop in between the runs so we don't really know where she measures up yet, but I do think there are a lot of positives going in. “It's a unique kind of race really, it's a small field. The thing that gives me a lot of hope is that if you're breaking it down on pedigrees, I'm surprised that a lot of these horses are by sprinters or milers and we're the only one that should be getting over this trip on this ground as a two-year-old. “Without knowing the other rivals' form or how they are, there doesn't look to be a real stayer amongst them on the pedigrees. We're also the only winner in the race currently which is always encouraging. ” Having broken her maiden last time out on July 7, Alexander admits that this weekend’s $150,000 event was not in the calendar until very recently. “No it wasn’t the plan at all, she just won and there aren't many two-year-old races left, especially over a bit more ground, so I'd say win, lose or draw she'll go for a freshen-up after Saturday before the spring,” Alexander said. “I don't think we'll keep going with her , this wasn't the plan initially but we said we'd nominate and have a look and when there's only five runners then it becomes a realistic target. ” By six-time elite-level-winning stallion Maurice, Notified is a half-sister to 1300-metre winner Boncapo (Street Boss) being out of 1350-metre winner Bonanova’s Dream (Redoute’s Choice), who is herself out of the 1999 Emirates Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Bonanova (Star Way). Ridden by Harry Coffey for her last-start win, the Caulfield Cup (Gr 1, 2400m)-winning jockey will again be aboard this weekend and despite Alexander having stamina doubts about Notified’s rivals, he is not expecting Coffey to make it an extreme test. “Not... You can say what you like about men being stubborn, but you won’t change our minds. And sometimes it comes in handy, as with the creation story of exciting two-year-old Angels Fury (Harry Angel), who showed an earlier mishap was well and truly behind her with a second straight win at start three on Saturday at Caulfield. The Ciaron Maher-trained filly was put together by a gang of five including breeding industry byword Duncan Grimley and his old mates John Johnstone and Alan Orr. That trio had bred her dam, Ashra Jahre (Headwater), which came about because they’d followed the family from her third dam, Procrastinate (Jade Hunter), the obvious star of this female line. Foaled in 1990, Procrastinate was a daughter of Mr. Prospector (Raise A Native) stallion Jade Hunter, who sired four American Grade 1 winners but did little in three shuttle seasons here. Procrastinate, who carried the “tuxedo” colours of another of Grimley and Co’s friends, David Fitzgerald of India Pacific Bloodstock, was Jade Hunter’s best southern progeny. That was only by virtue of her one black type success in Caulfield’s Tristarc Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m) in 1994, for a young Adelaide trainer in David Hall. But at stud she was colossal. She threw five stakes winners, and 12 winners, from 15 runners, most of whom have kicked on at stud themselves. Filly first foal Laisserfaire (Danehill) went to South Africa and won three Grade 1s, becoming the country’s Champion Older Female Sprinter for two years running. Her full-brother Foreplay won a Melbourne Listed and was Group 1-placed to earn a stud deal, though he left only four stakes winners. Personify (Galileo) won an Adelaide Listed and put the genes into 2020 VRC Oaks (Gr 1, 2500m) queen Personal (Fastnet Rock), among four stakes horses. Time Thief (Redoute’s Choice) also won a Melbourne Listed and was twice placed at the top level - including a second in the Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) - before also going to stud and siring elite victor In Her Time among eight stakes winners. And Procrastinate’s stakes quintet rounds out with A Time For Julia (Redoute’s Choice), a dual stakes winner who’s carried things on by leaving Adelaide Listed victor As Time Goes By (Deep Impact), as well as a $1. 9 million 2022 yearling colt who died before he could race. It was because of following Procrastinate through good friend Fitzgerald that had Johnstone keen to make a splash under the old oak tree at Inglis Easter in 2009. A Hunter Valley winemaker and bon vivant - the two usually do go together - Johnstone delved into horses and teamed up with Grimley in the 1980s. Amongst this particular posse of mates, Grimley no doubt holds sway when it comes to pedigree matters - he’s a breeder of Fastnet Rock (Danehill) and Gytrash (Lope De Vega) after all. But on this occasion, Johnstone spurned Grimley’s advice as he sought to buy a granddaughter of Procrastinate. She was Lot 318, co-bred... With three winners from their last four juvenile runners, the Lindsay Park team is enjoying a late season baby boom and connections are supremely confident that Hard Kick (All Too Hard) can extend the stable’s red-hot streak by maintaining the unbeaten start to his career at Flemington this Saturday. Over the past four days, Team Hayes’ two-year-olds My China Plate (Exceedance), Defarzio (Zousain) and Baby Blue (Blue Point) have all registered dominant wins – by a combined ten lengths – and that momentum will now be carried by Hard Kick into his highly anticipated return to action in the 2YO Handicap (1000m) on his home track. The son of Vinery Stud’s ultra-consistent All Too Hard (Casino Prince) got his career off to a stunning start with an effortless debut win in the Talindert Stakes (Listed, 1100m) in mid-February, and he was immediately installed as one of the favourites for the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) the following week. Despite the temptation to press on to Victoria’s premier race for juveniles, the Hayes camp ultimately elected to divert the gelding to a pristine paddock at their Euroa base with a view to unleashing him as a more furnished product in the late winter and early spring months. Judging by his recent trial outing at Werribee, where he comfortably accounted for his highly regarded stablemate Cruiserweight (Hello Youmzain), the spell has served Hard Kick exceedingly well and despite having to concede weight to all eight of his rivals on Saturday, co-trainer Will Hayes believes the youngster will again prove hard to beat down the famous Flemington straight. “He’s naturally strengthened and developed and he’s definitely ready for his three-year-old season,” Hayes told ANZ News from Port Douglas, where the entire clan is currently enjoying a winter holiday. “We weren’t 100 per cent happy to do the back-up with a two-year-old, even though he looked a great chance in the race. In the end we decided to follow the advice of our vet team and put the horse first. Although it definitely wasn’t an easy decision at the time, hopefully we can now reap the rewards of it. “Hard Kick was one of our most exciting juveniles this year, and we’ve been really happy with how he’s prepped up. We’re excited to see him back down the Flemington straight and we were already pretty confident about how he’d come back even before his recent trial win over Cruiserweight, who franked the form nicely over the weekend. “As Dad picked him out at the sales and owns him, there’s obviously a very good chance that he’ll end up in Hong Kong one day. But hopefully we can put some more black type on his CV before he leaves us. We know he handles the Flemington straight so if we’re dreaming big, then a race like the Coolmore would be a very nice option. But we’ll get through Saturday first before mapping out his full spring program. ” In the more immediate term, Hard... 31 for Almanzor Cambridge Stud shuttler Almanzor (Wootton Bassett) sired his 31st individual stakes winner when Brielle landed the Aphrodite Fillies’ Stakes (Listed, 1m 4f) at Newmarket. Trained by David O’Meara and ridden by Daniel Tudhope, the four-year-old defied odds of 33-1 with a dominant front-running performance, defeating Club Class (Frankel) by a length. The victory improved Brielle’s record to four wins and three placings from 11 starts, having also scored over the same distance at Thirsk earlier this season. A homebred for Elwick Stud, in a race consisting entirely of homebred horses, Brielle is the first stakes winner out of Craic Agus Spraoi (Intense Focus), a half-sister to stakes winner Parish Hall (Teofilo) from the family of Irish Two Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Mac Swiney (New Approach). Almanzor has sired 18 Stakes winners in the Southern Hemisphere, 5 from his first crop, 11 from his second and 2 from his third thus far. Almanzor will stand for NZ$25,000 (plus GST) this spring. Baby Vino springs Haskell upset Baby Vino (Vino Rosso) caused a 28-1 upset in the Haskell Stakes (Gr 1, 9f) at Monmouth Park, defeating Preakness Stakes (Gr 1, 9. 5f) winner Napoleon Solo on a sloppy track. The Lindsay Schultz-trained colt pressed the leader turning for home before prevailing under Jorge Vargas Jr, handing both trainer and jockey their first Grade 1 victories. Schultz also became the first woman to train a Haskell winner. Baby Vino entered the US$1. 005 million contest following a 10. 75-length success in the Pegasus Stakes (L, 1700m) and could now target the Travers Stakes (Gr 1, 10f) at Saratoga. The victory also secured the colt an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (Gr 1, 10f) at Keeneland. Iron Honor (Nyquist) finished third, while favourite Further Ado (Gun Runner) weakened to fifth. Vino Rosso shuttled to Spendthrift Australia from his Kentucky base for two years covering 103 mares in both the 2020 and 2021 seasons. Kathynmarissa leads Brown clean sweep in Diana Kathynmarissa (American Pharoah) provided trainer Chad Brown with a record-extending 11th Diana Stakes (Gr 1, 9f) victory at Saratoga on Saturday. Ridden by Jose Ortiz, the five-year-old defeated stablemate Segesta (Ghostzapper) by half a length, with fellow Brown trainee Portfolio Duration (Night of Thunder) another 2. 25 lengths away in third. Dynamic Pricing (Night of Thunder), the fourth of Brown’s runners, finished fifth as the trainer completed his fifth consecutive victory in the US$500,000 feature. Kathynmarissa clocked 1:51. 42 to claim her sixth win, first at grade one, from 14 starts. Owned by Michael Caruso and Michael Dubb, Kathynmarissa was purchased for US$200,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. War Front pensioned at Claiborne Claiborne Farm has pensioned influential stallion War Front (Danzig) following the conclusion of the 2026 breeding season. The 24-year-old is in good health, with Claiborne president Walker Hancock saying the decision was made as a precaution due to his age. A homebred for Joseph Allen, War Front won the Alfred G Vanderbilt Handicap... Extreme Warrior two year old impresses on debut Southland trainer Ebony Turner is eyeing spring black-type targets with Glamour Extreme (Extreme Warrior) after the filly produced an impressive debut victory at Oamaru on Sunday. The two-year-old settled midfield before surging clear late under Rohan Mudhoo to score by two lengths over 1200 metres, despite starting at odds of 28-1. "I am rapt. She is a cool wee horse," Turner said. "I was pretty confident, I knew she has got ability. " Purchased as a weanling for A$6,000 by Kerri Spence Bloodstock, Glamour Extreme later failed to meet her $22,000 reserve at the 2025 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 2 Yearling Sale before Turner secured a share in the filly. Turner said the dominant debut had encouraged her to target black-type races, with the Grand National Carnival and even the New Zealand 1000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) under consideration. "Off that run I am pretty confident that she will give them a wee shake at stakes level," she said. "There are a lot of nice three-year-old races coming up and I am not against having a nudge at the Guineas. " Extreme Warrior has produced four winners and three place getters from his nine runners, headlined by Stakes winner, Extreme Warrior. Winter Cup beckons for Bella Luce Bella Luce (Belardo) earned a shot at black-type with a determined victory in Sunday's Oamaru Cup (1600m), booking her place in next week's Winter Cup (Gr 3, 1600m) at Riccarton. Trained by Lance Robinson, the rising eight-year-old led throughout under apprentice Triston Moodley to score by three-quarters of a length and secure ballot exemption for the South Island feature. "It was a good effort, I am very pleased," Robinson said. "She began well, led and was just too good for them. It was a good ride by Triston. " Robinson believes Bella Luce will be even better suited by the expected Heavy conditions at Riccarton and is hopeful she can finally secure valuable black-type. "She has qualified for the Winter Cup now, so we might as well have a crack at that," he said. "If she can get a bit of black-type, that is what she is down there for, so that is the main aim. " Robinson also welcomed back stakes performers Iron Hawk (Written Tycoon) and Alottago (Tagaloa), with both geldings being aimed at the TAB Mile (Gr 3, 1600m) at Riccarton in November. Nestor embraces life in dual role Kody Nestor is enjoying life as both jockey and trainer after taking out a dual licence earlier this year, with the 36-year-old set to ride his own mare Lady Lilibet (Saxon Warrior) at Gunnedah on Monday. Nestor, who returned to the saddle in 2021 after retiring to train due to weight issues, has already prepared two winners from limited runners since resuming training alongside his riding career. "I only have a handful of horses in work at the moment, it's only a hobby, but I'll transition back to full-time training toward the end of the year," Nestor told Racing NSW. Lady Lilibet will back up after breaking her maiden at Dubbo last week, having joined Nestor's stable from John Ramsey. "He was finding her a little hard to place over in the Hunter," Nestor said. "She can stay a bit and we knocked over a maiden the other day. " Nestor trained 107 winners during his first stint as a trainer before returning to race riding and said preparing and riding his own horses provided a unique level of satisfaction. "It’s a different feeling when you ride one that you train. You put a lot of time into it and to have that experience of riding and training it gives you more satisfaction," he said. Napoleonic targets Missile Stakes return Group 1 placegetter Napoleonic (Wootton Bassett) is being prepared to resume in the Missile Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Randwick on August 8, with the progressive sprinter set to trial over 900 metres at Randwick on Monday. The Tom Charlton and John O’Shea-trained colt will share a heat with Autumn Glow, Autumn Boy and several other spring contenders. Napoleonic finished third in the Doomben 10,000 (Gr 1, 1200m) before disappointing over 1300 metres in the Kingsford-Smith Cup (Gr 1). “We’ll give some thought to keeping him to the sprints,” Charlton said. Stablemate Sam Hawkens will also trial on Monday ahead of a possible return in the Premier’s Cup Prelude (1800m) on the Missile Stakes undercard. Waller stars set for Randwick trials Aeliana (NZ) (Castelvecchio) and Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) headline Chris Waller’s team for Monday’s barrier trials at Randwick. The star mares will be joined by Group 1-winning stablemates Ohope Wins (NZ) (Ocean Park), Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel) and Autumn Boy (The Autumn Sun). Autumn Glow is being prepared to resume in the Winx Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) at Randwick on August 22, while Aeliana could begin her Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2000m) campaign in the Memsie Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) at Caulfield on August 29. “They are both great,” Waller said. “They both had a gallop on Saturday morning and James McDonald has been coming in to ride them. ” Ohope Wins could be aimed at the Turnbull Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) at Flemington on October 3. Ceolwulf set for trial return Ceolwulf (Tavistock) will begin his spring preparation in a 740-metre Warwick Farm trial on Tuesday. Joe Pride’s dual King Charles III... Bankers Boss beats Mega pair Trained by Johnny Lim, three year old gelding Bankers Boss (Hellbent) won the feature RM200,000 3YO Mile Championship (1,600m) on Sunday from Mega Skye (Ocean Park) and Mega First (Kodi Bear). A $16,000 purchase on Inglis digital, Bankers Boss stamped himself as the field’s class runner following a recent Class 3 win, followed by a third placing to Mega Ace (Earthlight) in the 3YO Sprint Championship (1,200m) in mid June. It’s been a little while coming, and his opportunities haven’t been vast, but the stakes winner has arrived that Bombora Downs stud hopes will spark the interest to back their belief in their stallion Cliff’s Edge (Canford Cliffs). Winnasedge, a first-cropper for his rising 12-year-old sire, claimed Saturday’s Sir John Monash Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) at Caulfield to end a tantalising wait for Bombora and the four-year-old’s connections, after his two previous Group placings amid 16 starts. Cliff’s Edge, who won two Group 2s and two Group 3s from 30 outings, has only had 22 runners from three seasons of starters. This comes amid a neat 50 per cent winners to runners after essentially only two seasons of runners, since only two starters came in his debut season of two-year-olds, and with most of his stock hitting the track at three. Cliff’s Edge’s first crop is tracking at 55. 55 per cent, with 10 winners from 18 starters, while his second has provided just four runners so far, for one win. And as a Danehill-free stallion - who’s also the only son of Canford Cliffs (Tagula) standing in Australia - Cliff’s Edge makes strong outcross appeal at his 2026 service fee of $6,600, says Bombora Downs owner Christoph Bruechert. “It’s early days still and he’s not had that many runners, but I do think he’s a good stallion,” Bruechert told ANZ News. “He did enough with his first few runners for me to think he’s a good horse. Whether or not we get to find that out is probably out of my hands at this point, but the only thing holding Cliff’s Edge back is opportunities. “At one stage he was running at 66 per cent winners to runners for his first crop, which is good going. Now it’s at 55 per cent, which is still good going. “There’s lots of stallions who get good opportunities and in large part the mares make the stallion. Cliff’s Edge probably hasn’t had enough runners to make me really think this, but in my guts I think he’s one of those horses who upgrades mares. He’s had very limited opportunities, but he’s done a good job. ” Cliff’s Edge joined Bombora Downs in the third of his six stud seasons so far, after two years at the now defunct Cornwall Park. After covering just 15 mares in his first two springs at the Mornington Peninsula farm, he served 23 in 2024 at $3,300 - and at a fertility rate of 90 per cent. The success of his earliest runners led to a fee doubling last spring, when he covered 17 mares. While he’s still only had three two-year-old runners in total, first-croppers including Winnasedge, Escarpa and Verona Rupes - all now city winners - were quick to hit their straps on debuting as spring three-year-olds. “It’s looking like his stock are early three-year-olds, as opposed to two-year-olds,” Bruechert said. “They’ve taken a little bit of time to mature, obviously, and the market’s hard... Ahead of her proposed spring date with Zoustar (Northern Meteor), in-form mare Coeur Volante (Proisir) will bid to embellish her pedigree page further with stakes success in the P. B. Lawrence Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) next month. A $500,000 joint acquisition between Bangaloe Stud’s Julia Ritchie and Widden Stud, Coeur Volante has already recouped more than half her $500,000 purchase price thanks chiefly to a hat-trick of city victories and, should she continue her winning ways at Caulfield in mid-August, her partners would very nearly recover their entire outlay from just five starts. With Coeur Volante bought primarily as a broodmare prospect, Ritchie freely admits that the five-year-old’s recent racetrack returns have been a very welcome bonus and, provided the daughter of Rich Hill Stud’s resident Proisir (Choisir) retains her appetite for racing, connections are keen to press on with her prosperous preparation for at least one more outing. “We already knew we’d bought a very nice broodmare, but her recent wins have really been the icing on the cake,” Ritchie told ANZ News. “We gave her a long break, and when she returned to the stables at Lindsay Park she showed the boys that she still had the ticker for racing. The stable is obviously loving how she’s been going, as are we, so until she tells us otherwise then we’ll keep going and hopefully she can keep winning. “At this stage the P. B. Lawrence will be her grand final, then she’ll need some time to let down in a paddock before heading to the breeding barn. She’s thriving and when mares are in form then you’d be mad not to keep running them, although in the past she’s let the boys know once she’s had enough so we’ll be guided by them. But at this stage, it’s all systems got for the P. B. Lawrence. ” Should she add a fourth black type triumph to an already impressive CV, the door remains ajar for Coeur Volante to continue racing throughout her six-year-old campaign but in all likelihood she will be retired next month to prepare for her first date with Zoustar, who has mounted a sterling defence of his Australian Sires’ Premiership crown but will ultimately cede his title to Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice). Given that Zoustar stands at the ‘Valley of Champions’ and Ritchie is a part-owner of the Widden wonder, having paid $1. 3 million for a share through the Inglis Digital Sale in 2024, the identity of Coeur Volante’s first suitor wasn’t exactly a mystery. Under her Bangaloe Stud banner, over the past few years Ritchie has set about acquiring shares in several of the country’s most sought-after – not to mention expensive – stallions. At this year’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, before successfully bidding on both Thalassophile (Not A Single Doubt) and Complicit (Blame), Ritchie shelled out $735,000 for a piece of Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) – largely as it was the only way of gaining access to one of the... The foaling season is only weeks away and the breeding season kicks off merely four weeks after that, beginning September 1st. Consequently, stallion advertising in New Zealand has suddenly ramped up and metropolitan results from Melbourne and Sydney in particular this past weekend will have buoyed some studs and stud masters. Four winners on Saturday’s Caulfield card were bred and foaled in New Zealand. In Sydney there were three more while in Adelaide there was one. As is often the case, wins by Prince Eric (Time Test), First Chorus (Ghibellines) and Prickly Poppy (Belardo) are sidenotes since both Time Test (Dubawi) and Belardo (Lope De Vega) have been banished whereas Ghibellines (Shamardal) has been lost to the ranks due to his recent passing. That meant Rich Hill Stud’s Proisir (Choisir), Cambridge Stud’s Hello Youmzain (Kodiac) as well as Westbury Stud’s Tarzino (Tavistock) and El Roca (Fastnet Rock) flew the flag for the Kiwis. Proisir also had a notable impressive debut winner at Ruakaka, discussed later in the column. Caulfield’s Jockey Watch Handicap (1400m) winner Cruiserweight (Hello Youmzain) looks something out of the ordinary, maybe a future star, based not only on his unbeaten record, but also the way he has dealt to his opponents. Hello Youmzain’s Drops Of God was given a big rap by this column after her Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) back in April, suggesting she might be the one to set the Hello Youmzain story alight. Cruiserweight is another with the potential to push Hello Youmzain to the fore among New Zealand stallions, assisted by post-win comments from his co-trainer JD Hayes: “He’s raw and has plenty of upside. This was only a three-year-old race in July, but the way he did it, and with so much improvement still to come, hopefully he can end up where we think he can. ” Taranaki trainer Allan Sharrock found him at Karaka in Book 2 of NZB’s 2024 Karaka Yearling Sale, securing him for $40,000 but waited until late May the following year to see what he had. Named Opetaia, the youngster led his 800m Foxton trial from barrier rise and was doing it comfortably at the line, his only test at two. A second trial, at three, last October over 1000m at Awapuni, he sat back, circled the field to lead at the top of the straight and was held together to the line for another comfortable win. Two trials, two wins. What would raceday reveal? Raceday revealed that the gelding was ready. He sat second at the 600m, took over at the top of the straight then powered away to win by almost six lengths, doing it easily at the post. Goodbye Opetaia, hello Cruiserweight In no surprise, head-hunting agents with deep-pocketed Australian clients could not resist and the renamed Cruiserweight was transported to Victoria where he made his Australian debut at the May 22nd Flemington trials (second) followed by a trial win at the same course a week later. At Swan Hill over 1200m... Nick Ryan believes the stars aligned for Winnasedge (Cliff's Edge) at Caulfield on Saturday, and the Flemington trainer was delighted to see the progressive sprinter earn a deserved breakthrough at stakes level in the feature Sir John Monash Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m). Having resumed with victory over the same course and distance on June 27, the four-year-old backed up in stronger company to land his maiden black-type success, giving Ryan the confidence that there is more to come this campaign. Ridden by Luke Currie and sent out the $4. 40 favourite, Winnasedge settled three-wide just off the speed out of barrier nine and was kept towards the outside off the home bend. Asked for his effort at the 300-metre mark, the gelding launched a strong and sustained run to overhaul the leaders and score by a half-length over a resuming Bellatrix Star (Star Witness), with Sir Now (Sir Prancelot) another 0. 2 lengths back in third. “Last start he drew in and the pattern was in his favour and today he drew wide and the pattern is in his favour again,” Ryan said. “The stars aligned a little bit but he’s a good horse and got the job done. He’s always been a good little horse. He was placed in a Red Anchor Stakes at three, he ran well in a Tobin Bronze Stakes over in Adelaide. “He’s always been up to this level, so to do it at weight-for-age was great and it's great to team up with my great mate Luke Currie, back from America after his holiday and he executed it perfectly the way the track has been playing. " Currie – who landed the Group 3 on his sole ride of the day – was reunited with Winnasedge for the first time since partnering him to a third-placed finish in the Tobin Bronze Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Morphettville last autumn, with Ryan taking advantage of the jockey's return from an overseas break after regular rider Ben Allen departed for Europe. “Early, I thought he was a really nice horse, but he was doing a few things wrong,” said the winning rider. “Ridden off the speed, he shows a really good turn of foot. I knew he was the first horse and he’d be strong. ” Ryan expects Winnasedge to press on to the Bletchingly Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) at Caulfield on July 25. “He’ll have a fitness edge,” Ryan said. “He was fourth-up today. He’s fit, 1200 metres will be no issues, so why not? ” Saturday’s victory was the sixth of Winnasedge’s 17-start career and improved his earnings to in excess of $550,000. The son of Cliff’s Edge was bred by Ross Holburt, who races him with partners. Winnasedge is one of three winners out of the unraced Magnus (Flying Spur) mare Anuddawinna, who has an unraced two-year-old sister to the gelding, aptly named Winna’s Sister. She has since produced a yearling colt and filly foal by Bruckner (Snitzel) and is currently in foal... Morphettville trainer Andrew Gluyas is looking forward to Saturday’s John Monash Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m), with stable stalwart Watchme Win (Harry Angel) out to further enhance his fine first-up record in the Caulfield feature. The rising six-year-old has been in good form of late – last seen producing a sound effort in May’s Goodwood (Gr 1, 1200m) when eighth, beaten just 1. 7 lengths behind winner Desert Lightning (Pride Of Dubai). Prior to that, he was a close runner-up in three consecutive stakes races at his home track, the latest a 0. 9-length defeat to subsequent Goodwood placegetter Grand Larceny (Zoustar) in this year's John Hawkes Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m), having won the Group 3 contest in 2025. A minor foot abscess ruled the gelding out of an intended run in the Bel Esprit Stakes (Listed, 1100m) at Caulfield on May 30, but Gluyas remains confident that hiccup hasn’t hindered his progress as he bids for a fourth win in five fresh-up starts. “I’m excited for him going into it, I’ve been pleased with his work,” Gluyas told ANZ News. “He’s freshened up since the Goodwood – he was to run in the Bel Esprit but things didn’t quite work out for him up there, so we just had to regroup from that weekend and I think we’ve done that. ” The trainer was encouraged by Watchme Win’s performance in Adelaide’s premier sprint nine weeks ago, despite circumstances not unfolding as he had hoped. “ was a nice run – he didn’t quite get the cover I was hoping for that day, he was just that bit exposed in running and did the work for the eventual winner and the second,” Gluyas said. “They both came off his back. But I thought it was an okay run in that company, he gave us a good sight for a while and wasn’t beaten too far. ” While acknowledging weight-for-age conditions present another challenge, Gluyas believes Saturday’s contest represents a suitable opportunity for the honest sprinter to add a third stakes success to his resume and the market agrees, rating him the $6 favourite on Thursday. “He’s a very honest gelding,” Gluyas said. “He’s always there or thereabouts. Saturday is a WFA race, which you’d think he’s not quite a WFA sprinter, but he’s not far off it. In an off-peak scenario, that might suit him. ” Caulfield was rated a Soft 7 on Thursday, and while five of the son of Harry Angel’s (Dark Angel) six victories have come on good ground – including his two stakes wins – his trainer believes conditions are unlikely to be of concern provided he is afforded the right run in transit. “I think he races well on any track really,” Gluyas said. “His form on a good track is probably best, while his soft track form is honest. He probably needs to be not too far away from the action so we’d like for him to be in a midfield position, and that ought... 2 g All Too Hard – Unplayable, by Darci Brahma O: RSS K9 (Mgr: K Kawakami) & Knine Inc. (Mgr: H Tabata) B: Mr A Testro, Vic T: Chris Waller S: 2025 Inglis Ready2Race Sale V: DSB Thoroughbreds, Wagga Wagga P: Knine Inc / Rising Sun Syndicate, $220,000 W: Ladbrokes Hosted Pots Mdn Plate, 1213m, Sale Champion trainer Chris Waller unveiled another promising juvenile on Thursday when Kosei Top (All Too Hard) produced a sharp finishing burst to score on debut in the 1200-metre maiden at Sale. Sent out the $12 outsider of Waller's three runners, the gelding looked to have plenty to do turning for home before hugging the rail under Thomas Stockdale. Once a split appeared, Kosei Top accelerated smartly through the gap to defeat stablemate Zouvolt (Zoustar) by 1. 3 lengths, with Anastasia's Flame (Tagaloa) another 1. 2 lengths back in third. Purchased by Knine Inc and Rising Sun Syndicate for $220,000 from Darrell Burnet’s DSB Thoroughbreds draft at last year's Inglis Ready2Race Sale, Kosei Top continued a productive season for graduates of the breeze-up auction. Waller has already enjoyed Group 1 success this campaign with fellow Ready2Race graduate Tron Bolt (Toronado), while another alumnus, Hard Kick (All Too Hard), won January's Talindert Stakes (Listed, 1100m) on debut before being spelled with spring targets in mind. Bred by Mr A Testro, Kosei Top is the third winner from four runners out of the unraced Darci Brahma (Danehill) mare Unplayable, herself a half-sister to stakes winner Oscar Zulu (Epaulette), who won almost $1 million during his career for the Waller stable. Kosei Top also became the ninth individual two-year-old winner this season for Vinery Stud's All Too Hard (Casino Prince), whose juveniles have enjoyed an excellent campaign headed by Group winner and Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) placegetter Music Time. The son of Casino Prince (Flying Spur) will stand for $27,500 (inc GST) this spring. November’s Golden Eagle (1500m) will be run as a Group 1 for the first time after being given a direct upgrade from a non-stakes race to one at the very highest level following a review by the Asian Racing Federation’s (ARF) Asian Pattern Committee (APC). In a statement by the ARF on Friday, it was revealed that a total of 30 races had been given an upgrade or moved to stakes status, including 22 of them from the NSW region, while the Golden Eagle's move to a Group 1 means that there will be 77 races at the elite level in Australia during the 2026-27 season. Races that have been given brand new stakes status include The Invitation (1400m), 7 Stakes (1600m) and Russell Balding Stakes (1300m), which were made Group 2 races, the Five Diamonds (1800m) and The Gong (1600m), which will be Group 3s, and the Golden Gift (1100m), Big Dance (1600m), The Hunter (1300m), The Beauford (2300m) and Silver Eagle (1300m) will all be run at Listed level for the first time. The Shorts (1200m), which will remain as a Group 2, San Domenico Stakes (1100m) (Group 3) and Toy Show Quality (1100m) (Group 3) were all considered for an upgrade but will remain at their current level. Meanwhile, in Victoria, the Poseidon Stakes (1100m), Cap D'Antibes Stakes (1100m), Spring Preview (1000m) and Chautauqua Stakes (1200m) were all upgraded from Listed to Group 3 level. Without a doubt however, the biggest upgrade from the review is the Golden Eagle. With the race first run in 2019, it has had a meteoric rise from being a non-pattern race as recent as November. Having been won by Kolding (Ocean Park) (2019), Colette (Hallowed Crown) (2020), I'm Thunderstruck (Shocking) (2021), I Wish I Win (Savabeel) (2022), Japanese raider Obamburumai (Discreet Cat) (2023), British raider Lake Forest (No Nay Never) (2024), and star mare Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) in 2025, the race has seen its reputation grow significantly in the last few years. “In December 2025, the Asian Racing Federation (ARF) determined that, given the circumstances that existed, the Asian Pattern Committee (APC) would, for the time being, make decisions for all black type races in Australia. This meant that the APC became responsible for making upgrade and downgrade decisions for all Group 1, Group 2, Group 3 and Listed races in Australia,” Friday’s ARF statement read. “Since then, in order to assist in prompt restoration of effective quality control in Australia, the ARF implemented a special decision-making process for black type races in Australia so that any changes are determined prior to the start of the 2026/27 Australian racing season. "The APC considered an application from Racing Australia, with supporting materials, for the proposed upgrade of existing black type races and the addition of non-black type races to the pattern for season 2026/27. "Further, Racing Australia made submissions regarding races which were provisionally subject to a warning or downgrade under the APC Ground Rules. "Between 24-26 June 2026, the... One-time Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) favourite Angels Fury (Harry Angel) is out for redemption at Caulfield this Saturday when the filly looks to launch into the early part of the spring with a second successive victory. Having cruised to an effortless win under hands and heels as the odds-on favourite in a 1000 metre Bendigo Maiden last month, the promising juvenile rises in both distance and grade at the weekend – but the bookmakers aren’t taking any chances after putting up an opening quote of $2. 40. The man responsible for sourcing the $270,000 filly at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Louis Le Metayer of Astute Bloodstock, is convinced of her ability but is understandably wary of making any brash predictions, having been here before. Off the back of two precocious jumpout performances, Angels Fury was backed into $1. 70 on debut in the Blue Diamond Preview (Gr 3, 1000m) at Caulfield in January, only to finish last in a field of nine runners which included Clinton McDonald’s subsequent Diamond heroine Streisand (Magnus). There were mitigating circumstances for the perplexing performance – Angels Fury knuckled shortly after leaving the gates and pulled up with mild shin soreness – but Le Metayer concedes she may not have been physically or mentally ready for such an early examination of her credentials. Having been given an extended layoff by trainer Ciaron Maher, however, Angels Fury has returned a much more seasoned campaigner this preparation and she ably demonstrated the benefits of her break with a dominant display at Bendigo under Teo Nugent. In-form apprentice Jabez Johnstone, who piloted the filly to an arrogant jumpout win at Cranbourne at the end of June, takes over in the saddle with the pair set to start from barrier 11 in Saturday’s $150,000 contest. Should Angels Fury again justify favouritism, a race like the Quezette Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) at Caulfield in mid-August would inevitably occupy the thoughts of her connections but while firm in his belief that the filly has boundless potential, Le Metayer is hesitant to put the cart before the (admittedly talented) horse. “I’ve had a few favourites finish last this year, so I’m certainly not getting carried away but it was a big relief for this filly to show what she could do last time, because we’ve always believed in her ability,” the French native told ANZ News. “She has won all of her trials and jumpouts in impressive fashion, and it was great to see her take that form to the races at Bendigo. She’s grown up physically quite a lot since she made her debut at Caulfield, and it was pleasing to see her put that experience behind her with a very nice win last month. “We don’t like to push our fillies too early, we prefer to take our time and make sure they’re educated properly before taking them to the races. But she was the exception to the rule, because she showed so much... From one of New Zealand breeding’s most storied families - the famed “Belle Line” - comes Cellarmaster (Bivouac), the brood’s latest stakes winner after taking Saturday’s Winx Guineas (Gr 3, 1600m). His tail female line’s history reads like a weighty chapter of New Zealand breeding itself; at times told in sepia, with a dash of heartache, but always with touches of gold and some tales of astonishing glory. Cellarmaster was bred by Marie Leicester, who’s 88, and still conducts her breeding affairs from her retirement village near Cambridge, which she says is a well-laid out place. “I was watching Cellarmaster in my villa, and I was yelling at him all down the straight,” she tells It’s In The Blood of his thrilling late dive for victory. “It’s good here - we’re a bit spread out - so I can yell and scream at the TV as hard as I want to. ” Leicester, not to sound patronising, remains as sharp as a whip and full of zest for the caper. Breeding is the mental - sometimes infuriatingly mental - puzzle that helps keep her mind buzzing. She spends a lot of time organising her seven broodmares - six of whom are of the Belle line - who are kept at Haunui Farm. As with Cellarmaster and his a younger half-brother by another Darley stallion in Anamoe (Street Boss), this often involves sending mares across the Tasman. “It’s something that keeps the mind active, and I love every minute of it,” she says. “In fact, I sent a half-sister to Moet Belle (Cellarmaster’s dam) across to Anamoe on the plane on Monday night - My Annie Belle. ” Leicester, daughter of famed New Zealand breeders and Belle line founders James and Annie Sarten, still attends the races regularly and enjoys the odd small bet on one she’s bred - “three dollars the win and two dollars the place” - aside from that never-ending punt of putting mares to stallions. Remembering the lengthy “Belle” chain that leads us to Cellarmaster is another favourite mental pastime. The story’s as old as she is, but she barely misses a beat. Its beginning came with Belle Star, a daughter of an imported German stallion who was already a sixth generation New Zealand mare. That trail had begun with the importation of an 1844 Australian called Emma, who’s simple name was outstripped by her deeds at stud in her new country, where she threw three stakes winners including two who claimed the CJC Derby Stakes, the modern New Zealand 2000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m). Skip ahead almost a century and six Kiwi-bred mares, and we see Leicester’s father come into contact with the line via that 1926 throw Belle Star. “Dad used to look after her on his farm for a butcher in New Plymouth,” Leicester says. “One day he said to Dad, ‘You’ve been looking after her for years - do you want to use her for a year? ’” James Sarten put her to... As he prepares for Asfoora’s (Flying Artie) homecoming party next month, part-owner and breeder Akram El-Fahkri has reflected on his immense pride in the mare’s mighty achievements and also a sense of excitement for the future as the triple Group 1 winner gets set for the next phase of her career. Following a flat performance over the weekend in the Coral Charge (Gr 3, 5f) at Sandown, Asfoora may have run her last race although there remains the small possibility that the rising eight-year-old will sign off one of the more remarkable racing careers of recent times with a swansong appearance at the end of the month in the King George Stakes (Gr 2, 5f) at Glorious Goodwood. The fact that she has been unplaced in her last four outings on British soil does not diminish her previous feats, but having earned very little in the way of prize-money to cover her travel expenses, El-Fahkri and his fellow family members have ruled out sending Asfoora to any of the northern hemisphere’s eye-wateringly expensive stallions. She will therefore almost certainly board a flight back to Australia on July 31, and after recovering from her European exertions at her birthplace at Noor Elaine Farm, the process of selecting a sire for her first date will begin in earnest. El-Fahkri, who runs a Melbourne taxi firm among other business interests, is inclined to support Victoria’s burgeoning breeding industry by choosing one of his home state’s more prominent stallions; but he concedes that the consensus of the remainder of the ownership group may instead see Asfoora making the journey north to the Hunter Valley. Regardless of her suitor, the intention is to put Asfoora’s future foals on the open market in the hope that her progeny can replicate her prodigious success on the racetrack. “If she’d managed to win another race over there this year, we may have considered sending her to a northern hemisphere stallion because the spend would have been justified,” El-Fahkri told ANZ News. “But it’s obviously been a very expensive exercise and we have received very little prize-money in return, so to spend even more on an expensive nomination fee probably wouldn’t make much financial sense. “My preference would be to send her to a Victorian stallion, but my brother and others in the ownership group have different views so I’m probably in the minority. If you send the best mare to the best stallion then you hope for the best, so I’m sure whichever direction we head in she’ll be given every opportunity to make it in the breeding barn, and the plan at this stage is to take her progeny to the sales. “A nice colt normally sells himself, so we always put them on the market but we often retain the fillies because potentially they’re worth a lot more at the end of their careers than as yearlings. But given Asfoora’s performances, I don’t think the sex of the foal really matters. As long as it conforms... July is here and the racing season has just a few more weeks to run before it’s over. August is the renewal. September the breeding season begins along with the new season’s Group 1s. One of the great things about our wonderful industry is that there is almost always something on the horizon. The next season. The next top sire. The next good horse. Or, as the old saying goes: Hope springs eternal. As we wind down, thoughts turn to sire premierships and award winners. In New Zealand the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association stages their annual breeding awards gathering on Saturday, July 25, announcing the Broodmare of the Year as well as recognising those who have bred a Group 1 winner. Among the recipients is Marie Leicester who bred the New Zealand 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Romanoff (Belardo). When Leicester’s parents James and Annie Sarten passed she inherited the responsibility of continuing a legacy, that of ensuring that their great “Belle” family would remain successful. On that score, Leicester has graduated from daughter of successful breeders to successful breeder in her own right. Add to Romanoff Saturday’s Winx Guineas (Gr 3, 1600m) winner Cellarmaster (Bivouac), whose winning effort had to be seen to be believed. Stuck three deep and back at the 1000m, Cellarmaster remained wide but with cover rounding into the straight. He could see all but two of the field approaching the 300m but with 200m to run was three lengths off the pacemaker, Platinum Pantheon (Hanseatic). At the 100m Cellarmaster had only stolen a half-length on the leader yet 50m from the line was just three-quarters of a length away, travelling quickly and smoothly to nab the leader a stride from the line, taking his record to three wins in ten starts. Trainer Tom Charlton gave up on winning, stating post race: “I thought we were beat. ” Similar thoughts were echoed by rider Ryan Maloney: “I thought we were going to run a nice second, because I saw Ben Thompson fly past me at a rate of knots but it’s a nice long straight here and once he hit top gear I was delighted. ” When contacted by Kiwi Chronicles, Leicester remarked: “What a superb run down the straight that was. I was so proud of him. ” He broke maiden class at start three at Randwick last Boxing day and three starts later added a win at Canterbury immediately followed by a steady third in the Phar Lap Stakes (Gr 2, 1500m) at Rosehill. In Brisbane he tuned up for the Guineas with a strong run from last into the straight for fifth in the Gunsynd Classic (Gr 3, 1600m). Blood-wise, Cellarmaster has quite a lot to live up to being from a half-sister to Leicester’s greatest claim to fame, as breeder of 14-time Group 1 winner Melody Belle (Commands) from 2020 New Zealand Broodmare of the Year, Meleka Belle (Iffraaj). Inspired choice Although conceived in Australia, Cellarmaster was foaled in New... With a fresh stakes winner, the fifth from his first crop, and a huge boost in numbers among his rising two-year-old crop, Alabama Express (Redoute’s Choice) has been tipped by Yulong to launch into his first Hunter Valley season in irrepressible style in the coming spring. The nine-year-old’s black type resume increased on Saturday when the James Healey-trained mare Arabian Rose - a four-year-old from her sire’s first crop - claimed the Glasshouse Handicap (Listed, 1400m) at the Sunshine Coast. It gave Alabama Express seven stakes winners worldwide from 138 runners at over 5 per cent, amid a robust 80 winners. It also gave him four Australian black type victors for the season which, among the nation’s third-season sires, is bettered only by the eight of Too Darn Hot (Dubawi). Alabama Express sits third by earnings on that table, behind leader Too Darn Hot and his Darley teammate Blue Point (Shamardal), while among the many sons of Redoute’s Choice (Danehill) currently at stud, he’s outshone only by the runaway success that is The Autumn Sun. The Orr Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m)-winning Alabama Express will have his largest crop to date hitting the tracks in the new season, and the clamour for his stock was reflected in the fact he recorded his top ten yearling sale prices earlier this year, including his all-time best of NZ$850,000 for a colt at Karaka. And with Alabama Express set to lure better quality mares this spring as he switches from Yulong’s Victorian base to head up the roster at its newly-acquired Segenhoe property in the Hunter - at an unchanged $66,000 (inc GST) - the green and white army are preparing to see their young stallion rise to new heights on the Australian breeding scene in the near future. “We’re very excited for him,” Yulong’s sales and nominations manager Harry King told ANZ News. “Saturday’s result with Arabian Rose is another example of what Alabama Express can continue to do in producing top horses that are competing at the highest level of stakes quality. “We’re thrilled with the support we’ve had from the breeders in the Hunter but also the Victorian breeders who are still sending mares to him. They’ve noted a bit of value in our roster in the Hunter. “And he’s positioned very positively when you look at the numbers of bookings we’ve found taking him up there. ” Alabama Express’s most prominent progeny have been females, led by two first-croppers in last season’s Champion Australian 3YO Filly, the four-time Group 1 winner Treasurethe Moment, and New Zealand’s four-time black type winner, the thrice Group 1-placed Alabama Lass. Poster Girl hasn’t won a stakes race but is a Magic Millions day winner who’s earned $1. 4 million. But the stallion’s stakes winners were evenly split by gender at 3-3 before Arabian Rose nudged the daughters ahead on Saturday. The boys have been led by exciting rising three-year-old colt Alibaba, who won the Blue Diamond Preview (Listed, 1000m) in the autumn, and emerging... Celebrating a quartet with a string of emerging gallopers at Sha Tin on Saturday, Ricky Yiu outlined long-range hopes to contest the 2027 Hong Kong Derby (Listed, 2000m) with Victor Supreme (Super Seth) after the promising stayer’s crushing victory. Jubilant after similarly impressive performances from Rising Force (Deep Field), Lucrative Eight (Foxwedge) and Chill Easy (Night Of Thunder), Yiu said Victor Supreme would be aimed at the Four-Year-Old Classic Series, which features the Hong Kong Classic Mile (Listed, 1600m), Hong Kong Classic Cup (Listed, 1800m) and the 150th Hong Kong Derby. “He won by reasonable margin – I thought he was a winning chance by maybe a length or two, but not in this style,” Yiu, Hong Kong Champion Trainer in 2019/20, said of the Super Seth (Dundeel) gelding’s four-and-a-half lengths romp in the Class 4 Ip Jug Handicap (1800m) under Vincent Ho. “He's an up-and-coming long-distance horse, even a mile is a bit sharp. He'll be one of the Derby candidates. When the first stage Derby entries open, I'll put him in. The way he looks, he'll be a decent stayer. ” Yiu won the 2023 Hong Kong Derby with subsequent Hong Kong Triple Crown victor Voyage Bubble (Deep Field). Taking his season’s tally to 44 wins, Yiu was delighted with the performance of Rising Force, who confirmed his rich promise with all-the-way success in the Class 2 Li Cup Handicap (1200m) for Zac Purton, earning a PPG Bonus of HK$1 million (approx. AU$184,510). “He won this race like a different horse. That was a great performance by jockey Zac Purton, he rode a very good race. He pinged out of the gate like a bullet, and that's a big advantage,” Yiu said. “He is a pretty versatile horse. He's sharp, he's got natural gate speed – your typical sprinter. “He might be a horse who's winning over 100 because he's not really exposed yet, he's only had limited races. ” Lucrative Eight landed the Class 4 Chow Silver Plate Handicap (1200m) under Purton despite having to wait for clear running in the straight before powering to a three-length margin over debutant Road To Glory (Capitalist). “He was very naughty going to the gates,” Purton said. “He’s very immature, he might be better next season with blinkers on. Anyway, he’s done a good job, he’s been consistent and I think next season, he’ll show his best. ” Jerry Chau piloted former Irish galloper Chill Easy to an easy win in the Class 3 Lee Trophy Handicap (1400m), completing a stellar day for Yiu. “Jerry said even around horses he's ever so relaxed and he just kept going. He's got a very good mindset and maybe next season, I wouldn't be surprised if he handled the mile,” Yiu said. “To be honest - looking at the runners I had today - I was almost certain that most of them would run well. Four winners was expected, especially with two of them coming from Zac. ” For all of Yiu’s dominance,... Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj) colt Marwooba continued his rapid rise through the juvenile ranks when claiming his first black-type success in Saturday's Taj Rossi Series Final (Listed, 1600m) at Flemington, providing the Hawkes stable with another promising spring prospect. Purchased by Hawkes Racing for $400,000 out of Yarraman Park at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, the gelding has now won his past two starts after breaking his maiden over 1400 metres at Rosehill last month before successfully stepping up to Listed company and a mile. His victory highlighted the benefits of the Hawkes family's dual-state operation, with Marwooba returning to Victoria after a Sydney preparation that followed an unplaced first-up run at Geelong earlier in the campaign. "He only got here yesterday and his coat looked amazing," Wayne Hawkes, who trains in partnership with brother Michael and father John, said. "The Sydney horses just look so much better than the Melbourne horses, just because of the weather. There's nothing anyone could do about that, but he just got off the float and he had a pig-root and was pretty happy with himself. " Ridden patiently by Craig Williams, Marwooba enjoyed a soft run behind the speed before angling into clear running in the straight and finishing strongly to defeat the favourite Star Of Macedon (Zoustar) by half-a-length, with Ko Phangan (Ole Kirk) a further 0. 8 lengths away in third. The win improved Marwooba's record to two victories from five starts and lifted his earnings to almost $220,000. Hawkes said the gelding would now head for a short spell before returning for a spring campaign, with the Bill Stutt Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) among the options before potentially tackling higher-level assignments. "We're very happy to be here in the depths of winter winning a race in July, back to Sydney and have three weeks off probably, then come back into work and he might end up in a Spring Champion ," Hawkes said. "There are plenty of options for him. " Foaled and raised at Yarraman Park, Marwooba is the first foal out of unraced Fastnet Rock (Danehill) mare Marguns, herself a sister to Group 2-placed Italia Belle and daughter of Group 1 winner Pear Tart (Dehere). Marguns died in 2024 after having one other foal, a yearling filly by Toronado (High Chaparral). The colt becomes the latest advertisement for Coolmore’s late shuttle sensation Wootton Bassett, who took his individual stakes winners record to 90 on Saturday courtesy of Marwooba’s success and Wise Inlaw’s win in the Creswick Stakes (Listed, 1200m) later on the card. The son of Iffraaj, who died last September due to acute pneumonia after complications from choke, is this season’s leading second-season sire by winners (49) and second only to Bivouac by progeny earnings. Another Coolmore stallion on the stakes scoresheet during Flemington’s Finals Day was Justify (Scat Daddy), whose gelded son Ndola rewarded connections’ long-held belief with a maiden black type win in the Santa Ana Lane Sprint Series Final (Listed, 1200m). Resuming from a spell, the four-year-old made every post a winning one under Jye McNeil, showing his customary speed before holding off late challengers to score by 0. 2 lengths over Lingani (America). De Bergerac (Zoustar) finished another half-length back in third. The victory took Ndola's record to seven wins and seven placings from 18 starts and pushed his earnings beyond $660,000. Will Hayes, who trains in partnership with brothers Ben and JD, said the stable had always believed the gelding possessed stakes-winning ability and was pleased to see him deliver first-up. "He’s been very straight forward and it’s such a thrill to get a winner here at Flemington in the Devitt and Gordon colours as they have been such good supporters of the stable for a very long time," Hayes said. "He’s gone from strength to strength and has improved again off his last preparation and to sprint so well fresh he’s in for another good preparation. "He enjoyed a nice break in the paddock and time has been his friend. He’s built up nicely and with time and maturity has gone to another level. " A homebred for Peter Devitt and partners, Ndola is the third foal out of Group 3-winning sprinter Hear The Chant (Nicconi), herself a homebred for the same connections. The mare has made a bright start at stud with each of her first three runners being winners, headed by Ndola and fellow Listed scorer Herecomesthestar (Zoustar). Hear The Chant has two unraced fillies by Shamus Award (Snitzel) named Dequindre and Chantess, while her yearling colt by Blue Point (Shamardal) sold for $100,000 at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale in March. After missing in 2024, she returned to Coolmore last spring to visit champion first-season sire elect Home Affairs (I Am Invincible). Ndola became the 63rd individual stakes winner worldwide for Justify, whose influence continues to expand in Australia. The US Triple Crown winner, who commanded a fee of US$200,000 (approx. AU$288,140) at Ashford Stud in 2026, will be represented on the Coolmore Australia roster this spring through his sons City Of Troy, the 2024 European Horse of the Year, and Group-winning juvenile Storm Boy. The Tom Charlton-trained gelding Cellarmaster (Bivouac) was all-heart in Saturday’s Winx Guineas (Gr 3, 1600m), bursting from well back in the field to land a stakes breakthrough in the Group 3 feature at the Sunshine Coast. From the immediate family of champion New Zealand mare Melody Belle (Commands), the three-year-old demonstrated some of the 14-time Group 1 heroine’s will to win as he powered up the straight under Ryan Maloney to seize the race from Platinum Pantheon (Hanseatic) – who had looked home and hosed at the 150-metre mark. The official winning margin was 0. 3 lengths, with Rustemo (Russian Revolution) another 1. 3 lengths adrift in third. Favourite Within The Law (Lucky Vega) faded late to finish sixth. Third to Sixties (Flying Artie) in the Phar Lap Stakes (Gr 2, 1500m) at Rosehill in the autumn, Cellarmaster has been busy since his maiden victory at Randwick in December, with Saturday marking his eighth start of the year. He had travelled up to Queensland for the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (RL, 1400m) back in January, finishing eighth, before landing his second victory at Canterbury in February prior to his Group 2 placing. Upon returning to the Sunshine State last start, Cellarmaster posted a fifth-placed finish in the Gunsynd Classic (Gr 3, 1600m) at Eagle Farm, 4. 4 lengths behind winner Skyhook (Written Tycoon). "He ran fifth last time having been last, so we came here pretty confident but we did think the favourite would be hard to beat,” part-owner Robert Canceri said. “It didn't look too good for us at the 200-metre mark, but he certainly picked them up impressively in the last 100 metres. "We flew up here from Sydney for the race, hopefully it's the start of a big week for New South Wales and we can stick it to the Queenslanders in the State of Origin on Wednesday night. ” Riding Cellarmaster for the first time, Moloney was confident of a bold show and praised the gelding’s intestinal fortitude to haul in the runner-up. "He was a victim of circumstance last time,” the winning rider said. “He ran really well at Eagle Farm but he was never able to make a proper impact from where he was. I thought he was the best horse in the race, and when we got cover I was pretty pleased with myself. "When we got out I thought we were going to run a nice second, because I saw Ben Thompson fly past me at a rate of knots. But it's a nice long straight here and once he hit top gear I was delighted, so credit to the horse for digging deep and getting the job done. " Cellarmaster was a $260,000 purchase out of Bhima Thoroughbreds for John O'Shea Racing and James Bester Bloodstock at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Bred by Mrs N M Leicester, he is the first foal out of the unplaced mare Moet Belle (Tavistock) – a half-sister to the great Melody... Trainer Bjorn Baker is confident former outstanding two-year-old Within The Law (Lucky Vega) can go close to breaking a lengthy winning drought on a quick back-up into Saturday’s Winx Guineas (Gr 3, 1600m) at the Sunshine Coast. Another shrewd yearling purchase by Baker’s highly successful associate Darby Racing - bought from Yulong for $30,000 at Inglis Classic - Within The Law began like a bomb in winning three of her first four starts, all at stakes level and interrupted only by a 0. 44 length second in Randwick’s rich Inglis Millennium (RL, 1100m). But she followed that sequence by losing her rider as a $20 shot in the Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) and hasn’t won in her 11 starts since then. The filly hasn’t lost form, mind you, notching six placings in good company. She ended her two-year-old season with a 0. 13 length second in the Champagne Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m), returned to Randwick in the spring to beat all bar the outstanding Apocalyptic (Extreme Choice) in the Flight Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m), and two starts ago was second to runaway winner Skyhook (Written Tycoon) in Eagle Farm’s Gunsynd Classic (Gr 3, 1600m). Last Saturday, against older mares in the Tatt’s Tiara (Gr 1, 1400m), Within The Law shaped up to produce her usual finishing burst from the rear but ultimately had to settle for a 3. 26 length seventh. But she goes into the Guineas as a $3 favourite and is hugely advantaged by the set weights conditions in holding by far the highest rating in the race - at 101 compared to a next-best of 87. 5 for New Zealand raider and $7. 50 shot Platinum Pantheon (Hanseatic). “She hasn’t won for a while but she’s been in good races, and she’s had excuses at times,” Baker told ANZ News. “But this is going to be the weakest race she’s been in for a long time. “There’s a couple of question marks in terms of the gate, the track rating and the quick back-up, but I’m happy with her. “But after the Tatt’s Tiara, she’s back to own age group, and up to a mile suits at this stage, and she appears sound and well. “On her day, she’s very good, and if she runs up to what she’s capable of, I think she’ll be very competitive. ” Baker wasn’t disappointed with his filly’s run in the Tatt’s Tiara, when she dropped back from barrier nine. He’s also buoyed by the memory of her only prior attempt at two starts on successive weekends - her narrow Champagne Stakes second a week after running third in Randwick’s Percy Sykes Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m). “You never really know with a quick back-up, but she’s got a pretty good temperament so I expect her to handle it well,” the Warwick Farm conditioner said. “And from the Sykes to the Champagne, she handled that OK. “The Tatt’s Tiara didn’t really work out for her. The one thing she lacks is... A gelding and a colt with strong links to outstanding New Zealand racemares will contest an intriguing edition of the race named after Australia’s finest one in Saturday’s Winx Guineas (Gr 3, 1600m) at the Sunshine Coast. And at stake could be the first place honours on the Australian second season sires’ table. Darley’s Bivouac (Exceed And Excel) and the late Coolmore stallion Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj) will be represented by the Tom Charlton-trained Cellarmaster and Team Munce’s colt Lyneham in this staging of the $300,000 feature, which in 2015 launched Winx’s 33-race winning streak. In the closest battle in a sires’ category in the country – indeed, the only one still undecided – Wootton Bassett leads Bivouac by just $2,039, a remarkably close contest given each one’s progeny have earned more than $5. 78 million. After an engrossing four-way tussle for several weeks, the pair have cleared away from Vinery’s Farnan (Not A Single Doubt) and Darley shuttler Ghaiyyath (Dubawi). And with only a handful of lucrative races left for the season, the first prize of $174,000 would go a long way to sealing Bivouac his first siring laurel, or securing Wootton Bassett the posthumous honour. Both three-year-olds boast some powerhouse bloodlines. Cellarmaster – who’s already earned black type through a third in Rosehill’s Phar Lap Stakes (Gr 2, 1500m) in March – is the first foal of Moet Belle (Tavistock). The mare was unplaced in her only two starts, but is a half-sister to the great Melody Belle (Commands), the 14-time elite winner, New Zealand’s two-time Horse of the Year, and its Champion 2YO of 2016-17, among other honours. Lyneham is the fourth foal of Fanatic (Shocking), who won the New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) of 2016 before claiming two Australian staying races including an Adelaide Cup (Gr 2, 3200m). Cellarmaster is more strongly fancied in the betting – at around $9 before the barrier draw compared to Lyneham’s $51 – but co-trainer Corey Munce believes his charge can “run a cheeky race” after earning a rise in class with his last start 0. 14-length win in a 1708-metre Benchmark 65 at the Gold Coast. Bought by Charlton’s currently suspended training partner John O’Shea and James Bester Bloodstock for $260,000 from Bhima Thoroughbreds’ draft at Magic Millions Gold Coast in 2024, Cellarmaster was held up to debut as a July two-year-old, and was turned out straight afterwards. He resumed early last December for a campaign in which he won a 1400-metre maiden at Randwick on Boxing Day, and a 1550-metre Canterbury Benchmark 72 three starts later, before his strong Phar Lap Stakes effort. On that day, he came within 1. 22 lengths of winner Sixties (Flying Artie), while subsequent Australasian Oaks (Gr 1, 2000m) queen Panova (Trapeze Artist) ran fifth. Given a brief freshen-up in the paddock during a two-month gap between runs, Cellarmaster returned with a third at Kensington and a fourth on a Rosehill Heavy 9. He then met the same track rating when an eye-catching... It would appear that Chris Waller has found the winning formula for Asterix (Tavistock). The former New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) winner and now rising eight-year-old has faced the starter just 29 times and this season he has put together three stakes successes, taking his career earnings beyond $1. 4 million. In a significant turnaround from three woeful efforts last spring, Asterix found the winner’s circle in The Beauford (2300m) at Newcastle last November. This autumn he secured back-to-back stakes wins at Randwick and Gosford before a couple of outs in Brisbane, returning to form in Saturday’s Tattersall’s Cup (Gr 3, 2400m). The Eagle Farm stayers’ feature only drew six runners but Asterix had to be at the top of his game to get the win. Last into the straight, he levelled up at the 200m to form a line of three then stuck on best as one might expect from a Derby winner. Post race, rider Tim Clark believed that getting the horse to settle was key. “I felt it was really important to get the first two-thirds of the race right. If I could do that, I knew he'd take care of the rest,” said Clark. He remains the best of four winners from Mourasana (Shirocco), a Listed-placed winner at 2400 metres in France whose half-sister, Mouramara (Kahyasi) is the dam of Sydney Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) winner Mourayan (Alhaarth). There is an abundance of stout blood in Asterix’s veins. Given his comparatively light career a tilt at the Melbourne spring cups could be on the cards although he is yet to win racing anti-clockwise. Asterix is a graduate of the 2020 NZB Ready To Run Sale, purchased out of Gordon Cunningham’s Curraghmore Stud draft by agent Bruce Perry for $450,000. Sweet spot The sole black-type race in New Zealand this past weekend resulted in a semi-blowout for six-year-old mare Churchillian (Churchill) who not only relished the cut in the ground but also relished the 1400 metres, her favourite distance. Although six years of age Churchillian has not been overraced having faced the starter 27 times for 11 wins, seven of which have been at 1400 metres. Arguably her best win was Trentham’s 2024 Group 3 Anniversary Handicap over 1600 metres which she landed by a head. However, her style of racing lends itself to 200 metres less evidenced by her two recent defeats at the longer distance. Samantha Collett put the mare in front early but the lead was never more than a half-length to the 600m. Collett also ensured that Churchillian would not cover any extra ground, hugging the fence into the straight. Kicking away from the 300m there was never any doubt about the winner. “She just has that zest for life, which she showed today and when I asked her for some more gas she dug really deep,” said Collett. A $100,000 purchase by agent Paul Willetts, Churchillian has banked more than $400,000 and possesses the most attractive bloodlines, as discussed by Kiwi... The opposite forces of statistics and dreams will rarely align in the breeding world, but Newgate Farm could be excused for hoping they’re coming together in the shape of surging first-season sire Stay Inside (Extreme Choice). Newgate of course has Australia’s highest-priced stallion, the sub-fertile freak of nature that is Stay Inside’s father Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt). The 12-year-old can stand at his record-equalling $385,000 service fee this spring thanks to a stakes winners to runners ratio of 11. 7 per cent. But Stay Inside, the leading light in a band of promising Extreme Choice sons at stud, can currently boast to outstripping his sire on that score. The tough win of his son The Machine Gun in Saturday’s Tattersall’s Stakes (Listed, 1400m) at Eagle Farm brought Stay Inside a fourth stakes victor from just 24 runners - at 12. 5 per cent. Naturally, he has a long way to go for comparisons to Extreme Choice in terms of longevity and numbers, although Stay Inside may rival him for numbers sooner than you think with his sire’s progeny restricted by his fertility issues, to 162 from six crops racing. But as far as starts to stud careers go, Newgate could not have wished for a better start to Stay Inside’s career when he retired to stud in 2023. Trained by the then partnership of Michael and Richard Freedman, Stay Inside had won his first two starts by lengthy margins and come fourth in the Todman Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m), before his blistering, historically high-rating 1. 8 length triumph in the Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m). Despite some feet issues, he came back for two more spring runs - both somewhat underwhelming fifths. It was decided to retire him after that, with Newgate confident he’d already shown enough to engender confidence of stud success. “Obviously, Stay Inside is a very, very rare article,” Newgate managing director Henry Field told ANZ News at the time. “He’s a dominant Golden Slipper winner and he is by a sire phenomenon in Extreme Choice. “In my opinion, we’ve never retired a horse to stud with better credentials than Stay Inside and we will be all chips in behind him to make sure he can be a sire at the farm for many years to come. ” One campaign of runners in, that assertion that now looks particularly well founded. With one of his four stakes winners being his only New Zealand starter in Lassified, Stay Inside has three in Australia - the most of any first-season sire in the country - from 23 runners. He’s third by earnings on the first season table, behind runaway winner Home Affairs (I Am Invincible), who has two stakes winners, and some $33,000 below second-placed Pinatubo (Shamardal), who has one. And Stay Inside has the fewest runners in the top five, behind Home Affairs with 39, Pinatubo with 26, and his Newgate barnmates Wild Ruler (Snitzel) and Tiger Of Malay (Extreme Choice), who have 30 and 26.... Privacy Policy ANZ Bloodstock News ANZ Bloodstock News respects your privacy and is committed to handling personal information responsibly, transparently and securely. This Privacy Policy explains how Phelan Media Group Pty Ltd, trading as ANZ Bloodstock News, collects, uses, stores and discloses personal information when you visit www. anzbloodstocknews. com, subscribe to our daily editions, contact us, advertise with us, contribute content, or otherwise deal with us. 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Editorial and contributor information If you send us a news tip, media release, photograph, quote, correction request, story idea, contributor material or other editorial communication, we may collect your: name; contact details; organisation; role or professional title; correspondence; submitted material; information relevant to the story, correction, quote or content you provide. Accounts and supplier information If you are an advertiser, supplier, contractor, contributor or commercial partner, we may collect: billing contact details; business name; ABN, NZBN, VAT or other tax information; bank... French-bred six-year-old Splash Back (Le Havre) brought the ultimate reward for her bold importation from Europe in becoming an elite winner in Saturday’s Tatt’s Tiara (Gr 1, 1400m) for fillies and mares at Eagle Farm. Trained by Grahame Begg and well ridden by his main jockey Jordan Childs, the compact mare settled near the rear on the fence from gate five of 17 before making ground to be midfield by the halfway point behind a fair pace. As the longshot leaders weakened into the home straight several challengers emerged with their bids down the centre of the track, but it was Splash Back - plotting the inside course which proved popular on the day - who had the strongest finish. Defying a betting drift to jump at $8. 50 despite a solid last-start sixth in the Stradbroke Handicap (Gr 1, 1400m), Splash Back powered home to claim the last Group 1 of the season by 1. 26 lengths from Tony Gollan’s four-year-old Savagery Vibe (Brutal) at $21. Team Munce’s four-year-old Gerringong (Blue Point) took third in the weight-for-age event as $5 favourite, almost a length further back, while Michael Freedman’s $4. 60 favourite Manaal (Tassort) ran 11th. Victory capped a five-year story for Splash Back and her prominent Victorian owner Sandy McGregor. Out of a dual Group winning, dual G1-placed dam who’s produced three stakes victors, Splash Back was bought at the Arqana October Yearling Sale in 2021 for €100,000 (around $156,000) by renowned Australian agent John Foote along with French-born international buyer Arthur Hoyeau. Imported aged 18 months and held up for her first run as a three-year-old, she showed early promise for Stawell trainer Andrew Bobbin, winning two of her first three country starts before scoring at Sandown. Transferred to Cranbourne-based Begg, she scored at Caulfield and Flemington last winter to earn promotion to black type grade, and won Moonee Valley’s Stocks Stakes (Gr 2, 1500m) in September. After running eighth in her first attempt at the top level in Flemington’s Empire Rose Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m), Splash Back was targeted at the Brisbane winter and won Eagle Farm’s Victory Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) second-up. Her return to the top tier brought a ninth in the Kingsford Smith Cup (Gr 1, 1300m) on a soft 5 before her improved Stradbroke run on a heavy 9, leading to her huge boost in value through her Tatt’s Tiara success. A delighted Begg said the triumph showcased the deep fighting spirit of Splash Back, who now boasts nine wins from 23 starts, with Saturday’s $420,000 first prize taking her earnings to almost $1. 2m. “She's been a beauty, this horse. Since we got her to train, she's been outstanding,” said Begg, noting the mare’s smallish stature. “She's all heart. She just goes out and goes to war for you. ” Begg said he gave Childs the freedom to stick to the inside if he pleased, since it was playing well on a drying soft 6 track. “I gave him the licence... Peter Snowden is hopeful that last-start Group 3 winner Tuileries (So You Think) can plunder Group 1 glory on Saturday as the mare heads for Eagle Farm’s Tattersall’s Tiara (Gr 1, 1400m). In what is the final elite-level contest of the season, Tuileries will take on 16 rivals as she dines at the top table for the first time in her 14-start career. A five-time winner from those 14 career outings, the four-year-old mare has won a pair of Group 3s in her last three starts, including a convincing last-start success in the Dark Jewel Classic (Gr 3, 1400m) at Scone. Following that victory, she was then set to tackle the Dane Ripper Stakes (Gr 2, 1300m) back at Eagle Farm two weeks ago, but was scratched due to heavy rainfall, meaning this weekend’s maiden Group 1 outing will be her first run in five weeks. “She's had a good prep, it's probably a little bit different to most horses because she doesn't usually have a lot of time between runs,” Snowden, who is bidding for back-to-back Tatt’s Tiara’s after Tashi’s (Sebring) win last year, told ANZ News. “It was always the plan from Scone to possibly not run her , but I thought she was going so well that she could run in the Dane Ripper. “She had a trial at Rosehill which she won and then we went up to that race, but it absolutely poured rain before the race and after it, so I decided not to run her. ” As for what Tuileries has done in between to prepare for Saturday’s 1400-metre feature, Snowden added: “She's done a couple of nice bits of work since and she worked great Tuesday morning so I'm happy with her. “As I say she doesn't want much time between runs and she's drawn a beautiful gate there tomorrow , so she should make her own luck. ” A win in the Tatt’s Tiara could mean a move to the breeding shed for the daughter of So You Think (High Chaparral), but Snowden feels his mare is improving with time and racing and hopes she can remain in the yard. “If she happened to win it I’m not sure what they’'d do to be honest, I don't know if we’d take her back to stud or not,” Snowden said. “I think she could go on with it myself as I feel she's getting better and better but we will see what happens tomorrow first. ” Tuileries is one of a quartet of runners that Snowden will send out at Eagle Farm on Saturday, with debut scorer The Machine Gun (Stay Inside) joining stakes-placed filly Pearl Of Dubai (Wootton Bassett) in the Tattersall’s Stakes (Listed, 1400m) for juveniles. The latter, a Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum-homebred filly by Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj), will be bidding to break her maiden at the seventh time of asking. She has, however, managed four placings from her six starts so far, including an eye-catching runner-up effort... Cambridge Stud’s shuttler Chaldean (Frankel) has been very well received on his first trip over to the southern hemisphere and that positive reception is being replicated by his sales prices on both sides of the Tasman, with a colt by the Classic-winning stallion selling for a top-priced $250,000 during Thursday’s New Zealand Bloodstock (NZB) National Weanling Sale. Sent through the ring by Haunui Farm, Lot 3 kicked off the sale in explosive fashion as he was knocked down to Mike Fleming’s Bhima Thoroughbreds, Blue Gum Farm and Suman Hedge Bloodstock. The final price came in as the highest paid at the National Weanling Sale since a Savabeel (Zabeel) colt out of Bohemian Lily (O’Reilly) went for $360,000 in 2022. “I bought a couple here a few years ago and I’m always happy to come over for the right horse that’s forward and well-moving,” Australian-based Fleming said. “This colt’s a lovely horse. I came in yesterday, and with the rain, I didn’t get out yesterday so I waited until this morning. He was right at the top of my list. “A few other people have come in with us on him, and we’ll get him back to New South Wales and see where he heads over there next year. ” The colt is the second foal out of the Showcasing (Oasis Dream) mare Novashow, who won twice on the track and also ran fourth in the Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) as a juvenile. This female line is a strong one, with the mare herself being a daughter of Listed winner Bonaichi (Fusaichi Pegasus) and also a granddaughter of VRC Emirates Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) scorer Bonanova (Star Way). He is also just the second offspring of English 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) hero Chaldean to be sold at auction in the southern hemisphere, following on from a filly that made AU$180,000 at the Inglis Great Southern Sale earlier this month. “This colt was only the second Chaldean that’s gone for auction in the southern hemisphere, and he had a very good filly that sold well at Great Southern in Melbourne,” Fleming said. “If the sire is putting them together like that, I think the Aussie buyers will be into them next year as well, so that had a bearing for us too. ” On the price, Fleming said he felt the colt would always make in the region of $200,000 in Australian dollars. “It’s always hard to know when you’ve got someone on the phone, but we were thinking that, with the horse he was and how he stacked up with the others, he was the sort of horse that was always going to make his 200,” Fleming said. “I suppose, when you get to 200, you start converting it back to Aussie dollars. You know, in the end, he probably landed at about 200,000 Aussie. ” Haunui would also go on to have the equal-third top lot with a Super Seth (Dundeel) colt (Lot 121) out of unraced... Bidding for a fifth Hong Kong trainers’ championship, Caspar Fownes tightened his grip on the 2025/26 title after teaming with Joao Moreira for a winner at Happy Valley on Wednesday night ensuring a five-win buffer as Cody Mo took training honours on the night with a treble. With only six meetings left in the season, Fownes (64 wins) leads Danny Shum (59), Mark Newnham (58), Francis Lui (54) and David Hayes (52) after Moreira piloted Sky Cap (Capitalist) to victory in the Class 3 Des Voeux Road Central Handicap (1000m) with a copybook ride. Since returning to Hong Kong as Fownes’ retained jockey, four-time Hong Kong champion jockey Moreira has racked up 24 wins – 21 for Fownes – including Sky Cap, who earned a PP Bonus of HK$1. 5 million. “It's (every win) getting crucial at this stage. I'm very happy for the owners (Kwan Yui Man), they're one of my biggest supporters, the whole (Kwan) family. They're the most beautiful people to train for - they let me do my job and never hassle me,” Fownes said. “I'm so happy to get the win for them and on top of that, to get the first win bonus, which is great. The horse has done a good job for us. We dropped the horse back to 1000m and I said to Joao just give him a chance to just get in behind the speed - one out, one back. That was the winning move. He just lasted so I'm very happy. ” Mo slotted a three-timer with Flying Fortune (Sweynesse), Meowth (Showtime) and Jumbo Treasure (Written Tycoon) to continue his rise through the trainers’ ranks. With 20 wins in his first HK season and 40 in his second campaign, Mo has tallied 45 wins so far in 2025/26. “I’m very happy with the three wins,” Mo said after Jumbo Treasure sprinted hard late to land the Class 3 Leighton Road Handicap (1200m) to give Derek Leung a double. “We freshened him up and we had a good barrier (one) and he got a good run. The freshen up worked. ” Mo combined with Vincent Ho to snare the second section of the Class 4 Morrison Hill Road Handicap (1650m) with Flying Fortune before teaming with Luke Ferraris and Meowth to win the Class 4 Racing World 50th Anniversary Cup Handicap (1200m). Rosewood Fleetfoot (Proisir) made it two course and distance victories in a row with a tough staying performance to clinch the Class 5 Ice House Street Handicap (2200m) for Ricky Yiu and Karis Teetan before All Are Mine (New Bay) steamed home to land the Class 5 Westlands Road Handicap (1650m) under Alexis Badel to continue Brett Crawford’s excellent debut season in Hong Kong, delivering the trainer’s 23rd winner. Manfred Man fired in a double when Blossomy (Love Conquers All) made it two wins from his past three starts when he ran on solidly to wear down Charming Legend (Deep Field) and snare the first section of the... 2 c Extreme Choice - Samarmeteors by Northern Meteor) O: Yu Long Investments (Mgr: Y Zhang) & G Harvey B: Gerry Harvey T: Chris Waller S: 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Yearling Sale V: Baramul Stud P: Yu Long Investments Pty Ltd, $850,000 W: Asahi Super Dry Handicap, 1100m, Warwick Farm The Chris Waller-trained sale topper Omolong (Extreme Choice) made the perfect start to his career on Wednesday when he landed an 1100-metre contest for juveniles at Warwick Farm. Ridden by Tommy Berry following a trio of promising barrier trial performances, including a win in his most recent at Rosehill, the Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) colt defeated stablemates Sanctum (Stay Inside) and Letters Patent (Wootton Bassett) by 1. 2 and 1. 4 lengths respectively. Sent to the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Yearling Sale by Baramul Stud, Omolong was purchased by Yulong for a record-equalling $850,000, with breeder Gerry Harvey retaining a small share in the colt. “They all ran super. Obviously, Omolong made it hard for himself, stepping a little bit slow away, but he was too good and the other two acquitted themselves nicely,” stable representative Charlie Duckworth said. “We’ll get today out of the way. He's now no longer a maiden, so he'll have to step up in grade and things become much harder from that point on, but it was a brilliant first day at school. “He's a little bit small, but that's Extreme Choice... he can throw them in any shape and size, and they've all seemingly got engines. “Gerry Harvey kept a little share in him as well. He did the same with Campione D'Italia, so hopefully he's just as lucky with this colt. ” Berry was also excited with the performance, adding: “I loved his trials. He went past me in his last trial when I was second and I had a look and was like, 'Oh, who's that? ’ Then you see yourself on him at acceptances and it’s a pretty good feeling. “In the gates there were a couple playing up around him and he was too busy sort of concentrating on that, so he didn't leave the gates very well, but I just rode him to Plan B and asked him to switch off, which was very easy. He was in my hands when I asked him to go, and he rounded them up pretty quick. It's a nice feeling when you don't have to use the persuader. ” A late December foal from a January cover, Omolong is the fifth winner from six foals to race out of the winning Northern Meteor (Encosta De Lago) mare Samarmeteors, who was covered last spring by Broadsiding (Too Darn Hot). He became the sixth two-year-old winner this season from just nine runners for Extreme Choice, alongside Group-winning colts Paradoxium, Berzelius and Hidrix. After suffering a 15-length defeat on debut at Toowoomba last December, it is quite the turnaround for Cool Gent (Winning Rupert) to be heading into Saturday’s Tattersall’s Stakes (Listed, 1400m) as one of the more fancied runners but co-trainer Adam Barling believes the bargain buy is worthy of his place near the top of the markets. Having earned his stripes as Liam Birchley’s assistant, Barling readily admits he was initially reluctant to take the plunge into the training ranks full-time but his last-start Oxlade Stakes (Listed, 1200m) winner Cool Gent, who cost a mere $9,000 at last year’s Magic Millions March Yearling Sale, has more than justified the decision to branch out. The 36-year-old trains on the Sunshine Coast in partnership with his father Shane but, having not been trackside to witness Cool Gent’s breathtaking victory, superstition dictates that Barling Snr will again be watching Saturday’s lucrative juvenile contest at Eagle Farm from the comfort of his couch. Cool Gent became his unheralded sire’s first two-year-old black type winner at the same venue two weeks ago when he launched from the rear of the 14-runner field to topple race favourite Marffiano (Home Affairs), the Lindsay Park-trained colt who at $475,000 was more than 50 times the price of the Barlings’ stable star. Marffiano reopposes in the Tatt’s Stakes, for which he holds early favouritism, and while naturally respectful of the colt as well as his fellow interstate raiders – which include last-start victors The Machine Gun (Stay Inside), Tannin (Exceed And Excel) and La Barrita (St Mark’s Basilica) – Barley is fearful of none. His confidence will only heighten should the predicted rain arrive in Brisbane towards the end of the week, and provided Cool Gent – who opened at $8. 50 – can cure a worrying tendency to hesitate when the gates open, Barley is adamant that back-to-back stakes wins is well within his grasp. “He pulled up a treat from his win in the Oxlade Stakes and his gallop on Tuesday morning was as good if not better than it was heading into that race, so he’s definitely ready to go on Saturday,” Barling told ANZ News. “We weren’t 100 per cent certain that we’d press onto the Tatt’s Stakes but the way he’s been working since his last start, we’d be mad not to. If he was trained by Chris Waller he’d probably be a $1. 60 chance on Saturday, but he does have a habit of missing the start so that may put some punters off. “It’s not that he’s misbehaving or anything in the barriers, he can just be slowly away on occasion. But he has jumped cleanly and sat up on the speed in trials, so he’s certainly not one-dimensional and he doesn’t have to go back. If he does jump with them on Saturday and he doesn’t have to make up 17 lengths in the straight, then look out. “A few of the southerners have got some pretty good form, but I wouldn’t... From an agonising pinhooking failure - belying a family with several elite winners - Midnight Dynamite (Pierata) has gone on to shine as yet another success story for the power couple that is Darby Racing and Bjorn Baker. Bred by Rheinwood Pastoral, the southern highlands boutique nursery that’s brought us Group 1 heroes Private Harry (Harry Angel), Libertad (Russian Revolution) and more, the four-year-old model of consistency became a black type winner in Saturday’s Civic Stakes (Listed, 1400m) at Randwick, as a popular short-priced favourite. If not quite a story of humble beginnings, his is definitely one with a bleak second chapter. Midnight Dynamite is the third foal of Talented Miss (Al Maher), who Rheinwood bought in tandem with Bill Mitchell Bloodstock for $85,000 in 2018, carrying her first foal by Shalaa (Invincible Spirit). In a scene that would have a reprise, Talented Miss had been offered a month earlier at the Inglis Chairman’s sale, but failed to meet the same $85,000 figure as her reserve. There’s class in the family, though it mightn’t hit you on first blush. Talented Miss won twice from 12 starts, at Armidale and Inverell, while her mother Mahira (Canny Lad) was unraced. But digging a little deeper reveals quality. Mahira also threw Talented Miss’s full-sister Acouplamas, who ran second in Listed class. Better still, Mahira’s mother Tilly Foster (Vice Regal), also unraced, spawned some great success. She threw two stakes placegetters including Kensington Gardens (Grosvenor), who ran third in the AJC Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) of 1990 and became an outstanding broodmare. Kensington Gardens threw no fewer than five black type victors - all by Danehill (Danzig) - from just six runners, two at the top rung. They were headed by Blackfriars (Danehill), who won the VRC Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) among two stakes successes and went on to sire 48 black type winners. His three top-level victors include Playing God, who’s emulated his father in becoming a dominant champion sire in Western Australia. Kensington Gardens also threw Larrocha, who won the South Australian Oaks (Gr 1, 2500m) when it still had top-level status. Larrocha threw Rocha (Encosta De Lago) - a Group 2 winner who in turn bore the Group 3-winning Rocha Clock (Pierro) - as well as the dam of a South African Group 3 victor. The stakes-winning quintet of Kensington Gardens was rounded out by Group 2 winner Manton, and Waterford Road and Lions Gate, who both scored at Listed level. Talented Miss fitted Rheinwood’s modus operandi to a tee. She was not a stakes winner, but was stakes winner adjacent, hinting she had potential as a broodmare without the stakes-winning price tag. It also didn’t hurt that she was being sold by Willow Park Stud, Glenn Burrows’ Hunter Valley farm of which Rheinwood has become quite fond. It was at the same 2018 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale that Rheinwood bought from them Happy Pilgrim (Congrats), who threw Private Harry. Two years earlier at the same auction, Willow Park had... Blue Gum Farm has announced the addition of two stallions for the 2026 breeding season, with Group 1-winning sprinter Libertad (Russian Revolution) and Group-winning juvenile Coleman (Pierata) joining the roster. Libertad will stand at $9,900 (inc GST), while Coleman will stand at $7,700 (inc GST), presenting breeders with value and access to two highly credentialled young stallions. Among the ownership groups behind both horses are Jason and Melanie Stenning of Trilogy Racing and Blue Gum Farm, who are delighted to welcome the pair to the historic Euroa nursery. “We are extremely proud to stand the first Group 1 winner to race in our silks. Securing Libertad, despite strong competition, marks a significant win for the farm as we continue to strengthen an already respected and successful stallion roster,” Blue Gum Farm’s Jason Stenning said. An undefeated Group winner at two, Libertad displayed high-level precocity before developing into one of Australia’s most durable and consistent Group-race sprinters, with the five-year-old’s biggest win coming most recently in November’s Winterbottom Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m). “He demonstrated class, consistency and longevity throughout his career. He won Group races at two, three, four and five. To my knowledge, the only other stallion in the modern era to achieve that feat is Lonhro,” Stenning said. Meanwhile, Coleman brings explosive speed and precocious talent to the roster including Group 3 and Listed contests. “Coleman’s two-year-old form speaks for itself, and above all, he is an outstanding physical specimen,” Stenning said. “Our industry is built on speed, and he was an exceptionally fast horse. He broke the class record when winning the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes at Caulfield and was only narrowly beaten in the second-fastest Golden Slipper this decade. “It takes a very good horse to consistently produce the times he did. ” Libertad represents the flourishing Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) branch of the Redoute’s Choice/Danehill (Danzig) sire line and descends from a proven, high-performing family. Coleman, the first stakes winner for emerging sire Pierata (Pierro), offers further pedigree depth through influential stallion Canny Lad (Bletchingly) and a family rich in Group 1 success. “At Blue Gum Farm, we strive to provide breeding solutions for every level of the industry. We deliver blue-chip opportunities for commercial breeders while also supporting grassroots participants in their pursuit of breeding a winner,” Stenning added. For further information on Libertad and Coleman, or to discuss breeding plans for the upcoming season, contact Blue Gum Farm and discover how they can help you breed your next star of the turf. A pair of prized colts sired by the late, great Savabeel (Zabeel) are among the headline lots at the 2026 New Zealand Bloodstock (NZB) Weanling Sale, which takes place at Karaka on Thursday. A total of 114 youngsters will go under the hammer, including the first crop offered at auction by exciting young stallions Chaldean (Frankel), Paddington (Siyouni), Mr Mozart (Snitzel) and Hilal (Fastnet Rock). But most eyes will inevitably be trained on Lots 20 and 137, the sale’s two Savabeel colts consigned by Waikato Stud and Cambridge Stud respectively. Already precious commodities given Savabeel’s remarkable knack of producing elite athletes, the colts will no doubt be in even higher demand given the imminent paucity of the product following the untimely passing of Waikato’s former flagbearer earlier this month. Waikato principal Mark Chittick and his trusty team on the Matamata farm were understandably devastated by the loss of their venerable veteran, who was buried directly beside the box where he had actively served for the previous 21 years of a life well lived. But the Chittick family, who toasted his lasting legacy with a reassuringly expensive glass or two of French red wine, acknowledge that the show must go on and so the post-Savabeel era officially begins on Thursday morning when Lot 20 enters the Sir Patrick Hogan Auditorium at Karaka. In what may form a future trivia question, the colt - whose dam Purple Rain (Rock ‘n Pop) is the half-sister to stakes-placed mare Felton Road (Pins) - gives prospective buyers the opportunity to secure Savabeel’s first posthumous foal to enter the open market. “He’s a nice colt and very typical of the breed,” Chittick told ANZ News. “He’s a big, dark colt, so you can readily pick him out as a son of Savabeel. He’s a late foal so he’s still got plenty of growing and maturing to do, but he’s taken everything in his stride so far - as they all have. “I would be very happy to take any of our draft to a yearling sale next year, or to keep them as longer-term racing propositions, so I hope the buyers will appreciate that we’ve made every effort to present a really nice group of horses at this sale. ” Chittick revealed that the inclusion of the son of Savabeel - not to mention seven colts by Coolmore’s recent acquisition Super Seth (Dundeel) - was reflective of Waikato’s renewed focus of offering buyers quality over quantity at this particular sale. That approach was borne out by the family farm’s results last year, highlighted by the $130,000 Waikato realised for Super Seth’s chestnut colt out Queen Leonora (Savabeel); and while Chittick was reluctant to predict that any member of their 11-strong draft of colts might fetch an even higher price 12 months on, he has no doubt that the buying bench will be impressed by the quality of the stock on offer. “We’ve put a lot of preparation into this draft and have made a conscious effort... Buoyed by another fruitful weekend, Chris and Corey Munce are aiming to put the icing on their most successful season to date when mares Gerringong (Blue Point) and Poster Girl (Alabama Express) contest the Tattersall’s Tiara (Gr 1, 1400m) at Eagle Farm this Saturday. The stable’s second Ipswich Cup (Listed, 2150m) triumph was the highlight of a weekend which produced four victories and two minor placings from their eight runners, and the father and son training team are determined to maintain that momentum into the final Group 1 raceday of the 2025-26 season. Poster Girl, a model of consistency with six wins and five placings from her 20 starts, has been under the care of Team Munce since the start of her career but Gerringong only arrived in the yard in late autumn, having previously campaigned for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. However, the four-year-old mare made an instant impression on her stable debut with an eye-catching runner-up finish in the Dane Ripper Stakes (Gr 2, 1300m) ten days ago. Gerringong made light of the unsuitably heavy ground that day but she should be better suited by a firmer surface on Saturday, and the same applies to stablemate Poster Girl who ran a gallant fourth in the Dane Ripper behind She’s Got Pizzazz (Zoustar). Their prospects of securing a first stakes success were enhanced when Peter Moody and Kath Coleman broke the news on Monday morning that She’s Got Pizzazz, who had previously held Tatt’s Tiara favouritism, would instead be heading for a winter spell. That surprise omission left Gerringong at the pointy end of the early betting markets alongside Michael Freedman’s multiple stakes winner Manaal (Tassort) and the Grahame Begg-trained mare Splash Back (Le Havre). Coincidentally, during his celebrated riding career Munce combined with Begg to win the Tatt’s Tiara (formerly known as the Winter Stakes) in 2000 with Bonanova (Star Way), who became the first and so far only mare to successfully defend her title having claimed the race the previous year under Jimmy Cassidy. Munce Senior cemented his love affair with the Tatt’s Tiara when, in 2023, he created history as the first person to win the weight-for-age contest for fillies and mares as both a trainer and jockey. In joyous scenes, Palaisipan (So You Think) signed off her racing career by delivering a first Group 1 for both Munce (as trainer) and jockey Kyle-Wilson Taylor, before embarking on her career as a broodmare. She was covered by The Autumn Sun last season and her first foal, a filly by Zoustar, will head to the yearling sales in 2027. The Munce name is therefore intrinsically linked with the Tatt’s Tiara, and the Eagle Farm conditioner would dearly love to write another chapter by winning the race for the first time in partnership with his son Corey, who joined the training ticket in the spring of 2024. “This race has obviously been very good to me in the past and we think we have two live chances this... Joliestar (Zoustar) is set to contest Newmarket’s July Cup (Gr 1, 1207m) next month and to try Royal Ascot again next year, after running a brave but agonising third in Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (Gr 1, 1207m). Her breeder Chris Barham - the Toowoomba chiropractor who’s now gone within inches of breeding two Jubilee winners - says Joliestar’s dam Jolie Bay (Fastnet Rock) will go to Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) once she bears her Too Darn Hot (Dubawi) foal this spring. Waller said Joliestar “did us proud” in her first overseas start, running a narrow third in the Jubilee as a $1. 90 favourite. The UK’s premier sprint was won by $26 outsider Almeraq (Dark Angel), who scored by a nose to Japan’s Satono Reve (Lord Kanaloa), with Joliestar a further short head away after a torrid three-way battle up the running. While plans for Joliestar were not set in stone, Waller indicated post-race the five-year-old mare would likely contest the prestigious July Cup, another weight-for-age sprint up the straight at Newmarket on July 12. And regardless of her short-term future, Waller said Joliestar could well be back for another tilt at the Jubilee in a year’s time. The master trainer said the mare’s owners - Cambridge Stud’s Sir Brendan and Lady Jo Lindsay - had greatly enjoyed their Royal Ascot experience in the past week. The couple won the Jubilee in 2020 as the new part-owners of their current-day shuttle stallion Hello Youmzain (Kodiac), but could not attend as spectators were barred due to covid. “It’ll be an interesting conversation,” Waller said. “But she might be back next year. Sir Brendan and Jo have had a great experience. I think they’ll be back again. ” Speaking in the emotion-charged minutes following the Jubilee, Waller said Joliestar’s longer-term preparations for October’s The Everest (Gr 1, 1200m) were also on his mind, but that a July Cup start was a strong possibility. Bookmakers have Joliestar among the top three in the market for the £600,000 ($A1. 13 million) sprint at $6. 50. “It’s a big challenge to stay here for a mare,” Waller said. “We’ve got away with it to run so well today. “It’s sweet to think that you could win in three weeks time in the July Cup. It’s also good to get back home. There’s some big races coming up in Australia. ” Joliestar battled bravely under James McDonald after hitting the front some 500m out, being swamped in the last 20m by Almeraq on her inside and Satono Reve to her left. Asked if he felt the result could have gone more in Joliestar’s favour had the race been run differently, Waller said: “No, you think about that, but if we did that we wouldn’t be back ready to go next week. “So we’ll bat her up next week and we’ll be charging. We’ve had plenty of good luck. The finish might have been against us today but we’ve had a lot in our... In what was yet another spectacular finish to a feature race at Royal Ascot this week, the William Haggas-trained Almeraq (Dark Angel) spoiled the international party on Saturday when he flew home to deny Japanese raider Satono Reve (Lord Kanaloa) and Chris Waller’s admirable mare Joliestar (Zoustar) in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (Gr 1, 6f). Sent off as a 25-1 chance under Tom Marquand, who was replacing Shadwell’s injured retained rider Jim Crowley, the four-year-old colt proved he was no back number as he made the transition from a last-start Listed win to Group 1 heights in great style. Approaching the final furlong, it seemed as though James McDonald and Joliestar may just strike for the mass Australian contingent that have once again made the much-appreciated journey over to the UK for this week’s five-day bonanza. However, Noriyuki Hori’s Satono Reve appeared on the scene bidding to go one better than his second placing behind Lazzat (Territories) in last year’s renewal and the pair battled well inside the final furlong. Just as it seemed that it would be a head-bob between the pair, Haggas’ Almeraq came with a wet sail to deny both, eventually scoring by a nose from the Japanese raider in a nailbiting end to the final Group 1 of Royal Ascot 2026. A naturally humble Marquand was quick to pay tribute to Crowley, who was at the track in attendance. "He had a horrific fall at York at the back-end of last year and your thoughts are obviously with Jim who's not managed to make it back in time for horses like this and that's tough,” the winning rider said. “He did an exceptional job today of getting himself up from a crowded position that he wasn't enjoying all too much, his confidence is still probably building a bit. “It probably made him look like he was in trouble a long way out, he wasn't really, he just didn't know how to wedge himself back in. "We had Tiber Flow in a very similar situation a couple of years ago and he was the same, took him a couple of runs to just build confidence. “He obviously had that run at Salisbury where he was down the inside and that would have done him a lot of good but I think, if anything today, he'll realise that it's not all as scary as it might have been at York that day. He's a wonderfully talented horse. “Andrew Tinkler rides him every day, everyone knows him from his jumping days. Fantastic that they've got the horse back to this level. "I think he's the epitome of Somerville Lodge, they give horses time and they're so patient with him. To have Sheikha Hissa here today is wonderful and I hadn't ridden Somerville Lodge a Group 1 Royal Ascot winner, so that was important. “Thrilled to do so on a horse like him that shows what they really do. " Crowley, who had ridden Almeraq in four of... It may have been a little tougher than some had expected, but Aidan O’Brien’s star three-year-old filly Precise (Starspangledbanner) registered a second Group 1 for the season, and fourth overall, when toughing out victory in Friday’s Coronation Stakes (Gr 1, 1m) at Royal Ascot. A winner of four of her five outings as a juvenile, including in the Moyglare Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 7f) and Fillies’ Mile (Gr 1, 1m), the beautifully bred daughter of Starspangledbanner (Choisir) has improved her form in her Classic season. Having been sent off favourite for the English 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) on May 3, Precise could only manage seventh of the 19 runners that day following a slightly rushed preparation. However, back on an even keel, the filly produced a dominant two and a half lengths victory in the Irish 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) three weeks later, turning around the form with True Love (No Nay Never) in decisive fashion. Sent off as the odds-on favourite to confirm that form with her re-opposing stablemate, Precise was a tad slow out of the stalls and, having been three-wide rounding the home bend, was made to work inside the final furlong before eventually extending her advantage to a worthy length and a half. The Owen Burrows-trained Touleen (Lope De Vega) finished well for second, while True Love was back in third, this time a length and three-quarters behind the winner. Straight after the race, O'Brien admitted he was keen to hear his rider's thoughts on the run through. “It will be interesting to hear what Ryan says, she was a little bit slow away, I thought he did great on her, he kept out, kept her out of trouble. Delighted with her,” O’Brien said. "Delighted for everybody. I thought Ryan was very good on her. When she gets there, she looks a little bit. Delighted, delighted for the lads. And True Love was third as well, lovely run. “She can do a lot of stuff, she can stay at a mile, she can step up, it will be interesting to see what Ryan says. “I’m grateful and thankful to everybody for getting her here. She gets a little bit lazy, but when you do ask her, she really opens up – but that’s her. “I think Ryan will probably say he was probably there a little bit earlier than he wanted, because he had to move early because he was very wide and he didn’t have any choice. I think she did great. ” On True Love, O’Brien added: “True Love ran a storming race, and she got trapped wide and it probably didn’t go well for her, but she ran a great race. ” Moore was keen to make sure he got clear running on the winner, moving her forward constantly through the contest. "She began a bit awkwardly, went forward, I was a bit further back but I rode her to get there in front, beautiful rhythm, wasn't really caring what position... 2 f Ole Kirk – Apicius by Redoute's Choice O: Johnston Thoroughbreds (Mgr: T M Johnston), A P Grant, Horseshoe Investments Pty Ltd (Mgr: R N Russell), G A Crispe, M Shore, D T Moxon, Mrs K L Moxon & D Fodor B: Evergreen Stud T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott S: 2025 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale V: Evergreen Stud Farm P: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott / Kestrel Thoroughbreds, $550,000 W: Ole Kirk @ Vinery Stud Maiden Handicap, 1250m, Canterbury Promising Ole Kirk (Written Tycoon) filly Demerzel improved nicely on her debut performance when posting an impressive maiden victory over 1250 metres at Canterbury on Wednesday. Fourth behind the highly regarded Helldeeva (Hellbent) at Warwick Farm on her June 3 debut, the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained two-year-old made full use of her gate speed under Tim Clark second time out, leading throughout before drawing clear in the straight to score by 1. 8 lengths over Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) filly Consulate. Woodenbridge (Wootton Bassett) was a short margin away in third place. "Very professional performance," said Bott. "She won that at the start, she began so brilliantly, and it was an easy watch from there. I guess the encouraging thing was the last furlong, she got her mind on the job and knuckled down nicely. ” Bott indicated the filly's future may lie over further distances. “I think the improvement is really going to come when we can see her over a bit further, I think 1400 and 1600 meters as a three-year-old really going to see her be very effective,” he said. Riding her for the first time on race day, Clark was equally bullish on the filly's prospects. “She’s got brilliant gate speed,” he said. “Travelled comfortably on the rail in front and, I thought she had a comfortable enough time up until about the 600 metres and knowing that there were quite a few first starters behind me, I just asked her to pick up the tempo, where she maintained a good gallop all the way through the line. “I was quite taken by her the other day . I always felt that getting up to seven or a mile, she's going to be better suited. “She's going to be a really nice filly. ” Purchased for $550,000 from the Evergreen Stud Farm draft at Inglis Easter last year by Waterhouse, Bott and Kestrel Thoroughbreds, Demerzel is the second winner from three runners out of winning Redoute’s Choice (Danehill) mare Apicius, who first foal is 2024 Anzac Day Stakes (Listed, 1400m) winner Epimeles (Dundeel). Vinery Stud's Ole Kirk will stand the upcoming season at $110,000 (inc. GST). Ballydoyle maestro Aidan O’Brien notched up a century of winners at Royal Ascot on Thursday when Scandinavia (Justify) denied defending champion Trawlerman (Golden Horn) a second Gold Cup (Gr 1, 2m 4f) in yet another extremely engrossing contest at the prestigious meeting. Having proven himself a thorough stayer as a three-year-old with a battling victory in the English St Leger Stakes (Gr 1, 1m 6. 5f), Scandinavia had been targeted at Thursday’s race since. However, the son of Justify (Scat Daddy) had yet to prove himself beyond a trip of two miles – when he won the Goodwood Cup (Gr 1, 2m) from stablemate and last year’s Gold Cup runner-up Illinois (Galileo) – and his two wins this season had come over a distance of one mile and six furlongs. Despite the slight question mark over the trip, punters latched on to the four-year-old young pretender and he was pushed in to a starting price of 11-8 before the off, having been readily available at 9-4 just 15 minutes earlier. Ridden by Ryan Moore, Scandinavia was bustled up upon leaving the starting stalls to get a good position behind the John and Thady Gosden-trained Trawlerman, with the defending champion’s jockey William Buick opting to employ the front-running tactics of last year. Sitting in second, the Coolmore-bred winner was moved back to fourth place when Caballo De Mar (Phoenix Of Spain) and Oisin Murphy decided to press up to second place on the outside. Moore, unbothered by this move, sat quietly throughout until asking for more from his mount rounding the home bend. As the customary bell sounded moving into the home straight, Moore was keen to latch on to the galloping Trawlerman, and the pair moved away from the rest of their nine rivals inside the final two furlongs. A battle then ensued between the old warrior and the young up-and-comer, and it was the latter that eventually won out under a power-packed Moore ride. The pair looked to have been potentially turned away with a furlong to run, but Moore lifted his mount across the line to a head success, with the third-placed Sweet William (Sea The Stars) a whole nine lengths behind the front pair and Australian Bloodstock’s reliable Group 1 winner Al Riffa (Wootton Bassett) in fourth. "He should have won easier," Moore admitted. "I was happy where I was and then Oisin came up around me and I didn't want us all going three in a line and then he took me out of the race and I've had to work to get to Trawlerman, thought I had it and then had to go again. Trawlerman is a brave horse, he kept coming. "He identifies these horses and brings them here, absolutely jumping out of their skin and I'm lucky to ride them. "His record since he got beat here last year, he keeps finding a way to win. The answer with Aidan is he won't care , he'll probably be thinking about the next 100,... That old sage Rick Jamieson has been at it again, with the boss of the Gilgai Farm production house creating another intriguing smash hit pedigree that’s brought yet another Group 1 winner. From the maker of Black Caviar (Bel Esprit), All Too Hard (Casino Prince), Ole Kirk (Written Tycoon) and more, comes the feelgood colt of the winter – Tron Bolt (Toronado) – winner of Saturday’s JJ Atkins (Gr 1, 1600m) at Eagle Farm. Jamieson prefers to divine his pedigrees in private these days, politely declining requests for interviews to explain the magic, and to be left alone in his dream-weaving studio. But some tell-tale traces of his work are evident in the bloodlines of Tron Bolt, who’s living up to his price tag for Chris Waller and Hermitage, having been bought by the latter for $900,000 at Inglis’s Ready2Race sale last October, after initially fetching Gilgai $250,000 at Inglis Easter. More on said traces later. The headline for Tron Bolt’s lineage is that he continues the run of phenomenal success for his second dam Meerlust (Johannesburg). And for fans of Johannesburg (Hennessy), this is the second time in three weeks in Brisbane that he’s shown his worth through his daughters, with Kingsford Smith Cup (Gr 1, 1300m) hero Headley Grange (Exosphere) also having a second dam by the son of Hennessy (Storm Cat). Incidentally, Johannesburg as a broodmare sire runs at 4. 7 per cent stakes winners to runners, and 8. 5 per cent stakes horses to runners. That’s comparable to Fastnet Rock (Danehill), who’s about to win his third straight Australian broodmare sire title and bats at 5. 8 per cent and 10. 9 per cent in those categories. Meerlust had a modest track record, though restricted to only five starts, with her only win coming on debut at Grafton in 2011. But the Emirates Park-bred mare – bought as a yearling by old mates and boutique breeders Matthew Irwin and Peter Harris for just $22,000 at the Inglis Scone sale of 2009 – became pure box office post-racing. She had just seven named foals – the first six being fillies – from 15 covers, and three were stakes winners for Irwin and Harris. Duais (Shamus Award) won thrice at the top level, in the Australian Cup (Gr 1, 2000m), the Tancred Stakes (Gr 1, 2400m) and the Queensland Oaks (Gr 1, 2200m). Philia (All Too Hard), four years Duais’s junior, won a Group 2 and a Listed in Brisbane last winter. And before both of those mares came Baccarat Baby (Casino Prince). She won a Group 3 and a Listed at the Sunshine Coast, but has now eclipsed those feats as a mum, since she’s the dam of the Group 1-winning juvenile Tron Bolt. Meerlust left us last September aged 18, found dead in her paddock of a suspected heart attack, but earned the honour of being named HTBA Broodmare of the Year in 2022. That was the same year that Irwin won the Thoroughbred Breeders NSW... In a display of sheer dominance and authority, the John and Thady Gosden-trained Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder) collected his second successive Prince of Wales’s Stakes (Gr 1, 1m 2f) titles on Wednesday to a rapturous reception from the Royal Ascot crowd. Having run out a brilliant two-length winner of the race in 2025, the five-year-old son of Night Of Thunder (Dubawi) again displayed his potent turn of foot as he staked his claim to be named the world’s best horse in 2026. In a contest for the ages that included last year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Gr 1, 2400m) hero Daryz (Sea The Stars), three-time Oaks winner and Arc runner-up Minnie Hauk (Frankel), and recent Tattersall’s Gold Cup (Gr 1, 1m 2. 5f) victor Almaqam (Lope De Vega), Ombudsman trumped them all with a four lengths success under regular pilot William Buick. Jumping out to a fair line from the gates, the Charlie Appleby-trained entire was allowed to settle at the rear of the eight-runner field as the two pacemakers, his stablemate Devil’s Advocate (Too Darn Hot) and the Aidan O’Brien-trained Mississippi River (Lope De Vega), shot off at a blistering pace for the trip. With the two leaders still well clear rounding the home bend, the chasing pack began to close gradually heading down the home straight. Buick, who was clearly confident in his mount, still waited with Ombudsman before setting him alight hitting the two-furlong pole as the pacesetters began to falter slightly. Moving up as a trio, Minnie Hauk, Daryz and Ombudsman soon swallowed up the leaders and looked set to battle it out between them. However, the Gosden runner soon found his trademark extra gear and shot to the front at the furlong pole, careering away under Buick in devastating style. O’Brien’s Minnie Hauk stayed on to capture second late on from the Francis Graffard-trained Daryz, who finished a further length and three-quarters back in third. "I'm privileged to be able to ride these horses, this horse is just an absolute privilege and joy to ride and deal with,” Buick, who was enjoying his 40th Royal Ascot winner, said. “What he did there was mind-blowing. His turn of foot is that of a miler but he stays ten furlongs, amazing performance. “John and Thady had him in great shape. I'm the lucky man on top. He's a closer, people want pacemakers because they don't want a falsely run race. I was never too far from the horse I needed to be near and I was comfortable the whole way, it was very smooth and all credit to the horse. “I've ridden some amazing horses but this horse has an electric turn of foot and he must be right up there. " Wednesday’s success was a fourth at the highest level for Ombudsman, and co-trainer John Gosden said: "Aidan had a pacemaker and we thought we'd have ours doing what we wanted to do as well so they wound up meeting coming into the bend and... Ballydoyle maestro Aidan O’Brien could have his sights set on landing a whopping payday in October’s The Everest (Gr 1, 1200m) with Mission Central (No Nay Never) after the three-year-old touched down with victory in Tuesday’s King Charles III Stakes (Gr 1, 5f) at Royal Ascot. Bjorn Baker’s admirable seven-year-old Overpass (Vancouver) produced another consistent effort for his connections Darby Racing as he finished third, having been up with the pace throughout. In winning Tuesday’s Group 1 sprint for the first time in his illustrious career, O’Brien was adding to a solid day all round as he sent out two winners on the opening day’s seven-race card. Ridden by Ryan Moore, who was also winning the race for the first time, Mission Central was held up towards the rear of the near-capacity 26-strong field. Still with plenty to do approaching the final furlong, the gelding produced a smart turn of foot inside the closing stages to join French raider Rayevka (Blue Point) on the line, forcing a photo-finish in which he was called the winner by a head. Francis Graffard’s Rayevka was only narrowly denied having led inside the final furlong, while there was a further three-quarters of a length back to Overpass in the third-place position. “Incredible ride. All the team around him, such a big team of people, I'm so grateful for them,” O’Brien said. “What can I say? He's a very fast horse, he's unbeaten this year, progressed with every run. “They went hard, which suited him. In all his races he's very forward because they don't go very fast, and he's an awful lot of speed. “Ryan gave him a great ride, he obviously knew they were going really hard, but really motivated him inside the final furlong. I'm delighted for everyone. " O’Brien mentioned a potential crack at Randwick’s The Everest with Mission Central, whose two starts prior to Tuesday’s victory have seen him land back-to-back Listed contests. “He's a horse that could suit The Everest at the end of the year, so a very exciting horse really,” the trainer added. Attention turned to Coolmore Australia principal Tom Magnier, who said: "Very impressive what he did today. We have a slot in The Everest, it's a great race and it's a race we'd love to win. “It would be great to think about it but obviously it's up to Aidan, see how the horse pulls up but it would definitely be a race that you could put on the radar for him. " Moore admitted he wasn’t 100 per cent sure on whether he had won crossing the line, but was delighted when the verdict came through on the tannoy. "I thought I'd won but it's always hard when you're so wide and so far apart,” the rider said. “Aidan can do anything can't he? He's a progressive horse. They went hard, he got into a nice rhythm and he just landed there, it worked out beautifully. “I'm lucky to ride for Ballydoyle and Coolmore... Billed as a rematch between the English 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) quinella Bow Echo (Night Of Thunder) and Gstaad (Starspangledbanner), Tuesday’s feature Group 1 lived up to the hype as the George Boughey-trained runner narrowly held out the challenge of Aidan O’Brien’s resolute runner-up in a St James’s Palace Stakes for the ages. Bow Echo had proven dominant at Newmarket in the 2,000 Guineas, stamping home a two and three-quarter lengths success over Gstaad to take his career record to four wins from as many starts. However, since that contest, Gstaad had returned to his native Ireland and proved just as dominant in the Irish 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) – defeating Distant Storm (Night Of Thunder) by three lengths. Lining up as the slight odds-on favourite for Tuesday’s Group 1, Bow Echo had a little trouble upon leaving the stalls, being hampered and finding himself towards the rear of the six-runner field. Rider Billy Loughnane soon got his mount back in amongst rivals though and, approaching the final two furlongs, sat cruising aboard Bow Echo, seemingly waiting to pounce and clear away from the then leader and eventual third Talk Of New York (Wootton Bassett). Sent on by his jockey, the George Boughey-trained colt soon hit the front but was made to work hard in the closing stages by the rallying Gstaad on his inside, eventually prevailing by a short-head after a photo-finish. There was a further length and three-quarters back to Talk Of New York in third. "I think that was the first time he's got into a proper battle," Boughey, who was landing his fourth win at Royal Ascot and first outside handicap company at the meeting, said. "I’ve only watched it once but it was quite a scrap early doors, he was almost keen at one point, William's horse came past and I think we'll see a better horse now that he's been in a scrap like that. "He's done everything we've hoped; it's fine margins in this game and luckily he was on the right side of it. "I think Billy said that the Amo horse was starting to come in his lap and he didn't want to break his stride and, I think, at Billy's own admission, he might have committed a bit sooner than he'd hoped. "This is very much as far as this horse wants to go, I've thought that for a while and I think being able to ride him a little bit colder in a straightforward, evenly run race, hopefully we can see him continue to progress. "It's a dream to be training horses like this, to be trusted with them and to do it with Billy makes it even more special; he's like a younger brother, he's like a friend, we chat the whole time, and to be able to have that affinity with a jockey is amazing. "I've been lucky to have a lot of good riders ride for me but he's an exceptional talent, both on... 18 for Dark Angel Yeomanstown Stud stallion Dark Angel (Acclamation) chalked up his 18th individual elite-level winner on Saturday when Almeraq (4 c ex Manaajim by Muhaarar) landed the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) at Royal Ascot. Bred and raced by Shadwell Estate, Almeraq is the first foal out of the unraced Muhaarar (Oasis Dream) mare Manaajim, herself a half-sister to Group 1 winner Fairyland (Kodiac) and Australian Group 2 scorer Now Or Never (Bushranger) being out of an unraced half-sister to Group 1 winner Dream Ahead (Diktat). Dark Angel stood the 2026 northern hemisphere breeding season for a fee of €45,000 (approx. AU$73,670). 31 for Havana Grey Orthodox (2 c ex Heartwarming by Showcasing) became the 31st individual stakes winner for his sire Havana Grey (Havana Gold) when producing an impressive winning performance in Saturday’s Norfolk Stakes (Gr 2, 5f) at Royal Ascot. Ridden by Rossa Ryan for trainer Clive Cox, the colt made relentless progress entering the final furlong and stayed on powerfully to draw three and a half lengths clear of runner-up El Floridita in a one-two for the Whitsbury Manor Stud stallion. There was a further neck back to Mussab (Ten Sovereigns) in third place. "He won at Salisbury and that was exciting but we were only scratching the surface and since then, he's just surprised me the way he's gone with older horses; he's been amazing and he's just really, really special,” Cox, who was registering his tenth Royal Ascot winner, said. “I would say this horse is pretty special. His auntie, Heartache, won the Queen Mary for us and that was a special day but this fellow's the next level. He'll go to six furlongs, I don't think that's a problem. Reckless Abandon went from here to the Robert Papin which was five and a half in the old days but that is six now. The five furlong options tend to dry up a little bit; I think he'll get six quite cosily. He's just so talented and so fast. His work at home, I thought the guys riding the lead horses were getting it wrong a few times but clearly not. I think six will be within his compass very easily, he's just a really, really nice horse. ” A half-brother to winner Hello Sweetheart (Frankel), Orthodox is the third foal out of the Listed-placed winner Heartwarming (Showcasing), herself a sister to Group-placed winner Unbreak My Heart and a half-sister to Group 2 scorer Heartache (Kyllachy). Havana Grey stood the 2026 northern hemisphere breeding season for a private fee. Giavellotto lands huge hard-fought Hardwicke success The Marco Botti-trained Giavellotto (7 h Mastercraftsman - Gerika by Galileo) claimed one of the biggest wins of his career at Royal Ascot on Saturday when toughing out success in the Hardwicke Stakes (Gr 2, 1m 4f). In what was a Group 1 contest in all but name, the seven-year-old entire battled gamely inside the final furlong and a half to grab classy mare Kalpana... Aussie fever has returned to Berkshire this week as Royal Ascot takes over, and familiar faces Henry Dwyer and Chris Waller will be joined by Warwick Farm’s Bjorn Baker as the trio bid to raid more of the UK’s top sprinting prizes. Dwyer returns with his redoubtable mare Asfoora (Flying Artie), who has wintered in the UK at Lemos De Souza’s Newmarket base and bids to regain her crown in the King Charles III Stakes (Gr 1, 5f) on Tuesday. However, standing in her way will be a familiar rival in Overpass (Vancouver), with Bjorn Baker and Darby Syndication’s top-class sprinter heading the market and reportedly in good form ahead of his own shot at European glory. Meanwhile, Waller’s five-time Group 1-winning mare Joliestar (Zoustar) will be bidding to transfer her elite Australian form to UK shores in Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (Gr 1, 6f). Asfoora has proved something of a revelation since making her first journey over to the UK in 2024, taking out the King Charles III Stakes that year before returning in 2025 to land not only the Nunthorpe Stakes (Gr 1, 5f) at York but also the Prix de l’Abbaye (Gr 1, 1000m) in taking fashion. Having made the decision to keep her in the UK during the winter months, Dwyer’s seven-year-old mare has produced two underwhelming runs so far this year. A first-up tenth of 14 in the Palace House Stakes (Gr 3, 5f) at Newmarket has been followed by a last of 12 runners in Haydock’s Temple Stakes (Gr 2, 5f) last month, however Dwyer feels both of those runs have had their excuses. “If you look at her form and two runs back this time it would appear she's not going very well at all, but I think both times she's had things against her,” Dwyer told ANZ News. “First-up she was a fair way off being ready, and then second-up she just got very choppy ground and didn't want to be there. “I'm hoping that it wasn't a sign that she doesn't want to be there in general and that it was just the track that put her off last time, but we won't really know until we get the blinkers on and she runs on Tuesday. ” Having been significantly shorter in the market before her comeback runs, Asfoora now sits at a general 12-1 with bookmakers for Tuesday’s Group 1 sprint. “She's probably under the odds based on this year's form but would be over on her best form,” Dwyer admitted. Oisin Murphy, who has ridden Asfoora in nine of her 13 starts in the northern hemisphere, including for her trio of elite-level victories, also echoed Dwyer’s thoughts after Asfoora’s last-start effort. “He hasn't had a lot to do with her this preparation bar riding her, but there wasn't much to say last time he just felt she didn't go a yard,” Dwyer said. Dwyer revealed he is ‘cautiously optimistic’ that his star mare can get back to... Weekend Melbourne and Brisbane Group 1 racing was impacted by winter rains whereas Sydney’s racing at Rosehill was conducted on a Soft 5 surface providing a fair test for all, the feature won by 2400m specialist Thebudgiesmugla (Redwood), winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (Listed, 2400m), formerly raced as the Winter Cup. Stakes winner 17 for Westbury Stud’s Redwood (High Chaparral), Thebudgiesmugla has definitely mastered the 2400m, Saturday’s maiden stakes was his fourth victory at the distance. He doesn’t get warm until he has covered 2200 metres, the distance of his other two wins in New Zealand before he was sold to Australian interests. Parked one out and one back to the 800 metres, jockey Dylan Gibbons woke him up approaching the turn and rounded into the straight three deep. Taking over inside the 200 metres, Thebudgiesmugla withstood all challenges and over the final 50 metres was simply too strong, grinding out win six at start 12. Thebudgiesmugla has earned $345,000, a fantastic return on the $3000 outlayed at an online auction. Connections may have wondered whether a trip to Eagle Farm and the Brisbane Cup (Gr 2, 3200m) would have brought greater riches. He was an acceptor for the Brisbane race and the track there would have been well within his scope as he has won on a Heavy 9 surface. However, a win is a win and the gelding is proving his worth. One of four winners from four to race from the Keeper (Danehill) mare Hot Pants, a winning three-quarter blood sister to Group 2 Emancipation Stakes (1600m) winner Sworn To Secrecy (Keeper) and to the dam of triple Listed winner Guns At Five (Duelled). Hot Pants is also the dam of two-year-old Bella Bonita (Noverre), third placed in Ellerslie’s recent Champagne Stakes (Listed, 1600m). No stopping the warrior Eight-year-old marvel Western Empire (Iffraaj) marched to a stakes treble adding Perth’s Strickland Stakes (Gr 3, 2000m) to the Hyperion Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) and the Belmont Sprint (Gr 3, 1400m), both last month. Rider Willie Pike knew he was on the best runner and sat the gelding third, covering no extra ground until they straightened. Finding a lane outside the pacemaker they reached the lead inside the 200m and thereafter gave nothing else much of a chance to be well clear at the line and win number 14, his earnings approaching $3. 7 million. Originally owned and raced by his breeder Bob Peters before being sold to trainers Grant and Alana Williams, Western Empire is one of eight winners from Western Jewel (Jeune), three of which are by Iffraaj (Zafonic). The mare also foaled the Listed winner Western Temple (Dream Ahead) and she herself ranks as a half-sister to another Perth Listed winner Western Blaze (Hard Spun). For more on Western Empire see Kiwi Chronicles’ June 2nd edition. Plenty of spirit Deep south stud White Robe Lodge near Dunedin will be excited about the prospects of Arwen, the three-year-old daughter of their resident stallion Ancient Spirit... JJ Atkins Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) hero Tron Bolt (Toronado) confirmed himself as one of the nation’s most exciting young prospects with his emphatic victory at Eagle Farm on Saturday, which also provided Swettenham Stud’s Toronado (High Chaparral) with a first juvenile Group 1 winner. Bred by Nagambie nursery Gilgai Farm, Tron Bolt was a $250,000 yearling purchase for Cade Hunter and Liam Ruddy’s Hunter’s Lodge operation and proved to be a dream pinhook from the pair’s debut draft when he topped the Inglis Ready2Race Sale last October. The youngster’s physique and electric breeze made him the centre of attention at Riverside Stables and Hermitage Thoroughbreds duly went to $900,000 to secure him – making Tron Bolt the highest priced colt ever sold at the auction. Having observed the colt at Gilgai Farm early on, Swettenham Stud principal Adam Sangster said he was always a standout. “He was an outstanding foal from an outstanding nursery,” Sangster told ANZ News. “We saw him a number of times at Gilgai – Kelly Skillecorn and Rick Jamieson always told us to come across and have a look because he was a belter of a foal. The team at Gilgai know when they’ve got a good one and he turned into an extraordinary looking yearling come breeze-up horse. ” As the old saying goes, handsome is as handsome does, and Tron Bolt’s first campaign of four starts has seen him back up his promise on the track for trainer Chris Waller, who according to Sangster also knew what he had before the colt broke his maiden. Having placed at Kembla Grange on debut in late April, he has since gone unbeaten in three starts, with his JJ Atkins win coming after two handicap victories in Sydney over 1400 and 1300 metres respectively. Lofty targets loom this spring as Tron Bolt will likely bid to follow in the footsteps of the Waller-trained and Hermitage-owned 2018 Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) champion The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice). Waller also trained Press Statement (Hinchinbrook) to complete the JJ Atkins and Caulfield Guineas double. Sangster said the decision to keep the Tron Bolt in Australia was a fulfilling one, with many sons of Toronado instead being traded over to the Asian market, especially Hong Kong, where his runners have had plenty of success. “I bumped into Chris Waller at the Inglis Easter previews and he said he had a good Toronado that he was taking up to Queensland,” Sangster said. “He looks to have a busy schedule ahead of him now and he looks like a horse who will go on top of the ground as well as the ground he’s been on his last two or three starts. “It’s very satisfying that the owners kept him in Australia. For myself, my family and all our staff to see Hermitage race a horse in Australia who’s now got sire potential is great. They did it with The Autumn Sun, so let’s see what they can do with this... Off the back of another big week at the yearling sales, Randwick-based trainer Michael Freedman will make the journey to Queensland on Saturday with a quintet of big hopes in stakes races across the Eagle Farm card. Freedman teamed up with bloodstock agent Andy Williams to secure a filly for $580,000, while also going to $400,000 for a colt in partnership with both Williams and Darby Racing at this week’s Magic Millions National Yearling Sale, with both yearlings being by Newgate Farm sensation Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt). Both of those yearlings finished in the top four of the highest-priced lots at the sale and, while hitting the heights in the sales ring, Freedman is also hoping to plunder some nice prizes this weekend. Star mare Manaal (Tassort) will be Freedman’s headline act from his five runners, lining up against ten rivals in the $300,000 Moreton Cup (Gr 2, 1200m) where she is priced at $4. 80. A winner of six races from 19 starts – including the ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) as a juvenile – and over $2. 15 million in prize-money, the Emirates Park-bred-and-owned four-year-old has been off since March 14 where she ran ninth in the Coolmore Classic (Gr 1, 1500m). Freedman revealed that the daughter of Tassort (Brazen Beau), who has also landed four Group 2s and a Group 3 throughout her career, is likely to head to the breeding barn following a two or three-run campaign culminating in the Tattersall’s Tiara (Gr 1, 1400m). “I think we're going to concentrate on the Tatt's Tiara with her,” Freedman told ANZ Bloodstock News. “If we'd have run last week then the Stradbroke might have been in the mix, but I doubt we'd be backing up into it now. “We just want to see her run well on Saturday, she is most likely heading to the breeding barn after this season so we made the plan to give her a two or three-run campaign up there before she heads off to stud so hopefully we see her run well, and if so the Tatt's would likely be her swansong. ” Manaal is the best of three winners from four foals to race out of the Midshipman (Unbridled’s Song) mare Red Lodge, herself a stakes-winning granddaughter of dual Grade 1 winner Memories Of Silver (Silver Hawk), so would be another valuable addition to Emirates Park’s already large breeding barn. “Emirates are a big breeding operation and she's done amazing for them, winning a stakes race and Group 1 at two and stakes races at three and four, which probably doesn't happen all that often,” Freedman added. “She has done a great job for connections. ” Joining Manaal at Eagle Farm will be quartet Givemethebeatboys (Bungle Inthejungle), Flying Destiny (Flying Artie), Mystical (Exceed And Excel), and Sylph (I Am Invincible). The first two mentioned will line up in the Lightning Handicap (Listed, 1000m), with Givemethebeatboys ($9) heading the weights on 60 kilograms and Flying Destiny ($6)... Joseph O’Brien was celebrating a second British Classic success on Friday when Thundering On ran out a truly facile winner of the Epsom Oaks. Ridden by Dylan Browne McMonagle, who was enjoying his first Classic winner in the UK, the filly arrived at the two-furlong marker still on the bridle and, sent about her work approaching the final furlong, shot clear of runner-up Legacy Link (Dubawi) and stormed to a very easy three and three-quarter lengths success. There was a further six lengths back to the third-placed, and pacesetting, Sugar Island (Dubawi) with A La Prochaine (Lope De Vega) a head further back in fourth. Race favourite Amelia Earhart (Camelot) could only manage sixth of the nine runners. "We were coming into the race very confident, obviously the trip was going to be the question mark but she's been doing everything so easy, she's improving with every run and there was never a moment's doubt really,” the winning rider said. "I didn't really need to count, I was sitting last and I knew there was nothing going to be coming from behind me and I always had everything covered in front. She's got a lot of class. Great training performance from Joseph, everybody does a great job at home and I'm very lucky to be getting my leg across. "It's unbelievable, this is what we all dream of doing. Coming to these places is where you want to be and riding in these races; coming here this weekend we've got two live chances in Classics, it doesn't usually happen but we've got one ticked off so hopefully roll on to tomorrow. "The sky's the limit. She's very, very talented so a big well done to everyone and a big thanks to everyone who has got her here and hello to everyone at home in Donegal watching. " Dual Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) winning-trainer O’Brien, whose other Classic winner in the UK was Galileo Chrome (Australia) in the 2020 English St Leger Stakes (Gr 1, 1m 6. 5f), added: "The objective was to save as much energy as we could as the distance was the question mark. In the straight it was an easy watch. "For her to be an Oaks winner is really special and Dylan gave her a fantastic ride. " Thundering On was cut into odds-on favouritism for the Irish Oaks (Gr 1, 1m 4f) next month, while she was also shortened into a general 10-1 chance for October’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Gr 1, 2400m). Caspar Fownes’ push for the 2025/26 Hong Kong trainers’ title gained crucial momentum at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (3 June) when the four-time champion posted a double to forge to a three-win lead with 11 meetings left in the season. Combining with Joao Moreira, Fownes struck with Family Fortune (133lb) in the Class 5 Mount Butler Handicap (1650m) and The Heir (135lb) in the third section of the Class 4 Wong Nai Chung Gap Handicap (1200m) to take his seasonal tally at the city circuit to 41, breaking his own record of 40 wins set in 2009/10. Fownes’ brace propelled him to 60 wins overall for the campaign, three clear of Danny Shum (57) with Mark Newnham next on 56, Francis Lui (50), David Hayes (49) and John Size (47). “A very exciting night and for me, I'm mostly proud that the horses have come out and done the job again,” Fownes said. “For me, it's a personal-best to get 41 wins (in a season) here, that means a lot to me at my home track, so I'm gonna try and shatter that record this season - hoping for the best. “It never gets boring (watching Moreira ride) – I'm very happy to have him riding for me and hopefully the fans are enjoying it. ” Champion trainer in 2006/07, 2008/09, 2013/14 and 2020/21, Fownes has accelerated his charge for a fifth crown with doubles across each of the past three meetings. Moreira has been integral to Fownes’ surge, riding 17 winners for the Fownes stable since returning to Hong Kong full-time in April. “A dream run – I thought we could do well, but actually we’re doing better than I thought, to be honest,” Moreira said. “All the credit goes to the team, who are doing an amazing job. “The key tonight was being on the inside and both of them were quite lucky to get good draws, which makes a massive difference at Happy Valley. You need luck and apparently that’s what we have been getting in the last couple of meetings. ” Shum maintained touch with Fownes after Without Compare (128lb) snared the Class 3 Violet Hill Handicap (1650m) for Jerry Chau, who now leads Vincent Ho by 11 wins – 42 to 31 – in the battle for the Tony Cruz Award for the leading homegrown jockey. Newnham had briefly moved into second place overall in the trainers’ standings with Power Koepp’s (120lb) all-the-way victory in the Class 3 Shouson Hill Handicap (1200m) under Alexis Badel before Shum’s success in the evening’s finale. Jumping from gate six, the tenacious seven-year-old steamed to his fifth course and distance success to give Badel a double after the Frenchman earlier scored on Cody Mo’s Hong Kong International Sale graduate Forerunner (125lb) in the second section of the Class 4 Wong Nai Chung Gap Handicap (1200m). Brenton Avdulla notched his 100th winner in the city when Size-trained Take Action (125lb) prevailed in the Class 4 Middle Gap Handicap (1650m).... Michael Freedman continued his Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) spending spree on the final day of the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Yearling Sale when the trainer partnered with Darby Racing and Andrew Williams Bloodstock to purchase the Newgate sensation’s bay colt for $400,000. Fresh from his Group 2 success with Berzelius over the weekend, Freedman was determined to add another speedy son of Extreme Choice to his stable and after a protracted battle in the auditorium for Lot 1077, the renowned horseman and his purchasing partners eventually got what they came for. His $400,000 acquisition - which topped the sale on day two - took Freedman’s outlay on the progeny of Extreme Choice close to the $1 million mark, having joined forces with Williams to purchase one of his fillies for $580,000 in the opening session on the Gold Coast. Like most trainers across the country, Freedman is a fully paid-up member of the Extreme Choice fan club and his confidence in the product would only have increased after scouring the colt’s pedigree page. His dam Coco As In Chanel (Awesome Again) was a stakes winner in her native America and she has since made a highly promising start to her stud career, with her three foals to race having all won – including the colt’s full-brother Pimlico who was a recent city winner for Tom Charlton. Freedman’s confidence in the colt’s capabilities is readily shared by Darby Racing’s sales manager & bloodstock consultant Mark Holland, who believes that one of Australia’s leading syndicators may just have unearthed a “unicorn”. Indeed, in a revealing admission Holland indicated that the team at Darby Racing - whose Royal Ascot contender Overpass (Vancouver) will leave for Royal Ascot on Wednesday evening - were willing and able to go a fair bit higher than $400,000 to secure the only Extreme Choice colt on offer at Bundall. “Like everyone else we absolutely love the Extreme Choices, the only problem is that we usually can’t get anywhere near them,” Holland told ANZ News. “But I think we’ve found a unicorn here. This year we decided to team up with some of our best trainers to try to buy Extreme Choice yearlings, because there’s no way we could afford them ourselves. So we’ve been drawing up a shortlist and then approaching the trainer we think might be most interested in teaming up with us. “The stallion is a freak, Michael Freedman is a freak of a trainer, Andy Williams is one of the best in the business, Newgate is one of the most respected farms in the country and the dam is a stakes winner, so we’ve basically ticked every box. To be honest we would have gone further with the bidding if we’d needed to, you can’t usually get Extreme Choice colts for $400,000 so we couldn’t be more excited. “He’s a December foal so maybe that has put some people off, but you wouldn’t know it looking at him. When he came into... The principle of supply and demand ultimately determines the value of any product, and so it was of no great surprise that the only lots by Lope De Vega (Shamardal), Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) and I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) on offer on the opening day of the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Yearling Sale commanded the three highest prices. Buying on behalf of prominent Queensland owners Ron and Judi Wanless, KPW Bloodstock’s Kevin Walls secured Lope De Vega’s crack colt for a sale-topping price of $600,000, which was followed closely by Michael Freedman’s successful bid of $580,000 for the filly by Extreme Choice, Newgate Stud’s phenom who will have three more lots up for auction on the second and final day on the Gold Coast. After a competitive opening day of trading, Mitchell Bloodstock and Gall Bloodstock - two families already entwined in I Am Invincible’s incredible success story - will be hoping to write another chapter after they teamed up to purchase the sale’s sole ‘Vinny’ representative for $500,000. But it was the less fashionable Lope De Vega, whose achievements (at least in the southern hemisphere) have been dwarfed by those of Extreme Choice and I Am Invincible, who ended the day with top honours thanks to Walls’ determination. The former Trelawney Stud manager is known to buy primarily on type and he could not resist the appeal of Lot 913, whose impressively versatile sire is still having an influence in Australia some 12 years after he last stood on these shores. Yulong principal Yuesheng Zhang is known to be an admirer of Lope De Vega - his Group 1-winning son Lucky Vega is doing a very solid job on the farm’s roster in Nagambie - and so there is a better than even chance that the Chinese mining magnate (or at least one of his representatives) was the online underbidder. Regardless, it was ultimately Walls who emerged victorious from a heated bidding battle for the Glenbeigh Farm-consigned colt, whose unraced dam Palme d’Or (Siyouni) is a half-sister to stakes winner Francesco Guardi (Frankel). Given that Francesco Guardi won the 2022 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (Gr 2, 2500m) for his former trainer Chris Waller, and Lope De Vega’s most recent Australian Group 1 win came courtesy of Arapaho’s stout staying effort in last year’s Sydney Cup (3200m), it would seem rather unlikely that Palme d’Or’s first foal will be a precocious two-year-old performer. It would be unwise to pigeonhole the colt prematurely, however, especially given Lope De Vega has also sired a plethora of Group 1-winning sprinters including Santa Ana Lane, Vega Magic, Gytrash and Vega One. “As soon as he walked out of the box, I just hoped he met our criteria,” said Walls. “Once he did he was always going to be on our radar, and Ron told me to buy him - so that’s what I did. ” Kerry Stephens, who runs Glenbeigh in tandem with her partner Denis Griffin, was understandably delighted... Punters lost faith but not the connections of Electron (Turn Me Loose), winner of Saturday’s AGC Training Centre Stakes (Listed, 1600m) at Wanganui. The mare took seven starts to win her maiden then quickly added two more wins. She has tried stakes level on 11 occasions during her 31-start career and last autumn managed a couple of Group 3 placings: game front-running and close thirds in Ellerslie’s Easter Handicap (1600m) and Trentham’s Cuddle Stakes (1600m). However, this season, apart from an open win last spring, she has found stakes class a bit of a challenge. This autumn her form has gradually improved, marked by a fighting fifth in the Rangitikei Gold Cup (Listed, 1600m), her lead-up to Saturday’s breakthrough stakes win. Her racing pattern is to lead or sit handy to the lead and again she was a handy third turning for home, pushed between runners 200m out, co-led to form a line of three at the 100m then had a ding-dong battle with Khafre (American Pharoah) to get the nod in a head-bobber. Electron never went through a live auction but was sourced as a three-year-old filly via an on-line auction in late 2023, fetching a meagre $1000, purchased by her trainer Sam Mynott and making her bank of a smidge under $200,000 look very healthy from six wins. “She does need the stars to align at this level, which they did today, and I knew she had a Listed win in her,” said Mynott. “She’s very special, my little $1000 purchase and she will go to the paddock now. ” The five-year-old mare represents the ninth individual stakes winner by former Windsor Park Stud stallion Turn Me Loose (Iffraaj), the latter having recently been exported to China. A wonderful racehorse who shone in two Australian Group 1s, Turn Me Loose averaged 113 mares during his first six seasons at stud but breeders lost interest after, the stallion attracting just eight mares last spring. It’s tough remaining competitive among stallions. Electron is one of three winners from Chemistry (Shamardal), a winning daughter of Tick By (Zabeel), twice a winner at Flemington and whose two stakes placings included a third in the Queensland Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m). Tick By’s dam Klokka (Marscay) was a notch below top class as the winner of six races, five of which were Group 2s and Group 3s. At stud, Klokka foaled ten winners from 11 foals while her dam, Small Timer (Lyphard) went one better, producing eleven winners including the outstanding Italian runner Sikeston (Lear Fan) who landed seven Group 1s. Class is permanent Iffraaj (Zafonic) featured again this past weekend when Western Empire continued his superb run of form in Perth, getting his head down right on the line to bag the Hyperion Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m), rider Willie Pike commenting post race that the gelding has a bit of class on his side. The talk of Perth as a three and four-year-old, scoring seven wins in 13 starts including a huge win... Zac Purton broke new ground at Sha Tin this afternoon (Sunday, 31 May) as the Australian became the first jockey to ride 2,000 winners in Hong Kong, reaching the milestone aboard Rising World (Nicconi) (121lb) in the Hong Kong Wu Hua General Association Cup Plate (1200m) for Griffins. Breaking swiftly from barrier 10 on Brett Crawford’s two-year-old debutant, the eight-time Hong Kong Champion Jockey attained the phenomenal landmark on his 11,229th ride in the city, finishing a short-head in front of Almighty Warrior (Saxon Warrior) (126lb) in 1m 09. 74s. “At least I’m not going to have to go home tonight and listen to Cash say ‘why didn’t you have a winner today, Daddy? ’, so we’ve had the winner and he’s got the trophy – so it’s job done,” Purton said. Purton, 43, is from Lismore, Australia and moved to Hong Kong in 2007. He rode his first winner at Happy Valley in September, 2007 aboard Elfhelm (Perugino). Since then, he’s won riding titles in 2013/14, 2017/18, 2018/19, 2019/20, 2021/22, 2022/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25, surpassed the 100-win mark in a season 10 times and, holds single-season records for wins (179) and earnings (HK$277,712,060) – both attained in 2022/23. An Australian Racing Hall of Famer and all-time great of Hong Kong racing, Purton’s win strike rate in Hong Kong exceeds 17% across his career. He said: “It is (a wonderful achievement) when I reflect back upon it and look at some of those great moments that I’ve had in my career. It truly is amazing. “I’ve been very fortunate and, of course, I couldn’t do anything without the support that I get from the owners, trainers, and Hong Kong’s been such a great place for me. ” Purton has won the BMW Hong Kong Derby (Gr 1, 2000m) – Hong Kong’s most sought-after prize – with Luger (Choisir) (2015) and Massive Sovereign (No Nay Never) (2024), and after Gary Moore and Noel Barker, he is only the third Australian to win a riding championship in Hong Kong. Purton’s career began as a fresh-faced apprentice in Coffs Harbour with trainer Trevor Hardy some 30 years ago. He rode his first winner, Magic Zap (Zephyr Zip), at Armidale in Australia on 6 May, 2000 before his move to Hong Kong as a 24-year-old. His first elite-level win in Hong Kong was for Paul O’Sullivan on Fellowship (O'Reilly) in the 2010 HKG1 Stewards’ Cup (Gr 1, 1600m). Purton, who is admired for his hard work, captivated the racing scene with famed tussles against great championship rivals Douglas Whyte – who Purton surpassed as the jockey with the most Hong Kong wins when he rode his 1,814th last year – and ‘Magic Man’ Joao Moreira. Whyte and Moreira are the only other jockeys in Hong Kong racing history to ride more than 1,000 winners. Purton’s renowned for associations with Beauty Generation (Road To Rock), Exultant (Teofilo), Aerovelocity (Pins), Ambitious Dragon (Pins), Southern Legend (Not A Single Doubt), Lucky Sweynesse (Sweynesse), Military Attack (Oratorio) and... The late Wootton Bassett’s (Iffraaj) legacy has been extended by his first Australian-bred elite winner after Chris Waller and James McDonald continued their phenomenal run of success with Providence’s win the Queensland Derby (Gr 1, 2400m). In a quinella for Waller and the China Horse Club - Newgate Farm axis, the strapping colt led home Monopolistic (Savabeel) by 0. 94 lengths, with Les Bridge’s $91 longshot Inspired Legend (Dundeel) taking third a further 0. 3 lengths away. Chasing only his second win at start number 15, Providence was solid in betting as a $5 second elect for Saturday’s Eagle Farm Classic following his eye-catching third in Doomben’s Rough Habit Plate (Gr 3, 2000m). And he didn’t disappoint in the $1 million feature as he shot his earnings well past the $625,000 figure paid for him by China Horse Club, Newgate, Go Bloodstock and Trilogy when he was offered by Bhima Thoroughbreds’ at Inglis Easter 2024. Jumping from gate six of 18, McDonald had Providence travelling sweetly just behind midfield, one off the fence as they went at a genuine pace. McDonald eased well wide as the field drifted away from the fence around the home turn on the Soft 5 track, and the colt responded with a brilliant burst of acceleration. He chased down the leaders to hit the front at the 300 metres and dashed to a decisive two-length break, while $6. 50 third-favourite Monopolistic followed him home. Different Gravy (Ghaiyyath) produced a vastly improved run to take fourth at $13, almost four lengths ahead of $4. 40 favourite Solid Gold (Savabeel), who enjoyed a favourable forward position but weakened late in her run. Providence’s $600,000 first prize made Wootton Bassett - who died at Coolmore Australia last spring whilst standing at an Australian shuttle record fee of $385,000 (inc GST) - another contender in an intriguing second season sires’ battle. He came into Saturday fourth on that table, $599,000 behind Ghaiyyath (Dubawi) in third and $749,000 behind top spot, with Farnan (Not A Single Doubt) and Bivouac (Exceed And Excel) the top two. Waller celebrated his 201st elite success a week after he and McDonald took the Doomben Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) with Birdman (Free Eagle), and said Providence was an exciting colt with a promising future. Should he keep developing, the son of MRC Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) placegetter Southbank (Fastnet Rock) will likely fill a hole for stamina on Newgate’s expansive, speed-centric stallion roster. “Great ride from James, good team of owners. They constantly support racing and they've quinella’d the race with two nice stayers with bright futures,” Waller said. “We just see Queensland each and every winter as a springboard for a lot of our better horses. And these horses are still on the up, so very exciting for connections. ” Waller said Providence was more effective when ridden quietly. “Very much so, and that suits our style of training as well,” he said. “We're not hustle and bustle types of trainers. We just... Australia’s highest-priced stallion Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) racked up stakes winner number 19 when longshot colt Berzelius defied a betting drift to lift Queensland’s Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday. A $340,000 purchase at Magic Millions Gold Coast for trainer Michael Freedman, Michael Wallace and Kia Ora Stud, the well-bred Berzelius has spent most of this preparation at Freedman’s Gold Coast satellite stable under the guidance of the trainer’s brother and northern foreman Lee. Something of a late bloomer, he debuted with an $11 victory in an 1110-metre Doomben two-year-old handicap on April 22 before being a well-beaten fourth of eight in the Ken Russell Memorial Classic (Gr 3, 1200m) as a $3. 70 second-favourite. That put him into the Sires’ as a drifting $31 chance, but under a good ride by Tommy Berry from gate eight of 16 - and settling well after the addition of visors and a cross-over nose band - the colt boosted his value greatly with a tough victory in the $1 million juvenile feature. Sporting Kia Ora’s two-blues, Berzelius settled just worse than midfield, three-wide with cover behind an average pace on a drying Soft 5, before coming eight-deep as the widest runner when the field fanned around the home turn. The colt knuckled down to his task strongly in the straight as he and Jenny Graham’s $10 shot Vantorix (Captivant) drew clear to fight out the finish. Berzelius won the battle, coming away to score by 0. 32 lengths. Tony Gollan’s Martis (Trapeze Artist) was third, a further 1. 19 lengths away at $7. 50. Top elects I Am Dirty (I Am Invincible) at $3. 70 and Blind Raise (Ace High) at $4 disappointed, finishing seventh and ninth. Bred by SF Bloodstock, Newgate Farm’s Henry Field and Hollymount Stud, Berzelius could yet make a barnmate at Newgate for Extreme Choice, whose 19 black type victors come from just 157 runners at a thumping 12. 1 per cent, and who’ll stand this spring at a national record-equalling $385,000 (inc GST). Fourteen of Extreme Choice’s stakes winners have scored at Group level, with six winning Group 1s. “It was a great win, a great win,” Lee Freedman said. “It was great for Newgate too as they’ll probably stand this horse when he finishes. “We came up here and he won his maiden at his first start and then he was a bit disappointing at the Gold Coast, but he never got around that track, and he needed headgear on because he was very green. “Probably his last 200 was the best of the race at the Gold Coast, other than the winner, so we came here today thinking he wasn't a 20-1 shot, he was probably an 8-1 or 10-1 shot. ” Freedman said Berzelius would likely continue to the $1 million JJ Atkins (Gr 1, 1600m) at Eagle Farm in a fortnight. “I think so, although he's a work in progress and he'll be a better three-year-old,”... Redoubtable gelding Headley Grange (Exosphere) took his role as an Inglis Digital poster boy to stunning new heights when he became an elite and weight-for-age winner in Saturday’s Kingsford-Smith Cup (Gr 1, 1300m) at Eagle Farm. Trained by a master of second-hand horses in Joe Pride and well ridden by quiet achiever Adam Hyeronimus, Headley Grange lined up as a solid $9 chance after a freshen-up following four consistent, if unplaced, runs in the Sydney autumn. Most money went the way of Ciaron Maher’s Jimmystar (Per Incanto), who firmed from $4. 80 to $3. 80 late as he pursued a first win in five starts since November, while Chris Waller’s Fangirl (Sebring) was fancied at $8. 50. And the market had it right, if perhaps not in the right order, as the only three runners in single figure odds filled the trifecta. Jumping from gate three of 16, Headley Grange travelled strongly in fifth, one off the fence, behind what was a healthy pace, while Jimmystar from gate 12 had to contend with being three-wide without cover a length off the leaders. Maher’s Another Wil (Street Boss), who’d travelled in second, did well to hold the lead for much of the straight, but while Jimmystar tried valiantly to haul him in it was Headley Grange poking through the pack to the inside who won the day, if narrowly. He edged Jimmystar by 0. 09 lengths, while Fangirl made enormous ground after straightening near last, finishing a further 0. 32 lengths back. Headley Grange’s win capped a wonderful story of a horse relied upon for his consistent, tradesman-like performances who can now be hailed as a Group 1 winner. The five-year-old was bred by NSW’s Bob Manwaring and put into work with Coffs Harbour-based trainer Noel Mayfield-Smith. But after three starts including a Grafton debut win and an unplaced try at Eagle Farm, a dispute between the two men led to Headley Grange being offered on Inglis Digital in November, 2023. “I bred him and had an argument with his initial trainer,” Manwaring said. “I said, ‘He’s too good for the bush’, so he said, ‘Buy me out then’. “So we put him on Inglis Digital and I got a mate to come in with me because I knew we’d have to pay a bit for him, but the rest is history. ” Headley Grange was bought for $120,000, officially knocked down to HDB Bloodstock. Sent to Pride, he won at Kembla Grange in his first start for his new trainer, then scored at the same track and his home course of Warwick Farm before a spell. His next campaign in the summer of 2024-25 brought two wins - including at Randwick - and three seconds from five starts. After another Randwick victory, in a Benchmark 94 (1300m), he graduated to black type last June with victory in that track’s Civic Stakes (Listed, 1400m). Headley Grange then proved his class last spring by taking Newcastle’s Cameron Handicap (Gr 3, 1500m) and... Highly rated punters’ headache Regal Award (Ole Kirk) became his young sire’s seventh stakes winner and capped a major day for trainer Phillip Stokes and jockey Lachie Neindorf in taking Saturday’s Fred Best Classic (Gr 3, 1400m) at Eagle Farm. A total of 35 minutes after claiming the Lord Mayor’s Cup (Gr 3, 1800m) with Athanatos (I Am Immortal), Stokes and Neindorf celebrated a race-to-race black type double when Regal Award overcame a wide gate to score a dominant win in the three-year-old set weights event. Jumping from barrier 14 of 18, the gelding was forced to travel three wide without cover just behind leading pair Grafterburners (Graff) and Skyhook (Written Tycoon), though the leaders set no records for pace. In the straight, Skyhook, who’d come from gate 18, and Regal Award pulled away to make it a two-horse race, and it was the latter who prevailed, coming clear in the end to score by 1. 06 lengths. Ryan and Alexiou’s Skyhook held second at $6, while Bjorn Baker’s smart filly Within The Law (Lucky Vega) was the best of the chasers, making good ground from near last on the turn to run a 1. 75-length third at $13. The $5 favourite Brave Monarch (Brave Smash) finished fourth. Regal Award started at $18 - and drifted. Withdrawn from Inglis Easter by his renowned breeder, Northern Territory pastoralist Viv Oldfield, and gelded before he’d raced, Regal Award looked an extremely bright prospect last spring. After a 2. 25-length Sandown win at his third outing was followed two runs later by a thumping 7. 5-length victory over 1600 metres at Caulfield, he went into Flemington’s Carbine Club Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) as a $1. 90 favourite. But his bubble burst somewhat when he ran a well-beaten second that day, and what followed in the autumn had been a battle to restore his reputation. After a seventh at $11 in Rosehill’s unsuitably short Darby Munro Stakes (Listed, 1200m), he was backed in to $1. 90 in Randwick’s South Pacific Classic (Listed, 1400m) but could manage only third. He then was a $2. 70 favourite for the Hawkesbury Guineas (Gr 3, 1400m) but came fifth. Thus punters had largely sacked him by Saturday but - with a tongue tie removed - he responded by showing his full ability, confirming a shot at the $3 million Stradbroke Handicap (Gr 1, 1400m) at the same course in a fortnight. “We’ve always known this horse had a lot of ability, but he’s been very frustrating and hard to train, so full credit to the team,” Stokes said. “He's done well since he's been here and it looks like we’ve got to keep him here for another two weeks now. “We're feeling good. His work's been really good, the horse is thriving up here, and it was just great for him to bring his A-Grade game. “Let's hope he pulls up well but we’ll probably have to find another rider because the 49. 5 kilos, Lachie won’t ride... Caspar Fownes reclaimed the lead in a rollercoaster battle for the Hong Kong trainers’ championship at Happy Valley on Wednesday night with a double as Joao Moreira slotted a treble, while Zac Purton needs only one more winner to reach 2,000 wins in Hong Kong. Fownes’ (56 wins) wrested back the lead in an engrossing battle for the trainers’ championship with a brace, edging ahead of Danny Shum (56) with more minor placings – 38 seconds to 34. Mark Newnham is next with 53 wins from Francis Lui (50), David Hayes (49) and John Size (46). On a night where many expected Purton to reach the 2,000-victory milestone, the Australian champion rode a winner, two seconds, a third and a fourth from eight rides as Moreira took riding honours. The Brazilian triumphed aboard Fownes pair Audacious Pursuit (Ardrossan) in the Class 4 Rhine Handicap (1650m) and Elegant Life (Smart Missile) in the second section of the Class 4 Ciron Handicap (1200m), and also Cody Mo’s Lucky McQueen (All Too Hard) in the first section of the Class 4 Ciron Handicap (1200m). Moreira said: “It’s a good feeling. I got on some nice horses today. I believed it was meant to be because they got good gates. I’m so happy to be getting opportunities and to be getting them up. ” Moreira returned to Hong Kong and started his stint as a stable retained jockey for Fownes in a spectacular blaze with a quartet at Happy Valley on April 8. Fownes praised Moreira’s ride on Audacious Pursuit: “It was perfection by Joao to get him on the rail and save the ground. When you just win by a small margin, that's everything really, it's what you need. You need good rides, good draws, and the rest takes care of itself. “It's why I said Hong Kong racing is so exciting. We're trying our best, that's for sure. ” Newnham’s Armor Golden Eagle (Ace High) delivered Purton’s 121st victory of the season with success in the Class 3 Sauternes’s Cup Handicap (1650m), delighting the trainer. “He was in the ideal spot. It was a carbon copy of last start, really, just in the right spot - they put them away well. He's a good improving horse,” Newnham said. “The last two meetings, we've had a frustrating run of placings. The horses are racing very well. Tonight, we started with two thirds and a second, and now a winner, so horses are racing well. They'll get their chance when they draw well and things go right in the run. ” Apprentice Britney Wong, 27, landed her first Happy Valley victory and gave Tony Cruz a double when Son Pak Fu (Fighting Sun) surged along the inside to clinch the Class 3 Seine Handicap (1200m) by a short-head from Gummy Gummy (Snitzel). With 28 wins at Sha Tin across the past two seasons, Wong ended an exasperating run of minor placings at the city circuit with Son Pak Fu’s victory over former Benno Yung... 3 g Snitzel - In The Vanguard by Encosta De Lago O: Go Bloodstock Australia B: Go Bloodstock Australia T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott W: Toyota Forklifts Maiden Handicap, 1250m, May 27, Canterbury The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Front Rank (Snitzel) made a winning debut on Wednesday when landing a 1250-metre maiden at Canterbury. Having won one of his four trials prior to this debut, the three-year-old gelding showed the benefit of that prior experience as he proved 2. 6 lengths too strong for Incremental (Circus Maximus) under jockey Tim Clark. There was a further half-length back to the third-placed Artgirl (Flying Artie). “Tim was very confident on the horse that he was on. He went out with a game plan and was able to execute that,” said Bott. “Probably had to do a little bit more work than he wanted to get there, but again, he was backing the horse’s fitness and ability, because he sustained that very well. “We’ve been able to just take our time and that's what's so good about being able to train for Sir Owen Glenn and Steve O'Connor and the team at Go Bloodstock. They're able to give you the time, whatever the horses need and we’ve been able to do that with this horse. “He's had two nice little quiet trials coming through today just to educate him and he's been able to put it all together nicely. “It's probably a nice time of year for a horse like him to just try and pick up a bit of confidence and go through his grades. ” Bred and raced by Sir Owen Glenn’s Go Bloodstock, Front Rank is a full-brother to Group 1 winner turned stallion Sword Of State. He is the third winner from four foals to race out of the Group 2-placed Encosta De Lago (Fairy King) mare In The Vanguard, herself a daughter of Group 2 winner Sharp (Danzero) and a half-sister to the dam of Group 3 scorer Recuperato (Farnan). In The Vanguard was covered last spring by Snitzel’s (Redoute’s Choice) Group 1-winning son Switzerland at Coolmore. Solid Gold (Savabeel) will be out to extend a streak while also breaking a drought as she strives to continue a strong run of serendipitous success for her Waikato Stud family as the lone filly in Saturday’s Queensland Derby (Gr 1, 2400m). The daughter of Savabeel (Zabeel) will try to become the sixth straight New Zealand-bred winner of the $1 million event, a trail of success in the last Australian derby of the season which - for the later-blooming Kiwi three-year-old - contrasts a barren record in the first, spring’s VRC Derby (Gr 1, 2500m). But on the flipside, Solid Gold will attempt to become the first filly in 16 years to take the Eagle Farm Classic. While six females have won in the past 39 editions of the race, the last to do so was 2010 winner Dariana (Redoute’s Choice), trained by the master Bart Cummings. Solid Gold - the full-sister to Waikato’s Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Major Beel - will also need to snap another bleak streak for her Cambridge trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood, who must be wondering which barrier god they forgot to put on their Christmas card list. The Cambridge trainers took their New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Road To Paris (Circus Maximus) to the Australian Derby and he drew gate ten of 13, running seventh. They also had She’s A Dealer (Ace High) at Randwick in the autumn and she pulled barrier 11 of 13, running fifth. James and Wellwood started Sweynesday (Sweynesse) at Gosford and Doomben recently and drew 11 of 11 (fifth) and 12 of 16 (11th). And now Solid Gold - who drew 13 of 16 for her Australian debut fifth in Doomben’s Rough Habit Plate (Gr 3, 2000m), has barrier 18 in the Queensland Derby, though she’ll come in four gates if all five emergencies are out. James and Wellwood can at least take inspiration from their previous Queensland Derby winner, the Cambridge Stud-owned Pinarello (Tavistock) in 2022. He was one of those five recent Kiwi victors along with Kukeracha (Night Of Thunder) the year before, and Kovalica (Ocean Park), Warmonger (War Decree) and Maison Louis (Super Seth) in the seasons since. Pinarello started from the widest gate of 17, but in a superb final flourish by Kiwi jockey Leith Innes in what he then announced was his last ride, the gelding was one off the fence in midfield even before the first turn. James isn’t sure where Tommy Berry, who retains the ride after Solid Gold’s eye-catching Rough Habit Plate run, will end up on the deep-chested filly, who raced just off the pace in her previous run when she became a stakes winner in Ellerslie’s Championship Stakes (Gr 3, 2100m). But though Thursday’s rain at Eagle Farm wasn’t on the stable’s wishlist, James said Solid Gold was in a peak state to tackle the boys in the Derby, after which a decision would be made on the “slight chance” of pursuing a Queensland... Fiorenza (Kingman) – who finished as top lot in the Inglis Digital May (Late) Online Sale that ended on Thursday – will be immediately retired and visit Arrowfield’s new stallion Lead Artist (Dubawi) this season after selling to the famed Hunter Valley nursery for $325,000. Fiorenza had initially passed in for Mark Towell’s GT Park Spelling Farm but a deal was finalised on Thursday evening that will see the five-year-old spend the next phase of her life in the paddocks of Arrowfield. “At the end of the day you’ve got to meet the market and they find their value and she’s found hers and we’re really happy,’’ Towell said. “ Harry has done an amazing job right the way through, he’s taken the reins with this not only today in working extremely hard to match her with a buyer but through the whole process to get the deal done. “Obviously being a high-profile lot you always want the best course of action to get the right result and Harry has done that very well, he’s been there for us the whole week since she was listed on Inglis Digital and we can’t be more grateful. ’’ Fiorenza won one and placed in a further two of her six starts and is a half-sister to the four-time Group 1 winner In Italian (Dubawi), a significant factor in Arrowfield’s decision to pursue and ultimately purchase the mare. “We were very happy to buy her, we liked the family and recognise its international appeal,’’ Arrowfield’s Jon Freyer said. “I’d seen the half-sister race in America a few times and held her in high regard so we were keen to get her. “She’s a mare we bought to go to Lead Artist, he’s obviously by Dubawi and she’s a Kingman mare and we think Kingman mares will suit him well. ’’ The sale's second-top lot was the Group 2-winning three-year-old colt West Of Swindon (Wootton Bassett), selling to Hong Kong-based Pure Bloodstock for $310,000. Offered by Ciaron Maher on behalf of the horse’s connections, West Of Swindon was the subject of “significant domestic and international interest’’ but will likely spend the next phase of his career in Hong Kong. Third-top lot was the broodmare Queen Ouija (Street Cry) in foal to Alabama Express (Redoute’s Choice), which sold to Ridgeport’s Santo Guagliardo for $120,000. Queen Ouija was offered by Rikki McDonald. In total the May (Late) Sale grossed $2,951,500. Entries for the Inglis Digital June (Early) Sale are now open and will remain so until midnight next Wednesday, June 3. Among the confirmed early entries is the Group 3 winner La Mexicana (I Am Invincible), who will be offered in foal to Too Darn Hot (Dubawi). The June (Early) Sale will run from June 5-10. To enter click here. Following the recent retirement of Antino, Redwood (High Chaparral) is in need of another headline horse and Westbury Stud’s quiet achiever may well have found one in the shape of Nightline, who rocketed into Queensland Oaks (Gr 1, 2200m) calculations with her eye-catching win in the Gold Coast Bracelet (Listed, 1800m). Nightline, a NZ$75,000 purchase at Book 2 of the 2024 NZB National Yearling Sale, put paid to her rivals in a mere matter of strides at the Gold Coast last Saturday and if she could follow-up with a repeat performance in The Roses (Gr 2, 2000m) in just under two weeks’ time, the filly would start at compressed odds in the staying classic at Eagle Farm in early June. A Group 1 victory has thus far eluded her co-trainers Tony and Maddysen Sears, who teamed up with respected bloodstock agents Paul Moroney and Catheryne Bruggeman at Karaka to acquire the first foal out of the unraced mare Decimal (El Roca) – whose half-brother Fontelina (Testa Rossa) was a multiple stakes winner for Anthony Cummins. Team Sears have come agonisingly close to sampling elite-level success, most notably through their iron horse Yellow Brick (The Mission) when he just failed to run down War Machine (Harry Angel) in last year’s Stradbroke Handicap (Gr 1, 1400m). But the family patriarch believes that Nightline – whose younger brother sold for $100,000 to Patrick Payne at Karaka this year – possesses both the credentials and constitution to end the stable’s drought and deliver a seventh Group 1 victory for her sire, who will stand at the Gerry Harvey-owned Westbury Stud for NZ$6,000 (plus GST) this season. “She was very good on Saturday and she’s already won over the Oaks distance in the Eagle Way at the start of the year, so the trip won’t worry her at all,” Tony Sears told ANZ News. “She’s also got great versatility in that she handles most conditions. She probably prefers getting her toe in the ground but it won’t bother her either way, most of the Redwoods seem to handle all conditions so she’s fairly typical of the breed in that respect. “The better horses go on anything, and she’s probably the best filly we’ve trained on what we’ve seen. Antino was a star for Redwood and this filly looks another standout, so hopefully she can be the horse to win a first Group 1 for us. ” Nightline currently shares $5 favouritism alongside recent Australasian Oaks (Gr 1, 2000m) heroine Panova (Trapeze Artist), who is bidding to become the first filly since the Chris Waller-trained Egg Tart (Sebring) in 2017 to achieve the rare Oaks double. At $26, Nightline’s stablemate Yellow Brick is less fancied to go one better in this year’s Stradbroke Handicap, which takes place on the Saturday after the Oaks; but having recently returned to action with a power-packed performance under Tommy Berry to justify favouritism in Rockhampton’s $1 million slot race The Archer (1300m), the six-year-old would appear to be improving with... The countdown to NZB’s 2026 National Weanling Sale is underway, with a high quality catalogue of 140 youngsters by New Zealand’s best stallions now available to view online at nzb. co. nz, with physical copies arriving in mailboxes soon. Set to be held on Thursday, June 25 at Karaka, the sale offers plenty of opportunities for both pinhookers and end users to secure commercial and racing stock, with the session a proven source of racetrack and investment success. Buyers will have the opportunity to secure progeny of established and emerging sires such as Savabeel (Zabeel), Proisir (Choisir), Super Seth (Dundeel), Sword Of State (Snitzel), Almanzor (Wootton Bassett), Ace High (High Chaparral), Per Incanto (Street Cry), and Satono Aladdin (Deep Impact) to name just a few. “The catalogue features the same commercial quality you would expect at the National Yearling Sale, which provides a fantastic opportunity for pinhookers and investors,” NZB bloodstock sales manager Kane Jones said. "There are a number of high-profile sires featured which is a huge drawcard, as well as a first glimpse of progeny by first-season sires Chaldean, Hilal, Mr Mozart and Paddington. “We’ve been supported by a number of leading vendors and top New Zealand breeders, with a rare chance to buy into Karaka-quality weanlings. ” All weanlings offered are eligible to be nominated for NZB’s lucrative Karaka Millions Series featuring the Karaka Millions 2YO (RL, 1200m) and the Karaka Millions 3YO (RL, 1600m). Weanlings entered in the sale will be available for inspections at the on-farm parades, due to take place in early June, and on-site at the Karaka Sales Centre, with NZB agents available to inspect on behalf of buyers. The schedule will be available soon. Jones also expects the catalogue to attract interest from across the Tasman, with plenty of Australians expected to be in town. “We expect all the local participants to be active, but I think with the dollar the way it is at the moment, we fully expect some Australians to make the trip over as well,” Jones told ANZ. “We have had some wonderful graduates come out of the sale and some really successful pinhook results as well, so I fully expect there will be some more great results come out of the sale this year and there is something for everybody. “I think we are really focused on the proven and emerging sires and I am really happy that all of the New Zealand first-season sires are represented in the catalogue, albeit a small but select offering. “It will give buyers a little taste of what is on offer, particularly looking ahead to 2027. I think 140 lots is a good number and enough to have plenty of people interested. ” View the 140-lot catalogue here. The catalogue can also be viewed on the Equineline app for iPads/tablets, or the Thoroughworks mobile app. Described by owner Trish Dunell as “my lovely girl”, South Australian Fillies Classic (Gr 3, 2546m) winner Fringes (Niagara) has another side to her. The evidence is the filly’s rugged determination from the 200-metre mark as favourite Cushioned (Ghaiyyaith) bore out, effectively closing the gate for Fringes. Instead of being halted, Fringes shouldered her way alongside the Godolphin filly and forged a way through. This put her off stride for a second or two but there was still a race to be won and she had two to pass. Showing true grit she knuckled down to catch the leader, Certainly Quiet (Dundeel), and put her head in front a stride off the line. “It wasn’t pretty, but we got the job done,” said rider Ben Melham. “It was a really good, tough effort by the filly. ” Fringes’ race career began with an unexpected 1400-metre win on debut at Otaki on Boxing Day. She won well that day with a bold and wide run from well back, prompting her connections to accept for the Desert Gold Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) in mid January but the filly had to be scratched on the morning of the race. Two weeks on was the Group 2 Lowland Stakes over 2100 metres and the step up in class was perhaps a little ambitious at just her second start, but she handled the extra distance, plugging away for ninth when the race was over. Her last race in New Zealand was a fair seventh over 1600 metres at Otaki before she was sent to Michael Hickmott in South Australia, her initial run from her new stable taking place at Morphettville over a too short 1400 metres. So too was the Clare Lindop Stakes (Listed, 1600m) – causing Hickmott to look elsewhere, settling on a mid-April 2200-metre Class 1 race at Balaklava, which she won comfortably, doing her best work late. This effort was reminiscent of her Otaki win, from back and wide, setting her up for the Fillies Classic, the distance of which allowed her to take up a handier spot in the running where, again, she was doing her best work late. It should be no surprise that Fringes would appreciate the 2500 metres. Her mum, Miss Jaydeejay, is a Golan (Spectrum) sister to a Victoria Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) winner in Kibbutz. Their half-sister, Miss Andrea (King’s Chapel), produced Riverton Cup (Listed, 2147m) winner Our Boy Ritchie (He’s Remarkable). Miss Jaydeejay’s grandam is Forn Vell (Air Trooper) whose Scandinavian race record included 15 wins up to 2800 metres. Forn Vell was successful in three Listed races. Dunell found Miss Jaydeejay at the NZB Karaka Mixed Sale in 2014. The mare was carrying her first foal. The busiest race and sales photographer in New Zealand, Dunell has been consistent in her praise and support for Niagara (Encosta De Lago). Miss Jaydeejay, herself a winner over 2200 metres, visited him six times for four foals. Fringes is her second last foal. Her last is an... There were six heats won by juveniles at the Rosehill trials on Monday, headed by $1. 5 million yearling purchase Attorney General (Snitzel). The Chris Waller-trained colt is yet to make his racecourse debut but was having his sixth trial start and scored his first win, beating stablemate Katoto (Wootton Bassett) by 1. 2 lengths under Jason Collett in a 1030-metre heat. Purchased by Tom Magnier out of Arrowfield at last year's Inglis Easter sale, Attorney General is the first foal out of the unraced Teofilo (Galileo) mare Subella, herself a granddaughter of Group 1 winner Zomaradah (Deploy) – the dam of champion sire Dubawi (Dubai Millennium). The Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained Like An Eagle (Home Affairs) ran out an impressive 3. 4 lengths winner of his 900-metre heat, defeating Baltusrol (Tiger Of Malay). A $220,000 Inglis Easter purchase for George Moore Bloodstock, Like An Eagle was bred and sold by Torryburn Stud, just like his sire Home Affairs (I Am Invincible). Like An Eagle is a half-brother to Group 1-placed $1. 4 million earner Payline (Shooting To Win) being out of the stakes-winning Casino Prince (Flying Spur) mare Slots. Written Tycoon (Iglesia) colt Crescent King took his trials record to two wins from as many starts, scoring by 0. 2 lengths over Many Peaks (Brutal) in a 900-metre event. Trained by Peter Snowden, Crescent King was bred by Yulong and purchased for $200,000 at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, before then being resold for $300,000 to Amy Feng when offered in the Kenmore Lodge draft at the Magic Millions Horses in Training Sale the same year. He is the first foal out of the winning mare True Moonlight (Not A Single Doubt), herself a three-quarter sister-in-blood to Group winners Gunnison (Not A Single Doubt) and Selenia (Not A Single Doubt). Other trial winners on the card were Lion Hunt (Palace Pier), Why So Hard (All Too Hard) and Dubious Express (Dubious). Laurel River – a Group 1-winning son of record breaking stallion Into Mischief (Harlan’s Holiday) – will shuttle to Woodside Park Stud in 2026. The Eddie Hirsch-owned Victoria-based farm has struck a deal to bring the former Juddmonte-owned Dubai World Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) winner to Australia from his northern hemisphere base at Japan’s Big Red Farm, presenting Australian breeders a rare chance to access Into Mischief bloodline through a world class champion racehorse. Born at Juddmonte Farms’ US base in Lexington, Kentucky, Laurel River campaigned successfully in the silks of the late Prince Khalid bin Abdullah. Predominantly a sprinter miler, Laurel River won six of his 11 starts and over US$7. 5 million (approx. AU$10,404,750) in prize money. His racing style reflects his pedigree: an explosive mix of Into Mischief speed and precocity with enough stamina to dominate the world’s best over 2000 metres. Laurel River’s career began in the Southern California barn of trainer Bob Baffert and his talent was evident early, breaking his maiden at his second start by four and a half lengths over 1300 metres before a second in the Lazaro Barrera Stakes (Gr 3, 6. 5f) at his third start. His subsequent US campaign culminated with a dominant victory in the Pat O’Brien Stakes (Gr 2, 7f) defeating elite-level winners American Theorem (American Pharoah), Speaker’s Corner (Street Sense), Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) and Get Her Number (Dialed In) and ultimately a switch to Dubai-based trainer Bhupat Seemar. Following a Group 3 romp in the Burj Nahaar (Gr 3, 1600m) at Meydan, Laurel River was tested beyond the mile for the first and only time in his career, resulting in his crowning moment; a record breaking, eight and a half-length victory in the US$12 million Dubai World Cup. Laurel River was subsequently named Longines World's Best Racehorse in 2024, with a World Thoroughbred Rating of 128, equal to City Of Troy (Justify) and above the likes of Via Sistina (Fastnet Rock) and Romantic Warrior (Acclamation). Woodside’s stallion nominations manager Mark Dodemaide is enthused to have a stallion of Laurel River’s calibre join the roster. “He was an outstanding racehorse, when you are rated 128 and equal best horse in the world, you are at the top of the tree,” he said. “I really encourage breeders to look at his Dubai World Cup win. He jumps from the outside barrier, goes to the front and then at the 800 metre mark, Tadhg O’Shea releases the brakes, kicks away and ends up winning by eight lengths. You have to have a super set of lungs to do that. It’s one of the best performances you will ever see on a racetrack. “He profiles like Street Cry. They both started their careers with half a dozen runs in Southern California before going to Dubai, they both won the Dubai World Cup at their tenth start and were forward, on speed horses. ”Whilst his racetrack credentials are undeniable, being a son of a super stallion was irresistible to Woodside. “He’s... It was only in 2024 that Blandford-based Riverstone Lodge burst onto the scene as the leading vendor by average (three or more sold) and median at the Inglis Classic Sale. Established in 2023 on the former Rothwell Park property, Riverstone were on debut as vendors that year and managed a top ten position on the leading vendor table and set the bar rather high for future sales, a standard they are proud to maintain. “We’re always improving, but I feel like we're pretty solid now,” said assistant manager Billy Brooks. “We’ve capacity for about 120 horses and can still maintain attention to detail and quality. ” It is that attention to detail that has served Billy and his partners Alex Kemp and Nick Taylor so well while establishing the new business. Whilst they’ve traversed the country selling at most yearling sales to best place their yearlings, the partnership returns to where it all began to offer their sole draft of three weanling colts. The trio by proven stallion, Toronado (High Chaparral), hot new-comer Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) and first-season Shinzo (Snitzel) are scheduled to go through in a ‘half hour of power’ for Riverstone Lodge on Tuesday afternoon, with Lot 126 the eye-catching colt by Toronado to start proceedings. “He’s flashy. I think he's been well noticed around the complex, for all the right reasons,” Billy noted of the Toronado ex Yangarra Rose (Zoustar) colt. Toronado needs no introduction adding his latest Australian stakes winner, Silvasista, as recently as Anzac Day and he has more stakes winners than any other sire in Hong Kong this season. However, it is the mare that has Billy excited. Yangarra Rose’s first foal is the brilliant 2YO Blandford Baron (Extreme Warrior) who won a metropolitan race early in October before taking on black type in the Inglis Banner (RL, 1000m) at Flemington. Needless to say the partnership is keen to see him return for his second prep. “This colt probably throws to the mare a little bit and she is doing the job. I really like him. He's a little sharp thing, quick and strong. He’s a good looking rooster. ” Nick and Billy will need to retain a presence at the back of the box shortly after the flashy Toronado leaves the ring, as they’ll be back in action offering Lot 136, a colt by sire of the moment, Home Affairs out of Zouflu (Zoustar). “He is a beauty,” Billy said with a mix of emotions, “We were really in two minds about offering him as a weanling, because we really liked him from the moment he was born, in fact we loved him, but, the sire been doing enormous with a Golden Slipper winner and everything lined up. ” As a general rule, everything gets offered off Riverstone Lodge which can be hard for vendors when they do like one, but Billy assures ANZ News he doesn’t play favourites. “We own the mare and think pretty highly of her, she’s back... Inspections for this week’s Inglis Australian Weanling Sale moved up a notch at Riverside Stables on Sunday with growing interest around the first foals of Shinzo (Coolmore), Ozzmosis (Newgate), Native Trail (Darley), King’s Gambit (Newgate) and Hawaii Five Oh (Vinery). Shinzo (Snitzel) ticks all the boxes as a Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m)-winning son of Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) and broodmare owners flocked to him in 2024. He was our most popular freshman that year and that’s been reflected in a quality selection of his youngsters by 11 different vendors over two sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday. Lot 43 is a Shinzo filly offered by Noorilim Park who’s a half-sister to Blue Diamond Preview (F) (Gr 3, 1000m) winner Miss Roseiano (Exceed And Excel) from the famed family of Eight Carat (Pieces Of Eight). “She’s a belter,” Noorilim’s Glen Garrick said. “A beautiful mover, lovely hip, shoulder and deep girth. One of the better fillies we bred last year. ” Lot 145 is a strongly built bay colt offered by Riverstone Lodge. He’s a Shinzo three-quarter brother to Group 2-winning sprinter Splintex (Snitzel) who is making a name as a leading first-crop sire in Western Australia this season. Lot 325 is a leggy filly offered by Alma Vale Thoroughbreds from imported stakes winner Josdesanimaux (Leroidesanimaux). “She’s a very good type and is a half-sister to multiple Hong Kong winner Amazing Kid,” Oscar Engelbrecht said. “We also have a Shinzo – Hell’s Fury filly (Lot 297) related to Every Rose. ” Lot 331 is a forward looking filly from Kela’s Turn (Kela) offered by Lime Country Thoroughbreds. “She‘s a cracker of a first foal,” Greg Griffin said. “Well-made and muscled with plenty of scope. Her dam is from the Mr Prospector sireline and she’s being sold on behalf of one of our breeding partnerships. ” Lot 412 is the sole Shinzo entry from Coolmore and he’s a well-grown first foal from My Xanadu, a Fastnet Rock (Danehill) half-sister to black-type winner He’s Heaven (Zoustar). Their dam Lights Of Heaven (Zabeel) won a South Australian Oaks (Gr 1, 2000m) and the latest stakes winner from the family is this year’s New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Road To Paris (Circus Maximus). Lot 443 is a big, strong colt offered by Tyreel Stud. He’s the second foal of stakes-winner Pacific Dragon (Charm Spirit) whose yearling filly by The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice) made $650,000 at the Gold Coast Magic Millions in January to the bid of James Harron, Michael Freedman and Tony Fung. “Pacific Dragon is a neat mare and Shinzo is a big boy bred for speed,” Tyreel owner Linda Monds explained. “He’s a lovely physical so that worked and he’s one of our standouts. ” Newgate has catalogued colts from Iamican (I Am Invincible) (Lot 310) and Miss Alacrity (Munnings) (Lot 383). “Shinzo is stamping his stock with the same physical presence,” Newgate’s Beirs Jackson said. “The Miss Alacrity colt is being offered as agent for Belinda Bateman and the dam’s... New Zealand import Wigmore (Sweynesse) has been in work on both sides of the Tasman for six months but that didn’t stop him motoring home for a narrow victory in the South Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) at Morphettville on Saturday. Wigmore was purchased by OTI director Terry Henderson from clients of trainer Caley Myers after finishing fourth to Road To Paris (Circus Maximus) in the New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) at Ellerslie in March. “Terry came up and told me he had 25 per cent left so I put a few mates in which makes this a massive result,” trainer Phillip Stokes said after the stable newcomer nailed VRC Oaks (Gr 1, 2500m) winner Strictly Business (Grunt) in a $41 blow-out for punters. Stokes was claiming back-to-back wins in the Classic following Femminile (Dundeel) who won with Lachie Neindorf aboard 12 months ago. Neindorf missed the ride this year but his dad Steve has a share in Wigmore. “We just brought him along slowly. He ran midfield first-up for us in the Chairman's Stakes on Anzac Day and did an amazing job to win today,” Stokes said. “He didn’t even need a jump-out being such a clean-winded horse. He’s done really well in the last week and he’s a natural stayer. Who knows? In time we could have a Melbourne Cup horse. “I’ve had a bit of luck with these types of horses like Daqiansweet Junior who was also from New Zealand. They can leave it on the track if you overtrain them. “We’re getting up there now with nine Group 1 wins but don’t ask me what we do with him next. There’s the Queensland Derby but I’m not sure if I want to go that way. ” Stand-in jockey Teo Nugent rode a perfect race on the Soft 7 surface in Adelaide. “He’s been trained to the minute and felt super when I was legged up,” the winning rider said. “He’s a typical Kiwi and I switched off the heels of Kaye Jay into the straight and was confident bringing him down the middle of the track. He was only getting warm in the final stages and it took me a while to pull up. "It's my second Group 1 and it’s been a few years between drinks but it's fitting to get one for Phil. I promised him when I was about 12 that I was going to be his apprentice. ” Wigmore's progression through sales rings, is almost as impressive as his rapid rise to become a Group 1 winner at just his eighth start. Originally offered online as a weanling in 2023 on Gavelhouse. com by Hallmark Stud, Wigmore was purchased by Ed Stapleton and Dylan Ralph of Ralph Thoroughbreds for just $1700. The pinhook paid dividends, with the colt being resold out of Book 2 of the 2024 NZB Karaka Sale for $25,000 to Wanganui trainer Kevin Myers. Entering the stable of Caley Myers, Wigmore didn’t take long to show potential, winning... The Roger James and Robert Wellwood stable were to the fore at Te Rapa on Saturday when progressive juveniles Excite (Wootton Bassett) and Incandescent (Per Incanto) produced a feature race quinella in the Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre Stakes (Listed, 1400m). Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj) colt Excite was backed into $2. 75 favouritism for the contest off the back of an excellent run for fourth in the Manawatu Sires’ Produce Sakes (Gr 1, 1400m) at Trentham, and although he was still a maiden after three races in his opening campaign, he was expected to open his winning account on the weekend. Rider George Rooke gave him the perfect run in the trail behind pacemakers Walkin In Memphis (Too Darn Hot) and Bourbon Time (Exceed And Excel) and it was obvious turning for home he had a lapful of horse if he could get a clear shot at the leaders. Excite shouldered his way into the clear at the 250 metres and pounced on the leading pair before easing a length clear as he hit the line full of running from his stablemate Incandescent, who had found clear air wider out and stormed into the runner-up position narrowly ahead of Bourbon Time and Walkin In Memphis, who both battled gamely after being headed. James hinted a possible Australian campaign could be in the offing for Excite, who looks to have plenty of untapped potential. “I think he is a pretty fair horse in the making as we rode him a little conservatively at his last start because he is still a horse in the making,” James said. “We found out we could trust him and George rode him an absolute treat today and he duly delivered. “The other horse was good too as he made ground late to grab second, so we have a couple of smart horses looking towards the spring. “We will see how they come through their runs but there is a nice race for Excite in a couple of weeks at Ellerslie and I think we could go there. “If he could string two wins together, we might even look at something offshore as he has improved all season and is coping with his racing very well. “I think he is a Guineas horse in the making. ” Rooke noted the horse had always been held in high regard but was only now beginning to learn his trade. “He has just been a lot greener than first anticipated when he first started running,” he said. “He is learning all the time and today he did everything right. He is going to improve, be better over a mile and better again next year. “He relaxed perfectly today and is very exciting. I think he could be a Group 1 horse. ” Raced by his breeder Colin Litt and his wife Helen, who also had their multiple Group 1 winning mare Orchestral (Savabeel) in the stable, Excite is out of the stakes winning Savabeel (Zabeel) mare Elate, who herself is a... Just days after being announced as the latest recruit to Yulong Stud’s NSW roster, Private Harry (Harry Angel) will get down to the business of building his first book in the Victory Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Eagle Farm this afternoon. Private Harry resumes after a spell at Camden and a stable transfer to Chris Waller but hasn’t missed a beat according to Darren Beadman. “He’s a colt but isn’t heavily-built and has blended into the Rosehill environment really well with all the quality horses in the yard,” Beadman said. “He’s suited to Chris and his style of training and has got plenty to offer. He’s fit and healthy so it’s full steam ahead. He was full of himself before his first trial at Warwick Farm a month ago but trimmed up nicely to win a Canterbury trial three weeks ago. ” He clocked 53. 35s for 900 metres under James McDonald and Waller sent him back to Canterbury for a 1000-metre exhibition gallop under regular jockey Ash Morgan last week. Private Harry moved from Newcastle to Sydney not long after Beadman arrived as Waller’s right-hand man at Rosehill. The champion jockey of his day had been an integral member of the Godolphin team for over a decade at Randwick. The unbeaten colt was transferred after Yulong owner Zheng Yuesheng outbid some Hunter Valley heavyweights to buy a 50 per cent share from Kurrinda Bloodstock in a deal believed to value the colt at $16 million. Private Harry had hit the ground running as a spring three-year-old, winning at Newcastle, Hawkesbury and Rosehill before another on-pace victory in the $3 million Magic Millions Sunlight Plate (1100m) in Queensland. He defeated Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon) in the Gold Coast slot race and then raised the bar to the elite level while maintaining his unbeaten record in last year’s The Galaxy (Gr 1, 1100m) at Rosehill. He stopped the clock in a sizzling 62. 67s, which was only a tick outside the long-standing course record (62. 51s) set by Westicaro (Westbridge) in 2007. A lacklustre prep last spring was limited to losses in The Shorts (Gr 2, 1100m) and ATC Premiere Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) before a vet exam revealed bone bruising in his near-foreleg. It also meant an immediate withdrawal from the $20 million The Everest (Gr 1, 1200m). Private Harry’s progress this prep indicates he’s over that setback and he goes into the Victory Stakes with dynamic first-up form highlighted in last year’s The Galaxy. He will also have a large ownership group converging on South East Queensland led by Kurrinda Bloodstock manager Sean Driver. “There are 20 in the syndicate and we bought him at the 2023 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale,” Driver recalled this week. “Harry Angel was a first-season sire here and we were a bit cautious but went ahead and got him for $115,000. ” The owners are on a good thing with Private Harry’s bank account about to... After some out of this world performances by Extragalactic (Deep Field), Trent Edmonds is hopeful his banner filly can give his solo training career lift-off as he ponders whether to throw the daughter of Deep Field (Northern Meteor) in at the deep end in The Goodwood (Gr 1, 1200m) on Saturday week. Extragalactic peeled off the fastest closing sectionals of the Morphettville meeting last Saturday when registering the first stakes placing of her nascent career in the Tobin Bronze Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m); and in light of how swiftly the three-year-old has recovered from her exertions Edmonds is leaning towards elevating his sights to Group 1 grade with the first horse he bought after branching out on his own. Her runner-up finish gave the filly ballot exemption into South Australia’s premier sprint race, and judging by the recent record of Tobin Bronze winners subsequently running in The Goodwood - Reserve Bank (Capitalist) and Royal Merchant (Merchant Navy) did the double in 2025 and 2023 respectively - Extragalactic would certainly not be out of her depth. Edmonds will leave the decision to the 11th hour, with the Pakenham-based horseman prepared to send his prized asset to the paddock should she show any sign of having come to the end of her prep; but if the filly continues to thrive and show her customary appetite for her work, he will happily roll the dice. “She’s been perfect and hasn’t left an oat in her feed bin since the run,” Edmonds told ANZ News. “She travelled back to Pakenham in great order and has been very fresh since she got back, so I really can’t fault her. It was her first trip away so you’re always a little bit concerned with how they’re going to handle it, but she’s got a lovely temperament and she took everything in her stride. “It was obviously a massive run in the Tobin Bronze, we gave away a huge lead at the top of the straight so she did an amazing job to finish less than a length behind a smart colt . The wide barrier played a big part so I would be pretty confident that if she’d drawn in and got a softer run, the result may well have been different. “But a top-three finish gets her into The Goodwood, so we’ll have to take a serious look at running her in the race. We nominated her on Monday morning and given how well she’s come through her run on Saturday, it’s definitely in the front of my mind now. We don’t have to make a decision right away but it’s either run her in The Goodwood or send her for a spell, and at this stage she’s shown me no indication that she needs a break. ” While Edmonds readily concedes his progress has been steady rather than spectacular since making the move from his native Queensland in early 2024, to saddle up a Group 1 runner just two years into his new venture... Vinery and Kia Ora Studs announced a consolidation of their stallion operations earlier this week and service fees for the new-look roster have been released with Ole Kirk (Written Tycoon) topping the nine residents in 2026. The two farms share a boundary fence in the Segenhoe Valley and an association that dates back over twenty years. The addition of Farnan (Not A Single Doubt), Captivant (Capitalist) and exciting new stallion Tropicus (Too Darn Hot) reinforces a roster that blends proven class, emerging talent and strong commercial appeal offering breeders an exciting mix of established sires and rising stars at every level of the market. Ole Kirk headlines the 2026 Vinery roster and continues to build one of the most exciting profiles in the country off the back of an Australian Champion First Season Sires premiership in 2024-25. He sired more first-crop stakes-winning two-year-olds than any of the past ten champion first season sires and now sits among the leading second season sires by stakes winners. His Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Ole Dancer heads an impressive 6. 5 per cent stakes winners to runners ratio. Ole Kirk will stand his sixth season at $110,000 (all fees inc GST), up from $99,000 in 2025. Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Farnan has wasted no time stamping himself as a leading force. He has already sired ten stakes horses, including seven two-year-old stakes horses led by Ninja, North England and King Of Pop. He was Australia’s leading First Season Sire by winners in 2025 and is currently co-leading the Second Season Sires table by winners alongside Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj), while also sitting second on earnings by just over $35,000. Profoundly, who was runner-up in the recent Australian Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m), demonstrates that, as well as his exceptional potency as a precocious speed influence, Farnan will also have versatility as a commercial sire. Vinery’s Adam White revealed the farm is thrilled to have him join the roster at $77,000. “With the announcement this week of the consolidation of the Kia Ora and Vinery rosters we are entering such an exciting time with our emerging roster of stallions,” White said. “Both Ole Kirk and Farnan continue to demonstrate they are two young stallions on the rise with both stallions covering their strongest books yet and are set to prove themselves as vital stallions to our industry going forward. ” Vinery’s cornerstone stallion All Too Hard continues to deliver at the highest level, boasting a standout juvenile season with Black Opal Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) winner Music Time who went on to run third in the Golden Slipper. And Hard Kick lived up to his name with an explosive debut victory in the Talindert Stakes (Listed, 1100m) at Flemington. A sire of tough, progressive and durable racehorses, All Too Hard has produced a Group 1 winner every season since 2019-20. His popularity surged again in 2025, covering 154 mares. That was his largest book since 2020, reflecting unwavering breeder confidence in his consistency... Highview Stud have announced the service fees for their quartet of stallions ahead of the 2026 breeding season, headlined by Group 1 sire Wrote (High Chaparral), who will again stand for a fee of $12,000 (all fees plus GST). A Group 1-winning son of High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells), Wrote is the sire of New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) heroine Pulchritudinous, who trained on to win the Magic Millions Mile (Gr 3, 1600m). In the past 12 months highlight progeny have included multiple Group winners Wrote To Arataki and Midnight Edition, as well as the Dennis Yip-trained Group 3 winner Fast Network, who has been Group 1 placed behind Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress) on multiple occasions. “He has had a Group winner in Hong Kong, New Zealand and Australia this season and you’ve got to remember he has done it off some smaller crops,” Highview Stud’s Brent Gillovic said. “His yearlings averaged $170,000 at the Karaka Yearling Sales and his winners-to-runners ratio is very high. “His stock are particularly popular in Hong Kong where he has had nine individual winners from 14 to the races. “We pondered whether to increase his fee, but given the state of the economy in Australasia, it is just a nice time to sit back and give breeders a chance. ” Barnmate Mr Mozart (Snitzel) has been well supported in his first two years at stud, with the multiple Group-winning son of Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) covering 91 and 82 mares respectively and will stand at $6,000. “Mr Mozart covered 173 mares in his first two seasons, so he gets every opportunity. Everybody's rapt with his first foals,” Gillovic said. “Kurtis and Dylan Ralph went around and inspected a good cross-section of foals by Mr Mozart. They were really impressed with the type he's left — good, strong, correct foals with fantastic temperaments. ” Associate stallions Divine Prophet (Choisir) and Santos (I Am Invincible) will both stand at $5,000, with Divine Prophet represented by Royal Ascot aspirant Generosity and Santos represented by in-form black-type sprinter Platinum Attack. The Hong Kong trainers’ championship continued a season of constant fluctuation as Mark Newnham reclaimed the lead in the battle for 2025/26 title honours from Caspar Fownes at Happy Valley on Wednesday night to crown a glorious month. Having saddled Invincible Ibis (Hellbent) to victory in the Hong Kong Derby (Listed, 2000m) in March, Newnham claimed his first Hong Kong Group 1 trophy with My Wish’s (Flying Artie) triumph in the Champions Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday. And with Armor Golden Eagle’s (Ace High) success in the Class 3 Jeju Handicap (1650m) under eight-time Hong Kong champion jockey Zac Purton, Newnham moved to 50 wins for the season and vaulted back to the top of the standings with more second placings than Fownes. Danny Shum (49) and David Hayes, who improved his tally to 48 with a double, are also pressing for championship honours along with Francis Lui (43) and John Size (41). Purton needs only 14 more wins to become the first jockey to post 2,000 victories in the city after scoring on Honest Witness (Written By), Giant Ballon (Mehmas) and Armor Golden Eagle, who collected a PP Bonus of HK$1. 5 million (approx. AU$267,870) after sweeping to a three-and-three-quarter length margin. “It was a good night, they help, nice way to finish,” the Australian said. “He drew the right gate , had the right run and he was quite soft on the line. He was a bit lost when he got there, but there’s more there. ” Triumphant after Ka Ying Rising’s (Shamexpress) Chairman’s Sprint Prize (Gr 1, 1200m) victory on Sunday, Hayes fired in a double to maintain hopes of a third Hong Kong trainers’ championship. He combined successfully with Harry Bentley for the 11th time this season with Dashing Maurison’s (Maurice) bold display in the Class 5 Daejon Handicap before Honest Witness strolled to a four-and-three-quarter length win in the third section of the Class 4 Yeongcheon Handicap (1200m) for Purton. Hayes applied blinkers for the first time to Dashing Maurison and the gear change produced the desired result. “I really felt this horse , if he concentrated, would be too good for the horses in Class 5. He definitely went through it , so if it rains in the back part of the season, it'll be good for us. I think he's probably got another win in him this season,” Hayes said. Douglas Whyte took training honours on the night with a treble with Find My Love (Frankel), Gameplayer Elite (Kentuckian) and Giant Ballon to move to 20 wins for the season. The 13-time Hong Kong champion jockey was delighted after Hong Kong International Sale graduate Giant Ballon collected an ISG Bonus of HK$1 million (approx. AU$178,580) for landing the Class 3 Busan Handicap (1200m). “We've only had five runners, three winners, a fourth. It's been a great night. The Valley has always been a special place for me, more so as a trainer than as a jockey. It's vibrant, tactical,... The greatest family of the late George Altomonte’s Corumbene Stud yielded more stakes success when Cilacap (Written Tycoon) lifted Saturday’s Queen Of The South Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) at Morphettville. Grahame Begg’s four-year-old took another step on her black type progression with her fighting 0. 3-length victory, which followed her Listed stakes breakthrough last February and a Group 3 success two starts later. The mare could be considered lucky to be alive at all, given her dam Falkenberg (More Than Ready) missed six times from her first eight covers, with Cilacap the result of the fifth. And thus her stakes wins make Cilacap an even more precious commodity than she already was, hailing as she does from the family that produced the jewel in the canny Altomonte’s breeding crown - Falkenberg’s Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m)-winning full-brother, Sebring. The mare is also the latest star from Written Tycoon’s highly successful nick with More Than Ready (Southern Halo). It’s yielded four stakes winners at 11 per cent of runners, but the stat grows an extra leg considering Cilacap is the only one of the four who’s not a Group 1 winner, the others being Coolangatta, Southport Tycoon and New Zealand’s Luna Rossa. Cilacap’s story began in 2004 when Altomonte bought the five-year-old mare Purespeed (Flying Spur), for $70,000 at the Inglis Broodmare Sale, via bloodstock agent Vin Cox. It was a shrewd purchase which was clearly based mostly on pedigree. Bred by Yarraman Park and associates, Purespeed had raced 17 times in the first three years of this century, for best returns of three third placings, from 1100 metres to 1550 metres. Yet she wasn’t hopeless, with those placings coming in Sydney, and with trainer Paul Perry - flying at the time with Choisir (Danehill Dancer) at his peak - considering her good enough for three tries in stakes grade. Those came in succession in the spring of 2001, and hinting at the stamina to come from some of Purespeed’s descendants, they involved middle distances. The best of the three was her sixth, beaten four lengths in the Spring Champion Stakes (Gr 1, 1800m) of 2001. Still, it was the type of race record that meant $70,000 was probably the upper limit, when Altomonte secured his Flying Spur (Danehill) mare. “George was looking to upgrade his stock,” Cox recalls, “and he was pretty active in the market, buying weanling fillies, yearling fillies, and mares. It was a good model, and he ended up with some very nice racehorses. “I reckon we bought half a dozen mares at that sale, and this one he knocked into shape really well, obviously, being the mother of a Golden Slipper winner who became a very good stallion in Sebring. “George was a very passionate pedigree guy and matings guy. Over a long period of time he bred some very prominent horses,” Cox added of Altomonte, the car sales baron who also bred Golden Slipper-winning filly and stakes producer Overreach (Exceed And Excel), and who died... 2 f Snitzel - Sweet Sherry by Bel Esprit O: Resolute Racing (Mgr: Miss C Stone), C T Chow, Carpe Diem (Mgr: K Lowe), Grant Bloodstock Pty Ltd (Mgr: S P Grant), Corringle Racing (Mgr: Mrs C S McNabb), S S Roth, Merriman Bloodstock (Mgr: W B Merriman), M J Murdoch, Mrs S C Murdoch, G A Crispe, S L Crispe & J Mouchacca B: Grant Bloodstock Pty Ltd T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott S: 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale V: Silverdale Farm P: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Racing / Kestrel Thoroughbreds / Resolute Bloodstock, $1,600,000 W: Kia Ora Bloodlines To Headlines Maiden Handicap, 1100m, April 27, Randwick-Kensington Blueblood filly Moscatel (Snitzel) got heads turning at Randwick-Kensington on Monday when she made an impressive winning debut in an 1100-metre maiden contest. Purchased for $1. 6 million by her trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott Racing, Kestrel Thoroughbreds, and John Stewart's Resolute Bloodstock, the juvenile daughter of Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) proved far too strong for her rivals as she defeated Sing Your Song (Snitzel) by 4. 4 lengths under Tim Clark. There was a further 0. 9 lengths back to Quarterback (Super Seth) in the nine-runner field. Adrian Bott signalled that a step up to stakes company could well be next for the filly. “There is a two-year-old fillies race at Scone that she might be well-suited to, the Listed Woodlands Stakes,” Bott said. “That’s the reason we wanted to be here today and that should give her enough time to get through to a race like that or, if not, we could look through to Queensland. ” Speaking on the filly's purchase at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Bott added: “We bought her as a nice precocious type, but she’s just needed that little bit of time and we’ve always been happy to be patient with her. “She’s got herself here on her own merits, and I’m sure there’s a lot of upside off the back of today. ” Running in the colours of Resolute Racing and partners, Moscatel is the fourth foal and second to race out of the Group 2-winning Bel Esprit (Royal Academy) mare Sweet Sherry, making her a half-sister to three-time stakes-winning filly Eneeza (Exceed And Excel). Having acquired the Hunter Valley’s Segenhoe Stud, Yulong have revealed that their two new stallion prospects, Devil Night (Extreme Choice) and Private Harry (Harry Angel), will stand on its inaugural New South Wales roster at the culmination of their racing careers this season – with the fees for both yet to be announced. A $1. 4 million Magic Millions Gold Coast yearling, Devil Night is by the outstanding subfertile sire Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) and secured his future at stud with a rousing success in the 2025 Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m), becoming the first two-year-old since his great grandsire Redoute’s Choice (Danehill) to win the Blue Diamond at only their second start. He returned at three to place at Group level on three further occasions, including a third placing in the William Reid Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) – showcasing his ability at weight-for-age level. His most recent start saw him run second behind The Everest (Gr 1, 1200m) runner-up and Surround Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) victor Tempted (Street Boss) in the Arrowfield 3YO Sprint (Gr 2, 1200m). “Brilliance, precocity, quality and temperament, all words I’d use to describe Devil Night,” John Hawkes, who trains Devil Night in partnership with his sons Michael and Wayne, said. “We’ve enjoyed training him, he’s so genuine and honest. Our job has been made easy when they are natural like this bloke. I really think he’ll make a very good stallion. ” Meanwhile, fellow newcomer Private Harry also heads to the barn with a Group 1 success, having landed the 2025 The Galaxy (Gr 1, 1100m) in the fastest time recorded this century, just 0. 16 seconds short of the Rosehill track record. Also a winner of the $3 million Magic Millions Sunlight (1100m), defeating Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon), the son of Harry Angel (Dark Angel) was unbeaten at three and is the first son of his sire to retire to stud. “These are two exceptional colts who bring different but equally valuable profiles to our roster,” Yulong’s chief operating officer, Sam Fairgray, said. “Devil Night is a Group 1-winning two-year-old who trained on to beat elite sprinters at weight-for-age, while Private Harry offers consistency at a high level, and some of the fastest sectionals we’ve seen in recent years. “The profile and commercial appeal of these two colts could further enhance in the coming weeks, with both looking to build on their records in Group 1’s later this Autumn. “Both are outstanding physical types with great minds, and they represent exactly what the market is demanding - speed, precocity, and the ability to perform at the highest level. ” Headlining Yulong’s inaugural NSW roster will be Alabama Express (Redoute’s Choice), who will stand at an unchanged fee of $66,000 (all fees inc GST). The son of champion sire Redoute’s Choice will be returning to the place of his upbringing, having been born and raised at Segenhoe’s neighbouring Arrowfield Stud. Alabama Express’ rise through... Yulong has announced the acquisition of Segenhoe Stud, marking a significant milestone in the company’s expansion into Australia’s premier thoroughbred breeding region, the Hunter Valley. This acquisition underlines Yulong’s long‑term commitment to the Australian bloodstock industry, joining their already fully established Victorian farm. Spanning 1,400 acres, Segenhoe Stud is widely regarded as one of the jewels of the Hunter Valley. The Segenhoe brand has amassed an excellent record of success since its inception in 1908, producing high-profile Group 1 winners such as Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) and Joliestar (Zoustar), alongside a large rollcall of stakes performers over the past decade. Its enduring reputation is built not only on results at the highest level both on the track and at auction, but also on more than a century of careful stewardship and breeding excellence. Set across fertile river flats complemented by undulating hills, Segenhoe’s pastures create an ideal natural environment for the growth and development of the thoroughbred. Every aspect of the farm has been thoughtfully designed and refined over time to support horses at all stages of their lifecycle, from foaling through to racetrack performance and beyond into their breeding careers. Kevin Maloney, chairman of Segenhoe Stud, said he was proud of the 18 Group 1 winners bred at the property over the past 15 years of ownership. “Segenhoe has been run as a family enterprise and the family is pleased to welcome Yulong as the new owners, particularly given the professional approach it has demonstrated with its other racing interests,” Maloney said. The farm will become Yulong’s first New South Wales‑based stallion operation, strengthening the company’s footprint in Australia and providing breeders with additional access to Yulong’s ever-growing roster. “Natural progression and expansion of our colt purchases, both as yearlings and racehorses, has led to us now focusing on developing a stallion facility in New South Wales” said Yulong’s chief operating officer, Sam Fairgray. “We have a beautiful property and facilities in Victoria, along with some regally bred bloodstock, and this operation will continue to remain a strong focus for us. Our stallion barn however filled very quickly so to expand the operation to both states was the next logical step in Yulong’s development. ” A comprehensive redevelopment of existing infrastructure at Segenhoe is planned which will include the construction of a new stallion barn and purpose‑built serving facilities capable of accommodating up to ten stallions. Yulong’s general manager, Jun Zhang, said: “This is not simply an expansion of our footprint, but a reflection of our confidence in the future of the Australian thoroughbred industry. “We believe Segenhoe provides an outstanding foundation to build a world-class stallion operation in New South Wales, and we are committed to investing in its people, its horses and its long-term success. ” Since Yulong’s inauguration, every Victorian stallion with runners has produced stakes winners and Group 1 level performers from their first crop, a trend Fairgray says the operation aims to continue on new pastures. “We plan to continue this trend... A Hunter Valley power play has been executed with news Kia Ora Stud’s stallions Farnan (Not A Single Doubt), Captivant (Capitalist) and exciting newcomer Tropicus (Too Darn Hot) will stand at Vinery Stud from this spring. The two neighbouring and deeply entwined farms announced the move on Wednesday, which means Vinery will stand a nine-stallion roster from 2026, with fees for this spring to be released on Friday. Almost three years in the making, the agreement brings together the two leading first season sires by key markers in Australia last season onto the same farm. Ole Kirk (Written Tycoon) - who topped that table by earnings and stakes winners - will be joined at Vinery by Farnan, who headed the list by winners and was second by black type victors. Farnan and Ole Kirk, both eight-year-olds looming up behind Australia’s ageing band of dominant stallions, are now sitting first and second respectively by winners on the Australian second season sires’ table. As of this spring, Farnan, Captivant and Tropicus will stand alongside Vinery’s incumbent six stallions Ole Kirk, All Too Hard (Casino Prince), Exceedance (Exceed And Excel), Hawaii Five Oh (I Am Invincible), Headwater (Exceed And Excel) and Star Turn (Star Witness). The two studs’ decision to combine rosters comes three years after the decision by Kia Ora owner, the late Ananda Krishnan, to buy a substantial stake in Vinery. Vinery general manager Adam White said the move would greatly enhance and streamline the two farms’ stallion operations and “made logical sense”, given both operations had almost the same ownership. “It’s great,” he told ANZ News. “Since Mr Krishnan, through Kia Ora, took a big stake in Vinery three years ago, it’s something that’s been discussed from time to time, without anything being finalised. “So to finally be consolidating the stallion rosters into the one farm, it’s an exciting time. “It strengthens the stallion roster. Having two farms owned by partly the same entity standing stallions next to each other actually diluted both rosters a bit. “By joining forces we’re able to compete with some of those farms who’ve got bigger rosters. “Plus Kia Ora have such an elite broodmare band, and always have had for the last 26 odd years since Mr Krishnan bought the farm. They’ll support our stallions like they always have, so it’s onwards and upwards. “Both farms are moving forward to make the most of the strength we’ve got under this roster now, and hopefully both farms can capitalise on it. ” In a statement, White added: “To think the two leading second season sires by individual winners, Farnan and Ole Kirk, are now on the one roster is very exciting for both operations. “The early success of Farnan, as well as breeding a prospect like Tropicus, is a testament to the quality and professionalism of the Kia Ora team. We are really looking forward to continuing to work closely with them to maximise the success of both farms and the stallion roster. ” Kia... A breeding right in boom first season sire Anamoe (Street Boss) topped the opening day of the Inglis Digital April (Late) Online Sale, selling to Bangaloe Stud’s Julia Ritchie for $450,000. While the April (Late) Sale will officially end on Thursday with the inaugural Australian Broodmare Sale Session, Wednesday's results provided a strong start to what is the first ever Inglis Digital auction to close out across multiple days. The Anamoe breeding right was offered by Aristia Park on behalf of John Guscic, who said: “Selling the Anamoe breeding right through Inglis Digital was a seamless process – their team was incredibly professional, proactive and supportive every step of the way. “I’m very grateful for their expertise and reach. To the new owner, I wish them the very best of luck. ’’ The purchase for Ritchie came 12 months to the day after she was the successful bidder in a Zoustar (Northern Meteor) share in the Inglis Digital April (Late) Sale, but this time it was a breeding right in Anamoe, whose yearlings sold up to $1. 1 million in his first crop to the sales this year. “I’ve been accruing a quality broodmare band over the past few years and as such I’m now accruing a quality bunch of stallion shares and breeding rights that work for my mares,’’ Ritchie said. “I was bidding away today in the regular increments and then I just had a mic drop moment and put in one bigger bid to try and speed up the process and it worked. “Anamoe has done such a good job early, he’s producing popular young horses and I’m sure they’ll shine on the track later this year and into the future so I wanted to get in early and be part of the Anamoe journey. ’’ In total, Wednesday's opening session of the April (Late) Sale grossed $1,738,050 at an 84 per cent clearance rate. Thursday’s Australian Broodmare Sale Session closes from 10am. Rich Hill Stud has announced the 2026 service fees for its four-strong roster of stallions, with Proisir (Choisir) once again leading the way with a service fee of $65,000 (all fees plus GST) – a $5,000 reduction on last year’s figure. Proisir added to his long list of Group 1 winners this season through Waitak and Legarto, the mighty mare who signed off her stellar career with back-to-back victories at racing’s highest level. “It has been another exceptional season for our stallions, who continue to deliver outstanding results for breeders both on the racetrack and in the sale ring,” said Rich Hill’s managing director, John Thompson. “We are proud to present a line-up of proven sires that have achieved success across all our major markets. ” Proisir’s racetrack success was also replicated in the ring, with his colt out of Ruqqaya (Van Nistelrooy) offered by Trelawney Stud at Karaka Book 1 selling for NZ$600,000. That price was subsequently eclipsed by his filly out of Zee Falls (Sacred Falls) at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, with Yarraman Park fetching $700,000 for her. Breeders supporting Proisir this year are well positioned for the future, with the well-bred progeny from his most recent crops set to hit the track. He had 52 yearlings catalogued in Karaka Book 1 in 2025 and 54 in 2026, alongside strong representation at both the Magic Millions and Inglis Easter. “These are significantly upgraded books in terms of pedigree compared to his earlier crops, and we are confident he will continue to build on what is already an outstanding stud record,” Thompson added. Proisir is ably supported on the roster by shuttler Satono Aladdin (Deep Impact), who returns to the farm in 2026 for an unchanged service fee of $45,000. The son of Deep Impact (Sunday Silence) has maintained an impressive strike-rate of 12. 4 per cent stakes winners to runners among his Australasian progeny. His yearling sales highlight in New Zealand came at Karaka Book 1, when his filly out of Avisto (Tavistock) offered by Curraghmore sold for NZ$500,000; while in Australia, another filly – this time from Widden Stud’s draft and out of Legramor (Commands) – realised $575,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. The highest price he recorded this season was at the 2025 Karaka Ready to Run Sale, when Riversley Park’s colt out of Shezdelicious (Atlante) was knocked down for NZ$675,000. “We expect Satono Aladdin’s profile to rise significantly over the coming racing seasons,” said Thompson. “He now has strong numbers of well-bred progeny, placed with many of Australasia’s leading stables. ” Dual Group 1 winner Ace High (High Chaparral) will stand at an unchanged $15,000. He has produced ten individual Australasian stakes performers, including Group 1 winner She’s A Dealer. Ace High’s progeny have also performed well in the sale ring and was represented by a top price of $380,000 at the 2025 Karaka Ready to Run Sale, where he averaged $171,000. With more limited representation at the yearling sales, he... Accidental Bid (Phoenix Of Spain) is a northern hemisphere three-year-old seeking to win Saturday’s South Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) with eerily similar plotlines to the first horse to achieve that remarkable feat, Russian Camelot (Camelot). Born in Ireland, the Danny O’Brien-trained Russian Camelot came to Australia and won his fourth start at Pakenham by seven lengths. The colt was then ridden by expat Irishman John Allen to his stunning 1. 9 length Derby win at Morphettville, after drawing an inside gate. Australian Bloodstock’s British-bred Accidental Bid also had his most recent run at Pakenham, and won by 7. 8 lengths. Allen was in the saddle and has also been booked for the Derby, where his colt has barrier two. Russian Camelot started a $2. 90 favourite in his 2020 Derby triumph, when he travelled wide but was still far too good, despite being six months younger than his Australian rival stayers. Accidental Bid is also favourite, at $3. Only problem is, he still needs to gain a run. The trouble with having only raced four times - the first two in England - and winning $50,247, is that despite all his exciting potential, Accidental Bid has only qualified as first emergency, outside the maximum 16-horse field for the $1 million Classic. Though favourite after winning both his Australian starts at Pakenham in a 1600-metre maiden and that Benchmark 62 romp over 2000 metres, the Ciaron Maher-trained colt fell just $8,526 short of the last horse who scraped into the 16, Phillip Stokes’ Wigmore (Sweynesse), who’s a $17 chance. Maher told ANZ News Accidental Bid would still make the trip from his Cranbourne base to Adelaide - an obvious choice given only one of the 16 horses needs to be scratched up until 7. 30am on race day for Accidental Bid to gain a run. And the master trainer is confident that like present day Widden Stud sire Russian Camelot in 2020, Accidental Bid can again prove the superiority of European over Australian staying blood, though a place in the starting field would be handy. “I think he’d give it a real shake,” Maher said. “From gate two you’d think he’d be up in the first half-dozen in the field. “Both of his wins here have been quite dominant and his work’s been very good and improving all the time. The step up in trip is only going to be a benefit to him. “It’d be ideal if they got a shower of rain, but even on top of the ground I’d still be reasonably confident. ” Forecasters give Morphettville a 60 per cent chance of rain on Saturday between noon and 6pm. Accidental Bid went into his Australian debut off the back of an eighth and a sixth in his two jump outs. But the stable’s confidence in him was reflected by the fact he jumped as $3. 20 favourite, and he won by 0. 75 lengths on a Soft 5 track in a field of ten. Second-up, he... Novara Park Stud has announced that Group 2 scorer The Foxes (Churchill) will join their stallion roster this season at an opening fee of NZ$10,000 (plus GST). Sired by dual 2,000 Guineas winner Churchill (Galileo), The Foxes displayed precocity as a two-year-old, winning twice over 1400 metres and 1600 metres, including a dominant success in the Royal Lodge Stakes (Gr 2, 7f), where he defeated subsequent Group 1 winner Dubai Mile (Roaring Lion). He has since forged a career as a multiple Group 2 winner, landing the time-honoured Dante Stakes (Gr 2, 1m 2. 5f), the Huxley Stakes (Gr 2, 1m 2. 5f), and a commanding victory in the Churchill Stakes (Listed, 1m 2f), where he defeated Dubai Honour (Pride Of Dubai), a multiple Group 1 winner in Australia, by an impressive three lengths. The Foxes produced a superb effort on his second-to-last start when finishing a close second to the nine-time Group 1 winner Rebel’s Romance (Dubawi) in the HH The Amir Trophy (Gr 3, 2300m) in Qatar, before signing off in style by winning the Huxley Stakes. He also produced elite Group 1 performances, finishing second in the Belmont Derby (Gr 1, 10f) and fifth in the Epsom Derby (Gr 1, 1m 4f). With total earnings exceeding £1. 2 million (approx. AU$2. 25 million), The Foxes combined blistering speed, tenacity, and genuine Classic stamina throughout his distinguished international campaign. “The Foxes is living proof that legendary blood still breeds true at the very highest level,” Muollo said. “He retires to stud with an outstanding race record that marks him as one of the most consistent and high-class middle-distance performers of his generation, having competed successfully in England, Ireland, North America, Hong Kong, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. “The Foxes was exceptionally consistent and won at Group or stakes level in every year of his racing career - delivering black-type success as a two-year-old, three-year-old, four-year-old, and five-year-old. If you can breed horses that can race over multiple seasons, that’s really going to keep the breeders interested as well as the buyers. ” The Foxes is out of Tanaghum (Darshaan), a Listed-placed winner that has produced 12 winners from 13 runners to date, including six Group/Graded stakes winners, headed by Matterhorn (Raven’s Pass). True to her genetic dominance, she has also produced the stakes-performed Zahoo (Nayef), who is the dam of multiple Group winners Marbaan (Oasis Dream) and Convergence (Cape Cross), while another daughter is the dam of six-time Group 1 winner Ribchester (Iffraaj). His second dam is Mehthaaf (Nureyev), a Champion 3YO Filly and Irish 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) winner, who is in turn the dam of Champion 3YO Najah (Nashwan) while his third dam Elle Seule (Exclusive Native) is a Group 2 winner and dam of July Cup (Gr 1, 6f) hero Elnadim (Danzig). “The Foxes is bred on the exact same Sadler’s Wells sire line over a Darshaan mare that produced the outstanding sire and sire-of-sires High Chaparral,” Muollo said. “Breeders will also love the depth... A total of 11 supplementary entries have been confirmed for next week’s Inglis Chairman’s Sale, taking the final catalogue to 115 lots. The supplementaries are headed by this season’s Reisling Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) winner Chayan (I Am Invincible), the dual Group-placed mare Vestas (Toronado) and two mares (Hazlebrook and Sizzlefly) in foal to Newgate's Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt). Other supplementaries include mares in foal to I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit), Harry Angel (Dark Angel) and Stay Inside (Extreme Choice), the Group-performed mare Brigidine Gal (Al Maher) and the three-year-old Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) filly Southern Heiress. They join what is a strong Chairman’s catalogue that also features The Goodwood (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Benedetta (Hellbent), triple Group 1 winner Provence (Savabeel), and millionaire mare Arabian Summer (Too Darn Hot) to name a few. Inglis Bloodstock sales manager Harry Bailey was excited about offering such an elite group of race fillies and mares to buyers. “Chairman’s has a higher percentage of the commercially appealing mares that will go to market in 2026 than ever before,’’ Bailey said. “The addition of Chayan to the catalogue is particularly significant because you just never see the best two-year-olds being sold at this stage of their career, and having two more mares in foal to Extreme Choice is also a huge opportunity for buyers to be able to access a stallion such as him. “Next Thursday night is going to be a lot of fun, there will be plenty of action both in and out of the sales ring and we can’t wait for what is hands down the most enjoyable sale anywhere in the world. ’’ The Chairman’s Sale will be held at Riverside Stables next Thursday evening, May 7, from 4pm. To view the Chairman’s Sale catalogue click here. Superstar shuttler Too Darn Hot (Dubawi) will once again headline Darley Australia's roster for 2026 as the top-class nursery revealed a 16-strong team across both Kelvinside and Northwood Park on Thursday. Having stood the 2025 breeding season for $275,000 (all fees inc GST), the son of Dubawi (Dubai Millennium) will remain at that fee for the new season. A three-time Group 1 winner on the track, and a Champion 2YO to boot, Too Darn Hot has made an exceptional start to life at stud. He has a higher Group winners-to-runners ratio than any stallion since Redoute’s Choice (Danehill), and has also produced a million-dollar yearling in each of his first four crops. From 157 Australian runners to date, Too Darn Hot has sired 102 winners with 16 of them coming at stakes level and ten at Group level, operating at a stakes winners-to-runners ratio of a whopping 10. 2 per cent - headed by elite-level winners Broadsiding (who also stands on the roster) and Tropicus. Also heading up the team at New South Wales' Kelvinside base is Anamoe (Street Boss), another top-class racehorse that has delivered in the sales ring and who is also unchanged from 2025 at $110,000. The son of Street Boss (Street Cry) has managed the best first crop average in history at the sales, with over 60 yearlings having been sold at an average of $400,000, led by a $1. 1 million top lot. Anamoe was a nine-time Group 1 winner on the track, leading to him being crowned Australian Horse of the Year in 2023. "We have a total of 16 stallions across both Kelvinside and Northwood Park, between them there are 43 Group 1 wins and 12 champion titles, so we are spoilt for riches in terms of the quality of stallion that we offer at Darley Australia," Darley Kelvinside's nominations manager Arvin Chadee told ANZ News. "The roster is a beautiful blend between exciting first-season sires, proven sires and then future champions. Our whole roster can serve any price point and it can serve any breeder demands or market requirements. " Other standout performers on the track that are now making headlines as excellent shuttle sires are Ghaiyyath (Dubawi) and Harry Angel (Dark Angel). Four-time Group 1 winner Ghaiyyath, who was crowned the World’s Best Racehorse of 2020, boasts an exceptional 11 per cent stakes winners-to-runners ratio from his first southern hemisphere crop, spearheaded by Australian Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) and Victoria Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) hero Observer, who joins his father on the Northwood Park roster this year after his retirement this week. Ghiayyath is returning to Darley Australia at a fee of $88,000 having last stood in 2024 at $27,500. Meanwhile Harry Angel, himself a dual elite-level winner on the track, will be returning for the eighth consecutive year at an increased fee of $88,000 (up from $66,000) following top-drawer performances from the likes of All-Star Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) hero Tom Kitten, War Machine and Angel Capital. “Our biggest advantage... Magic Millions has assembled a world-class catalogue featuring seven Group 1 winners and 111 black type performers for its 2026 National Broodmare Sale at the Gold Coast on Tuesday, May 26 and Wednesday, May 27. Day one of the sale will feature race fillies and maiden mares including 56 stakes horses headlined by Group 1 winners Captured By Love (Written Tycoon), Legarto (Proisir), Quintessa (Shamus Award) and Vibrant Sun (The Autumn Sun) as well as other top liners including O' Ole (Ole Kirk), Stretan Ruler (Wild Ruler), Memo (Capitalist), Storyville (Overshare), Super Smink (Super One), Sassy Boom (Spirit Of Boom), Snitzanova (Snitzel), Military Tycoon (Written Tycoon), Aviatress (Smart Missile), Lilac (Justify), My Lips Are Sealed (Ace High), Real Class (Vadamos), Icarian Dream (Blue Point) and Roll On High (Shamus Award). The broodmare section on day two features another 55 black type performers as well as proven Group producers and relations to present day stars and members of some of the world's most influential families. Among the mares catalogued on day two are in-foal Group winners such as Abbey Marie (Redoute’s Choice), Royal Merchant (Merchant Navy), Startantes (Star Turn), Amelita (Zousain), Bonvicini (Myboycharlie), Fashion Shoot (Savabeel), Impendabelle (Impending), Jennifer Lynette (Elusive Quality), Limestone (Helmet), Love You Lucy (Love Conquers All), Moonlight Maid (Puissance De Lune), Pedrena (Mossman), Seonee (Winning Rupert), Thalassophile (Not A Single Doubt), Turbo Miss (Sebring) and Vagrant (Pariah). Three mares believed in foal to world class strike-rate sire Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) will be well sought out as well as others covered by the likes of Anamoe (Street Boss), City Of Troy (Justify), Home Affairs (I Am Invincible), I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit), Ole Kirk (Written Tycoon), Stay Inside (Extreme Choice), The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice), Too Darn Hot (Dubawi) and Zoustar (Northern Meteor). "The quality in this year's National Broodmare Sale is incredible," Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch said. "On day one 40 per cent of catalogued lots are stakes winners or stakes placed - buyers are in for a treat. "As well as so many stars coming straight off the track or destined for more big race success, there's a cracking line up of broodmares with appealing pregnancies. "It's the most important breeding stock sale in the southern hemisphere and has been the sale that started the stories of racetrack superstars including Winx, Golden Sixty, Aeliana, Autumn Glow, Sunshine In Paris, Pierro, Zoustar, Stay Inside, Imperatriz and Nature Strip. " New Zealand mare Legarto is one of three Group 1 winners entered from across the Tasman and she is coming off victories at weight-for-age in the Herbie Dyke Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) at Te Rapa and Bonecrusher Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) at Ellerslie. Legarto will be offered by Attunga Stud (as agent). She was voted Champion NZ 3YO Filly in 2022-23 and Champion NZ Middle Distance Horse in 2023-24. Her 3YO title came after a one-off foray to Australia when Michael Dee booted her home to become the first New Zealand winner of... Preparing to embark on a David and Goliath challenge aboard Beauty Waves (Starspangledbanner) against Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress) in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize (Gr 1, 1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday, Alexis Badel slotted a double to claim his 300th Hong Kong win at Happy Valley on Wednesday night. The Frenchman closed the meeting in style with a running double aboard Me Tsui’s The Auspicious (Almanzor) and the Jamie Richards-trained Jubilant Winner (Capitalist) to reach the milestone. “It’s great. Eva, my wife, told me I was close to 300 but I didn’t realise how close I actually was, so I didn’t come to the races thinking I would achieve it tonight and I am very pleased that I had a double and, coming back from suspension, it’s always good to ride winners and I’m very happy,” Badel said. Badel will chase his third Chairman’s Sprint Prize success after triumphing in the race on Wellington (All Too Hard) in 2021 and 2022, but he is fully aware of the magnitude of the challenge he faces in attempting to defeat Ka Ying Rising. “Beauty Waves is a very nice horse, he’s got quality and he’s fighting against the top horses right now,” Badel said. “He ran a good race the other day and I am looking for another good run from him. ” The Auspicious continued an excellent season by claiming his fourth win for the campaign with victory in the Class 3 Oncidium Handicap (1800m). With only three runners behind him on the home turn, the Almanzor (Wootton Bassett) gelding powered down the centre of the track to slot his fifth career win. Registering his fourth win of the season, Jubilant Winner gave Richards a double with all-the-way success in the Class 3 Roselle Handicap (1200m). Ethan Brown made a flying start to his short-term Hong Kong stint when Shooting To Top (Shooting To Win) claimed the Class 4 Geranium Handicap (1650m) for Cody Mo, providing the Australian jockey breakthrough success at only his third ride in the city. “I’m over the moon,” Brown said. “Everything worked out really well. I was presented with a good horse, we found a good position and he was too strong in the finish. “It was great, it's obviously something we all strive to do – to get the opportunity is one thing, but to get a winner straight away is another thing. “It's a very quick and tight track, you have to be on your ‘A’ game, but I'm picking it up as I go and it was certainly a track I wanted to conquer. The atmosphere is great - it's a good atmosphere and good feeling. Hopefully we'll make plenty more. “The horse felt great, Cody had him nice and fit and he bounced well from the gates. We were able to get a good trailing position and had a very smooth run - Cody had him in perfect order and I was the benefactor. “I just wanted to get a winner early... 3 f Written Tycoon - Motown Lil, by Sebring O: P C Orton, G P Heffernan, H Roach, Healey Bloodstock (Mgr: D Healey), G R Glynn, Belsin Thoroughbreds, Allyn Pty Ltd (Mgr: A J Cox) & D E Smith B: Yulong Investments T: Team Hawkes S: 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale V: Yulong P: Vinery Stud Pty Limited, $300,000 W: Ladbrokes Mega Multi Maiden Plate, 1125m, April 22, Geelong Stakes-placed filly Marsept (Written Tycoon) broke her maiden at the fifth time of asking on Wednesday when running out an easy winner of an 1125-metre maiden as the long odds-on favourite. Sent off a $1. 30 shot having been Listed-placed as a juvenile and runner-up on her latest start over 1200 metres at Caulfield, the Team Hawkes-trained daughter of Written Tycoon (Iglesia) cruised to a 3. 3 lengths success over Varadero (Star Witness). “She’s a Saturday class filly, not a maidener, but it’s always good to get the maiden out of the way,” Wayne Hawkes, who trains in partnership with his brothers Michael and John, told Racing. com. “Nothing really went wrong , she just didn’t seem to come up. This time she’s just been going gangbusters. “Caulfield the other day, you’ve got a maiden trying to take on the more experienced horses, and it took a smart one to actually beat her. “That’s how you want $1. 30 pops to win... it was trackwork, to be honest. ” Winning rider Jye McNeil, who had ridden the filly to both her Listed placing and last-start runner-up finish, was also impressed with the effort. “I always thought she’d be very hard to beat, obviously, but she was very impressive today,” he said. “She was absolutely going absolutely airborne before Caulfield, and she’s probably improved since then. She absolutely toyed with them today. “You don’t see horses win like that very often now and she was completely dominant. ” Bred by Yulong, Marsept was purchased by Vinery Stud for $300,000 at the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale and is the only winner from three to race out of the Listed-placed Sebring (More Than Ready) mare Motown Lil. The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice) has taken the next step in his exhilarating evolution as a sire, with his coronation as Arrowfield Stud’s flagbearing stallion in the farm’s service fees for 2026. Boasting probably the best horse in the country in Autumn Glow and crack three-year-old Autumn Boy amongst his five Group 1 winners, The Autumn Sun will stand for a carefully chosen $137,500 (all fees inc GST). That’s more than double his mark from his past five standing seasons of $66,000, after his debut spring at $77,000. As the famed stud’s No. 1, the rising 11-year-old follows in the footsteps of previous greats of Arrowfield and of Australian breeding including Snitzel and his sire Redoute’s Choice, and the legendary Danehill (Danzig). Snitzel would have been the Hunter Valley farm’s top-priced stallion last spring at $247,500 but for his death in June, which hasn’t stopped him charging towards a fifth champion sire title this season. His demise left the $88,000 Dundeel (High Chaparral) as Arrowfield’s most expensive sire of 2025, with The Autumn Sun second. But now, after a slightly nervous start when it was eventually proven his stock would be better at three than two, The Autumn Sun gains a service fee ranking to underline his standing as one of the most exciting stallions in the land. He’s also more than double the price of Arrowfield’s No. 2 Dundeel, who drops to $66,000. Arrowfield chairman John Messara said The Autumn Sun’s fee increase was a reflection of “a special type of stallion”, and one the stud assessed as “as a very significant sire for this part of the world”. “This horse has left a very, very outstanding colt, probably the three-year-old colt of the season, in Autumn Boy, and a champion filly and mare in Autumn Glow,” Messara told ANZ News. “And then there’s all the other things he’s done before that. “He’s given us an insight into what he’s capable of doing. He’s likely to finish top three or four on the general sires table, with half the runners of those around him. ” With only four crops racing, The Autumn Sun sits third on that table, less than $24,000 behind reigning champion Zoustar (Northern Meteor). And this comes from only 164 runners compared with the 328 of Zoustar, the 252 of Snitzel, and the 286 of the fourth-placed I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit). In a telling statistic, among The Autumn Sun’s 11 stakes winners worldwide at 4. 68 per cent of runners, five have scored at the top level, with three-timer Autumn Glow and dual Guineas hero Autumn Boy sitting alongside Australian Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Autumn Angel, South Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) victor Coco Sun, and Australasian Oaks (Gr 1, 2000m) winner Vibrant Sun. “When he gets a good one he gets a proper one. He’s a special type of stallion,” Messara said. “If we look after him and mate him carefully, things can only head one way. “We’re not sure where he’ll finish... Per Incanto (Street Cry) will stand for an elevated service fee of $75,000 (plus GST) at Little Avondale Stud in 2026, with the $15,000 increase on last year’s figure reflective of his remarkable record both on the racetrack and in the sales ring. Given Per Incanto’s advancing age and his importance to Little Avondale, proprietor Sam Williams is keen to ensure the longevity of the farm’s flagbearer and so this year he will only serve a limited book of mares at the Masterton property alongside his son and fellow resident Little Brose, whose opening fee of $15,000 (plus GST) remains unchanged for his second season. After starting from humble beginnings with an introductory service fee of $4,000, Per Incanto has steadily risen through New Zealand’s stallion ranks and is now firmly established in the upper echelons, having produced nine individual Group 1 winners on both sides of the Tasman Sea. Jimmysstar became his sire’s most successful elite-level performer when he claimed his third Group 1 as the odds-on favourite in the C. F. Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield last spring, in the process taking his prize-money tally past the $8 million mark. Jimmysstar’s feats, allied to the remarkable consistency of his stakes-winning stablemate Gringotts, have helped Per Incanto climb into the top five of the Australian Sires’ Premiership, with Williams quick to point out that the rising 23-year-old boasts an unrivalled strike-rate among his peers. “Per Incanto is currently fifth on the Australian Sires’ Premiership and the only sire in the top 20 with a runner-to-winner percentage over 50 per cent,” said Williams, who operates the famed farm in partnership with his wife, Dame Catriona Williams. “Three-time Group 1 winner Jimmysstar has been his flagship performer, and he’s had five stakes winners this season and another five stakes placed. “He’s also had three individual black-type two-year-olds, Eurocanto won the first juvenile stakes race in Victoria when he claimed the Listed Maribyrnong Trial Stakes. In addition, Oak Lightning ran second in the Listed Redoute’s Choice Stakes and Spellbound was third in the Listed Challenge Stakes. ” Per Incanto’s sales returns in 2026 also make for impressive reading, with his five yearlings having averaged $371,000 at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale – highlighted by the $675,000 sale of his colt out of Bridgewater (Written Tycoon). Across the entire sales season, Per Incanto’s 32 yearlings averaged in excess of $165,000, giving breeders ample opportunity to make a significant profit on his service fee. Williams was rightly proud of those figures, and he also lauded the highly promising start Little Brose has made to his stud career. “Little Brose covered 140 mares last year and is super fertile with 129 of them in foal,” Williams said. “He was supported by the vast majority of all the leading breeders in New Zealand, so we couldn’t have been happier with the welcome he received and the quality of mares he attracted. “His Street Cry bloodline is dominant in Australia at the moment through Street Boss and... One of the great blue hens of modern breeding has come to the fore again with a first-time black type winner in Snitzel Dancer (Snitzel), who took out Saturday’s James H B Carr Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m) at Randwick. It was a stellar last day of the Randwick carnival for the late, great, general sires’ table leader Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) and his former trainer Gerald Ryan. The four-time - and likely soon to be five-time - champion sire had three stakes winners and Ryan trained two of them, back-to-back, with Snitzel Dancer’s victory followed by Matias’s in the Frank Packer Plate (Gr 3, 2000m). Fireball finished Snitzel’s hat-trick by becoming his 28th elite winner in the Champagne Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m). Ryan, who these days trains with Sterling Alexiou, has prospered from many trips back to his old sprinter’s well. He’s had 17 stakes winners by Snitzel - whom he trained to six stakes successes from 2004-06 including Caulfield’s Oakleigh Plate (Gr 1, 1100m) - and he and his co-trainer have been rewarded for paying $425,000 for Snitzel Dancer at Inglis Easter in 2024. The Hunter Valley’s progressive Sledmere Stud bred the filly, having bought her dam Novel Dancer (Written Tycoon) off the track, in a private deal helped along by bloodstock agent Sheamus Mills. Trained by Shea Eden, who’d bought her as a yearling for $50,000, Novel Dancer made an explosive start, winning at Echuca by six lengths on debut, claiming a Mornington two-year-old fillies’ handicap by 3. 75 lengths, and earning black type when third in Caulfield’s Quezette Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) at start three. After that her form tapered off as she finished no better than sixth in six more tries before connections opted to sell. However, that didn’t deter Sledmere’s Catriona and Royston Murphy, who swiftly secured the mare. “I love a Written Tycoon mare,” Catriona tells It’s In The Blood of Yulong’s evergreen stallion, who’s had 13 stakes winners as a broodmare sire at 3. 69 per cent of runners. “Written Tycoon mares are just beautifully balanced mares, they throw good types, and being an outcross mare that was what we were looking for. It’s so hard to find them. There’s a lot of Danehill in our industry, and a lot of Redoute’s Choice mares, Fastnet Rock mares, Exceed And Excel mares, all by Danehill. “So to find an outcross mare was a big tick for Novel Dancer. “The fact her form had dropped off a bit didn’t put us off. She’d done what she could do and that was good enough for what we were looking for. Any black type is a positive. ” There was one other major drawcard. Well, two in fact. Novel Dancer came with a double-up of the great, highly influential American 1960s mare Best In Show (Traffic Judge). The dam of nine winners from 12 runners, including four stakes victors, her blood runs strongly into Written Tycoon’s (Iglesia) sireline, as the second dam of his third sire Try My... White Robe Lodge stallions Alflaila (Dark Angel) and Ancient Spirit (Invincible Spirit) have both been announced to be standing at $7,000 (plus GST) this breeding season. Alflaila heads into his second season at White Robe Lodge after a strong debut year, where the multiple Group 2 winner proved popular with breeders, covering 110 mares. He represents the first influence of the outstanding Dark Angel (Acclamation) sire-line to stand in New Zealand, offering breeders access to one of Europe’s most in-demand bloodlines. “We were overwhelmed by the first-year support of Alflaila. It’s the biggest book we've had for a stallion in 15 years,” White Robe Lodge’s Jack Stewart said. “Breeders from all around the country have sent mares and a lot of those mares have been booked in again this year. “We encourage anyone who's in the area to come out and have a look at him as he’s a stunning type and if the foals look anything like he does, then breeders won’t be disappointed. ” While the first foals of Alflaila are keenly anticipated this spring, associate sire Ancient Spirit has made a promising start to his stud career, with his eldest progeny three-year-olds. Stakes winner Bobby McGee headlines his early runners, while Golden Spirit has also gained black-type, and the young stallion was represented by impressive debut winner Arwen. The well-bred son of Invincible Spirit (Green Desert) was also represented by emerging staying filly Fly Zenno, who has shown her quality in strong company, including a solid fourth in the David & Karyn Ellis Fillies Classic (Gr 2, 2100m) at Te Rapa behind subsequent dual Group 1 winner Ohope Wins (Ocean Park). “We always thought they'd be horses that would get better with time, and they’re certainly showing a bit now,” Stewart said. “The word from the trainers is positive that they will continue to progress into strong staying types. “We've got plenty of them here ourselves, both on the farm and in the racing stable . He’s on the right trajectory and there is plenty of interest in them as trade horses to Australia, given their ability to get out over a bit of ground. ” 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. 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. “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. “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,... Darling View Thoroughbreds has set the bar high in signing Group 1-winning sprinter Royal Patronage (Wootton Bassett) to stand on their roster for 2026, entering at an introductory fee of $16,500 (inc GST). All purpose and widely travelled, Royal Patronage was straight into stride during a very successful juvenile campaign in England and he also banked a valuable purse in the bluegrass of Kentucky before transferring to Australia to claim some big scalps in the Canterbury Stakes (Gr 1, 1300m) at Randwick last year. “I had been keeping a close eye on him since he defeated Amelia’s Jewel in the Tramway Stakes about 18 months ago,” Darling View manager Brent Atwell recalled on Tuesday morning. “She was flying back then and he was first-up in Australia after a long spell. I thought he would be a perfect fit for WA. ” Royal Patronage had been sent to Australia to be trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott and Atwell kept in touch while following his journey out here. He was placed behind Ceolwulf (Tavistock) and Tom Kitten (Harry Angel) in the Epsom Handicap (Gr 1, 1600m) at Randwick and returned for a successful elite-level victory in the Canterbury Stakes. “That was obviously a game-changer and then he had no luck in the Doncaster Mile,” Atwell said. “That was arguably his best run in Australia. He was caught three and four wide without cover and was only beaten a lip by Stefi Magnetica. “I didn’t like our chances of buying a Group 1 winner of that calibre especially after his sire Wootten Basset died, but we were able to clinch a stud deal earlier this month. He’s having a break at The Oaks and will fly over in May. ” Royal Patronage was bred by Dr Emma Capon from an Aga Khan family with a pedigree page wrapped around the Sir Michael Stoute-trained English and Irish Derby (Gr 1, 1m 4f) winner Shahrastani (Nijinsky). He was sent to Mark Johnston’s yard in the racing hub of Middleham in Yorkshire and broke through in an Epsom nursery prior to making all the running in a highly regarded renewal of the 2021 Acomb Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m) at York. “He ran extra well second time out at Sandown and then showed us what we always thought of him at Epsom,” Johnson said after winning the Acomb for a fifth time. “Horses who win the Acomb are usually Group 1 horses and hopefully Royal Patronage is one, too. ” Raced by Highclere Thoroughbreds, the next stop for Royal Patronage in an outstanding two-year-old campaign was another front-running victory in the Royal Lodge Stakes (Gr 2, 1m). He bowled along for Jason Hart until William Buick challenged on favourite Coroebus (Dubawi), with the latter pair looking home before Royal Patronage found another gear meeting the rising ground at Newmarket. He ranged back up and grabbed the Godolphin colt in the final strides to score by a neck. Coroebus would then frank the form the following... With a pair of Darling View Thoroughbreds graduates contesting The Quokka (1200m) alongside another leading contender sired by the farm’s resident Playing God (Blackfriars), Saturday’s $5 million contest at Ascot represents the perfect opportunity for the Atwell family to showcase the premium quality of stock they consistently produce. In a wide-open renewal of The Quokka, the Darling View-bred duo of Luana Miss (Bivouac) and West Star (Playing God) both appear capable of repelling the annual eastern seaboard raid on Western Australia’s most lucrative; and the local brigade is further bolstered by the presence of another speedy son of Playing God in Rope Them In, who bids to build on his last-start Roma Cup (Gr 3, 1100m) success. The talented trio all tuned up for their tilt at the lucrative slot race in the Roma Cup, and while the spoils ultimately went the way of Rope Them In – who registered an eighth stakes success for Playing God this season – both Luana Miss and West Star were placed in the forgive file after encountering serious traffic in the home straight. Victory for any one of the three would represent a seismic result for the farm although stud manager Brent Atwell, who followed his father Clive and mother Trish into the family business, openly confesses a slight leaning towards Luana Miss – not least as Darling View retained a share in the Trevor Andrews-trained filly. The market also agrees, with Luana Miss on the fourth line of betting at $8. 50 while Rope Them In and West Star have both drifted from their respective opening quotes of $17 and $26 as punters home in on the chances of interstate raiders Jigsaw (Manhattan Rain) and Caballus (I Am Invincible). Atwell readily concedes that, given their spate of success in the Group 1 arena, the pair thoroughly merit their status as joint favourites but he is equally adamant the locals are no forlorn hope, and is growing in confidence that Luana Miss can become the first filly to win the race – provided she finds clear running room. “Luana Miss has that point-to-point speed which only the really good ones have,” Atwell told ANZ News. “Not a lot of horses have that type of speed, but if you want to be at the top end of the scale in the sprinting ranks, you really need it. Trevor has done an amazing job with her, she’s really matured into a more professional racehorse because she was quite highly-strung in the early days. “I like a filly with attitude, but I was slightly concerned that might be her undoing. She did have some moments in her two-year-old campaign when she got a little overwhelmed, but Trevor has put a lot of work into her and we’re seeing the benefits of that. “Unfortunately with her racing pattern we will see a lot of hard-luck stories with her, as was the case in the Roma Cup. In her last six starts I think she’s been mentioned in... Rejuvenated Melbourne sprinter Jigsaw (Manhattan Rain) has drawn the outside barrier for the $5 million The Quokka (1200m) at Ascot on Saturday, but Cranbourne trainer Cindy Alderson is confident he can redress a controversial race result in the west 40 years ago. Cindy’s father Colin Alderson sent Puckle Harbour (Palm Beach) and jockey Harry White across the Nullabor for the 1987 Perth Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) only to see them streeted by local stayer Rocket Racer (Balmerino) who was raced by controversial owner Laurie Connell. Rocket Racer returned to scale noticeably distressed and near collapse before being manhandled out of the enclosure by several attendants. The result took on a more sinister tone and would be forever tainted when another Connell-owned winner tested positive to etorphine. Alderson vowed never to send another horse to the ‘Wild West’ but the notorious WA Inc scandals of the 1980s are long gone and Cindy was in a buoyant mood despite drawing the visitors’ gate of 13 at Breakfast With The Stars on Tuesday. "He’s won six in a row and has jumped from wide barriers in the last four of them," Alderson said. “We’re just hoping he's good enough to make it seven! "It's really exciting to be in a slot race like The Quokka. I wasn't expecting this to happen at this stage of his life or mine. I'm so grateful to everyone who has helped make it happen. ” In a wide-open market, Jigsaw is currently a $4. 40 narrow favourite ahead of Rey Magnerio (Magnus) at $4. 60 and Caballus (I Am Invincible) at $5. Caballus is trained by Bjorn Baker for a Darby Racing syndicate and they won the first two editions of The Quokka in 2023-24 with Overpass (Vancouver). Local sprinter Jokers Grin (Maschino) scored a popular win for veteran conditioner Bernie Miller last year and Luana Miss (Bivouac) is best-priced among the home defence at $10 for trainer Trevor Andrews. Ladbrokes secured Jokers Grin for their slot in the 2025 The Quokka and they’re on a running double with Jigsaw. “We’re thrilled to partner with Ladbrokes,” Alderson said. “They are great supporters of racing and we are proud that Jigsaw can fly the flag. “It’s a long journey to Perth but Jigsaw has never given us a reason not to take up the challenge. He has a remarkable will to win and The Quokka gives us an incredible opportunity. ” Ladbrokes commercial manager Dean Elliott said Alderson has done an incredible job with Jigsaw. “He’s a seven-year-old gelding who continues to compete at the top level. We were keen to secure him and couldn’t be happier to partner with Cindy to keep the fairytale going. ” Some are calling it a ‘Cindy-rella’ story. Jigsaw was bred by Cindy’s mother Lynne and is raced in partnership with Marcus Price. He hit the ground running as a summer two-year-old, winning on debut at Geelong before a third placing behind General Beau (Brazen Beau) and Anamoe (Street Boss) in the... Recently retired Group race winner and Group 1 placegetter Admiration Express (My Admiration) will be offered by Jason Miller Racing during the Magic Millions Digital (17-22 April) Sale, which is now open for bidding. The grey mare was a triple stakes winner, headlined by victories in the WA Champion Fillies Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) and the Strickland Stakes (Gr 3, 2000m). She also ran just over half-a-length from recent Australian Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) winner Light Infantry Man (Fast Company) in the Northerly Stakes (Gr 1, 1800m). Admiration Express is one of seven winners from seven to race out of her dam Comme Ci (Verglas), meaning she is a half-sister to fellow stakes placegetters Fred Dag (Patronize) and Janaura (Safeguard). The remainder of the catalogue also features entries from Arrowfield Training Centre, Attunga Stud, Baramul Stud, Eureka Stud, Fernie Racing, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Group One Thoroughbreds, Jack Bruce Racing, Newhaven Park, Portelli Racing, Segenhoe Stud, Silverdale Farm, Steve Wolfe Racing, Stokes Racing and Yarraman Park. Yarraman Park offer four mares unreserved – all are either stakes performers in their own right or have produced stakes horses – headlined by Set To Unleash (Reset), the dam of Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) winner Houtzen (I Am Invincible). Other exciting racing prospects include stakes performed three-year-old filly Fierce ‘N Fabulous (Fierce Impact), multiple city winner Hostile Talk (War Chant), stakes-placed Let’sdeal (Dundeel), last-start winners Inca Trail (Menari) and Bifurcation (Pariah) as well as maiden mare Stormy Malice (Ilovethiscity) – who is a half-sister to recent Vinery Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) placegetter Salty Pearl (Tagaloa). Seven yearlings also feature in the catalogue – by sires including Stay Inside (Extreme Choice), Spirit Of Boom (Sequalo), Shamus Award (Snitzel) and Cool Aza Beel (Savabeel). Attunga Stud offers a Hellbent (I Am Invincible) weanling who is the first foal out of a half-sister to Group 1-placed Eckstein (I Am Invincible). Bidding is now open and will begin closing from 12pm (AEST) on Wednesday, April 22. To view the catalogue, please click here. The Inglis HTBA Yearling Sale this Sunday provides a proven opportunity to buy bargain-priced colts and fillies now that the big players have already done their shopping at the majors. While inspections began building at Riverside Stables on Thursday, Inglis Bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch was guarded about making predictions but was positive the 215-lot catalogue will continue the strong competition that has been a feature of the Inglis Yearling Sales Series this year. “The prize-money they win will dramatically outweigh the cost on Sunday,” Hutch said. “The HTBA Sale gives everyone access to commercial yearlings, whether they are looking for horses to breeze in the spring, trial and trade, or just race for our tremendous prize-money in Australia. “We have a broad cross-section of stallions and vendors represented in the catalogue. That’s pleasing and so is the fact that part of the commissions help the important work being done by the Hunter Thoroughbred Breeders' Association. ” The 2025 HTBA Yearling Sale grossed $4. 55 million at an average of $21,900 off an 83 per cent clearance rate. That was an across-the-board increase in all three statistics from 2024 ($3. 03 million - $18,700 - 80 per cent). A similar rise will be welcomed by the industry at a time when the economy is facing significant headwinds. Established Hunter Valley studs Vinery, Widden, Newgate, Segenhoe, Amarina and Kingstar are represented and so are relative newcomers like Scone-based Forge Thoroughbreds. Vinery Stud has a draft of 18 and they’re straight out of the blocks with an Exceedance (Exceed And Excel) colt catalogued as Lot 2, who is out of the placed Aga Khan-bred mare Sagamiyna (Azamour) – herself a half-sister to French Group 1 winner Sagawara (Shamardal). Exceedance sired his sixth stakes winner last month when Cristal Clear scored first-up in the Ajax Stakes (Gr 2, 1500m) at Rosehill for Group One Thoroughbreds and Annabel and Rob Archibald. Her half-sister Sass Appeal (So You Think) was a black-type winner of the Kewney Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) and their second dam Bollinger (Dehere) was successful in the 2003 Coolmore Classic (Gr 1, 1500m). Exceedance also improved his two-year-old strike-rate last month with She's Extra (ATC All Too Hard Hcp) at Warwick Farm for Kris Lees and Hard To Exceed (BRC Maiden Plate) at Doomben for Peter Robl. The consignment finishes with colts by Hellbent (I Am Invincible), Supido (Sebring) and Headwater (Exceed And Excel) and Vinery’s Harry Roach believes it will pay buyers to keep some of their powder dry until the last hour of trade. The Hellbent colt (Lot 194) out of unraced mare Play Suit (Al Maher) is from a black-type family going back to South Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) winner English Wonder (Twig Moss) and her two Group 1-winning foals Dr Grace (Sir Tristram) (AJC Derby) and Asia (Danehill) (SAJC Oaks). “He’s one of the standouts,” Roach said. “He’s a sharp, quality individual and could attract the Hong Kong trade. ” Hellbent is going great guns in Hong Kong... Australian buyers were once again active at the Tattersalls Craven Sale, securing three lots from the premier breeze-up sale. Leading the trio was Lot 179, a colt by Justify (Scat Daddy) out of Elitiste (Danehill Dancer), purchased for 220,000gns (approx. AU$436,250) by a partnership which included Blandford Bloodstock, Matt Houldsworth, First Light Racing and Gollan Racing. The colt was offered by C. F. Bloodstock and shapes as a high-end acquisition for the group. In a statement on X, First Light Racing confirmed that they plan to target Royal Ascot with the colt given he is eligible for both the Windsor Castle Stakes (Listed, 5f) on the Wednesday and the Chesham Stakes (Listed, 7f) on the Thursday of the royal meeting. Lot 149, a colt by Starspangledbanner (Choisir) out of Best Of My Love (Canford Cliffs), was secured for 70,000gns (approx. AU$138,800) by Glenstar Bloodstock and Shane McGrath Bloodstock. Consigned by Lynn Lodge Stud, McGrath was delighted to go home with the one that was their top pick of the sale. “We looked at plenty of colts here that we felt suited our Hong Kong model and he was the one we really honed in on,” McGrath said. “We have had a lot of luck with Starspangledbanner down in Australia and he reminded me particularly of a horse called Star Patrol who has won a couple of Group 2’s for us. A big, fast, sprinting horse himself, he is a February foal, he is well presented and I thought he breezed very well. ” McGrath also thanked the Tattersalls team for their hospitality: “Ben and all the crew here have looked after us and we will be back again. ” Also knocked down to the Australian contingent was Lot 150, a filly by Kodiac (Danehill) out of Beychella (Scat Daddy), who was secured for 72,000gns (approx. AU$142,770) by Henry Dwyer Racing, Nick Bauer and Montana Stewart. The filly was consigned by Ellie Whittaker of EMW Equine and this was not Dwyer’s first dealing with the Suffolk-based operation, as Ellie and her team pre-trained Asfoora (Flying Artie) for her Royal Ascot campaigns. Dwyer told Tattersalls: “If we are going to be here and have one horse here, we may as well have a few. Lemos De Souza is looking after them for us and I look forward to getting this filly to the races. You never know, she might end up at Royal Ascot too. “She was prepped up by Ellie Whittaker who runs her pre-training operation there at Long Holes, has always said this filly she really likes and she feels it’s a superior two-year-old, she thinks it’s ready to go straight to the races and she sort of gave me a call and said you should have a look at her. “Kodiac is a stallion I really like. He is by Danehill, so they work really well in Australia. So certainly the idea is to have her race here but she will end up in Australia at some stage. “She... Preparing to bid for a record fourth QEII Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) victory with Romantic Warrior (Acclamation) at Sha Tin next week, Danny Shum vaulted into third place in the Hong Kong trainers’ championship with a treble at Happy Valley on Wednesday night. Shum struck with Always My Folks (Capitalist) under Zac Purton in the Class 5 Celebrating 50 Years Of The HK Sevens Handicap (1000m), Hugh Bowman aboard Fantastic Fun (Justify) in the Class 4 Winning Try Handicap (1650m) and Harmony Galaxy (Courtier) in the Class 4 Successful Conversion Handicap (1800m) for Brenton Avdulla to enhance hopes of a maiden trainers’ title. Shum took his tally for the season to 45 wins to trail only Mark Newnham (48) and Caspar Fownes (48) after leapfrogging David Hayes (44) but concedes he has a significant challenge to secure the championship. “Hopefully I can keep going, it's been a good period. I don't have that many good Sha Tin horses so it will be hard but I will try my best,” said Shum, as he hailed Avdulla’s ride on Harmony Galaxy. “He ran a really good race, but it was a world-class performance by Brenton. He loves this track and distance. ” Hayes maintained hopes of a third trainers’ title with double in tandem with Harry Bentley - World Hero (Written Tycoon) in the Class 4 One City Two Passions Handicap (1200m) and All Round Winner (Divine Prophet) in the Class 3 Scrum Half Handicap (1650m). Hayes was impressed with Bentley’s displays. “He’s riding really well for me,” Hayes said, while Bentley praised World Hero. “It was a good performance, obviously being drawn wide was a concern beforehand but he’s a horse who does go forward and he’s got early speed, so we were able to get into a good early position and the pace backed off down the back straight,” Bentley said. “He filled his lungs up and kicked really well around the bend. He’s a horse who’s coming into a good vein of form and he quickened up nicely. ” Caspar Fownes and Joao Moreira combined successfully when Moreira weaved a tight passage on Family Fortune (Derryn) to land the Class 5 Celebrating 40 Years Of The HKFC10s Handicap (1650m), drawing rich praise from the trainer. “I don't think many other jockeys here could have got the same result - that's just the way it is. It was a masterpiece,” Fownes said. “That's why we've got him here, bringing us the goods. He's got a great work ethic, he's a great team player and a great rider - what more can I say? He's a great man. ” Eight-time champion jockey Purton sealed a double when John Size’s Beauty Alliance (Starcraft) prevailed in the Class 3 Hong Kong China Rugby Cup Handicap (1650m) before Bowman matched his compatriot’s feat with success on Jamie Richards-trained Storming Dragon (Star Turn) in the Class 4 Racing With Rugby Handicap (1200m). The double left Purton on 98 wins and on the cusp of riding... 2 c Snitzel - Ms Bad Behavior by Blame O: Coolmore (T Magnier), Wynaus (D Smith), Westerberg (M Ryan), J Poulin, Chris Waller Rac (C Waller), K MacLennan, Meridian B/Stock (Y Ichikawa), Marcstown Pty Ltd (M Chan), R McClure, Glentree (B Wilson), Rockingham Thoroughbreds (J Ingham), Lynque (Ms L Ingham) & Lockhart Waller Racing (Ms M Waller) B: Arrowfield Group Pty Ltd T: Chris Waller S: 2025 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale V: Arrowfield Stud P: Tom Magnier, $2,700,000 W: Kia Ora Bloodlines To Headlines Maiden Handicap, 1200m, April 15, Warwick Farm St Gotthard (Snitzel), a full-sibling to Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Switzerland, broke his maiden at the first time of asking when scoring over 1200 metres at Warwick Farm on Wednesday. Lining up in the Kia Ora Bloodlines to Headlines Handicap (1200m) as the odds-on favourite, the colt edged out Peyton (Zoustar) by 0. 2 lengths under James McDonald. There was a further 2. 2 lengths back to the winner's stablemate Nations League (Snitzel) in third. “Very talented horse, he's been very well educated and handled at home. He was in foreign territory there, being the outside leader and left in front a long way from home and he just felt like he floated a little bit, but he's got plenty of talent and it's a beautiful horse going forward,” McDonald said. “Anything he does, he does with ease and he’s got a nice nature. He's the full package. ” A move into stakes company could be the option for St Gotthard following his debut victory. “He did everything right, which was good. They went steady through the mid-stages and it was a good, solid sprint home,” Waller said. “The second horse is pretty handy and put out a good challenge and it was good to see St Gotthard strong late. He'll take good improvement from it and it was a good debut. “It's great to get horses up to Queensland, but if the weather holds here in Sydney, we can keep them here too. You can win a Saturday race in Sydney for $160,000, and then with a BOB’s bonus is it's almost equal to a Listed race in Queensland. “Here's the main centre of attention for now, but obviously you've got the JJ Atkins if we get up that far and in the next few weeks we'll be letting go some good two year-olds. ” St Gotthard was purchased out of his breeder Arrowfield by Tom Magnier for $2. 7 million during Inglis Easter and runs for Coolmore and partners including Hong Kong investor Marc Chan - in whose silks he runs. He is the third foal and third winner out of the imported Graded winner Ms Bad Behavior (Blame), making him a brother to Coolmore Stud Stakes winner turned stallion Switzerland. Arrowfield sold the current yearling from Ms Bad Behavior, another colt by Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice), at Inglis Easter this year for $2 million to James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership, Tony Fung Colts... Henry Field founded Newgate 15 years ago and now it is one of Australia’s leading stallion operations with Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) the farm’s ring leader again this year with a service fee increase to $385,000 (all fees inc GST), from $330,000 in 2025. Newgate announced its 2026 service fees on Wednesday with Extreme Choice leading a powerful and diverse roster of 15 stallions standing on 1,700 acres in the Hunter Valley. Extreme Choice needs no introduction to breeders and he’s been priced accordingly. He’s expensive, but the returns can be rewarding at places like Riverside Stables earlier this month when an Extreme Choice colt made $3 million to Coolmore and a filly $1. 8 million to Clinton McDonald. They averaged $1. 56 million at the Inglis Easter Sale and $822,000 at the Gold Coast Magic Millions. Newgate’s director of stallions Bruce Slade has assured broodmare owners wanting to use Extreme Choice that it’s still possible they could be a part of his limited book this year. “He’s striking better than ever and it’s a credit to Jim Carey and the team,” Slade told ANZ. “He covers one mare a day and, just to be safe, I would suggest breeders have a Plan B. ” As expected his services have continued to rise year-on-year to the highest in Australasia. That’s off a season that commenced in the spring with a three-year-old crop headed by Flight Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Apocalyptic and Caulfield Guineas Prelude (Gr 3, 1400m) scorer Estremo. The Extreme Choice two-year-old division shared the limelight in the autumn with Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) lead-up winners Hidrix (Canonbury Stakes) and Paradoxium (Todman Stakes). Debutant Extremely Tempted chimed in with a front-running win in the Pioneer Services 2YO Handicap (1100m) at Hawkesbury last Wednesday and the flashy chestnut was going better than anything else on the line. The latest crops are emerging after a sensational start at stud that generated Extreme Choice’s Group 1 winners She's Extreme (VRC Oaks), Espiona (Coolmore Classic), Knight's Choice (Melbourne Cup), Stay Inside (Golden Slipper Stakes) and Devil Night (Blue Diamond). Extreme Choice is a sire of sires and his Blue Sapphire Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) winner Extreme Warrior has already gained traction in black-type this season courtesy of Merson Cooper Stakes (Listed, 1000m) scorer Eternal Warrior. His sons Stay Inside and Tiger Of Malay are both standing at Newgate. Stay Inside won a Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) and he’s already off the mark with first-crop black-type winners Incognito (Breeders' Plate), Lassified (Wellesley Stakes) and Blue Door (Kindergarten Stakes). Both Stay Inside and Tiger Of Malay remain unchanged for 2026, with the former at $66,000 and the latter standing for $11,000. “Stay Inside is off to one of the best, if not the best starts by a sire at Newgate,” Slade said. “He’s covered 511 mares in the last three seasons and the quality is increasing book by book. “Tiger Of Malay won a Group 2 Brisbane Sires' Produce... Having had his progeny sell well at the recent Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, buyers will be afforded an opportunity to access the progeny of Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) with a pair of well-credentialled mares in foal to him being the latest additions to next month's Inglis Chairman’s Sale. The entry of both Hazlebrook (Hinchinbrook) and Sizzlefly (Sizzling) means there will be a trio of mares carrying foals by Newgate's stellar sire, joining fellow headline Newgate Farm mare Kiki Express (Sepoy). Hazlebrook's first foal is Group 3 winner Wollombi (Extreme Choice), while her next tryst with Extreme Choice resulted in a colt that realised $2 million at the yearling sales earlier in the year. The nine Extreme Choice yearlings sold at the Easter Yearling Sale averaged an incredible $1. 56 million, with seven realising in excess of $1,000,000, and the sire will stand for a fee of $385,000 (inc GST) in 2026. Newgate Farm’s Henry Field said the addition of Hazlebrook and Sizzlefly to the Chairman’s catalogue provided buyers with a further two outstanding opportunities to access the sire. “I remember when Matthew bought Hazlebrook at the Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale, she was the mare that Matthew picked out and was probably the mare he was most keen to buy at the sale, additionally Adam Cook thought she was the best value mare,'' Field said. “She has been a revelation, producing good looking stock that can run and clearly she has great chemistry with Extreme Choice. There is no such thing as a certainty in racing, but the likelihood of this mare producing a good foal that can run is about as close as you’ll get in a breeding sense! “Sizzlefly is a stakes performed mare with natural speed and the type of profile that continues to resonate strongly with the market. She is a very pretty mare that is getting good looking stock – her Home Affairs weanling would be one of the top-rated foals on the farm and physically I think she is a bullseye for Extreme Choice. '' The 2026 edition of the Chairman's Sale will be held at Riverside on Thursday May 7, with supplementary entries for the sale remaining open but must close soon. To enter, contact a member of the Inglis bloodstock team or click here. Flying Fizz (Street Boss) will be retired by purchaser Corumbene and sent straight to stud after selling for a sale-topping $175,000 during the Inglis Digital April (Early), which came to a close on Wednesday. The five-year-old was offered by trainer Matthew Williams on behalf of the mare’s owners, who were delighted with the result. “If we’d got half that we’d have thought it was a great result,’’ Williams said. “We’ve been using Inglis Digital for years, we sold Literary Magnate for over $500,000 a couple of years ago, we’ve sold other mares too and we’ve found the platform terrific. Even the horses that don’t have that sort of higher value you can get really good results with. ” Corumbene’s Tommy Altomonte purchased the mare – his first online purchase – and couldn’t have been happier with the process. “She’s our first ever purchase online but after today’s experience, I can see why Inglis Digital is getting bigger and bigger and everyone raves about it,’’ Altomonte said. "I did the bidding myself and it was fantastic, the layout of the site was so clear and made it so easy to bid and buy. “Our new stud manager Tyler Frazer, who only started a few weeks ago, sent me the link to Flying Fizz three or four days ago and we did some research and everything with her scored really well on our end and how we like to breed, that whole sire line and she’s from a good family so we thought ‘let’s have a crack’ and we did. '' Second-top lot honours were shared between the three-year-old colt Master Of The Air (Dundeel) and the broodmare Brulee (Hinchinbrook) – in foal to The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice) – both realising $100,000. Another significant result in tonight’s sale was the broodmare Twist Tops (Beneteau) – dam of this season’s stakes-winning juvenile Gin Twist (Home Affairs) – who sold to Doug Walker for $90,000. “We were looking at going to the broodmare sales in the coming weeks and buy some mares but then I saw her come up on Inglis Digital and thought I’d have a crack early,’’ Walker said. “I’ve been watching Gin Twist, I was actually hoping she got into the Slipper but either way I think she has an exciting future. I’ll go back to Home Affairs with her this season. " In total the April (Early) Sale grossed $3,629,300. Entries are now open for the Inglis Digital April (Late) Online Sale, featuring the first of two Australian Broodmare Sale Sessions exclusively for race fillies and broodmares. Bidding for the April (Late) Sale will open on Friday, April 24 and close out over two days, with the race fillies and broodmares being offered on one day and closing out from 10am on Thursday, April 30, with the balance of the catalogue closing out on the prior day, Wednesday, April 29. To enter click here. Diameter (Brazen Beau) provided another huge tick for his undersung sire and elevated his dam up another rung as a bonafide star of Darley’s breeding barn in taking Saturday’s important Fernhill Mile (Listed, 1600m). Godolphin’s Chris Waller-trained two-year-old colt became the third stakes winner from just five runners for his mother Circular (Street Cry), who profiles in a sweet spot for broodmare success. She’s from a superb family and won worthy black type in Flemington’s Matron Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m), and only expended herself on the racetrack 20 times, heading to the breeding barn far from fully spent. Continuing the pattern of all things rounded, Diameter follows in the wake of the mare’s second runner Parisal (Astern) - cleverly named after a round boat found in India - who won two Group 3s and a Listed, and her third runner, Cylinder (Exceed And Excel). An outstanding sprinter and now a Darley sire, Cylinder won the Newmarket Handicap (Gr 1, 1200m) plus three Group 2s and a Group 3. He also placed a further twice at the top tier - including with his second in the Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) 15 minutes before Parisal won Moonee Valley’s Typhoon Tracy Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m). Saturday’s success of Diameter - who’ll strive to become Brazen Beau’s (I Am Invincible) fourth elite winner in this weekend’s Champagne Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) - was loudly cheered by Darley, perhaps more so than some other stakes wins. For he, like Cylinder and Parisal, hails from one of the blue army’s most successful families, and probably the best they inherited in their buy-out of Woodlands Stud in 2008. Circular’s dam Hexameter (Octagonal) is a three-quarter sister to the Ingham brothers’ mighty Lonhro (Octagonal) and his triple Group 1-winning brother Niello, plus a third black type-winning full-sibling in the mare Shannara. So it’s through Octagonal (Zabeel) to Hexameter that we get all these shape names in the lineage, but is there another common thread wrapping around Circular’s three stakes winners? Is there perhaps the repeat of a common ancestor at play? Yes, but not really. The only horse doubled up on both sides of each of the three pedigrees is Danzig (Northern Dancer). Poor old Danzig. His influence can’t be denied, but he really is everywhere, all the better to be taken for granted, especially when one of your sons is the GOAT that was Danehill. Also, Cylinder, Parisal and Diameter have three quite different sires. Yes they were all sprinters - but what Australian sires weren’t? “We have Exceed And Excel - a big, strong, powerful horse,” Darley’s head of stallions Alastair Pulford tells It’s In The Blood. “Astern is much more like his own sire Medaglia D’Oro - lengthier than Exceed And Excel, and not as muscular. “And Brazen Beau is smaller and stronger, less scope, and a real sprinting type which, being inbred to both Danzig and Bletchingly, you might expect. ” So, in all likelihood, the most powerful common factor behind these three... Since the New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) transferred to Trentham (from Riccarton) during the 1970s, it took until 1990 before the winner also scored at Randwick, in the Australian Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m). That year it was Domino (Grosvenor). Bonneval (Makfi) completed the double in 2017 and Pennyweka (Satono Aladdin) repeated the feat in 2023, so while not impossible, it is still rare and significant. Unlike Domino, Bonneval and Pennyweka, Ohope Wins (Ocean Park) took her New Zealand Oaks form from Ellerslie which staged the race for the first time this past February. Another difference is that Ohope Wins had two trainers. The Matamata-based O’Sullivan/Scott partnership oversaw her Ellerslie Oaks but her purchase by Yulong Investments meant a new trainer in Sydney, with ex-pat New Zealander Chris Waller taking over her career. Yulong bought well. Ohope Wins will no doubt claim the title of Champion New Zealand Three-Year-Old at the end of the season as she was dominant. Her finishing runs in New Zealand were a feature of her form and it was no surprise to see her well back at Randwick, standing up the leaders 15 lengths down the back straight. Even at the 600m she sat second last but by that time the field had compacted she was widest into the straight. Sydney competition is strong and she didn’t run away with it as she had at Ellerslie, but her staying prowess was evident after she accelerated to the 200 metres to level up to the leaders. She relished the 2400m and she is already a good candidate for next spring’s Caulfield Cup (Gr 1, 2400m). She has had either trial or race activity every month since last August so a break is now fully deserved with Waller expressing that O’Sullivan and Scott should be acknowledged for the way they managed her New Zealand runs. Her second elite level win elevates her to third among the 26 progeny of Waikato Stud’s Ocean Park (Thorn Park) to win at stakes level. Ahead of her (so far) are Tofane with four Group 1s and Kolding with three. It would have been good to see her remain in New Zealand but that’s the reality when the racing and breeding industry is centred in Australia. The win is her fourth in just eight starts, for earnings exceeding $1. 6 million, and she is the only winner from four foals to race from Choux Mania, a Redoute’s Choice (Danehill) half-sister to two Group 1 winners Jimmy Choux (Thorn Park) and Miss Wilson (Stratum). Her breeders, Gartshore Bloodstock Ltd, were no doubt inspired by the first-rate race record of Jimmy Choux and his five Group 1s, including in Sydney. He was some racehorse who landed 12 wins and was second in the 2011 Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) behind the top mare Pinker Pinker (Reset). Jimmy Choux is by Ocean Park’s sire Thorn Park (Spinning World) from Choux Mania’s dam Cierzo (Centaine), thus the same cross separated by a generation. Sun shines on... Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) will never be for sale and might keep racing as a nine-year-old next spring, at the least. But her owner Tony Ottobre will offer a choice trio of his “Jenni” stock as broodmares or racing propositions at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale, at Riverside on May 7. Moving to streamline the extensive broodmare band at his Cape Schanck farm on the Mornington Peninsula, Ottobre’s draft will be headed by elite-winning broodmare Princess Jenni (High Chaparral), who’s in foal to Pride Of Dubai (Street Cry). The ten-year-old is Lot 99 of the 104 mares catalogued for the Thursday night glamour sale. Ottobre will also offer in-training six-year-old Jennilala (Shalaa), who returned to form with an 0. 02-length second in Ballarat’s Country Oaks (2000m) on April 3, and is set to contest this Saturday’s Mornington Cup (Listed, 2400m) before being prepared for the sale, as Lot 74. And Cape Schanck’s threesome will kick off early with Lot 2 in Sassy Jenni (Shalaa), a four-year-old who was stakes-placed in a career restricted to six starts, and who’s also in foal to Ottobre’s old favourite – for obvious reasons – Coolmore’s Pride Of Dubai. “We’ve accumulated 98 horses on our property, and that’s from your mares, to older geldings, right down to weanlings and yearlings,” Ottobre told ANZ News. “We’ve poured a fair bit of money into it over the years. Now’s a good time to start looking at moving on some of our best horses, and getting some cash flow happening. “We’ll be keeping probably the ones who’ve not necessarily failed as racehorses, but maybe never had a chance or slightly injured themselves, who I consider could be good broodmares, but we probably wouldn’t get much for them if we tried to sell them. “And we’ll be selling these three who hopefully should prove pretty attractive. ” Princess Jenni ranks as probably the second best performed of Ottobre’s horses, who all carry the name of his daughter, who died of brain cancer in 2015 aged 31. Trained by David Brideoake, Princess Jenni won six of her 26 starts headed by the 2019 Australasian Oaks (Gr 1, 2000m) at Morphettville, along with Moonee Valley’s Stocks Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) and two Group 3s, earning slightly more than $1 million. Ottobre is retaining her as yet unraced two-year-old King Snitz (Snitzel) and her weanling filly by Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj). “We’ll keep them to race, and the filly will stay with us to continue the Princess Jenni line, while hopefully some other people will get enjoyment out of breeding with Princess Jenni,” said Ottobre, who reasoned the time was right economically to sell the mare now. “When I sent her to Pride Of Dubai, my intentions were to keep the foal. I wanted another Pride Of Dubai like Pride Of Jenni. But now we’re selling, and someone else can have the benefit of having a foal by Pride Of Dubai out of Princess Jenni. “And Princess Jenni, she’s a Group 1... Waikato Stud believe their ultra consistent stallion Ocean Park (Thorn Park) has again emphatically proved himself a sire under the radar after the trans-Tasman Oaks double of a filly who’s incredibly lucky to merely be alive, Ohope Wins. Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) winner Ocean Park is a rising 18-year-old whose books of mares have gradually diminished in recent years in the wait for another top-liner after his second-crop stars Tofane and Kolding, who won four and three top-tier events respectively. But his other numbers are holding up extremely well. Ocean Park, who covered just 50 mares at $15,000 (plus GST) last spring, sits third on New Zealand’s general sires’ table in his tenth season of runners, behind only past champion sire Proisir (Choisir) and the all-time great Savabeel (Zabeel). That’s a hefty improvement on his career-best finish of 14th in just his fourth campaign. His four stakes winners in New Zealand also constitute a personal best – one more than his high recorded in 2020-21 – a season which remains his finest in Australia by stakes-winners (seven), when Tofane and Kolding were peaking. And with Ohope Wins putting his name back in the spotlight by becoming just the fourth filly to complete the New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) - Australian Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) double, Waikato is justifiably hopeful of a boost to Ocean Park’s covering numbers this spring, if not perhaps back to his all-time high of 189 in Covid-tainted 2020. “I really think he’s a bit under the radar, perhaps more so than being underrated,” Waikato’s general manager Mike Rennie told ANZ News. “His stats have never been below four per cent stakes winners to runners, or 60 per cent winners to runners, since I’ve been at Waikato, and that’s almost eight years. “And he’s always had the capacity to breed a top horse, which we’ve seen with Tofane and Kolding, and a few others. “He’s still got some decent books coming through now. His progeny are probably mostly post-Christmas three-year-olds and onwards, which was when he hit his straps as a racehorse. “So, he’s always been there or thereabouts, his stats have been rock solid, even when he hasn’t had a big, big year. And he’s always had a good one out there, and from a range of distances too. “It’s comforting this season that he’s doing exactly what we know he can. He’s very consistent. You know what you’re going to get when you breed to Ocean Park. Like anything, you’ve got to probably breed him right a little bit – send the right mare and the right nick, and you’re never going to be far away, especially at $15,000. “I think Pins and the Danehill line are two notable nicks. Makfi has stepped up there as well, and Sadler’s Wells. “He’s a medium-sized horse and a good mover. If you can put a bit of scope and oomph in, that's probably the ideal type of mare. “But in saying that, his smaller ones... Star New Zealander Ohope Wins (Ocean Park) joined a select band of fillies to win the major Oaks double on both sides of the Tasman in storming to victory in the Australian Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) at Randwick. Having won the New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) two starts earlier at Ellerslie before a transfer to Chris Waller, Ohope Wins followed her close-up fourth in the Vinery Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) with a popular Randwick triumph as $2. 60 favourite on Saturday. Ridden by James McDonald, she continued the phenomenal run of success for Australian racing’s “power couple”. Waller and McDonald have combined to win at least one Group 1 on a record of seven successive Saturdays, starting with Autumn Glow’s (The Autumn Sun) success in the Verry Elleegant Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) on February 28. And Ohope Wins, recently declared New Zealand Bloodstock’s Filly of the Year for the current season, became just the fourth filly to take out the New Zealand-Australian Oaks double, after Pennyweka (Satono Aladdin) in 2023, Bonneval in 2017 (Makfi), and Domino (Grosvenor) in 1990. McDonald was at his coolest in making Ohope Wins the 14th Australian stakes winner for her Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m)-winning sire Ocean Park (Thorn Park), who stood at Waikato Stud last year for $15,000 (plus GST). Behind a strong pace set by longshot Stand My Ground (North Pacific), the field strung out such that Ohope Wins was some 15 lengths off the pace in second-last spot at the 900 metres. Meanwhile, Profoundly (Farnan), second favourite at $3. 20, seemingly held a distinct advantage, travelling fifth, two lengths off a breakaway group. Profoundly duly took the lead under Tommy Berry over the rise, but behind and to her outside, Ohope Wins was building a formidable head of steam down the centre of the track. To her credit, Profoundly battled gamely all the way down the straight, but Ohope Wins was able to outstay her, taking the lead 60 metres out and scoring by a half-length. Dom Sutton’s After Summer (The Autumn Sun), who so nearly pinched the Vinery at $61, showed it was no fluke in running a close third at $9. 50. Savouring his 196th Group 1 success, expat Kiwi Waller paid tribute to Ohope Wins’ previous New Zealand trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott for the progress of the filly, who was subject to a majority buy-in from Yulong in January. “I can’t take all the credit,” Waller said. “Obviously, I’ve been trusted by Yulong. Lance O’Sullivan did a great job with her prior to coming to me plus they gave me a hand with her as well. Very friendly and very helpful which we’ve got to thank them for. ” Waller said inheriting such a proven performer had been “not hard at all because you know the horse is good enough”. “It was just about keeping it simple,” he said. “Maybe we got it a little bit simple first-up ; I think she just needed the... Sir Delius (Frankel) - the headline horse of the spring for reasons good and bad - proved his rare quality beyond doubt in taking the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) as Autumn Glow’s (The Autumn Sun) winning streak came to a decisive end at Randwick on Saturday. Imported to Australia after a Group 3 win and an elite placing from six starts in France, Sir Delius was a sensation of 2025, with victory in Doomben’s Chairman’s Handicap (Gr 3, 2000m) on his Australian debut followed by imposing spring victories in Caulfield’s Underwood Stakes (Gr 1, 1800m) and Flemington’s Turnbull Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m). But as a dominant favourite for the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) and Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m), he was sensationally ordered out of the remainder of the carnival by Racing Victoria vets, due to unfavourable bone scans. However, rebooted for the autumn by trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, the five-year-old entire hinted he’d retained his spring sparkle with thirds in Randwick’s Verry Elleegant Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) - behind Autumn Glow - and second-up in the Ranvet Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m), won by Aeliana (Castelvecchio). And while most of the Australian racing community will have been cheering for the 11-from-11 Autumn Glow to remain unbeaten on Saturday - not least those who took her $1. 31 starting price - the doubts surrounding her first try beyond 1600 metres proved vindicated, and it was Sir Delius who pounced on her vulnerability. Sir Delius, Sir Owen Glenn’s $6 second elect, was masterfully ridden by Craig Williams who, if Autumn Glow’s partner and Australian Group 1 record holder James McDonald is the country’s No. 1, can’t be far behind in second. Williams, and his training collaborators, knew they had to be in front of Autumn Glow in the run, for if doubts about her 2000-metre capabilities were to prove justified, they would be put to a stern test if asked to chase down a proven middle-distance performer of Sir Delius’ class. And thus it transpired in a tactical affair, and one somewhat surprising. William Haggas’s raider Dubai Honour (Pride Of Dubai), who boldly led last start over longer and was just caught by Aeliana in the Tancred Stakes (Gr 1, 2400m), this time took a sit, midfield of the seven, as $7. 50 third favourite. Lindermann (Lonhro), who usually leads, this time sat last under the wily Nash Rawiller, at $31. And Aeliana, felt by many to pose perhaps the most serious threat to stablemate Autumn Glow, took no position at all. Trainer Chris Waller scratched her on race morning, saying she wasn’t as sharp as he’d have hoped in her work through the week. As last-start Australian Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) winner Light Infantry Man (Fast Company) led under an even pace, Williams was right where he wanted to be, four lengths off him in fourth, with Autumn Glow three lengths further behind. The pace picked up from the 800 metres and Williams easily sent his... Underrated filly Idle Flyer (Dundeel) gave more proof her sire’s gender tide was turning by upsetting a supposed three-horse race to score her elite breakthrough in Saturday’s Queen Of The Turf Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m). The $1 million Randwick feature was promoted as a clash of three star mares. Chris Waller’s Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel) started favourite at $3. 50, marginally ahead of Matt Laurie’s Treasurethe Moment (Alabama Express) at $3. 80 and Ciaron Maher’s Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) at $4. But it was Idle Flyer - from the boutique Warwick Farm stable of Matt Smith and a $6 fourth elect - who stole the show in the fillies and mares’ event. The four-year-old wasn’t without her backers, firming from $6. 50 in light of her previous start victory in Rosehill’s Emancipation Stakes (Gr 2, 1500m), and she rewarded their faith with a thoroughly professional display. Pride Of Jenni set the pace, of course, and held a Pride Of Jenni-like five-length lead passing the 800 metres. But perhaps sapped by her heroic near-stealing of the Australian Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) two weeks earlier, this would not be her day. She ended up on the bottom of the highly rated three, weakening in the straight to finish fifth. James McDonald on Lady Shenandoah had the job of taking the field up to Pride Of Jenni before the turn, while Treasurethe Moment stalked her in third. But while Lady Shenandoah and Treasurethe Moment made their runs after straightening, it was Idle Flyer behind those two who was travelling the strongest. Set loose by Zac Lloyd, she had a battle with Lady Shenandoah for 100 metres, but gained the ascendancy in the last 50 to beat her by 0. 9 lengths. Treasurethe Moment held third, a further 0. 8 lengths away. Sold by breeders Torryburn Stud to Smith and Randwick Bloodstock for just $70,000 at Inglis Classic in 2023, Idle Flyer has now earned $1. 27 million from 15 starts for eight wins. Saturday’s was her third stakes victory in a neat progression, having first earned black type in October’s Angst Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) at Randwick. “I just can’t believe she’s won. I knew she was going good but I didn’t think she’d win that so we’ll take it,” said Smith after his sixth elite success. “It was a proper Group 1. We’ve got a great crew in the horse and great supporters of the stable. It’s what we get up in the morning for, it means a lot to us. “She’s always looked like she’d run a strong mile here and you need to be able to run a strong mile to win one of these good mile races. You’ve got to be able to run further probably. “When she won here last time here over the mile we thought this was the race for her. It was just a matter of getting here fit and well. ” Smith was full of praise for the 22-year-old Lloyd, who also completed... Cherry Bomshell (Lucky Vega) became her sire’s second Australian black type winner with an upset victory in Saturday’s Percy Sykes Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) for two-year-old fillies at Randwick. Well ridden by visiting Brisbane-based regular partner Ben Thompson, Cherry Bomshell settled second-last of the nine while Thompson let a small squadron battle for the lead. The Team Archibald-trained filly was full of momentum inside the straight while the leaders were tiring but couldn’t see clear galloping room as the Team Hayes/Godolphin $3. 90 favourite Medicinal (Brazen Beau) took what looked a commanding lead. But once she was clear at the 200 metres, Thompson pulled the pin on Cherry Bomshell’s pent up energy and she exploded in a devastating finish, surging to the line to beat Medicinal by 0. 8 lengths. Ciaron Maher’s Ciaron’s Star (I Am Invincible) gained her first dash of black type, running a further 0. 6 lengths behind in third at $21. While Medicinal went into the race after winning Flemington’s Ottawa Stakes (Gr 3, 1000m) at her third start, Cherry Bomshell claimed her first black type with the victory. Starting off in Team Archibald’s Brisbane stable, she’d proven herself worthy of an ambitious trip south by winning her second and third starts over 1000 metres at Eagle Farm, the first of those a 6. 7-length maiden romp on February 4. But in her first start since February 28 - with a Warwick Farm barrier trial win in between - punters were content to let her drift from $15 to start at $17. However, Annabel Archibald, who co-trains with husband Rob, said the win wasn’t out of the blue. The stable had entertained thoughts of a Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) attempt with the filly, but demurred due to what would have been a busy Sydney schedule required to earn a start. Archibald was delighted with the value boost that came in the prestigious Sykes instead for Cherry Bomshell, who races in Australian Bloodstock’s colours. Asked if she was surprised, she said: “Not really. She’s always been so progressive. “We’d actually half-hoped we’d get her into a Slipper, but we weren’t going to chase. We would’ve had to go through the Magic Night and we would’ve run three times in four weeks so we left it alone and came here. “We had a chat with the Australian Bloodstock crew and they were keen with that plan. It worked out well and I’m glad we decided to fly Ben Thompson down. “It was a big cheer when she crossed the line. Lovely ride from Ben. It was a tricky draw so ultimately we left it up to him. We weren’t sure there was a whole lot of speed but we were just adamant we didn’t want her caught wide. He just bided his time and she’s just a beautiful, straightforward filly. ” She added: “A big shout out to the Queensland team up at Eagle Farm because she’s actually had most of her prep up there. They’ve done... Champion mare Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) is odds-on to complete what could be a memorable afternoon for Arrowfield Stud in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) at Randwick on Saturday. Autumn Glow is unbeaten in 11 starts up to 1600 metres and is coming off a breathtaking performance in the George Ryder Stakes (Gr 1, 1500m) at Rosehill on Golden Slipper Day. She’s a short-priced $1. 40 favourite and her stablemate Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel) is a $3. 90 favourite to add another elite-level victory for legendary Arrowfield sire Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) in the Queen Of The Turf (Gr 1, 1600m) earlier on Saturday. Autumn Glow is stretching out to 2000 metres for the first time, nevertheless, Arrowfield owner John Messara, trainer Chris Waller and jockey James McDonald are confident she can run the distance right out. “J-Mac has been in my ear and so has Chris so who am I to out-think them? ” Messara said. “I went on pedigree and, although 2000 metres will be a challenge, she’s all class and her type can do just about anything. Winning 11 out of 11 isn’t easy and it will keep people very interested while it continues. ” Autumn Glow races in Arrowfield Stud’s black and yellow diamond silks in partnership with Hermitage Thoroughbreds couple Eugene Chuang and Karen Lo. And she looked the part as yearling when knocked down from the Silverdale Farm draft for $1. 8 million at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Sale. “She’s by our stallion The Autumn Sun and we’ve paid a lot of money to get her,” Messara said at Riverside Stables three years ago. “She’s an absolute queen, a true athlete and an exciting prospect. She had everything you look for; balance, scope, substance and she’s a great mover. ” The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice) was Australia’s Champion 3YO Colt in 2018-19 and he’s been an immediate success at Arrowfield. Autumn Glow is from his second crop and his third-crop colt Autumn Boy made it a Group 1 double on Golden Slipper Day for his sire, trainer and jockey in the Rosehill Guineas (2000m). Autumn Glow’s dam Via Africa (Var) was named Champion South African Sprinter in 2013-14 and her earlier foals include In The Congo (Snitzel) who booked a place on the Newgate Farm roster after winning the Golden Rose (Gr 1, 1400m) in 2021. Waller kept her ticking over with an exhibition gallop at Randwick last Saturday clocking 64. 98s for 1000 metres. "We want to have her ready for the Queen Elizabeth and we’ve ticked another box with that workout,'' Waller said. “She’s clean-winded and is fit to run a strong 2000 metres. "She can jump on the speed or be ridden conservatively. She’s versatile and can switch off and relax. Conserving energy will be a big plus at 2000 metres. In my eyes she’s a champion and I’m qualified to know! ” Waller will also saddle up Aeliana (Castelvecchio) who is on a hat-trick following Group 1 wins... A last-start million-dollar race winner is among the highlights of a quality draft from one of the country’s most power stables for the upcoming 2026 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale on the Gold Coast. Ciaron Maher, last season’s champion Australian trainer by wins and prize-money, will present buyers with a wonderful opportunity with a draft of 17 lots nominated. Among the headline acts is Snitzanova (Snitzel), a Group winner in Victoria and New South Wales, who was a last-start winner of the $1 million Magic Millions Queensland Subzero (2200m). The daughter of Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice), a winner of over $1 million from just 11 runs, is one of a select group of fillies and mares entered by Bennett Racing. The lightly raced four-year-old is a winner of the Sandown Guineas (Gr 2, 1600m) and Spring Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) at Caulfield and Newcastle respectively. The other Bennett Racing entries include Group 3-winning juvenile Military Tycoon (Written Tycoon) and stakes winner Zaszou (Zoustar). Military Tycoon, at her second start, won the Ottawa Stakes (Gr 3, 1000m) at Flemington and subsequently contested the Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m). Such regard is she held in by connections that earlier this year she was pitted against the likes of Tentyris (Street Boss), Benedetta (Hellbent) and Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) in the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (Gr 1, 1000m) where she ran seventh, beaten just over four lengths. “We’re excited about the draft heading to the sale, which is largely made up of Magic Millions graduates — some ready for the breeding barn, and others just hitting their straps on the track,” Nathan Bennett said. “We’re particularly excited by the likes of Group 2 winner Snitzanova, coming off a win in the Magic Millions Subzero earlier in the year and now being targeted toward the Group 2 The Q22 during the Brisbane Winter Carnival, with longer-term spring ambitions including the Group 1 Caulfield Cup. That looks well within reach given the depth and European influence in her pedigree, which suggests she’ll run a strong 2400 metres under those conditions. “Listed winner Zaszou is on a Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara path, alongside Group 3 winner Military Tycoon, who also profiles as a genuine lightweight contender for the race this year, so we have genuine racing upside still to come through the carnival. “Our buying results from January have us operating at close to 27 per cent stakes winners to runners, reflected in the performances of horses like Snitzanova, Military Tycoon and Zaszou. We’re also excited to offer some of the first pregnancies by our Group 1-winning graduate Southport Tycoon at the National Sale this year, including Melisende and Holyrood Girl, who will be presented through Riverstone’s draft. “Magic Millions has been great supporters of our operation, and we’ve had a tremendous run with their graduates, so it’s only fitting to complete the circle and return to the Gold Coast to offer these mares under the Maher Racing / Bennett Racing banner at National. ” The Ciaron... Next month’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale will feature new opportunities for buyers, with the latest news of two unreserved reduction sales confirmed in the catalogue. Victorian-based Hesket Thoroughbreds will offer a line up of 22 lots through the Newington Farm Premium Consignment, while New South Wales’ Bell View Park Stud have ten lots set for the sale. The Unreserved Reduction for Hesket Thoroughbreds will include members of families the operation has built over many years while at the same time retaining horses linked to their former star galloper and exciting young sire General Beau (Brazen Beau). “We’re incredibly enthusiastic about the future of General Beau and what he’s producing,” Hesket’s David Moodie said. “The quality we’re seeing from our young sire has given us real confidence in him, so we’ve made the decision to retain his foals and pregnancies, while reducing our broader Hesket broodmare band accordingly. “This unreserved reduction is really about returning to our roots — going back to how we were breeding 30 years ago, focused on breeding to race, before the commercial pressures and rising costs in the industry shaped the current landscape. “We’ll be offering 22 mares through the National Sale as part of that process, and moving forward it’s about simplifying the operation, backing our judgement, and building around this young sire in a more sustainable and considered way. ” Julian Blaxland said his Newington Farm operation was honoured to be selected to consign the draft on behalf of Hesket Thoroughbreds. “Newington Farm is proud to present 22 racefillies and broodmares on behalf of David Moodie and Ash Hardwick’s Hesket Thoroughbreds at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale,” Blaxland said. “It is an honour to represent a racing and breeding operation synonymous with Group 1 success under our Premium Consignment. “It’s a unique opportunity for owners and breeders to buy into some of Australia’s fastest and most influential families and certainly an honour we don’t take lightly. “It’s by far the best consignment of fillies and mares we’ve ever brought to the Gold Coast. To lead with the Hesket Thoroughbreds Unreserved Reduction is incredibly special, and it gives buyers a genuine opportunity to secure elite racetrack performance backed by outstanding pedigrees. ” The Hesket Reduction is highlighted by a select group of high quality racing and breeding prospects, including Viviane (Written Tycoon), who is offered in foal to Anamoe (Street Boss), Group placegetters Sword Of Legacy (Too Darn Hot) and Nodachi (No Nay Never) and Kaiken (Exceed And Excel), who is offered in foal to Castelvecchio (Dundeel). The line up also includes Group winners and stakes performers as well as proven stakes producers with exciting covers including the dam of Group 3 winner Band Of Brothers (Omaha Beach) in foal to City Of Troy (Justify). Newington’s Premium Consignment is further strengthened by a classy group of fillies and mares, including the Group 2-winning West Australian heroine Storyville (Overshare), Group 3 winner and Robert Sangster Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m)-bound Roll On High (Shamus Award),... Yarraman Park Stud has announced its service fees for 2026 and once again their multiple champion sire I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) takes pride of place on the roster alongside his emerging sire-son Hellbent and the exciting Japanese-bred Brave Smash (Tosen Phantom), standing at an unchanged fee of $220,000 (inc GST). I Am Invincible is known throughout the industry as ‘Vinnie’ and the Yarraman trophy cabinet is fit to burst with his Australian premierships that started with first-season honours in 2013-14 and reached a crescendo with a hat-trick of general sires titles in the seasons ending 2022, 2023 and 2024. His Group 1 winning roll-call reached 19 after Caballus stormed home in the Newmarket Handicap (1200m) and is set to target the $5 million The Quokka (1200m) in Perth. Across the Tasman, his exciting two-year-old colt Seize The Day overpowered the Group 1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) field – winning by four lengths and change for Te Akau Racing. David Ellis’ operation has had great success with Vinnie’s yearlings via ten-time Group 1 winner Imperatriz and Move To Strike who won the Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes and is now at stud. Vinnie’s influence is showing no signs of slowing. “He continues to deliver on every front and he’s incredibly reliable,” Yarraman Park director Arthur Mitchell declared. “He’s striking at 81 per cent winners to runners, 9. 2 per cent stakes winners to runners and 5. 5 per cent Group winners to runners. ” “What is prevalent is that Vinnie’s progeny are going on to produce so he’s a safe bet and a proven choice. If you get a colt or a filly, they could go on to produce the next Hong Kong Derby winner like Hellbent or the next Golden Slipper winner. “Remarkably, all 12 of his sire-sons with runners have produced winners. We know how difficult it is to buy a stallion so Vinnie’s colts are a safe bet. His daughters have gone on to produce Group 1 winners in both hemispheres and we have no doubt he will be a very dominant broodmare sire. “He’s done more than we ever dreamed. He’s continuing to give to everyone who uses him and I know we are in for another good season with him. ” I Am Invincible’s strength in the sales ring continued in 2026 as the highest-represented active sire with yearlings at Inglis Easter (41) and Magic Millions Gold Coast (40). He achieved a phenomenal average across the two sales of $622,787. And with mares such as Shillelagh (Savabeel), Shoals (Fastnet Rock), Zougotcha (Zoustar), Zou Dancer (Zoustar), Floozie (Zoustar), etc. , expected to foal this season, Vinnie’s star looks set to rise higher. Vinnie’s sire son Hellbent is developing into a genuine force in the Australasian stallion ranks. A potential champion in waiting, he sits comfortably in the Top 10 in the general sires’ list this season with $11. 15 million in progeny earnings. He’s jumped from 14th last season to eighth currently, highlighting his upward trajectory.... Saturday’s Australian Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) has added timely interest to the NZB National Online Yearling Sale, which concludes next week. The catalogue features a three-quarter sister to leading Oaks contender Ohope Wins (Ocean Park), while rival Soverato (Vadamos) is among a growing list of graduates to have emerged from the online sale. Soverato was sourced for $10,000 from the 2024 edition before being on-sold and has since built a solid record, including a placing in the Adrian Knox Stakes (Gr 3, 2000m). The sale’s honour roll is headed by Well Written (Written Tycoon), a $80,000 purchase who has gone on to earn more than $2. 6 million with an unbeaten record, highlighted by wins in the New Zealand 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) and a number of other major features. Other graduates include De Armas (Ardrossan) and Hitabell (Embellish), both of whom have achieved black-type success from modest purchase prices. A highlight of this year’s catalogue is Lot 87, offered by Haunui Farm, who is closely related to Ohope Wins and hails from a deep black-type family. The filly is by the New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) winner’s sire Ocean Park (Thorn Park) and is out of a half-sister to Jimmy Choux (Thorn Park), a half-sister to Ohope Wins’ dam Choux Mania (Redoute’s Choice). This filly’s dam, Laced Up (Keeninsky), is also a half-sister to Group 1 winner Miss Wilson (Stratum). Jimmy Choux won five Group 1 races including the New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) and Rosehill Guineas (Gr 1, 2000m), was runner-up in the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) and was New Zealand’s Horse of the Year in 2010-11. Laced Up is herself the dam of four winners from five foals to race, headed by Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m) winner Fancify (Niagara). Haunui Farm managing director Mark Chitty said the filly had been given time to mature ahead of the sale. “She’s a very nice-moving filly from a strong family and should appeal to buyers,” Chitty said. The draft also includes progeny by a range of established and emerging sires, with the online format continuing to provide opportunities for later-maturing horses to be presented to the market. A significant benefit of the digital catalogue is that all lots offered in the National Online Yearling Sale are eligible to be nominated for the lucrative Karaka Millions Series. Just nine months after they make their virtual sale-ring debut, graduates of the online sale can compete for a share in the 2027 $1 million Karaka Millions 2YO (RL, 1200m), followed by the 2028 $1. 5 million Karaka Millions 3YO (RL, 1600m), as well as the NZB Mega Maiden Bonus Series. As a one-off, New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (NZTBA) have offered to extend the early bird offer for entries to the Entain-NZB Insurance Pearl Series for all fillies offered in the upcoming National Online Yearling Sale. Bidding will run for a five-day period, commencing on Friday, April 10 with the first lot closing on Tuesday,... Completing a triumphant return to Hong Kong racing with a superb four-timer at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, Joao Moreira reunited with long-time ally Caspar Fownes in brilliant fashion as the battle for the 2025/26 trainers’ championship intensified. Taking nine rides for Fownes, Moreira finished the evening with four wins and a second as Fownes erased Mark Newnham’s four-win lead in the championship to join the Australian horseman on 47 wins, and trail only by virtue of minor placings with 31 second placings to Newnham’s 36. “Dream night. It’s nice to get a few wins on the board, Caspar said he was going to have a few horses ready to run well on this meeting and he’s done an amazing job,” Moreira said. “I just finished it off. He’s done everything and given me nice horses. When you, as a rider, are riding nice horses, your life is much easier. ” Starting his role as the Fownes’ stable retained jockey in supreme style, Moreira struck with Decision Link (Hellbent), Golden Brilliant (Sweynesse), Sky Cap (Capitalist) and Perfect General (Zoustar) to thrust Fownes closer to a fifth trainers’ championship. The Brazilian’s spree began with Decision Link’s powerful finish to land the Class 5 Cochrane Handicap (1200m) after jumping from gate 12. Later, he scored aboard Golden Brilliant in the first section of the Class 4 D’Aguilar Handicap (1650m) before leading all the way on Sky Cap (133lb) in the second section of the Class 4 Wyndham Handicap (1200m). Narrowly denied by Hugh Bowman’s calculated patience aboard David Eustace’s Silvery Breeze (Dundeel) to land the Class 3 Glenealy Handicap (1650m) by a head over Moreira’s Sky Vino (Vino Rosso), the ‘Magic Man’ completed his quartet when Hong Kong International Sale graduate Perfect General clinched the first section of the Class 3 On Lan Handicap (1200m). “It’s fantastic. I’m so happy and glad to be back, especially in the winning circle,” the South American said. “It’s a pleasure to be back – I’m so pleased and proud to be back. “I've got to be clear, it's a bit different now because I'm in a different position because I'm tied into a stable. It feels like people are warming up to having me back, I feel it, and I'm very pleased and proud. ” Winner of four Hong Kong jockeys’ championships – in 2014/15, 2015/16, 2016/17 and 2020/21 – Moreira believes he can enhance Fownes’ hopes of landing a fifth trainers’ championship. “I guess that's the reason Caspar has been asking me for so long to come back and give him some help. It worked out pretty good. I was supposed to come back earlier in the season, but it didn't work out, but I've come back to a crossed line where the championship is really on fire,” Moreira said. “Caspar is probably having the best shot by having me on the team to back him up. That's why I'm here, to support him and hopefully to get the best results. ” Fownes lauded... 3 f Zoustar - Secret Trail by Denman O: Pinecliff Racing B: Widden Stud T: Clayton Douglas S: 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale V: Widden Stud P: Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock, $950,000 W: Hyland Race Colours Maiden Plate, 1300m, April 13, Warwick Farm The Clayton Douglas-trained Dragon Scroll (Zoustar) claimed her maiden victory on Thursday when capturing a 1000-metre contest at Gosford. Making what was her second start on the track following a debut seventh at Moe, the filly was ridden by Rachel King and defeated Redzero (Red Henno) by 0. 3 lengths. There was a further 4. 1 lengths back to Sammy The Bull (Heroic Valour) in third place. A $950,000 purchase from Widden Stud by Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock at the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Dragon Scroll runs in the familiar colours of Jonathan Munz’s Pinecliff Racing - who also race Group 1 winner Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) with Douglas. She is a half-sister to the stakes-placed million-dollar earner Spywire (Trapeze Artist), being the fourth winner from as many foals to race out of the stakes-winning Denman (Lonhro) mare Secret Trail. Widden Stud sold a yearling colt, the highest-priced yearling out of Anamoe's (Street Boss) first crop, from Secret Trail at Magic Millions this year to Ciaron Maher for $1. 1 million. Secret Trail had no foal last year, but is now in foal to champion sire Zoustar (Northern Meteor). Waikato Stud’s Chittick family have been breeding, rearing and developing elite racehorses at its Matamata property since the 1990s with a cavalcade of outstanding stallions going back to champion sire Centaine (Century). Multiple champion NZ sires O’Reilly (Last Tycoon) and Pins (Snippets) followed and Waikato Stud’s current roster loses nothing on that score with ten-time champion sire Savabeel (Zabeel) continuing the world-renowned Sir Tristram (Sir Ivor) – Zabeel sireline in 2026. General manager Mike Rennie released this year’s roster and service fees on Wednesday offering breeders proven performance, emerging momentum and genuine depth across the board through Savabeel, his sire son Noverre, Ardrossan (Redoute’s Choice), Ocean Park (Thorn Park), Banquo (Written Tycoon) and the exciting Group 1-winning recruit Return To Conquer (Snitzel). “We are incredibly proud of the line-up and one we are proud to show clients,” Rennie said. “It also reflects the long-term thinking and tradition that has played such a big part in our success. We know how hard it is to make a stallion and, even more so these days, to acquire one. “This year has been a big one for Waikato Stud and our partners with Coolmore purchasing Super Seth and three generations of the Chittick family investing in Return To Conquer. At the end of the day though, we can’t do it without the support of our fellow breeders and current shareholders. ” Savabeel was inducted into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame in 2025. He has made an extraordinary contribution to the Australasian industry and this year, his book will be private, with Waikato Stud and his loyal shareholders the only breeders with access to the breed-shaping influence. “What more can you say about a stallion who has achieved so much? ” Rennie continued. “Sav still enjoys his work and he looks great. While he’s set at private, on the track he’s certainly not done yet. “Belle Cheval was incredibly impressive in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes and his 158th stakes winner arrived on Saturday when Essentric Nature was successful in the Old Comrade Stakes in Perth. “He’s closing in on Zabeel’s record of 166 stakes winners and we’re confident he will get there. And that will be another major milestone to tick off for Sav. ” Rennie has been based at Waikato Stud since 2018 and he played an integral role in the successful career of Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Super Seth (Dundeel) alongside the Chittick family and the WS team. Now they will help lay the foundations for the career of another exciting addition to Waikato Stud’s stallion roster in Return To Conquer. In an unbeaten four-race career, the son of Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) scored at stakes level only, landing the Counties Challenge Stakes (Listed, 1100m), Colin Jillings 2YO Classic (Gr 3, 1200m), Matamata Slipper (Gr 3, 1200m), and Sistema Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) – recouping over $530,000 of his $1. 3 million purchase price in the process. “Return To Conquer is an incredible horse to look at... Three elite racemares from the powerhouse Te Akau Racing operation are set to be among the headline offerings at next month’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale on the Gold Coast, with a high-quality draft to be presented through Newgate Farm. Group 1 winners Captured By Love (Written Tycoon) and Quintessa (Shamus Award) will be joined by stakes winner My Lips Are Sealed (Ace High), offering buyers a trio of proven performers with strong commercial appeal as broodmare prospects. Te Akau principal David Ellis said the draft reflected the stable’s long-standing approach of developing fillies and mares with both racetrack performance and residual breeding value. “They are mares with proven performance, quality pedigrees and the physical attributes we believe are so important when selecting broodmares,” Ellis said. Ellis also pointed to the operation’s strong history at the Magic Millions National Sale, both as a buyer and vendor, citing past success stories that have underpinned confidence in the marketplace. “Barry Bowditch and his team run one of the very best sales operations you will find anywhere in the world, and it is a sale where we have had tremendous success over many years - both buying and selling," Ellis said. “It’s a sale we have had great success at, over many years. We’ve been fortunate to source and sell high-quality horses here, and it’s a platform we believe in. ” Quintessa heads the offering as a dual Group 1 winner with form on both sides of the Tasman. The daughter of Shamus Award (Snitzel) captured the Levin Classic (Gr 1, 1600m) at three before adding further elite success in the Proisir Plate (Gr 1, 1400m) this season, while also proving highly competitive in Australia, including a stakes victory during a Melbourne campaign. “Quintessa is a mare with a tremendous turn of foot and a real will to win,” Ellis said. “She consistently performed at the top level and showed her quality in elite company. ” Captured By Love brings a similarly strong profile, having been one of the standout fillies of her generation. The daughter of Written Tycoon (Iglesia) recorded seven wins, including the New Zealand 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m), and was a stakes performer from two through to four. She also demonstrated durability and consistency, competing against the best of her age group throughout her career and continuing to perform at stakes level in her four-year-old season. “Captured By Love is a standout physically and has all the attributes you want in a broodmare prospect,” Ellis said. “She showed great toughness and was competitive at the highest level throughout her career. ” Completing the trio is My Lips Are Sealed, a daughter of Ace High (High Chaparral), who adds further depth to the draft through both performance and pedigree. A winner at Group 3 level, she added a Listed success earlier this year and hails from a family that has produced multiple stakes performers. “My Lips Are Sealed is a mare with great strength and presence,” Ellis said. “She has... A large dose of intricate breeding appears to have worked wonders with Blue Door (Stay Inside), Bjorn Baker’s exciting two-year-old filly who followed a 7. 63-length barrier trial romp with a debut victory in Saturday’s Kindergarten Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m). What immediately catches the eye is that she’s inbred to one of Australia’s great blue hens in Shantha’s Choice (Canny Lad) and to the all-time king Danehill (Danzig), who’s there in triplicate. Better still, Shantha’s Choice isn’t repeated through that fairly common doubling of her most famous son, the breed-shaping Redoute’s Choice (Danehill), but by him and one of her daughters, making for a 5m x 3f duplication. Redoute’s is Blue Door’s fourth sire, via Not A Single Doubt, Extreme Choice and Stay Inside. And Shantha’s Choice also comes in powerfully at the bottom as Blue Door’s third dam, via her daughter Monsoon Wedding (Danehill) and dam Notting Hill (Pierro). Throw in a 6m, 4m, 6m x 4m of Danzig (Northern Dancer) - who’s Danehill’s sire but is also represented in the second of those spots by Stay Inside’s damsire Anabaa - and the recipe grows stronger. And the reinforcements keep coming with a 5m x 6m of the influential Mr Prospector (Raise A Native) and a 6f x 6m, in slightly stronger locations, of Sir Tristram (Sir Ivor). He’s there as the damsire of Nothin’ Leica Dane (Danehill), who’s Stay Inside’s second damsire, and as the imported head of the sireline leading to Notting Hill, through Zabeel, Octagonal, Lonhro and Pierro. Blue Door is the most exciting product so far from the relatively new southern operation of American Craig Bernick's Armitage Australia. His enterprise here is entwined with Yarraman Park and is handled by bloodstock agent Will Johnson, who previously worked amongst Bernick's European endeavours, handled by Ireland's Hubie De Burgh. And Blue Door has some regal, not to say expensive, female lines. Notting Hill was the top-priced filly at the 2016 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, knocked down from Coolmore’s draft to De Burgh Equine and James Harron for $1. 4 million. She managed only four starts for Kris Lees, winning at Kempsey and Muswellbrook and placing at Taree and Newcastle, before her ownership decided her racetrack deeds would probably not outshine her pedigree, and retired her. A week later, her sparse racing CV didn’t stop Newgate paying a hefty $950,000 for her as a late three-year-old at the MM National Broodmare Sale of 2018. She later found her way into Bernick’s ownership, after being shipped to America and being put in-foal to War Front (Danzig), a mating that produced a winning filly named Maroon Bells. Blue Door’s second dam Monsoon Wedding trumped her daughter Notting Hill, money wise. Coolmore paid $2. 3 million for her in the Teeley Dispersal at the MM broodmare sale of 2014. Monsoon Wedding ran third at Group 2 and Listed level, but the greater appeal was her full sisterhood to Redoute’s Choice and his fellow elite winner Platinum Scissors. She was... Joliestar stole the Zoustar (Northern Meteor) headlines when winning the T J Smith Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) on Saturday but racegoers left Randwick with another ringing Zoustar endorsement courtesy of his unbeaten filly Plaintiff. Plaintiff signed off Day 1 of The Championships with a last-to-first victory in the P J Bell Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m), defeating Nepo Baby (Lucky Vega) and Tomato Toastie (Too Darn Hot). She jumped from an outside gate and went via the cape on the corner for Jordan Childs to score by a half-length. “That’s four-from-four and now she’s a black-type winner,” trainer Peter Snowden said. “It didn’t surprise me, she’s always shown a fair bit of ability and her work has been great. The good ones always run well, no matter the conditions or what barrier they draw, they always run well and she did that today. “She’s only lightly raced and is still untapped with plenty of potential. And I’m so glad for Jordan, he gave up a full book of rides to come up here and ride her. ” On Tuesday morning, assistant trainer Aaron Lau reported she had pulled up extra well ahead of her next assignment in the James H B Carr Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m) at Randwick on Saturday week, April 18. “The race worked out well and she really delivered,” Childs said. “I wanted to be closer in the run but she just stepped a little bit slow with the blinkers on for the first time. I had to go to Plan B and she travelled up nicely in the running line and, once I let her go, she showed a great turn of foot. “She was first-up today and just peaked on her run the last little bit. She will take plenty of improvement from the outing and it’s great to get a winner for Peter Snowden and John Camilleri who has been a great supporter of mine. ” Fairway Thoroughbreds’ John Camilleri is overseas and missed Saturday’s celebrations but is no stranger to creating headlines having bred superstar mare Winx (Street Cry). He paid $2. 2 million for Plaintiff on the opening day of the 2024 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, which made her the most expensive yearling sold that year in the southern hemisphere. That mark only lasted 24 hours however, with the Winx filly by Pierro (Lonhro) selling to Debbie Kepitis for a world-record $10 million on day two. Widden Stud stands Zoustar and sold Plaintiff to agent James Harron acting on behalf of Camilleri and his wife Deb. “She’s very, very special and was a standout for us,” Harron declared. “It was obvious we would have to push very hard for her so we did. “Zoustar is absolutely flying and his fillies are doing an outstanding job as well. She is a great type, obviously a beautiful filly, lovely quality, fantastic depth to her and a really lovely action, just a very special filly. “The family has been bred up really nicely and it’s one... Peter Moody was left pinching himself after Sheza Alibi (Saxon Warrior) confirmed herself as the latest superstar filly in his care with an unforgettable victory in Saturday’s Doncaster Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) at Randwick. Sheza Alibi, the $10,000 weanling purchase for her sole owner, central Queensland grazier Fred Noffke, pushed her earnings to $3. 7 million with her seventh victory in ten starts, her fifth win in a row and her second Group 1 in succession. And she did it in emphatic, effortless style, making a field of quality older milers look second-rate on a Soft 7 track. Jumping from gate 13 of 16 for Jamie Melham under her featherweight 49 kilograms, Sheza Alibi settled second-last as a solid pace was set up front. She came as the widest runner around the home turn, but in just a few strides after the 350 metres, the filly flew past her rivals to turn the event into a procession, streaking home to score by 4. 3 lengths as $1. 90 favourite. In doing so, she put herself in rarified company, becoming the first three-year-old filly to take Australia’s greatest mile race since the mighty Sunline (Desert Sun) won the first of her two Doncasters in 1999. And with the ease of her victories – including a 3. 2-length romp in the Randwick Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) at her previous start – Sheza Alibi has quickly earned mention among some extremely illustrious names. She’ll not finish unbeaten, thanks to three minor placings in her formative first five starts, but Moody was still left pondering how lucky he is to have the rising star, having also trained the 25-from-25 phenomenon Black Caviar (Bel Esprit). “I’ve been blessed to train one of the greatest we’ll ever see, but this filly is just amazing,” Moody said. “I’m not saying she’s Black Caviar, but that was just – how good? “It’s emotional. She’s a special, special horse. Where’s the ceiling? You don’t know. ” Moody, who now trains in partnership with Katherine Coleman, was led to invoke the name of another special female – who is unbeaten so far – in the 11-from-11 Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun), who’s been outstanding over the mile and is also set to grace the Randwick carnival in next Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m). “It’s special. I’m happy Autumn Glow wasn’t here, I can tell you that. She’s a superstar,” he said. “The day will probably come – let’s hope it does for Australian racing – where they meet. I’m happy to stay away from her for as long as we possibly can, but I don’t think we’re going to hide from too many, when you see a performance like that. She’s just a very special horse. ” In the other race within this one, that for second place, Autumn Boy (The Autumn Sun) took the honours, as he did behind the same filly in the Randwick Guineas, as a $10 second elect. His Chris Waller-trained stablemate Militarize (Dundeel)... Newgate-China Horse Club colt Campione D’Italia (Snitzel) might not yet have the champion status hinted by his name, but proved himself a special colt in the making with a commanding victory in Saturday’s ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) at Randwick. After a poor tenth on debut was followed by a barnstorming win in the Skyline Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m), Campione D’Italia was one of the unlucky runners of the Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m), drifting back to last by the home turn but making up many lengths to finish a 2. 1-length fourth behind Guest House (Home Affairs). The run indicated the extra 200 metres of the Sires’ would be ideal, and that’s how it panned out for the Chris Waller-trained juvenile. Drifting late to lose favouritism and jump as a $4. 20 second elect, the half-million dollar yearling was taken back again from barrier three by James McDonald, settling eighth of the 13. With only a moderate tempo set, McDonald improved a few places on the fence by the home turn, and eased into the clear at the 350 metres. At that point he still had five lengths to make up as leader Rachini (Zoustar) found the kick expected after an easy time in front. But Campione D’Italia settled in for the fight and hauled in Rachini at the 150, and had enough in reserve at the end to win by 0. 8 lengths from Gai Waterhouse and Adrain Bott’s fast-finishing $15 shot Miss Chanel (Tagaloa). Another Waller-trained colt by Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) – Fireball – was the same margin further back in third, 3. 1 lengths ahead of fellow $18 chance Rachini. Streisand (Magnus) – the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner and Golden Slipper runner-up who was bought during the week by Yulong in a $5. 5 million deal – appeared to disappoint running seventh as a $3. 30 favourite, one place behind another recent Yulong acquisition in Paradoxium (Extreme Choice), at $8. The victory of Campione D’Italia in the Inglis-sponsored Sires’ Produce brought together Australia’s two major auction houses. Magic Millions boss Gerry Harvey bred the colt and sold him via his Baramul Stud draft at the Gold Coast last January to the China Horse Club, Newgate and partners for $500,000, but stayed in for 20 per cent. Harvey was thus delighted to receive the winners’ trophy from Inglis Bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch, not missing the opportunity for a few cheeky digs at his rival auction boss. Harvey told reporters: “The colt got passed in in the ring and I told Henry Field, ‘I want $600,000’, and he said, ‘I’ll give you $500,000’, and I said, ‘Get lost’. “In the end I took it and luckily I kept 20 per cent for myself. ” Waller was full of praise for Campione D’Italia, who cemented his stud future at Newgate with his maiden Group 1 success. “He’s a young horse. Today was his fourth career start and each run has got a little bit... The TJ Smith Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) was the next on the card and Chris Waller’s Joliestar (Zoustar) delivered the champion trainer his second Group 1 of the day and her fifth overall, before a Royal Ascot mission was confirmed for the flying five-year-old. Randwick’s weight-for-age autumn sprint highlight was an intriguing betting race, with both Joliestar and Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) attracting late support, the mare starting a $3. 90 favourite and the gelding a $4. 60 equal second elect. And that assessment proved accurate as Joliestar lived up to the punters’ support, outsprinting Giga Kick at the finish to score by 0. 6 lengths. Settling midfield of the nine on the inside for James McDonald, Joliestar assumed the lead from Overpass (Vancouver) at the 250 metres while Giga Kick was winding up after travelling deeper in the field. Despite racing on the inferior section of the track, Joliestar took a one-length lead by the 150 metres and was able to comfortably withstand Giga Kick’s finish, in a win which took her earnings past $9 million. Skybird (Exosphere) finished another 0. 4 lengths back in third in spite of the $41 hope’s barrier antics pre-race. Meanwhile, the boom lowered further on Godolphin colt Tentyris (Street Boss). Another who was backed in, from $5 to start $4. 60, the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained sprinter didn’t look at home in his first attempt on wet ground, travelling last and finishing last. At the other end it was all almost routine for Joliestar, who was scoring a third straight success and back-to-back top tier wins after taking Randwick’s Canterbury Stakes (Gr 1, 1300m) the start previous. She may have to battle for air time alongside two contemporary females Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) and Sheza Alibi (Saxon Warrior), but such is Joliestar’s ability – and maturity after 21 starts – that Waller had no hesitation in confirming a Royal Ascot mission post-race, targeting the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) in June. “I would go to Royal Ascot and bring her back for The Everest – she has just started to mature as a racehorse,” Waller said. “I think we will probably go for the Jubilee at Royal Ascot. We had the trip planned well before today but we wanted to see her run well in the TJ to cement her place for England. “She’ll have a little bit of down time now and then we’ll work our way back from Royal Ascot. We’ll do our usual jump-outs and trials and get her on the plane. “She goes so well fresh and no doubt will represent Australasia very well on the grand stage,” the expat Kiwi said of the Cambridge Stud-owned mare. Waller said Saturday’s victory highlighted the development of Joliestar over the past year. She was good enough to win Flemington’s Newmarket Handicap (Gr 1, 1200m) in March last year, but then disappointed in the T J Smith when ninth as a $3. 30 favourite. “That is the difference... Trainer Bjorn Baker was thrilled to emulate his father Murray in winning the Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) at Randwick on Saturday as Godolphin colt Green Spaces (Street Boss) continued his sire’s hot run of success with a dominant victory. Well supported at $4. 40 and ridden superbly by Rachel King, Green Spaces settled midfield while a moderate pace was set by Godolphin’s more fancied runner Observer (Ghaiyyath), the $3 favourite. So dominant in winning the VRC Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) last spring and the Australian Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) earlier this preparation, Observer was a beaten force by the 300 metres as another son of Ghaiyyath (Dubawi) Storm Leopard ($4. 60) – took the lead soon after straightening. But while that $4. 60 chance gave his backers hope early in the straight, Green Spaces was unwinding with an irresistible run down the centre of the track, and he came away to win by 3. 2 lengths. Dezignation (So You Think) – the rank outside of the field at $151 – again showed trainer Matt Smith’s knack with longshots in major races, finishing stoutly to be the best of the rest in second place, while Storm Leopard held on for third and Observer managed fifth. Green Spaces follows his three-quarter brother Trekking (Street Cry) in becoming the second Group 1 victor from six runners for their dam Outdoor (Redoute’s Choice). Baker, the Warwick Farm-based expat Kiwi, is renowned for never letting slip the chance to celebrate, but this win meant more than most. New Zealand-based Murray Baker has a powerful reputation as a trainer of young stayers, and has won the Australian Derby five times, as well as – by Bjorn’s recollection – the VRC Derby, two New Zealand Derbies (Gr 1, 2400m) and a Wellington Derby (Gr 2, 2400m). And thus a breakthrough Derby victory had Bjorn high on emotion at Randwick, saying he’d spoken to his father about the race several times in the past week. “He said, ‘Don’t leave him short son, don’t leave him short’,” said the younger Baker, who’d assured his father he hadn’t. “I said, ‘Murray, we’re not training for jumps! ’ It’s not Warrnambool. “But you know what - fitness always wins. “It’s so special. We’re very proud. ” Baker, who also saddled Blue Door (Stay Inside) for a tough debut success in the Kindergarten Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) in the opening race on Saturday’s card, was high on confidence about Green Spaces following his fast-finishing second in the Rosehill Guineas (Gr 1, 2000m) but also based on his trackwork during the week. “I was very confident he would win and I thought he might put a space on them, and he did,” Baker said. “When they are in the zone like that – his trackwork has been in the zone – I was very confident. I couldn’t have had him any better going into today. “Every time I looked at him in the box, his coat was great. He’s in the zone... On an afternoon headlined by his T J Smith Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) heroine Joliestar, Widden Stud’s reigning Champion Sire Zoustar (Northern Meteor) landed a remarkable interstate stakes treble on Saturday. Two of those were new stakes winners for the son of Northern Meteor (Encosta De Lago), the first being unbeaten filly Plaintiff (3 f ex Prompt Response, by Beneteau) who took out the P J Bell Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) at Randwick. Trained by Peter Snowden and ridden by Jordan Childs, the filly made it four wins from four starts when she stormed home on the outside to defeat Nepo Baby (Lucky Vega) by a half-length, with Tomato Toastie (Too Darn Hot) a further half length away in third. Bred by Widden Stud and partners, Plaintiff was purchased for $2. 2 million by James Harron Bloodstock at Inglis Easter in 2024 and is the best of three winners from three foals to race out of Tatts Tiara (Gr 1, 1400m) winner Prompt Response (Beneteau). Prompt Response sadly died last year, adding further significance to the win today, with Plaintiff being her final foal. Still lightly raced, she has shown a sharp turn of foot in each of her victories and shapes as a filly with considerable upside. The treble was completed by Railway Stakes (Listed, 1100m) winner Zoupurring (6 g ex Tara’s Spur, by Flying Spur), who swiftly brought his sire’s worldwide tally to 79 stakes winners with a maiden black type victory at Oakbank. Trained by Michael Hickmott and ridden by Teodore Nugent, the ultra-honest gelding held off Great Maximus (Magnus) by a half-length to record the biggest win of his career. Winning Revolution (Winning Rupert) finished another 0. 6 lengths back in third. A $100,000 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale purchase, Zoupurring has now won eight races and over $350,000 in prize money. He is one of six winners from eight foals to race out of the Flying Spur (Danehill) mare Tara’s Spur. It’s all systems go for Yulong Investments with new acquisitions Streisand (Magnus) and Paradoxium (Extreme Choice) leading the charge on Day 1 of The Championships at Randwick on Easter Saturday. Streisand is a firming $3. 30 favourite for the Inglis Sires' (Gr 1, 1400m) and Paradoxium is on the third-line of markets at $9. 50 following contrasting results in the Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m). Yulong owner Mr Yuesheng Zhang purchased Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Streisand outright earlier this week and he will race Paradoxium in partnership with Ridgmont’s Mitch Cunningham – who kept a share in the untapped colt. Yulong chief operating officer Sam Fairgray made a case for both youngsters when previewing the star-studded meeting yesterday. “Streisand will stay with Clinton McDonald at Cranbourne and you can’t fault her form,” Fairgray said. “She won the Blue Diamond and then finished second to Guest House in the Golden Slipper. “Clinton is happy with the way she’s trained on and another Group 1 will only increase her residual value. Owners and trainers love yearlings from fast two year-olds and she will be a great addition to Yulong’s broodmare band down the track. ” Streisand was a $100,000 buy for McDonald and Shane McGrath at the 2025 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale and is the first Group 1 winner for Zoustar (Northern Meteor) as a broodmare sire. Her dam Zouper Star has been catalogued as Lot 25 for the Inglis Chairman’s Sale on May 7 and she is a winning half-sister to black-type gallopers Best Yet To Come (Econsul) and Simply Put (Charge Forward). McDonald was over the moon at the Blue Diamond presentation at Caulfield. "What a filly,” McDonald said post-race. “She did it the tough way and I thought she was really strong all the way to the line. She was the most seasoned horse in the race and the way she walked around the mounting yard it was like she's done it her whole life. " Fairgray is confident Paradoxium can make amends for a best-forgotten loss in the Golden Slipper. The Bjorn Baker-trained colt went into the race on the back of outstanding victories in the Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic (RL, 1100m) and Todman Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Randwick. “He drew 18 and was brave after travelling wide,” Baker said. “He also had a setback earlier in the season before the Magic Million Classic on the Gold Coast. He was the early favourite but had to be scratched due to travel sickness. ” Baker has plenty of time for Paradoxium. “For him to get back here is pretty special,” he added. “We breed for speed in Australia and he’s fast and tough. ” And a Group 1 will confirm Paradoxium joins a future Yulong stallion roster which is currently headed by champion sire Written Tycoon (Iglesia). “He’s a precocious Extreme Choice and his sons at stud like Stay Inside are proving it’s already a successful sireline,” Fairgray said. “And we saw... Seraphox (AUS) 2 c Harry Angel - Foxy Touch by Foxwedge O: Starblue Racing Foxy, Ciaron Maher Racing, Ms P J Wilson, P Mittner, N M Anacleto, A H H Lau, Thura Souhernbreds, Binc Racing, V F Rovetto, S Vasile, D Martin, T R Alderman, Nature Stripe Racing, R F Diaz & T Y H Young B: Miss M Jeffcoat T: Ciaron Maher S: 2025 Inglis Ready2Race Sale V: Baystone Farm P: Ciaron Maher Racing / Starblue Consultancy, $220,000 W: Hyland Race Colours Maiden Handicap, 1300m, April 1, Warwick Farm Seraphox (Harry Angel) showed the benefit of race experience at Warwick Farm on Wednesday, shedding his maiden tag in good style under James McDonald for trainer Ciaron Maher. The son of Darley’s underrated sire Harry Angel (Dark Angel) was far from disgraced on debut in the Todman Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) when seventh, beaten only 4. 1 lengths by the more experienced winner Paradoxium (Extreme Choice) after covering ground throughout. The flashy chestnut duly franked that effort with a professional display back in maiden grade. Settling just off the speed, Seraphox was briefly held up on straightening before sprinting through to hold off the late challenge of The Roaring Sun (The Autumn Sun) and score by 0. 4 lengths, with Rolling Home (Bivouac) finishing third, another 2. 2 lengths adrift. Stable representative Amy Burke said the colt had taken natural improvement from his first outing. “He's a lovely horse and they’ve had a bit of an opinion of him from the beginning,” Burke said. “His run in the Todman was far from disgraced... he got caught wide and still stuck on well. He has really come on from that run, even in his demeanour... he’s the ultimate professional and a very nice horse going forward. ” McDonald echoed that sentiment, suggesting the colt would improve further with time. “He's a nice progressive horse who will only excel as he gets further,” he said. A $220,000 Inglis Ready2Race purchase for Ciaron Maher and Starblue Consultancy out of Baystone Farm, Seraphox has been through the sales ring multiple times, having first sold as a weanling for $65,000 before making $90,000 as a yearling. Bred by Miss M Jeffcoat, he is the first foal out of Foxwedge (Fastnet Rock) mare Foxy Touch and hails from the family of Group 2 winner and Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) fourth Campione D’Italia (Snitzel), who is set to contest Saturday’s Inglis Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) at Randwick. Swettenham Stud has announced Frankel’s (Galileo) Group 1 Prix Jacques le Marois (1600m) winner Diego Velazquez will stand for an introductory service fee of $27,500 (inc GST) this year. Owner Adam Sangster will stand him at the Nagambie nursery alongside champion Irish-bred Victorian sire Toronado (High Chaparral), Lofty Strike (Snitzel), Wooded (Wootten Basset) and I Am Immortal (I Am Invincible). Diego Velazquez is a physical masterpiece and brings the incomparable Frankel bloodline to Nagambie. A 2. 4 million guineas yearling, he was a precocious Group 2 winner at two and an exceptional Group 2 winner at three before progressing to Group 1 glory at four in the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville. Joining the honour-roll of champions like Dubawi (Dubai Millennium) and Kingman (Invincible Spirit), he defeated Group 1 winners such as Notable Speech (Dubawi) (US Breeders' Cup Mile) and Docklands (Massaat) (Queen Anne Stakes). Diego Velazquez is the total package: elite pedigree, precocious speed, and Group 1 miler toughness. “Frankel boasts an impressive 18 per cent stakes winners to runners record in Australia, so it’s a great privilege to provide the Australian industry with the most significant injection of Frankel blood to date,” Sangster said. “To get a gauge of how nice of a horse Diego is, he was one of the most expensive Frankel yearlings ever sold, selling for the equivalent of AU$5 million. Only the Winx filly has sold for more than that in Australia this decade. ” Champion trainer Aidan O’Brien is a keen student of turf history and needed little prompting to recognise the significance of Diego Velazquez winning the Prix Jacques le Marois in the Swettenham silks. “It’s incredible and I’m so delighted for the Sangster family,” the Ballydoyle maestro said. “Diego Velazquez has done everything. He’s a great model and he’s determined. He loves fast ground and is fast himself. ” Toronado remains the benchmark for consistency as the undisputed king of Victoria and his reign will continue after finishing as a top-three sire in the world for winners in 2025. Toronado is currently the number one active sire in Hong Kong, fuelled by the HK 4YO Series success of Little Paradise and Stormy Grove. Domestically, he leads the Victorian sires table for winners (134) and wins (211) leading into Easter and those stats have been bolstered by the immediate impact of his first crop from the $80,000 fee headlined by recent VRC Sires’ Produce (Gr 2, 1400m) winner Grinzinger Heart. In 2026, the market continued to show an insatiable appetite for the Toronado progeny. He led all stallions at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale by aggregate. And at the recent Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, he managed to produce an exceptionally strong median price of $400,000 (5x service fee). Toronado will stand for an unchanged service fee of $88,000 (inc GST). Lofty Strike is the blue-blooded speedster of the roster. A precocious colt, he burst on the scene as an undefeated two-year-old in the Blue Diamond Prelude (Gr 3, 1100m) and then... While Newgate Farm super sire Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) dominated the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale earlier this week, Newgate owner Henry Field was building new relationships with breeders like WA-based Yarradale Stud. Yarradale owner Lyn Sayers joined Field on the Newgate table at Riverside Stables alongside stud manager Davy Hanratty and his wife Susan, and their $2 million spend included Newgate fillies by I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) and Capitalist (Written Tycoon). “We bought yearlings here for the first time twelve months ago and went home with five fillies,” Hanratty recalled to ANZ News. “We couldn’t be happier with how that’s working out and it’s gone to another level this week with Henry. Newgate is an exceptional stud. Lyn and I only heard good things about how well it’s run and how they keep clients well-informed. That’s down to Henry. “We’ve developed a positive working relationship and spent some time in the Hunter Valley in December getting a feel for the venture. Being involved in the Newgate colts syndicate is exciting and it’s a no-brainer ensuring Yarradale remains a force in the industry. ” Yarradale weighed in with $800,000 for Newgate’s I Am Invincible filly from Peace Time (War Front) (Lot 14) on Sunday morning. The dam’s four foals to race are all black-type sprinters with Xtremetime (Extreme Choice) heading the quartet having landed the Woodlands Stakes (Listed, 1100m) at Rosehill. “The Vinnie filly is a supermodel,” Hanratty declared. “She’s big, strong and beautiful with a pedigree to match. Chris Waller was the underbidder and he came over and offered his congratulations. Knowing Chris was keen on her vindicated our decision and that was good enough for us to send the filly to him. ” Yarradale also paid $350,000 for the Capitalist filly out of Zoustar (Northern Meteor) mare Menagerie (Lot 425) on Monday. She was the final filly from the Newgate consignment and is a full-sister to Black Opal Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) winner Holmes A Court. “Peter Snowden was the underbidder so that was a good sign, too,” Hanratty said. “The dam is a half-sister to the Champion NZ 2YO Il Quello Veloce and there’s residual value with Australian Group 1 winners right down the page. ” The Newgate – WA connection goes back to 2013 when Field sold Emirates Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) winner Awesome Rock (Fastnet Rock) for $575,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Gold Front Thoroughbreds owners Alan and Sue Olive kept a share and he’s currently top five on the WA Sires’ premiership with chief-earner Watch Me Rock nailing the Railway Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) during the Ascot summer carnival. Field also has fond memories of Lyn’s husband Ron Sayers, who died in 2022. A legendary figure in the mining industry, Ron founded Ausdrill and bought Yarradale in 1997. The stud has had top-class stallions such as Breeders’ Cup Mile (Gr 1, 8f) winner War Chant (Danzig) – who died in 2024 at the age of 27. He also... Thoroughbred Breeders’ Australia (TBA) has welcomed a Racing Australia amnesty for ineligible foals born in 2024 and 2025. The directive comes after long-term lobbying across several industry organisations to have those foals reinstated. “It’s a sensible decision and a positive step from Racing Australia to resolve these issues,” TBA CEO Andrew Hore-Lacy said. “The vast majority of cases were not deliberate breaches but administrative errors or miscommunications about who would lodge the Foal Ownership Declaration. These horses represent years of planning, investment and care for breeders. “It’s reassuring to know those impacted horses can now move forward and have a future on the track. The amnesty removes uncertainty and allows these horses to progress as intended. ” All horses born in 2024 or 2025 who have yet to do a mare return or Foal Ownership Declaration (FOD) will also be eligible to race, provided the paperwork and associated fees are completed by 14 April, 2026. “The lodgement of the Foal Ownership Declaration is an important part of our overall horse traceability and it is important that Owners and Breeders adhere to the specific Australian Rules of Racing that cover those responsibilities,” Racing Australia chair Rob Rorrison said. “Our message has been very clear as to how serious an issue this is for the industry and I am pleased to say that the behavioural changes we are now seeing have resulted in a reduction in the Late Foal Ownership Declarations of 90 per cent. “We thank the participants for working with us to achieve this much improved result as we move toward 100 per cent compliance. ” TBA president Basil Nolan declared the amnesty is a good example of the industry working the way it should. “There has been strong engagement between breeders and the principal racing authorities, and a genuine willingness to listen to how these settings are playing out in practice,” Nolan said. “Compliance has improved significantly, which is a positive outcome. But what has become clear is that for a small number of cases, the consequences have been out of proportion to what are, in many instances, administrative errors or misunderstandings. “The important point is the collaborative approach. We won’t always agree on every issue, but when there is open dialogue and a shared focus on practical outcomes, the industry is in a much better position. “The new team at TBA and Aushorse, led by Andrew Hore-Lacy, were brought in with a clear focus on strengthening collaboration across the industry, building constructive relationships and ensuring breeders have a credible voice in these discussions. “As part of that, the team made a point of sitting down in person with the key decision makers at Racing NSW and Racing Victoria on a number of occasions to talk through how these settings were actually playing out and to work through the issues. “The external environment is only getting more challenging, so it is in everyone’s interests that we are working together where we can and finding practical solutions to issues as... Group 1-placed mare Tutta La Vita (The Autumn Sun) will be a headline act when she is offered at the upcoming Inglis Digital April (Early) Online Sale. The five-year-old daughter of The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice) is currently based in Kentucky and will be offered as a key breeding prospect having already established herself among the leading fillies of her generation in Australia during the 2023-24 season. A three-time placegetter at the highest level, Tutta La Vita was runner up in the Vinery Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) to Orchestral (Savabeel) and finished third in both the Flight Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) and Surround Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) behind fellow elite mares Tropical Squall (Prized Icon), Kimochi (Brave Smash) and Stefi Magnetica (All Too Hard). Initially purchased by Kevin Kelly for $300,000 at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Tutta La Vita made $3. 2 million when hammered down to John Stewart’s Resolute Racing at the 2024 Inglis Chairman’s Sale. The mare hails from a deep and active family, with close relations producing Group winners Hidden Motive (Capitalist), Enthaar (Written Tycoon) and Jasmin Rouge (Dundeel). Her siblings were covered by the likes of Zoustar (Northern Meteor) and Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) in 2025, while she also has an unraced two-year-old half-brother by Too Darn Hot (Dubawi) in training with Annabel and Rob Archibald, which realised $480,000 at the 2025 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale. Inglis managing director Mark Webster was thrilled with Tutta La Vita’s addition to the sale. “There’s no doubt Tutta La Vita is one of the highest profile and most gorgeous looking mares to ever be offered on the Inglis Digital platform and she will no doubt garner attention from breeders all around the world,’’ Webster said. “There will be few better credentialed mares offered anywhere in the world in 2026 and the timing of this sale is perfect should a southern hemisphere breeder acquire her, there’s still five or six months to get her back to Australia, give her time to reacclimatise and be ready for her maiden cover come spring. ’’ Entries for the Inglis Digital April (Early) Online Sale will remain open until Wednesday, April 8. The sale will run from April 10-15. To enter, click here. Harbour Fun (Harbour Watch), the dam of Group 2 winner Sassy Boom (Spirit Of Boom), topped the latest Magic Millions Digital Sale which concluded on Wednesday. Offered by Eureka Stud, she was secured by Hong Kong based buyer Shì shì lái ma for $95,000, the proven producer looking well bought given her 100 per cent record from three runners to date and the fact she is carrying a full-sibling to 2024 Angus Armanasco Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) winner Sassy Boom. Alongside that success, the Danny O’Brien-trained Sassy Boom also landed the Magic Millions Tasmanian 2YO Classic (1200m) and was stakes-placed in the Adelaide Guineas (Listed, 1600m). Sassy Boom will go under the hammer at May’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale on the Gold Coast. “We’re delighted to have sold Harbour Fun on the Magic Millions April Digital Sale,” vendor David Johnson said. “The team at Magics were very helpful in assisting us with the listing and keeping us up to date with any phone calls they received regarding the mare. We felt the mare would stand out on the platform and she sold accordingly. ” Among other highlights, Group-placed Tasmanian mare Jaguar Stone (Spieth) realised $27,500 to the bid of Philip Bingley who will keep the mare in the region. A dispersal of shares from the estate of the late Tony Halloran also attracted strong interest, headlined by a 12. 5 per cent share in three-time winner Larado (Toronado), who sold for $15,000 after 32 bids. Entries are now open for the next Magic Millions Digital Sale (April 17–22), with nominations closing on April 15. Group-winning and Group 1-placed mare Admiration Express (My Admiration) has already been confirmed as a key entry. To lodge an entry, click here. A top-drawer line-up of the finest breeding stock – as well as a share in Newgate stalwart Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) – headline the catalogue for the tenth edition of the Inglis Chairman’s Sale, which is now available online. A total of 104 lots have been catalogued for the sale, including 67 stakes horses or stakes producers, 27 pregnant mares on their first or second cover, 95 fillies/mares aged ten or younger, and 24 mares that are free of Danehill (Danzig) blood. There are a number of high-class fillies and mares included in the sale, such as Goodwood Handicap (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Benedetta (Hellbent), three-time Group 1 scorer Provence (Savabeel), millionaire earners Arabian Summer (Too Darn Hot) and Generosity (Divine Prophet), and multiple stakes winners such as In Flight (Flying Artie), Eternal Flame (Sacred Falls), Jennilala (Shalaa), Spicy Martini (Justify), and Just Feelin' Lucky (Justify). Also included is Aeliana’s (Castelvecchio) half-sister Summer In Capri (Proisir), Classique Legend’s (Not A Single Doubt) half-sister I Am Famous (I Am Invincible), as well as the dams of the Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) quinella in Guest House (Home Affairs) and Streisand (Magnus) and the dam of Group 1-winning juvenile Captured By Love (Written Tycoon). Mares in foal to stallions such as Extreme Choice - whose yearlings averaged more than $1. 5 million at this week’s Easter Yearling Sale - I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit), Zoustar (Northern Meteor), Anamoe (Street Boss), Harry Angel (Dark Angel), Home Affairs (I Am Invincible), Not This Time (Giant’s Causeway), Ole Kirk (Written Tycoon), Shinzo (Snitzel), Street Boss (Street Cry), Super Seth (Dundeel), The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice), and Too Darn Hot (Dubawi) will go through the ring. The auction will be held at Riverside Stables on the evening of Thursday, May 7 from 4pm and will again be held with a ‘where elegance meets excellence’ theme. Inglis Bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch was “delighted” with the catalogue. “The Inglis Chairman’s Sale is the most fun sale of the year, anywhere in the world and it provides an unparalleled experience for both vendors and buyers,’’ Hutch said. “From what we understand is likely to be on the market in 2026, the Chairman’s Sale will contain a higher proportion of quality breeding stock available to the Australasian market than ever before. “This is the tenth year of the Chairman’s Sale and the style of the evening has created an unrivalled atmosphere deserving of an annual celebration of some of the most desirable race fillies and mares in the world each year. “In the first year, amongst the 61 fillies and mares offered, acting on behalf of Torryburn Stud, Belmont Bloodstock purchased Miss Interiors for $625,000 and she would go on to become the dam of Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Home Affairs, now a Golden Slipper-winning sire with his first crop. “The sale has been generating results of major significance, in terms of both the local and international bloodstock market, ever since. “Golden Slipper-winning colts, Stay Inside and Shinzo,... There are always some things - axioms, beliefs, shards of received wisdom - in racing and breeding that are held by many as gospel but don’t stand up to close examination. Dundeel (High Chaparral) fillies have long laboured under a not-so-flattering reputation, dealing not only with temperament but their performance compared to his sons. The girls have been building away from it in recent years, but the mud takes some removing. Yet the Arrowfield Stud stallion had ten stakes winners last season, and seven of them were female. And of his past 13 stakes victories, fillies and mares have accounted for 11 of them. Two came along within an hour on Saturday - two of his three stakes winners this season - when Matt Smith’s four-year-old mare Idle Flyer took Rosehill’s Emancipation Stakes (Gr 2, 1500m), and Team Hayes’s three-year-old filly Stung won Morphettville’s Clare Lindop Stakes (Listed, 1600m). It’s true, Dundeel’s boys have supplied him with more stakes winners overall - with 26 to 14, and with eight of his nine Group 1 victors - the female exception being last season’s South Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) queen Femminile. That top-tier picture could change by the end of the autumn, with Idle Flyer and Stung aiming for elite targets in the Queen Of The Turf Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) and Australasian Oaks (Gr 1, 2000m) respectively. But given Dundeel’s spate of female black type victors since the start of last season, the balance is shifting dramatically. The story was similar with Dundeel’s sire High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells) in Australia, with his females catching up to his males over time, and many believe that with both sires, this was down to breeders better learning how to breed to them. One breeder has built a proud record in this area with Dundeel. Of his 14 female stakes winners, Torryburn Stud has bred - or had a hand in breeding - three. And that’s from only five Dundeel fillies they’ve produced. The Hunter Valley Farm bred Idle Flyer - who now has a Group 2 to go with her other black type victory in last spring’s Angst Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m). Torryburn also advised associate Alex Illes on the breeding of triple Group winner Hope In Your Heart, recommending Dundeel as the right choice especially at his then fourth-season fee of $27,500 - far short of the $88,000 (inc GST) he commands now. And Torryburn are the breeders of Mare Of Mt Buller, who claimed Randwick’s Epona Stakes (Gr 3, 1900m) last autumn. “It’s a shame Dundeel fillies have this reputation, because they’re brilliant racehorses. Some of them can be a bit quirky, but once you get on the right side of them, they’re fine,” Torryburn’s Mel Copelin told It’s In The Blood. Copelin has her thoughts on the ideal type of mare for Dundeel physically, saying: “You want a good, big strong mare, and Dundeel puts the athleticism into them. ” That’s the type of mare Torryburn acquired when they bought... After Belle Cheval (Savabeel) broke a mini drought for New Zealand-trained horses in Australian Group 1 races last week, Roger James and Robert Wellwood are hoping to capitalise on that success with Road To Paris (Circus Maximus), who bids for a quickfire Derby double on the opening day of The Championships. Belle Cheval’s dramatic win in the Vinery Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) was the first topline triumph by a Kiwi raider since Orchestral (Savabeel) claimed the same race in 2024 - thereby delivering back-to-back victories for James and Wellwood after Prowess (Proisir) had taken out the Vinery the year before. With the duo’s last-start New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) hero Road To Paris bringing some seriously strong staying credentials across the Tasman Sea, ‘the land of the long white cloud’ may have another moment in the sun at Randwick this Saturday when the Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) ably plays a support act role on Doncaster Mile Day. New Zealand trainers boast a formidable record in the Australian Derby - Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman won four of the eight editions between 2013 and 2020 - and, provided Road To Paris takes his first overseas venture in his stride, there is a strong possibility that the recent trend will continue. On Tuesday afternoon Road To Paris, who carries the blue tartan silks of Queensland owner-breeders Ron and Judi Wanless, boarded a flight to Sydney where he will take up residence at John Thompson’s Randwick stables, his temporary home ahead of Saturday’s hit-and-run $2 million assignment. The lightly-raced three-year-old was accompanied on his maiden Australian voyage by a far more experienced campaigner in James, with the frequent flier happy to defer interview duties to his younger training partner. Wellwood is naturally respectful of the leading claims of the Godolphin pair Observer (Ghaiyyath) and Green Spaces (Street Boss), who chased home Autumn Boy (The Autumn Sun) in the Rosehill Guineas (Gr 1, 2000m) and are vying for favouritism in the early Derby markets. Barrier ten is also less than ideal but provided Road To Paris - generally rated a $10 shot - can take up a handy enough position in the run, Wellwood is of the opinion that the gelding’s late turn of foot can leave even the most well-credentialled of rivals floundering in his wake. “We wouldn’t be taking him over to Australia if we didn’t think he had a very good chance of winning the Derby,” Wellwood told ANZ News. “We’ll put the blinkers on for the Derby to keep him nice and focused, and I expect him to run a big race. It was obviously a pretty tough effort in the NZ Derby but he bounced through the run well. It’s always a big ask to get your horses to peak twice, especially with a month between runs, but we’ve been really happy with his work at home and his final hitout last Saturday was very pleasing. “The standard of competition goes up on Saturday when you’re... The Belle Cheval (Savabeel) story already has many twists and turns and after the filly’s breakthrough success in last Saturday’s Vinery Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m), her owner-breeders David Archer and Diane Wright are eagerly anticipating the next chapter with some lofty spring ambitions in the pipeline. Belle Cheval became the third stakes winner produced by her dam Keepa Cheval (Keeper) when she survived the persistent challenge – and subsequent protest – laid down by Dom Sutton’s filly After Summer (The Autumn Sun), in the process taking Archer and Wright’s joint Group 1 tally to a very sweet 16. Ten of the best were provided by their magnificent sprinter-miler Mufhasa (Pentire), who raced as King Mufhasa in Australia where he collected the Toorak Handicap (Gr 1, 1600m) and the Futurity Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) – knocking off the reigning Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) champion Pinker Pinker (Reset) – during a prolific patch of form on both sides of the Tasman Sea. Mufhasa was prepared in his native New Zealand by the father-and-son training team of Trevor and Stephen McKee, best known for their expert handling of 13-time Group 1 heroine Sunline (Desert Sun). It was on the advice of McKee Jnr that Archer and Wright purchased Keepa Cheval, and while the mare’s moderate racing career only produced one win – in a lowly maiden at Pukekohe – her time in the breeding barn has been nothing less than a stratospheric success. Her third foal was The Bostonian (Jimmy Choux), who carried Archer’s grey and dark blue colours to seven stakes wins headlined by a trio of elite-level triumphs in Australia: the Doomben 10,000 (Gr 1, 1200m), Kingsford-Smith Cup (Gr 1, 1300m) and Canterbury Stakes (Gr 1, 1300m). Once the Tony Pike-trained gelding had retired from racing with ten wins and prize-money earnings in excess of $1. 8 million, his half-sister Cheval D’Or (Almanzor) promptly picked up the mantle and showcased the family’s versatility by winning the 2023 Trelawney Stud Stakes (Gr 3, 2100m). At that time, Belle Cheval was approximately six months old and the initial intention had been to put the filly up for public auction in the hope that she might make even more than Cheval D’Or, who was purchased for $420,000 by Pike and The Oaks Stud – where the broodmare now resides. However, as Archer explains, a phone call from his good friend Mark Chittick at Waikato Stud soon altered those plans. “We do sell the majority of horses that we breed but from early on, Mark’s advice was that this filly was a keeper,” Archer told ANZ News from the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale where, despite landing a windfall on Saturday, the spritely 79-year-old was keeping his hands firmly in his pockets. “A few years back Mark had told us that our mare was the perfect match for Savabeel, he was fully booked but we’ve known Mark for a long time now so he offered to find us a space for Keepa Cheval. Unfortunately... “Precocious” is a word heard extremely often at yearling sales. You just don’t often hear it about buyers. But it applies perfectly to Payton Boersma, who made a splash at Inglis Easter on Sunday. He’s originally from the west coast of America, he loves the beach and you could easily imagine him describing Sydney’s surf as “gnarly”. He fronts a young but expanding thoroughbred buying team called The Flying Dutchmen, and on Sunday he made his first overseas purchase in buying a filly for $750,000. And he’s all of 23 years old. These American Dutchmen bought Lot 89, a daughter of I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) out of three-time Group 1 winner Shoals (Fastnet Rock). They’ll race her in Australia along with Arrowfield Stud, the vendor who stayed in for a leg, and who’ve been helping Boersma’s team in their first foray outside the US. It’s an intriguing picture, putting Arrowfield’s John Messara, the septuagenarian senior statesman of Australian breeding, in cahoots with Boersma, who looked the picture of surfie cool in his shorts and thongs at Riverside, and is just the odd half century Messara’s junior. But the respect runs both ways, with Messara labelling his new associate - who’s younger than Written Tycoon - as “one smart cookie”. Boersma’s story, one of those classic American success ones, starts with a great grandfather who emigrated from the Netherlands, and continues to a father and uncle who, in just as classic Dutch fashion, had a dairy farm in Oregon. When that business got tough, they bought an espresso machine, and now Dutch Bros Coffee is a major drive-through chain with more than 1,000 outlets across the country. It’s also helped Gen Z’s Payton launch into thoroughbreds. “My dad loves racing, my four brothers and my mom love it. It’s awesome,” Boersma enthused, for he knows no other way. “It really just started with going to the race in our hometown, Grants Pass, Oregon - just a local track with cheap claiming racing. Then we decided to buy our first claiming horse for 2,500 bucks. That was in 2012, and it just kinda snowballed from there. That was when I first started studying pedigrees. ” When some quick maths deduced Boersma was ten, he replied, “Yep! ” “Then about four years ago, a group of us got a bit more seriously into it, initially as a small operation on the west coast with a bunch of claiming horses,” Boersma told ANZ News. “At first we were called Boardshorts Stables - ‘cause we just had a really great time, loved the beach and showed up to the races in boardshorts and flip flops. But then the branding was becoming more difficult, and we were getting a bit more professional, just slightly, so we came up with The Flying Dutchmen. “We also decided to professionalise the operation and we moved to Kentucky. We then bought a few stallion shares, some yearlings, and we’ve been breeding to race and it’s been spectacular. ” Their... The thrilling appeal of Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) and the resilience of the Inglis Easter yearling market were on show on opening day at Riverside, with Newgate Stud’s star stallion holding the top and equal-second lots spearheaded by a $3 million colt. Before the sale, Inglis officials restrained their predictions due to uncertainty stemming from the ongoing war in Iran and its economic impacts, such as downward pressure on global stock markets and the opposite on fuel prices. And while many rated the catalogue as the finest they had seen at Easter, an even and deep spread of quality - combined with events in the Middle East - led to doubts last year’s top price of $3 million could be matched. Within less than an hour those doubts were erased when Coolmore’s Tom Magnier out-duelled Yulong in a tense bidding war to emerge with Lot 26, Lime Country Thoroughbreds’ powerful bay colt by Extreme Choice out of dual Group winner Pretty Brazen (Brazen Beau). Later, trainer Clinton McDonald and Shane McGrath Bloodstock paid $1. 8m for Lot 117, Newgate’s filly by the same sire out of Group 1 winner Speak Fondly (Northern Meteor). That ranked equal second on the day alongside Lot 126, Widden Stud’s Zoustar (Northern Meteor) filly out of Group 2 winner Summer Sham (Not A Single Doubt) who’s a sister to elite-winning sprinter and now Rosemont Stud-based sire Schwarz. She was bought by Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock, on behalf of Jonathan Munz’s GSA Bloodstock. It came in an opening session which, although several markers were down on last year, left Inglis Bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch “delighted”, given his pre-sale jitters due to events in the Middle East. Soon after the close of business, the average was $452,603, down 7. 4 per cent at the same stage last year, albeit with 17 more lots sold (146). The gross stood at $66,080,000, up 4. 5 per cent, while the median dropped 6. 6 per cent to $350,000. The clearance rate was down three points at 76 per cent. In a sign of the spread of quality, the day’s eight seven figure lots came from six different vendors. And in a hint of the strength and breadth of the buying bench, they involved seven different purchasers. “It’s hard not to be buoyed by the outcome of today,” Hutch told reporters. “It’s a promising start to the sale. “I was apprehensive ahead of the sale. But ultimately it’s played out that people wanted to buy nice horses and pursue them with real vigour. We get to the end of the day with a set of figures which, if you’d offered them to me at the start, I’d have bitten your hand off for. “The gross is up, the clearance is ... fractionally behind last year. We offered more horses so I think we were prepared for that. By a fluke of the catalogue, Hutch believes bigger and better should be expected on Monday. That was hinted at by the fact... Inglis Easter, the southern hemisphere’s most important yearling sale, kicks off on Sunday marked by the competing forces of what’s been hailed as its finest catalogue yet contrasted by deep global uncertainty over the war in the Middle East. The latter factor has Inglis Bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch “apprehensive” about how the auction will pan out, with the tendrils of US president Donald Trump’s incursion into Iran possibly reaching as far as the Australian thoroughbred market. And with that action erupting at the outset of the Melbourne Premier sale earlier this month, Hutch believes it renders exposed form in the 2026 Australasian yearling market thus far - mostly positive though it might be - as far less of a guide than usual. Following withdrawals, a concentrated total of 421 yearlings will go under the hammer from 11am on Sunday in the two-day sale hailed as “the best of the best”. When the catalogue was released in January, Hutch described it as the finest he’d seen in his seven years at Inglis. That assertion has been echoed by others at Riverside this week. “I look at a lot of yearlings, and buy the odd one,” North Bloodstock’s general manager Mick Malone told ANZ News. “I’ve seen the whole catalogue, and I reckon I’ve never seen a bunch of Easter horses as good. They’ve put a very good catalogue together. “There’s been huge interest here this week. Foot traffic is really, really good, with lots of parades. It feels good. “There’s either a lot of tyre kickers here or it’s going to be a really good sale. ” However, the man in charge is taking a more guarded approach. While Hutch is typically cautious and conservative in his forecasts for Inglis sales, he feels he has more grounds than usual this year, given what’s happening 13,000 kilometres away. Trump’s attack on Iran and the wide and profound ructions it has caused - from global financial markets to Australian fuel prices - means the Inglis team will have their fingers crossed about seeing a level of immunity from the troubles of the world at Riverside on Sunday and Monday. “I’m apprehensive in advance of the sale,” Hutch told ANZ News. “That’s not unusual for me before a sale, but I’m very aware of what challenges there are to be faced in advance of a sale like this. The timing is not ideal. “It’s just a confidence thing. The level of uncertainty we have at the moment is not typically conducive to people making bullish decisions. There’s a volatile stock market, a weak currency in places like New Zealand and Japan. Travel from Europe and other places is a bit trickier than it ordinarily would be. “We’ve consolidated a good group of people here for the sale, but these are not the conditions you’d choose if you could pick your conditions to have a sale. ” Hutch said he did not want to “elicit false expectations of false confidence in the market”. “It’s normal... If Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) wasn’t around, Aeliana (Castevecchio) would be close to being hailed as Australian racing’s superstar mare. But a week after scoring her second elite victory, Chris Waller’s other great current female showed she was worthy of the lofty title herself when she scored her most stirring triumph to date in Saturday’s Tancred Stakes (Gr 1, 2400m) at Rosehill. Last autumn, Star Thoroughbreds’ $180,000 Karaka purchase took the breath away in beating the boys by 5. 16 lengths in the Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2400m). Last week, she showed her fighting qualities with a 0. 3-length victory in the WFA Ranvet Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) when she wore down stablemate Lindermann (Lonhro) - a redoubtable Group 1 winner but perhaps short of the top echelon. Backed up for Sydney’s major WFA staying test on Saturday, she confronted a bone fide top-rater in William Haggas’ English raider Dubai Honour (Pride Of Dubai), here for a third time in quest of his fourth Australian elite title - to go with his other one in the Grand Prix de Saint Cloud (Gr 1, 2400m) - and back-to-back Tancreds. With Aeliana strongly backed into $1. 70 favouritism, and Dubai Honour a $3. 60 second elect, the stage was set for an engrossing battle between the four-year-old mare and the eight-year-old gelding, and what transpired didn’t disappoint. Contrasting his three previous Australian wins, Tom Marquand jumped Dubai Honour to the lead from the widest gate of eight. James McDonald on Aeliana didn’t let him out of his sights, sitting two lengths behind, outside the third horse. Marquand sought to catch his rivals off-guard, calling for his mount’s effort at the 600 metres. Straightening for home he led the mare by four lengths, as McDonald roused Aeliana for the fight. Dubai Honour still led by three passing the 300 metres, but gave a tell as he veered out sharply. Aeliana was behind and to his inside then, but would soon be on his outside again as Dubai Honour returned to the fence. The international warrior was still two lengths clear at the 100 metres, but with the crowd yelling itself hoarse, Aeliana dug her deepest to continue her charge, wearing away until clinching victory in the last few strides, by 0. 3 lengths. Back in third was $7 third-favourite Vauban (Galiway), a full five lengths behind Aeliana. “It’s hard to beat a Haggas horse when they’re being set for a race as Mr Haggas does. He shows us what training’s all about when he comes down here. We knew we had to be on top of our game,” said an emotional Waller after his 193rd Group 1. “Full credit to Aeliana; she’s a proper horse. She puts herself in the race, never let Dubai Honour get out of our sights. “He threw the task at the 600-metre mark, probably a little bit earlier than what we liked but James just cuddled her and fortunately she was just strong to the line and... The mighty Savabeel (Zabeel) chalked up his 36th elite winner when Belle Cheval scored a thrilling and dramatic victory in Saturday’s Vinery Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) at Rosehill. In one of many spine-tingling finishes on a magnificent day of racing in Sydney and Melbourne, the New Zealand filly scored a popular win with punters as $2. 60 favourite in the $750,000 feature, giving trainer Mark Walker his 33rd Group 1 success and jockey Zac Lloyd his fifth. It also came with ample post-race tension, before Belle Cheval was confirmed as emulating half-brother The Bostonian (Jimmy Choux) in becoming an elite victor. Jumping from gate two of nine under Lloyd, riding with great confidence following his Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) win a week earlier at the same track on Guest House (Home Affairs), Belle Cheval enjoyed a perfect trail in third on the fence, behind a moderate tempo which suited her at her first try beyond 1600 metres. Lloyd eased his mount off the heels of the leader and inside Dom Sutton’s $61 longshot After Summer (The Autumn Sun) as the field headed for home, while to the outside $4. 20 chance Salty Pearl (Tagaloa) and $2. 70 second elect Ohope Wins (Ocean Park) staked their claims. Belle Cheval claimed the lead at the 200 metres but at the same time veered dramatically outward, across the line of After Summer. Straightened by Lloyd under vigorous whip riding, the Kiwi raider knuckled down to see out the job as After Summer rallied late, holding just enough in reserve to beat After Summer on the bob of the head, denying that filly’s sire The Autumn Sun a third Group 1 title in eight days by just 0. 01 lengths. In post-race drama, After Summer’s rider Billy Egan lodged a protest due to the interference in the last furlong, but with Egan not having been forced to stop riding at any point, the objection was dismissed. Salty Pearl couldn’t quite match the finishing bursts of the first pair in her initial try beyond 1600 metres but held third, while Ohope Wins managed an unfulfilling fourth for her backers, 0. 81 lengths off the winner. Walker, who runs bases in New Zealand and at Cranbourne, was delighted with the victory, which complemented another elite title across the Tasman for his stable earlier in the afternoon when Seize The Day (I Am Invincible) took the Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m). Walker said the finish was scarily reminiscent of The Kiwi (Listed, 1500m) at Ellerslie on March 7, when Well Written (Written Tycoon) drifted out on Belle Cheval in the closing stages but clung on to win in another head-bobber. “It was the NZB Kiwi photo all over again. She just ran around a bit, but it was great for the filly, David and Diane , and the team at home in New Zealand prepared her really well,” Walker said. “Everyone has been working hard in Melbourne and New Zealand. We had a... Another classic chapter of Australian Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) lore was written on Saturday as an epic home straight battle ended in a Ciaron Maher quinella, as Light Infantry Man (Fast Company) overcame a once more gallant Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) in the Flemington feature. The WFA test has had many gripping chapters since its 1863 inception, from Lonhro’s (Octagonal) impossible victory in 2004, Makybe Diva’s (Desert King) triumph in world record time the following year, and even the great boilover of 1988 when bolter Dandy Andy (Three Legs) spoiled the hyped match race of Vo Rogue (Ivor Prince) and Bonecrusher (Pag Asa). Saturday’s edition, on an unforgettable day of racing, was worthy of the best of them, as Light Infantry Man edged out Pride Of Jenni at the last gasp. In so doing, the seven-year-old French import continued a modern trend of back-to-back winners of the race, incorporating Cascadian (New Approach) in the two years before him and the 2018-19 wins of Harlem (Champs Elysees) - though he was the first such double winner since Vo Rogue himself in 1989-90. Neither of Maher’s two runners was a strong fancy. Chris Waller pair Birdman (Free Eagle) and Leica Lucy (Derryn), and Godolphin’s Tom Kitten (Harry Angel) headed the market at $2. 50, $4. 60 and $6 respectively. Punters had that right, in a way. The trio finished in that order - but in fifth, sixth and seventh - as the lesser rated Light Infantry Man, at $21, and $11 shot Pride Of Jenni fought it out. Under her favourite rider Declan Bates aboard, Pride Of Jenni assumed her customary leader’s role from gate 10 of 12 on a soft 7 track. With the mare now eight, there would be no attempt for her to try another Vo Rogue-style outrageous lead, such as that seen in her memorable Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) title of two years ago. Instead Bates had her out by three or four lengths most of the way. He’d subtly increased that to five as the mare eyed her galling quest to hold on up the long Flemington straight, but the mission looked over as early as the 300-metre mark, as Birdman ranged alongside, having saved ground on the rail. Yet as soon as that had happened, Pride Of Jenni kicked again. Birdman’s challenge was smashed. But now Light Infantry Man, having travelled in third and fourth for Harry Coffey, emerged menacingly. Again, he looked set to run past the mare inside the 100 metres, but Pride Of Jenni fought again. Like heavyweight boxers, the pair gave all they had over what was left, and on the line it took only the closest of photo examinations to reveal a margin to the outside horse - by 0. 02 lengths. No one who witnessed the bout will quickly forget it, not least Maher, who fought back tears as he heaped praise on both his runners for the spectacle they’d provided, lauding Light Infantry Man for... Darley sire Ghaiyyath (Dubawi) continued on his unstoppable way when his son Storm Leopard powered to victory in Saturday’s Tulloch Stakes (Gr 2, 2000m) for three-year-olds at Rosehill. Another prominent runner from the surging My Racehorse syndicate, the Team Hayes trained gelding had been working into form in his five starts before the race after only debuting in late November. Wins at Geelong and Ballarat were followed by a fast-finishing fifth in Caulfield’s Vobis Guineas (1600m) on March 14, which ensured he came into Saturday’s test with strong support as a $4. 20 second favourite. Storm Leopard’s task became easier when $2. 40 favourite Arcora (Justify) went amiss and was pulled up at the 1100-metre mark, but nothing could be taken away from the winner. Travelling in fourth place for Tommy Berry, he had the job of carting the field up to tearaway leader Shangri La Boy (Pierro) and did so with a great tenacity, claiming his rival at the 200-metre mark and striding away to win untroubled by 1. 81 lengths. Matthew Smith’s $81 bolter Eureka Rebel (Fierce Impact) worked home well for second, almost two lengths to the good of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s $5 shot Shangri La Boy (Pierro) and Ciaron Maher’s $31 hope Decalogue (Extreme Choice), who turned in a strong trial for the Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2400m). Bookmakers wound Storm Leopard in to $6 for that $2 million feature next Saturday - behind only Godolphin’s $3. 50 co-favourites Observer, another son of Ghaiyyath, and Green Spaces (Street Boss). Storm Leopard’s connections have a decision to make over paying the $44,000 late entry fee for the Derby, however. Co-trainer Ben Hayes said the gelding’s original nomination was withdrawn with a view to instead going to the South Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2500m), but he had since made a compelling case for the Randwick Classic. Berry joked that he might pay the fee himself if Storm Leopard’s owners and trainers demurred. “I’m glad we went here, that was very impressive,” Hayes said. “We’re excited and we’re going to have a good discussion about what we do with this horse in the next couple of days. We’ll definitely consider running in the Derby. “We took him out of the noms unfortunately. We were going to go to Adelaide. But then we changed plans because he started to go so well. It’ll be a good discussion to have. If he pulls up well it’s definitely something that will be considered. ” Berry was full of praise for Storm Leopard, especially due to the mid-race interference as Nash Rawiller pulled up Arcora, who had to be euthanised after suffering a near foreleg injury. “He just got into a lovely rhythm and then my mind was on Nash to make sure he was alright. Then you’ve got to make sure you focus up again,” Berry said. “He won with a lot of authority today. He had to chase a horse that was a tearaway leader. I tried to make... John Ferguson’s Natalma Bloodstock will take its latest step into the Australian yearling market at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, with a select group of six to be offered as part of Arrowfield Stud’s draft. Founded in July 2021 and named after the dam of the truly breed-shaping sire Northern Dancer (Nearctic), Natalma was first active in the US and the UK and made its first foray as a trader in Australia at the 2022 Magic Millions Broodmare Sale. That occasion saw the operation sell three European-bred mares – Bawaady (Dubawi), Under Wraps (Kingman) and Elvic (Siyouni) – for a combined $2. 1 million, going for $700,000 apiece. The former chief executive to Godolphin, Ferguson aims to nurture a bloodstock portfolio that appeals across global markets, and has curated another internationally attractive group to go through the ring at Riverside in Sydney. American bloodlines have proved a success story in Australia in the past. Group 1 winners Russian Revolution, Little Brose and King Colorado are just a small few among the leading performers in the country whose dams were bred in the US. Five of Natalma’s six yearlings on offer are out of American mares – which Ferguson told ANZ News is a business model he believes can be successful in Australia. “I think there's no question that fast American bloodlines and pedigrees have proven that they work internationally,” he said. “I think that's just an accepted fact, and therefore it makes sense that we have mares that are attractive – they're the right shape, they've got good limbs and they're athletic. We believe that they're the right type to produce nice horses in Australia. ” Among the standouts of the draft are Lots 176 and 230, a pair of chestnut colts in the mould of their champion sire Gun Runner (Candy Ride). The former is the first foal from Listed winner Violenza (Violence), while the latter is the third foal out of the stakes-winning juvenile Been Studying Her (Fast Anna), herself a half-sister to Graded winners Sneaking Out (Indian Evening) and Grecian Fire (Unusual Heat) as well as to stakes winner Smuggler’s Run (Straight Fire). Violenza was a US$210,000 pickup for Natalma at the 2022 edition of the Keeneland Breeding Stock Sale, while the operation parted with US$330,000 to secure Been Studying Her at the same sale the year before. While yet to have a runner in the southern hemisphere, there seems to be market confidence behind Gun Runner - who covered a handful of mares at his Lane’s End Farm base on southern hemisphere time - in Australasia, with all four of his yearlings offered in 2025 selling at an average of $408,750 across Inglis Easter and Magic Millions Gold Coast. “It makes sense to breed them to stallions that we believe are going to make an impact in Australia,” Ferguson said. “I tell you exactly where the logic is there . Gun Runner has been an extraordinary success in the United States. As a type, he... Te Akau Racing continued their domination of New Zealand’s juvenile ranks when Seize The Day (I Am Invincible) comfortably took out the Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) at Trentham on Saturday, with the added bonus for co-trainer Sam Bergerson of having his father, Roydon Bergerson, quinella the race with Sweetest Thing (Hello Youmzain). Seize The Day was backed into a $2. 80 favourite for the two-year-old feature, but he had punters anxious when he dislodged jockey Opie Bosson just before heading to the start, but the veteran jockey was able to calm his charge and got around to the starting gates in one piece. After jumping from his wide alley, Bosson took in the early state of play of the race and elected to press forward, eventually finding the parked position outside pacemaker Summer Schemer (Dirty Work). Seize The Day loomed ominously at the turn and quickly hit the lead, and made light work of his opposition, running out to a 4. 5 lengths victory over Sweetest Thing, with outsider Speed Demon (Yes Yes Yes) a further 0. 6 lengths back in third. “I took my time a little bit to see what was going to happen and I thought ‘I better get moving here, I am going to be caught three deep’, so I elected to slide forward,” Bosson said. “It took a couple of strides for him to come back to me but once he did, he relaxed beautifully and I think it was the right idea to take the blinkers off. “I wasn’t happy with his manners going to the start, but in the race they were perfect. He is a lovely big colt, has a massive stride on him and he is just so smooth underneath you. It makes my job easy. ” It was Te Akau Racing’s eighth win in the race in the last nine years and Sam Bergerson, who trains in partnership with Mark Walker, was pleased his stable was able to clean sweep the juvenile Group 1 races in New Zealand this year, with stablemate Lara Antipova (Russian Revolution) having won the Sistema Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) at Ellerslie earlier this month. “He is just an outstanding colt and we have liked him from day one,” Bergerson said. “We thought he would have been racing a bit earlier than he was, it just took a while for the penny to drop. “He is just going from strength to strength and it is so exciting to see him put in a performance like that. Opie summed it up well, he was in two minds at the start and he made the right choice. “The way he quickened was really exciting. I thought he was travelling really nicely at the top of the straight and I thought ‘gee, I would love to stick the blinkers on him now’. Thankfully he just switched on and he has gone to another level since Matamata. ” Bergerson’s father Roydon was one of the first to... Progressive mare She’s A Dealer (Ace High) followed in the footsteps of her mum Say No More (Pentire) as she captured the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) 14 years after her dam achieved the feat. The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained four-year-old benefitted from a change of tactics after earlier races on the day had fallen in favour of horses who were in or near the lead and stuck to an inside course in the home straight. Wellwood didn’t mince words when describing those tactics after the victory. “She is a fit and tough mare and was probably ready to go 2000 metres,” Wellwood said. “We had a big chat with Roger and George and we thought if we didn’t go forward and put her in the race we might as well put her on the truck back home. “We put her in the race and it paid off so it was wonderful to get the result. ” Rooke followed the instructions to the letter as he had the daughter of Ace High (High Chaparral) placed one out and one back behind Afternoon Siesta (Shamus Award) as she and Special Sakura (Staphanos) set up a steady speed in front. Rooke made his bid on the mare rounding the home bend as she joined the first two before the trio set down to fight out the finish. She’s A Dealer showed plenty of heart as she hit the front and held out Special Sakura, who fought back bravely, by 0. 7 lengths with Afternoon Siesta holding out the flashing late run of Khanshe (Mongolian Khan) to claim third, beaten 1. 4 lengths. “She hasn’t had a lot of luck in this prep as she has been running very good races without the luck,” Wellwood said. “She deserved that and Mum would be very proud as she won it a few years back. “It’s a massive thrill for the team who work so hard and it is these sort of results that get everyone out of bed in the morning. “She is a brave mare, a good mare and it is harder when they are only four as it is their first year against the older horses. “That is not the last win you will see from her. ” Rooke was thrilled to get the victory after the plan that had been employed paid off. “She’s been a very unlucky mare and we had no luck last time where she pulled a shoe coming out of the gates,” he said. “We had no luck coming wide earlier in the day, so we thought we would take that out of the equation and sit wide as she is crying out for 2000 metres. “I was very happy the way she was travelling and she is tough and loves running. ” Out of the two-time Group 1-winning Pentire (Be My Guest) mare Say No More, She’s A Dealer was bred by John and Colleen Thompson under their Rich Hill Thoroughbreds banner.... Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) is one of the most exciting horses anywhere in the world right now and Silverdale Farm, the operation responsible for selling the star at the 2023 edition of the Inglis Australian Easter Sale, is hoping another high-class talent is waiting to be unearthed among the group of yearlings they will offer at this year’s renewal of the Sydney auction. Steve Grant’s outfit sold the daughter of The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice) to Arrowfield Pastoral, the home of her sire, in partnership with Hermitage Thoroughbreds for a sale-topping $1. 8 million, having secured her for $600,000 from her breeders, Newhaven Park, at the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale the previous year. Now trained by Chris Waller, the sky looks the limit for Autumn Glow, whose race record stands at a perfect 11 from 11, headed by three Group 1 wins, which could swell to four should she maintain her foot-perfect career in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) at Randwick on April 11. And for Silverdale Farm, there can be no better advertisement for what they can produce. Rob Petith, Silverdale manager, said: “Autumn Glow’s fantastic for Silverdale, fantastic for the sales company, fantastic for the breeders and fantastic for racing enthusiasts. She captured the imagination of the public and we obviously feel very fortunate to have been able to play a part in her development. It’s a huge thrill, it really is. She’s very special. “She was very special from the very first time we saw her, she was a beautiful filly to do anything with. The wonderful attitude you see at the races now, that’s what she was like at Silverdale. ” Autumn Glow came under the hammer with stellar credentials. Out of three-time South African Grade 1 winner Via Africa (Var), the filly is a three-quarter sister to Newgate’s Golden Rose (Gr 1, 1200m) winner In The Congo (Snitzel). Petith said her star quality shone through and was easy to spot. “She was definitely something out of the box and she just caught your attention,” he said. “She conserved energy and was very efficient with the way she moved, which was one of the things we really loved about her. “I have three beautiful kids and naturally take a lot of pictures of them, but for that period when she was at Silverdale I think I took more photos of Autumn Glow when you look back through my phone. “It was a huge thrill to sell her for $1. 8 million and a lot of people ask now if we wish we’d have kept her and of course who wouldn’t? But we’re a commercial farm, so we took her to sale and presented her as well as we could. “The market was able to work out what she was worth and she found some fantastic owners in Arrowfield and Hermitage. It's great for the farm and hopefully we’ve got the next Autumn Glow standing in one of the boxes at... Many eyes around Riverside will be glued to screens just after 3pm on Saturday to take in the VRC Sprint Classic (Listed, 1200m) for three-year-olds at Flemington. The race might not quite be the highlight of a meeting featuring the Australian Cup (Gr 1, 2000m), and much attention on the day will also be drawn to Rosehill’s dual Group 1 card. But there’ll be intense interest in the Sprint Classic from the point of view of the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale starting the next day, with two key chances - linked by Written Tycoon (Iglesia) - having siblings to go under the hammer. Robbie Griffiths’ exciting gelding Legacy Bound, by Written Tycoon’s (Iglesia) burgeoning sire son Ole Kirk, is second favourite at around $3. 40 as he seeks back-to-back wins and a fifth from seven starts. His owners Vinery Stud will offer his sister on day one of the Easter sale, as Lot 61. And Legacy Bound’s equal topweight in the set weights and penalties event is a son of Written Tycoon in Tycoon Star, who’ll resume seeking a third victory at start number 12. With all of the colt’s headgear removed by his trainers Team Hayes, his chief owners - and Written Tycoon’s home stud - Yulong will also be hoping for a forward showing as they prepare to offer his brother at Riverside on Monday, as Lot 439. Both young sprinters will likely clash on a bigger stage later in the autumn in Morphettville’s The Goodwood (Gr 1, 1200m), also set weights and penalties, on May 9, but Saturday’s meeting shapes as a juicy first round bout. Legacy Bound is the first horse Griffiths has trained for Vinery, retained to carry the green with the white V after being withdrawn from the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. After winning his first two starts last autumn including Adelaide’s Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m), Legacy Bound produced another first-up victory in the spring, assuaging his trainer’s fears about a first look at the Flemington straight by taking the Poseidon Stakes (Listed, 1100m). The gelding finished just behind the headline grabbers in his two other spring runs, also up the Flemington straight, with a fourth in the Danehill Stakes (Gr 2, 1100m) and a highly meritorious third in the Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m), behind Tentyris (Street Boss) and the reopposing My Gladiola (I Am Invincible). Tentyris and My Gladiola, the filly who also ran second in the Danehill, franked the Coolmore form by coming home in that order again first-up in February’s Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (Gr 1, 1000m). Both then finished unplaced in the Newmarket Handicap (Gr 1, 1200m), but My Gladiola is currently favourite for the Sprint Classic at around $2. 50, as she shapes to again meet Legacy Bound, who kept his first-up record intact with his second Flemington straight win on March 7, in a quality handicap over 1100 metres. Vinery general manager Adam White said the stud was hoping for big things... Bidding is now open for the Magic Millions Digital (27 March-1 April) Sale with 83 lots catalogued, the majority offered unreserved. Vendors represented include Amelia Park, Daandine Stud, Cornerstone Stud, Erinvale Thoroughbreds, Eureka Stud, Golden Grove, Lyndhurst Stud Farm, Ciaron Maher Racing, Murrulla Stud, Proven Thoroughbreds, Seymour Equine Services, Trinder Racing, and Widdup Racing, among others. Amongst the highlights, Proven Thoroughbreds is offering 18 unreserved shares in various horses on behalf of the estate of one of their prolific owners, the late Anthony Halloran. Halloran raced horses such as The Everest (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Think About It (So You Think). The unreserved dispersal features shares in juveniles through to city winners, one highlight being a ten per cent share in Wild Thoughts (So You Think), who is targeting the $1,000,000 Provincial-Midway Championship Final (1400m) on Day 2 of The Championships at Randwick and is scheduled to run in a qualifying heat at Newcastle on Tuesday. In the Racehorse and Race Filly categories, Widdup Racing offers Afloat (Astern), a four-year-old gelding who is a provincial winner and placed three times from 11 starts to date. Ciaron Maher Racing offers Delivering (Justify), a consistent Melbourne city winner who has won or placed on 16 occasions from 27 starts. That's Molly (Dissident), offered by Glen Milligan Racing, is a city-winning mare who has earned over $337,000 in prize-money and last raced at Gold Coast on March 14. Highlights continue in the Broodmare category with Harbour Fun (Harbour Watch), offered by Eureka Stud. She is already the dam of Armansaco Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) winner Sassy Boom (Spirit Of Boom) and, importantly, is offered in-foal to Spirit Of Boom (Sequalo). Jaguar Stone (Spieth), offered by Trinder Racing, is an exciting breeding prospect. She is a Magic Millions Tasmanian 2YO Classic (1200m) winner, is also Group placed and is completely free of Danehill (Danzig), making her an easy mating proposition. Rounding out the catalogue is a selection of untried and unbroken stock, as well as a significant number of yearlings by stallions such as Alabama Express (Redoute’s Choice), Barbaric (I Am Invincible), Better Than Ready (More Than Ready), Farnan (Not A Single Doubt), Paulele (Dawn Approach), Pierata (Pierro), Shamus Award (Snitzel), State Of Rest (Starspangledbanner), Tassort (Brazen Beau) and others. Bidding is now open and will begin closing from 12pm (QLD time) on Wednesday, April 1. To view the catalogue, please click here. Coolmore Australia have purchased last weekend’s Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Guest House (Home Affairs) in a big money deal rumoured to be worth around $30 million. A son of the operation’s resident first-season sire Home Affairs (I Am Invincible), the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained colt will now race in a partnership run by Coolmore after a deal was reached with his owners, Roll The Dice, who will remain in the ownership. Guest House will continue to sport the upwardly mobile syndicator's unique colours as part of the terms of the new deal. Coolmore’s Tom Magnier said: “Home Affairs is a stallion that we have had such great faith in for a number of years and Guest House has been on our radar since his debut win in December. He is exactly the type of colt we strive to stand at Coolmore – a Golden Slipper winner by a brilliant young sire, with the speed and physique to make a top-class stallion. “The Slipper remains the most important stallion-making race in Australia and he couldn’t have been any more impressive in winning it. ” Home Affairs, a son of I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit), stood his first season at stud for a fee of $110,000 (inc GST) and joined the likes of Danehill (Danzig) and Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) in producing a Golden Slipper-winning colt from his first crop. Magnier continued: “Some leading stallions go their whole careers without producing a Golden Slipper winner. Home Affairs’ sire I Am Invincible is a champion stallion, but is yet to produce a winner of the race. “For Home Affairs to produce a dominant Golden Slipper-winning colt like Guest House in his first crop is extremely significant. He’s burst onto the scene in a similar way to Extreme Choice in recent years, when he produced Stay Inside to win the Golden Slipper in his first crop. ” Guest House announced himself as a future talent when breaking his maiden at Cranbourne in December, following up that win with a second-placed finish in the Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) (Gr 3, 1100m). The two-year-old then showed his Group 1 potential when making the podium in Caulfield’s Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) last month. He landed Slipper laurels when successfully reversing the form with Streisand (Magnus), winner of the Blue Diamond, when beating that filly by 1. 4 lengths at Rosehill last Saturday. Bred by Love Racing PL, Henderson Racing and Breeding and G1G Racing and Breeding, Guest House was bought from Newgate’s draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $270,000 by Price, Tim Rogers Bloodstock and the Roll The Dice Racing. This is the second big stallion acquisition for Coolmore in as many months, with the operation having paid a hefty sum to buy proven sire Super Seth (Dundeel) from leading New Zealand nursery Waikato Stud. Bred by Torryburn Stud, Home Affairs was bought by Magnier for $875,000 at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale... Lovatsville Stud has added the multiple Group-race winner Espionage to its roster for the 2026 breeding season and the son of Zoustar (Northern Meteor) will stand for an introductory fee of $11,000 (inc GST). A boom early season juvenile, Espionage won the Breeders' Plate (Gr 3, 1000m) on debut before returning in the autumn to land the Kindergarten Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) in great style, scoring by over three lengths. Bred by Gerry Harvey’s Baramul Stud, he was purchased by James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership for $1 million at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and trained throughout his career by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. Espionage’s high-class juvenile performances prompted Coolmore and their partners to land a multi-million-dollar deal to acquire a majority share of the horse, however, an untimely injury on the cusp of his three-year-old season put paid to ambitions for an Everest (Gr 1, 1200m) campaign. Lovatsville’s Sam White revealed his delight at securing the horse, with Coolmore retaining an interest. “He is a great coup for our farm and for Victoria, and to have Coolmore’s continued backing underlines his credentials in this market,” said White. “He is a beautifully coloured stallion with a fabulous Zoustar-styled head. A brilliant loose mover with a plunging girth and great shoulder. He has scope, short cannons, great length to his hocks, and has an outstanding demeanour. ” Meanwhile, champion trainer Gai Waterhouse endorsed the prospects of Espionage standing at Lovatsville. The four-year-old finishes his racing career with two wins and two further placings from ten starts, with just short of $450,000 earned in prize-money. “He was very much a precocious two-year-old, a sensational horse with enormous speed who did everything so easily,” Waterhouse said. “He has such a fabulous temperament, which is so important. He is as good-looking a colt as you will find, and being a fast son of Zoustar with looks like his, I know that breeders will be very impressed when they see him. ” By champion sire Zoustar, Espionage is out of the city-winning Street Cry (Machiavellian) mare In Times Of War, who herself is a daughter of Group 2-winning mare Military Rose (General Nediym). Espionage has 50 quality mares already committed to the 2026 breeding season through a strong shareholder syndicate. “With his looks, pedigree, performance, a 3 f Stay Inside - Pasar Silbano by Elnadim O: GW Holdings (Mgr: G J Wilson), F W Cook, Mrs C M Cook, Nocab Racing (Mgr: S Bacon), T Needham, Ravenswood Bloodstock (Mgr: P Pollicina), H Tam, Silvertail (Mgr: Mrs J T Wedge), R N Norris, Mrs Y N Bowden, Ms P A Bourke, Ms S G Freeman-Matthews, C G Matthews, Mrs S C Murdoch & M J Murdoch B: Hutchins Thoroughbreds T: Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott S: 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale V: Element Hill (Unreserved Dispersal) P: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott / Kestrel Thoroughbreds, $400,000 W: Vinnie - Three-Time Champion Sire Handicap, 1100m, March 25, Randwick-Kensington The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Reachin’ Out (Stay Inside) created a favourable impression at Randwick-Kensington on Wednesday when landing an 1100-metre contest on her debut. The juvenile daughter of Stay Inside (Extreme Choice) had taken in two trials prior to her first competitive appearance, running third over 740 metres at Randwick before returning to the track for a trial win over 736 metres. Ridden by Regan Bayliss on Wednesday, Reachin’ Out scored by 3. 9 lengths over She’s Extra (Exceedance) with a further 1. 7 lengths back to Victorious Ruler (Wild Ruler) in third. “Gee, that was impressive. Yeah, my word,” stable representative Neil Paine said. “Regan rated her well in front, and then, once he let her go at the top of the straight, gee, she put it beyond doubt. "That was a really impressive win. Did you guys expect a performance like that? “Look, we knew she went well, but she was first-up today and her trials have been nice. And look... On the Kensington track, our horses race really well on the Kensington track and we knew Regan was going to lead, and our other horse was just going to sit behind, because Victoria's Rule is probably just looking for a bit further. "So did we expect it... I'm gonna say yes. ” Reachin’ Out was purchased for $400,000 by her trainers and Kestrel Thoroughbreds from the Element Hill Unreserved Dispersal at the 2024 Magic Millions National Weanling sale draft. She is one of five winners from six to race out of the imported Elnadim (Danzig) mare Pasar Silbano and a half-sister to the Widden Stud-based sire Zousain (Zoustar). With the demand for Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) far outweighing what he is capable of supplying, Newgate Farm have cleverly cornered the market on his progeny at this week’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale but there is one outlier whose breeder and consignor believe will captivate the auditorium. Considering the scarcity of such a premium product buyers will be circling Lot 26, the third foal - and second colt - produced by dual stakes winner Pretty Brazen (Brazen Beau), who raced with distinction in the Huddy family’s colours for co-trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy. Having failed to conceive last year, the mare’s transition to the breeding barn hasn’t all been smooth sailing but her successful mating with Extreme Choice marks the high point of the nine-year-old’s post-racing career given her suitor’s well-documented fertility challenges. Only a small coterie of mares are selected to go on a date with Extreme Choice each year, but fortunately Graham and Linda Huddy own a share in the generational talent which granted them access to the Hunter Valley’s most exclusive club. The resulting colt spent his formative months in Queensland at Peachester Lodge, the Huddy family’s farm in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, before making the journey south to Lime Country Thoroughbreds where co-owners Greg and Jo Griffin applied the finishing polish ahead of his official unveiling at Inglis’ Riverside Stables complex. The bay colt will be the first Extreme Choice cab off the rank, with the Newgate nine then set to follow his lead and, while the early trading can occasionally be slow to pick up, his princely pedigree should ensure fireworks at approximately 11. 45am on Sunday morning. “Extreme Choice obviously doesn’t have many foals each year so we’re absolutely delighted to be able to offer one of his colts, especially at such a prestigious sale as Easter,” Linda Huddy told ANZ News. “When we got confirmation that our mare was pregnant, it was an amazing feeling and it’s felt like a long wait since then to bring him to this sale. Pretty Brazen is a beautiful mare and the colt has inherited traits from the sire and the dam, so he’s a nice blend of both. He moves really well and he looks pretty fast to me but Extreme Choice can do anything with his progeny, so there’s a chance he’ll get over a bit of ground in time - but we’ll leave that up to whoever buys him. “Everyone here on the farm loved him and Greg and Jo at Lime Country have a good opinion of him, but we’ll just have to let the market decide what he’s worth. Our main hope, as with all our yearlings, is that he finds a good home. At any other sale you might be a bit wary of him going through the ring so early on the first morning, but at Easter I don’t think it makes a difference because there will be buyers from all over the world ready to bid on... Last-start winner Washington Lilac (Snitzel) topped the Inglis Digital March (Late) Online Sale, selling to Silverdale Farm for $172,500. Offered by TFI, Washington Lilac is a three-quarter sister to Group 1 winner Qafila (Not A Single Doubt), making her a valuable breeding prospect when her racing days are over. Silverdale’s Rob Petith confirmed Washington Lilac would continue racing and remain with the Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman stable. “She’s a beautiful filly with a beautiful page, she’s by Snitzel and the family has been well bred up so there’s plenty of fallback options there with her,’’ Petith said. “We know the family well, she’s obviously a three-quarter to a Group 1 winner so when the time comes to breeding with her we’re confident she’ll make a beautiful broodmare. ’’ The sale's second-top lot was four-year-old Polyglot (Lonhro), who sold to Darby Racing for $155,000. He will remain in the Michael Freedman stable. Polyglot was part of a 15-strong Godolphin draft which grossed $447,750, much to the delight of racing and bloodstock manager Jason Walsh. “We met the market at every level and there were some really good results in there overall and some good opportunities for the new purchasers to enjoy a lot of success,’’ Walsh said. “It’s a great insight into the platform and the business that can be done on Inglis Digital and we’re really happy with today’s outcomes. ’’ On Polyglot, Walsh added: “He’s been a really good horse to us for a number of seasons, he’ll stay in the same stable for his new ownership group and we wish them all the best with him. ’’ Other lots of significance today included Newfoundland (Deep Impact) – who sold to Shane Jackson for $110,000 – Wentworth Falls (Too Darn Hot) ($105,000) and Buckeye (Zousain) ($100,000). In total the March (Late) Sale grossed $3,257,000. Entries are now open for the Inglis Digital April (Early) Sale and will remain so for the next fortnight until midnight on Wednesday, April 8. The sale will run from April 10-15. To enter click here. The catalogue for May’s Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale continues to strengthen with the addition of Group 1 winner Startantes (Star Turn), offered in foal to Australia’s nine-time Group 1-winning champion, Anamoe (Street Boss). To be presented as part of the Widden Stud draft, Startantes was prepared by leading Queensland trainer Robert Heathcote during her racing career and was a multiple winner at two before rising to the elite level at three, where she consistently performed against the best of her generation and secured her Group 1 victory in the Tattersall’s Tiara (Gr 1, 1400m) at Eagle Farm. She also finished a narrow second in the Surround Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) and placed in the Flight Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m), performances which saw her crowned joint Champion 3YO Filly of Australia in the 2021/22 season. Startantes is out of the Group 2-winning mare Funtantes (Easy Rocking), who has produced six winners from six runners — all metropolitan winners — highlighting the remarkable consistency and strength of the family. The page received a timely update with her full brother Fabulantes since being Group performed. “To secure a Group 1-winning sprinter-miler, who was at the very top of her generation, carrying her first foal to Anamoe – a champion racehorse and a young stallion with all the credentials to develop into a leading sire of the future, is rare," Widden Stud’s Antony Thompson said. Widden Stud has also confirmed Angus Armanasco Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) winner Sassy Boom (Spirit Of Boom), Sisstainable (I Am Invincible) – a stakes performer and close relation to Sunlight (Zoustar) – and stakes winner Hard Rock Girl (All Too Hard), in foal to Zoustar (Northern Meteor), among a strong draft set to head north for the sale. “Startantes was extremely well bought previously and the page has continued to develop since, with her full brother looking to follow in her footsteps over the upcoming Autumn and Brisbane carnivals,” Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch said. “We’ve seen what Anamoe can achieve with quality mares in the sale ring this year and only anticipate the demand for his stock to continue rising as his runners hit the racetrack later in the year. We’ve also seen the impact first season sires can make on the racetrack with their first crop, highlighted again over the weekend in the Golden Slipper, and that only adds to the appeal in Startantes. " Startantes joins a classy line-up already confirmed for the National Broodmare Sale, including elite racetrack performers Legarto (Proisir), O’ Ole (Ole Kirk), Stretan Angel (Harry Angel) and Vibrant Sun (The Autumn Sun). Entries are now closing for all sections of the National Sale, click here to enter. Here, in lot order, is a look at a magnificent half dozen who’ll be turning heads and raising hands at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale. Lot 280 b/br c CASTELVECCHIO - EDGY STYLE (Harbinger) Arrowfield Stud DOB: 17-09-24 Among its typically sparkling draft, Arrowfield will also offer a potential sale-topper in Lot 451, the colt by Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) out of Ms Bad Behavior (Blame) who’s a full-brother to Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) hero Switzerland. But the stud is also anticipating considerable attention on the intriguingly exotic Lot 280. He’s an athletic and scopey son of upwardly mobile sire Castelvecchio (Dundeel), who boasts dual Group 1-winning mare Aeliana among his progeny, and has One Step Closer among the chances to emulate her Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) victory on Saturday week. But of great interest is that he’s the fourth foal of Japanese import Edgy Style (Harbinger). That makes him a half-brother to Urban Chic (Suave Richard), the Joint Leading 3YO Male on the WBR Rankings of 2024, with two stakes wins among four career victories from 1800 metres to 3000 metres, including the Kyoto Kikuka Sho (Gr 1, 3000m). Second dam Land’s Edge (Dance In The Dark) also threw the dam of triple Japanese elite winning mare Regaleira (Suave Richard). And third dam Wind In Her Hair (Alzao) won a Group 1 in Germany and two UK Listed races, before achieving greater fame as the dam of phenomenal Japanese racehorse and sire Deep Impact (Sunday Silence). “He’s certainly got a stallion’s pedigree,” Arrowfield bloodstock manager Jon Freyer said of the colt. “But on type, he’s a real stand-out as well. He’s an outstanding colt, very athletic, and with a beautiful, fluid action to him, and great power. “He’s been doing everything right, taking it all his stride, and we’re expecting he’ll do very well. “Plus he’s by Castelvecchio, who’s the rising star of the Australian bloodstock industry. ” Lot 293 b f JUSTIFY - ENNIS HILL (Fastnet Rock) Coolmore Stud DOB: 18-10-24 Coolmore are expecting big things of this well-bred, superbly built filly by their ex shuttler Justify (Scat Daddy), who’s the first full-sibling produced to former outstanding two-year-old Learning To Fly. That filly won her first three starts in impressive fashion - including storming home from second-last on the turn to take the Inglis Millennium (RL, 1100m). She was second favourite for the Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) but unfortunately lost her rider, but that didn’t stop her claiming Australia’s Champion 2YO Filly honours. Now Coolmore and partners have gone back to the well to breed a full -sister they feel is built to do justice to her impressive family. Dam Ennis Hill (Fastnet Rock) won the MRC Chairman’s Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) at two and has also borne Learning To Fly’s younger half-sister Free Flying (Snitzel), who’s run second in Caulfield’s Debutant Stakes (Listed, 1000m) among her first three starts this season. Second dam Hips Don’t Lie (Stravinsky) was another star juvenile, winning three stakes... After following up a third career triumph in the Hong Kong Derby (2000m) at Sha Tin last Sunday with a Happy Valley treble on Wednesday night, Hugh Bowman declared the last week “the highlight of this season”, while Danny Shum roared into trainers’ championship contention with a remarkable four-timer. With the ink on the Derby’s roll of honour still fresh, Bowman was back to his brilliant best at the night meeting. After taking his seasonal tally to 44 wins, the Australian said he’d had this week, which yielded his first treble of the season, highlighted in his planner for a while. “It goes in roundabouts; you have quiet periods, and you have good periods,” Bowman said. “I felt coming into this Wednesday night and the coming Sunday, I’ve got more rides that are capable of figuring in the finish. So, it’s a bit easier to get more focus for those days when you know in advance that they’re coming. ” Bowman claimed his first win of the night in the opener, partnering with Shum to guide Joyful Prosperity (Daiwa Major) to the Class 5 Tuen Mun Handicap (2200m). After circling the field mid-race, the six-year-old Japanese-bred got up to beat Romantic Fantasy (Fascinating Rock) in a photo-finish. It was a spirited effort from Joyful Prosperity, though Shum admitted: “He was very lucky – Hugh Bowman did a good job to get him up on the line. ” “He’s a horse; if he’s in the finish, he will really fight for you,” added Bowman. “He’s been an old soldier, and I’ve had a bit of luck on him. So it was good to win on him. ” Bowman scored his second win of the night in the second section of the Class 4 Tsuen Wan Handicap (1650m) courtesy of a measured ride aboard the Tony Cruz-trained Beauty Viva (Iffraaj). Stalking the pace throughout, the five-year-old burst clear in the home straight for his first Hong Kong win. “I feel like he’s got far more talent than his form suggests,” Bowman said. “I thought he’s raced with a bit more purpose today. He came out and raced like a horse should. ” Bowman’s hat-trick win came aboard Cody Mo trainee Motor (Fastnet Rock) in the third section of the Class 4 Kwai Chung Handicap (1200m), with the four-year-old son of Fastnet Rock (Danehill) securing his second win of the season. “I thought there was a lot of merit in Motor’s run,” Bowman said. “He gave me the feel of a horse that could win a race very soon when he had no luck at Sha Tin recently. So that was quite satisfying. ” Shum sealed a double when Lyle Hewitson piloted Win Method (Written Tycoon) to victory in the first section of the Class 4 Tsuen Wan Handicap (1650m). “He suits the 1650 metres well and could even go over 1800 metres,” Shum said. “As a four-year-old, he will be even better. He can have a bright future at Happy Valley. ”... As the man who first identified the Guest House’s (Home Affairs) vast potential, Jeremy Rogers drew immense satisfaction from the colt’s Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) weekend success but the bloodstock agent is not resting on his laurels as he begins the exhaustive search for his next star at Inglis’ Riverside Stables sales complex this week. Rogers has formed a formidable partnership with the Roll The Dice Racing syndicate by converting modestly priced yearlings into equine excellence, with Guest House the latest in a long line of astute purchases which also include fellow stakes winner turned Newgate stallion Profiteer (Capitalist) and Group 1 heroine Krone (Eurozone), who were acquired for a combined $285,000. While the $270,000 Rogers, Roll The Dice and Mick Price Racing paid to secure their Slipper hero could not reasonably be categorised as a bargain basement buy, it is unlikely that fee will be enough to secure any of the seven Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) colts on offer at the Inglis Easter Sale, which gets underway on Sunday morning. That won’t stop Rogers from at least trying to source the next Guest House, who is already the subject of a heavyweight tug-of-war with many seasoned observers putting his valuation as a stallion north of $25 million. Given that he doesn’t own even a meagre share in Australia’s most exciting two-year-old, those sort of head-spinning figures are fairly academic to Rogers but his ability to source a savvy purchase certainly won’t harm his efforts to expand his existing client base. The 50-year-old, who mixes his bloodstock business with his day job as Archie Alexander’s racing manager, had pegged Lot 402 at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale as a $350,000 colt, so to secure him for $80,000 less than that was bordering on daylight robbery. “I loved him from the very first time I saw him, I looked at him another three or four times and he just came out and did his job, so he was a real professional,” Rogers told ANZ News. “He was a big strong colt with a beautiful action and a great brain, so I put two stars next to him in the catalogue. A good friend of mine, Guy Woods, was parading him for Newgate and he kept telling me what an amazing temperament he had. He really impressed me but I didn’t think we’d have enough money for him, to be honest. “Home Affairs had such a big boom on him and the colt was out of a stakes-placed mare, so I thought there was no way in the world he would sell for under $300,000. We started bidding more in hope than expectation, so we were very lucky to get him for what I thought was a very fair price. ” Despite not investing any of his own hard-earned cash in the colt, Rogers was still kept abreast of the youngster’s progress and the early reports were nothing short of glowing. Given that co-trainer Mick Price is... The William Haggas-trained Dubai Honour (Pride Of Dubai) is reportedly in brilliant shape ahead of the defence of his Tancred Stakes (Gr 1, 2400m) title at Rosehill on Saturday. This year marks the eight-year-old's third autumn carnival in Sydney and Haggas’ assistant trainer Issy Paul, who has travelled with the gelding each time, is satisfied the horse is as good as ever. His most recent form reflects that, with a Group 1 placing behind Goliath (Adlerflug) in Germany in September, a Listed win in England two months later, and a second placing in the UK last time out in December when he shouldered 64 kilograms. "I'm really happy with where he is. He is being a bit of a pain on the track, and that generally means he is in pretty good order," Paul said. "He's in great form. He actually came down here a little bit heavy, and he has tightened up nicely in the last week or so. "They did a good bit of work last week, and they will have a little stretch tomorrow . " Dubai Honour and stable companion Caviar Heights (Sea The Stars) both galloped at Canterbury on Tuesday morning, rounding out the completion of their official quarantine period. Dubai Honour will be chasing back-to-back wins in the Tancred Stakes on Saturday, while Caviar Heights makes his Australian debut in the Neville Sellwood Stakes (Gr 3, 2000m). Paul confirmed jockey Tom Marquand, who has partnered Dubai Honour in three of his four Australian starts, is due to land in Sydney on Thursday but won't have a sit on either of the runners before race day. "Probably not, to be honest," Paul said. "He came and had a sit on Caviar Heights when we were in quarantine in the UK. They galloped together, and he rode Caviar and was very happy with him that day. "Obviously, he knows Dubai Honour inside out, so we will leave Tom to recover from his flight, and we'll see him on Saturday. " Dubai Honour has an outstanding record in Sydney, his only defeat in four starts coming at the hands of Via Sistina (Fastnet Rock) in last year's Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m). With I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) in the twilight of his incredible career, Yarraman Park have been scouring the stallion markets to uncover their next champion but the Mitchell family might need to call off the search following the rapid rise of their flagbearer’s son and fellow resident, Hellbent. Victory in the Hong Kong Derby (Listed, 2000m) at Sha Tin on Sunday night saw Invincible Ibis become the 11th individual stakes winner for Hellbent, who is enjoying his best season to date with racetrack earnings north of $10 million positioning him eighth in the Australian Sires’ Premiership. Given that two of his peers above him in the list – current pacesetter Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) and seventh-placed Fastnet Rock (Danehill) – are no longer around and Hellbent’s best years are almost certainly ahead of him, it is not inconceivable that his current trajectory could eventually culminate in his ascension to the top rungs of the stallion ranks. While that assumption is, at least for now, purely speculative, what cannot be argued is that the 13-year-old’s high fertility rate – 135 of the 155 mares he covered last season are now in foal – and the cool temperament he passes onto his stock represents a potent combination. Another key weapon in Hellbent’s armoury is his versatility, with Invincible Ibis’ middle-distance feats at one end of the spectrum complemented by Group 1 success for his speedy daughters Benedetta and Magic Time over sprint trips. According to Yarraman’s co-director Harry Mitchell, Hellbent’s rapid rise has come as no surprise to the team at the famed Scone farm, where he stands for a service fee of $38,500 (inc GST) which will in all likelihood be revised upwards later this year. “Hellbent has been getting a lot of traction in Hong Kong with the winners he’s had, and now to win their most prestigious race will only increase his profile further over there,” Mitchell told ANZ News. “The best thing about the stallion is that he’s now producing very good colts and fillies, there was maybe a view that he was getting better fillies but he’s now getting just as many good colts. He’s also producing milers or even horses capable of getting over further, as we saw with Invincible Ibis. “So his versatility is going to stand him in very good stead moving forward, because it’s such a massive advantage as is the fact that his stock all seem to be so relaxed. He had such a good temperament and his stock seem to handle big crowds, they just take everything in their stride. He’s also getting better mares, his last couple of books have been much stronger so he’s well on his way now. “And there’s every reason to think his results will only improve in the coming years, his stock invariably improves with age. We’ve seen that with the likes of Vivy Air, who was maybe only a moderate performer last year but has gone to a new level this prep as a... Group 1 winner Benedetta (Hellbent) is a high-class addition to this year’s Inglis Chairman’s Sale, with the Ciaron Maher-trained mare set to go to market as one of the most accomplished race fillies offered in the southern hemisphere in 2026. A standout performer since her three-year-old season, Benedetta has built an elite resume defined by consistency at the highest level. She won six of her first eight starts, including the $750,000 Inglis Sprint (1200m) at Flemington, where she defeated a field featuring 11 individual stakes winners, and placed in her first nine career outings. Her crowning moment came in the 2024 Goodwood (Gr 1, 1200m) at Morphettville, where she defeated a deep field including Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni), Skybird (Exosphere), Climbing Star (Zoustar) and I Am Me (I Am Invincible). She has since proven a model of durability and class, finishing top five in ten of her 16 starts at Group 1 level. A four-time Group 1 placegetter – including dual placings in the Black Caviar Lightning (Gr 1, 1000m), as well as the William Reid Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) and Robert Sangster Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) – Benedetta is also a dual Group 3 winner and is rated competitively alongside the likes of Amelia’s Jewel, Legarto (Proisir) and Learning To Fly (Justify). Purchased by Laurence Eales for $75,000 from Mill Park’s 2021 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale draft, the mare has won eight races and over $2. 4 million in prize-money. Still in peak form aged five, she has enhanced her record this further this preparation, particularly when looking an unlucky placegetter when third to Tentyris (Street Boss) in the Black Caviar Lightning last month. Further targets may include the All Aged Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m), Robert Sangster Stakes and $5 million The Quokka (1200m) before her appearance in the sale ring, where she will be offered as a racing and breeding prospect through Widden Stud’s draft. Inglis Bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch was delighted to secure the mare for the Chairman’s Sale and said Benedetta would be among the standout offerings at Riverside on May 7. “I think I can comfortably say that she’s the most accomplished mare confirmed as a sale entry at this stage,” Hutch told ANZ News. “We have a good relationship with Laurence – we’ve spoken regularly about her. He’s obviously inclined to enjoy her racing career which is totally understandable, but always said should he get the chance to sell her, Inglis would be at the forefront of his thoughts because she’s a Premier graduate. It’s a great part of our narrative at Chairman’s to bring these narratives full circle. “We had a meeting with Laurence prior to the Classic Sale and discussed his provisional plan for the mare and it’s worked out for her to end up in the Chairman's Sale in May. “I’m delighted because she’s just so talented. She's a filly that showed talent from the get-go, whose race record I don’t think necessarily reflects her ability. She was desperately unlucky not to... Group 1-winning juvenile Cool Archie (Cool Aza Beel) has been secured for stud duties by Newhaven Park ahead of the 2026 breeding season. Principal John Kelly confirmed the deal had been finalised in recent days, with the colt to return to his birthplace where he will be syndicated. Lifetime shares are set to be released in the lead-up to the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, where his brother will be offered by the farm as Lot 225. A member of the first crop of Newhaven Park’s resident sire Cool Aza Beel (Savabeel), Cool Archie emerged as one of the standout juveniles of the 2024/25 season, compiling a dominant sequence of five consecutive wins during the Queensland Winter Carnival. Prepared by Chris and Corey Munce for owner Max Whitby, the colt opened his account in a 1200-metre maiden at Eagle Farm before progressing through the juvenile ranks with authority. His campaign featured victories in the Dalrello Stakes (Listed, 1000m), Champagne Classic (Gr 2, 1200m) and BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m), before culminating in a decisive win in the JJ Atkins Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m). In completing the Sires’ Produce–JJ Atkins double, Cool Archie mirrored the achievement of Broadsiding (Too Darn Hot) the previous season, underlining the significance of his performance profile as a stallion prospect. His juvenile season also included a placing in the BJ McLachlan Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) prior to Christmas, highlighting both his precocity and progression through the campaign. Cool Archie retired the winner of five of his nine starts, his career curtailed following a training setback sustained during a barrier trial at Ipswich in December. Kelly said: “There have been very few two-year-olds capable of putting together five wins in succession, four of those being long-established Queensland stakes races, and for me that is one of his major selling points. “His JJ Atkins win confirmed his credentials as a stallion prospect, and when it became clear his racing career had ended, we were very keen to bring him home to Newhaven. ” Kelly also pointed to the strength of Cool Archie’s form through subsequent results of beaten rivals. “The manner of his winning streak was a highlight of the season, and the form is holding up strongly through horses like Grafterburners and Torque To Be Sure, who have both gone on to win feature races. ” Cool Archie joins a notable list of JJ Atkins winners to retire to stud, including Broadsiding, The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice), Darci Brahma (Danehill) and Show A Heart (Brave Warrior), while the race also features prominently in Newhaven Park’s own history through former stallions Zeditave (The Judge) and Luskin Star (Kaoru Star). “Zeditave and Luskin Star both won the race in its earlier iterations and went on to become outstanding stallions for the farm,” Kelly said. “We’re hopeful Cool Archie can write his own chapter in that history. ” Further details regarding his service fee and syndication structure will be announced in due course. In 2022, in an article by this correspondent crystal balling the next big thing in Australian stallions, all roads led to one new sire who was entering stud just after his fourth birthday. Coolmore Stud were convinced they were onto a winner, almost a no-brainer, based on the template set by their most successful Australian stallion of all time. “Fastnet Rock’s sireline, race record and pedigree gave us great confidence,” said the stud’s nominations and sales manager Colm Santry at the time, “and it’s the same with Home Affairs (I Am Invincible). “These champion three-year-old colts in this country tend to make sires, and it was Home Affairs and Anamoe who were the cream of their crop. ” That enthusiasm was backed by a range of respected voices looking for key markers in a potential stallion. “In terms of racing ability, Home Affairs was dominant,” said major buyer James Harron, citing the colt’s “almighty” three-length victory in Flemington’s Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) against the best of his age, and his “tremendous” WFA win over Nature Strip (Nicconi) in the Lightning Stakes (Gr 1, 1000m) at the same course at his next start. “And physically, he’s an imposing, masculine horse, with great presence and strength - very much in the Australian speed mould which everyone is always looking to replicate. “He’s by one of the dominant stallions of recent years in I Am Invincible, and from an outstanding female line. His dam is a half-sister to the very promising stallion Russian Revolution, and hails from the hallowed Fanfreluche family. “He’s an outstanding prospect for Australian breeding. ” Fast forward almost four years, and rarely can the hopes, dreams, calculations and expectations surrounding a stallion have been fulfilled more thoroughly at such an early stage. Australasian breeding, clamouring for a new dominant sire as the sun sets on a generation of greats, may have a very special one in its midst. First, Home Affairs was feverishly popular. Though standing initially at a relatively hefty first season fee of $110,000, he covered 203 mares in 2022. He served 189 at $99,000 in year two, before 227 and 205 in the past two seasons, at $82,500. Next, without a runner on the ground, Home Affairs’ stock was of such quality that he produced the sale toppers at the two most important yearling auctions in the southern hemisphere in 2025. At Magic Millions Gold Coast, Japanese trainer Mitsu Nakauchida paid $3. 2 million for a filly out of outstanding mare Sunlight (Zoustar). At Inglis Easter, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott went to $3 million to secure a colt out of their former topline mare Shout The Bar (Not A Single Doubt), in league with Kestrel Thoroughbreds. Now, at his first attempt, Home Affairs has sired the winner of Australian breeding’s most important event, the Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m), after Guest House’s barnstorming victory in the world’s richest two-year-old race at Rosehill on Saturday. The hulking Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained colt... Group 1-winning colt Vinrock (I Am Invincible) will join the Yulong roster for 2026, entering the stallion market at an introductory fee of $22,000 (inc GST). The classy son of I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) was unbeaten as a juvenile and became the first Australian two-year-old Group 1 winner for his champion sire when landing the ATC Sires' Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) at Randwick last year. Vinrock also became the first horse in 44 years to complete the VRC Sires' Produce (Gr 2, 1400m) and ATC Sires double, winning the former by two lengths over subsequent stakes winner Brave Design (Brave Smash) and the latter by 0. 3 lengths over Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj) colt State Visit. Bred by Rosemont Stud, Vinrock was purchased by his trainer Matt Laurie and Wilannah Park Bloodstock for $300,000 at the 2024 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, and Laurie knew he had talent from the outset. “He’s a class horse, we knew he was tough right from the beginning, and he showed so much natural talent," the trainer said following Vinrock’s Group 1 success. “He was unbeaten as a two-year-old, and he's a hell of a type, so he's going to be very well-received when he gets to stud. " In five starts as a three-year-old, Vinrock landed the Exford Plate (Listed, 1400m) at Flemington while also producing fourth-place efforts in both the Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) and McNeil Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m). His final outing came when sixth behind Jimmysstar (Per Incanto) in the CF Orr Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) on November 15. Vinrock will offer breeders an opportunity to access an Australian Group 1-winning son of I Am Invincible - a profile shared by only three other sons currently at stud: proven sires Brazen Beau and Hellbent, and Home Affairs, whose son Guest House won Saturday’s Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m). This news comes after a weekend where I Am Invincible has shown himself a talented sire of sires and Yulong’s chief operating officer, Sam Fairgray, said the horse possessed all the ingredients breeders seek in a young stallion. He is the best of three winners out of the Matriarch Stakes (Gr 2, 2000m) winner Girl Gone Rockin’ (Redoute’s Choice), herself a half-sister to Group 3 winner Syreon (Flying Spur), the pair being out of the Group 2-winning mare Sorrento (Just A Dancer). Yulong’s chief operating officer, Sam Fairgray, said Vinrock possessed all the ingredients breeders seek in a young stallion. “Vinrock is an exceptional colt. Elite performances at two, an outstanding page, and a real physical presence,” he said. “To win both the VRC and ATC Sires’ Produce races in the same season is so rare and speaks volumes about his class, toughness, and natural ability. “He’s a son of I Am Invincible, and from a high-quality Redoute’s Choice mare, like Zoustar, Anamoe and Super Seth, which gives him a pedigree that will really resonate with breeders, and we’re excited to welcome him to the farm. ” Vinrock joins a quality,... Invincible Ibis capped off a brilliant 24 hours for I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) as a sire of sires when the son of Hellbent produced a dominant display to win Sunday’s Hong Kong Derby (Listed, 2000m) at Sha Tin. On Saturday, Yarraman’s stalwart stallion's credentials as a top notch grandsire came to fore once again courtesy of his dual Group 1 winner Home Affairs’ son Guest House taking out the biggest juvenile prize of all, the Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) at Rosehill. Ridden by Hugh Bowman and trained by Mark Newnham, the Australian-bred Invincible Ibis made amends for his second-placed finish in the second leg of the Four-Year-Old Triple Crown, the Hong Kong Classic Cup (Listed, 1800m), with a convincing length and a quarter victory over New Zealand-bred Numbers (Tivaci). It was redemption for Mark Newnham, who had gone agonisingly close in last year’s Hong Kong Derby when his charge My Wish (Flying Artie) was narrowly denied by Cap Ferrat (Snitzel). The final time of 1. 59. 43 was not only a new race record, but a new track record for 2000 metres at Sha Tin, beating the previous standard which had been set back in 2018. “Today’s a fantastic day... completely opposite to last year that’s for sure,” Newnham said. “It was just a really smooth race to watch... at the corner it was just going to be, ‘is he good enough? ’ And probably a furlong into the straight I was pretty confident he was going to be strong late. “He’s a horse that uses his energy well, relaxes... and against your own age group you don’t have to be the superior stayer, but he’s run fantastic time today and the way he hit the line, it’s not one of those things where you’d be doubtful again,” added Newnham. Bred by Adrian Goonan, Invincible Ibis was purchased by Kilgravin Lodge and Waikato Bloodstock for $80,000 from the Widden Stud draft at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale in 2023, before being picked up by his trainer for $425,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale a few months later. He is out of the 11-time winner My Dear Friend (General Nediym), herself a half-sister to South African champion Harry’s Friend (Haradasun). Widden Stud’s Antony Thompson said: “A great result and a huge thrill for the entire Widden team to have foaled, raised and sold the winner of Hong Kong’s most prestigious race. “It was also incredibly special to see our great friends Mark Newnham and Hugh Bowman doing Australia proud on such a big stage. “We’re delighted for the team at Kilgravin Lodge - the colt showed enormous potential early on, which was reflected in a strong result for them, and it’s fantastic to now see Invincible Ibis fulfil that promise. ” The result provided Hellbent - who stands alongside his father at Yarraman Park - with his 11th individual stakes winner. The Mitchell Family’s operation will offer all three Hellbent’s catalogued yearlings at the... The undercard was dominated by exciting rising talent with four three-year-old geldings winning four of the first six races, with Too Darn Hot’s (Dubawi) Hot Delight, Deep Field’s (Northern Meteor) Mega Mastermind, Biouvac’s (Exceed And Excel) Absolute Heart and Ardrossan (Redoute’s Choice) gelding Gold Patch prevailing. Hot Delight maintained a perfect record with a third successive win to give Francis Lui his 500th victory on Sha Tin turf with success in the Class 3 Werther Handicap (1200m) under Vincent Ho in 1m 08. 19s – only marginally outside of Victor The Winner’s (Toronado) Class record mark of 1m 08. 11s. “He’s a nice horse, we know that. But he’s only three, so we want to excel as much as possible, but we also want to keep him for his four-year-old season, so it was a nice run,” Ho said. Lui said: “Good horse, he’s a very good horse and honest. Even in trackwork he’s showed he's improved. ” Lui also struck with Gold Patch under Zac Purton in the Class 4 Sky Darci Handicap (1200m). Jamie Richards and Brenton Avdulla combined with Mega Mastermind to win the Class 4 Luger Handicap (1600m) before Absolute Heart landed the Class 4 Ping Hai Star Handicap (1200m) for Cody Mo and Derek Leung. Circuit Champion (Starspangledbanner), purchased at the 2024 Hong Kong International Sale for HK$5. 4 million, showcased his talent with a last-to-first success in the Class 3 Furore Handicap (1200m) for Danny Shum to improve his record to two wins and a second from three starts. Slowly away, the Starspangledbanner (Choisir) gelding finished powerfully under Keith Yeung, clocking 21. 81s for the final 400 metres to justify the patience of his connections with the five-year-old, who has overcome cannon bone, humeral bone and pelvis issues as well as a fever before making a belated debut. Pierre Ng’s Aeroinvincible (Per Incanto) continued Andrea Atzeni’s stunning March surge with victory in the Class 4 Fay Fay Handicap (1400m). Atzeni took his tally for the month to 12, a haul which includes two quartets. Ng and Purton teamed with Aerovolanic (Frosted) in the Class 3 Rapper Dragon Handicap (1400m) after the David Hayes-trained Shamus Storm (Shamus Award) clinched the Class 3 Designs On Rome Handicap (1800m) for Harry Bentley. Tony Cruz’s Winning Ovation (Cotai Glory) clinched a PP Bonus of HK$1. 5 million (approx. AU$271,810) by winning the Class 2 Golden Sixty Handicap (1400m) for Angus Chung. Powerful colt Guest House put a gilt-edged seal on his young sire Home Affairs’ (I Am Invincible) exciting stud career by delivering an immediate victory in the most important race in Australian breeding with his dominant Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) triumph on Saturday. The Melbourne colt brought a long overdue maiden win in one of Australia’s “Big Four” races for Mick Price, whose co-trainer Michael Kent Jnr let loose with a celebratory dance amid wild scenes in a damp Rosehill mounting yard after Guest House burst through the line to take the $5 million feature. And while Price has had to wait, Guest House - while securing his own stud future - put a golden tick at the first time of asking on the stallion CV of first season sire Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) with his win in the world’s richest two-year-old race. Coolmore’s seven-year-old was already off to a flyer before Saturday, sitting atop the first season sires’ tables on both sides of the Tasman, with one stakes winner in each country from a combined 27 runners. But now with his third black type victor coming in Australia’s greatest stallion-maker, Home Affairs’ $82,500 service fee of 2025 is certain to be comfortably eclipsed by whatever he stands for this year. Guest House’s victory also underlined the current changing of the guard for the Australian stallion scene. The first four of Rosehill’s five Group 1s on Saturday were chalked up to stallions aged ten or younger. The other three went to the ten-year-old The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice) through Autumn Glow’s Ryder Stakes (Gr 1, 1500m) win and Autumn Boy’s Rosehill Guineas (Gr 1, 2000m) success, while nine-year-old Castelvecchio’s (Dundeel) daughter Aeliana took the Ranvet Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m). Earlier this week, Price told ANZ News the Slipper should “set up nicely” for Guest House, as the sizeable colt would race off what is typically a furious pace before having the room to unwind in the straight, unlike in his third in the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m). Price was also one of many judges to opine that Melbourne’s two-year-old form was superior to Sydney’s this season. Those theories were emphatically validated as Guest House brought Price his first win in one of Australian majors, the other three being the Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m), Caulfield Cup (Gr 1, 2400m) and the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m). He also became the first Victorian-trained winner of the Slipper since Flying Spur (Danehill) way back in 1995. Slightly easy at $11, the colt was well enough away from gate eight under Zac Lloyd, who was able to use his mount’s bulk to hold a positive position of 11th of the 16 in the run, racing on the fence. Winding up in the straight behind a wall of horses, Guest House used his size again to muscle into the clear along an inside path at the 200 metres. With the trio in front of him - Streisand (Magnus), Music Time... Chris Waller confirmed the exciting Autumn Boy (The Autumn Sun) would race on next season instead of a quick exit to stud after the colt gave James McDonald a landmark win in Saturday’s Rosehill Guineas (Gr 1, 2000m). In a first try beyond the distance of his Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) triumph, Autumn Boy showed races such as the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) would be on his horizon in the spring with this effortless victory. The headline went to McDonald and his 130th Group 1 success - taking him past the old record held by Damien Oliver. With the remarkable McDonald still only 34, it’s a safe bet that before he’s done he’ll be dozens clear of the mark set by Oliver, who was 51 when he retired in 2023. As for McDonald’s vehicle to the record, Autumn Boy showed his star quality in beating his seven rivals, despite being sent out as the $2. 45 second-favourite behind Melbourne colt Observer (Ghaiyyath), at $2. 10. Jumping from gate three, McDonald was content to trail his Godolphin rival in the run, settling in the one-one. As VRC Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) winner Observer set out after longshot leader Bingi (Snitzel) early in the straight and Autumn Boy loomed behind, it looked like the much hoped-for match race might play out. But Observer was quickly under pressure from Craig Williams as Autumn Boy ranged up beside. He quickly put the race to bed, ultimately winning with a clear 1. 94 length gap over another Godolphin runner in Bjorn Baker’s Green Spaces (Street Boss) at $21, while Observer clung on for third. Waller said he was delighted to see Autumn Boy pass his 2000-metre test, and pleased his owner Glenn Ritchie was happy to let him keep racing. “We wanted to try that,” Waller said of the distance. “Great owners, the Ritchies. I think the most disappointing thing last preparation when I mentioned that he may have a short racing career, because he's such a wonderful colt. “They said, 'Oh, we're not in a rush to retire him, we want to keep them racing’. “So that's great. And it's good to see these colts race on and I'm sure he will. So yeah, we ticked the box for 2000 metres. His dad won it . He's won it. And yeah, we'll pick out some nice races in the spring for him. ” McDonald said it felt “special” to break the Group 1 record and expressed his admiration for Oliver, especially his 2002 Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) win aboard Media Puzzle (Theatrical) just days after his brother Jason’s death in a riding accident. “It’s lovely,” he said of the record, “but it’s a testament to the horses that I ride because they are phenomenal. “There’s no two ways about it, that I do ride the best horses and most favourites each race, and I’m blessed to have that opportunity. “To get to a mark like this, it’s obviously special. Especially with... Just when you thought it wasn’t possible, Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) became even more impressive in storming to win number 11 in Saturday’s George Ryder Stakes (Gr 1, 1500m), earning the tag of “champion” from her trainer and some awestruck wonder from her jockey. The start before, Chris Waller’s unbeaten budding phenomenon was fully stretched by her most worthy stablemate Aeliana (Castelvecchio), having to show how much fight she has beneath all that class with a 0. 4-length success in Randwick’s Verry Elleegant Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m). It was her smallest victory margin so far. On Saturday, she recorded her widest, roaring into top gear in the home straight to dispose of a quality field of rivals by 2. 79 lengths. Ridden of course by James McDonald - giving him his 131st Group 1 win and making him the first jockey to win three of the five elite races on Rosehill’s big day - Autumn Glow settled sixth of the 12 after being sent out at Winx (Street Cry) odds again, at $1. 28. McDonald brought her four wide on the turn and the procession began. Autumn Glow whooshed past the quartet in front of her then reeled in the tiring leader Beiwacht (Bivouac) like he was a Benchmark 64 horse, rather than the Group 1-winning colt he is. The four-year-old - ordained as the equal 15th best horse in the world in the latest IFHA rankings - would have won by far more if McDonald had ridden her out. Instead, he went to the line with one hand on the wheel of this awesome thoroughbred machine, and the other pointing to the mare’s head to highlight the star of the show. Autumn Glow had Group 1 winners chasing her tail in second, third and fourth placings. Ciaron Maher’s Gringotts (Per Incanto) and Bjorn Baker’s Pericles (Street Boss) - both six-year-old geldings - came in ahead of Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel), another Waller-trained four-year-old mare who was once thought pretty special herself before this other contemporary came along. Rarely, if ever, can there have been a more emphatic validation of a yearling sale’s top lot. Arrowfield boss John Messara picked out the daughter of his own stallion The Autumn Sun, early in the week, when the Newhaven Park-bred filly was presented at Inglis Easter 2023. He would later disclose he took one look only, lest he reveal his enthusiasm to rival bidders. Messara ended up making her the highest priced offering of the sale, when he paid $1. 8 million along with Hermitage Thoroughbreds, with whom Arrowfield had raced The Autumn Sun. With her richest payday coming through last October’s $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m), Autumn Glow has now netted over $8. 6 million in prize-money following Saturday’s injection of $580,000. Much, much more is to come, as Waller finds himself again managing the breathtaking win streak of a thoroughbred superstar, so soon after the 33 in a row of the great Winx. On Saturday, Autumn Glow matched former Perth... One Waller-McDonald super mare revelled in the absence of another as Aeliana claimed her second elite-level victory in Saturday’s Ranvet Stakes at Rosehill. Star Thoroughbreds’ four-year-old had been unlucky enough to run into Autumn Glow in both her previous two starts and showed her class in running second to the budding phenomenon both times, the latter by just 0. 4 lengths in Randwick’s Verry Elleegant Stakes late last month. But with Autumn Glow engaged later on Saturday’s glittering Rosehill card, Aeliana took her moment in the sun, relieving punters who’d taken her $1. 60 starting price with a fighting victory. Though it was only a five-runner field, the win was full of merit, even if it wasn’t quite the demolition job of her 5. 16 length Australian Derby success last autumn. McDonald sat second-last in the run as the Waller-trained stablemate Lindermann (Lonhro) set what was only a middling pace under the wily Nash Rawiller. Lindermann, on fresh legs, gave a strong kick to take a two-length lead into the straight as Aeliana came after him. While the resuming second-favourite Sir Delius (Frankel) looked for a moment like he was about to come after them, instead the front pair pulled away to fight a fierce battle over the last 100 metres. Though Lindermann battled doggedly, McDonald was able to lift Aeliana to victory in the last few bounds. Bought at Karaka by Star Thoroughbreds for $180,000 from the draft of Rich Hill Stud - who bred her with fellow Kiwis Nearco Stud - Aeliana has now amassed $3. 5 million in prize-money from 17 starts, with five wins and seven minor placings. Waller was full of praise after the race for Aeliana, who aside from her two elite victories has run second at the top level five times. “She was made to fight for it,” the winning trainer said. “He's a good horse on his day and I think Nash controlled the race really well. She had to be good to win and obviously Sir Delius on our back, that gave me a bit of a scare when he came with us. “But you could just see, they sort of broke clear of him and then it was a fight between the stablemates. ” McDonald echoed Waller in praise of Aeliana. “She's just incredible. Her tenacity to find the line was just superb,” the winning rider said. “She's been building to something like that and I've got to give credit to the second horse because they made us work. I was thinking, ‘This is not how the script's supposed to go’. “Nash is a genius when it comes to that . He just gets things on his own terms. It wasn't ideal, that's for sure, because he had a picnic up in front. But I was on a good horse and she deservedly won that one. ” Waller was unsure of a next start for Aeliana. Bookmakers wound her in to $2. 80 favouritism for next Saturday’s Tancred Stakes (Gr... The challenging times at the lower end of the yearling market came to fore at the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale, with all the key metrics from the two-day sale down on last year’s corresponding edition. At the close of trade, figures told the tale of a challenging few days for vendors. All told, 269 horses sold at a clearance of 76 per cent, while the aggregate dropped 26 per cent year-on-year to $10,578,500. The average also struggled, falling 20 per cent to $39,325, while the median closed at $30,000, a 7. 5 per cent dip on last year’s figure. The company’s managing director Barry Bowditch said economic factors both inside and outside the industry meant that yearlings, particularly at the lower-end, struggled to measure up in the sales ring. “This is where it starts and it's an important part of the ecosystem and it's getting tougher at that end,” he told ANZ News. “If you've got a quality horse, it doesn't matter where you offer it, you'll get paid well, and that was evident over the last two days. But if you've got a horse that's off the pace or it's not what the market's looking for, it's tough out there. “When you look at the climate, whether it be interest rates or fuel prices or everything in between, at the bottom end, it's affecting people, and that's evident at that lower end more than anywhere. “I think from a clearance rate perspective picked up today. I think the better horses on the whole landed yesterday, so obviously the average was always going to come back to a clog. It's disappointing it's come back a good amount off last year, but effectively this is the grassroots of the industry. “A sale like this or like we had last week, you've got more of those horses in the catalogue - they need to be sold or need to be offered somewhere and it's tough for those horses. But, I thought when a good colt or filly, in particular a good colt, walked in the ring, if it vetted out well, there was a fantastic thirst for those horses and they sold very well. "There's a craving for quality and some accountability has to be made on the leading breeders in the state to support the sale and give it real impetus that the market has to come to Adelaide - to support the local sale with quality horses. "This is the coal face of our industry. There's a lack of confidence at the lower end and the reality is, it's tough out there - whether it's fuel prices, interest rates. "We will continue to work with our vendors to get a good quality of horse here. When you look through the results and speak to a number of the vendors, who I have spoken to over the last two days, many are delighted with the results and pleasantly surprised with the depth and support on many horses," Bowditch added. "We... A filly by Australia’s reigning champion sire Zoustar (Northern Meteor) topped a tough first day of the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale after being knocked down to Philippines-based buyer Miguel Almeda for $200,000. At the close of trade, 124 of 190 offered lots had sold at a clearance rate of 66 per cent, down on the corresponding session in 2025, which saw 73 per cent of the stock offered find new homes. Aggregate turnover finished at $5,696,500, down 16 per cent on the corresponding session 12 months ago. The average dropped seven points to $45,572, while the median finished at $35,000, down 12. 5 per cent. Despite the softer figures, competition improved as the day wore on, particularly through the middle and latter stages of the catalogue where better credentialled types came to market and were met with solid demand. Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch said the structure of the catalogue contributed to a slower start before trade lifted in the afternoon. “I think it started quite slowly today and the way the catalogue fell it lacked a bit of momentum early, but I think once we got into the quality horses in the second half of the day, it picked up,” Bowditch told ANZ News. “There's a huge thirst for quality horses. I think the traders were competing quite strongly through that middle market. There were some pleasing results for horses that ticked the boxes. We hate to be cliche, but horses that had a bit of pedigree and were nice types and vetted well, sold very well. “There was a huge amount of horses that exceeded reserve, just the market, unfortunately, is quite selective at the lower end. I think there's plenty of value to be found If you're willing to take a chance. But, unfortunately, that affects the clearance rate when the lower end is as selective as it has been in recent sales. Bowditch expects a similar pattern to unfold on day two, with improved trade later in the session and clearance rates building through both the ring and post-sale activity. “I'd be thinking something similar today, and hopefully we can get a few of the past in lots done, and continue to drive the clearance straight into the 70 per cent, and end with an acceptable result. ” Offered by China Horse Club’s The Chase as Lot 67, the sale-topping filly is the second foal out of Canadian winner Tapitlikeitshot (Tapit), herself out of Saratoga Grade 2 winner Gold Mover (Gold Fever), who is also the dam of fellow stakes winners Maleeh (Indian Charlie) and Giant Mover (Giant’s Causeway). Jun Almeda, bidding alongside David Chester, said familiarity with the Tapit (Pulpit) line played a key role in the purchase. “We liked the US line of Tapit,” he told ANZ News. “We have a lot of Tapit lines in the Philippines and we know he is a good American stallion. Good on the dirt tracks and the Philippines jockey club race on the dirt track.... Longwood Thoroughbreds has appointed internationally experienced horseman Kelly Jackson as farm manager. The news comes ahead of a major weekend for the farm with Chayan (I Am Invincible), who was bred by Longwood, set to be sent off one of the most fancied runners in the Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) at Rosehill. Jackson brings more than two decades of global industry experience to the role, having been born and raised in New Zealand before spending the past 19 years in Kentucky. His appointment follows a successful tenure at Haymarket Farm in Simpsonville, where he managed operations for 12 years. During his time at Haymarket, Jackson oversaw a highly productive breeding program, with farm graduates recording 448 race wins and earning more than $17. 2 million worldwide, alongside the production of 108 stakes performers. Longwood principal and general manager Christian said Jackson’s international background and proven track record made him an ideal fit for the farm’s future direction. “We are thrilled to welcome Kelly to Longwood Thoroughbred Farm,” Christian said. “His extensive international experience, proven leadership, and hands-on horsemanship align perfectly with our long-term vision. Kelly has a remarkable ability to identify talent, develop young horses, and lead teams with both precision and care. “We believe he will make an immediate and lasting impact on the development of our farm. His reputation for integrity, professionalism, and results made him the standout choice for this leadership role. ” Jackson said he was looking forward to returning to the southern hemisphere and contributing to Longwood’s next phase. “I am honoured to join Longwood Thoroughbred Farm and excited to contribute to the next chapter of its success,” Jackson said. “This is an exceptional opportunity to bring my international experience to an outstanding Victorian operation. “I look forward to working with the team, the horses, and the broader Longwood community to build a program defined by quality, care, and consistent performance. ” Jackson will relocate from the United States with his wife Allie and their daughter, and is set to officially commence in the position on Friday. As Longwood strengthens its operations off the track, the farm is also poised for a significant weekend on the racetrack. The Annabel and Rob Archibald-trained Chayan, a filly bred, raised and sold by Longwood, has been installed as a $6 favourite for Saturday’s $5 million Golden Slipper at Rosehill. Out of Group 3 winner Lubiton (Snitzel), Chayan was offered by the operation at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft when knocked down to Eric Koh and Falcon Racing for $250,000. A winner of the Reisling Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at her most recent start, the filly has drawn barrier 12 but is set to come into gate ten following the withdrawal of emergencies, with Craig Williams aboard. Christian said there was a strong sense of anticipation within the team ahead of the feature. "Everyone at the Farm is very excited to watch Chayan run in the Golden Slipper. She deserves her favouritism and it... 2 c Gold Standard - Nooks And Crannies by Denman O: Makybe Racing & Breeding Pty Ltd (Mgr: T M Santic), Cavalluccio (Mgr: D V Gangi), Collins St Partners (Mgr: B N Griffith), Megalo Peroukas (Mgr: S Bilalis), M N Spartels, N M Spartels, D J Slater, NP Garland & B J Maher B: Makybe Racing & Breeding T: Phillip Stokes W: VOBIS Platinum Showdown, 1200m, March 14, Caulfield Two weeks after the death of champion mare Makybe Diva (Desert King), the well-known Tony Santic silks were carried to success by the Phillip Stokes-trained Big Wigs (Gold Standard) in last Saturday's $1 million VOBIS Platinum Showdown (1200m) at Caulfield. Having finished second in both his starts previously, the colt defeated Miss Chanel (Tagaloa) by 0. 1 lengths and the pair pulled 5. 3 lengths clear of the third-placed Knurl (Brazen Beau). “It's super,” said Neindorf. “It almost makes me a little bit emotional, really. It's been such a big couple weeks for these colours, obviously, with the passing of the great mare. “It's just a privilege whenever you put colours like these on and to go out there and get the job done in a nice two-year-old makes it that extra special. “He was a little bit keen at Ballarat in behind them and when I brought him to the outside he really went down through his gears. I was aware of that today. “I think we were all a bit worried when the barrier draw came out, but it was a blessing in disguise in the end because we had all the three main dangers drawn inside of us. “I wasn't sure where they were going to be but I was confident that I would end up on the back of one of them and I was confident that my horse had a good turn of foot and the extra rise in distance was going to suit him that little bit more. “To be honest, I probably still let him go a little bit earlier. I probably could have straightened up and held onto him for an extra 50 metres before putting him through his gears because, jeez, he got there fast. ” A half-sister to the Group 2-placed Cavity Bay (Cable Bay), who also finished fourth in the Australasian Oaks (Gr 1, 2000m) and fifth in the South Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2500m), Big Wigs is the second winner from three to race out of the Denman (Lonhro) mare Nooks And Crannies. Nooks And Crannies has a yearling a filly by Lucky Vega (Lope De Vega) and after missing to Benbatl (Dubawi) last season, was covered by King’s Gambit (Saxon Warrior) in the spring. A Group 1 now beckons for Big Wigs, with the colt’s connections having paid up for the Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m). Group 1 placegetter Arabian Summer (Too Darn Hot) is another addition to this year’s Inglis Chairman’s Sale, for which entries will close on Friday. High-class as a two-year-old, a Group winner at three and a Moir Stakes (Gr 1, 1000m) placegetter as a four-year-old, Arabian Summer has earned her connections over $1. 5 million already from just 15 career starts, which have netted five wins and five minor placings to date. The daughter of Darley’s shuttle sensation Too Darn Hot was an electric juvenile, finishing second behind subsequent Group 1 performers Coleman (Pierata) and Eneeza (Exceed And Excel) at her first two starts in the Debutant Stakes (Listed, 1000m) and Ottawa Stakes (Gr 3, 1000m) respectively. She would then win her next two starts - and four of her next five, all at two – with her only unplaced juvenile effort coming when finishing fifth behind Storm Boy (Justify) in the $3. 5 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m). As a late juvenile Arabian Summer won the $1 million Magic Millions National 2YO Classic (1050m). She trained on at three to win the Peter Le Grand Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) at Caulfield and finish third behind Group 1 winners Private Harry (Harry Angel) and Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon) in the $3 million Sunlight Plate (1100m) on the Gold Coast. Arabian Summer continued to mature into her four-year-old season, finishing a close-up third behind Baraqiel (Snitzel) in the Moir Stakes (Gr 1, 1000m) at Moonee Valley. She was last seen running third in the Kirin Ichiban Sprint (Gr 3, 1100m) at Flemington on November 1. The mare will be offered in the Segenhoe draft at Chairman’s on Thursday May 7 at Riverside. “She’s very good looking and I know the family intimately, we have her mother on the farm," Segenhoe’s Peter O’Brien said. “Arabian Summer is extremely consistent, lightning quick and will be an incredible addition to anybody’s broodmare band. ’’ Inglis Bloodstock sales manager Harry Bailey added: “She has a sexy profile. She is a pretty mare and has incredible natural speed, but the pedigree also makes incredible appeal – a Too Darn Hot mare, who is out of a Street Cry mare, in turn out of a Lonhro mare – she is bred to be a good broodmare! " To enter your mare into the Chairman’s Sale, contact a member of the Inglis bloodstock team or click here. The Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale, which has produced Group 1 winners Asfoora (Flying Artie) and Private Eye (Al Maher), as well as Hong Kong standout Galaxy Patch (Wandjina) in recent years, gets underway on Thursday with 359 yearlings (425 less 66 withdrawals) set to go through the ring across two days at the Morphettville complex. A total of 54 vendors will offer progeny by 109 individual stallions, with the catalogue featuring proven names such as Zoustar (Northern Meteor), Ghaiyyath (Dubawi), Written Tycoon (Iglesia) and The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice). Buyers will also be presented with 15 first-season sires, including locally bred Dalasan (Dalakhani), Hitotsu (Maurice) and Artorius (Flying Artie). In 2025, the sale returned a clearance rate of 77. 34 per cent, with 297 yearlings sold at an average of $48,463, a median of $32,000 and a top price of $350,000, with overall metrics marginally down on the previous year despite an expanded catalogue. Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch said confidence was high heading into this week’s sale, citing both the depth of the catalogue and encouraging levels of buyer activity on the complex. “I think there's an exceptional quality of horse here on the grounds,” he told ANZ News. “I think the middle of the sale is very deep and all going well, and vetting in most cases being acceptable, I can see the trade market being exceptionally strong. “I think today and yesterday the amount of inspections going on is pleasing, it's in line if not better than last year. I think that, albeit, we've got a tighter catalogue this year, so we can't expect the gross to be in line with where it was last year, but, we think, statistically speaking, the average clearance rate, pieces like that, are the bits that we aspire to hold a reasonable number with. ” Despite softer statistical results at last week’s Magic Millions March Sale, Bowditch believes the conditions surrounding the Adelaide sale are more favourable. “I think last week had some boundaries. In fact, it was a larger catalogue, and probably the exceptional circumstances around floods and things like that took a bit of the confidence out of the market. Whereas this week, I feel we have got a very diverse group of buyers. “Everyone loves coming to Adelaide, whether you're a buyer or a seller, and I feel as if there's good positivity here on the grounds. I don't think we're gonna be breaking any records, by any means, but I think we've got the right quality of horse here. We got the right type of buyer for the quality of horse we've got here, and we can have a solid two-day sale. ” With the sale continuing to build a reputation as a strong source of trade horses, Bowditch added that both international and interstate buying benches are well represented. “I think we've got some good buyers from Hong Kong, and obviously New Zealand. David Chester has got some other areas of Asia covered, so... A day at Sha Tin in 2013 and strong memories of a grey Tasmanian mare are the plotlines behind breeder David Brideoake’s creation of Salty Pearl (Tagaloa), who claimed another major victory in Saturday’s $500,000 VOBIS Platinum Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield. Ciaron Maher’s three-year-old filly was already one of the large handful of stakes winners bred by Brideoake - the retired trainer who now concentrates on his breeding hobby - having taken the Moonee Valley Fillies Classic (Gr 2, 1600m) last Cox Plate day. More black type victories look likely in her future. The latest of eight straight greys dating back to 1941 in her female line, Salty Pearl is from the first crop of young Yulong stallion Tagaloa (Lord Kanaloa), and counts as his top performer just ahead of another 2022 filly in Spicy Lu, the sire’s other stakes winner among 72 runners. Brideoake is a fan of the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) as a proving ground for stallions, hence his respect for Tagaloa, who won Caulfield’s two-year-old feature in 2020. But behind that lies his admiration for Tagaloa’s Japanese sire Lord Kanaloa (King Kamehameha). Already with a healthy respect for the Japanese breed, Brideoake was trackside at Hong Kong’s international day in 2013 when Lord Kanaloa - who the year before had become the first Japanese horse to win the Hong Kong Sprint (Gr 1, 1200m) - defended his title in emphatic style, with a five-length win. “I’ve had some good clients in Hong Kong over the years, and I go up regularly for the international meeting,” Brideoake tells It’s In The Blood. “I was there to see Lord Kanaloa win his second Hong Kong Sprint, and it was just one of the most awesome wins I’ve ever seen. He just blew them away. To be honest, it made me a little envious of how fast horses can be. ” Brideoake did a lot of breeding alongside his several decades of training. He bred and trained Griante (Good Journey), who won the 2016 running of The Galaxy (Gr 1, 1100m) at Rosehill to become one of her sire’s only eight Australian stakes winners from 18 crops here. She was also one of three elite-level winners for her trainer, along with another runner by Good Journey in Grand Journey, winner of the West Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) in 2008, and Australasian Oaks (Gr 1, 2000m) queen Princess Jenni (High Chaparral). Brideoake also bred and trained Self Sense (Street Sense), who won almost $1. 5 million in prize-money from 15 career wins - three at stakes level - and Melbourne Group 3-winning mare Thames Court (Commands). The now 70-year-old eased out of training in the middle of last year, with his operations in that field being absorbed by his daughter Kate and son-in-law Matt Laurie, and is “having fun” dabbling with the three broodmares he keeps at son Tom’s property near Euroa. In 2019, Brideoake was looking to add to his breeding stock and sniffed out the... From its base in Queensland’s picturesque Goomburra Valley, Daandine Stud is celebrating a century in the thoroughbred industry, a milestone that reflects generations of family involvement and a breeding philosophy that has consistently produced elite racehorses from a modest broodmare band. Run by Jan Clark alongside fellow director John Robbins and stud manager Gerard Jones, the Darling Downs nursery operates on a scale far smaller than many commercial farms, with just 20 mares. Yet despite its boutique size, Daandine has produced some of the most recognisable names in Australian racing and breeding. Among them are champion stallion Written Tycoon (Iglesia), Champion 2YO Colt turned stallion Capitalist (Written Tycoon) and dual Group 1 winner Southport Tycoon (Written Tycoon), who now stands at Widden Stud in Victoria. The honour roll more recently includes star mare Isotope (Deep Field), who sold to Yulong Stud for $2. 3 million in 2023. Her first foal, a filly by Alabama Express (Redoute’s Choice), will be offered at the upcoming Inglis Easter Yearling Sale as Lot 356. Emerging runners such as Ciaron Maher’s unbeaten filly Educated (Zoustar) and Hong Kong’s Salon S (Zousain), who is now three-from-three in the jurisdiction, have continued to underline the farm’s ability to produce high-quality performers. “People are starting to know that Daandine produces winners,” Robbins said. “We've got a good name throughout, probably Australia, and our name is getting stronger every year. We get repeat buyers, particularly in January. ” The farm’s roots stretch back more than a century. Clark represents the fourth generation of her family involved in the operation, which became a commercial enterprise in 1926 before relocating to the fertile Goomburra Valley in 1948. The farm’s identity is also reflected in its distinctive brand, a crescent symbol that has become a recognisable mark on horses raised at Daandine and a nod to the Clark family’s history. The brand has been used by the family for generations and remains one of the farm’s most enduring traditions. “We still brand the old Queensland way," Clark said. "My family had sailing yachts in the 1840s, and there was always a black crescent on the sail. I'm not sure of the exact origins, because I never knew my grandfather or my great grandfather. And Dad didn't seem to know, but we've always had that brand registered. ” “My great grandfather James Clark started out,” Clark said. “There's been four generations of the Clarks involved, and they turned commercial in about 1926. So we are 100 years old. It's generational and it's genetic with me. “It’s in a beautiful part of the world, it's in a valley with the beautiful Dalrymple Creek running through it, so it's creek flats. Very good water with high calcium. ” Robbins believes the land itself plays a role in the development of the farm’s young horses. “We had some water tested there when we put a new bore down and we were told this water has got the highest calcium percentage that he has ever stuck,” Robbins... Mick Price is hoping a crossover noseband can improve the focus of the headstrong Guest House (Home Affairs) as he seeks a breakthrough victory for his trainer and strives to improve the recent record of colts in Saturday’s Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m). Having his first run in a month since his third in Caulfield’s Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m), Guest House could raise a couple of firsts if successful in the $5 million Rosehill highlight. It would bring an affirming early Group 1 for his sire Home Affairs. Coolmore’s young stallion - looking likely for a service fee boost from his $82,500 of 2025 - is off to a flyer, leading the first season sires’ tables on both sides of the Tasman, with a Group 2 winner in New Zealand and a Listed victor in Australia. Guest House counts as his highest earner though he’s yet to crack a stakes victory, having debuted with a two-year-old handicap win at his home track of Cranbourne before a tough second in the Blue Diamond Prelude (Gr 3, 1100m), and his third in the main event. For all of Price’s successes - he won 35 Group 1s solo and has 13 in partnership with Michael Kent Jnr - the respected trainer is still chasing a first win among Australia’s Big Four of the Slipper, the Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m), Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) and Caulfield Cup (Gr 1, 2400m). He has a strong record with juveniles having won the Blue Diamond twice, with Samaready (More Than Ready) in 2012 and Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) in 2016. But he’s only come tantalisingly close in the Slipper, claiming thirds with Samaready and then with Flying Artie (Artie Schiller) in 2016, and fourth with Ready For Victory (More Than Ready) in 2015, when that colt ran wide on the home turn and only wider down the home straight. While a Slipper win for a colt wouldn’t count as a first, Australia’s greatest stallion-making race has been dominated by fillies in recent years, to the chagrin of some. Females have won six of the past nine editions, the past two thanks to Marhoona (Snitzel) and Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon), and with Fireburn’s (Rebel Dane) 2022 victory giving them three of the past four. The three colt winners in that nine-year period have gone to stud. Farnan (Not A Single Doubt) and Stay Inside (Extreme Choice) are making a good fist of it so far in their early seasons with runners, while Shinzo’s (Snitzel) eldest are foals. Therefore a victory for Guest House would be warmly appreciated by Price, who bought the colt with Roll The Dice racing and Rogers Bloodstock for $270,000 from Newgate Farm’s draft at 2025’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. “I’d love to win it. I’ve been thereabouts but no victory so far,” said Price, who’s won his share of other stallion-makers such as Extreme Choice’s Blue Diamond, and the three-year-old Flying Artie’s Coolmore Stud Stakes... With their Magic Millions Adelaide draft featuring the only Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) progeny on offer at this week’s yearling sale and their pinhook success Shiki (Too Darn Hot) going round in Saturday’s $5 million Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m), there is plenty for the team at Riverstone Lodge to look forward to over the coming days. Given how highly sought-after Home Affairs’ first crop have been so far this season, and the fact that the colt’s half-brother has already shown plenty of promise in his embryonic career, there is every expectation that Lot 115 will be front of mind for the buying bench when the two-day sale gets underway at the Morphettville complex on Thursday morning. As the Coolmore sensation’s sole representative up for auction this week, the colt already stands apart and his exclusivity has been enhanced by the feats of his elder half-brother Blandford Baron (Extreme Warrior), who is trained by Travis Doudle and races in the Riverstone colours. The colt was the first foal out of Yangarra Rose (Zoustar), whose half-sister Vibrant Sun (The Autumn Sun) won the 2024 Australasian Oaks (Gr 1, 2000m) for Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr. The dam’s premium pedigree persuaded Riverstone to pinhook her first-born for $80,000 at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale, before selling him to Doudle and Suman Hedge Bloodstock for $100,000 at the following year’s Inglis Classic Easter Sale. The team at Riverstone, headed by general manager Nick Taylor and his assistant Billy Brooks, elected to stay in the colt and that decision has borne fruit with Blandford Baron breaking his maiden at Morphettville in impressive fashion last spring, before being unsuited by the attritional conditions at Flemington in the Inglis Banner (RL, 1000m). While his half-brother still has some maturing to do, both physically and mentally, Brooks believes that the strides the colt has taken in recent weeks should stand him in good stead as the prized asset prepares for his ring entrance. “He’s probably still on the smaller side for a Home Affairs colt, but he’s made a lot of progress in the last few weeks,” Brooks told ANZ News. “The mare is also on the smaller side so his size is to be expected, the half-brother was much the same but it hasn’t stopped him from running well so I’m sure the buyers will look past that this week. There’s no doubt he’s got some more maturing to do, but he’s still a very nice type and has handled everything well so far. “I’m sure Travis will be interested in him and as the only Home Affairs at the sale, he should create plenty of interest. It’s only the first day of inspections so we haven’t been overly busy so far, but I’d like to think that things will pick up on day two and he’ll be well received. ” Aside from the Home Affairs colt, Brooks has high hopes for the sole filly in their five-strong draft,... It has been precisely two decades since Gratz Vella last saddled up a runner in the world’s richest juvenile race, but the knockabout Canberra horseman is keen to make up for lost time as he plots to script a Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) Cinderella story with his underdog Music Time (All Too Hard). Music Time, who delivered his 67-year-old trainer’s first Group win when he led his rivals a merry dance in the Black Opal Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m), will take a quantum leap into the unknown and tackle the might of the country’s most powerful stables after connections stumped up the $150,000 late nomination fee. It was something of a risk vs reward conundrum for his six-strong ownership group, with Music Time - who is bidding to become his sire’s first Slipper winner - requiring a top four finish for them to realise a profit on their investment. However, if the canny $45,000 purchase were to prevail against the odds in Saturday’s David vs Goliath battle, connections would leave Rosehill Gardens with a life-changing cheque for $2. 95 million. With most bookmakers posting pre-race odds of $34 about Music Time, who will continue his association with French-born jockey Pierre Boudvillain, Vella is firm in his belief that his young charge has been underestimated and his faith in the horse’s ability has been backed up by some of the country’s more respected form analysts. It was after canvassing their opinion and consulting with Music Time’s owners - some of whom have been supporting the stable for more than four decades - that Vella considered revising his initial plan to send the gelding for a spell and instead aim up at the Slipper. Fearing that, at his age, he might never train another one good enough to compete in such a prestigious contest, Vella was keen to shoot for the stars with a horse who has aptly acquired the nickname of “The Rocket”. “A couple of Sydney trainers rang me up after his win in the Black Opal and said they thought he was the equal of any two-year-old horse in the country, so that was good enough for me,” Vella told ANZ News. “Some of the form experts also backed that up when I spoke to them, and they told me he was right in the race because it’s quite an even bunch of two-year-olds this year. I thought we might as well have a go, but I left the final call up to the owners because they had to come up with the money, and in the end it was a fairly easy decision for them to make. Their main concern was that the horse was still right, and when I told them I was really happy with him, they were happy to pay the fee. “Look, it’s a $5 million race and we’re going up against the best two-year-olds in Australia, prepared by the best trainers in the country. So we’d be foolish to say we’re going... A week after Ellerslie’s Champions Day, the New Zealand stakes races scene was pretty quiet. Tauranga’s Japan Trophy (Gr 2, 1600m), the sole black-type race of the week, went to Omega Boy (Time Test), the spoils headed for the Central Districts as the five-year-old is trained by Peter and Trent Didham at Awapuni. Connections had little choice but to take on stakes class with a race-fit galloper. It would have been much easier to travel 75 kilometres to Wanganui compared with 400 kilometres to Tauranga but the highest class race at Wanganui was a Benchmark 75 over 1600 metres. Omega Boy’s last start resulted in a Benchmark 75 win at Hawera, lumping 62 kilograms. The set weights plus penalties conditions of the Japan Trophy saw him carry 55 kilograms. One question was the unseasonable Heavy 8 track as Omega Boy had shown a preference for firmer going although he did record a win on a Soft 6 surface at Trentham last May. The Tauranga track did dry a little throughout the day. Midfield and in serious traffic rounding the bend, at the top of the straight a huge gap opened on his outer. Sam McNab moved him out and set out after the leaders. At the 200m he was battling but near the 100m grabbed the bit, surged forward and inside the 50m had the race won, his fifth in 22 starts, taking his earnings to $215,640. His maiden win was on the synthetic at Awapuni while wins two and three took place at Trentham. Earlier this year he was twice in the first six in Group company at Trentham suggesting that the Didhams rate his ability. Omega Boy was not offered at any sale and his sire Time Test (Dubawi) stood six seasons at Little Avondale Stud before breeders abandoned him. Getting lots of winners, his tally of stakes winners stood at 12 after Omega Boy’s breakthrough then increased to 13 when Saint Martin (Time Test) scored at Listed level at Saint-Cloud on Sunday. The stallion is now in Turkey and therefore effectively unavailable. Although bred and foaled in New Zealand, Omega Boy’s family is essentially one with strong Queensland roots. He is the only foal from his dam, Bit Of Crumpet (Duke Of Marmalade) to race, the latter a half-sister to Brisbane two-year-old Listed winner Sir Luminar (Choisir). Grandam Illuminar (Last Tycoon) landed three of her six wins in Brisbane while his great grandam Luminia (Semipalatinsk) scored eight Brisbane wins, twice at Listed level. Semipalatinsk (Nodouble) was a headline sire in Queensland and his daughters produced six Group 1 winners. His most notable includes Alma Mater, dam of Savannah Success (Success Express), in turn the dam of Waikato Stud’s Savabeel (Zabeel). Excuse the segway... . Waikato Stud also featured in Friday’s Kembla Grange Classic (Gr 3, 1600m) when Feminino (Tivaci) made it two wins in three starts. The filly is by another unavailable stallion, Tivaci (High Chaparral), who was exported to China after seven seasons at Waikato Stud.... Charmein Phelan has signed a deal to acquire ANZ Bloodstock News (ANZ News), marking an exciting new chapter in its history. ANZ Bloodstock News, which was established 20 years ago, has long been a pillar of delivering industry leading news on bloodstock and racing to a global audience. Charmein has been with the Racing Post, part of Spotlight Sports Group (SSG), since May 2022 and has been a senior member of their global leadership team in her role as the global Head of Bloodstock. Charmein has played a central role in shaping ANZ Bloodstock’s reputation as a trusted and authoritative voice within the industry. Under her leadership, the business has built deep relationships across Australia and New Zealand and established itself as an essential source of news, insight and commercial intelligence. Charmein had spoken to Mark in mid 2025 about her intention to acquire a business in the future, and, following a strategic review of SSG, this created the opportunity. Charmein commented, “For some time now I have been thinking about a business acquisition and it made sense to purchase a business which I already know so well, believe in wholeheartedly and has a strong reputation globally. I am delighted to secure ANZ Bloodstock News and can’t wait to strengthen our brand and enhance our offering. While at the Asian Racing Conference in Riyadh, where Charmein and Mark worked through plans for the transition of ANZ, Mark Renshaw, SSG CEO, said, “Charmein has been instrumental in the success of ANZ Bloodstock. We are delighted to support her in this transition and are confident the business will continue to thrive under her ownership. This outcome reflects a positive and collaborative process for all involved. ” The deal underscores the strength of the ANZ Bloodstock brand and its importance within the bloodstock and racing ecosystem. With a clear strategy and dedicated leadership, the business is well placed to build on its strong foundations. Charmein has committed to ANZ Bloodstock News continuing without disruption to its loyal clients and dedicated readers, commenting, “To bring ANZ Bloodstock News under Australian ownership, is a proud and exciting moment. ANZ Bloodstock has an outstanding reputation and an incredibly loyal audience. ANZ will continue to provide the great stories and insights which our audience have come to love but we will also enhance our current offering to meet the needs of an ever changing market. ” Charmein said, “I am looking forward to continuing to support and work with our loyal clients. The team and I are energised and excited about this opportunity and the next chapter of ANZ’s evolution. ” The new chapter of ANZ will take effect from April 2026. As Tony Santic and his team prepare for life after Makybe Diva (Desert King), the timely tonic provided by the victory of Big Wigs (Gold Standard) in the big-money VOBIS Platinum Showdown (1200m) at Caulfield last Saturday could also pave the way for a potential tilt at Sydney riches this autumn. Two weeks to the day since the mighty mare’s passing left a huge void in his life, Big Wigs delivered the lucrative triumph for Santic and his ecstatic ownership group, who struck a deal for the striking homebred colt over a glass or two of red wine imbibed at the Makybe farm last year. Having collected their share of the $550,000 first prize – as well as an additional $35,000 in VOBIS bonuses – the group could certainly afford to uncork another top shelf bottle from Santic’s wine cellar. The farm’s long-serving stud manager Joe Murray is convinced that Makybe Diva, the three-time Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) heroine who lost a short battle with colic at the age of 27, played her part from above by willing Big Wigs over the line in the $1 million contest. His young son’s athletics meeting prevented Murray from attending Victorian Owners and Breeders Raceday in person, but there were plenty of raucous cheers from the sidelines when the Phillip Stokes-trained colt just got the upper hand in a stirring battle with the equally progressive filly Miss Chanel (Tagaloa). “That win was just the thing Tony and the whole team needed after what’s obviously been a very tough couple of weeks for us all,” Murray told ANZ News. “It’s so exciting for everyone to have a colt like this come along at just the right time. He’s such a professional, even Brad Pearson who broke him in said that he’s the most sensible and straightforward colt that he’s ever dealt with. “The reports from the Stokes stable have been much the same from the start, he’s so relaxed and professional that you wouldn’t even know he’s a colt. He just goes about his business with no fuss, even when he travelled over to Adelaide for his first start he didn’t turn a hair. It’s a huge bonus that he’s got the temperament to match his talent, and he’s become one of the stable favourites very quickly. “He’s not the biggest, but he’s got a big heart and a real will to win. When Lachie asked him for an effort on Saturday, he just put his foot down and really wanted it. That’s a huge weapon in his arsenal and it should hopefully carry him a long way. ” The initial plan had been to send Big Wigs to the paddock after a highly lucrative debut campaign, which also featured a runner-up finish behind Lindsay Park’s Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) contender Medicinal (Brazen Beau) on February 22. However, given how quickly he has recovered from his weekend exertions, the distinct possibility remains that connections will press on with the colt’s campaign and... Three-time Group 1-winning mare Provence (Savabeel) is the latest star attraction confirmed for the Inglis Chairman’s Sale, to be held at Riverside on Thursday, May 7. Bred and owned by Tony Rider, the Stephen Marsh-trained six-year-old has won on seven occasions and placed on a further three, earning over NZ$1. 1 million. Her first top-flight victory came in the Thorndon Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) last year, before backing that performance up just eight weeks later in the NZ Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) at Ellerslie. She then added the Captain Cook Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) before running third – beaten less than a length – in the Otaki Maori WFA Classic (Gr 1, 1600m) last month. Provence’s tally of Group 1 wins is bettered only by the mighty Probabeel among daughters of champion sire Savabeel (Zabeel) and she has defeated some of New Zealand’s brightest stars, including Legarto (Proisir), Orchestral (Savabeel), Sharp ‘N’ Smart (Redwood) and El Vencedor (Shocking). Prior to the Chairman’s Sale, Provence will attempt to defend her crown in the NZ Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes on March 28. She will be offered as a racing and breeding prospect under her owner Tony Rider’s Milan Park banner. “People will understand what I mean when they see her at Riverside in May, but she is the most magnificent looking mare – an absolute stunner,’’ Rider said. “Each of her Group 1 wins have come over the mile and we tried her over 2000 metres last start at Group 1 level but she just wants it a bit shorter; her turn of foot over the 1400 to 1600 metres is so explosive. “Her temperament is fantastic and Stephen Marsh says she’s one of the best mares he’s ever trained. I have no doubt she’ll make the most beautiful broodmare but I also believe she has plenty more racing in her as well. ’’ Inglis bloodstock sales manager and New Zealand representative Brett Gilding was thrilled to have secured Provence for The Chairman’s Sale. “You don’t see triple Group 1-winning mares being offered for public auction very often and Provence is a special offering,’’ Gilding said. “She’s a very accomplished race mare but beyond that, she’s particularly good looking and has a sexy pedigree, so she is going to appeal to a huge range of investors, both international and domestic. “Tony Rider has established Milan Park as one of the best nurseries in New Zealand and it’s an honour for Inglis to have the opportunity to showcase his star mare to the world. ’’ Provence joins the recently announced Generosity (Divine Prophet) amongst the star lots for what is shaping to be another intriguing renewal of The Chairman’s Sale. Other recent additions include last start Group 3 winner Ahha Ahha (Starspangledbanner), Group 1-placed stakes winner Snow In May (The Autumn Sun), Group winners Coco Jamboo (Massaat), Eternal Flame (Sacred Falls) and Just Feelin’ Lucky (Justify), stakes-winning juvenile Appin Girl (Capitalist) as well as the dams of this season’s star juveniles Fireball... 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. 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 ," 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. "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... 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. "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 was great as well and she's very similar,'' he said. Should she line up at Rosehill, 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... 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 , 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... A colt by Widden Stud resident Zousain (Zoustar) looks bound for Hong Kong after he topped the second and final day of trade at the Magic Millions March Yearling Sale when knocked down to Campton Racing and Stable 23 for $250,000. At the close of trade on Friday, Magic Millions reported that 294 of the 443 at a clearance rate of 66 per cent. The turnover rose 31 per cent year-on-year to $10,908,500. The average price lifted 6. 5 per cent to $36,944, while the median finished at $27,500, up ten per cent. Bowditch described the market as selective, with buyers strongly favouring the right types. “I thought today was very strong for the right horse,” he told ANZ News “Horses that were well inspected, that had good vetting and suited a trade market were very easy to sell. Unfortunately, there's no discretion in a selective market for horses that are a little bit off the pace or have anything in its x-rays or anything from a veterinary perspective, so that's slowed down the clearance rate a little bit. “I think we're not immune to the fact that there are floods all over Queensland at the moment. There's scepticism around diesel prices or petrol prices at the moment, so we copped a bit of that today. People we were speaking to that are normally here and normally show interest, it's not as if they're not interested in the sale and not interested in buying horses, but they're just sort of sitting back for the moment and seeing what the next few weeks means for them. ” Despite the soft clearance rate, the company’s managing director Barry Bowditch said he was looking towards the positives. “You can take a lot of positives. The gross is up well over $2 million, we've sold a lot more horses than what we did this time last year and the average is up. “We'll look at what we do from a selection perspective for this sale next year, but I think fundamentally opening it up has worked. I think it's got more interstate interest in the sale. “The vendors that are here from interstate have been relatively pleased on the whole with their results. We'll look to bolster this sale and continue with a very similar format and build confidence about what's going on here in Queensland. I think the QTIS system is underestimated when you look at what horses race for tomorrow at the Gold Coast, or QTIS in general. “We need to ensure every buyer knows that this is where a QTIS horse's career starts and get as many of them here as possible. Disappointed in the clearance rate, but all other numbers we're pleased with. ” The expanded format of the sale, which included non-QTIS yearlings for the first time, also appeared to attract broader interstate participation, something Bowditch believes will help the sale grow in the coming years. “If you can take a 25 to 30 per cent increase in price... Elite thoroughbred nursery Daandine Stud headlined a ‘selective’ day of trade at the Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale when a filly by reigning Queensland Champion Sire Better Than Ready (More Than Ready) offered by the operation was purchased by champion trainer Tony Gollan for $130,000. At the close of trade on day 1, Magic Millions reported that 139 yearlings had changed hands at a clearance of 63 per cent. Despite the clearance sitting below the 67 per cent recorded last year, turnover for the larger offering of horses improved by 43 per cent to sit at $5,460,000. The average rose to $39,281, six per cent, while the median increased 15 per cent to $30,000. Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch said: “It was no doubt a selective market. I think good trade horses or those good types that vetted out well, there was a solid appetite for, albeit selective. I think if you're anywhere off the pace or you've vetted a little bit bad, there are cracks to be found. “There's huge opportunity out there for the market, whether you're a trainer or an owner that wants to race, especially here in Queensland with big prize-money to get involved in this catalogue, because I think we've got a very motivated lot of vendors out there that are looking to meet the market, wherever they possibly can. ” Bowditch noted that while the clearance rate was not where they would like it to be, several key metrics had strengthened year-on-year. “Obviously, the clearance rate of 63 per cent is not where we want to end up. And we'll be obviously working very hard between now and till the end of the sale tomorrow to get that up to an acceptable level. But fundamentally, we've sold almost 40 more horses than what we did at the same stage last year. “We've got an increased average. We've got a gross that is $1. 8 up on last year. So, there are plenty of numbers that are pleasing. If we can move our clearance rate in the right direction, and the buyers find an appetite to really get involved, I think there's a great opportunity to improve our numbers and end up with a satisfying result come the end of tomorrow. ” He added that the sale’s position late in the Australasian yearling sales season may have contributed to buyers, particularly interstate and international, taking a more cautious approach. “I think they've played a part, but they're being selective,” Bowditch said. “I think as the year goes on they are more selective. They're getting to the point where we're a long way through the year when it comes to lots being sold. They've got other sales they want to go to, whether it be next week or in weeks and months to go on, it's been a busy time over the last six weeks. “We'd like to think we'd have a few more buyers than what we had here, but in saying... 2 c Snitzel ex Humma Humma by Denman O: P M Cunningham, Widden Stud Pty Ltd, Ciaron Maher Racing, W J Betar, P S Frampton, C Massie, P Trainor, J M Simmons, Ms S M Fitzgerald, A K Racing & Ms S Hill B: Widden Bloodstock Pty Ltd, Warringah Stud Farm, Frampton Racing, NSW T: Ciaron Maher S: 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale V: Widden Stud P: Ciaron Maher Bloodstock, $2,800,000 W: Asahi Super Dry Maiden Handicap, 1000m, March 11, Warwick Farm Ciaron Maher’s high-priced Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) colt The Next Episode confirmed his potential when breaking maiden status at the second time of asking over 1000 metres at Warwick Farm on Wednesday. The colt matched the highest price ever recorded for a yearling by his star-crossed sire when bringing $2. 8 million at Magic Millions Gold Coast last year and he debuted in the Golden Gift (1100m) last November, finishing 11th in the $1 million juvenile feature. He had since trialled twice at Warwick Farm under Jason Collett, the latest an eye-catching win on March 2. Partnered by Collett again on Wednesday, the two-year-old was briefly caught behind runners but showed a good turn of foot when the gap came to defeat Under Focus (Too Darn Hot) by a length. Steel Will (I Am Invincible) was a further 0. 6 lengths away in third. “It was a tough watch for a bit, but he's got a very good turn of foot,” said stable representative Johann Gerard-Dubord. “We saw that in his trial last week, and Jason was well aware, so he just had to be patient and once he had the gap, it was very impressive. “He's a very well-bred horse and was an expensive yearling. He's always been showing plenty of talent, that's why we got him ready for the Golden Gift last prep, but things didn't work out on the day. “He was drawn badly, got a bit of a squeeze at the start and pulled up a bit off after the race. So we just gave him some time to mature and come right. He's a lovely horse going forward and is very talented. It’s great to get a win for a nice group of owners. ” Bred by Widden Stud in partnership and offered in their draft at the Gold Coast, The Next Episode was bought by his trainer and ownership group and races in the Rebel Racing colours of prominent UK owner Phil Cunningham. He is the first winner out of Group 3 winner Humma Humma (Denman), herself a half-sister to stakes score Tycoon Humma (Capitalist). The Next Episode’s I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) half-brother will be offered by Widden Stud as Lot 341 at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale later this month. Saturday’s Magic Night Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) and Pago Pago Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) at Rosehill will provide the final opportunity for several juveniles to force their way into the field for next week’s Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m). Among them is former Slipper favourite Warwoven (Sword Of Stare), who currently sits 18th in the order of entry and needs a strong performance in Group company to secure a start. The Sword Of State (Snitzel) colt headed to the Gold Coast for January’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) unbeaten in two starts, but was controversially scratched when Racing Queensland veterinarians deemed him lame. Trainer Bjorn Baker, who also prepares last Saturday’s Todman Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) winner and current Slipper co-favourite Paradoxium (Extreme Choice), believes Warwoven will improve significantly on his recent first-up fourth in the Skyline Stakes at Randwick. “He is going to come on, no doubt about it,” Baker said. “He’s probably even got a touch more improvement from where Paradoxium is at the moment. ” Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott will have four runners across the two races as they seek a late Slipper contender. Fillies By Choice (Written By) and Lumbini (Russian Revolution) contest the Magic Night, while Plagiarism (Written By) and Drumfire (Farnan) line up in the Pago Pago. By Choice has been consistent through four starts, including a third placing in the Sweet Embrace Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m), and Bott expects the filly to again be prominent. “She’s been very honest throughout her career,” Bott said. “She puts herself up on pace and should appreciate a strong tempo. ” Plagiarism has also been competitive in his three runs to date, finishing less than a length from winner Campione D’Italia (Snitzel) when fifth in the Skyline Stakes. Stablemate Drumfire enters the Pago Pago after making a winning debut at Muswellbrook last Sunday, with Bott keen to test the colt in stronger company despite the quick turnaround. Champion three-year-old Savaglee (Savabeel) will stand at Mapperley Stud this season after being secured by a syndicate headed by Windsor Park Stud, Mapperley Stud and Lion Rock Bloodstock. He will be introduced as a fee of $17,500 (plus GST). Trained by Pam Gerard, the colt won seven races and over $1. 2 million in prize money, highlighted by victory in the New Zealand 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m). He also finished runner-up in the Australian Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) and was crowned Champion Three-Year-Old of his crop. Savaglee was also a Group 3-winning juvenile, winning on debut before claiming the Matamata Slipper (Gr 3, 1200m). “He’s a super intelligent horse with an amazing constitution and he was tremendously sound throughout a race career at the highest level,” Gerard said. By ten-time champion sire Savabeel (Zabeel), Savaglee is out of a sister to Symphonic (O’Reilly) – the dam of another champion three-year-old in Orchestral. It is a family that has also produced Group 1 winners Atishu (Savabeel), Sepals (Calyx), Aegon (Sacred Falls) and Daffodil (No Excuse Needed). Mapperley Stud principal Simms Davison said the farm had been seeking a stallion prospect of Savaglee’s calibre. “We have waited patiently to find the right horse to fill the void after losing Contributer and it’s extremely satisfying to secure a colt of Savaglee’s quality,” Davison said. Gary Portelli is confident Verona Rose (Castelvecchio) - his $40,000 yearling who’s now worth close to $3 million - has a strong chance of boosting her value still further by becoming her sire’s third individual elite-level winner in Saturday’s Coolmore Classic (Gr 1, 1500m). Plucked from the barn of breeders Arrowfield Stud at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale of 2023, the bargain buy mare has already reaped connections more than $700,000 in prize-money, ticking past that threshold with her dominant last-start win in Randwick’s Guy Walter Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m). And Portelli now believes she’s well primed for further success at Rosehill on Saturday, where she’ll attempt to join Aeliana and El Castello as a top tier winner - among six stakes victors - for Arrowfield’s $49,500 sire Castelvecchio (Dundeel). Portelli would have preferred Verona Rose to receive 55 kilograms rather than her 56 kilograms for the quality handicap mares’ event. But the knowledge his four-year-old can adapt racing styles depending on her barriers has the Warwick Farm-based trainer extremely positive about Saturday’s assignment, for which Craig Williams again takes the ride. “This morning’s work was as good a piece of work as you’ll ever see,” Portelli, who galloped the mare with her three-year-old stablemate Queen Of Clubs (Maurice), told ANZ News on Tuesday. “It’s the sort of work you’d want to see going into a big race, and she’s ready to rock and roll this weekend. “I’m pretty confident. I would’ve liked to have seen her get a kilo lighter in the weights, but then again, I believe barriers mean more than weights these days - you’ve got to be in the sweet spot in the run - so I’ll be hoping she draws well on Wednesday. “But at this stage - you don’t want to get too cocky - but you know she runs out the distance solidly, since she’s won over a mile, and she’s in great form, so I think she deserves her place amongst the favourites, put it that way. ” Bookmakers on Wednesday had Verona Rose at $10 in a market headed by the Chris Waller-trained Lazzura (Snitzel) at $4. 80. Brad Widdup’s Savyv Hallie (Hellbent) sat on the second line of the betting at $5. 00. Portelli reported insurers had been led to reassess Verona Rose after her second stakes victory in the Guy Walter. “They’ve insured her to the value of $2 million now,” he said, “but they tell me she’s probably worth closer to $3 million, since she’s still racing for prize-money. ” All of which makes the mare’s progression the stuff of fairytales. Portelli was inspired to buy three products of Castelvecchio’s first crop - partly because he was still stung by not buying Castelvecchio himself as a yearling. Whilst he’d intended to purchase the colt, a timing mix-up at that Classic sale of 2018 meant he was outside inspecting a yearling for clients when Castelvecchio went through the ring. But while the two Castelvecchio colts Portelli bought in 2023... Of the many reasons to send a mare to Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt), one in particular received another huge boost on the weekend when Paradoxium (Extreme Choice) won the Todman Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m). Newgate Farm’s $330,000 stallion is of course a siring sensation, despite his well known fertility problems, with Paradoxium one of his 18 stakes winners from 148 runners at a thumping 12. 16 per cent stakes winners to runners. But he’s working especially well with mares from a line of that outstanding broodmare sire, More Than Ready (Southern Halo). Since Extreme Choice has only averaged 25 runners through each of his six racing crops to date, the sample sizes for his nicks aren’t huge, but this one forms a compelling argument. Extreme Choice over More Than Ready mares has hatched five winners from six runners - two of them at stakes level. One is Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) hero Knight’s Choice, the other the dual Group winner and Group 1 placed Tiger Of Malay, now an Extreme Choice barnmate at Newgate. More Than Ready’s sons are showing great promise with Extreme Choice as well. Extreme Choice over Better Than Ready has just the one runner - Paradoxium - for a neat 100 per cent stakes winners to runners ratio. Putting the stallion over Sebring has four victors from six runners, including one stakes placegetter in Tessa’s Choice. Those stats echo the strong results for Extreme Choice’s sire Not A Single Doubt (Redoute’s Choice) over More Than Ready, which has realised six stakes winners from 42 runners at 14 per cent - the stallion’s equal second best stakes winners to runners nick for more than eight runners. The pick of the nick is its (dual) Group 1 winner, Miracles Of Life. It was these kinds of workings that led breeding pals Brian McGuire, Brian Clarke and Collum McCullagh to send their Better Than Ready mare Paredo to Extreme Choice in the spring of 2022. They’d come together to buy Paredo privately off the track after a 15-start career for Toby and Trent Edmonds that netted two wins, including one at Doomben, and a Listed placing at the same track. And there was other evidence - aside from the Not A Single Doubt - More Than Ready nick - that pointed the way to Extreme Choice in her first spring at stud. McCullagh worked with trainer Peter Snowden at the time, and in the spring of 2022 he had a two-year-old colt by the stallion showing great promise ahead of his first start. Don Corleone won at Sydney’s first official two-year-old barrier trials, and would soon launch a glittering first season in which - aside from a winning debut at Randwick - he would run elite-level seconds in the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) and ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m), either side of a meritorious fourth in the Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m). And he happened to be out of Paredo’s half-sister, the... Magic Millions looking forward to revamped Gold Coast March Yearling Sale A healthy buying bench has been spotted inspecting yearlings around the complex ahead of the revamped two-day Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale which gets underway on Thursday A total of 447 yearlings (508 less 61 withdrawals) are scheduled to go through the ring as this year’s renewal arrives with a refreshed format, with non-QTIS yearlings included for the first time. The change is designed to broaden the catalogue and enhance its appeal to local, interstate and international buyers, while still maintaining the strong incentive structure that has traditionally underpinned the sale. In total, progeny by 94 individual stallions are represented. The catalogue is headed by locally based sires Better Than Ready (More Than Ready) with 56 lots and Spirit Of Boom (Sequalo) with 26. A wide mix of proven and emerging stallions also feature, including Alabama Express (Redoute’s Choice), All Too Hard (Casino Prince), Capitalist (Written Tycoon), Home Affairs (I Am Invincible), Maurice (Screen Hero), So You Think (High Chaparral), The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice) and Zousain (Zoustar), among others. Of the 447 yearlings catalogued, 219 are fully paid or first-payment QTIS eligible, alongside 194 BOBS-eligible yearlings, 33 VOBIS Sires lots, 11 VOBIS Silver entries and one Westspeed entrant. All yearlings are also eligible for nomination to the lucrative Magic Millions Race Series. Despite mixed feedback from vendors regarding traffic in the lead-up, those in attendance include Peter Moody and Wylie Dalziel, Bruce Slade, Will Freedman, Macedon Racing, Paul Moroney and Catheryne Bruggeman, Suman Hedge, Will Johnson and Craig Rounsefell. The catalogue has also drawn new interstate participation, with 13 vendors from outside Queensland represented this year, including Alma Vale Thoroughbreds, Blue Gum Farm, Newhaven Park Stud, North Bloodstock and Valiant Stud. Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch believes the expanded catalogue and broader vendor base have helped position the sale well heading into the two days of trading. “We thought vendors could do with another sale, and we thought bolstering this sale with interstate horses would give the Queensland breeder more exposure on their yearlings instead of it just being seen as a Queensland sale,” Bowditch told ANZ News. “It's always been a tougher sale to get interstate buyers to. We've extended the catalogue, it’s bigger than what it was last year. We feel like we've added more horses at all levels of the market. I think there's some good prospects at the lower end, middle end, and higher end. So I feel as if we've filled all voids of the market and, from a catalogue perspective and physically speaking, we're in good shape leading into the next two days. “I think it's a buyer's bench that builds upon itself each day as you're closer to the sale. Like any sale, from a Queensland perspective they will come in from now until the sale. So it'll get busier coming into the morning and then into when Lot 1 enters the ring. “In saying that, from our... Having come perilously close to suffering a career-threatening injury in a trackwork mishap some six months ago, Bossy Benita (So You Think) would now appear to have a new lease on life and the stakes-winning mare will aim to extend her imperious recent form at Caulfield this Saturday. The last-start Mannerism Stakes (Gr. 2, 1400m) heroine will be one of the headline acts at the 12th annual Victorian Owners and Breeders Raceday, but she is fortunate to be racing at all after dumping her trackwork rider and repeatedly crashing through the running rails in a state of sheer panic during an otherwise routine morning at Mornington racecourse last spring. Mercifully, Bossy Benita escaped from the frightful incident with only some minor abrasions to show for it, but Michael Mehegan nonetheless regrets subsequently running her in the Let’s Elope Stakes (Gr. 2, 1400m), which resulted in one of only four unplaced runs in her 14-start career. However, it is perhaps the only mis-step the emerging trainer has made with the daughter of the late, great So You Think (High Chaparral) since acquiring her for $85,000 at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale three years ago. Her all-the-way waltz in the Mannerism extended the mare’s record at Caulfield to two wins and a pair of placings from five starts, so whether she lines up in the new VOBIS Gold So Si Bon (1400m) - named in honour of Lindsay Park’s enigmatic galloper who will be trackside to crown the inaugural winner - or Mehegan’s preferred option of the VOBIS Gold Distaff (1400m), she is likely to jump as one of the more favoured runners. Both are run over her pet distance of 1400 metres - three of her last four wins have come at that trip - and carry the same prize purse of $200,000 (plus an additional $50,000 in VOBIS bonuses), so the composition of the final fields and barrier draw on Wednesday morning will determine which path connections ultimately take. Regardless of which rein he chooses to pull, however, Mehegan is firm in his belief that his stable star is in career-best form - and he is also mightily relieved that she isn’t carrying any mental scars from her near-death experience. “It was a really scary incident, and at one point I was genuinely worried that she might kill herself,” Mehegan told ANZ News. “Luckily she came away with only minor abrasions which we were able to treat, so that was a huge relief. Because of the form she was in we decided to press onto the Let’s Elope Stakes, but in hindsight I probably shouldn’t have run her in the race. Externally she looked absolutely fine, but maybe internally she hadn’t completely recovered from the shock of it all. She ran well below expectations that day, so we decided to give her a spell and she’s come back in great order. “It was a special win in the Mannerism for the stable and for her owners. I actually thought... Leading Queensland nursery Eureka Stud will present the largest draft at this week’s Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale, offering 36 yearlings across the two days of selling on March 12 and 13. The Cambooya operation topped last year’s vendor table when selling 26 yearlings for a combined $1,129,500 and appears well placed to again play a major role at the sale. This year’s renewed edition of the March Yearling Sale has expanded significantly, with a catalogue of 508 yearlings, up from 380 in 2025, while the inclusion of non-QTIS yearlings has added further depth and variety to the offering. Eureka’s resident sire Spirit Of Boom (Sequalo) was the dominant stallion at the sale last year, finishing as leading sire by both gross and average. Nineteen yearlings by the Queensland champion sold for an average of $75,789 and a gross of $1,440,000. The highest-priced of those, a $210,000 colt purchased from the Kenmore Lodge draft by Clinton Taylor and Bacon Racing, has since been named Spirit Bomb and is awaiting his first start in the Michael Freedman stable. “Hopefully he can maintain his place on top of the mantlepiece,” Eureka Stud’s Harry McAlpine told ANZ News. “We sell a lot of Spirit Of Booms here every year. It's been a great sale for graduates coming out of here, like Prince of Boom, Keshi Boom, Boomsara, Boomnova, Chinny Boom the list goes on and on, plenty of good Spirit of Booms come out of this sale and they haven't cost the world. ” Spirit Of Boom again features prominently in this year’s draft, with Eureka offering ten yearlings by their flagship sire. Among them is Lot 4, a filly out of dual winner Weekend Saga (Real Saga), herself a half-sister to MVRC Champagne Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) winner Dan Baroness (Statue Of Liberty) and Dalrello Stakes (Listed, 1000m) winner Jagged Edge (Better Than Ready). Weekend Saga has produced two foals to race, including two-time winner What A Weekend (Better Than Ready) and lightly raced metropolitan placegetter Weekend Spirit (Spirit Of Boom). “She's a really nice physical type of filly. She is out of a Real Saga mare, which has worked with Spirit Of Boom before - Boom Talk won a $1 million, he is out of a Real Saga mare too, so the cross works really well with the double Semipalatinsk. She's a real physical highlight of the draft. ” Lot 257 is another by Spirit Of Boom, a colt out of four-time winner Lucky Toss (Dash For Cash), a half-sister to Group 2 winner and Group 1 placegetter Scenic Warrior (Brave Warrior), and 12-time winner Stanzaic (Raise A Stanza), who collected three victories at Listed level. Lucky Toss has produced five foals to race, all winners, including Champagne Boom (Spirit Of Boom), winner of Caulfield’s Debutant Stakes (Listed, 1000m), and Listed-placed Stoli Bolli (Deep Field). The colt is also closely related to recent Magic Millions SA 2YO Classic (1100m) winner Rich On Bubbles (Capitalist). “It's a good old Eureka... Suddenly transformed after a horror start to 2026, Bjorn Baker is not daunted by history as he sends one-time favourite Warwoven (Sword Of State) towards the Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) via the last chance saloon. Having dominated the market - and sat high on the prize-money qualification list - for the $5 million juvenile highlight for many weeks after winning his first two starts, Warwoven suddenly finds himself on the edge of Slipper oblivion. The colt was a raging favourite for the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) after scoring by 2. 15 lengths at Randwick and 3. 32 lengths at Eagle Farm, but was ordered out of the Gold Coast feature due to lameness in the off fore. That meant he also missed crucial training while recovering, in a major disruption to his hopes for the world’s richest two-year-old race. Warwoven finally resumed on February 28 in Randwick’s Skyline Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) and was sent out a heavily backed $1. 80 favourite. But while he loomed on the inside to momentarily take the lead at the 100 metres, his lack of condition told late as he weakened into a 0. 45-length fourth. He’s now been deposed as Slipper favourite by his stablemate and fellow Ridgmont colours-bearer Paradoxium (Extreme Choice), another comeback colt who scored a powerful victory in Saturday’s Todman Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m). Bookmakers on Monday had Paradoxium at $5 and Warwoven $6 for Saturday week’s Slipper, ahead of last Saturday’s Reisling Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m)-winning filly Chayan (I Am Invincible). But Warwoven’s lofty place in the market is dependent on one key factor: he still needs to secure his spot in the Slipper field, which comprises 16 starters plus four emergencies. Having slipped to 18th on the order of entry, Warwoven will now seek to cement his ticket in this Saturday’s final males’ race carrying Slipper qualification for the winner - the Pago Pago Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m), at Rosehill. “Win and you’re in” sounds tantalising, but the history for young colts and geldings taking this path to the Slipper isn’t golden. Only one horse has won the Pago Pago and backed up a week later to take the Slipper in the past 20 years. The good news for Warwoven is it was achieved only three years ago, by Shinzo (Snitzel). The two subsequent results have been only middling. In 2024, Pago Pago winner Dublin Down (Exceedance) ran a 4. 41-length 11th in the Slipper after being trapped three-wide without cover in a forward spot under Hugh Bowman, from gate 12. Last year, Skyhook (Written Tycoon) managed an only fair seventh from barrier eight, seemingly left with no finishing burst after a decent run in transit. Shinzo’s preparation was one run lighter than Warwoven’s. After debuting on January 28, the Chris Waller-Coolmore colt won the Pago Pago at his third start, and the Slipper at his fourth. Warwoven will be having his fourth start this Saturday. But Baker believes this altered plan, and larger late... Five, ten or 20 years from now a glance at the result of the 2026 NZB Kiwi (Listed, 1500m), will read that the favourite, Well Written (Written Tycoon), duly won from Belle Cheval (Savabeel) by a very small margin. That is the cold fact but on site the race was electric, especially over the final few metres when Belle Cheval rushed hard late. Did Well Written hold on? Seconds later the crowd gasped when the head-on camera showed Well Written veering toward the outside rail. Did she contact Belle Cheval? Did Belle Cheval’s jockey have to stop riding? On top of Alabama Lass (Alabama Express) knocking over the running rail when leading the King’s Plate (Gr 3, 1200m) then Legarto (Proisir) inching past Waitak (Proisir) to claim a nostalgic last New Zealand win, the Kiwi provided its own thrills and the public were properly entertained by top class racing. Unfortunately, Champions Day only occurs once a year. Anything can happen Stephen Marsh, trainer of Well Written, can now appreciate what Peter Moody and Chris Waller experienced when managing the careers of Black Caviar (Bel Esprit) and Winx (Street Cry). The former was unbeaten in 25 starts whereas the latter strung together 33 successive wins. Well Written’s record stands at six but pressure is the same. It is not until race day and scoring the next win that the trainer is satisfied that he or she is doing the right thing. As suggested in Kiwi Chronicles (Feb 24th): “On paper, Well Written is clearly the one to beat plus she has Belle Cheval’s scalp from the (New Zealand 1,000) Guineas but the race is not run on paper. At this point, Belle Cheval looks the biggest threat and her last two runs have shown she is in for the fight. Her connections will have more than a smidge of confidence leading into the big race with the possible added advantage of more recent race fitness. ” Well Written’s previous start was January 24, in the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (RL, 1600m) compared with Belle Cheval, who won the Uncle Remus Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m) at Ellerslie on February 21. Belle Cheval had also won on January 24, the Group 3 Almanzor Trophy (1200m). That extra run ensured she was fit for her challenge and she very nearly upset Well Written who may have lacked the same sharpness. Matt Cartwright aboard Well Written had to make his move earlier than planned and raced clear from the 300m. From second last, Belle Cheval kept up a strong run in the straight, looking like she might overhaul the winner who kicked late to barely hold on by a short half-head. A stride past the post Belle Cheval was in front in a splendid effort. There was no contact even though Well Written veered towards the outside rail at the 50m. Noted in the Stewards’ report was that Belle Cheval also changed ground by shifting inwards from the 150m. The Stewards dismissed the protest by... Group 1 performed sprinter Stretan Angel (Harry Angel) has added more star power to May’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale with connections confirming she will be offered at the Gold Coast auction. Having landed a trio of stakes wins and three Group 1 placings, five-year-old Stretan Angel is also a half-sister to this season’s exciting juvenile Stretan Ruler (Wild Ruler) – who ran second in the Todman Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) on Saturday. To be offered through the Yarraman Park Stud draft, the Phillip Stokes-trained Stretan Angel is sure to be among the most admired breeding prospects to be offered in 2026. “She’s always oozed class since the day she came back from the breakers,” Stokes' assistant Tommy Stokes said. “We knew she had a good brain on her. “As you can see from her time as a two-year-old, we contested great races straight away with her. She showed right from the start she was a high class racehorse. “Although she hasn’t won a Group 1 she’s always been in the mix with the top-level elite sprinters during her whole career – she’s a consistent mare with an outcross. ” Another quality offering for the Yarraman Park Stud draft is the well-related stakes winner Gala Queen (Deep Field). The Morphettville Guineas (Listed, 1600m)-winning daughter of Deep Field (Northern Meteor) is a half-sister to the Triscay Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) and Magic Millions Cup (RL, 1400m) winner Semana (Winning Rupert). Their juvenile half-brother Knightsbridge (Farnan) is a highly regarded juvenile this season for the Waterhouse and Bott stable. “Yarraman is proud to present an exciting group of race fillies and mares at this year’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, highlighted by Stretan Angel,” Yarraman principal Arthur Mitchell said. “We’re assembling another strong lineup for this sale, including Gala Queen for the Stokes stable, So Glamorous for Grahame Begg, plus in-foal mares such as Seonee for Joe O’Neill’s Prime Thoroughbreds, Seonee being in foal to Hellbent. ” Entries for the 2026 Magic Millions National Sale are now open and other previously announced highlight lots for the racefillies and mares section include Saturday’s Group 1 winner, New Zealand champion Legarto (Proisir), Australasian Oaks (Gr 1, 2000m) winner Vibrant Sun (The Autumn Sun) and multiple Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) winner O’ Ole (Ole Kirk). Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman’s star filly Sheza Alibi (Saxon Warrior) confirmed herself as one of the most exciting three-year-olds in the country with a commanding victory in Saturday’s Randwick Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m). The filly became the first to defeat the colts in the race since Mosheen (Fastnet Rock) in 2012, producing a devastating turn of foot to defeat Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Autumn Boy (The Autumn Sun) by 3. 2 lengths, with Attica (Lonhro) a further two lengths away in third. The victory also carried added significance for Moody’s long-time jockey Luke Nolen, who brought up his 2000th career win aboard the heavily-backed favourite. Sent off a $2. 10 chance, Sheza Alibi enjoyed a perfect run in transit behind Autumn Boy before Nolen angled her clear approaching the 300 metres. Once balanced, the response was immediate as she surged clear, putting the result beyond doubt in a matter of strides. “She is just something special, this filly,” co-trainer Katherine Coleman said. “This was her hardest test to date in a field full of quality horses and she just put them away. We had a lot of respect for the opposition today but what she’s shown us at home is just amazing. “She’s just got that X-factor about her and a real desire to win. The bigger the fight in the race the more she appreciates it and the more she wants to get the job done. She took a few strides to warm up today but once she got past Autumn Boy she came right away late. “She’s a special horse. ” The victory extended Sheza Alibi’s record to six wins and three placings from nine starts, while maintaining her perfect record in Group company after earlier victories in the Vanity (Gr 3, 1400m), Sandown Guineas (Gr 2, 1600m) and Angus Armanasco Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m). For Nolen, the milestone success carried special meaning given his historic association with Moody, the pair having enjoyed some of Australian racing’s greatest moments together with unbeaten champion Black Caviar (Bel Esprit). “Every time you get close to a milestone your form seems to evade you,” Nolen said. “But to do it with Peter and Katherine in a Group 1 in Sydney feels pretty good. ” Despite the dominant performance, Coleman indicated the filly may now head to the paddock rather than continue through the autumn carnival. “She had a deep spring preparation, so the plan was always to keep this preparation fairly light,” she said. “She’ll head back to Melbourne and we’ll see how she pulls up, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s out in the paddock getting ready for the spring. ” Bred by Queensland hobby breeders Fred and Desley Monsour, Sheza Alibi sold as a $10,000 weanling on Inglis Digital to central Queensland-based owner Fred Noffke. She is the first winner out of Sheza Gypsy (Shaft), a half-sister to a Hong Kong Listed winner who was covered by Saxon Warrior (Deep Impact) during his third of... Chris Waller has put the plans in place for a Royal Ascot raid with Joliestar (Zoustar) and the top-class mare further underlined her claims when landing her fourth Group 1 at Randwick on Saturday. The five-year-old daughter of Zoustar (Northern Meteor) inched ever-closer to an overseas foray when making it two wins from two this campaign in the Canterbury Stakes (Gr 1, 1300m). Ridden by James McDonald – who was partnering his penultimate winner in what eventuated as a stakes-race six-timer – Joliestar settled just off the pace and produced her customary strong finish to head a remarkable trifecta for Waller, with stablemates Beiwacht (Bivouac) and Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel) filling the placings in the $750,000 feature. “It was a beautiful ride. She had a nice draw, so everything set up well,” said Waller, who was winning the Canterbury Stakes for the first time. “She’s come back really well, she’s a more mature horse. She knows her job and just does it well. ” Waller will be seeking his second win at the prestigious meeting having saddled Nature Strip (Nicconi) to win the King Charles III Stakes – when it was known as the King’s Stand Stakes – in 2022. The Cambridge Stud-owned Joliestar was electric when winning the Expressway Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) first-up last month, soundly beating the Bjorn Baker-trained Callabus (I Am Invincible) who franked the form when claiming Saturday’s Newmarket Handicap (Gr 1, 1200m) at Flemington – won by Joliestar last year. As well as Nature Strip, the King Charles III has been won by five other Australian-trained sprinters: Choisir (Danehill Dancer) (2003), Takeover Target (Celtic Swing) (2007), Miss Andretti (Ihtiram) (2008), Scenic Blast (Scenic) (2009) and most recently Asfoora (Flying Artie) in 2024. The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) on the final day of the meeting has also proved a popular target for Australian runners. Should the mare be aimed at that 1200-metre Group 1, she would be seeking to become the third Australian-trained runner to win, following on from the success of Choisir in 2003, while the 2012 edition was memorably taken out by the great Black Caviar. Cambridge Stud has tasted success in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, when their now resident shuttle stallion Hello Youmzain (Kodiac) struck in the six-furlong feature in their colours in 2020. “She’s done it again. She’s now won a Group 1 in three different states, that’s an incredible feat,’’ Cambridge Stud co-owner Sir Brendan Lindsay said. “She’s a bloody superstar, isn’t she? She won really well today. “This year she’s just jumping a little handier and it makes a big difference. When you can just be fourth or fifth rather than getting back like last year when she had no luck with barrier draws, it can make all the difference. “She’s off to the TJ next and then all going well Royal Ascot, we’re going to have to go and get a top hat and tails! ’’ Waller has targeted the royal meeting three times:... Craig “Froggy” Newitt turned back the clock at Flemington on Saturday when guiding Sydney raider Caballus (I Am Invincible) to victory in the Newmarket Handicap (Gr 1, 1200m) down the famous straight course. The win was Newitt’s first at Group 1 level since partnering Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) to victory in the Moir Stakes (Gr 1, 1000m) at The Valley in 2016, and the 34th top-level success of his career. It also secured the jockey outright bragging rights in one of Australia’s most prestigious sprint races, with Newitt now the most successful rider in Newmarket history after previous wins aboard Miss Andretti (2007), Shamexpress (O’Reilly) (2013) and The Quarterback (Street Boss) (2016). Jumping sharply from the barriers, Newitt sent the Bjorn Baker-trained gelding straight to the lead along the inside rail. The $19 chance proved tenacious late, holding off a determined challenge from Gallant Son (Written Tycoon) by 0. 3 lengths, with Angel Capital (Harry Angel) 0. 7 lengths further away in third. Newitt admitted the victory carried added emotion given the length of time since his last success at the highest level. “It’s been a while,” he said. “To be the most winning rider in the Newmarket, probably the most historic sprint race in Australia, is something I’m very honoured by. “I was very happy after we’d gone 400 or 500 metres. He pricked his ears and was happy bowling along at his own leisure. “I probably opened him up a little earlier than I’d told the connections I would, just so I could get a buffer on the favourite . But he just kept responding. ” The ride came about after regular jockey Hugh Bowman was unable to make the gelding’s allotted weight of 55 kilograms. “The fortunes of being a lightweight rider,” Newitt said. “I was able to pick him up and I’m just very emotional. ” The 18th individual Group 1 winner for superstar sire I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit), Caballus is the first stakes winner out of Calming Influence (Commands) and Alma Vale Thoroughbreds will consign her Ole Kirk (Written Tycoon) filly at Inglis Easter as Lot 244. Anthony and Sam Freedman’s hot favourite Tentyris (Street Boss) was shown clear air at the 300 metres but had much to do and could only manage fifth, beaten 1. 5 lengths. It was discovered post-race that Godolphin’s dual Group 1 winner suffered cardiac arrhythmia. Saturday produced a fine few hours for Bjorn Baker, when Caballus’ talented juvenile stablemate Paradoxium (Extreme Choice) thrust himself firmly into Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) contention after a strong return victory in Saturday’s Todman Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Randwick. The colt had been among the leading fancies for January’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) following his impressive Wyong 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) lead-up victory but was forced to miss the Gold Coast feature after contracting pneumonia. With his recovery initially uncertain, Baker credited his veterinary team for helping the son of Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) return to racing in time to mount a Slipper campaign. “Full credit to all my team, particularly my vet Allan Frogley and the vets who looked after him up in Queensland,” Baker said. “He got very, very sick very fast and for him to get back here and do that is pretty special. “I think he is going to improve a heap out of this. He’d only had one trial and he’s got a good two weeks into the Slipper now — and he’s in. ” The Todman has proved a fine breeding ground for subsequent Slipper winners and should Paradoxium line up in Sydney’s prestigious Group 1 on March 21 he will be aiming to become the seventh colt to land the double. The feat was most recently completed by Farnan (Not A Single Doubt) in 2020. Ridden positively by Jason Collett, the $2. 60 favourite went straight to the lead and travelled comfortably before shaking off Hidrix (Extreme Choice) at the top of the straight. He proved strong through the line to defeat Silver Slipper (Gr 2, 1100m) winner Stretan Ruler (Wild Ruler) by 1. 4 lengths, with Wolf Gap (Palace Pier) a further 1. 5 lengths away in third. While the overall time was slower than the fillies’ Reisling Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) won by Chayan (I Am Invincible) earlier on the card, the performance was visually impressive given Paradoxium was resuming from a three-month break. Baker believes the colt’s natural speed will prove a major asset heading into the Slipper. “Speed, speed, speed. That’s what we breed for in Australia: fast, strong, tough horses,” he said. “I’ll tell you what, he’s fast and tough and hopefully we’ll find out how strong he is in a couple of weeks. ” Jockey Chad Schofield said runner-up Stretan Ruler was brave in defeat and would benefit from a stronger tempo. “It was just a trot and canter up front,” Schofield said. “The winner had a picnic and sprinted sharply. My horse was very strong late. ” Following the victory, Paradoxium firmed to $5 favouritism for the Golden Slipper at Rosehill on March 21, ahead of stablemate Warwoven (Sword Of State) ($6) and Chayan ($9), while Stretan Ruler eased slightly to $11. Bought by his trainer, Jim Clarke Bloodstock and Ridgmont for $400,000 at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Paradoxium’s half-sister by Zoustar will be offered in... Annabel Archibald and Rob Archibald received a timely vote of confidence from champion jockey James McDonald after Chayan’s luckless seventh place in the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) and the filly repaid that faith with a dominant victory in Saturday’s Reisling Stakes at Randwick. Soon after her unplaced effort in the Melbourne juvenile feature, McDonald contacted the trainer to ask about the filly’s next target. "She will go where you can ride her,'' Archibald replied. McDonald was aboard at Randwick as Chayan surged into Golden Slipper calculations, accelerating clear to defeat Agrarian Girl (Tassort) by three lengths, with Miss Chanel (Tagaloa) a 0. 4 lengths away in third. "She's a really good filly and I'm grateful that Annabel and Rob put her in the race for me,'' McDonald said. "They were tossing up whether to run her next week but I was adamant, I'm available for this race please run her here and she justified that. "She's beautiful to deal with. She's got a lovely, good mind to her, just a strongly built two-year-old that's ready to rock and roll. I'd love her to go to the Percy Sykes instead of the Golden Slipper but we'll see how much pull I've got. '' Chayan broke her maiden at her third start and has now secured a place in the $5 million Golden Slipper. Archibald said the filly had always shown natural talent but endured little luck earlier in her career. "She had no luck from the draw in the Blue Diamond, she was five-wide all the way,'' Archibald said. "So, to come here today and win a Group 2 is very satisfying. "We thought there would be a bit of speed and James said he just wanted to blend in and find some cover. I was happy when he got in and she was very strong late. It was a big win. '' Archibald won the Reisling Stakes with Learning To Fly (Justify) in 2023, though that filly fell in the Golden Slipper won by Shinzo (Snitzel). "Learning To Fly ended up a disaster,'' she said. "Hopefully we can do better with Chayan. She is a very tough filly. These Vinnie fillies can get a bit hot and she was a bit hot in her first couple of preparations. "If you said to me before Christmas that she would be going to the Golden Slipper I would have said 'no way. ' But she has really mentally matured and seems to be getting better with every race. “The Golden Slipper is very wide open this year so a lot will come down to barriers. The main thing is to see Chayan pull up well as she has the prize-money to get into the race now. '' Seven winners of the Reisling Stakes have gone on to taste Slipper victory, with Estijaab (Snitzel) in 2018 the most recent filly to complete the double. With Saturday’s victory, Chayan became the 123rd individual stakes winner for Yarraman Park’s I Am Invincible. Bred... Godolphin’s promising filly Medicinal (Brazen Beau) was another juvenile to confirm her elite-level potential with a stylish victory in Saturday’s Ottawa Stakes (Gr 3, 1000m) at Flemington. Trained by Ben, Will and JD Hayes, the daughter of Brazen Beau (I Am Invincible) entered the race off the back of a dominant maiden win at Ballarat and she justified her status as the short-priced favourite with a professional display down the Flemington straight. Jumping from the outside barrier, Jamie Melham allowed the filly to stride forward and take up the running as the eight-horse field travelled down the centre of the course. Asked to extend approaching the 300 metres, Medicinal quickly went through her gears and proved too strong for her rivals. Sydney visitor Scintillation (I Am Invincible) briefly loomed as a threat, but Medicinal asserted her class late to score by 0. 8 lengths. The Grahame Begg-trained Jadiza (Ole Kirk) produced an encouraging debut to finish second, with Scintillation holding third a further 1. 2 lengths away. Speaking post-race, Ben Hayes said the stable had long held the filly in high regard. “She was very professional today,” Hayes said. “At Ballarat she did a lot wrong but still won by a big margin. Today she jumped straight to the front and travelled really strongly the whole way. “If you look at her she doesn’t really look like a two-year-old – she’s powerful, has a deep girth and she’s very strong. We’ve always had a high opinion of her. ” Future plans are likely to be discussed with connections, but Hayes suggested the filly could be tested during the Sydney autumn carnival, including a tilt at the Golden Slipper. “Hopefully we might head up to Sydney,” he said. “In an open Golden Slipper she wouldn’t look out of place. ” Melham said Medicinal was still learning her craft but would take improvement from the run. “She still did a few things wrong,” Melham said. “She’s got a very sensitive mouth and threw her head a few times, but she’s a nice filly and I think she’ll improve again over a bit further. ” Medicinal has now won two of her three starts, having finished sixth on debut in the Blue Diamond Prelude (Gr 2, 1100m) (F) behind subsequent Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Streisand (Magnus). A homebred for Godolphin, she is the first foal to race from the Hallowed Crown (Street Sense) mare Tisane, herself a half-sister to the dam of four-time Group 1 winner Guelph (Exceed And Excel) and Group 2 winner turned Group 1-producing sire Ghibellines (Shamardal). The family also features Group 1 winners Camarena (Danehill), Bivouac (Exceed And Excel) and Sepoy (Elusive Quality). Medicinal becomes the 30th individual stakes winner for Darley’s Brazen Beau, whose progeny are headed by Group 1 winners Zapateo, Another Prophet and On The Bubbles. The Ben Brisbourne-trained filly Grinzinger Heart (Toronado) turned the form of her debut fourth in the Talindert Stakes (Listed, 1100m) around when producing a determined front-running performance in Saturday’s VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) at Flemington. Ridden by Craig Williams, the daughter of Toronado (High Chaparral) jumped well from barrier four and rolled forward to control the ten-runner affair. Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained favourite Zambles (Pinatubo) – third in the Talindert last start – loomed alongside in the home straight, but Grinzinger Heart dug deep to repel the challenge and hold on for a 0. 1-length victory. The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained Expensive Taste (North Pacific) worked home well to finish third, another 1. 2 lengths adrift. “We’ve always liked her and were happy to have a go at the better races,” Brisbourne said of the winner. “I said to Craig before the race I thought she’d grown an inch in the last couple of weeks. ” Brisbourne also revealed Williams had been particularly taken by the filly after riding her in trackwork. “Craig sat on her in a jump-out at Caulfield about five weeks ago and told me he thought she could win the Oaks in the spring,” he said. “Now she’s a Group 2 winner, so there’s only one way to go. ” Williams praised both the filly and her connections following the victory. “Ben has done a great job with her,” Williams said. “She ran in the Talindert against the early sprinting two-year-olds and today over more ground she really delivered. ” Purchased by owner-breeder John Wheeler for $110,000 from the Lustre Lodge draft at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Grinzinger Heart lifted her earnings to $198,975 with Saturday’s Group 2 win, which made her the 49th stakes winner for Swettenham Stud’s Toronado, and, notably, his first Australian two-year-old stakes winner. The filly is the third winner and first stakes winner from four runners out of O’Reilly (Last Tycoon) mare Veravarti, herself a half-sister to Group 1 winner Sharvasti (Montjeu) as well as to Group 3 winners Bhandara (Zabeel) and Shastri (Stravinsky). Grinzinger Heart’s half-brother Banjora (I Am Invincible) is a three-time winner from as many starts, most recently landing a Benchmark 72 (1100m) at Rosehill last week. It may have been a lot closer than anticipated, but Well Written’s (Written Tycoon) victory in Saturday’s $4 million NZB Kiwi (Listed, 1500m) was one for the books. The unbeaten Group 1-winning filly was installed a hot favourite in the southern hemisphere’s richest three-year-old race, jumping a money back favourite in the Champions Day feature at Ellerslie, with every other runner at double figure odds, headed by Belle Cheval (Savabeel) at $17. 90. The market proved accurate, with the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained filly nearly becoming the giant killer, coming within a short head of Stephen Marsh’s star filly Well Written. Jockey Matt Cartwright gave Well Written the perfect trip in the one-one, presented her beautifully at the turn and she quickly found the lead. Well Written opened up several lengths on her rivals, but Belle Cheval took chase from the back of the pack. Well Written shifted out in the concluding stages and the two went head-to-head, with Well Written getting the bob. Well Written’s connections had to sweat a protest in the inquiry room, but it was dismissed, and she got her win. Cartwright was rapt to get the victory and he was effusive in his praise for Marsh, labelling the Cambridge horseman as an integral part to his success since moving to New Zealand from Australia. “Everything worked out perfectly,” he said. “She was travelling that good, so I let her go. Probably with the weight and being in front for so long, she wandered a bit, but she got the job done still. “She is a very good horse and you didn’t see her best today. “I have got to hand it to Stephen Marsh, he has been the best supporter of me, he is a great trainer and he is a great mate as well. ” Marsh admitted that he didn’t know if his filly got the win at the post but he was relieved when he heard her name was called out first over the loudspeaker. “I wasn’t sure, the other horse was coming at us so fast,” he said. “She got to the front easy. She has had six starts as a three-year-old, she is not fully mature and had 58 kilos, I just wonder if all that had a bit of a factor. She floated around a bit when she got to the front. ” Marsh said Cartwright gave his filly a perfect ride and he was pleased to reward his supporters with the big win, particularly part-owner Yulong Investments, whose principal Zhang Yuesheng was trackside for the win. “Matt has been great for our stable, he works hard and he is always keen to help us,” Marsh said. “He has gotten on very well with this filly. I thought his ride today was unbelievably good. “All the well wishes that I have had this week has just been overwhelming. I was hoping we weren’t going to let people down, and we won by the barest of margins, but I am... In what could be her swansong in New Zealand before she is offered at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Broodmare Sale, class mare Legarto (Proisir) put in her best performance at Ellerslie when she stormed home to collar a game Waitak (Proisir) and claim the Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) on Saturday. It made for a welcome change of luck for trainers Ken and Bev Kelso who had to endure the nightmare scenario of their sprinter Alabama Lass (Alabama Express) crashing through the running rail when set for victory in the Haunui Farm King’s Plate (Gr 3, 1200m) two races earlier. Bidding for successive weight-for-age triumphs after taking out the Herbie Dyke Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) a month earlier, punters were prepared to disregard Legarto’s seemingly average race record of just one win from six starts at Ellerslie by installing her the $2. 30 favourite in the contest. Rider Opie Bosson was content to sit back on the daughter of Proisir (Choisir), allowing Aussie raider Kingswood (Roaring Lion) to set a steady pace in front before moving into contention from the 600 metres. Kingswood went for gold on the corner but was quickly headed by Waitak, who looked set for victory at the 150 metres before Bosson and Legarto appeared out wide and charged after him. Bosson timed his run nicely as the mare hit the line a head to the good of Waitak as Tuxedo stormed home late to take third ahead of Jaarffi (Iffraaj). Kelso was grateful his day had turned around, reporting that Alabama Lass had come through her mishap with no major injuries while praising his middle-distance champion, Legarto. “It is really what they call the ups and downs of racing after what happened in the sprint,” Kelso said. “I’m very proud of this mare as she is one out of the box and a horse you only get once in a lifetime. “Bev and I have been very fortunate to have had her. “It’s quite an emotional win as it is probably the last time you will see her on a New Zealand race track. “Alabama Lass is fine, just a bit stiff and sore obviously and with a wound high up on her back, but she can go out for a spell now. ” Kelso admitted he didn’t have any real concerns during the race, even when he felt Legarto may have a been positioned a little far back at one point. “I thought she was a fair way from them and had a bit of work to do, but she was always going to show her turn of foot,” he said. “We are going to talk to Phillip Brown and the connections as the Australian Cup is an option for her. “I think people may have forgotten how good she is, but she now has five Group 1 wins. ” Legarto was bred by Warwick Jeffries and was offered by Highline Thoroughbreds during Book 2 of Karaka 2021, where part-owner Phillip... The name Roger James is synonymous with the New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) and the Cambridge conditioner has done it once again when he and training partner Roger Wellwood produced the quinella in this year’s Classic with Road To Paris (Circus Maximus) and Autumn Glory (Ocean Park). James had won the feature three-year-old staying contest on six prior occasions, starting with freakish filly Tidal Light (Diagramatic) in partnership with Jim Giibs in 1986, and 40 years later he made it win number seven, and his second with Wellwood after Orchestral (Savabeel) triumphed in 2024. This time the pair had to sweat at every start with the enigmatic Road To Paris who has proved a handful during his races, throwing away victory in the Wellington Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) in November by dislodging rider Masa Hashizume in the shadows of the post, while he also ducked in sharply when closing gamely behind That’s Gold (Lucky Vega) in his final Derby lead-up event, the Avondale Guineas (Gr 2, 2100m). The application of side winkers on Saturday looked to have worked the oracle on the son of Windsor Park Stud-based stallion Circus Maximus (Galileo) as he lobbed along comfortably near the tail of the field for rider George Rooke before slowly improving at the 600 metres on the back of stablemate and New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) runner-up Autumn Glory. That pair stormed to the front at the 250 metres and set down to fight out a nail-biting finish which went in favour of Road To Paris by a length, with Geneva (Time Test) battling home gamely for third. The drama didn’t end there though as Road To Paris dumped jockey George Rooke as they cantered back to the birdcage, while shortly afterwards the protest siren sounded with a judicial inquiry convened to look at interference by the winner against both placegetters over the final 150 metres. Despite some definite tightening from Road To Paris, the protest was dismissed and the gelding held the win. “I’m elated as we were super happy with all three of our horses,” James said. “We felt we had a huge show until the barriers came out - Road To Paris , Ariadne , Autumn Glory - and we were pretty deflated. “There were two super rides on the first two and in fact all three rides were huge. There is a big build-up to these days and this is very special. “He is untapped but he has to improve his manners. This is also super for George as he has had a few rough times lately and we have stuck with him; he has stuck with us and that was one of the coolest Derby rides you will ever see. “I think we may look at Sydney with the winner if he comes through this, but I think the filly has probably done enough for now. ”. Bred and raced by Ron and Judi Wanless, Road To Paris is out of the four-time winning Savabeel... Godolphin’s ever-consistent five-year-old Tom Kitten (5 g Harry Angel ex Transfers, by Street Cry) made history at Flemington on Saturday when he became the first dual winner of the All-Star Mile (Gr 1, 1600m). Having narrowly defeated Mr Brightside (Bullbars) in the 2025 running of the $2 million contest, the gelded son of Harry Angel (Dark Angel) was again made to work to overcome Evaporate (Per Incanto) inside the final 100 metres and score by 0. 4 lengths. There was a further 0. 2 lengths back to the third-placed front-runner Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai), who was also bidding for her second win in the race. It was Tom Kitten’s third success at the elite level and first for the Sam and Anthony Freedman stable, having formerly been trained by James Cummings. The win took his prize-money earnings beyond the $7. 5 million mark. “He's a remarkable horse,” said Sam Freedman. “He's been at the top for a long time. We've been blessed to get him into the stable in the last eight or nine months. “We were disappointed with the spring we had with him – we felt he was going well, but we were chasing our tail. But this prep, I don't know what it is. I rang Dad this morning and said he's a different horse. He looks amazing, he's holding more condition, he's racing heavier. "Sometimes you’re a victim when horses change yards. They go onto a different feed pretty quickly, a few changes can happen pretty quickly, so now he's in a nice routine at Pinecliff, gets out into a paddock during the day. “For James and his team, who worked with the horse for such a long time, they should all be very proud, as well as my team. He's a remarkable horse and turns up every time. ” Freedman said Tom Kitten is likely to be kept to the mile in future, with options in Australia but also abroad on the agenda. “I feel he's best fresh at a mile. We might see him in the Doncaster more likely than the Australian Cup. He might grind away late like he wants the 2000 metres, but he likes a strong tempo where he can sit back and stalk them. “We'll have a chat. He's also entered for Dubai and Hong Kong, so there's plenty of options for him. The beauty of him is he's an easy horse to work with and I'm just rapt for the whole crew. ” Lara Antipova’s star continues to rise, with the exciting filly extending her unbeaten streak to four when taking out Saturday’s Sistema Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) at Ellerslie. Visiting jockey Mick Dee gave her the perfect trip throughout in the one-one position, and while she was awkward rounding the final bend with Liguria (Snitzel) trying to advance inside her, she showed her talent once balancing up and made light work of her opposition, running out a 1. 8 lengths victor over Liguria, with fellow Cambridge Stud representative State Of Valour (Sword Of State) a further 0. 3 lengths back in third. “She made my job easy, she is certainly well educated,” Dee said. “She jumped clean and the speed was on. We were able to land in the one-one position and she did the rest. “I had the eventual second horse try to come in underneath us on the turn and she just didn’t get around the corner 100 per cent. She won the race once she quickened up. She had a good look around, I feel there is plenty left in the tank. ” With a record of four wins from four starts in New Zealand, including the Wakefield Challenge Stakes (Gr 2, 1100m) and Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m), trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson are now keen on testing Lara Antipova’s talent across the Tasman and said she will join their Cranbourne barn in the coming weeks. “We think she is up to Australian class and we look forward to getting her to Melbourne,” Walker said. “There’s a race down the straight , it will either be that at the end of this month or maybe the Percy Sykes in Sydney. It will be good to give her a look at the Melbourne stable with a view to the Coolmore in the spring. ” The stable was runner-up in the Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) two years ago with fellow Fortuna Racing filly Bellatrix Star (Star Witness), and Walker said Lara Antipova shares similar qualities to her stable predecessor. “Her form stacks up with Bellatrix Star, who John and Jessica raced,” Walker said. “She is every bit as good as she was. ” The daughter of Russian Revolution (Snitzel) was purchased by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis, in conjunction with Fortuna Racing, for $100,000 out of Vinery Stud’s 2025 Magic Millions Gold Cost Yearling Sale draft. Her prominence extends the great run of success the two entities have shared over the last few years, which includes the likes of 14-time Group 1 winner Melody Belle (Commands) and Group 1 performer Bellatrix Star. “She is exciting and it is great for John Galvin and his team,” Walker said. “Well done to David Ellis, that’s the seventh winner of the race that he has bought, that’s an incredible record. ” Andrea Atzeni’s surge up the Hong Kong jockeys’ championship gained further impetus at Sha Tin on Sunday when the Italian produced a career-best quartet in Hong Kong, while Fast Network (Wrote) claimed the day’s feature to underline Ka Ying Rising’s (Shamexpress) supreme quality. Atzeni triumphed on He Was Me (Needs Further) (119lb) for Tony Cruz in the Class 5 Somerset Handicap (1400m), Manfred Man’s Juicy Dragon (Territories) (117lb) in the first section of the Class 4 Rutland Handicap (1200m), David Hall’s Good Chap (Deep Field) (125lb) in the second section of the Class 4 Rutland Handicap (1200m) and John Size’s Endued (Deep Field) (122lb) in the Class 3 Kowloon Tong Club Trophy Handicap (1600m) to move to 35 wins for the campaign. Only eight-time champion jockey Zac Purton (84) and Hugh Bowman (39) have ridden more winners this season than Atzeni, who also recorded a second and two thirds from 11 rides this afternoon to underscore his impressive consistency. “I had good rides but, as you know, it doesn’t always work out. I’ve had a good day. The two horses on the All Weather track had great chances. Tony’s had a chance too and the only question with Endued was the draw . “I’m picking nice rides and the support is coming. You know what it’s like here – you can never look back; you have to keep looking forward. ” Endued, who is nominated for the HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (Listed, 2000m) on March 22, earned a PP Bonus of HK$1. 5 million with a brave performance after crossing the field from the outside barrier to take the lead and hang on by a head from Smart Avenue (Shamus Award) (124lb). Fast Network (135lb) was rewarded for a pair of minor placings behind superstar sprinter Ka Ying Rising with deserved success in the HK$3. 72 million Class 1 Essex Handicap (1200m) for Dennis Yip and Zac Purton. Third behind Ka Ying Rising in both December’s Hong Kong Sprint (Gr 1, 1200m) and the Centenary Sprint Cup (Gr 1, 1200m) on January 25, Fast Network settled fifth on the fence before Purton coolly weaved a winning passage to down Sky Trust (So You Think) (114lb) and Invincible Shield (I Am Invincible) (121lb) in 1m 08. 28s. “It was a really nice win, he’s been consistent all season and he was in a race today where he drew barrier one and there was a bit of speed, so there were some things to help him but it’s always really difficult to carry top weight in these races against some nice young horses,” Purton said. “He still had to turn up but he did it in pretty soft fashion. ” Yip said: “Everybody knows that Ka Ying Rising is too strong, everywhere in the world, but my horse is really consistent. I think this race, my horse was only 80 per cent. ” Tony Cruz will target the HK$4. 2 million Premier Plate Handicap (Gr 3, 1800m) in June with... Fresh from once more topping the aggregates at his home state yearling sale Inglis Premier, Swettenham Stud’s Toronado (High Chaparral) is flying high again after his first Australian two-year-old stakes winner on Saturday. Grinzinger Heart (Toronado) clung on tenaciously to take the VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) by 0. 06 lengths at Flemington at only her second start, after leading all the way. It was a victory for the battlers, with the filly blowing to $41 and upsetting Godolphin’s $1. 65 hot pot Zambales (Pinatubo), who continued Darley’s tantalising wait for a first winner for shuttler Pinatubo (Shamardal) which has so far brought three stakes placegetters among ten runners. The success of Grinzinger Heart – a $110,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast buy for prominent owner John Wheeler from NSW breeders Lustre Lodge – was also the first at stakes level for young trainer Ben Brisbourne, the expat Briton who now calls Wangaratta home. And it showed another string to Toronado’s bow. The 16-year-old son of High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells) has forged an impressive career at Swettenham, building a reputation as one of Victoria’s top two stallions alongside Yulong’s 23-year-old Written Tycoon (Iglesia), which led his owners Al Shaqab Racing to stop shuttling him from France and leave him in Australia from 2022. Last week, a total spend of $5. 04 million on his progeny saw Toronado finish the leading sire by aggregate at Premier for the third year running – and for the fourth time in five years following a narrow second to I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) in 2023. Toronado has finished in the top 13 on the Australian general sires’ list in three of the past four seasons, and currently sits 15th. Written Tycoon is the only Victorian stallion sitting higher in 12th. While it’s a term often bandied about without solid statistical backing, Toronado is also genuinely successful and popular in Hong Kong, where he has 32 winners, five coming at stakes-level from 59 runners at 8. 47 per cent, headed by 2024 Centenary Sprint Cup (Gr 1, 1200m) hero Victor The Winner. His strength in the territory is also reflected by the fact that he has two of the leading market fancies for the Hong Kong Derby (Listed, 2000m) on March 22 in Stormy Grove and Little Paradise. Also in Hong Kong, he has six-year-old sprinter Helios Express, who’s a triple stakes winner amid eight career victories, but has also been unlucky enough to run second to the great Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress) seven times, five of those at Group 1 level. All this would seem to support the contention that Swettenham’s flagbearer has mostly been renowned for producing performers aged three and older. But while Toronado has only two juveniles amongst his 49 stakes winners worldwide – with the previous one coming at Royal Ascot in 2020 via gelding Tactical in the Windsor Castle Stakes (Listed, 5f) – Swettenham principal Adam Sangster says the stallion has proven he can leave quality two-year-olds. Toronado... Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman’s rising star Sheza Alibi (Saxon Warrior) will attempt to defy recent history when she lines up in Saturday’s Randwick Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m), where the progressive filly will take on the boys at the elite level. The filly is the result of a modest mating that proved remarkably successful for long-time Queensland hobby breeders Fred and Desley Monsour. Acting on the advice of Verna Metcalfe, the couple sent their mare Sheza Gypsy (Shaft) to Japanese-bred shuttle stallion Saxon Warrior (Deep Impact), who stood his third season at Coolmore in 2021 for a fee of $13,750. Saxon Warrior struggled to gain traction with Australian breeders and has produced only two stakes winners from four southern hemisphere crops, Sheza Alibi and New Zealand Listed winner Archaic Smile. Sold as a $10,000 weanling on Inglis Digital to central Queensland-based owner Fred Noffke, the filly quickly began to show promise on the racetrack. After beginning her career in Rockhampton with Kris Hansen, she captured the QTIS 2YO Classic (1200m) in Townsville on her third start before finishing second in the Tattersall’s Stakes (Listed, 1400m) at Eagle Farm behind subsequent Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner and Saturday’s opponent Autumn Boy (The Autumn Sun). Transferred to Moody and Coleman after winning two of her four starts for Hansen, Sheza Alibi has continued her rapid rise through the ranks, adding victories in the Vanity (Gr 3, 1400m) at Flemington and the Sandown Guineas (Gr 2, 1600m). She now sits as a $2. 50 favourite as she prepares for her first attempt at Group 1 level. “We thought we had a stakes-quality filly and she had that form around Autumn Boy, who looked quite smart at the time,” Moody told ANZ News. “She ran second to him and didn't have a lot of luck in that race on Tattersalls Day in Queensland, she got caught wide and crowded, and that was the form line that probably suggested to us that she was going to certainly be good enough to have a crack at Saturday Melbourne class and probably three-year-old stakes company. But she's just continued to improve physically all the way through, and I think that's led to race performance improvement as well. ” Following her Sandown Guineas triumph, Sheza Alibi was sent for a spell and resumed on February 21 with a dominant victory in the Angus Armanasco Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m), prompting Moody to send the filly north for the Randwick Guineas. “Our initial thoughts were that she was going to go to the Australian Guineas, but we decided to give her an extra week. She missed her first-up run, so she went into that Armansco, and obviously, the Australian Guineas was only a week later, so it was two weeks to the Randwick Guineas or three weeks to the Coolmore, and ultimately, we decided on the Randwick Guineas if we thought she was going well and had the right amount of work in her. “It's come up as a... Unbeaten filly Well Written (Written Tycoon) may be the talk of the town, but for racing’s sentimentalists victory for Legarto (Proisir) on her New Zealand swansong would be the highlight of Champions Day and provide a fitting finale for one of the most durable mares the country has produced in recent years. Legarto’s connections are yet to decide whether she might have one last dance on Australian soil before she begins her new chapter as a broodmare, but if she were to seal success in the Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) at Ellerslie on Saturday to take her elite-level tally to five, the case for pressing onto the Australian Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) at Flemington might prove irresistible. A final call will be made after Saturday’s $1 million contest but what is already certain is that, as one of only five fillies to have won the Australian Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) in its 40-year history, the eight-time stakes heroine will be a highly coveted commodity when she enters the Bundall ring on the opening day (26 May) of the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. Saturday’s farewell shapes as a bittersweet moment for Matamata trainers Ken and Bev Kelso, who in partnership with Ancroft Stud principals Catherine and Phillip Brown plucked Legarto as a yearling for a mere $90,000 from the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Book 2. Given the early success the Browns had already enjoyed with Levante (Proisir), who flew out of the blocks with six wins from her first eight starts including two in stakes grade, Team Kelso were tasked with identifying another filly by Rich Hill Stud’s flagbearer at the 2021 Karaka sale. Having been comfortably outbid on Lot 353, who would go on to win two Group 1s as Prowess (Proisir), the Kelso-Brown combination were forced to lower their collective sights and were delighted to acquire Lot 804 from the Highline Thoroughbreds draft for less than six figures. The rest, as they say, is history, as Legarto burst onto the scene with five successive wins and has since added six more, with none more impressive than her explosive victory in the 2023 Australian Guineas. “We picked her out as a yearling and she’s been in our stable ever since, so it will definitely be a sad moment for us and her owners on Saturday,” Ken Kelso told ANZ News. “Levante was obviously a special mare for us as well, but very few fillies have been able to win the Australian Guineas and that was our first Group 1 in Australia, so that probably just sets Legarto apart as the best horse we’ve ever trained. “I probably didn’t appreciate the significance of that race until I looked at the previous winners, I think I counted around 15 to 20 stallions on the honour roll so to have her name alongside theirs was pretty big. “She was probably unlucky not to go through her three-year-old campaign unbeaten, some people forget how good she was and for her... 2 f Home Affairs - Twist Tops by Beneteau O: Lindsay Park Bloodstock (Mgr: Ms S Hayes), T Needham, M D Needham, Dr F Carnovale, J Molinaro, Ms A Molinaro, A J Day, P Foyster, Grigg Thoroughbreds (Mgr: S C Grigg), P T Heinz, E Mahony, D J Meredith, J Watkins, B S Wilson, H K Lee, T G McDonald & M R Smith B: Love Racing Pty Ltd T: Ben, Will and JD Hayes S: 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale V: Newgate Farm P: Lindsay Park Racing, $220,000 W: TAB We’re On 2YO, 1000m, February 28, Flemington Gin Twist, a daughter of Coolmore's first-season sire Home Affairs (I Am Invincible), registered her maiden win at the third time of asking when taking out last Saturday's TAB We're On 2YO (Listed, 1000m) at Flemington. Ridden by Luke Currie, the Ben, Will and JD Hayes-trained filly powered to a 1. 75-length victory over stablemate La Gitana (Home Affairs) in a one-two for the sire. The Troubleshooter (I Am Immortal) finished a further 2. 75 lengths away in third place. "Two-year-olds are very hard," Ben Hayes said. "They either get it wrong, which we saw with Jacaranda , who dropped the bit early and didn't look comfortable, they don't know how to get into a rhythm, whereas the other two were professional, they jumped, got into a rhythm and gave good kicks. “It's a bit of a guessing game when you're running them and I say that to the owners, they either handle it or they won't. We say don't worry about that as they will improve out of sight. Having a look and seeing how they handle it is very important. “It was an impressive win. I got a bit worried as she got a bit hot in the mounting yard and got a bit worked up, but she jumped, she looked like she was comfortable the whole race and went to the line quite easily. " Future plans are yet to be confirmed, but Hayes did not rule out a possible trip north with Gin Twist, including a potential tilt at next month’s Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) at Rosehill. “She did it really well and I think it's really exciting going forward. So we’ll have a good look at her and see how she pulls up,” Hayes added. “We'll have a discussion with the whole team at Lindsay Park, and we'll work out where we go. ” Bred by Love Racing Pty Ltd, the filly was a $220,000 buy for her trainers from Newgate Farm’s draft at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. She is the fourth to race and third winner from Listed winner Twist Tops (Beneteau). Home Affairs, who is leading the Australian First Season Sires list by earnings, stood at Coolmore Stud in the Hunter Valley for $82,500 (inc GST) in 2025. The Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) is not just Australia’s greatest horse race, but a national phenomenon. British racing folk may marvel, or even wince, that such status belongs to a handicap - or even that it’s a Group 1 - but the quirky evolution of egalitarian Australia has made it so; where the fabled battler from the bush whose own backyard horse getting in with a feather weight has as much chance as the blue blood owned by a sheikh or a prince. As the country grew from a penal colony, we just didn’t have the population for a class structure. The Cup bloomed for its mass appeal, and its level playing field. Over 175 years, through wars, depressions and other upheaval, the Cup has always been there, a two mile constant to which the country has turned its focus on the first Tuesday of November at Flemington. We still call it “the race that stops a nation”. Sadly, that’s not as true as it once was. Schools don’t stop any more to run a classroom sweepstake. It’s a different world, and we’re poorer for such a loss of unique cultural colour. Still, the Cup - which has been an international event since 1993 - remains this country’s largest and most enduring cultural institution. It still stops ‘most’ of the nation. That’s why, when this colour hadn’t faded quite so much, in the heady spring of 2005 the country was agog as one beloved mare did what no horse had done. Makybe Diva (Desert King) became the first to win the Cup three times. Flemington went berserk as it had never done before, with 106,000 patrons chanting “Di-va ... Di-va” when jockey Glen Boss parked her before the grandstands for minutes as she took in her ovation. She’d been front and back page news for the days leading up to the race, and led every bulletin in the country hours after her triumph. A friend of this correspondent was unlucky enough to be on a flight when the race was run. In a scene no doubt repeated elsewhere in the skies above this broad land, moments later came a very brief message from the pilot: “Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking: She did it! ” The aircraft erupted with cheers and applause. And this is why, 21 years later, many Australians were led to reminisce, when the great mare died last week. Even though she’d had a fantastically long innings - age 27 - her passing left many in tears. “I had heaps of people ringing me up, to share condolences,” says John Foote, a man at the heart of her story. “Like when people die, it was sad but it was also a celebration of her life. “Some people were crying - including one person who was really close to the action. It was nice actually, we had a nice chat, but he was very upset. ” Foote won’t divulge the man’s name “or it might... Group 1-winning mare Vibrant Sun (The Autumn Sun) is the latest headline act set for the 2026 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale on the Gold Coast after being confirmed for Baystone Farm’s draft. The daughter of The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice) enjoyed a short but high-quality racing career for trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, winning the Australasian Oaks (Gr 1, 2000m) at Morphettville and the Alexandra Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) at The Valley among her two victories from ten starts, earning over $700,000 in prize-money. Out of the Group 3-winning Written Tycoon (Iglesia) mare Vibrant Rouge, Vibrant Sun was purchased for $260,000 by Sheamus Mills from the Canning Downs Stud draft at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. “She got through her maiden grade very quickly and as we stretched her out in distance it was evident she was getting better and better,” Mills said. “When she chased down Grinzinger Belle in the Alexandra Stakes, that’s when I knew I had a good horse. “To win a Group 1 you need everything to go right and she had a few hurdles in the lead-up. But she showed her class and toughness that day. She’s a beautifully balanced, mid-sized mare with plenty of quality and a great temperament. Talent wise she has it, and physically she’s a very appealing mare. ” Baystone Farm’s Dean Harvey said the opportunity to offer a Group 1-winning race mare at the National Sale was particularly exciting. “It’s not every day you get to offer a mare of Vibrant Sun’s quality,” Harvey said. “The National Sale consistently attracts the deepest buying bench in the market and we’re delighted to present her for Sheamus and his partners. ” Entries for the 2026 Magic Millions National Sale are now open, with fellow elite-level performers Legarto (Proisir) and O’ Ole (Ole Kirk) also among the early highlights. Ahead of a huge Saturday which is headlined by Stefi Magnetica’s (All Too Hard) bold bid to land her third Group 1 race in the All-Star Mile (1600m), trainer Bjorn Baker teamed up with Clarke Bloodstock to replenish his stable stock with five Inglis Premier Yearling Sale fillies which may become their next racetrack stars. The Oaklands Junction shopping spree cost the duo a combined $1. 25 million - their Street Boss (Street Cry) filly from the Two Bays Farm draft topped the quintet at $340,000 - but with up to a dozen stakes runners in action across Randwick and Flemington this Saturday, Baker could conceivably recover a large chunk of that outlay in one fell swoop. With her victories in both the Stradbroke Handicap (Gr 1, 1400m) and the Doncaster Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) - not to mention the rather tidy sum of $7 million in prize-money on her CV - Stefi Magnetica has been one of the major players in Baker’s rapid rise since the New Zealand native cut training ties with his famous father Murray to go it alone. The $140,000 Jim Clarke and Cunningham Thoroughbreds paid for Lot 256 at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale represents outstanding business, and in many ways that canny purchase has paved the way for the success Baker has since enjoyed in partnership with his trusted bloodstock agent and the Cunningham family. After coming through her final pre-race gallop at Cranbourne on Tuesday morning in fine fettle, ‘Stefi’ will be kept ticking over ahead of her $2 million assignment on ‘Super Saturday’ at Flemington, where she will be joined by up to five stablemates including Newmarket Handicap (Gr 1, 1200m) contenders Caballus (I Am Invincible) and Disneck (Trapeze Artist). In a quality renewal of the All-Star Mile which could feature nine Group 1 winners, the five-year-old mare will be partnered for the first time by Hugh Bowman who bids for a second success in the race following his 2021 victory aboard Mugatoo (Henrythenavigator). Before embarking on his riding stint in Hong Kong, Bowman forged a fruitful association with the Baker boys with his victory in the Victoria Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) aboard Lion Tamer (Storming Home) – one of several stakes successes for the family. Having registered two wins and a pair of placings from his six rides on Hong Kong Gold Cup Day at Sha Tin last Sunday, Baker believes Bowman should be in a confident mood ahead of the champion jockey’s return to Australia for the first time since last year’s Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m). “It’s great to have Hughie riding Stefi on Saturday, it gives you a bit more confidence when you have a big race rider like him on one of your horses in a Group 1,” Baker told ANZ News. “He hasn’t ridden for us for a while but we’ve had a lot of previous success together, so hopefully that can continue on Saturday. We’re really happy with how Stefi has settled... Like father like son, Extreme Warrior (Extreme Choice) was in high demand as his home farm Rosemont Stud finished the Inglis Premier sale powerfully in a solid Book 2 sale. Following on from his super sire’s typically robust results in Book 1 - where Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) ranked third on aggregate despite only eight lots sold - Extreme Warrior had Tuesday’s equal-top and equal-third priced yearlings. Lot 757, the colt fourth foal of Who’s Zooming Who (Sepoy), fetched $220,000 when sold from Rosemont’s draft to trainer Lloyd Kennewell, Group One Bloodstock and SP Bloodstock. Kennewell prepares the leading light amidst Extreme Warrior’s promising first batch of runners in Eternal Warrior, winner of Caulfield’s Merson Cooper Stakes (Listed, 1000m), third in the Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) (Gr 3, 1100m), and an eye-catching 2. 1-length sixth from well back in the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) itself. With Eternal Warrior on the fifth line of betting for the Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m), it was unsurprising to see Kennewell being keen to acquire another son of Extreme Warrior. He shared top billing from Book 2 with Lot 794, a colt by Widden Stud’s Zousain (Zoustar) sold from the draft of Victoria’s Blue Gum Farm to Taiwan concern Elysian. The colt is the ninth foal of Group 3 winner Cavalry Rose (Charge Forward). Comfortably behind those two $220,000 lots, Extreme Warrior and Rosemont also shared equal-third rank via Lot 614, bought by trainers John O’Shea and Tom Charlton in league with James Bester Bloodstock for $160,000. The colt is out of the unraced Grammys (Starcraft), a daughter of AJC Gimcrack Stakes (Listed, 1000m) queen Spurcent (Flying Spur) and a half-sister to the dam of six-time stakes winner Revolutionary Miss (Russian Revolution). On a strong day for the two leading Victorian studs, Blue Gum also shared third ranking with Rosemont thanks to Lot 646, a colt by Dirty Work (Written Tycoon) knocked down to Top Pick Bloodstock and Pang Chi Ping. Rosemont was the leading Book 2 vendor by aggregate, with 11 lots sold for a combined $911,000, ahead of Blue Gum, who had ten lots sell for $674,000. Rosemont ranked second by average ($83,000), for three or more lots sold, behind NSW stud Fernrigg Farm, which sold three at $87,000. Blue Gum came in third, on $67,000. Continuing Book 1’s strong momentum, Book 2’s metrics were up on last year. On Tuesday evening, the gross stood at $7. 15 million - up from $6. 41 million in 2025 with 16 more lots sold (157 to 141). The average of $45,567 had increased slightly from $45,436, with the median at $37,500 ($32,000) and the clearance at 78 per cent (72 per cent). Those numbers were in keeping with the Book 1 stats showing a leap in the gross figure - from $53. 67 million in 2025 to $61. 44 million, with 30 more lots sold. The average was up $8,000 to $144,569, with the median climbing from $100,000 to $120,000... The rare and unorthodox breeding wizardry of Ric Jamieson earned emphatic financial validation as his Gilgai Farm dominated another powerful day’s trading in the closing session of Book 1 at the Inglis Premier sale. Concentrating solely on their local sale this year, Gilgai sold the day’s first, second, fifth and sixth highest-priced yearlings to finish as leading Book 1 vendor by aggregate, with 13 lots realising $3,740,000. They ranked second by average, with their $288,000 mark shaded by Bell River Thoroughbreds, who sold four at an average of $301,000. Gilgai’s Monday trading was highlighted by Lot 499 - the colt bought by Malaysian trainer and investor Cheng Han Yong after a spirited bidding duel for $750,000, with Ciaron Maher the underbidder. While that colt is by a fiercely in-demand stallion in Darley’s Too Darn Hot (Dubawi), Jamieson’s punt on less commercial sires reaped rewards in the sales of two exceptionally built fillies. In heady scenes at Oaklands, they were bought back-to-back by Astute Thoroughbreds’ Louis Le Metayer. He paid $625,000 for Lot 419, a daughter of another Darley sire in Kermadec (Teofilo), who stood for $16,500 (inc GST) at time of conception. Moments earlier, Le Metayer paid $450,000 for Lot 418, a filly by Widden Stud’s Written By (Written Tycoon), whose service fee in 2023 was $27,500 (inc GST). Rounding out Gilgai’s leading quartet was a filly by a more commercial stallion - one of Jamieson’s many breeding triumphs in Ole Kirk (Written Tycoon), the exciting young Vinery Stud sire in whom he remains a major shareholder. Lot 329, went to Bennett Racing for $430,000. Gilgai’s heavyweight day two foursome realised $2,255,000 at an average of $563,750, and highlighted another strong session of trading which surpassed even the highest hopes of Inglis. On Monday evening, with Book 2 to come on Tuesday, the sale had grossed $60. 71 million. That was not only well up on the same stage last year ($52. 55m) - albeit with 37 more lots sold - but it had also already surpassed the overall gross for Books 1 and 2 in 2025 ($53. 84m). The average was $146,990 compared with $139,759 at the same stage last year, with the median up $20,000, to $120,000. The clearance rate was running at 79 per cent, up from 76 per cent. “At the end of day two, for the gross to have exceeded last year’s gross for the end of day three already, was really pleasing,” said Inglis Bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch. “The gross is up $8 million year on year. I feel that’s a good testament to the quality of horse the vendors gave us to sell. “We were confident of running a good sale and I think it’s fair to say it’s played out even better than we had expected. ” Hutch said various reasons lay behind a more attractive catalogue this year. While there were no seven-figure lots in Book 1, after two were sold last year, the great strength through the middle market in... No Nay Never (Scat Daddy) is one of Coolmore’s siring stars ... in Ireland. He has a resounding 8. 14 per cent stakes-winners-to-runners ratio globally, and has nine Group 1 winners to his name ... in the northern hemisphere. The 15-year-old stands for €100,000 (approx. AU$166,000), making him the most expensive of Coolmore’s 21 stallions in Ireland - by a comfortable €40,000. In Australia, however, it’s a vastly different and bleaker story. No Nay Never has at least had one elite victor here - Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) queen Madame Pommery - but she’s one of only three black type winners he’s had from 152 Australian runners. Even his best horse worldwide, the quadruple Group 1-winning mare Alcohol Free, seemed to fall under his Australian spell once brought to this country after a $10 million purchase by Yulong, with her best result in five outings being a Group 2 fourth at Randwick. A Group 1 winner in France at two, No Nay Never shuttled for four seasons to Coolmore Australia until 2019 and wasn’t asked back. But while there’s rarely been a more pronounced Jekyll and Hyde story in shuttling history, as the old saying goes, they can all get a good one. Trainer Clinton McDonald and his main bloodstock agent Shane McGrath are hoping they’ve found it, in the colt they bought for $420,000 at Inglis Premier on Monday. It should be said that there’s a lot of the mare talking in this pedigree, in Setarhe (Footstepsinthesand). Her Persian name means “star”, and she did that justice on the track in Britain, winning at two over 1200 metres, running second in Royal Ascot’s Albany Stakes (Gr 3, 6f), and taking third in a Sandown Listed. Australian mega breeder John Camilleri bought her, and he now has her two daughters, by Frankel (Galileo) - three-year-old Hear The Angels and two-year-old Sound Of Angels - awaiting their debuts. Their younger brother was instead sent to Premier to be sold and on Monday he blew the room away - including the vendor. “I wasn’t expecting that,” said Segenhoe Stud boss Peter O’Brien. “I thought he’d make $250k or $300k. But very rarely do you see a horse in the ring like that with so many people bidding on it. ” O’Brien estimated there were “about 25 people bidding on the horse”. While that may have been a slight exaggeration, it illustrates the superb type produced by sending Setarhe to No Nay Never. Maybe he just likes playing at home. When it was put to O’Brien that No Nay Never hadn’t shot any lights out in Australia, the Irish expat had to politely concede, “No he hasn’t - that’s true”, but added this colt was an outlier. “He was just a unique one for me,” he said. “I go to Ballydoyle each year, and the good No Nay Nevers are like his type: strong, neat and fast-looking two-year-old types. “To be honest, I was surprised with the level of interest, but he’s... South Island racing lives in the shadow of that in the North. November and the two Group 1 New Zealand Guineas races is when Riccarton gets to shine. Late February or early March is Wingatui’s turn to be in the spotlight. The weather gods smiled and the ten race card offered stakes worth $1 million, a first for the country’s southernmost metropolitan track. The day’s feature was the White Robe Lodge Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) which, at weight-for-age, makes it the most prestigious race south of Riccarton. Named after the region’s premier stud, the race honours a filly bred by stud founder Brian Anderton’s father which also provided the younger Anderton his first win as a jockey. The 2026 running resulted in the lowest ranked runner as the winner. Cluedo Lane (Ghibellines), at his 23rd start, used a Benchmark 75 (1600m) race as his lead up but had to carry 61 kilograms before an apprentice’s allowance saw him carry 60 kilograms. His 78 rating was due to having placed in open company despite having only three wins to his name, Saturday’s feature just his fourth. Final acceptances placed him on the ballot but with one scratching he gained a start. Without that he would have raced in the Benchmark 75 earlier in the day. His odds were surprisingly short ($9. 10) given his rating compared with the other 15 White Robe Lodge Stakes runners. He was first into stride but soon dropped into second before taking over near the 600m. Prior to straightening he kicked away and had three lengths on his opponents starting the run home. The lead stretched to four lengths at the 200m and remained the same 100m later. The field descended on him late but too late and he had a length to spare at the wire. Jockey Akshay Balloo can take all the credit for the win, catching the field completely off guard. The six-year-old’s connections have been patient. He took eight starts to break his maiden (October 2024) as a five-year-old but win two took place at his next start while win three was his last start for that season on the synthetic at Riccarton. Saturday’s big win was his second start for new trainer Joe Waldron. Cluedo Lane’s dam Treat Me (O’Reilly) was passed in at the 2013 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale then made $7,000 as a broken in two-year-old at NZB’s Mixed Sale in May 2014. She won once and from four foals to race has bred three winners. Her sister is Fromm, dam of Battle Hero (Stratum), an 11-time winner in Perth who won two Group 3s and five Listed races. Recent Western Australian Guineas (Gr 2, 1600m) winners Storyville (Overshare) and Treasured Star (Toronado) can claim Fromm as their granddam. As a yearling, Treat Me was offered by Waikato Stud and represents the foundation family of the stud, initiated when Garry Chittick purchased Georgina Belle (Pakistan II) in the USA, the mare having raced successfully as a two-year-old in New... Ryan Arnel had a hunch he was doing the right thing in 2014 when he bought a property near Eddington, between Ballarat and his home town Bendigo, on which to produce racehorses. For a start there was a babbling brook running through it, and he liked the sound of it in more ways than one. It was called Bet Bet Creek. And for a man whose initiation to the game came through watching races with a grandmother who managed Victoria’s first TAB, it all fitted together rather well. “I bought the farm with a ten grand deposit and managed to bluff the bank to convince them to give me some money and away I went,” Arnel said of the farm, which he named Stonehouse Thoroughbreds. In keeping with the name of that creek, Arnel doesn’t mind a bet or two. And that wager on the farm has been paying dividends of late for the affable, laid-back studmaster, who’s had a varied background on both sides of the sales ring, working both with stud farms around the world and with auction houses. Two years ago, Stonehouse sold a Toronado (High Chaparral) colt for $460,000 at Inglis Premier. He was a half-brother to VRC Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) winner Extra Brut, and his price was a new personal best for the farm. On Sunday at the same sale, they smashed it thanks to the same dam, with another half-brother by hot sire Ghaiyyath (Dubawi) selling to Lindsay Park for $520,000. “I guess it is our new record,” Arnel told ANZ News minutes after the gavel fell. “I hadn’t thought of that yet, with everything going on. “It’s a phenomenal result, really. We’re only a small crew on the farm but we get the job done. “Like all small businesses, it’s a roller coaster. It’s just me. I don’t have any investors or backers. Melissa Jordan, my second in charge, is an absolute gem. It’s like working with family. ” Sunday’s sale of Lot 19 to one of Australia’s biggest stables was emphatically a triumph for the little guys. The 200-acre Stonehouse runs up to 50 mares, of which about a dozen are the farm’s own, by Arnel’s best estimate. “All I know is the accountant always says that my biggest issue is that I’m my biggest client,” Arnel said with a laugh. “But we love the game, we love the horses. You always think you’re onto something, so I’m a sucker for buying the next mare. ” Also, like that Toronado half-brother Toronto Terrier - who won twice in Melbourne in a tragically truncated career for the late Mike Moroney - the Hayes Brothers’ new colt was bred by Andrew McDonald, a bathroom renovator from a dot on the map called Congupna, near Shepparton. McDonald and partner Bek have three mares to work with in their breeding hobby, and this particular one - Dom Perion (Redoute’s Choice) - is now a rags-to-riches story of epic proportions. They bought her when she was... A combination of two expert judges of fillies by Zoustar (Northern Meteor), a powerful cross, and the buying power of Ozzie Kheir combined to produce the top lot on a particularly strong first day of trading at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale at Oaklands. Lot 238, the second foal out of $1. 2 million prize-money earner Nudge (Fastnet Rock) from progressive Victorian breeders Two Bays Farm, was knocked down to Chris Waller and his main bloodstock agent Guy Mulcaster, in concert with Kheir and his regular partner Group 1 Bloodstock, for $850,000. The filly was the stand-out lot ahead of a $520,000 Ghaiyyath (Dubawi) colt and a $410,000 son of Toronado (High Chaparral) on a day when a strong middle market pushed metrics markedly up on last year’s Premier auction, continuing strong momentum from the Australasian yearling sale season so far. On Sunday evening, the sale’s average stood at $157,784 compared with $146,240 (an increase of 7. 89 per cent) at the same stage last year, with the median up by $30,000 at $130,000, a massive 30 per cent increase. With a clearance rate up six points to 77 per cent, the gross was up from $26. 17 million to $30. 61 million, with only 16 more lots sold (194 from 179). Inglis Bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch was delighted with how the day transpired, with the quality of stock on offer and how it was taken up, particularly at a time when “the market is not easy” and buyers are “very discerning”. “In advance of the sale, we thought we had a good catalogue and good buyer engagement, and with even luck we should be able to run a good sale, and that’s the way it’s played out,” Hutch told reporters. “The clearance is up five points on last year, the median is up $30,000; I don’t think I’ve ever been involved in a sale where the median is up a third year-on-year. The average is up, which is a good effort given the clearance is up significantly, and it felt like a strong sale. “On balance, the majority of horses sold and sold well and that was very pleasing. ” Hutch added: “The median tells you there was tremendous strength in the middle part of the market. “For the median to go from $100,000 to $130,000 on the equivalent day 12 months ago - that’s very rare. Whether that can hold true through tomorrow, I don’t know - I expect as the clearance goes up, that will taper off. “But we’re starting day two from a far stronger position than what we started day two on 12 months ago. And we felt pretty good at the end of day one last year. ” The Zoustar-Nudge filly, sold after a tense bidding duel involving several bidders on site and online, is the highest-priced yearling so far for the Mornington Peninsula’s Two Bays Farm, and represents tried and true pathways in many respects. Zoustar over Fastnet Rock (Danehill) counts as probably... An imperious Romantic Warrior (Acclamation) made light work of five rivals at Sha Tin on Sunday afternoon by winning a second Hong Kong Gold Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) for Danny Shum and James McDonald, following on from his success in 2024. Sauntering to a four-length victory in the Triple Crown’s second leg, which follows his win in the Stewards’ Cup (Gr 1, 1600m) and will climax with the Champions & Chater Cup (Gr 1, 2400m) on May 24, Romantic Warrior won a record-extending 13th Group 1 – the most for a Hong Kong-trained horse. McDonald said: “He’s just beautifully prepared. Danny’s just done a marvellous job, and each and every time I hop on him, I just cherish the moment. I feel so special every time and you look between his ears and he’s just so alert. ” The gelding broke smoothly from barrier four to settle third as Beauty Joy (Sebring) made the running. Turning into the home straight, McDonald peeled out aboard Romantic Warrior and the bay exploded to the front with ease. John Size’s Ensued (Lemon Drop Kid) held on for second, while Francis Lui’s Winning Wing (Preferment) was a closing third. Shum said: “It’s a small field, and he’s very fit, actually. His condition is getting better and better. The 2000 metres is his best trip. I think he can handle it , but I don’t know if any overseas horses will come , but I think they have a lot of potential. ” Boasting world-record earnings of HK$254. 66 million (approx. AU$46. 25 million), 2021 Hong Kong International Sale graduate, Romantic Warrior, clocked 1m 59. 77s as he covered the final 400 metres in 22. 52s. The eight-year-old was purchased for HK$4. 8 million by owner Peter Lau, and has also won Group 1 races in Australia, Japan and the United Arab Emirates. Shum indicated Romantic Warrior will chase a fourth QEII Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) after wins from 2022-2024 on Champions Day (26 April) before the Triple Crown’s last leg, the Champions & Chater Cup. Beyond this season, Shum didn’t rule out returning to Saudi Arabia, the site of his famous close-up defeat to Forever Young (Real Steel) in last year’s Saudi Cup (Gr 1, 1800m). “I think he will now go to the QEII Cup and then to the Champions & Chater before he finishes the season,” Shum said. “Maybe next season we will go to the Saudi Cup – we will keep everything open for now. ” The victory saw Romantic Warrior join Viva Pataca (Marju) (2008 & 2009), Military Attack (Oratorio) (2013 & 2014), Designs On Rome (Holy Roman Emperor) (2015 & 2016), Time Warp (Archipenko) (2018 & 2020) and Golden Sixty (Medaglia D’Oro) (2021 & 2023) as dual Hong Kong Gold Cup winners since the turn of the century. The only Triple Crown winners in Hong Kong racing history are the trailblazing River Verdon (Be My Native) (1993/94) and Voyage Bubble (Deep Field) last season. Stormy Grove (Toronado) delivered a sensational run at long odds to score an upset and claim the second leg of the Four-Year-Old Classic series, the Hong Kong Classic Cup (Listed, 1800m), at Sha Tin on Sunday. Ridden by Harry Bentley, the son of Toronado (High Chaparral) made it two wins in a row and landed the Hong Kong Classic Cup with a performance reminiscent of his explosive 1600-metre showing at Sha Tin two weeks earlier, when, after being drawn 14, he surged from last to first to claim his first Hong Kong win. Having jumped from barrier 12 at odds of 21-1 for Sunday’s race, the chestnut broke well and settled at the rear of the field. After enjoying a problem-free passage, he was called upon for an effort as they turned for home with 500 metres to go. Bentley drew Stormy Grove wide and urged the Frankie Lor-trained gelding to challenge, and once again he swooped home in a race-fastest final 400 metres sectional of 23. 04s, finishing a length clear of the fast-closing Invincible Ibis (Hellbent), who led home Patch Of Cosmo (Super Seth) and Numbers (Tivaci). “This feels extremely special,” said Bentley, who has been in the saddle for each of Stormy Grove’s seven Hong Kong runs. “I’ve liked this horse throughout, and I’ve struck up a good partnership with him. I was extremely impressed with the way he won last time. I had to come into this race with a certain level of expectation and hope. But to do it the way he did was pretty breathtaking. ” It was Stormy Grove’s first run over 1800 metres, and he’ll need to break new ground again when he goes for Hong Kong Derby (Listed, 2000m) glory on March 22. “This ranks very highly on my wins in Hong Kong, and it’s very special,” said the winning rider. “He's stepped up again, and he can do it. Same again, now, to the Derby. ” Lor felt a suitable pace aided his charge, and said a similarly run race on Hong Kong Derby Day might lead to further glory for the Australian-bred Stormy Grove: “I thought if the pace was suitable for him, he could do the same thing as last time at 1600 . “Next is 2000 , and I think if the pace is suitable for him, then he can do the same thing. I think if he can settle, like today – he settled real good, and also the jockey – he knows the horse, he can have a very strong finish. ” It was a standout day for Jerry Chau, who continued his fine form this year as he registered his tenth, 11th and 12th winners since the beginning of February, and surpassed 200 Hong Kong winners. His treble began with victory aboard three-year-old Chill Partners (Hellbent) after a thrilling finish to the Class 4 Citi Private Bank Handicap (1400m), which provided Francis Lui with his 31st winner of the season. “All I was thinking... Makybe Diva (Desert King), the only horse in history to win three Melbourne Cups (Gr 1, 3200m), has died at the age of 27. Owner-breeder Tony Santic confirmed on Saturday that the multiple Group 1-winning champion had succumbed to a bout of colic. “From the day she came into our lives, she was never just a racehorse, she was family,” Santic said. “She gave us moments Australia will never forget, but more than that, she gave us joy every single day. She was loved from the beginning, and she stayed loved for her whole life. ” While Makybe Diva will forever be synonymous with the Melbourne Cup, her record extended well beyond Flemington. Her 15 wins included the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m), Australian Cup (Gr 1, 2000m), Sydney Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) and Tancred Stakes (Gr 1, 2400m) among 36 starts. Glen Boss, who partnered Makybe Diva in her three Melbourne Cup victories in 2003, 2004 and 2005, said her impact transcended racing. “I’ll be drinking out of the Cups tonight and thinking about her and what she’s done for Australian racing and Australian sport. There will be champagne flowing out of the Cups for her tonight,” Boss told Racing. com. “When I saw her a few months ago, she was looking so good and healthy, but I couldn’t help but feel as I left her that this could be the last time. “I definitely had that feeling I might not ever see her again. I would have loved to have seen her one more time, but we sort of had our goodbye in a way. ” Boss said he had visited the mare regularly at Santic’s Gnarwarre property in Victoria. “I’ve been going to see her at least once or twice a year. You have time with them and I’m sure she does but it’s more about spending time with her and being mates. I had such admiration for her,” he said. “Now she’s gone, what a gift she was to Australia. Her performances went beyond our sport. “You had the Kingston Town era, but I can’t think of a horse before her that captured the public imagination so completely. She left such a big mark on Australian sport and not just racing. I was so lucky that she came into my life. “After she won the Cox Plate in 2005, she was on every front page, middle page and back page. Then she won a third Melbourne Cup ten days later and she took over the front, middle and back pages again. “That’s what the champions do. They defy logic, they defy the clock and they defy the handicaps sometimes. “Even younger people that weren’t even born when she raced, they understand what she did. She left such a big footprint in sport in Australia that it’s impossible not to know of her and what she achieved. “Tony owns three of the most iconic trophies in Australian sport. You’ve got the Ashes and the Baggy Greens but... The Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) colt out of champion mare Winx (Street Cry) has been withdrawn from the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale after suffering a setback in his preparation. “The welfare of our beautiful colt is of paramount importance to us and the veterinary advice is that he will need a period of time to recover appropriately from his setback,” part-owner Peter Tighe said. “We will give him all the time that he needs and thus he will be unable to take his place in the sale. “He is in great hands with the team at Coolmore and we look forward to his race career once he has made a full recovery. ” The colt was set to become the second yearling offered out of the 25-time Group 1-winning mare. Her first foal, a filly by Pierro (Lonhro), fetched a record-breaking $10 million when purchased by her co-owner Debbie Kepitis’s Woppitt Bloodstock at the 2024 Easter Sale. Inglis Bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch said the colt’s absence would be felt across the industry. “It’s disappointing for the industry as a whole that we won’t be seeing Winx’s Snitzel colt at Easter, based purely off the amazing scenes and theatre his big sister generated at Inglis Easter at Riverside Stables in 2024,” Hutch said. “We wish the connections, with whom we have forged a fantastic relationship with over the past few years, all the very best with their beautiful colt and hopefully he goes on to have a successful race career. “The catalogue for the Easter Sale on March 29 and 30 is extraordinary, the quality of yearlings on offer is incredibly high and we are very much looking forward to the sale. ” A half-brother to Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) queen Streisand (Magnus), siblings to 12 other top-tier victors, and offspring of 15 elite-level winning mares including Mariamia (Toronado) and Nettoyer (Sebring) are among the reasons giving Inglis optimism over a strong Premier sale. A catalogue of 814 yearlings - by 110 stallions and offered by 64 vendors - has been drawn for the auction at Oaklands Junction from Sunday, including 226 in Book 2 on Tuesday. That’s 11 more horses than last year’s edition, which despite fears of a flat sale season returned improved year-on-year Book 1 statistics in several areas. These included a $135,000 average, a $100,000 median and a $53. 84 million gross. And while the clearance rate was down one point at 81 per cent, Premier 2025 had two million-dollar lots for the first time. Inglis bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch is effusive over the quality of this year’s catalogue, calling it probably the best Premier book he’d seen in his time with the company. And while guarding against complacency from vendors, with a strong and diverse buying bench assembled and much positivity in the 2026 market, Hutch is hopeful of a highly successful sale. “We feel we have a better catalogue than 12 months ago,” Hutch told ANZ News. “On the basis of having run a good sale last year, we feel we’ve got good support, or better support, and consequently our expectation is that we should be able to run a better sale than 12 months ago. “I’m very reluctant to give anyone the impression the market at the moment is easy, because it’s not. You’ve still got to work hard to get horses sold, at all levels but especially in the $100,000 and under range. “But if you’ve got a nice horse, typically people are getting well paid for it, and there are plenty of nice horses here. ” Hutch said last year’s inspections at Victorian and interstate farms had revealed a “very impressive” list of yearlings for Premier. “When you look at the metrics we apply to the assessment of horses for the sale in the spring, those metrics say we have a group of horses who scored better than a year prior,” he said. “Arguably, we’ve got a bunch of horses who’ve scored as well as any Premier catalogue while I’ve been at Inglis. “That doesn’t necessarily make the horses more valuable. There are other variables in place of course like pedigrees and vetting. But I feel we have a very nice group of horses. “We’ve had good support from local vendors and interstate vendors. When you look at who’s selling at the sale, we have a great range of local farms, and there’s plenty of interstate vendors targeting the sale. Newgate have a bigger draft than last year. Coolmore have a draft of their own. “Hopefully all those factors contribute to a better sale. ” Newgate has a 19-strong draft, up from nine in their first Premier draft last year, by sires... Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) aspirations crystallised at Randwick on Saturday as Spicy Miss (Trapeze Artist) and Campione D’Italia (Snitzel) claimed their respective Group 2 races, each earning a coveted berth in the $5 million juvenile feature. Spicy Miss took the stage first and kicked off her trainer Ciaron Maher’s fantastic afternoon when she produced a determined display to break her maiden in the $300,000 Sweet Embrace Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m). The flashy daughter of Trapeze Artist (Snitzel) had filled the runner-up position at both her previous outings – in the $1 million Golden Gift (1100m) on debut during the spring and first-up in February’s Lonhro Plate (Listed, 1000m) behind Agrarian Girl (Tassort). Stepping up to 1200 metres on Saturday, the filly was ridden positively by Zac Lloyd and travelled sweetly on the speed before surging to the lead inside the final furlong. She dug deep to deny Screen Icon (Nicconi), who finished well from the back, by 0. 4 lengths. By Choice (Written By) stuck on gamely for third, another 0. 7 lengths adrift. The result was a trifecta for Widden Stud sires. Lloyd believes Spicy Miss’ attitude will serve her well in the Golden Slipper, for which she firmed into a $15 chance after her first win. “She ran very well first-up, but both Ciaron and the owners alluded to the fact that she'd improve off the run and they were exactly right. She dug deep today and I think the 1200 metres was a good step for her,” the winning rider said. “She definitely does . I think her mentality and her will to win is going to take her a long way. She's good out of the machine, she does everything right, so that's going to really help her in a high-pressure race like the Golden Slipper. ” Maher said the filly had strengthened significantly since her debut campaign and would head straight to Rosehill in three weeks. “She’s always shown that sort of ability,” the winning trainer said. “The Darby team has found another one. She made really nice improvement out of her first run and her first-up run this preparation and just tightened nicely. I thought she presented well and she’ll make similar improvement again. ” A $150,000 Magic Millions purchase for Darby Racing from Widden Stud’s draft, Spicy Miss is the first winner out of the imported Street Boss (Street Cry) mare Sweet Gisel and was bred by the Vieira Group. In winning Saturday’s race, she took Trapeze Artist’s record of individual stakes winners to 11, which soon became 12 when three-year-old gelding The Crimson Pirate completed a stakes double for the Widden resident in the Lex Piper Stakes (Listed, 1600m) at Ascot. Trapeze Artist served 52 mares at a reduced fee of $33,000 (inc GST) in the spring. The next at Randwick was the turn of the colts and saw Campione D’Italia propel his name into Slipper calculations with a boilover victory in the $300,000 Skyline Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m). The Chris... Autumn Glow’s (The Autumn Sun) remarkable rise gathered further momentum at Randwick on Saturday when the four-year-old extended her flawless record to ten with a controlled victory in the $1 million Verry Elleegant Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m). The daughter of The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice) again showcased her versatility and tactical speed in the Soft 5 conditions, settling prominently from barrier three before asserting her authority when it mattered to lead home a quinella for Chris Waller. The winner’s stablemate Lindemann (Lonhro) rolled forward to control proceedings, with the resuming Sir Delius (Frankel) in second and Waller’s ATC Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) winner Aeliana (Castelvecchio) travelling strongly just behind them. As the field straightened, Aeliana edged through along the inside and briefly looked testing, while Sir Delius built through his gears wider out. But once James McDonald called on Autumn Glow, the response was immediate. She lengthened decisively at the 300 metres, putting a margin on her rivals before Aeliana rallied late to reduce the deficit to 0. 4 lengths. Sir Delius held on for third, another 3. 4 lengths behind in what was an encouraging first-up effort from the dual Group 1 winner. The mighty mare equalled the great Black Caviar’s (Bel Esprit) record of ten straight wins from debut. “She does everything right, simple as that,” Waller said of Autumn Glow. “Wherever she draws, whatever the conditions, she puts herself in the race and makes it easy for herself. “She’s a different type to some of those good horses I've trained, when they get back and have your heart in your mouth. She's up on the speed. She puts herself there, so that's the difference. ” McDonald said the star mare’s temperament underpins her talent. “She knows she's so good,” the winning rider said. “She moves like a dream. She just breathes so well and is so push-button. She's got an incredible turn of foot. We weren't going to see the same performance we did first-up because of the ground. Even though it wasn't to her liking she was always going to win, even if I went another furlong. " Autumn Glow may be asked to go another two furlongs later in the campaign. The George Ryder Stakes (Gr 1, 1500m) at Rosehill on March 21 shapes as her next assignment, with Waller leaving the door ajar for a potential rise to 2000 metres – possibly in April’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) back at Randwick – should she continue to dominate at weight-for-age level. The Doncaster Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) also remains in calculations, though the handicap conditions pose their own challenges. “I'd love to try her at 2000 metres, but she's got to be dominant in her next win to give us that ultimate satisfaction that she can run it, otherwise it's probably the Doncaster,” Waller said. “She's got a lot of weight , but she's a good horse. “I'll talk to Mr Messara and the Hermitage team in Hong Kong. I respect what they've... Godolphin’s top-class filly Tempted (Street Boss) achieved a deserved first elite-level success at Randwick on Saturday, successfully stepping up in distance to claim the $750,000 Surround Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) in tough style. The Ciaron Maher-trained three-year-old had already proven her ability over 1200 metres against the best, having finished third in the Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) behind Marhoona (Snitzel) after defeating that filly the start prior, and also being the first local home in last October’s Everest (Gr 1, 1200m) behind only the brilliant Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress). She resumed with a dominant win against the colts in February’s Eskimo Prince Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) and was sent out a firm $1. 60 favourite to break through at the highest level against her own sex on Saturday, despite being winless at the 1400-metre distance. Once the barrier opened Savvy Hallie (Hellbent) rolled forward to dictate terms, with Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Ole Dancer (Ole Kirk) positioned close at hand, while Chad Schofield allowed Tempted to find her rhythm midfield amid genuine early pressure. Turning for home, Schofield had Tempted building smoothly through her gears and she ranged up alongside Savvy Hallie before digging deep in a sustained duel, thrusting her head out on the line to prevail by 0. 2 lengths. Ole Dancer held third another 1. 7 lengths back, with Group 1 scorer Apocalyptic (Extreme Choice) disappointing five lengths off the winner in fourth. A relieved Maher admitted his concern in the final stages, and said the distance stretched the filly’s limits. "Chad knew what he had underneath him. I was actually thinking, ‘God, get a little more desperate' halfway down the straight," the winning trainer said post-race. "The 1400 metres is probably right at the top of her distance range, as we've seen. She's run second and now won at Group 1 level, but you'd think she is more dynamic at 1200 metres. " Maher indicated the original plan of a TJ Smith Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) tilt against older sprinters could now be reassessed, with connections to determine the next move. A trip overseas is also a possibility. When asked if Tempted was among the best sprinters he had trained, Maher said she was better than 2024 Everest winner Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) at the same stage, but only time would tell if she could match the latter's longevity. "She is definitely right up there. She ran second to the best sprinter in the world as a three-year-old. You'd think with furnishing, she is only going to get better," he said. It was a bittersweet finish for connections of Savvy Hallie, who were both proud of their filly and gutted to lose a Group 1 in a photo finish. "Heartbreaking to get beaten," jockey Nash Rawiller said. "I loved her tenacity. She made Tempted really work for it. She was great. " With six wins and four placings from 11 starts, Tempted has now amassed more than $5. 1 million in prize-money... Shortly after Tempted’s Surround Stakes win, her stablemate Observer (Ghaiyyath) parlayed the success for Ciaron Maher and Godolphin with his classy triumph in the Australian Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) at Flemington. The versatile son of Ghaiyyath (Dubawi) claimed the VRC Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) last November and resumed in February with a win over the reopposing Planet Red (Admire Mars) in the Autumn Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) at Caulfield. As such, he was sent out the $1. 85 favourite to double his Group 1 tally on Saturday, and settled third from barrier six under Ethan Brown. He was eased onto the rail approaching the home turn, and gained a run up the fence upon straightening. The colt surged through and put his head down to assert late, scoring by a half-length over Planet Red, who charged home for second, finishing 0. 2 lengths ahead of a game Sixties (Flying Artie). Brown, who suffered a lacerated liver and kidney damage when Maximillius (Written Tycoon) crashed out of the 2023 Guineas, explained his patient ride post-race. “I’m sure the punters were thinking, ‘what’s going on here? ’” Brown said of his decision to hug the fence. “But the main thing with him is getting him to relax and settle. That meant riding him cool and patient. “From there the track was fair, we stuck to the fence and he did the rest. He’s a superstar. ” Maher’s assistant trainer Jack Turnbull paid tribute to the winning rider and said the win carried extra meaning for the stable after Brown’s serious fall in the race three years ago. “He’s a big part of our team,” said Turnbull. “He rides work, trials, gallops – you can ring him anytime to talk through a horse. He’s a special rider and it’s special we got the job done today. ” Maher previously achieved the similar Derby–Guineas double with Hitotsu (Maurice) and Turnbull drew comparisons between the pair. “He’s probably the closest thing we’ve likened to Hitotsu in terms of racing style,” he said. “He's probably not as dynamic, but his ability to be winning a Derby and coming back to be a Group 1 mile Guineas winner at his next preparation is hard to do. You don’t often see it. It's a credit to the horse, and to Godolphin as an organisation. ” Saturday’s success took Observer’s record to five wins from nine starts, with prize-money earnings just shy of $2. 6 million. It opened multiple autumn options, including the Australian Cup (Gr 1, 2000m), Rosehill Guineas (Gr 1, 2000m) and Doncaster Mile (Gr 1, 1600m). Darley’s burgeoning second-season sire Ghaiyyath will be represented by 17 lots at Inglis Premier, including Stonehouse Thoroughbreds’ Lot 19, a half-brother to another VRC Derby winner in 2018 victor Extra Brut (Domesday). Relief washed over Longwood Thoroughbred Farm on Monday when its draft of 21 yearlings arrived at Oaklands Junction for the 2026 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale – the first time the youngsters had been reunited since being evacuated from the property during Victoria’s devastating bushfires in early January. The crisis claimed one life and burnt more than 400,000 hectares, destroying or significantly damaging at least 300 homes across the state amid record heat and extreme fire conditions. A state of disaster was declared as authorities coordinated emergency responses and evacuations, with the breeding industry among those impacted. For Longwood principal Michael Christian, the road to Premier has been anything but straightforward. “It’s been a challenging period for us. Our yearlings had started their preparation for Melbourne Premier at the end of December, and the fire came through on the 8th and 9th of January,” Christian told ANZ News. “We had to evacuate our horses, and as an impact of the fire we lost our perimeter fencing, paddock fencing, key barn and other structures in an area where we would ordinarily prepare our yearlings. This made it impossible to proceed with our yearling preparation. “We explored a number of different options, including leasing a facility to try and relocate our yearling staff there. But for various reasons, it just didn't quite work out. “After receiving some incredible offers of help we decided to outsource the preparation of our yearlings to five different farms: Rosemont Stud, Two Bays Farm, Shadow Hill, Collingrove and Widden Stud. There’s not a lot of money in prepping yearlings so I'll be forever grateful and thankful to those farms and their people for the generosity they displayed during this time. “The horses all arrived across the day on Monday and it was great to have them all in one location again, after being scattered all over the state. We could get about the business of parading and showing them to potential buyers. ” Back at Longwood, rebuilding efforts are underway. “It’s a slow gradual process. We've put up the perimeter fence, which is great. That was really important. In terms of other internal fencing, we’ve started replacing it and expect it to be completed shortly. We also lost one of our really good barns, so we're just working through how to rebuild that, whether we change the structure up a little bit. Hopefully that will be rebuilt in the coming weeks. “Even things that I never really imagined, like areas of our water pipes melting from the extreme heat of the ground. Obviously that’s something we repaired very quickly. So it’s all slowly coming together. “I must say, we were a lot luckier than many other properties in the area. Other farms were decimated, losing houses, structures and fencing, including our great friend Tim Brown across the road who lost everything. “The fire burnt right up to our house, and it was only great work from our CFA that saved it. They’re an incredible organisation, the people in... 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. 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. 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. 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... 3 f Bivouac - Femme Fireball by Pierro O: Bennett Racing Pty Ltd (Mgr: N P Bennett), P King, Punt Chat (Mgr: T P Triplett), J G Falcke, S S Yee, J J Bushell, Bulk Bonus Bets (Mgr: J Falcke), H D Racing (Mgr: Mrs J M Hunter), D Dean, D M Stanley & Bennett Racing Femme Syndicate (Mgr: N P Bennett) B: Aralet Pty Ltd T: Ciaron Maher S: 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale V: Vinery Stud P: Bennett Racing, $140,000 W: Asahi Super Dry Maiden Handicap, 1500m, February 25, Rosehill The well-bred Fireball Miss (Bivouac) scored at the second time of asking at Rosehill on Wednesday, with a drop back in grade suiting the filly. Ridden by Zac Lloyd for Ciaron Maher in the $100,000 1500-metre maiden, the three-year-old daughter of Bivouac (Exceed And Excel) kept on gamely inside the closing stages to deny the persistent challenge of Almaaz (Zoustar) to record a 0. 2 lengths victory. There was a further 1. 8 lengths back to Indigo Star (Zoustar) in third as the winner improved upon her debut fifth placing in the Inglis Xtra Bonus Maiden Plate (1200m) at Warwick Farm on February 4. “She’s still learning and is very promising,” stable representative Johann Gerard-Dubord said. “She’s a well bred filly as a half-sister to the SA Derby winner last year, so it’s good to get the maiden win today and especially for such good prize-money. "It’s great for Bennett Racing, they have been such good supporters of ours and they keep finding good horses and they will have a lot of fun with her. ” Fireball Miss was a $140,000 Inglis Easter purchase from Vinery Stud for Bennett Racing and is the second foal and second winner out of the stakes-placed Pierro (Lonhro) mare Femme Fireball, making her a half-sister to last year’s South Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) heroine Femminile (Dundeel). Femme Fireball is a sister to Group 3 winner Rock and was sold at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale last year for $900,000 to Boomer Bloodstock (FBAA) and Paul Willetts Bloodstock. She is now with Three Bridges Thoroughbreds and produced a filly for them last spring by Anamoe (Street Boss). Surging Kia Ora Stud has its latest stallion-in-waiting after four-year-old Tropicus (Too Darn Hot) resumed with an affirming elite-level victory in Saturday’s Oakleigh Plate (Gr 1, 1100m) - and he has the farm’s fingerprints all over him. The Hunter Valley stud, flying high with their young stallion Farnan (Not A Single Doubt) currently topping Australia’s second season sires’ table, not only bred Tropicus - in tandem with long-term Queensland-based associates Don and Judy Kelly - but his dam Extensible (Exceed And Excel) as well. And thanks in part to Tropicus, amongst Too Darn Hot’s (Dubawi) dizzying successes, Extensible’s retired sire Exceed And Excel (Danehill) is the number one nick for his fellow Darley stallion. Too Darn Hot over Exceed And Excel has had 11 winners from 15 starters, including three at black type level, for a 20 per cent stakes winners to runners ratio, the best of any cross for Too Darn Hot with more than seven runners. Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s Gimcrack Stakes (Gr 3, 1000m) winner Shiki is the other Australian black type winner from the cross, while the third comes in Britain thanks to Exceed And Excel’s shuttle years in Fitzella, winner of the Princess Margaret Stakes (Gr 3, 6f) at Ascot last July. Extensible made the top 17 at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale in 2013 when she sold for $220,000, with the Kellys later taking up the majority shareholding and Kia Ora keeping a slice. She became a more than handy racehorse for Peter and Paul Snowden, not missing a place in her first nine runs, with her four wins including three Sydney city victories. The chestnut graduated to black type for start number ten in the spring of 2016, and after a fourth in Randwick’s Angst Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) she went to Melbourne for the first time and earned a pedigree upgrade with a third in Sandown’s Summoned Stakes (Gr 3, 1500m). Extensible was, however, possibly a length short of the top echelon, never winning again after those first nine starts and not adding to her one black type placing. But she’s now earned breeding star status with her Group 1-winning son - which is only fitting for a mare from an esteemed Aga Khan-bred line. Kia Ora’s bloodstock and breeding manager Shane Wright says the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Tropicus will continue to the William Reid Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) at Caulfield on March 21, with a decision to be made later as to whether he goes to stud this spring or continues racing. “He’s still got a racing program ahead of him and there’ll be lots of chats to be had, but we see him as a stallion in the future,” he says. “We’ll be talking to the Freedman camp. He looks likely to go to the William Reid next, and a decision will be made after then what we do. “But whenever it happens, we’re very proud to have a stallion bred on the farm, out of a Kia... While she may have set an incredibly high benchmark with her inaugural draft at the 2025 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, Hannah Penfold is determined to match, if not succeed, that success at Oaklands Junction this year. Penfold Thoroughbreds hit the sales jackpot 12 months ago when Lot 428, a colt by one of Europe’s most exciting stallions in Mehmas (Acclamation), was knocked down for $420,000 to Flemington-based trainer Dom Sutton and his trusted bloodstock agent Johnny McKeever. It was far from beginner’s luck or an overnight success story – Penfold has fully immersed herself in Australia’s breeding industry since arriving from her native England 12 years ago – but the scale of that sale still took her by considerable surprise, especially since the colt’s reserve price had been set at $50,000 (the initial bid was lodged at twice that figure). Second album syndrome has afflicted many bands that burst onto the scene but subsequently fail to build on their heady success, and Penfold is aware that last year’s breakout hit has inevitably increased the weight of expectation on her shoulders 12 months on. But with 11 lots by established stars such as Toronado (High Chaparral) alongside offerings by exciting freshman sire Artorius (Flying Artie) and Darley’s emerging powerhouse Ghaiyyath (Dubawi), Penfold is confident that her boutique operation can build on those firm foundations and justify the heavy workload she and her small team have collectively endured in the build-up. “We may have set the bar a little too high last year,” she told ANZ News on a busy day of inspections at Oaklands Junction, where the action will get underway from 10am on Sunday morning. “But we’ve been really busy so far, so that’s always a good sign. It’s very full-on because we’ve only got a small team, but I’m certainly not complaining. We’ve got a lovely draft but you can never predict what’s going to happen at the sales, and last year taught me to expect the unexpected. Our main goal as always is just to do everything we possibly can to get the best possible results for our clients. “I never thought we’d get anywhere close to that price for the Mehmas colt here last year, but then we probably thought we would get a bit more for another colt by Palace Pier . The beauty of sales is that everyone has a different opinion, which is why they work so well because there’s something for everyone. “Of course, it would be lovely to have another big result this year but we probably can’t expect it. You always get nervous, but I wouldn’t say there’s pressure to repeat that again this year. It probably helps that we’ve got a completely different set of clients than last year, so it’s almost like we’re starting afresh. ” Like most breeders whose affection for the babies under their constant care precludes them from showing any favouritism, Penfold is hesitant to nominate a standout lot but when pushed she concedes that... Apprentice Ellis Wong graduated into Hong Kong’s senior jockey ranks at Happy Valley on Wednesday night as fellow homegrown riders Angus Chung and Jerry Chau showcased their talent at the city circuit. Caspar Fownes predicted a bright future for 25-year-old Wong after Lucky Generations (Russian Revolution) claimed a short-head victory over Oriental Surprise (Mikki Isle) in the Class 5 Bowen Handicap (1200m) to hand the apprentice his 70th Hong Kong victory – a milestone which triggered his graduation. “He’s so deserving of that and I’m very proud of him,” Fownes said. “He’s come a long way and worked very hard. I’ve always believed in him, and we’ve always given him opportunities. “I honestly think that he’s going to make it in the jockey ranks in the years going forward. He can only improve and it’s also great that we’re going to have Joao (Moreira) in our stable in the last three months to help him and teach him a few things. He’s a great kid. ” Trained by Fownes, Lucky Generations maintained a solid sprint under Wong to deny eight-champion jockey Zac Purton on Oriental Surprise, formally sealing Wong’s promotion to senior ranks with his allowance to drop from five pounds to three this Sunday. Wong rode 88 winners in South Australia before returning to Hong Kong during the 2022/23 season, opening his Hong Kong account aboard Fownes-trained Storm Legend (Night Of Thunder) in May, 2023 and has since made solid headway, predominantly with Fownes’ backing. Supported by his family at Happy Valley tonight, Wong thanked Fownes and Amy Chan, the headmistress of The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Apprentice Jockeys’ School where Wong first learned the ropes. “I’m so happy I can ride this winner for my boss,” Wong said. “This is a special feeling, and he is a very good teacher, and I want to thank Amy and the Apprentice Jockeys’ School and, of course, my family for all their support. ” Chung, 29, scored a double as the winner of the 2023/24 Tony Cruz Award for the leading homegrown rider prevailed on Danny Shum’s Legend Star (Deep Field), who recorded his second course and distance victory of the season with a powerful finishing surge to claim the second section of the Class 4 Kennedy Handicap (1200m). Chung then teamed with Cruz’s Outgate (Outstrip) to take the second section of the Class 3 Wan Chai Gap Handicap (1200m). Preparing to saddle Romantic Warrior (Acclamation) in the Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) at Sha Tin on Sunday, Shum also fired in a double when My Day My Way (Overshare) won the first section of the Class 3 Wan Chai Gap Handicap (1200m) for Lyle Hewitson. In the midst of a strong season, Chau edged closer to breaking into the top three in the Hong Kong jockeys’ championship when Cody Mo’s Stormi (Cappella Sansevero) completed a hat-trick of victories with success in the Class 4 Robinson Handicap (1650m). Chau, 25, has already eclipsed last season’s haul of 23... Manolo Bling (Grunt) topped the Inglis Digital February (Late) Online Sale, which closed on Wednesday, when selling to Highgrove Stud’s Ron Gilbert for $275,000. The four-year-old mare was offered by Anthony Freedman Racing on behalf of Rob Cummings and the mare’s ownership group. Gilbert confirmed Manolo Bling would be transferred to Kelly Schweida’s Queensland stable and continue racing until the end of the season before joining the farm’s broodmare band. “We’ll mix things up with her, new trainer, new surroundings, sometimes that helps these mares switch on a bit more again so we’ll try that but either way, she will go to stud later this year,’’ Gilbert said. “I haven’t sat down and given a stallion much thought yet to be honest but being stakes placed and out of a family as good as this, she could be going to one of the top-end stallions. “I don’t normally buy race mares like her to breed with, I normally buy mares in foal because it’s closer to a result but I just really liked the look of this mare, I liked the family, I liked her pedigree, she’s won over $400,000 and she’s already stakes placed and just really fitted the mould so I’m really happy to have her. “She was at the top end of the budget, I thought she was a $250,000 mare and if someone had gone another bid to $280,000 I probably would have been out of play but I got the win so it’s great. " The second-top lot in the sale was the Newgate Farm-offered three-year-old colt North England (Farnan), who sold to Lofty Thoroughbreds for $200,000. A further three lots realised six figures in the sale – the broodmares Absolute Flirt (Stratum), with an Anamoe (Street Boss) filly at foot, made $160,000 to Jorshan Investments, Sense Of Honour (Pride Of Dubai) in foal to Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) sold for $150,000 to Ivan Danzo and Reeh (Sebring), in foal to Switzerland (Snitzel) and with a Unite And Conquer (Hinchinbrook) filly at foot, realised $120,000 to Blue Oak Equine. In total the sale grossed $4,783,100. Entries are now open for the March (Early) Sale, and will remain so until midnight on March 4. The sale will run from March 6-11. To enter click here. Nearly three decades after his sprinting star Staging (Success Express) claimed the Surround Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m), owner-breeder Peter Moran is hoping the late mare’s great granddaughter Sunrays (Hellbent) can achieve a rare double when the filly steps up to Group 1 company for the first time at Randwick on Saturday. Eight-time stakes winner Staging was undeniably the best horse that the former Noble Park Stud proprietor has ever bred, but since turning his profession into a hobby Moran certainly hasn’t lost the knack of producing a fast one, with Sunrays carrying his green and white colours to victory on five occasions from her nine career starts. Unlike many an elite race mare, Staging was equally adept in the breeding barn, producing Group 1 winners Duporth (Red Ransom) and Excites (Danewin) as well as multiple stakes victor Tickets (Redoute’s Choice) to leave a lasting legacy before she passed away last year at the ripe old age of 30. Moran was trackside in 1998 to witness Staging’s win in the Surround Stakes, then run at Group 2 level and coming three weeks after her triumph in the Light Fingers Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) run over 1100 metres that year. The 76-year-old will return to Sydney on Saturday to see if Sunrays can go some way towards filling her great granddam’s sizeable shoes. “There probably aren’t too many similarities between Staging and Sunrays, other than the fact that they can both really gallop,” Moran told ANZ News. “Sunrays is probably a slightly stronger filly than Staging, who was a bit lighter on her feet. Staging was an exceptional horse and went on to become a great producer for us, so it’s probably a little unfair to compare the two at this stage, but Sunrays has certainly got the potential to be very good. “Because she’s so high in the handicap she would have to carry big weights if we raced her here in Queensland at this time of year, so we thought we’d take her down to Sydney to have a crack at some of their feature races. She’s already won two stakes races up here, but a Group 1 placing in Sydney would be very welcome. “I took some time away from breeding for a few years and she was the first horse I bred when I came back to it. She’ll continue racing for a while longer, but I haven’t decided yet whether I’ll breed from her once she finishes. “It would be the sentimental thing to do because of the success we’ve had with the family but at this stage of my life, I’m probably more focused on the racing. ” Sunrays is following the Staging blueprint, with trainer Kelly Schweida using the Light Fingers Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) on February 14 as her lead-up to the Surround – one of two Group 1 contests at Randwick as Sydney’s autumn carnival kicks into gear. A Group 2 placing would have been a valuable addition to her resume, which already... South Australian nursery Kambula Stud will present its entire 2026 yearling crop at this week’s Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, marking a significant strategic shift for the family-run operation. Traditionally a supporter of the Magic Millions Adelaide sale, Kambula has opted to take a draft of eight yearlings to Melbourne, with principal David Toole describing it as the strongest consignment the farm has ever assembled for a single auction. “I’ve been going to sales for 50 years and selling horses for almost as long – this is the best draft of horses I’ve ever taken to a sale,” Toole said. The draft features progeny of high-profile young and proven sires, and among the headline lots is Lot 557, an Anamoe filly out of I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) mare Chianti. A half-sister to Group 2 placegetter Galo Nero (Wootton Bassett), the filly represents the first crop of the nine-time Group 1 winner, whose yearlings have sold up to $1. 1 million this season. “The mare has only had one other foal and he’s won half a million in prize money,” Toole said. “She’s very strong – she’s got a massive girth and hindquarter. To me she looks like a two-year-old. I’m a breeding rights holder in Anamoe and I’m very excited, both by the results he’s had in the ring and by the fact they are going to the best stables in Australia. ” Kambula will also offer two yearlings by Darley’s emerging sire Bivouac (Exceed And Excel). Lot 47 is a colt from the Tavistock (Montjeu) mare Eyes Of Love, a daughter of Group 2 winner Lovetrista and the dam of two winners from two to race, while Lot 483 is a grey filly out of the Lonhro mare Argentado, closely related to emerging Godolphin mare Tonkin (Blue Point). Toole believes the draft’s standout physical may be Lot 492, a Shamus Award (Snitzel) colt out of Attessa (Belong To Me), herself a daughter of VRC Oaks (Gr 1, 2500m) and Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Arborea (Imperial Prince) and the dam of Group 3 winner High Seas Beauty (High Chaparral). “He’s developed into a beautiful colt and I absolutely love him,” Toole said. “He’ll need a bit of time, but on type he’s going to sell himself. ” Other highlights include a Harry Angel colt (Lot 500) from the family of Group 3 winner Sweet Scandal (Sepoy) and a Stay Inside (Snitzel) colt (Lot 386) who is a half-brother to stakes-placed filly Swiftie Harriet. Toole said the decision to target Premier reflects confidence in both the draft and the Melbourne market. “I think we’ve got horses right across the spectrum,” he said. “You can be rewarded at all levels of this sale. ” Last December’s impressive Wyong Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) winner Paradoxium (Extreme Choice) showcased his Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) credentials with a strong trial win at Rosehill on Monday. The Bjorn Baker-trained son of Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) suffered a bout of travel sickness when sent to the Gold Coast last month, thwarting his chance of lining up as the favourite for the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m). The colt picked up where he left off under Jason Collett on Monday, powering clear to score by 4. 4 lengths over Klocke (Zoustar) with the well-bred Central Europe (Frankel) another 0. 7 lengths back in third. Paradoxium clocked 53. 42s for the 900 metres. Paradoxium, a $400,000 purchase for Baker, Clarke Bloodstock and Ridgmont at last year’s Gold Coast Yearling Sale, is the first foal out of Listed placegetter Paredo (Better Than Ready) and Silverdale Farm will offer her yearling filly by Zoustar (Northern Meteor) at next month’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale as Lot 9. Clocking a slightly slower time was Paradoxium’s stablemate Rachini (Zoustar) who made it two trial wins from two for Baker after a debut fifth in the Debutant Stakes (Listed, 1000m) last spring for Leon and Troy Corstens. She defeated Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) filly Leonessa by 4. 1 lengths, with Shahaameh (All Too Hard) another half-length back in third. An initial $200,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast yearling, Rachini was sold by Baystone Farm after her debut at last year’s Inglis Ready2Race Sale for $500,000. Agrarian Girl (Tassort) won the Lonhro Plate (Listed, 1000m) on debut on February 7 and the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained filly led all the way on Monday to score a 1. 2-length win under Tim Clark, stopping the clock at 54. 88s for 900 metres. Satin Serenade (Frankel) was second, with Hellfight (Hellbent) close behind in third. The other juvenile heat was won by another Bjorn Baker-trained youngster, with Artaneous (Trapeze Artist) appearing for the first time since his debut sixth in the Breeders Plate (Gr 3, 1000m) and being ridden out to score by a half-length over Power Broker (Dundeel), who is out of Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) heroine Stay With Me (Street Cry), a daughter of the late star-crossed superstar mare Miss Finland (Redoute’s Choice). Meanwhile, Too Darn Hot (Dubawi) colt Tornado Valley, who was second in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) was given a quiet time and finished midfield. Magic Millions’ Tasmanian Yearling Sale bounced back in resounding fashion from its flat 2025 edition, with a deeper range of quality yearlings bringing a vastly improved average and gross - and a new all-time record price. Armidale Stud’s half-sister to Melbourne stakes-winning filly Yum (Ghaiyyath) - by another young Darley shuttle stallion in Pinatubo (Shamardal) - sold to the Redgum Racing enterprise of Yum’s trainer John McArdle for $170,000. On a day when the top three lots - and five of the top six - were fillies, the price for the Pinatubo more than doubled last year’s high and broke the sale’s nine-year-old record of $160,000, for subsequent six-time winner and stakes-placed Queen La Diva (Snippetson). Nine lots sold for more than last year’s high mark of just $80,000, with five hitting six figures - all sold by renowned Tasmanian farm Armidale Stud. On Monday evening, the average sat on $36,090 - up a huge 53. 5 per cent on last year’s results. The gross stood at $2,815,000 - a 44 per cent increase from 12 months ago, despite five fewer lots being sold (78). The clearance rate of 72 per cent was down slightly from 74 per cent in 2025, while the median was up 18 per cent at $21,000. Overall, it was a sale that had Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch beaming, reasoning the Tasmanian ship had been righted through a drive to have fewer quality yearlings from the state sent to the mainland for sale, and a correlating push to attract more mainland buyers. “It was a pleasing sale,” Bowditch told ANZ News. “We were coming off a low benchmark with last year, but it was pleasing to be back in line with 2024, or slightly better. ” The 2024 sale had an average of $29,984 and a median of $24,000, with only two six figure lots topped by one of $145,000. “In most cases, there was a good appetite for the quality horses in the catalogue, which you see with five six-figure yearlings and a new record sale-topper,” Bowditch said. “And the vibe, the energy in the room, was a helluva lot better than last year. “The breeders have come with us on a journey. We had some particularly nice horses here, and they sold like nice horses. They were very well received. ” The sale appeared to have benefited from lessons learned from last year regarding the quality of horses kept in Tasmania for sale, and from strategies such as more engagement with the south of the state. At the head of that move was the decision to shift the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m), run earlier this month, from Launceston to Hobart. Increased bonuses and incentives through Tasbred had also had a positive impact, Bowditch said, but more opportunities remained to parlay this year’s sale result into a still stronger edition in 2027. “I still believe there’s an opportunity for more interstate buyers to come here and see what it’s about, because they... Constitution Hill’s (Blue Bresil) owner says he has Melbourne on his mind - and Melbourne says it would love to have him. Racing Victoria’s (RV) chief international recruiter has responded to Michael Buckley floating Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) ideas by saying the gelding’s participation in the race that stops a nation would be “one of the biggest racing stories in our lifetime”. Much water has to flow under the bridge, but following Constitution Hill’s nine-and-a-half length romp in his flat debut at Southwell on Friday, RV’s head of racing and international recruitment Paul Bloodworth said he’d work hard to facilitate his Cup mission. Asked if RV would be eager to see Constitution Hill line up in the $10 million showpiece on the first Tuesday of November, Bloodworth replied: “Absolutely”. “He’s the most popular horse in the UK, and it’d just be a great story for the Melbourne Cup,” Bloodworth told Racing Post. “Willie Mullins has made a habit of bringing horses like Vauban, Absurde and Max Dynamite to Melbourne for the Cup, but none of those have a profile like Constitution Hill. “It’d be fantastic. It’d be a great story - great for the Melbourne Cup, and great for our spring carnival as a whole to have a story like that running through it. ” He added: “We probably have to temper expectations a little bit. It was an all-weather race for novice horses, but there were some horses in the race who you think could go on and be competitive in Group races, and he made them look second-rate. “And he’s already achieved high ratings with some of the ratings businesses in the UK. So, it’s hugely exciting. ” Contact already made Bloodworth said he had already put out feelers to trainer Nicky Henderson to gauge interest in a Melbourne Cup raid, aiming to get on the front foot in explaining the processes required. “I’ve already reached out via sources to Nicky to say that if this dream becomes a reality, we’ll work with him to try to make it happen,” Bloodworth said. “At this point, I’ve reached out to say, ‘Hey, if you want to have a chat now, here’s my details’. But I don’t want to hassle them too much. “But it’d be one of the biggest stories in racing in our lifetimes if he did line up on the first Tuesday of November. ” Bloodworth said if Constitution Hill’s connections were “umming and ahing” over attempting a Cup mission, RV and the Victoria Racing Club - which hosts the grand handicap at Australia’s oldest continuous sporting venue, Flemington - would “work hard to get them over the line”. Henderson has made an attempt on the Cup before, with Forgotten Voice (Danehill Dancer) in 2013, but the gelding failed to make the final capacity 24-horse field after running fifth in a key lead-up race, the Geelong Cup (Gr 3, 2400m). That experience would at least have the trainer prepared for most aspects of the 10,000 mile... Close relatives to Island State racing legends Mystic Journey (Needs Further), Still A Star (Toronado), Geegees Blackflash (Clangalang) and Durazzo (Needs Further) are among the choice lots inspiring confidence of a resurgent Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale on Monday. With the auction firm’s managing director Barry Bowditch enthusiastic over a “much deeper” catalogue than in 2025, the consensus is that more high quality lots have been kept at home for sale by Tasmanian breeders this year, rather than be offered on the mainland. This is expected to spark an increase in interstate interest, while it’s also tipped that the sale will reflect a rise in industry confidence among locals. Tasmania’s largest breeder, Armidale Stud, will offer not one but two three-quarter sisters to the outstanding Mystic Journey, who was bought at the sale for $11,000 before winning $4. 1 million in prize-money including the inaugural All-Star Mile (1600m), en route to a multi-million dollar sale as a broodmare to Japan. Boutique breeders Alva Stud will offer only three lots, but one is a half-brother by Rubick (Encosta De Lago) to Still A Star, in Lot 11. Bought at the Launceston auction for $13,000, that mare won seven stakes races, including two in Melbourne, and almost $900,000 in prize-money, before fetching $700,000 as a broodmare. Geegees Blackflash became the first horse to earn seven figures ($1. 19 million) in prize-money racing purely in Tasmania, where he won 22 races until 2016, including six at stakes level. Armidale will offer his half-brother by Needs Further as Lot 108. And Durazzo has become a modern day hero for some strong Tasmanian connections, being raced by Star Thoroughbreds’ ex-Launcestonian boss Denise Martin after she purchased him at the sale in 2022 for $97,500. The five-year-old has won 11 of 16, claiming three of his four stakes victories on the bounce late last year, and has earned over $600,000 in prize-money. Armidale will offer Durazzo’s half-sister by Newgate Farm sire Brutal (O’Reilly) as Lot 70. Tasmania’s sale hit the doldrums last year, amid some concerns in the market following a sketchy start to Australasia’s sale season. While the clearance rate ultimately came in at 75 per cent compared to 72. 87 per cent in 2024, the average dropped from almost $30,000 to $23,500 as the median fell from $24,000 to $19,000. The gross plummeted from $2. 82 million to $1. 97 million - dropping by a third while the number of lots sold (84) fell by only 10. 6 per cent. The top lot fetched $80,000, down from $145,000 the year before. However, a degree of guarded optimism appears to have returned among Tasmanian vendors that this year’s sale will bring a recovery. That’s based partly on satisfactory to strong results through the first four auctions of the Australasian season - Magic Millions Gold Coast and Perth, Karaka and Inglis Classic - but also because of the feel of the sale ground over the past couple of days of inspections. “There’s more people from the... David Hayes believes Ka Ying Rising’s (Shamexpress) extraordinary dominance can continue indefinitely after the world’s premier sprinter demolished quality opposition to post a Hong Kong record 18th successive victory in course record time in the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (Gr 1, 1400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday. Stretching his unbeaten sequence beyond Silent Witness’ (El Moxie) longstanding mark of 17 wins, slotted between 2002 and 2005, Ka Ying Rising imperiously steamrolled his opposition in 1m 19. 36s to smash the previous course record of 1m 19. 92s, jointly held by Encouraging (Redoute’s Choice) and Packing Hermod (Rubick). Zac Purton confirmed Hayes had told him pre-race “to break the track record” after he had ridden Ka Ying Rising hands-and-heels to the finish, three-and-half-lengths clear of Helios Express (Toronado) with Lucky Sweynesse (Sweynesse) one-and-a-quarter lengths further astern. Improving his overall record to 19 wins from 21 starts – after two narrow seconds as a three-year-old – Ka Ying Rising jumped quickly from barrier three to sit second behind Copartner Prance (Epaulette) and clocked 21. 93s from the 1200 metres to the 800 metres before putting his rivals to the sword over the final 800 metres in a blistering 43. 96s, with respective 200 metre splits of 11. 26s, 11. 07s, 10. 52s and 11. 11s to create history. Unbeaten since February 2024, Ka Ying Rising’s unbeaten streak includes eight Group 1s – two Hong Kong Sprint (Gr 1, 1200m) victories, two Centenary Sprint Cup titles (Gr 1, 1200m), The Everest (Gr 1, 1200m), the Chairman’s Sprint Prize (Gr 1, 1200m) and now a pair of Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup trophies. Silent Witness reigned from December 2002 to April 2005, snaring seven top-level features – the Hong Kong Sprint, two Centenary Sprint Cups, two Chairman’s Sprint Prize triumphs and the 2005 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup. The stunning nature of Ka Ying Rising’s latest victory prompted Hayes to declare that the five-year-old could sustain his current level of excellence for the next 18 months, fitness permitting. “If we can place him conservatively, we hope to have him for another couple of seasons, that’s really exciting,” Hayes said. “He loves a month between runs, so we’ll probably go for the Sprint Cup next and then we don't have to train him too hard and babysit him into the Chairman’s Sprint Prize . “Hopefully we can get another clean sweep of the season again with The Everest in the middle. “He's more composed than ever, he's changing legs and you can't ask for much more than he's doing. He's breaking track records and his last three runs, he'd have broken the track record if Zac had let him go. “He jumped so well and cruised through the bend beautifully – at the 300 metres, I could really enjoy it. I could tell he had the race in command. Zac went for him a bit more than he normally does and rode to instructions, which was good. “I've trained a lot of horses that have gone 742... She may have been “underrated” throughout her brief career but trainer Clinton McDonald believes a star has been born after Streisand (Magnus) scored a dominant victory in Saturday’s Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) at Caulfield. The filly was the equal-most seasoned performer in the 16-horse field after four previous starts - the latest bringing her first success in a 0. 75-length victory in the Blue Diamond Prelude (F) (Gr 2, 1100m) - but drifted late to start on the fourth line of betting at $11. McDonald believes her experience showed in what was a powerful win in the $2 million feature for a filly bought at Inglis Premier by McDonald and Shane McGrath Bloodstock for $100,000, and whose half-sister will be offered at the same sale next week. Jumping from gate ten for Ben Melham - who shrewdly chose her over two-from-two colt Big Sky (Bivouac) before he was scratched on Friday - Streisand sat three and four-wide without cover for the trip, travelling just off the leaders under a solid pace. The filly joined the front-runners before the turn and while she had a fight to drive past Danny O’Brien’s leader Closer To Free (Street Boss), she eventually gained the upper hand over the $4. 60 favourite at the 100-metre mark and pushed away to beat that colt by 0. 75 lengths. The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained colt Guest House (Home Affairs), who drifted slightly from favouritism to start $4. 80 second elect, took third, while $5 shot Unit Five (Supido) disappointed in tenth. McDonald has now won the Blue Diamond twice - in three editions - after the 2024 success of star-crossed filly Hayasugi (Royal Meeting), and has single-handedly worked to redress a gender imbalance, with his pair the only two female winners in seven years. The Cranbourne trainer has also eclipsed his late father Ross, who won the Blue Diamond only once with Courtza (Pompeii Court) in 1989. That filly went on to win the Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) weeks later, and McDonald will now have high hopes of emulating his father with Streisand. Bookmakers wound her into an $11 shot for the world’s richest two-year-old race at Rosehill on March 21, level with another Melbourne running Stretan Ruler (Wild Ruler) after his victory 50 minutes earlier in Rosehill’s Silver Slipper Stakes (Gr 2, 1100m). Bjorn Baker’s Warwoven (Sword Of State) heads that market at $8. Named after singer Barbra Streisand by her large group of party-hungry owners due to her dam being called Zouper Star (Zoustar), McDonald’s filly appeared to greatly appreciate the addition of blinkers earlier in the week. But McDonald, who also took Hayasugi into her Blue Diamond at her fifth start, said it was race experience that had mostly carried the day. Streisand ran narrow seconds in Flemington’s Maribyrnong Trial Stakes (Listed, 1000m) and Inglis Banner (RL, 1000m) in the spring, then resumed with a fifth in the Blue Diamond Preview (Gr 3, 1000m) before winning the Prelude. “What... Tropicus (Too Darn Hot) became the fifth elite winner worldwide for his sensational sire and made a case for his own career at stud with a powerful first-up victory in Saturday’s Oakleigh Plate (Gr 1, 1100m) at Caulfield. Ridden for the first time by Craig Williams, and providing the veteran jockey’s first win in the race, Kia Ora Stud’s four-year-old homebred began well from gate nine of 13 and found a smooth running line, three wide with cover. Carrying half a kilogram under topweight under the handicap conditions at 58. 5kg, Tropicus cruised up to the leaders before the home turn before being forced into a battle with Gallant Son (Written Tycoon) to his inside for the first half of the straight. Once that was won, however, he kicked well clear inside the 200 metres to put the race to bed. A slightly easy $7. 50 second favourite, Tropicus had 1. 25 lengths to spare on the line from $20 shot and topweight Hedged (Capitalist), with Gallant Son holding onto third at $8. 50, and $2. 60 favourite Point Barrow (Blue Point) running fifth. It was Tropicus’s fourth win - all of them at Caulfield - in 12 starts, and pushed his earnings into seven figures. Something of a slow burner, he won a two-year-old handicap on debut in May of his first season, but struggled slightly through a three-year-old spring highlighted by a third in Rosehill’s San Domenico Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m). However, he scored his stakes breakthrough on this day last year in the Zeditave Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) and added another black-type win in last August’s The Heath (Gr 3, 1100m), before a length second to star sprinter Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) in the Schillaci Stakes (Gr 2, 1100m), also at Caulfield. Co-trainer Sam Freedman said now that Tropicus had broken through at the top tier, he could be set to ascend to another level and prove himself the latest star son of Darley’s in-demand shuttler Too Darn Hot (Dubawi). Too Darn Hot’s runaway success in both hemispheres might yet convince Darley to leave him in Britain this year while it stands his other Australian Group 1 winner Broadsiding at its Kelvinside farm. Kia Ora may also be licking their lips over the prospect of standing Tropicus, now he has a Group 1 to his name to confirm the high rating his trainers have always had of the stallion. “He's a proper horse, he deserves that,” Sam Freedman, celebrating his 30th birthday, said of the win. “As a three-year-old he raced against some of the best, Broadsiding and a few really proper colts. He's got better as an entire and he’s one of those horses that just trains on and on and on. “We’ve seen him get better this prep. You wouldn't rule out him going to another level again. ” Continuing a hot run of success on the track for Kia Ora horses in the past two years, Tropicus may now be set for the William... Pakenham trainer Phillip Stokes suggested Melbourne’s two-year-olds might be superior to Sydney’s this season after his well-related colt Stretan Ruler (Wild Ruler) easily raised his sire’s first black-type winner in Rosehill’s Silver Slipper Stakes (Gr 2, 1100m) on Saturday. Well ridden from gate four of nine by Chad Schofield, Stretan Ruler - whose half-brother was second-top lot at the recent Inglis Classic Yearling Sale - perched behind a group of three leaders in the running, went past them at the 350 metres and exploded away for the most straightforward of wins, by 3. 47 lengths. Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s Eviction Notice (Stay Inside) continued the strong form of his first season sire - a Newgate Farm barnmate to Wild Ruler - by claiming second despite drifting to $31. The colt also lived up to his last-start third in the Canonbury Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) and the early form he showed in winning by 7. 82 lengths at Kensington’s first official trials of the season. Chris Waller’s boom colt Hidrix (Extreme Choice) had his colours lowered in running third as a solidly supported $3. 60 favourite, providing another example of the patchy two-year-old form widely seen in recent seasons after becoming the talk of the town with his Canonbury victory. And indeed Stokes would have it that Sydney’s juvenile scene this term is lagging behind the quality of Melbourne’s. While Bjorn Baker’s Warwoven (Sword Of State) maintains his long-held spot atop Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) betting, the southern capital has produced a range of head-turning two-year-olds this season. They include Big Sky (Bivouac), Hard Kick (All Too Hard), Blue Diamond winner Streisand (Magnus) and Unit Five (Supido), who’s trained out of Ciaron Maher’s Cranbourne stable, and kicked off with a Caulfield victory before taking the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) at the Gold Coast. Stokes indicated this belief had helped in his decision to scratch Stretan Ruler as the first emergency from Saturday’s Blue Diamond, after he’d drawn barrier 19, and heads to Sydney. The colt was the first scratching out of the Group 1 on Thursday, but would have gained a run had Stokes elected to wait, with two runners above him taken out. “We didn’t know how to line up the form to be honest,” he told Sky Thoroughbred Central after the Silver Slipper. “But it looks like the Melbourne horses might have an edge over the Sydney horses. “He is a nice horse. We thought of having him in the Blue Diamond but scratched because of the barrier. “He put paid to them, conducted himself beautifully, and is a very exciting colt going forward. ” Stokes said Stretan Ruler would have his next start in the Todman Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) on March 7 before going to the Slipper two weeks later. Bookmakers responded to his Silver Slipper win by making him second favourite for the world’s richest two-year-old race at $11, behind Warwoven at $8. Stokes said Stretan Ruler, who debuted with a 0.... Peter Moody declared he had a very special filly on his hands - one with the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) potentially on her horizon - after Sheza Alibi (Saxon Warrior) made a successful return with her third stakes win on Saturday at Caulfield. The outlier Australian performer - and only stakes winner in this country - for former Coolmore Stud shuttler Saxon Warrior (Deep Impact), Sheza Alibi made it five victories from eight starts with a breathtaking display in the Angus Armanasco Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) for three-year-old fillies at Caulfield. After taking Flemington’s The Vanity (Gr 3, 1400m) and the Sandown Guineas (Gr 2, 1600m) back-to-back to end the spring, Sheza Alibi was sent out a prohibitive $1. 50 favourite for her resumption in the Armanasco. With Zac Spain replacing suspended Moody regular Luke Nolen in the saddle, she secured favourite backers their cash, but only after a couple of anxious moments in the home straight. Jumping from barrier one of nine, Sheza Alibi travelled fifth on the fence behind a keen tempo. She entered the straight full of running but with seemingly nowhere to go, as Spain first looked right but then switched back to the rail. Eventually, tiring leader Chateau Eze (Frankel) drifted just wide enough off the rail to allow Sheza Alibi a narrow space, and she charged through it like the class animal she so obviously is to power away and score by 2. 25 lengths. Ciaron Maher’s Group 2 winner Salty Pearl (Tagaloa) worked home well from worse than midfield to take second as $5 second favourite. Moody and co-trainer Katherine Coleman showed they could prosper at both ends of the market as their $31 longshot Mystery ’N’ Drama (Lucky Vega) took third in her first try at black type. Relieved and delighted, Moody said the victory had vindicated the stable’s change of mind in deciding to not run Sheza Alibi at Flemington last week. Whilst that meant a tilt at next weekend’s Australian Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) couldn’t be pursued, he said the former Rockhampton-trained revelation might try to make up for it in the Randwick Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) on March 7. Beyond that, the future looks exciting to say the least. Moody said Sheza Alibi would be kept to a brief autumn campaign, with the thought of greater riches in the spring in mind. “There won’t be a deep campaign ... and we'll be back for the spring,” he said. “You dream of her - could she be a Cox Plate filly? But at worst, well it's a terrible thing to say ‘at worst’, you've got a race like the Golden Eagle, you've got the Empire Rose. “There's a lot of options, so we just need to make sure we look after her. ” Moody added the filly’s knockabout Queensland grazier owner Fred Noffke was happy to let him and Coleman decide Sheza Alibi’s program, but “more importantly, he's happy for the horse to steer the ship”. “We've got the... Yulong Investments has made a splash in New Zealand this season, buying up the nation’s leading three-year-old filly talent, and they were once again rewarded at Ellerslie on Saturday when sealing the quinella in the New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m). The burgeoning thoroughbred giant’s silks have been prominent at Ellerslie this season through the deeds of their undefeated Group 1 winner and $4 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) favourite Well Written (Written Tycoon), and they were once again to the fore at the Auckland track on Saturday when their exciting staying prospect Ohope Wins (Ocean Park) beat home another recent purchase in Autumn Glory (Ocean Park) in the Oaks. The Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained filly was ridden off the speed, three from the back, for much of the journey, and looked in a lot of strife when turning for home, but jockey Joe Doyle kept a cool head and guided his charge out wide where she was able to show her class when powering over the top of her rivals to win by 2. 2 lengths over Autumn Glory. “She’s a proper horse, that is the best way to describe her after watching that performance,” O’Sullivan said. “It was a no panic ride by Joe, I think I was panicking a bit more watching from the grandstand. When Joe came from the outside I thought she has got a long way to make up but she did it and did it with some sort of ease. “She is just going to go from strength to strength, she is certainly going to be winning more big races in the future. She wouldn’t look out of place in Australia. We have always believed in the filly from day dot and that performance today was pretty special. ” While her future may lie across the Tasman, the New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) on Champions Day at Ellerslie in a fortnight looms as an enticing target, but O’Sullivan said they will wait for the dust to settle before making any concrete plans. “She will decide for us,” he said. “We will sit down with connections during the week and have a chat, but we will be doing what we think is best for her. ” Doyle was euphoric after the victory, labelling Ohope Wins as the best three-year-old he has sat on. “When you get to ride a horse that good, nothing compares,” he said. “She has been trained to the minute. “We were a long way back, but when you are riding one that good they can just overcome all those things – the draw is never an excuse, the ground is never an excuse. She was just too good. “She still feels like she has got so much left, I couldn’t even pull her up. She is absolutely exceptional, I have not ridden a three-year-old like her. ” A decision on the New Zealand Derby is yet to be made, by Doyle believes pressing on to challenge the boys in... Godolphin’s Andy Makiv said a gut feeling to send Pericles to Bjorn Baker was vindicated after the gelding finally broke through for a maiden Group 1 win in the Futurity Stakes at Caulfield. The son of Street Boss will likely meet fellow Godolphin representative Tom Kitten (Harry Angel), now prepared by Sam and Anthony Freedman, in the All-Star Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) at Flemington on March 7. “I had a feeling he’d suit Bjorn. I just loved what Bjorn had done with that Vancouver horse he’s got and travelled around,” Makiv said. “In fairness, I thought he might be a horse for Western Australia for Bjorn to take because he’s had a great record over there and since Bjorn's had him, he said, ‘don’t worry about WA, worry about Melbourne and Sydney. ’” Makiv admitted Pericles had been frustrating at the elite level, with four seconds and two thirds prior to his breakthrough. “He’s been a fabulous horse. He's a homebred off Northwood Park in Seymour by our fantastic stallion Street Boss, so for him to achieve Group 1 glory is wonderful for so many people. He’s earned near on $7 million in prize-money. ” The race also produced a masterclass from Craig Williams, who claimed his third straight Futurity and sixth overall – just two shy of the legendary Roy Higgins’ record of eight. With Mr Brightside sidelined, Williams sought out the Pericles ride and later dedicated the victory to his father Alan on his 86th birthday. Buoyant trade carried through to Book 2 of the 2026 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale, where a colt by Yarradale Stud’s Gingerbread Man (Shamardal) provided the highlight at the Swan Valley complex when selling to Peter and Luke Fernie for a session-topping $190,000. The second session built strongly on last year’s figures, with improved returns across most key metrics reflecting renewed buyer confidence. A total of 133 yearlings sold at a clearance of 85 per cent. The gross finished at $6,358,500, up 31 per cent year-on-year while the average climbed to $47,808 an increase of 19 per cent and the median weighed in at $35,000, a 16. 5 per cent rise. Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch said the results reflected a market that found strength from both interstate participation early and strong local support through the latter stages of the sale. “It's been a sensational two days,” he told ANZ News. “Obviously we went in with a little bit of trepidation. Leading into the sale, we knew a couple of the bigger players may not play their part as big as they had, but I think the market on a whole stepped up. “I thought yesterday the interstate and international participation was almost double what it was the year before and that really made up for any difference we had here in the local market. “But then today, I felt like the locals really stepped in and bought their quota of horses and to have the average up close to 20 per cent on day 2 from last year and a clearance rate is really acceptable at 85 per cent and the gross is up. It's record breaking so it's an outstanding result for the state. ” Bowditch noted the depth at the top end of the market as a key driver of the session’s momentum, with a significant increase in six-figure results compared to 12 months earlier. “I think on top of that, I think we had nine, six-figure horses on day two last year and sixteen today. That's a genuinely good increase. It just shows when you've got the right horse, there is an intense appetite to play on those horses and that was evident all through today. Quality horses were well sought after. “When you think over the two days we're clearing basically 86 per cent, it just shows that the vendors here in the west are very willing to meet the market. It is a genuine real feel and the vibrancy over here is big, it can't be underestimated. It's a great place to come and it's something we look forward to building on, off the back of this year, because it's a great platform to have these guys reinvest in better stock and continue to thrive here in the west. ” Sale statistics - Book 2 2026 2025 Catalogued 176 160 Offered 157 155 Sold 133 (85%) 121 (78%) Aggregate $6,358,500 (+31%) $4,849,500 Average $47,808 (+19%) $40,078 Median $35,000 (+16. 5%) $30,000 Top Lot... A breeding right in first-season sire Anamoe (Street Boss) headlines what Inglis describes as one of the strongest Digital catalogues ever assembled, with 523 lots entered for the February (Late) Online Sale. The catalogue features 254 racehorses, 117 broodmares, 108 racehorse shares and 37 yearlings among a diverse offering that also includes young mares in foal to some of the country’s most commercial stallions. A nine-time Group 1 winner, Anamoe made an immediate impact at the yearling sales this season, averaging $469,032 in Book 1 on the Gold Coast – the highest ever for a first-season sire at that sale – and producing a seven-figure yearling from his first crop. “This is one of the most appealing offerings that we have ever brought to market on Inglis Digital,” Inglis Digital business manager Nick Melmeth said. “Anamoe is a young stallion that has the bloodstock market in Australia in raptures and given how few breeding rights were issued at the time of his retirement, this is a fantastic opportunity to secure access to a stallion that has all the attributes to be champion sire. ” Among the standout racehorses are Golden Gift (1100m) and Kindergarten Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) winner North England (Farnan), Canonbury Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) victor Blitzburg (Snitzel) and stakes-performed Manolo Bling (Grunt). The shares section includes a five per cent interest in Group 3 winner Bosustow (Blue Point), along with stakes performers Adelaide River (Australia) and Changingoftheguard (Galileo). The broodmare band features metro winner Sense Of Honour (Pride Of Dubai), offered in foal to Home Affairs (I Am Invincible), while Arrowfield Stud presents a 12-strong draft including stakes producers and mares carrying to leading young sires. Bidding for the February (Late) Sale concludes from 10am Wednesday. To view the catalogue, click here. For further information on the Anamoe breeding right, please contact Inglis Bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch – sebastian. hutch@inglis. com. au. Westbury Stud has announced the death of high-class racehorse and outstanding stallion Reliable Man (Dalakhani), who was euthanised on veterinary advice aged 18 due to post-surgical complications following the removal of a melanoma. The sire of 29 stakes winners, including four Group 1 winners, Reliable Man made an immediate impact on the track, winning his first three starts, headed by a dominant victory in the Prix du Jockey Club (Gr 1, 2100m). By Dalakhani (Darshaan) out of the Sadler’s Wells (Northern Dancer) mare On Fair Stage, he was bred and initially raced by Sven and Carina Hanson before additional partners joined the ownership. Later transferred to Chris Waller’s stable, he won the 2013 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) at Randwick at his final Australian start, defeating the now Arrowfield sire Dundeel (High Chaparral). He retired with five wins and three placings from 14 career starts, with notable fourths in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes (Gr 1, 1m 2f) and King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 1m 4f) against elite international opposition. At stud, the grey excelled in both hemispheres, with his Group 1 winners including VRC Oaks (Gr 1, 2500m) heroine Miami Bound, New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Sentimental Miss, German Oaks (Gr 1, 2200m) winner Erle and Railway Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) victor Inspirational Girl. He also enjoyed early success as a broodmare sire, with his daughters producing 41 winners to date. Sparks flew early on day one of Thursday’s Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale when a filly by Australia’s reigning champion sire Zoustar (Northern Meteor) out of Group 3 winner Lubiton (Snitzel) topped proceedings, selling to Sheamus Mills Bloodstock for $525,000. Mills, bidding online from his home state of Victoria, delivered the final blow to outlast bloodstock agent Johnny McKeever and trainer Annabel Archibald. Archibald, alongside husband and training partner Rob, will saddle the filly’s I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) half-sister Chayan as a $26 chance in Saturday’s Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) at Caulfield and Mills is hoping for a timely pedigree update. “That would be a bit of a dream scenario, but not without a chance,” Mills told ANZ News. “She ran well on debut, so in probably a fairly open race hopefully she can make her presence felt. ” On a fly-in, fly-out mission to Western Australia, Mills said the filly was not initially on his shopping list but proved impossible to leave behind after he inspected her at the beginning of the week. “I came over on Tuesday and looked at about 50 or 60, and came home Wednesday,” he said. “I like the medium-sized, athletic Zoustars who stand over plenty of ground. She had a lovely sort of shape to her, she wasn't too heavy and she moved particularly well. “Her number one attribute I liked was her personality. I thought she's a lovely, tough filly, very settled. I saw her when I first got there, and then I saw her just before they closed up at the end of the day, and the girl who led her said she'd had her ears walked off by the end of the day and had been very popular. “I could see how tired she was, but when she was asked to walk, you wouldn't have known the day that she'd had. She's obviously held up very well and that little glimpse into her temperament sealed the deal. ” Selling for $525,000, the filly became the second highest-priced filly ever sold at the Perth sale, second only to a filly Mills purchased for $625,000 at the 2024 renewal. Named Fight For Life (Playing God), who sadly died without making a racecourse appearance. Mills did not attend in 2025 but returned this year with a specific target in mind, the sister to Fight For Life, catalogued as Lot 154, who was eventually knocked down to Pearce Racing for $475,000 later in the day. “I suppose the original reason was to come and see the sister and going that far, there were certainly enough other horses in the catalogue of interest. I had a few other little jobs to do in terms of other clients who were interested in various horses. ” Mills said a trainer for the Zoustar filly had yet to be finalised. “Not really sure at the moment . We put all the horses through the same process and then we'll work them out at the end.... Bel Esprit (Royal Academy), the influential stallion best known as the sire of unbeaten champion sprinter Black Caviar, has died at the age of 26. Widden Stud announced on Thursday that the son of Royal Academy (Nijinsky) had succumbed to the effects of old age. The announcement of his death comes days before the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) — a race Bel Esprit famously won 24 years ago. Trained by John Symons, he was the dominant juvenile in Victoria during the autumn of 2002. He swept through the Blue Diamond lead-up races undefeated before justifying favouritism in the Group 1 feature at Caulfield. “With the Blue Diamond to be run this Saturday, it brings back those memories of Bel Esprit and what a fantastic two-year-old he was,” said Adam Henry of Widden Victoria. By outstanding shuttle sire Royal Academy, Bel Esprit trained on to claim the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (Gr 1, 1200m) before retiring to stud at Eliza Park in Victoria in 2003. The Kerrie property later became Sun Stud and now operates as Widden Victoria. Across 19 seasons at stud — spending three seasons in Queensland but predominantly in Victoria — Bel Esprit covered more than 2,400 mares and became one of Australia’s most popular and enduring stallions. He achieved global recognition as the sire of Black Caviar, widely regarded as the world’s greatest sprinter. She was one of his 28 stakes winners. Bel Esprit’s progeny earned in excess of $90 million in prize-money, and his influence continues through the broodmare band. He has sired the dams of 24 stakes winners, including leading young sire Ole Kirk (Written Tycoon), who is out of a sister to Black Caviar. Retired from active stud duties in early 2022, Bel Esprit spent his final years enjoying a well-earned retirement. Henry continued: “Bel Esprit has left a real legacy that will extend well beyond his passing and it has been a privilege to have him in our care. ” Tony Cruz will target Hong Kong’s elite 2000-metre races with Stunning Peach (Wootton Bassett) after the Irish-bred fulfilled long-held promise with dramatic victory in the Class 2 The Year Of The Horse Cup Handicap (1600m) at Sha Tin on Thursday. Ridden by Angus Chung, Stunning Peach fended off a desperate late challenge from Top Dragon (Pierata) to triumph by a short-head in 1m 33. 95s, with Regal Gem (Zoustar) third, as dual Hong Kong champion trainer Cruz posted his third win in the race previously known as the Chinese New Year Cup. Settling sixth, Stunning Peach speared into clear running entering the straight and forged to the lead at the 300 metres, only to be challenged by the luckless Top Dragon, who had to change course before unleashing a rousing finish under Maxime Guyon. Under desperate riding from Chung, Stunning Peach prevailed. Having added Stunning Peach’s name to the race winners’ list, joining former Cruz gallopers Penglai Xianzi (Encosta De Lago) (2013) and Beauty Smile (Free Eagle) (2021), Cruz outlined ambitious plans for the Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj) gelding. “I’ve got big ideas for him. I always thought he was a good horse. He got injured at Happy Valley and now he’s fully recovered I’m aiming for the top – I’m aiming for Group races in Hong Kong and when he wins Group races, I would consider looking overseas with this horse,” Cruz said. “He had a light weight today. The last time he ran he had 135 . Today, he had 116 – that tells the tale. With that light weight, these other horses don’t stand a chance. He was getting weight off every horse. “Angus rode a perfect race from his good draw and the weight was such a big advantage today – it was massive even though the distance was too short. ” Formerly trained by Joseph O’Brien in Ireland, where he raced as Islandsinthestream, the bay twice finished runner-up in Group 1 contests in France and Ireland before export to Hong Kong, where he has now posted two wins for prize-money of HK$7. 8 million (approx. AU$1. 41 million). Cruz sealed a double when Gentlemen Legacy (Showtime) claimed the Class 3 Red Packet Handicap (2000m) under Hugh Bowman, defeating stablemate Liveandletlive (Muhaarar) by a short-head. Francis Lui compared Hot Delight (Too Darn Hot) to retired champion and winner of ten Group 1s, Golden Sixty (Medaglia D’Oro), after the three-year-old underlined his rich talent with a brilliant win in the first section of the Class 3 Yue Yee Handicap (1200m) under Vincent Ho to maintain his unbeaten record after two starts. Stepping up in class, the Too Darn Hot (Dubawi) gelding sat outside the leader before sweeping to an unextended two-and-three-quarters length margin over Armour War Eagle (War Decree) in 1m 09. 04s, clocking 22. 01s for the final 400 metres, prompting Lui to declare Hot Delight superior to Golden Sixty at the same stage of their careers. “He’s a nice horse. He needs to improve but the... 2 g All Too Hard - Friendly Donna by Exceed And Excel O: Lindsay Park Bloodstock (Mgr: Ms S Hayes) B: Macquarie Stud T: Ben, Will & JD Hayes S: 2025 Inglis Ready2Race Sale V: Hannover Lodge P: Lindsay Park, $140,000 W: TAB Talindert Stakes, Listed, 1100m, February 14, Flemington Hard Kick (All Too Hard) put his hat into the ring for next month's Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) when scoring an impressive victory in Saturday’s Talindert Stakes (Listed, 1100m) at Flemington on debut. The son of Vinery’s ultra-consistent sire All Too Hard (Casino Prince) went in as a well-supported $3 second favourite after winning all three of his jump-outs, and didn’t disappoint his backers. Jumping from gate four of seven for Damian Lane, Hard Kick bolted to an early three-length lead, maintained a clear margin heading onto the course proper, then lived up to his name with a burst of acceleration at the 200 metres to beat $2. 30 favourite Zambales (Pinatubo) by 2. 8 lengths. There was a further 1. 7 lengths back to the third-placed Diameter (Brazen Beau). Bearing Lindsay Park’s famed white with the green sash and black sleeves, Hard Kick also provided a welcome boost for the Hayes family after the death on Friday of former star Miss Finland (Redoute’s Choice), aged 22. That came while the Hayes Brothers’ Euroa stable still recovers from extensive recent bushfire damage. “We’re not sure he’s as good as Miss Finland, but he looked pretty good there,” JD Hayes said of Hard Kick. “What a thrill. He’s been very well educated at home and we thought he was pretty good and he won with authority there. ” Lane was most impressed with Hard Kick, who took quite some pulling up past the post, saying he could be one of the best two-year-olds of the current Australian crop. “Once the other horses got near him, he wanted to race them, so he’s just a natural competitor and he took a bit of slowing down after the line,” the jockey said. “He’s a good horse. He’s been impressive at the jump-outs. You’re never sure going up to 1100 with two-year-olds off the back of 800-metre jump-outs, but he did give the feel he was going to be better past 800 metres and that's what he’s done today. “He’s gone to another level and really sustained a good gallop throughout. I thought before today that he was a good horse, but just off the better ones, but off the back of that, he might be right up there. ” Bred by the Baxter family’s Macquarie Stud in the lower Hunter Valley, Hard Kick was bought by Avesta Bloodstock from Middlebrook Valley Lodge’s draft at last year’s Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale for $30,000. Put back through the Inglis Ready To Race sale by Hannover Lodge in October, he was purchased for $140,000 by Lindsay Park under the watchful eye of Hayes family patriarch David, who was in Sydney for The Everest... Coolmore has bought Waikato Stud’s rising young sire Super Seth, with the son of Dundeel (High Chaparral) set to relocate to the Hunter Valley later this year. A standout on the racetrack and now one of the most exciting young stallions in the southern hemisphere, Super Seth has made a remarkable impact in a relatively short space of time at stud. “Super Seth has been on our radar for a while now and he strikes us as a stallion that can make a significant impact on the Australian breeding industry,” said Coolmore’s Tom Magnier. “For a young horse, the trajectory that he is on is something that is very rarely seen. To produce three Group 1 winners in Australia from his first crop, including two Guineas winners, and then follow it up with a champion two-year-old in his second crop, is an amazing achievement. “Justin Carey and I went over to see him and his young stock at Waikato this week and we were very impressed by what we saw. He is going to be ideal for so many Australian mares, both physically and on pedigree. ” Magnier acknowledged the role played by Waikato Stud and the Chittick family in establishing the stallion. “It is a tremendous privilege to be given the opportunity to purchase Super Seth from Mark, Pippa and the Chittick family. Waikato Stud and the New Zealand industry have done all the hard work to get him to the position that he is in now and we look forward to getting him back to Australia and sending our very best mares to him. “When it comes to making elite stallions, the Chittick family have got it right time and time again by producing multiple Champion Sires and we have a firm belief that Super Seth is the next one. “Super Seth will not be completely lost to New Zealand however, as a number of his existing New Zealand-based shareholders are staying in with us and Waikato will also continue to support him. Coolmore sells at Karaka each year, and we look forward to sending Super Seth yearlings with the ‘C’ brand over in 2029 and beyond. ” Retired in 2020, Super Seth’s race record featured victory in the 2019 Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m), where he defeated subsequent seven-time Group 1 winner Alligator Blood (All Too Hard), along with Group 3 wins in the McNeil Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) and Manfred Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m). He wasted little time making his mark as a sire, recording his first winner in October 2023. Black-type success quickly followed when Linebacker captured the Baillieu Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m) at Rosehill before finishing second in the Champagne Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) at two. Super Photon became his second stakes winner, remaining unbeaten with victory in the Listed 2YO Stakes (1400m) at Te Rapa, while Feroce announced himself as a stakes winner in waiting with a narrow second in the 2024 Caulfield Guineas. The momentum accelerated through late 2024 and early 2025.... This Saturday’s meeting at Caulfield shapes as a potentially defining day for Roll The Dice Racing with the syndicator’s first ever runner in the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) set to be joined by one of the leading chances in the Oakleigh Plate (Gr 1, 1100m), A joint purchase with Mick Price Racing and bloodstock agent Jeremy Rogers, Guest House (Home Affairs) will be out to deliver a third victory in the Blue Diamond for his trainer and a first elite-level success for Home Affairs (I Am Invincible), whose speedy son Kinnaird laid down an early marker in the Eclipse Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Ellerlise on New Year’s Day. The Coolmore resident is set to have two runners in this year’s Blue Diamond field and the pair will be eyeballing one another in the gates, with Guest House assigned barrier three and the twice-raced Tulloch Lodge maiden Lady Moscato directly to his inside. Given the propensity for runners from the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable to take up the lead, a high-stakes speed battle could play out but in light of the resistance Guest House showed when he was restrained when finishing second in the Blue Diamond Prelude (Gr 3, 1100m), Jamie Melham may have no option but to bend to her mount’s will. That is certainly the view of Roll The Dice’s director of racing and communications Steve Travaglia, who is fervently hoping the robust colt or their Oakleigh Plate contender Hedged (Capitalist) can take the syndicator’s tally of Group 1 wins to three on Saturday. Globe’s (Charm Spirit) freewheeling triumph in last year’s Might And Power Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) and Krone’s (Eurozone) Coolmore Classic (Gr 1, 1500m) win in 2021 were both achieved against the odds, whereas victory for Guest House would not come as a major surprise given his position on the second line of betting behind his Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained stablemate Big Sky (Bivouac). As with any athlete, however, the ability to peak on the grand occasion is what separates the champion racehorses from the merely very good ones and Travaglia does not underestimate the importance to their burgeoning business of winning one of Australian racing’s most coveted contests. “It would obviously be massive for us to win a Blue Diamond, especially with our first runner in the race,” he told ANZ News. “We’ve been going very well but any syndication company will tell you that you need to win these big races to really succeed and grow your business. It’s great to win Listed and Group 3 races but you can’t go too long between drinks in Group 1s, because you can be forgotten pretty quickly in this game. “So we’re very keen to pick another one off on Saturday, and we think we’ve got a good chance with Guest House. He just can’t afford to make the same mistakes on Saturday that he did in the Prelude, because he’ll have no chance of winning the race. “He’s... Lonhro (Octagonal) over Street Cry (Machiavellian) and a tripling of the great Mr. Prospector (Raise A Native) are among the forces behind Weeping Woman, who claimed her second successive black type victory and fourth straight win in Saturday’s Triscay Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) at Randwick on Saturday. The Joe Pride-trained five-year-old is the latest star performer to trickle down from second dam She’s Purring (Flying Spur), the fountainhead of much success for Ian Cornell, a Sydney-based hobby breeder, retired retail executive, and former Inglis board member. In 1999, Cornell bought She’s Purring via his long-term bloodstock advisor Neil Jenkinson at Inglis Easter, and he’s been enjoying the fruits of that purchase for 27 years now. A daughter of Ringside Lady (Clay Hero) - who won Moonee Valley’s Crockett Stakes (Listed, 1000m) and was a sibling to the dams of three black type winners - She’s Purring would prove her $80,000 purchase price a huge bargain. Trained by Ron Quinton, she became a city winner at Randwick at her third start, then ventured north to add two-year-old black type at her next outing, winning Eagle Farm’s Sir Douglas Wadley Handicap (Listed, 1200m), now the Bill Carter Stakes. She’s Purring returned at three to claim Randwick’s PJ Bell Handicap (Listed, 1200m) and retired the following year with two stakes wins and a black type placing to her name. Still more success followed for Cornell in the breeding barn. She’s Purring’s first foal was Global Warming (Agnes World), who won the 2008 Canterbury Classic (Listed, 1100m). For She’s Purring’s third foal, Cornell made an early booking with Lonhro in his first season at stud of 2004, and from that mating his mare produced Ro’s Purring (Lonhro). She was restricted to just four starts but won the first three, two in Brisbane and one at the Gold Coast. Keen for another Lonhro filly, Cornell sent She’s Purring to the Darley stallion in each of the next two years, but no foal ensued. Instead, she went to General Nediym (Nediym) and for her fourth foal she produced Pure Purrfection, who took Brisbane’s Bribie Handicap (Listed, 1110m) in 2014. Pure Purrfection has gone on to star in the breeding barn, with Queensland’s Eureka Stud breeding from her the four-time Brisbane Listed winner Outback Barbie (Spirit Of Boom) and her fellow Listed winning sister Barbie’s Sister. Outback Barbie in turn has thrown another Brisbane Listed victor, Hi Barbie (I Am Invincible). In 2017, as her second-last foal, She’s Purring had Zorocat (Toronado), who became a stakes-placed city winner. All up, She’s Purring had ten named foals for nine runners, nine winners, and two stakes victors. The one throw who didn’t race has transpired to be the dam of the now dual stakes winner Weeping Woman, in Cries And Whiskers (Street Cry). Cornell sent She’s Purring to Darley’s shuttler Street Cry in 2012 but the filly foal died after birth. He tried again weeks after that, and the result was Cries And Whiskers. She was retained by her... Western Australia’s premier yearling auction returns to the Swan Valley this week, with 358 lots catalogued for the 2026 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale, which gets underway on Thursday. The two-day auction brings together a broad cross-section of yearlings by proven Western Australian stallions with a wave of emerging sires. All told, a total of 79 stallions are represented, headed by champion local sire Playing God (Blackfriars) with 52 yearlings. Youngsters by Group 1 winners Artorius (Flying Artie), Paulele (Dawn Approach), State Of Rest (Starspangledbanner) and Stronger (Not A Single Doubt) feature among the offerings, alongside local newcomers Aysar (Deep Field), Lightsaber (Zoustar) and Marine One (Capitalist). Inspections have drawn a strong local and interstate buying bench, with trainers Grant and Alana Williams, Neville Parnham, Simon Miller, Luke Fernie and Dan Morton among those on the ground, while visitors from the eastern seaboard include Sheamus Mills, Calvin McEvoy and Damon Gabbedy, Annabel Archibald, Johnny McKeever, Andy Makiv and First Light Racing. Interest in the sale has no doubt been bolstered by its leading graduates, a roll of honour which has been added to his season and includes Railway Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Watch Me Rock (Awesome Rock), King Of Light (Earthlight), winner of the WA Guineas (Gr 2, 1600m); Lee Steere Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) scorer Super Smink (Super One), Buckets Ridge (Pride Of Dubai), who landed the Towton Cup (Listed, 2200m) in December and Listed-winning trio Luana Miss (Bivouac), Rope Them In (Playing God) and Toropa (Toronado). Among vendors who were generating significant attention during inspections was Mogumber Park, whose graduate Maria Lucia (Rommel) landed Saturday’s Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) at Pinjarra. The Bullsbrook-based operation will offer a draft of 22 yearlings, including 14 by their resident first-season sire Marine One. Located just north of Perth, the farm operated by Colin Brown and Fiona Lacey has produced the winners of the past two runnings of the WA Magic Millions 2YO Classic - both from the mare Mindarie (Safeguard). “We won the two-year-old Classic last year with that mare’s first foal, Do I Feel Lucky, and Maria Lucia is her second foal,” Brown told ANZ News amid a busy inspection period on Wednesday. Unfortunately, the farm was forced to withdraw the pair’s A Lot (Tapit) half-brother from this week’s sale. “Her third foal was all set and we had to withdraw him, but hopefully he will go to winter here. He'll still qualify for the two year old race next year, but you can't bring a horse that's not 100 per cent to the sales. ” Of Maria Lucia, Brown said the win was especially meaningful and believes the filly has a bright future ahead. “The Casey’s who train her, they’re a hardworking family, really talented trainers. The sons train, as well as the dad. We’re both family businesses, so it's extra special to see them win. “I think she could be a bit special that filly. She's different from Do I Feel Lucky in personality.... Danny O’Brien is already reaping the rewards of a more streamlined approach to his business, and after an impressive start to the autumn carnival the in-form trainer is hoping his polished performer Closer To Free (Street Boss) can deliver another diamond display in Victoria’s premier race for juveniles. Fresh from celebrating stakes success with his upwardly mobile filly Sass Appeal (So You Think) in last Saturday’s Desirable Stakes (Listed, 1400m) at Flemington, O’Brien understandably had a pep in his step as he oversaw Closer To Free’s final gallop on Tuesday morning ahead of the colt’s bid four days later to add the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) to his recent win in the Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) (Gr 3, 1100m). Mick Dee, who was aboard Closer To Free when the pair lowered the colours of the short-priced Prelude favourite Guest House (Home Affairs), will aim to continue their fruitful partnership at Caulfield on Saturday and extend his recent dominance of the Blue Diamond, having previously piloted Devil Night (Extreme Choice) and Little Brose (Per Incanto) to victory in 2025 and 2023 respectively. Perhaps surprisingly, given both the relative comfort of his win that day and his superior raceday manners, Closer To Free still sits just behind Guest House in the early Blue Diamond betting markets, which are led by unbeaten colt Big Sky (Bivouac). However, given the high esteem in which he clearly holds Closer To Free, you get the distinct impression that O’Brien - who won the Blue Diamond with globetrotting sprinter Star Witness (Starcraft) back in 2010 - wouldn’t swap his young charge with any other runner in the race. “He’s a really straight forward colt to train, and the way he handled the occasion on debut was very impressive,” O’Brien told ANZ News. “That day at Caulfield he behaved like a gelding having his 20th start, rather than a juvenile colt making his first. Everything went right, and thankfully it’s been the same ever since. He’ll have his final gallop at Flemington on Tuesday morning with Mick Dee in the saddle, which should top him off nicely. “As impressive as he was on debut, we do think he’ll improve from his first start and he’ll obviously have to in order to win a race like the Blue Diamond. He’s a big, burly colt so he’ll definitely be fitter for the run, and he couldn’t be in any better shape. “He’s very adaptable so he doesn’t have to be ridden up on speed if we don’t draw a good gate, and he’s got a really good brain on him for a two-year-old. He does have good gate speed so we wouldn’t intentionally drag him back, but it wouldn’t be a problem if he needed to sit two or three pairs back in the run if that’s how the race panned out. “He’s got a serious amount of race craft for a horse with only one start to his name, so he’s been easy to manage and I’m... Two headstrong, ultra competitive colts, out to seal a stud future, filling the top two spots in the market and drawing barriers three and five. And they also happen to come from the same stable. Trainer Mick Price must be feeling confident as he eyes off the 56th Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) with $4 favourite Big Sky (Bivouac) and $5 shot Guest House (Home Affairs). “I am feeling confident - confident that they’ve had pretty good training preparations, which is what we need to have from them,” Price told ANZ News. “Unfortunately training is not raceday level, and raceday brings out all your mistakes, but if I’ve made a mistake, I can’t see it at this point. “I feel like I’ve been able to get my timing right on both of them, and both horses go in pretty spot on, I believe. ” Price has won Victoria’s two-year-old showpiece twice previously, before Michael Kent Jnr joined him as co-trainer. He did it with Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) in 2016, and that horse has duly gone on to become not just a sire but a super one, at Newgate Farm. Price also did it with the filly Samaready (More Than Ready) four years earlier, and she’s blossomed into an outstanding broodmare, leaving Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) winner and current Coolmore stallion Shinzo (Snitzel) and his four-time stakes-winning sister Exhilarates. Such storylines underscore the enduring significance to the breeding scene of the Blue Diamond. In the ten editions starting with Extreme Choice’s, the race has been won by seven colts. All six who are old enough - not counting last year’s winner Devil Night (Extreme Choice) - have gone on to stand at stud. Written By (Written Tycoon) and Tagaloa (Lord Kanaloa) have made decent starts, while Artorius (Flying Artie) and Daumier’s (Epaulette) first yearlings are hitting the sales rings this year. Among the two still living female winners from our sample period, 2017 winner Catchy (Fastnet Rock) has thrown dual stakes winner Floozie (Zoustar). “There’s no doubt that it's still a good stallion maker,” Price said of the Blue Diamond. “It certainly worked for Extreme Choice, though admittedly he won a second Group 1 as a three-year-old. ” And so, if not quite as pronounced as on Golden Slipper day, the fizzing cocktail of pressure and hope will be acute at Caulfield on Saturday, with so much riding on the result. Saturday’s edition rings remarkably similar for Price as 2016. Extreme Choice started $2. 70 favourite and won clearly, by 1. 75 lengths. Price also had the $5 second elect Flying Artie (Artie Schiller), and he ran second. For more on stallion-making, Flying Artie is now kicking goals as a sire at Blue Gum Farm, with triple elite winner Asfoora being Europe’s reigning Champion Sprinter, and the stallion’s dual stakes winning son Sixties seemingly bearing down on a Group 1 title to match his brother, to Artorius. Yet price can’t have gone into 2016 feeling like... Ken Keys is optimistic his advanced colt Alibaba (Alabama Express) will make his late entry fee a worthwhile investment as he chases his veteran trainer’s first elite success in Saturday’s Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m). Cranbourne-based Keys and his daughter and co-trainer Kasey on Monday took the step of paying the $55,000 to secure Alibaba’s place in the stallion-making juvenile feature, for which he’s on the sixth line of betting at $11. The decision wasn’t a hard one, with only history standing in its way. Alibaba was not among the original nominations, with Keys believing the lightly framed galloper would be more to the fore at three than two. But after an easy barrier trial win, a debut third in the Merson Cooper Stakes (Listed, 1000m), a gritty victory in the Blue Diamond Preview (C&G) (Listed 1000m), and a luckless third in Randwick’s Inglis Millennium (RL, 1100m), Alibaba has presented an irresistible case. “He won enough money in the Millennium so we can spend it on the late entry fee,” Keys said of Alibaba, whose $195,000 for running third at Randwick took his earnings to $369,500 from three starts. As he strives to win a first Group 1 after 40 years of training for Keys, who with his daughter has some 25 horses in work, the richly dark coloured Alibaba will need to bring a correction to Keys’s perceptions on late entry fees, those observed and those felt personally. In 1989, he paid up to have smart filly Saloon Rule (Ruling) start in the Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) after two wins and two placings in Melbourne juvenile stakes races. She gave him a good sight, but after leading weakened to finish seventh in a race won by Courtza (Pompeii Court) and in a field also including eventual 11-time stakes winner Show County (County) and triple Group 1 victor Stylish Century (Double Century). “It was hard not to pay up for Alibaba. Probably the part that was stopping me was that I don’t think there’s been a good history for late pay-ups,” Keys told ANZ News. “I’ve only had one go at it, and that didn’t pay off, but I don’t see a lot of people having a lot of success with late entry fees in general. ” Keys bought Alibaba from breeders Yulong at Inglis Classic for $115,000, with considerable interest in his third dam Balsamico (Redoute’s Choice). She had thrown Keys’s former multiple stakes-placed gelding Masthead (Written Tycoon) - who he recalls as Written Tycoon’s (Iglesia) first metropolitan winner - and dual listed winner Diamonds, a mare he’d watched closely since she was by the best horse he’s prepared - and bred - to date, by Rich Enuff, another by Written Tycoon. The yearling Alibaba was an impressive type, and has developed into what his trainer calls a magnificent specimen, but Keys would not have bet money on him showing up at two like he has - partly the reason he wasn’t nominated for the Blue Diamond... The fact that weather is out of our control does not disguise our sheer disappointment when it ruins a popular event and the latest victim is the Matamata Racing Club’s Breeders’ Stakes Day, last Saturday. Last spring, a number of New Zealand race meetings were either abandoned or postponed due to weather. Last month Matamata pushed their January 21 meeting back two days due to rains which caused a landslide and subsequent deaths at Mt Maunganui. So much for stable summer weather. New Zealand’s Waikato region took another hit late last week as owners, trainers and raceday patrons were faced with a sodden Heavy 9 track for Matamata’s feature summer meeting. Hindsight is 20/20 but on reflection, pushing the meeting back by two or three days might have been preferable. The racing deserved it. Perhaps the raceday committee considered the idea however it was the trainers who spoke clearly, scratching 31 potential runners over the nine-race card. Three fields were finalised at just six runners including the day’s feature, the Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) while the Group 3 Matamata Slipper (1200m) saw just four starters compete. Punters shy clear of small fields and ever-necessary betting turnover suffers accordingly. An out-of-season deep track resulted in several very slow times. The 1200-metre Slipper was run in 1:16. 21. The 1200-metre Breeders’ Stakes was run in 1:14. 54. The best time of the day was in the Lisa Chittick Champagne Stakes (Listed, 1400m), run in a surprisingly good 1:27. 38. Over a middle-distance was the Kaimai Classic (Listed, 2000m) and all four races were won from the front. Justin Case (Banquo), Lara Antipova (Russian Revolution) and My Lips Are Sealed (Ace High) led the last 1000 metres, while Diamond Jak (Jakkalberry) led with a lap to run. Each hugged tight to the running rail rounding into the home straight from where they skipped clear to win comfortably. The old adage of “out in front and out of trouble” paid off in spades. How good? Lara Antipova was far too good in the Breeders’ Stakes which lost its gloss when strong competitor Liguria (Snitzel) was a late scratching. Beginning fairly, Lara Antipova took command after 200m and never really gave her opponents much hope. Opie Bosson gave her a shake soon after straightening then and a half slap down her off shoulder at the 150m but this was too easy and the filly remains unbeaten in three starts. Her debut at Te Aroha early December was a walkover, away by eight lengths at the line and later that month, at Trentham for the Wakefield Challenge Stakes (Gr 2, 1100m), she showed her opponents a clean pair of heels when racing way by four and half lengths in a sharp 1:03. 36, the last 600m in 33. 32. Offered at the 2025 Gold Coast Magic Millions Yearling Sale, Lara Antipova was purchased by David Ellis and Fortuna racing for AU$100,000 which now looks like an inspired purchase. The filly is raced by a... Flying Artie (Artie Schiller) is living up to his name, with another stakes victory for his son Sixties on Saturday putting him up in lights as he bears down on his first 100-winner season. But despite having six crops racing now, his home base Blue Gum Farm believes he’s only getting started. The stud world has lately been dotted with stories of stallions hitting some golden years after – in some cases long after – it had been hoped they would reach a peak. Another Victorian-based stallion, Darley’s Street Boss (Street Cry), is enjoying a distinct career boom at 21, with track stars including Saturday’s Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (Gr 1, 1000m) winning three-year-old Tentyris helping him to a personal best of eighth place on the Australian general sires’ table, and equal second by stakes winners. Coolmore’s on-and-off shuttler Starspangledbanner (Choisir), the 19-year-old with an Australian stakes winners-to-runners ratio of 4. 31 per cent, achieved the extremely rare feat of siring Europe’s Champion 2YO Colt and Filly last year in Gstaad and Precise, who both won at the highest level. Flying Artie is a long way behind that pair in age and runners, but the 12-year-old, despite being faced with overcoming the stigma of having been moved on by another stud, is building a strong head of steam on a couple of fronts. The Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) hero's winners-to-runners ratio of 62. 42 per cent underlines his consistency, while last season’s $11,000 (inc GST) service fee puts him firmly in the value category. But a clutch of unqualified star runners has shown him to be far more than that. Most famously, Flying Artie is the sire of Europe’s reigning Champion Sprinter Asfoora, the brilliant mare whose three Group 1 triumphs among eight stakes wins have come in England (two) and France. His other elite winner, Artorius, is now making inroads at his father’s former stud Newgate Farm, with his first yearlings being offered this season. And now Artorius’s full brother Sixties is emerging as his sire's latest special one. Chris Waller’s colt looked imperious in claiming his second Group 3 victory at start number eight in Saturday’s CS Hayes Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m) as a $1. 60 favourite. Unbeaten in two starts this campaign, he’s now a $3. 50 second favourite for the Australian Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) at Flemington on February 28 as he shapes to become Flying Artie’s next top-tier winner. That is if In Flight doesn’t beat him to it. The Joe Pride-Proven Thoroughbreds five-year-old won a stakes race in each of the three eastern seaboard states last preparation, and is set to resume soon aimed at Rosehill’s The Galaxy (Gr 1, 1100m), for which she’s a $15 shot. Flying Artie’s first – and small – Blue Gum crop is being offered at the current range of yearling sales. The full brother to his third-highest ranked offspring – triple Hong Kong stakes winner My Wish – was bought at Inglis Classic last week by... Caspar Fownes became only the fourth trainer in Hong Kong racing history to reach 1,200 wins at Sha Tin on Saturday, a milestone achieved as he landed a double to move level at the top of the 2025/26 trainers’ championship. On the day Fownes joined an elite group of trainers to pass the 1,200 mark, which includes John Moore, John Size and Tony Cruz, he now sits level at the top of the 2025/26 trainer standings with Mark Newnham on 35 wins. David Hayes is one back on 34. “It’s great to know that we’re in the top three or four of Hong Kong ,” Fownes said, “and I’ve still got a few years left in me, hopefully, so we’ll just keep building on that 1,200 – I’m very happy to hit it. ” A phenomenal effort from Sky Vino (Vino Rosso) in the Class 3 TVB Lo And Behold Handicap (1650m, dirt) delivered Fownes his landmark Hong Kong winner. Under an centimetre-perfect ride from apprentice Ellis Wong, the 2. 6 favourite flew home late – after entering the home straight in 12th position and around ten lengths off the leaders. Fownes revealed he had hoped to start Sky Vino in the Hong Kong Derby (2000m) on March 22. “I’ve always had a high opinion of the horse and, actually, he’s come up a bit short for me this season. I really thought it was my Derby horse. But, you know what? Sometimes horses in Hong Kong just need a little bit of time. “The kid was very patient on him, and he quickened up nice from the back of the field. ” Sky Trust (So You Think) completed the double for both Wong and the four-time champion trainer, who is now into his 22nd season in Hong Kong. The gelding prevailed by a short head in a desperate battle to the line with Invincible Shield (I Am Invincible) to claim the meeting’s feature race, the Class 2 TVB Cup Handicap (1200m), and complete a day to remember for his trainer. Amazing Partners (Pierata) made it two from two for Francis Lui as Vincent Ho powered the favourite home in the first section of the Class 4 TVB Yan Oi Charity Show Handicap (1400m). Lui brought up a double for the day when Turquoise Velocity (Zoustar) struck for the second time in three career outings in the Class 3 TVB Midlife, Sing & Shine Handicap (1000m) under Keith Yeung. Lui has now trained 15 winners since the turn of the year, and the 2023/24 champion trainer has steadily climbed to fifth in the current standings. Andrea Atzeni continued his fine form with a double. His first winner of the day was a driving effort on the Tony Cruz-trained Serangoon (Ilovethiscity) in the Class 4 TVB Pok Oi Charity Show Handicap (1800m), the six-year-old grabbing his first win in almost a year. Progressive four-year-old Chill Buddy (Flying Artie) was fancied to finally make his breakthrough in the Class 3 TVB Yan... Arrowfield Stud’s revered matriarch Miss Finland (Redoute’s Choice) was humanely euthanised on Friday aged 22 after suffering complications from a chronic respiratory disease. Owner John Messara confirmed veterinarians made the decision on Friday morning when the champion mare’s condition deteriorated. "We gave her the best of veterinary care but she wasn't responding as well as we hoped,'' Messara said. "Then she started to have some breathing difficulties and I told the vets to do what they could but not to let her suffer. She has been so good to us and I couldn't bear to think she was suffering. This is a very sad day for everyone at Arrowfield because she has been such a special mare. '' Messara rated Miss Finland the best horse he has owned, reflecting on her extraordinary 2006 season which included victories in both the Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) and VRC Oaks (Gr 1, 2500m). "A lot of people have been asking me to compare Autumn Glow with Miss Finland but I have to say, right now, Miss Finland has the superior race record,'' Messara said. "In time, Autumn Glow may very well prove to be the better horse but she has a bit to do to catch up with Miss Finland. I keep thinking about what she achieved in 2006 when she won the Golden Slipper over 1200 metres then later that year won the VRC Oaks at 2500 metres, which is a remarkable achievement. "She was a champion racehorse and passed on those qualities at stud where she was a very good broodmare, producing a Group 1 winner, Stay With Me, who emulated her dam by winning the Thousand Guineas . '' By Redoute’s Choice (Danehill) and trained by David Hayes, Miss Finland won 11 of her 26 starts, including ten stakes races, and earned more than $4. 3 million in prize-money. The only horse to complete the Golden Slipper-VRC Oaks double, she later added the Australian Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) and Arrowfield Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) at Group 1 level and was crowned Australia’s Champion Two-Year-Old in 2006 and Champion Three-Year-Old in 2007. At stud she produced 12 foals, highlighted by Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Stay With Me (Street Cry), with her final foal the unraced three-year-old Martha’s Choice (Dundeel) before being retired from breeding three years ago. The 41st Asian Racing Conference (ARC) closed in Riyadh on Thursday, with Asian Racing Federation (ARF) chair and Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges hailing the conference as an enduring success which highlighted the sport’s greatest opportunities and also its challenges. Praising the work of the conference host, the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia and His Royal Highness Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al Faisal, and the ARC organising committee, Engelbrecht-Bresges said the ARC’s discussions reiterated the importance of increased collaboration and new technology as key motivators in safeguarding the sport’s future. “If there is one message that cuts across all our discussions, it is this: the future of horse racing is under threat and can only be secured by working together to address the key challenges we face,” Engelbrecht-Bresges said at the ceremony crowned by the official exchange of the ARC flag to New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, host of the 42nd ARC in New Zealand in 2028. “I firmly believe we now have a mandate for change. We must act now. We must think and cooperate globally and implement nationally. “At the outset, I highlighted that we are in a critical phase for racing and breeding, and yet fragmentation within our sport is preventing us from tackling the challenges that confront us. I called for global collaboration and the need to make fundamental changes to the way we position, promote and operate our sport. “Coming back to the Conference itself, we have heard from global experts and leaders, and shared best practices and case studies from around the world, which we hope have been informative. “We must create heroes, create global competitions where the best meet the best, and create platforms with holistic storytelling to increase our fan base and promote our sport globally. We must use technology to create new digital onsite and online experiences. We must be more agile and embrace global initiatives like the World Pool to better compete against sports betting, iGaming and other entertainment offerings. “We must continue our investment in science and technology to minimise the risk of catastrophic breakdowns and sudden death. The ARF secretariat will develop an action plan of key activities for the short and medium term, to be discussed at the next executive council meeting. We will then communicate how we take the next steps together. ” At Monday’s opening ceremony, it was announced the Asian Racing Federation has unanimously re-elected Engelbrecht-Bresges as chair of the ARF, a term which runs until the conclusion of the 42nd ARC in New Zealand in 2028. Celebrated two-year-old trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have a three-horse squadron taking their next steps towards the Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) in another Randwick two-year-old event dominated by fillies on Saturday. The Pierro Plate (1100m) somehow in this day and age manages to not have black type status but is invariably a strong guide to Sydney’s juvenile scene. This year’s edition is no exception and - as with the race a week earlier named after Pierro’s sire, the Lonhro Plate (Listed, 1000m) - the females by far dominate the males numbers-wise. The Lonhro Plate drew four males and six fillies, with two of the latter filling the quinella. Males are further into the minority in Saturday’s Pierro, with only three of them taking on nine fillies. It’s a situation mirrored in the Waterhouse-Bott stable, whose leading fillies include Gimcrack Stakes (Gr 3, 1000m) victor Shiki (Too Darn Hot) and the winner of that Lonhro Plate, Agrarian Girl (Tassort). “We’ve probably got more depth to the fillies than we do with the colts, in terms of the horses who are on a potential Slipper campaign,” Bott told ANZ News. “Sometimes that’s just the way it falls. ” Tulloch Lodge has a strong chance of further juvenile success with their three fillies in the Pierro. They’ll saddle third-starter Miss Chanel (Tagaloa), who’s rated a $3 favourite to give her Yulong sire his second winner from his latest racing crop, along with second starters Caloocan Beauty (Justify) at $13 and Better By Far (Farnan) at $14. Bookmakers have another filly as $4. 60 second-elect in Chris Waller’s Godolphin runner Sequinned (Pinatubo), who had no luck in a debut seventh and is seeking to become her sire’s first Australian winner amongst nine runners. The royal blue will also be carried by Michael Freedman’s Outspan (Bivouac), the $5. 50 shot carrying the top impost under the set weights and penalties scale as he seeks to continue his father’s strong run of results following a second-start Rosehill win. Miss Chanel, a $270,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast buy from breeders Yulong for Waterhouse-Bott, and who’s the third foal of the stakes-placed Talented (Snitzel), debuted with a third in the race won by Outspan at Rosehill on January 17 after travelling on the pace. She then enjoyed the one-one trail before just failing to catch leader Chilly Girl (Trapeze Artist) by 0. 32 lengths in the fillies’ Widden Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m), with the third horse 2. 42 lengths further back. “That was a really good effort,” Bott said. “She got a lovely run in transit, and things went her way no doubt, but she and the other one still skipped away from the rest, so it was a strong performance from both horses. “Our girl maybe bumped into a better one on the day, but she showed nice improvement off her debut performance, and she seems to have improved again off the run. “She’s thriving in her work at present, she’s still well placed under... Tentyris (Street Boss) stamped himself as the most exciting sprinter in Australia and took a large step towards living up to Anthony Freedman’s huge assessment of him with a breathtaking win in Saturday’s Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (Gr 1, 1000m) at Flemington. After the colt stormed to victory in last November’s Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m), Freedman told his son and co-trainer Sam he could be the best horse he ever comes across, despite the younger trainer’s many future years in this business, and Tentyris being only a spring three-year-old at the time. It certainly looked hard to argue that point when Godolphin's homebred son of the remarkable Street Boss (Street Cry) powered to his third straight victory - and his fourth from his last five starts - in the Lightning. While his 2. 25 length Coolmore win was dominant, Saturday’s triumph in his first attempt at open company in the weight-for-age feature outstripped it, and put racing fans on watch for an explosive autumn to come from the chestnut. One of four winners on the day, all at stakes level, for Damian Lane, Tentyris was settled in a clear last place of the eight, and was ten lengths off the lead on settling. After a heady pace was set, first by Beiwacht (Bivouac) and then by Giga Kick (Scissor Kick), the well backed $2. 60 favourite was eight lengths off the front runners at the 300 metres, and three lengths behind - and still last - inside the 200 metres. It seemed he couldn’t possibly have the finish to haul in the leaders, but at the 150 metres, as the brave filly My Gladiola (I Am Invincible) was being hailed the winner, Tentyris simply exploded in phenomenal style to power to the lead in a few strides, going on to score by 0. 75 lengths. My Gladiola, well supported at $7, had to settle for second behind the colt, as she had in the Coolmore. Tough mare Benedetta (Hellbent) flew home for third at $26, as $3. 50 second elect Giga Kick weakened into fifth. Lane had taken over from injured regular rider Mark Zahra for his second ride on Tentyris, having run a 0. 1 length second on him in last year’s Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) behind Devil Night (Extreme Choice). And while the colt’s backers will have been anxious a furlong from home, the calm final pre-race words from Sam Freedman to his jockey - “trust the horse” - proved prescient in the most emphatic style. “Dad and I spoke in the last couple of days, about how in a small field, they can be tactical and you can get sucked into riding a horse out of his comfort zone,” Freedman told Racing. com. “Last prep, when we rode him a little close in the Danehill first-up, he was a bit soft late. He balanced up in the Gothic to let him work home . It was the same in the Coolmore and the... Hard Kick (All Too Hard) surged up the betting for the autumn’s two-year-old features and brought a welcome tonic for Lindsay Park with an impressive victory in Saturday’s Talindert Stakes (Listed, 1100m) at Flemington. The son of Vinery’s ultra consistent sire All Too Hard (Casino Prince) went in as a well supported $3 second favourite after winning all three of his jump-outs, and didn’t disappoint his backers. Jumping from gate four of seven for Damian Lane, Hard Kick bolted to an early three-length lead, maintained a clear margin heading onto the course proper, then lived up to his name with a burst of acceleration at the 200 metres to put the issue beyond doubt. The gelding scored by 2. 75 lengths from Anthony and Sam Freedman’s $2. 30 favourite Zambales (Pinatubo), with another Godolphin colt in Diameter (Brazen Beau) a further 1. 75 lengths away in third for Chris Waller at $13. Hard Kick also made a surge up the betting for next Saturday’s Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) - to the fourth line at $8 - and to $26 for the Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) on March 21 at Rosehill. He’s not nominated for either at this stage. Bearing Lindsay Park’s famed white with the green sash and black sleeves, Hard Kick also provided a welcome boost for the Hayes family after the death on Friday of former star Miss Finland (Redoute’s Choice), aged 22. That came while the Hayes Brothers’ Euroa stable still recovers from extensive recent bushfire damage. Trained by the brothers’ father David Hayes, Miss Finland won five Group 1s including the rare double of the Golden Slipper and the VRC Oaks (Gr 1, 2500m). She also performed well at stud, with seven winners from nine runners including Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) queen Stay With Me (Street Cry) and four other stakes horses, two of whom placed at the top level. “We’re not sure he’s as good as Miss Finland, but he looked pretty good there,” JD Hayes said of Hard Kick. “What a thrill. He’s been very well educated at home and we thought he was pretty good and he won with authority there. ” Asked what impressed him the most, Hayes said it was the winning margin. “That was the most easy part of it, but how he was able to control the tempo and kick off. It was a very professional performance,” he said. Hayes was non committal when asked whether the $55,000 late entry fee would be paid to allow Hard Kick to run in the $2 million Blue Diamond. “We’ll keep the option open next week as he did win with his head on his chest there,” he said, “but there’s plenty of options going ahead with this horse. It’s very exciting. ” Lane was most impressed with Hard Kick, who took quite some pulling up past the post, saying he could be one of the best two-year-olds of the current Australian crop. “Once the other horses got... Ciaron’s Star (I Am Invincible) and Ciaron Maher go together like a rhyming couplet, and the presumably sizeable space the expensive filly occupies in her trainer’s heart grew only larger at Randwick on Saturday. Stepping out for her second start after a third over 1000 metres at the same course on January 24, Ciaron’s Star looked impressive in coming away to win the non-black type but nonetheless important two-year-old race, the Pierro Plate (1100m). Ridden by Tommy Berry, Ciaron’s Star jumped well from gate six of ten, raced outside the leader Better By Far (Farnan), and gained the upper hand over her fellow $5. 50 chance in the straight to score by 0. 79 lengths. Persian Wonder (Hello Youmzain) took third, a further 1. 2 lengths away at $14, ahead of the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained $2. 90 favourite Miss Chanel (Tagaloa). Ciaron’s Star shortened for the Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) at Rosehill on March 21, to the fifth line of betting at $21, and her stable said she would likely earn a shot at the world's richest two-year-old race, depending on the outcome of another lead-up run. That next start would put the filly in line to grab black type, either in the Sweet Embrace Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Randwick in two weeks or the Reisling Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at the same track a week later. "You've got a Sweet Embrace in two weeks, a Reisling in three weeks, so we will probably look at one or the other and decide from there," said Maher’s assistant trainer Johann Gerard-Dubord. "She is very straightforward. Mentally, very mature. She was very good first-up, naturally she improved from that. She will just keep improving. " With her win, Ciaron’s Star put herself among her gargantuan stable’s leading two-year-olds, who also include Unit Five (Supido) and the Bennett Racing colt he beat into second in the Magic Millions Gold Coast 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) in Tornado Valley (Too Darn Hot). Another in the mix is Darby Racing’s Spicy Miss (Trapeze Artist), who ran second in the $1 million Golden Gift (1100m) and the Lonhro Plate (Listed, 1000m). "We have got a very good group of two-year-olds this year," Gerard-Dubord said. "I wouldn't say there is a stand-out. The two Magic Millions boys, Spicy Miss, and we've got a couple more coming out in the next couple of weeks. " Berry said Ciaron’s Star was progressing in the right way in terms of Golden Slipper calculations. "Today was all about getting the win to get her close to a Slipper, and she's got to keep improving the way she has, but she's heading in the right direction,” said Berry, adding a clean start was crucial in Saturday’s win. “That's how these two-year-old races are usually won. They're won at the start and she executed herself well. ” Bred by Widden, Qatar Bloodstock and associates, Ciaron’s Star was a $650,000 Inglis Easter purchase for Maher and Craig Sneesby. She’s raced by... On the same day that the Flemington Group 1 named after Black Caviar was run, Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) showed herself to have the makings of another unbeaten superstar with an effortless first-up win at Randwick in the Apollo Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m). The Inglis Easter sale topper of 2023, bought by Arrowfield’s John Messara and Hermitage Thoroughbreds, wrote another chapter in making her $1. 8 million purchase look cheap in cruising to her ninth win from as many starts. With regular rider James McDonald aboard, the Chris Waller-trained four-year-old crossed from gate nine of ten to settle in the one-one as The Instructor (Russian Revolution) set a medium pace, and the result looked clear from a long way out. McDonald shook the reins at the 300 metres and Autumn Glow soon had the lead, strolling home to score like the $1. 40 favourite she was, by 2. 66 lengths. Her fellow four-year-old mare Aeliana (Castelvecchio) took second at $14, while Lindermann (Lonhro) completed an all-Waller trifecta at $13. This victory contained a tinge of sentiment. Autumn Glow carries the same Arrowfield black and yellow diamonds borne so memorably by the great Miss Finland (Redoute’s Choice), the five-time elite winner - including of the rare Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) and VRC Oaks (Gr 1, 2500m) double - and later a top-tier producer. Messara has always rated Miss Finland as the finest of the many champions he has raced. Autumn Glow may soon cause a rethink. The magnificently built mare has now earned almost $7. 5 million from her nine outings, boosted greatly by her victory in last November’s $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at the start before this one. Waller, who went through his own phenomenal winning streak when Winx (Street Cry) won the last 33 of her 43 starts - reviving recent memories of Black Caviar’s (Bel Esprit) 25 from 25 - might now have to consider that he is facing another lengthy unbeaten saga, with all the joy and the pressure such bring. Sydney’s perennial champion trainer said the seven-time stakes winner Autumn Glow would likely try to add three more elite-level wins to her sole top level triumph so far - last spring’s Epsom Handicap (Gr 1, 1600m). Her autumn will continue in the Verry Elleegant Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) back at Randwick on February 28, before Rosehill’s George Ryder Stakes (Gr 1, 1500m) on March 21. A decision would then be made on whether to stretch her in distance to the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) on April 11 or instead target the Queen Of The Turf Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) on the same day. “The first run of the prep is the most important,” Waller told reporters. “It tells you where they are. You can have as many track gallops, trials and exhibition gallops as you want but until they are under race pressure, you don’t know, but that tells me she’s in a pretty good position. ” McDonald had said pre-race... Te Akau’s unbeaten Group 1 winner Return To Conquer (Snitzel) will be an exciting new addition to the Chittick family’s Waikato Stud roster for 2026. The son of Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) will begin his career in the breeding shed at a fee of NZ$15,000. The three-year-old colt was recently retired by Te Akau principal David Ellis after sustaining an injury. “We thought he was the best Snitzel colt in the Magic Millions' sale when we bought him and could not fault him in any way,” Ellis said when announcing the colt’s retirement on January 29. “Unfortunately, he has been able to race as a three-year-old due to injury sustained in a jump out, but he’s by the right sire and has the right pedigree to make a stallion. We are delighted that there are a number of interested parties in standing him, and you can understand why, he is a magnificent, physically well built and attractive individual. ” One of those ‘interested parties’ was Mark Chittick of Waikato and he revealed his delight at being able to secure the talented performer to stand on their power-packed roster. “We’re very excited and proud to stand such a top-class racehorse with a beautiful pedigree and impeccable looks,” Waikato principal Chittick said. “He will complement our broodmare band extremely well and to have Kia Ora remain in him adds to the excitement; the Australasian industry will get every opportunity to support him at this introductory fee. “To stand a horse bought by one of the best judges in the industry is a real privilege, and it’s a testament to the Te Akau Racing team to have him retire with an unbeaten stakes record. ” Return To Conquer was purchased out of Blue Gum Farm’s draft for AU$1. 3 million at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by Ellis, who was pushed all the way by trainer John O’Shea. “From the moment I first inspected him at the Magic Millions' sale, he stood out,” Ellis said on Thursday. “He was a magnificent individual - strong, athletic and beautifully balanced - with the pedigree to match. He developed into an elite racehorse under Mark and Sam's guidance, retiring unbeaten in four starts. “All four of his victories were at stakes level, including the Sistema Stakes. Records like that are seldom found. “Just as importantly, he has a beautiful temperament and a real presence about him. We buy these well-bred colts to compete and win at the highest level and Return To Conquer did exactly that. “To see him retire unbeaten and now head the renowned Waikato Stud is immensely satisfying - it gives him a tremendous platform, and it is a wonderful result for the New Zealand breeding industry. ” Trained by Te Akau’s Walker and Bergerson, Return To Conquer made a winning debut in the Counties Challenge Stakes (Listed, 1100m) at Pukekohe before adding Ellerslie’s Colin Jillings 2YO Classic (Gr 3, 1200m) and the Matamata Slipper (Gr 3, 1200m). Returning to Ellerslie... Jerry Chau continued his remarkable run of form at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, riding a treble to surge into fourth place in the jockeys’ standings and take charge in the race for the Tony Cruz Award contest. Chau has enjoyed a phenomenal start to 2026, having bagged 12 winners since the turn of the year, including eight already in February. The night started promisingly for the Hongkonger when he piloted David Eustace’s Inno Super (Capitalist) to victory in the Class 4 Tseuk Luk Handicap (1650m), the four-year-old breaking through for the first time after several solid showings, much to the Englishman’s delight. “He’s been gradually improving with each run,” Eustace said. “Obviously, he got a really nice setup today and a well-timed drive from Jerry. But I felt like he’s put in a winning performance a couple of times this season, so it was nice to get his head in front. “He’s reasonably versatile now. And I think he can continue to progress,” the second-year trainer added. Chau brought up his double courtesy of a superbly timed charge on Manfred Man’s Bunta Baby (Cable Bay) in the Class 4 Sze Mei Handicap (1000m), guiding the five-year-old out of a congested midfield pack to drive impressively to the line for his second win from 14 starts. He netted his hat-trick when Flying Wrote (Wrote) held on to claim the second section of the Class 4 Sheung Hei Handicap (1200m) with Meowth (Showtime) and The Heir (Impending) closing fast. “I got very good draws tonight, the horses performed very well and I'm very happy,” Chau said. “I need to thank the owners and trainers for their support of me this season. This month, the draws and races have been going well for me, and I'm very grateful for all of this. Hopefully, the luck keeps coming and I can keep riding more winners,” he added. It was the perfect send-off for the product of The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Apprentice Jockeys’ School, who now jets out to Riyadh, where he will ride Man’s Self Improvement (Deep Field) in Saturday’s Riyadh Dirt Sprint (Gr 2, 1200m) at King Abdulaziz Racecourse. Richard Kingscote picked up a double to take his seasonal tally to seven. A banner night for him began aboard Run Run Timing (Deep Field) in the Class 5 Ng Fong Handicap (1650m), when he delivered a second win in 29 starts for the Ricky Yiu trainee. He then brought up his double with a patient effort on Master Resolute (Russian Revolution) in the first section of the Class 4 Sheung Hei Handicap (1200m) for trainer Danny Shum. After enduring an exasperating first half of the season, Kingscote was relieved to repay some of the support he’s received. “The start was very slow with a lot of seconds, which was frustrating, but fortunately, I’ve been able to keep hold of some support and those guys who have kept supporting me are thankfully getting some reward,” said the 2022 Epsom Derby (Gr 1,... 2 f Tassort - Liwa by Mulaazem O: Horseshoe Investments Pty Ltd, Mr D K Sarre, Mr A Bryson, Mr J Jacobson B: Emirates Park T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott S: 2025 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale V: Emirates Park P: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott / Kestrel Thoroughbreds, $280,000 W: Darley Lonhro Plate, Listed, 1000m, February 7, Randwick Agrarian Girl (Tassort) made the perfect start to her career when taking out Randwick’s Lonhro Plate (Listed, 1000m) on debut on Saturday. Starting a $31 chance despite a pair of trial wins, the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained filly defeated Spicy Miss (Trapeze Artist) by 0. 5 lengths under Winona Costin with Savage Look (Wild Ruler) a further 1. 7 lengths behind in third. Adrian Bott said Agrarian Girl’s tenacity is her key asset and that the performance came as no surprise to the stable, as her narrow trial victory may have been misleading given she was still learning. “Maybe she has looked a little bit under pressure in her trials, but she has still been learning and developing, and she responded in those and that’s exactly what she did today,” Bott said. “She has been a very talented filly all the way through. We did feel we were throwing her a little bit in the deep end, we did have her nominated for Canberra yesterday as well. “In fairness, off her trials and the way she looked, she just looked too magnificent to pass up racing here for a bit of black type on her home track. ” Firming from $101 to $34 in Golden Slipper markets following the win, Bott said the stable will now plot a path to the juvenile feature. “I think we have to. Whether that’s through a Silver Slipper or we trial into a race like the Riesling , she has certainly got to be in contention with that tenacity she showed today,” he said. “I’m sure there is some really nice improvement to come. ” Bred and sold by Emirates Park, the filly was a $280,000 buy for her trainers in conjunction with Bruce Slade’s Kestrel Thoroughbreds at the 2025 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale. Now the third individual stakes winner by Newgate Farm’s Tassort (Brazen Beau), Agrarian Girl is the first foal out of dual Listed winner Liwa (Mulaazem), the mare herself a half-sister to Group 3-winning, Group 1 placegetter Coleman (Pierata). Group 1 winner Barnavara (Calyx), who became the highest-priced filly in training sold anywhere in the world last year when going through the ring at 4,800,000gns, is set to go into quarantine near Newmarket ahead of an intended switch to Chris Waller. The daughter of Calyx (Kingman) has been under the supervision of James Ferguson in Newmarket since her purchase at the December Sales at nearby Tattersalls, like Via Sistina (Fastnet Rock), who went on to rack up a remarkable 11 Group 1 wins in Australia. Barnavara won four of her last five starts for Jessica Harrington, claiming a Listed win at Navan and a Group 3 success at Naas before finishing third behind Red Letter (Frankel) in the Snow Fairy Stakes (Gr 3, 1m 1f) at the Curragh in August, when she carried a three-pound penalty. The following month she gained her revenge on Red Letter in the Blandford Stakes (Gr 2, 1m 2f) back at the Curragh, before finishing her three-year-old campaign with a breakthrough Group 1 win in the Prix de l’Opera (Gr 1, 2000m) on Arc day at Longchamp. A couple of months later, she brought the hammer down at 4,800,000gns at Tattersalls to the bid of Sugar Whiskey Trading, having been consigned by Baroda Stud on behalf of owners Alpha Racing. Dual Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) heroine Via Sistina, who herself changed hands for 2,700,000gns at Tattersalls in 2023, kicked off her lucrative Australian career with a win in the Ranvet Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) at Rosehill in Sydney the following March, and Barnavara could follow the same route. Ferguson said: “We’ve had Barnavara since the sale and she's been working away nicely on the all-weather in recent weeks. "The plan is to take her to Kempton for a racecourse gallop next Thursday. After that, she'll go into quarantine at a new place over in Chippenham, before shipping out to Chris Waller’s early next month. "She’s been a pleasure to train and all is good with her as she heads into the next chapter of her career. ” Snitzel over Charge Forward, and a close-up doubling of Redoute’s Choice are to the fore in the sparkling and strongly Australian-flavoured pedigree of Inglis Millennium (RL, 1100m) winner Fireball. Chris Waller’s colt became the late Snitzel’s (Redoute's Choice) 167th individual stakes winner, and his 64th juvenile black type victor, with a powerful display to win Saturday's $2 million feature under James McDonald, staying unbeaten at his second start and rising to the fourth line of betting for the Golden Slipper (Gr 1,1200m). He also bolstered Snitzel’s chances of pushing for his fifth Australian general sires’ title, despite his death last June aged 22. He’s now more than $2 million clear at the top of the table, with two Arrowfield star sons of Redoute’s Choice (Danehill) filling the top two, The Autumn Sun ranking second. Snitzel is also well clear on the score of stakes winners with nine for the season, two ahead of a three-way tie for second between I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit), Street Boss (Street Cry) and Written Tycoon (Iglesia). Snitzel’s nine include elite-level victors Baraqiel and Transatlantic. And the late superstar remarkably occupies top five spots on both the two-year-old (second) and broodmare (fifth) sire tables, as well as the three-year-old standings (fourth). Occasionally, you have to stop and smell the stats and take stock of what a historically significant sire he was, and continues to be. And in Fireball - bought by James Harron and Tony Fung’s colts syndicate for $460,000 at Inglis Easter - we see not only some classic Snitzel breeding, but a few paths well proven in colonial breeding. Bred by Michael O’Keeffe, the colt descends from one of the better families of the late breeding legend Geoff White, who was responsible for his third dam Countess Christie (Marscay), a triple stakes-winner who threw another black type victor. Countess Christie’s dam was White’s American mare Brilliantdeduction (Capote), who won a US Listed and was a half-sister to two more black type victors including the 16-time winner Thumbsucker (Great Sun). And Brilliantdeduction’s dam - Fireball's fifth - brings huge class. My Dear Plum (Royal Intent), foaled in 1969, was the dam of three stakes winners and four stakes-placed horses from just 11 foals. Fireball is the second foal and only runner out of the Charge Forward (Red Ransom) mare Advance Party. Bred by Cressfield Thoroughbreds and associates, she was bought by O’Keeffe for $75,000 at Inglis Classic and trained by Bryce Heys. Incidentally, O’Keeffe and Heys were very active again at the Classic sale this week, buying four lots together under the Ellerslie Lodge banner including the sale’s fifth and sixth most expensive yearlings - an Arrowfield colt by Castelvecchio (Dundeeel) for $390,000, and a Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) filly offered by Mullaglass Stud, for $380,000. Advance Party was nothing too special as a racehorse, winning two at the NSW provincials from 19 starts for O’Keeffe and Heys. But it was the bloodlines behind her O’Keeffe was particularly keen on. In putting her... A glowing post-trial report from Craig Williams combined with his own lofty opinion of Grinzinger Heart (Toronado) has persuaded Ben Brisbourne to throw the juvenile filly in at the deep end in Saturday’s Talindert Stakes (Listed, 1100m) at Flemington where the English ex-pat trainer hopes to make his black type breakthrough. The Wangaratta-based horseman, who branched out on his own in 2018 after cutting his training teeth at Lindsay Park, has previously come close to sampling stakes success with five minor placings to his name, but victory has so far eluded him on the big stage. However, with Victoria’s autumn carnival being officially unveiled at Flemington, there would be no better time to crack the code and, buoyed by Williams’ effusive praise after Grinzinger Heart’s recent tune-up at Caulfield, the 36-year-old is quietly confident that his dynamic debutante may just be the horse to give his burgeoning operation lift-off. Unfortunately for Brisbourne and Grinzinger Heart’s owner John Wheeler, who purchased Lot 69 for $110,000 at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast National Yearling Sale, Williams is unavailable to continue their association having recently collected a careless riding suspension. The champion jockey will be replaced in the saddle by Mick Dee, the New Zealand native who is bidding to land another statement win with a novice juvenile having partnered the Danny O’Brien-trained colt Closer To Free (Street Boss) to a debut victory at Caulfield last week. Earlier this year Grinzinger Heart chased home Closer To Free in a Wodonga jump-out, so it would represent quite the coincidence if that low-key event were to prove one of the form contests of the autumn by producing the winners of the Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) (Gr 3, 1100m) and the Talindert on successive Saturdays. “She jumped out really nicely behind Closer To Free at Wodonga, so we’re certainly hoping that form holds up on Saturday,” Brisbourne told ANZ News shortly before saddling up Iced Poppy (Frosted) to victory at Kyneton on Tuesday. “Adrian Corboy broke our filly in and he said she had shown plenty of promise right from the start. She’s certainly done nothing wrong since joining us, she’s very straightforward to train and after her most recent trial at Caulfield, Craig gave her a glowing report. “Going on her work at home and her trials, we think she’s ready to make a good start to her career on Saturday so hopefully she can put her hand up like Closer To Free did last week. She hasn’t seen the straight at Flemington before so she’ll have to go there and handle that, but the same probably applies to most horses in the race. “Nothing seems to faze her and she’s not just your typical jump-and-run two-year-old, she’s got a bit more scope and versatility than that so hopefully her class can shine through in the last 200 metres. ” On the subject of class, the $175,000 Talindert was won (jointly) last year by Tentyris (Street Boss), the crack colt who bids to claim... Podcast (Microphone), a three-quarter sister to the current favourite for Saturday week's Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m), topped the Magic Millions Digital Sale that concluded on Wednesday. A dual winning four-year-old daughter of Microphone (Exceed And Excel), Podcast was purchased by Hong Kong-based Hall of Fame Bloodstock for $85,000. The Newington Farm-offered mare is a three-quarter sister to Big Sky (Bivouac) who is unbeaten in two runs for the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr stable and is the $4 favourite for the Blue Diamond. Podcast and Big Sky's dam Zoom By (Red Dazzler), a four-time winner, is herself a half-sister to Firenza (Kenny’s Best Pal) and Beauty World (Danehill Dancer) - the dam of stakes winners Hi World (High Chaparral), Lite'n In My Veins (Henrythenavigator), Written Beauty (Written Tycoon), Ducimus (Snitzel) and Loveyamadly (Bel Esprit). "Our team is ecstatic with the result," Julian Blaxland, representing vendor Newington Farm, said. "From the moment we entered her in the sale, the Magic Millions Digital team worked hard and marketed her so well to try and maximise our return. ” There was spirited bidding across a number of lots with Western Australian trainer Ryan Hill pleased with his returns including the 26-bid result for Marines Cry (Long Leaf), who sold for $13,000. "We're very happy with the results," Hill said. "She is a good filly but her sale price exceeded our expectations. ” Entries for the next Magic Millions Digital (February 27 to March 4) Sale open on Thursday and close on February 25. To lodge an entry click here. Black market betting is “rampant” on an international scale and domestic gambling regulators need to think globally to tackle it, the Asian Racing Conference (ARC) was warned on Tuesday. Hong Kong Jockey Club chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, speaking during the 41st edition of the conference in Riyadh, urged racing authorities to hammer home to their governments that focusing on tackling illegal betting in their own countries alone would fail to yield a noticeable downturn. He said: “Illegal wagering is rampant; its growth is exponential. Illegal bookmakers offer better prices, they give credit and crypto, which makes tracking money laundering difficult. “The regulators are looking at this nationally but they need to see the international component. So it is a case of coming together to change views. ” This month a new illegal betting taskforce was launched in the UK in an attempt to stem the growing black market. But Engelbrecht-Bresges cited affordability checks brought in as part of the gambling white paper in 2023 as a prime example of policies that have boosted the appeal of the unregulated market. “In the UK, affordability checks have created a massive incentive to go offshore,” he said. “So now we are making an effort to make these authorities see what we see. “We have a huge challenge from the illegal market. Regulators have to approach the challenge globally and not just locally, otherwise it will not make a difference. ” The ARC, which runs until Thursday, is seeking to not only tackle illegal betting but address the issues of falling foal crops and finding ways to engage new fans. Engelbrecht-Bresges said it was “a concern as an industry that we are not growing” in terms of the number of horses produced and that this was happening at the same time as an expanding stakes programme, meaning the “top horses can avoid each other” too easily. Younger generations were seeking “instant gratification”, Engelbrecht-Bresges added, and horseracing betting was falling behind emerging trends. “If you promote only wagering, especially to a younger generation, you have no chance," he said. "Because they have gaming – instant gratification, so we have to first really promote our sport. ” Mick Price has ecstatic and agonising memories when it comes to Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) and yearling sales, and they both spurred him on at Inglis Classic on Tuesday. In the happy corner, he was the man who bought Extreme Choice - also at Classic in 2015 - for $100,000, before training him to the two Group 1 victories that set up his astonishing stud career. In the blue corner, he just missed out on buying one of his daughters when she went to Anthony Cummings (Bart Cummings) for $275,000 at Inglis Easter in 2021. Later named She’s Extreme, she became just Extreme Choice’s second elite-level winner, taking the ATC Champagne Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) and VRC Oaks (Gr 1, 2500m), before nabbing a cool $3. 4 million in a broodmare sale. “I was the underbidder on her as a yearling, stupidly,” said Price, always good for an entertaining chat. “And of course when I was talking to Anthony later he said, ‘I had not one more cent’. “I spec them, so it’s a matter of courage. I just have courage or no courage. ” Price would have loved to have trained that filly, but he’s especially keen to have a star colt by his old explosive sprinter, who ended as the sale’s leading sire by averages, with three or more lots sold. That’s what he’s hoping he bought at Riverside on Tuesday, for $360,000. The colt was presented by Extreme Choice’s home stud Newgate Farm in tandem with Gooree. He boasts an impressive page, being out of an unraced sister to Northern Meteor (Encosta De Lago) and a half-sister to two other stakes winners. Price has had sons of Extreme Choice before, of course. The best of them has become a sire himself in Rosemont’s Extreme Warrior, who’s making a promising start in the hope he may have inherited just a drop of his father’s potency. Yet Extreme Warrior’s racing record came without the elite success craved by so many studs - and Price. The Group 3 and Listed winner ran favourite in both his attempts at elite level - in the Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) and The Goodwood (Gr 1, 1200m) - but finished down the track in each, and was retired following the latter after just eight career starts. “He was a very good colt, but I couldn’t get him right when I wanted to. Hopefully this one I can,” Price said. “I’m dying to buy a Group 1 colt by Extreme Choice. I like fillies, but we train a lot of colts, and I’m bursting to buy a Group 1 colt by Extreme Choice. That would give me fantastic pleasure. ” Like any good “at first sight” story, Price remembers like yesterday the 2015 Classic sale, back under the oak tree at Newmarket. “Luke Wilkinson was my bloodstock man at the time,” he recalled. “I said, ‘Go there, give me 30 horses to look at, I’ll fly up for a day and... Tony and Calvin McEvoy lodged a ringing vote of confidence in Ghaiyyath (Dubawi) as the Darley shuttler took another great leap in his burgeoning career by emerging with the auction topper as the third most successful Inglis Classic Yearling Sale in history wrapped on Tuesday. Team McEvoy paired with regular partner Damon Gabbedy’s Belmont Bloodstock to pay $625,000 for the imposing colt, offered as Lot 668 by New Zealand’s Wentwood Grange stud, making him Classic’s highest-priced lot since 2022 and its equal third-highest this decade. The well-related bay is the fifth foal out of Berg En Dal (Dehere), a two-time winning half-sister to Leigh Valley (Bianconi), a New Zealand Group 3 victor but best known as the dam of Valley Girl (Mastercraftsman), who won Te Rapa’s Herbie Dyke Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) in 2016 before running second in Rosehill’s Vinery Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) the following month. Team McEvoy’s purchase highlighted an auction which showed increases in all metrics on its 2025 edition, with Inglis Bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch describing Inglis’s first sale of the season as “very pleasing”. Ghaiyyath has become a hot sire, bursting to prominence last spring in Melbourne with his first four stakes winners in the space of a few weeks. Capped by the VRC Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) triumph of Ciaron Maher and Godolphin’s Observer, the quartet gave the four-time Group 1-winning stallion an 11. 11 per cent stakes winners to runners ratio in Australia from just 36 starters. He also faces the near certainty of a return to Australia this spring after a year off the shuttle, and with a huge fee rise from his 2024 mark of $27,500. Tuesday’s colt also obliterated the Ghaiyyath’s previous top Australasian sale, the Curraghmore filly who sold for NZ$375,000 to China Horse Club at Karaka last month. And, still riding the wave from their Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) success with Half Yours (St Jean), the father and son McEvoys are confident their first foray into Ghaiyyath’s stock will stand a strong chance of continuing their stable’s success overall, and its strong record at Classic in particular. The stable’s recent graduates from the sale have included Group 1 winners Veight (Grunt) and Coco Sun (The Autumn Sun). “We love the stallion. He’s doing very good things, isn’t he? He’s got everyone very excited,” said Calvin McEvoy, moments after winning a tense bidding duel with bloodstock agent Dean Hawthorne. “We tried to buy a few in New Zealand, but unfortunately we weren’t strong enough. But this is a colt that we’ve been really trying to piece together since I saw him on Tuesday last week. “He’s just a beautiful walker, a good, strong colt off a great farm, a farm with very good stats. So I knew we’d have to be strong. I didn’t know I’d have to be that strong, but we’re pleased to have him. “He’s not fully subscribed yet so there’s certainly positions in him. ” McEvoy hopes the colt might be the first... New and highly structured entity the Equine Growth Fund (EGF) may have to rethink some plans due to the price involved, but they were delighted to snare the top lot at the Inglis Classic on a robust day of trade on two at Riverside. Little more than a year old, EGF stretched to $540,000 to buy Lot 462, the brother to triple stakes-winning mare Stretan Angel (Harry Angel) presented by his boutique Hunter Valley breeders Kirks Bridge Farm. The price represented the best result at Classic since 2024, and spearheaded a day of robust trading, with the clearance rate, average and gross all up on the 2025 edition. EGF founder and managing director Stefan Pardi fought off fierce competition to secure the colt, consigning Annabel and Rob Archibald to the role of underbidders. The purchase represented the latest splash by Pardi’s group, which involves 15 investors and is now operating within its second fund which, Pardi said, has $25 million to invest. “This colt is a stallion prospect and this is what Equine Growth Fund is trying to do,” Pardi said. “We’re trying to buy these horses to make stallions and he was my number one colt, my number one horse out of 800 at this sale. ” EGF first emerged as a major player when setting the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale record last year with the $775,000 purchase of a Too Darn Hot (Dubawi) colt and it operates through various investment operations including pinhooking, trading and racing. While the original intention for Monday’s Harry Angel colt may have been trading, as the bidding surged that became less of a profitable option. “I only had $450,000 on him, but I just didn’t want to lose him,” Pardi said. “At $450,000, he was definitely going to be a traded horse, but at the money I paid, I think it’s a bit top-heavy to try to trade; it’s a bit of a risk. ” Pardi explained EGF - which teamed up with the likes of Ciaron Maher and Chris Waller to buy seven yearlings, including two for $525,000, at the Magic Millions Gold Coast last month - operated with well organised strategies, which would help dictate plans for the Harry Angel colt. “I’ve got my money in the Equine Growth Fund too ... so I align myself with my investors and have skin in the game,” said Pardi, whose group plans to buy 100 racing and breeding propositions this year. “I’ve got to make sure I do the right thing by them . Plus I have a very stringent CIO and CEO who really bolt down on what things we buy. We have stringent criteria. “At this stage I think we’ll race him under the Equine Growth Fund, and the strategy is to buy 20 or 25 racehorses, and the rest is breeding stock. ” Pardi, who has a varied business background from construction to coffee, said EGF differed from other thoroughbred investment funds. “This is the first institutional one. The others... Former chef turned syndicator Wylie Dalziel was back at the scene of one of his greatest coups on Monday, cooking up a plan for a second helping of success with The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice). Dalziel was something of a pioneer for the young Arrowfield stallion at Inglis Easter in 2022, teaming with his main trainer Peter Moody to buy a filly from his first crop, for $230,000. She became Autumn Angel and not only a poster girl for her sire but for the concept that quality can be bought at Easter south of common ideas of “Easter prices”. After a slightly nervous wait at Arrowfield, she broke through to become The Autumn Sun’s first elite winner in the ATC Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) of 2024, and it was the trickle that presaged a flood, with Vibrant Sun and Coco Sun giving him two more within a month. Autumn Angel won almost $1. 2m and was sold as a broodmare for a touch more. The Autumn Sun now has ten stakes winners at 4. 76 per cent of runners. But the stat assumes a different lustre considering a stunning 50 per cent of them have been Group 1 winners, the other two being rather special in Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) hero Autumn Boy, and the potentially phenomenal Autumn Glow. With so much water under the bridge - and the prospect of The Autumn Sun’s stock becoming rarer for a while after his year off from breeding due to injury in 2024 - Dalziel is not banking on being able to secure one of his fillies this Easter for an Autumn Angel price. So, operating within a budget, he was at the more economical Inglis Classic on Monday to buy one instead, albeit still not for $230,000 but $290,000. Offered by co-breeders Arrowfield, Lot 283 also hints at staying potential, being the fifth foal of Pandemonium (Sebring), a four-time winner to 1600 metres who was Listed placed in Adelaide over that trip. She’ll add to the handful of progeny of The Autumn Sun in the Dalziel-Moody axis, which also includes Vivid Sun, a three-year-old winner of two from four Dalziel has tipped for stakes success, and Autumn Lover, a two-year-old filly set to debut in Saturday’s Talindert Stakes (Listed, 1100m) at Flemington. “We love the filly,” Dalziel told ANZ News of Monday’s acquisition. “Peter came up last week and had a look, and we felt that out of The Autumn Suns, she was the one we really wanted. “We’ve obviously had really good luck with the progeny, having had Autumn Angel. We’ve now got five or six The Autumn Suns and we really like them, and we’re doing well with them. “He’s a fantastic stallion. I thought he would be a decent bet from the get go, being such a great racehorse and considering the way Arrowfield really supports their stallions, and it’s panning out that way. His stats are amazing. ” Dalziel also noted his new filly was bred... While the Almanzor (Wootton Bassett) story continues to grow, courtesy of First Five’s stunning BCD Sprint (Gr 1, 1400m) win, Te Papa’s “Legends Day” belonged to Waikato Stud’s Ocean Park (Thorn Park). Two of his daughters, Ohope Wins and Autumn Glory, not only nabbed the two 3YO features, they also became the top two favourites for the New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m), set for February 21. Ohope Wins heads the market for the New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m). Meanwhile, down at Wingatui, Waikato Stud’s Savabeel (Zabeel) inched closer to his sire’s record of 166 individual stakes winners when Witz End notched stakes winner 157 when taking out the Hazlett Stakes (Listed, 1400m). The recent Karaka Yearling Sale was comparatively quiet for Waikato Stud. We are used to their high-flyers peppering the sale and also used to seeing their name at the head of the aggregate, which they have achieved on ten occasions since 2014. A highlight was their Super Seth (Dundeel) siring the sixth highest-priced lot. Saturday might be seen as some sort of consolation? Or perhaps affirmation. They won’t remain quiet for long. Kiwi Chronicles’ July 15, 2025 issue included a reference to Ocean Park in that, despite mixed results, his days were “far from finished”. The stud agreed and published the piece on their website. Now is as good a time as any to follow up on that observation. Last November, at Riccarton’s New Zealand Guineas meeting Ocean Park’s Mystic Park took out the rich TAB Mile (Gr 3, 1600m). Ellerslie’s two day Boxing Day-New Year’s Day meeting saw two new stakes winners when Tellum landed the Eight Carat Classic (Gr 2, 1600m) and Ohope Wins won big in the Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (Gr 2, 2000m). The latter, in conjunction with Autumn Glory, made it a same-day double last Saturday with wins in the David & Karyn Ellis Fillies Classic (Gr 2, 2100m) and the Waikato Guineas (Gr 2, 2000m). Notably, Autumn Glory was one of only two fillies up against the boys. In a patient Vinnie Colgan ride, Autumn Glory was in the back half of the field until the 600m but she had not covered any extra ground to that point. Into the straight Colgan found a lane four out then went wider still soon after. Her challenge took place at the 200m and her momentum put her almost level at the 100m then led with 50m to run to hold out all other challenges by a long neck. The filly was making just her third start. On debut, in early January, she was successful over 1400 metres at Ruakaka. Taking on stakes class at start two she was confronted with a heavy track in the Oaks Prelude (Listed, 1800m) at New Plymouth. Saturday she proved that she is well above average. Autumn Glory, withdrawn from Book 2 of NZB’s 2024 Karaka Yearling Sale, brings up individual stakes winner 26 for Ocean Park. She is one of five winners from Venus’s Dream, a... Tattersalls Online has announced a dedicated southern hemisphere session within its Online February Sale, which will be held on February 17 and 18 in collaboration with Inglis Digital. The session, which is now available to view on the Tattersalls Online website, marks the third collaboration between Tattersalls Online and Inglis Digital and aims to continue to strengthen the connection between the northern and southern hemisphere markets. The upcoming southern hemisphere session will feature a select draft from The Castlebridge Consignment, headlined by a rare opportunity to acquire southern hemisphere-bred progeny by Darley shuttler Too Darn Hot (Dubawi). The sire of four individual Group 1 winners, including champion two-year-old and multiple Group 1 winner Broadsiding, the success of Too Darn Hot's progeny has been particularly pronounced in the southern hemisphere, where his first crop, now four-year-olds, included ten individual stakes winners at a clip of 13 per cent stakes winners to runners. His current two-year-old crop in the southern hemisphere has produced two stakes winning juveniles from just seven runners to date. Among the highlights of the session is a three-in-one package featuring the young mare Moraless (Churchill), offered together with her southern hemisphere-bred weanling colt by Too Darn Hot and in foal on a southern hemisphere cover to last season’s champion first-season sire, Starman (Dutch Art). Moraless is a half-sister to Moonee Valley Gold Cup (Gr 2, 2500m) winner Hunting Horn (Camelot) and Group 2 winner and Group 1-placed juvenile David Livingston (Galileo). She is out of Mora Bai (Indian Ridge), a half-sister to champion sire High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells). Also to be offered in the session is a September-born weanling filly by Too Darn Hot out of the proven black type-producing mare Belle Isle (Pastoral Pursuits), dam of Group 3-winning two-year-old Abel Handy (Arcano). Having stood the 2024 southern hemisphere season at Darley’s Dalham Hall Stud in Newmarket, only 32 foals by Too Darn Hot are currently recorded on the Australian Stud Book from the 2025 foaling season. “This southern hemisphere session offers a genuinely unique opportunity," Tattersalls Online sales manager Katherine Sheridan said. "Too Darn Hot’s 2024 southern hemisphere foals are exceptionally limited in number and when combined with pedigrees of this quality, the appeal is clear. We are delighted to once again collaborate with Inglis Digital and to present a session that we expect will attract strong international interest. ” Inglis bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch added: “The collaborations with Tattersalls Online are a product of conversations that we have been having with the team at Tattersalls for a number of years and in the instances that we have executed them, they have generated good engagement and a number of excellent results. “Katherine raised the possibility of this opportunity last month and we were very keen for Inglis Digital to be involved as we feel we can add significant value to the process. Access to Too Darn Hot was particularly limited in his fifth season because he was domiciled in England, and as such, the is a real... The rareness of Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) stock, an enticing blend of grandfathers and an imposing physical form inspired Star Thoroughbreds and Vin Cox to land a surgical strike and secure the top lot on a fair first day at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale. While a torrid bidding duel had played out, Denise Martin’s Star and Cox succeeded with a single bid - $425,000 - to emerge with the filly, offered by the home of subfertile sensation Extreme Choice, Newgate Farm, in partnership with Gooree. The chestnut is the fourth foal out of Nais Ko, who is a daughter of a surging broodmare sire Exceed And Excel (Danehill). The mare is a winning half-sister to Group 1 victor Your Song (Fastnet Rock) whose page also includes Europe’s Horse of the Year of 2001, Fantastic Light (Rahy). One of just 44 live foals for the 2024 crop for Extreme Choice, the filly ranked as the top lot ahead of the $400,000 colt by Hellbent (I Am Invincible) bought from Riverstone Lodge by BK Racing’s Benny Vassallo who’ll be sent to renowned two-year-old trainer Gary Portelli. Day one of the sale yielded a mixed bag of results. The clearance rate of 80 per cent eclipsed the 73 per cent figure at the close of day one last year, but the average was down 3. 7 per cent at $96,167. The median also dropped 6. 25 per cent to $75,000. With 198 lots sold compared to 177 for 2025, the gross stood at $19,041,000, a 7. 6 per cent increase on the corresponding session 12 months ago. Sale statistics - Day 1* 2026 2025 Catalogued 270 270 Offered 246 243 Sold 198 (80%) 177 (73%) Aggregate $19,041,000 (+7. 6%) $17,691,500 Average $96,167 (-3. 7%) $99,952 Median $75,000 (-6. 25%) $80,000 Top Lot $425,000 $400,000 * stats from 2025 are taken at the close of trade on day 1 Inglis bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch was optimistic the auction could still clearly outstrip last year’s as trading continues, including on passed-in lots, but conceded selling had been tough for vendors in the sub-$100,000 market. “I’m pleased with the day,” he said. “The metrics read well, the clearance is up significantly on the equivalent stage of last year. The gross is up. The median is back a little bit, but that’s consistent with the clearance being up. “There’s been a good bounce in it, certainly in terms of gross. “You can prepare however you like, and I feel like we were well prepared for today, but you still can’t make people put up their hand. “So it was pleasing to see the sale start very well. There were some good results early, it was very strong through the middle of the day. “But I don’t think there’s any disguising that in the sub-100 grand bracket, it feels very much like a buyers’ market. “Those horses cracking through six figures really seem to kick on, but it is a buyers’ market in that less... Back at the sale where they struck gold when buying Private Harry (Harry Angel) three years ago, Kurrinda Bloodstock flexed its increased buying muscle with a pair of top shelf purchases at Inglis Classic on Monday. Sean Driver’s syndications group went hard for one that went early - Lot 15 - paying $260,000 for New Zealand farm Windsor Park’s colt by hot young stallion Sword Of State (Snitzel), in tandem with new partner Ciaron Maher. Kurrinda then teamed with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott and Kestrel Thoroughbreds, paying $300,000 for Monarch Stud’s Lot 124, a filly by Too Darn Hot (Dubawi) - sire of the Kurrinda-Tulloch Lodge stakes-winning two-year-old filly Shiki. Driver bought Private Harry’s half-sister last year with that stallion’s trainer Nathan Doyle for $220,000. In 2024, also at Classic, the same pairing bought a half-brother by Anders (Not A Single Doubt) for $100,000. On Monday, Driver didn't make it four siblings in the end when another half-brother by Zousain (Zoustar) came under the hammer. That colt went from breeders Rheinwood Pastoral to Team Archibald for $300,000. Still, done for the day with his two purchases, Driver reflected on the successes that have allowed Kurrinda to move up the budgetary ladder in recent times. This includes buying an I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) colt at Magic Millions Gold Coast last month for $480,000, again with Waterhouse and Bott and Kestrel, and going to $420,000 for Shiki with the same trainers at that sale a year earlier. And while Kurrinda enjoyed a windfall last March when Yulong bought half of Private Harry in a deal understood to be worth more than $8 million after his win in The Galaxy (Gr 1, 1100m), Driver said that hadn’t acted as any trigger towards greater spending. “It’s got nothing to do with Private Harry’s sale - that’s a completely separate issue,” Driver told ANZ News. “It’s just the way we’ve grown. We’re very calculated. “We paid $115,000 for Private Harry three years ago. We were probably only getting up to the $200,000 mark back then. “But with time, you need to adjust. Things cost more. It’s inflation, right? The horse world’s the same. ” Kurrinda, which prepares its new yearlings and spells its horses on its own 40-acre farm near Cessnock, has also been buoyed by a wave of non-Private Harry results in recent times. Aside from Shiki, who’s earned $265,000 from two wins, Kurrinda’s white with the pale blue star have been carried by Doyle’s Roman Consul Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) hero Hidden Motive (Capitalist), Matt Dale’s Caulfield stakes winner Boston Rocks (Hellbent) and his lightly-raced city-winning stablemate So You Pence (So You Think), among others. “At the end of the day the results are there on the racetrack, so hopefully it continues,” Driver said. “We’re also getting great support from our trainers. When we purchase a horse, the trainers are all staying in the horse, so they trust our systems. The horse spells with us, and it’s educated by us, which... Numbers (Tivaci) firmly advanced his credentials for the remainder of the Hong Kong Four-Year-Old Classic Series with a commanding victory in Sunday’s Centenary Vase Handicap (Gr 3, 1800m) at Sha Tin. The Frankie Lor-trained gelding dominated his six rivals, each with a Group-level winning profile, as he led from start-to-finish on his way to a two-length victory in the HK$4. 2 million (approx. AU$769,420) contest. The Tivaci (High Chaparral) gelding went off a strong $1. 70 favourite on the strength of an eye-catching front-running victory in December, his first in Hong Kong. The handicapper gave him eight points for that, but Numbers still went off from the foot of the weights against a more experienced field. From barrier two, he was worked to the head of the field by Derek Leung and enjoyed a rail-hugging passage half-a-length in front of Andrea Atzeni on Ensued (Lemon Drop Kid) to the bend. As they entered the straight, a group headed by Chancheng Glory (Mor Spirit) under Zac Purton moved to his shoulder to briefly offer resistance, before Leung shook up the four-year-old and opened a gap on his pursuers. Speed Dragon (Darci Brahma), ridden by Lyle Hewitson, improved to take second, with Karis Teetan and Encountered (Churchill) finishing third. “He was still a bit nervous in the gates, but he did a good job,” Leung said. “He handled himself pretty good. After he relaxed, I started to pick up at the 800 metres. He listened to me, and he made my job pretty easy. ” Leung said his tactical versatility makes Numbers a major threat for the Hong Kong Derby (2000m) on March 22. “He can lead, or if someone’s going faster than him, he can be second or third – just whatever he wants to be,” Leung said. “He loves to chase a horse. So, it doesn’t matter ... he loves the challenge. ” The second leg of the Four-Year-Old Classic Series is the Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) on March 1, and on this evidence, Numbers will take some beating as the Series extends to 1800 metres and beyond. His last act in Australia pre-import was a spirited second in the Queensland Derby (Gr 1, 2400m). Trainer Lor said he was confident. “I have a lot of hope. You can see in Australia he already has form over 2400 metres, so I don’t think there will be any problems and we’ll just go for it,” he said. Andrea Atzeni improved to 25 wins for the season as he grabbed a treble. The Italian’s first winner came on King Dance (Nyquist), who produced a giant effort to snatch his first career win at the seventh attempt. The US-bred chestnut, trained by Francis Lui, is a son of dirt superstar Nyquist (Uncle Mo) and made good on his classy pedigree, claiming the first section of the Class 4 Lung Yat Handicap (1200m, dirt). Atzeni made it two after a grinding effort on David Hall’s Good Chap (Deep Field), who claimed a first... Cranbourne-based trainer Clinton McDonald moved a step closer to a second Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) victory in three years after Streisand (Magnus) broke her maiden with a timely win in Saturday’s Fillies’ Prelude (Gr 2, 1100m) at Caulfield. Ridden positively by Jamie Melham, the $3 favourite took bad luck out of the equation by racing on speed before proving too strong late, scoring by 0. 8 lengths from Chayan with fellow I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) filly I Am Aria another 0. 3 lengths back in third. The victory propelled Streisand to a prominent position in the Blue Diamond Stakes market, firming her to $8 for the Group 1 contest back at Caulfield on February 21. Streisand had endured a chequered passage when unplaced behind Rubi’s Choice (Rubick) in the fillies' Blue Diamond Preview (Gr 3, 1000m) on her previous start, but McDonald said race experience proved decisive against less seasoned rivals. “She’s done all the hard yards,” the winning trainer said. “She’s seasoned whereas a lot of these other horses are still learning their craft. ” McDonald combined with Melham to win the Blue Diamond in 2024 with Hayasugi (Royal Meeting), and the trainer was not shy to draw comparisons between the pair. “She’ll go a long way in the Diamond. I think she’s got the right mental aptitude for it and the toughness. I’ve said all the way along she’s a bit like Hayasugi, understated, tough. “This one has a bit more bitch about her, I suppose, a bit more temperamental whereas Hayasugi was a sweetheart. We’re happy to put up with her and we’re looking forward to the next two weeks. ” Melham was full of praise for the filly, though she is expected to hand the ride back to her husband Ben Melham on raceday. “She’s a push button horse and you need that with a two-year-old,” the winning rider said. “She reminds me of Hayasugi. You can ask her to do anything and be anywhere in the race. ” Streisand was purchased for $100,000 by McDonald and bloodstock agent Shane McGrath and is part-owned by former AFL ruckman Michael Gardiner. She is the second foal to race and first winner out of the winning Zoustar (Northern Meteor) mare Zouper Star, a half-sister to stakes winner Best Yet To Come (Econsul) and the Group 3-placed Simply Put (Charge Forward). In winning Saturday’s race, she became the 33rd individual stakes winner for the late Widden Stud sire Magnus, who died in 2023. Danny O’Brien’s rapidly emerging colt Closer To Free (Street Boss) surged into Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) contention following his commanding all-the-way debut victory in Saturday’s Prelude (Gr 3, 1100m) (C&G) at Caulfield. The son of Street Boss (Street Cry) justified a recent Blue Diamond market move, leading throughout under Michael Dee to score a decisive length victory over the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained Guest House (Home Affairs). The win saw Closer To Free firm into $6 (from $23) for the Blue Diamond on February 21, having been available at $201 before the wave of support. He now sits on the second line of betting behind Chairman’s Stakes (Gr 3, 1000m) winner Big Sky (Bivouac) ($4. 20). Purchased by O’Brien little more than a week ago following a standout trial at Caulfield Heath, Closer To Free was formerly prepared by respected breaker Adrian Corboy, and the colt’s trial performance was enough to prompt an immediate offer. “Before the horse left the mounting yard after the trial, I walked back with him and saw how easily he'd taken it,” O’Brien said. “As Adrian was hosing the horse down, I bought him. “He's a beautiful colt and he's got a proper pedigree. With Street Boss, his first three dams were all two-year-old stakes winners, so there is plenty to like about him. “I thought he maybe looks a bit burly and might need the run, which is good for two weeks' time. He has an amazing nature. He's a very relaxed, sensible colt and always travels comfortably. I think he's well above average. ” The Prelude victory came after Closer To Free had already advertised his talent by edging out Eternal Warrior (Extreme Warrior) in an 800-metre trial late last month, a clash the pair reprised in Saturday’s feature, with the son of Extreme Warrior (Extreme Choice) finishing 1. 2 lengths off the winner in third. Dee, who won last year’s Blue Diamond aboard Devil Night (Extreme Choice), said Closer To Free had made an immediate impression. “I saw him live when he trialled at the Heath track and I thought 'oh, what was that thing,' the winning rider said. “He flies the gates, puts himself there and has a good turn-of-foot. I was very impressed with how well we were able to jump and I thought there would be more pressure in the first furlong. “He actually gave me a similar feel to what Devil Night did last year. Very similar horse. Same colour, very stocky and built similar. Devil Night raced second and we were able to win here today. ” A $60,000 purchase for Polaris Bloodstock out of the Milburn Creek draft at last year’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Closer To Free is first foal to race out of the Listed-winning juvenile Lady Naturaliste (Choisir), herself a half-sister to Debutant Stakes (Listed, 1000m) winner Tanker (Pride Of Dubai) out of Tale Of The Cat (Storm Cat) mare Calcatta, also a Listed winner at two. In winning... Champion trainer Chris Waller further bolstered his Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) hand after unbeaten colt Fireball (Snitzel) delivered a classy first-up victory in Saturday’s $2 million Inglis Millennium (RL, 1100m) at Randwick. Resuming from a spell after an impressive debut win at Rosehill in November, the James Harron-owned Fireball powered home down the outside under James McDonald to defeat Ghana’s Akan (Street Boss) by 0. 7 lengths as the $4. 60 favourite, with Victorian visitor and last-start Blue Diamond Preview (Listed, 1000m) (C&G) winner Alibaba (Alabama Express) another 0. 1 lengths away in third. Waller said the most encouraging aspect of the performance was the colt’s ability to win on raw talent, with improvement still to come. “He will get stronger, and he’ll get faster. He’s got the frame, he is well-bred,” Waller said. “He hasn’t been wound up to get to today. He wasn’t even going to run unless he drew a nice barrier. I was more than happy to wait and just bide our time. ” The son of Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) settled midfield after an average beginning before McDonald angled him into clear running approaching the home turn, where Fireball quickly asserted. McDonald admitted there had been concerns about how the colt would cope with the pressure of a large field. “I’ve been saying all week to Chris that the colt is a bit of a ‘dummy’ and I wasn’t sure if he was ready for a test like this,” the winning rider said. “But great credit to Chris, he had faith in the colt and said, ‘he is a very nice horse, as you will see when he is put under pressure’. “He was put under pressure today and we saw how well he responded. ” Fireball now sits firmly on a Golden Slipper path, though Waller indicated he would avoid clashing the colt with his Canonbury Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) winner Hidrix (Extreme Choice), who is heading towards the Silver Slipper (Gr 2, 1100m) on February 21. “We’re starting to work them out, which is good,” Waller said. “We’re in no rush and 1200 metres will suit him better, so one of those races coming up. ” Third placegetter Alibaba, ridden by Craig Newitt, also earned strong praise after attacking the line in his Sydney debut. “He was unbelievable,” Newitt said. “We were strung up in traffic and he smashed the line. He’s a genuine Group 1 colt. ” Bred by Michael O’Keeffe and sold through Yarraman Park for $460,000 at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, Fireball became the 167th individual stakes winner for his late Arrowfield Stud sire Snitzel, who died last June. He is the first foal to race out of the Charge Forward (Red Ransom) mare Advance Party, herself out of an unraced Redoute’s Choice (Danehill) half-sister to Listed winner I Have No Fear (Rock Of Gibraltar). A half-brother to Fireball by Dundeel (High Chaparral) will be on offer at the upcoming Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, catalogued as Lot 614 and... The 2026 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale gets underway at Riverside Stables on Sunday, with 715 (800 less 85 withdrawals) yearlings to be offered across three days in Sydney. The catalogue features progeny by 113 individual sires, ranging from established commercial stallions to a strong cohort of first-season sires. Proven names represented include Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt), Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice), I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit), Zoustar (Northern Meteor) and Written Tycoon (Iglesia), while the produce of 14 freshman stallions will be offered, among them Anamoe (Street Boss), Artorius (Flying Artie), Hitotsu (Maurice), In The Congo (Snitzel), Jacquinot (Rubick), Profondo (Deep Impact) and State Of Rest (Starspangled Banner). A total of 74 vendors are represented, with the majority of yearlings eligible for Australian incentive schemes including BOBS, VOBIS Silver, QTIS, Racing Rewards SA and Westspeed. The Classic sale has been influential from a stallion-making perspective, producing sires such as Extreme Choice, I Am Invincible, Choisir (Danehill Dancer), Hellbent (I Am Invincible), Castelvecchio (Dundeel), Brazen Beau (I Am Invincible) and Cosmic Force (Deep Field). Conditions have been ideal throughout the inspection period at Riverside and Inglis chief executive officer Sebastian Hutch said buyer engagement has been encouraging ahead of the opening session. “It’s interesting because you can sit and watch the first two sales of the year on the Gold Coast and in New Zealand, so I feel like we have a fairly extended build-up to this,” he told ANZ News. “We put a huge amount of work in through the year cultivating people to buy at sales. This is our first sale of the year and people seem motivated to participate. “There is good footfall, good international representation here, good interstate, good local stuff. No auction house will ever say, ‘I have enough buyers. ’ You always want more buyers, but I’m happy where we sit at the moment. ” Hutch also pointed to the sale’s strong record of producing high-end performers and value graduates, including Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai), Sepals (Calyx), Private Harry (Harry Angel), Skybird (Exosphere) and Hong Kong champion Voyage Bubble (Deep Field). Since 2018, Classic graduates have produced 41 individual millionaires, with recent seasons also delivering elite performers such as Veight (Grunt), Celestial Legend (Dundeel), Beauty Eternal (Starspangledbanner) and Coco Sun (The Autumn Sun). “The sale has had a good run in terms of graduate success,” Hutch said. “Just little things like having the winner of the Golden Gift two years in a row, the winner of each of the first two runnings of the Sunlight, things like that remind people what you come here to buy. You could have bought Grafterburners for $70,000, Revengeance for $100,000, and between them they won a $3 million race and a $1 million race in the space of six weeks. “Pride Of Jenni has been a great flagbearer for the sale, so has Voyage Bubble. These are all the important features of keeping the sale in the forefront of people’s minds. We’ve talked about this over the... It was apt for Opie Bosson to bring up his 100th Group 1 win on Legends Day at Te Rapa. The 45-year-old became just the second Kiwi jockey, and first New Zealand-based hoop, to bring up the milestone when piloting the Ken and Bev Kelso-trained Legarto (Proisir) to victory in the Herbie Dyke Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) on Saturday. He joins Sydney-based Kiwi James McDonald, who boasts 124 elite-level victories to his credit, and Bosson was rapt to reach the mark after returning from retirement just over six months ago, with the record firmly in his sight. “It is just huge,” Bosson said. “It has taken a lot of hard work out at Te Akau Stud with David Ellis . A lot of people have been involved, Stephen Autridge has been like my rock the whole way through, and I am pleased to have finally got it. ” Bosson struggled to single out a highlight among his many accolades but said his victory aboard Legarto now stands out as one of the best. “There have been many highlights and to get the 100th today is right up there,” he said. “12 months ago I gave up on 99 and when I came back this was the main goal. To finally get it and I feel like I am back to riding close to my best. I am pretty happy. ” Bosson, who rides track work regularly for the Kelsos at Matamata, was pleased to bring up the milestone on one of their horses. “I don’t have many rides for them . I ride a lot of their good horses in their main gallops,” Bosson said. “It is pretty special to ride my 100th Group 1 for Ken and Bev, they are lovely people and I owe them heaps. ” Ken Kelso also cut an emotional figure post-race, with his wife and training partner unable to be trackside to enjoy the occasion with him. “It is very special, it is just a crying shame Bev can’t be here to witness it,” he said. “I know it is Opie’s 100th Group 1, but it is our 15th. ” While Legarto had her detractors following a series of winless runs, she was backed into a $3. 50 second favourite for the Herbie Dyke, and Kelso was pleased to prove her doubters wrong. The now six-year-old daughter of Proisir (Choisir) stayed on determinedly to deny Aussie raider Kingswood (Roaring Lion) by 0. 4 lengths, with a further 1. 6 lengths back to The Odyssey (Zacinto) in third. “When she loomed up I thought she would be hard to beat,” he said. “Everyone had written her off but she is an Australian Group 1 winner and you can’t take that away from her. “It’s a great satisfaction. She has had a few setbacks, she did a tendon and had a lot of time off, and she had a foot problem this time with her heel. “She hasn’t been going bad races, but she still has... Te Rapa-based trainer David Greene is riding the crest of a wave after he doubled his Group 1 tally when First Five (Almanzor) took out the BCD Group Sprint (Gr 1, 1400m) at his home track on Saturday. Greene recorded his first elite-level success when the Almanzor (Wootton Bassett) five-year-old won last month’s Telegraph (Gr 1, 1200m) at Trentham, and he was confident he would go close to keeping his undefeated record over 1400 metres intact on Saturday. Despite his last-start heroics, First Five jumped a $7. 50 fourth favourite in a market headed by Lindsay Park raiders Arkansaw Kid (Harry Angel) ($3. 20) and Here To Shock (Shocking) ($3. 40), and the Australian duo took a stranglehold of the race, sitting in the first two and dictating the early tempo. Jockey Wiremu Pinn guided First Five into the trail behind Here To Shock, and while the two pacemakers began to open up on the pack, Pinn kept a cool head and didn’t ask his charge to extend until turning for home. First Five immediately responded to Pinn’s urgings, bounding up alongside the pacemakers and quickly put several lengths on them, and he was able to hold off the late challenge of Sterling Express (Shamexpress) to win by 1. 7 lengths. “I was shocked to see the TAB had opened him up at $13,” Pinn said. “He is just an absolute machine and I thought he played with them today. “It panned out perfectly. I had myself mapped to be outside Here To Shock, but there was a little more speed than I thought. They ran at a genuine pace, which was good, we were in a good rhythm, never spent a penny and he has blown them away. “He is very special, I think he can win a Group 1 at 1200 metres and 2000 metres. He has got a very bright future. ” Greene was overwhelmed by the enormity of what had transpired, and he was thrilled to get the home Group 1 victory for his group of supporters. “There is a huge crowd for him here today and what a win, he just dominated them,” Greene said. “He brained a really good field and that’s how good he is, he is a really top-class horse. “His work on Tuesday was unreal, he just gets better and better, it is amazing. ” Greene is now looking to test his charge over more ground in the WFA Classic (Gr 1, 1600m) at Ellerslie in a fortnight, with a long-range goal of testing First Five’s talent across the Tasman next spring. “I guess we will run up at Ellerslie in a couple of weeks and give him a go over a mile,” he said. “There is not really much else left for him unless he is crossing the ditch, which is a difficult thing to do at this late stage of the prep. There is no reason why that isn’t something he can do in the spring. ” Bred by... Scone-based operation Riversdale Farm will offer a draft of 27 yearlings at the Inglis Classic Sale, with owner Nick Hodges encouraged by strong early engagement during inspections at Riverside. “It's been really busy, it's fantastic,” Hodges told ANZ News. “The foot traffic has been really positive and the horses are parading well, so really pleased with initial inspections and hopefully that continues into the second looks and x-rays and everything that we need to get these horses sold. ” The Riversdale draft features progeny by a mix of proven and emerging sires, including Ole Kirk (Written Tycoon), Flying Artie (Artie Schiller), Harry Angel (Dark Angel), Justify (Scat Daddy) and Spirit Of Boom (Sequalo), alongside younger stallions Home Affairs (I Am Invincible), Jacquinot (Rubick) and Artorius (Flying Artie). Hodges believes the farm’s offering caters to all levels of the market. “It feels like the sale has got buyers at every level, which is really important. You've got people at every level coming and having a look at the horses, which is great. It gives you a real safety net with what you're trying to sell. We've got a great range of nice physicals, there is a bit of variation in pedigrees and stallions, but, as a whole, I think we've got a very even, very nice bunch of horses. I'm really happy with the draft as a whole. We've been busy across the board, so the proof will be in how we sell. ” Riversdale will open their selling on day one with Lot 9, a colt by North Pacific (Brazen Beau) out of the winning Dundeel (High Chaparral) mare Filters, from the family of Adelaide Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) winner Demerger (Saithor). “As a physical, the North Pacific colt is a very nice individual. He's the sort of horse that could sell at any level, but as an individual he's a real standout. ” Midway through day two, the farm will offer Lot 406, a colt by Flying Artie out of Set The Tone (Reset), a brother to Hong Kong star and $4. 4 million earner My Wish. “He's been very popular,” Hodges said. “He's a lovely style of horse. He's got plenty of size and scope about him, nice and correct. Good boned. He’s really good. ” Soon after, Lot 413, a colt by Ole Kirk out of Sheer Lightning (Sebring), will also go under the hammer. The mare is a placed half-sister to stakes performers Elusive River (Elusive Quality) and Rivatorio (Oratorio), with the family also including New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Crown Prosecutor (Medaglia D’Oro) and Champagne Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Captivant (Capitalist). “He has probably been our busiest horse. Obviously Ole Kirk is a great sire. He's been doing a fantastic job. His half-brother, Captain Thunderbolt won a trial by three and half lengths here at Warwick Farm the other day, which was really positive. He's been going really well. ” Podcast (Microphone), a three-quarter sister to unbeaten juvenile Big Sky (Bivouac) headlines the 41-lot Magic Millions Digital Sale, which is now open for bidding until February 11. Podcast (Lot 41) is out of winning Red Dazzler (Red Ransom) mare Zoom By, herself a half-sister to Listed winner Firenza (Kenny's Best Pal). Trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, Big Sky has quickly established himself among the elite of the current two-year-old crop, sitting clear second favourite for the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) following an impressive victory in last week’s Chairman’s Stakes (Gr 3, 1000m) at Caulfield. The MM Digital Sale has attracted strong support from a broad cross-section of vendors, including Archibald Racing, Baramul Stud, Bombora Downs, Jack Bruce Racing, Clarken Racing, Matthew Dale Racing, Darby Racing, Leneva Park, Lyndhurst Stud Farm, Morton Racing Stables, Munce Racing, Pearce Racing and the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable. Among the other highlights are two share offerings from Archibald Racing, providing buyers with opportunities to invest in elite bloodstock. Lot 26 offers a five per cent share in First Base, a colt by international superstar sire Frankel (Galileo) and a half-brother to multiple Group 1 winner Nettoyer (Sebring). Also from the Archibald draft is Zousika (Lot 30), a colt by Zoustar (Northern Meteor) out of Group winner and Group 1-placed mare Fasika (So You Think), with a ten per cent share available. The catalogue also features a diverse mix of racehorses, race fillies, shares, two and three-year-olds, unbroken stock, yearlings and broodmares, with more than half the offerings set to sell unreserved. Bidding is now open and will begin closing from 12pm (QLD time) on Wednesday, February 11. To view the catalogue, click here. Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios enjoyed a memorable first day at the races on Friday after seeing his horse Divine Secrets (Deep Field) break her maiden at Canberra. It was the first time the former world No. 13 and Wimbledon finalist has attended the races to watch one of his own runners, and the Peter Snowden-trained filly duly obliged under Andrew Adkins on what was her fourth career start, taking the 1200-metre contest by 0. 6 lengths over Pappa Blue (Almanzor). Divine Secrets delivered the win for Kyrgios as part of the Capri Racing syndicate, who purchased the daughter of Deep Field (Northern Meteor) for $100,000 out of the Cambridge Stud draft at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Kyrgios, who has been managing a comeback from significant injuries and opted out of singles competition at the recent Australian Open to focus on doubles, is also a part-owner of Seeiaye (Russian Revolution), a $65,000 buy for Capri Racing and Snowden who most recently finished fourth in the Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) in December. The Russian Revolution (Snitzel) colt has since stepped out in a Rosehill barrier trial, finishing third to subsequent Widden Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) fifth placegetter Krasina (Russian Revolution). Alma Vale Thoroughbreds will have one eye firmly on the racetrack and the other on the sale ring this weekend, with three of the farm’s graduates lining up in Australia’s major juvenile features on Saturday ahead of a significant draft of 22 yearlings at the Inglis Classic Sale, which begins on Sunday. Launched in July 2023, Alma Vale has rapidly established a sizable footprint in the Hunter Valley, now operating across more than 1000 acres over three properties. Managed by Verna Metcalfe, the farm has enjoyed notable early success since launching its standalone operation, with three two-year-olds sold across last year’s yearling sales now emerging at the top level. The headline runner on Saturday is Star Of Jamaica, who became Newgate freshman sire Profiteer’s (Capitalist) first winner when breaking his maiden by 1. 8 lengths over 1000 metres at the Sunshine Coast on January 24. Trained by Chris and Corey Munce, the colt will be ridden by Zac Lloyd when he lines up in the $2 million Inglis Millennium (RL, 1100m) at Randwick. He was purchased for $85,000 by his trainers from Alma Vale’s draft at the 2025 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, adding another layer of significance for the farm. “It’s awesome,” stud manager Oscar Engelbrecht told ANZ News. “It's where we want to be, racing on the big days. For our first standalone draft, to have a runner in that race is pretty special. It will be a big day for everyone, all the team at home as well need a lot of thanks, they deserve a lot of the credit as well. ” “We sold him as a foal and the people that bought him put him back through our Classic Yearling Sale draft, so he was born and raised with us, reared on the farm. It's nice to see them come through our system and be at the big days. ” Alma Vale will also be represented in Victoria, where Almost An Angel (So You Think) contests the Blue Diamond Prelude (F) (Gr 2, 1100m) at Caulfield. Trained by Robbie Griffiths, the filly made a perfect start to her career with an impressive debut victory over 1000 metres at Caulfield Heath in November before finishing tenth in the Merson Cooper Stakes (Listed, 1000m) later that month. She resumes following a break with Damian Lane engaged. The daughter of So You Think (High Chaparral) was purchased by Griffiths in partnership with Peter Ford Thoroughbreds for just $30,000 at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, and Engelbrecht said her rise highlights the value available across the major sales. “We've actually had a very good run with our two year olds so far. To have an $85,000 and $30,000 yearling both pre-Christmas two-year-olds, it's a pretty big deal. They're not expensive horses, it just shows you can come to these sales and buy value, and race on the big days. ” Perhaps the most exciting runner of the day for the farm is Savage Look (Wild Ruler), who... New Zealand’s Wentwood Grange Stud have come back across “the ditch” with a small but select draft for Inglis Classic, continuing their decade-long attendance at the sale. And while they’re also gearing up for their first venture to Easter later in the autumn, their four Classic lots - all by sires of the moment - wouldn’t look out of place at Inglis’s No. 1 sale either. Reflecting a keen interest in Darley sires, three of Wentwood Grange’s four Classic lots are by that farm’s stallions: in-demand first season prospect Anamoe (Street Boss), the well proven Harry Angel (Dark Angel), and Ghaiyyath (Dubawi), fresh from his explosive results in the spring. The fourth member of the quartet is by surging New Zealand-based shuttler Satono Aladdin (Deep Impact), who’s parlayed his champion two-year-old and second season sire titles across the Tasman in 2022-23 to currently boast a stakes winners to runners ratio there of 12. 8 per cent (10 from 78), which echoes his 12. 9 per cent rate in Australia (four from 31). Run for the past 12 years by brothers Dean, Sean and Leigh Hawkins, who took over from their Welsh immigrant parents Des and Jan, Wentwood brings their latest draft to Classic off the back of a booming Karaka sale, where their 27 sold yearlings ranked them fifth among vendors by aggregate. “We’ve got a nice bunch of lots for Easter as well, but we just felt this was the right sale for these four,” said Dean Hawkins, whose farm has been a modern constant at Classic, even through the Covid years, also selling four yearlings at its past three editions. “It’s a good sale for us, because of the timing. Our Karaka and Classic horses get a very similar prep, with the Classics starting a week or so later than the Karakas, and then we started prepping our Easter horses just before Karaka. “Obviously getting horses over here and into the Australian market gets our brand over here. “We try to use the produce of younger mares normally, to help get them kicked off by having their horses compete in Australia, and this year we’ve brought over yearlings by a few Australian stallions, so hopefully they’ll prove popular. ” At Riverside, Wentwood Grange is located in “Kiwi Alley” - in Barn C alongside Woburn Farm and Windsor Park, who have two yearlings apiece. “We all support each other and work in with each other,” Hawkins said. “Nick Hewson from Windsor Park does the cards for all three of us. ” Hewson and Hawkins bred and part-owned Lickety Split (Turn Me Loose) in a racing career including triumphs in Ellerslie’s Sistema Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) and Flemington’s Edward Manifold Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) in 2022, amid three black type victories. And the pair, with partners, will offer Lickety Split’s first foal - another colt by Anamoe - in Wentwood Grange’s draft at Easter, along with colts by Satono Aladdin and Zousain (Zoustar), and a filly by Super Seth (Dundeel).... 3 g Crackerjack King - Kaye Club by High Chaparral) O: Mrs B K Saunders & B A E Saunders B: Mrs B K Saunders & B A E Saunders T: Clayton Douglas W: Sportsbet Jockey Watch Maiden Plate, 1600m, February 4, Sandown-Hillside Mornington-based trainer Clayton Douglas has eyes on the South Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) with Kaye Jay (Crackerjack King) after the gelding scored at the second time of asking in a maiden at Sandown-Hillside on Wednesday. Having run second at Cranbourne over 1400 metres on January 22, the son of Crackerjack King (Shamardal) improved on that effort to beat Mr Independent (Doubtland) by 0. 8 lengths under Jamie Mott. There was a further 0. 4 lengths back to the third-placed Butterscotch (The Autumn Sun). "This horse has taken leaps and bounds from the time he arrived," the winning trainer said. "I think he got beaten 20 or 30 lengths in his first ever jump-out. He was completely hopeless, but he has taken that improvement, and you like to see that in three-year-olds, especially staying types. "I haven't had to train him up too much this time, he's got there himself and to run well at his first start and then win at his second, he can definitely go forward. " Douglas is now contemplating setting Kaye Jay for the South Australian Derby at Morphettville in May. "I would like to think he could be an Adelaide Derby type," Douglas said. "He's a big, strong horse. With the facilities at Deniston Park, we can chop and change things with the Mornington stable. "He's a horse with plenty of substance there and when he gets out to those staying trips he should really come into his own. " Longstanding vendors Highview Stud, who have been selling yearlings since 1986, have announced the staging of an Unreserved Deplenishing Sale at its Hamilton property on Sunday, March 15, 2026. New Zealand Bloodstock (NZB) will conduct the sale on-farm, which will offer approximately 50 lots consisting of yearlings, two-year-olds, racehorses, broodmares, mares with a foal at foot and more. “There’s a changing of the guard at Highview, with my son Kurtis now taking a more prominent leadership role,” Highview’s Brent Gillovic said. “We’ve accumulated a lot of horses so this is a genuine reduction process to trim the operation back to around 30 to 40 mares before I hand over the reins. “We’ve got a number of sires represented including some nice young horses by the likes of Wrote, Santos, Divine Prophet, Sword of State, Xtravagant, Hello Youmzain, Sweynesse, Vadamos and more. “There will be something for everyone. At the end of the day, our main goal is to find these horses good homes, we’re not expecting the world for them. It will be a nice Sunday afternoon, with plenty of opportunity for everyone. ” The Highview Unreserved Deplenishing Sale will see around 50 thoroughbreds for sale, conducted from 1pm at Highview Stud, 1544 Kakaramea Road, Hamilton, with gates open at 10am. The catalogue will be available to view online at www. nzb. co. nz by late February, while printed catalogues will be available on the day. While online bidding is unavailable, all prospective buyers are welcome to attend. Alternatively NZB and BAFNZ agents will be able to inspect and bid on your behalf should you be unable to attend. To register, existing NZB account holders can see the NZB team prior to the Sale starting on-farm at Highview Stud. While new buyers can create an account online here. The Sale will be conducted by NZB under special terms and conditions which will be available in due course. Here, in lot order, is a look at six likely head-turners at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, starting Sunday. Lot 56 b c Zusain - Happy Pilgrim (Congrats) Rheinwood Pastoral DOB: 02-11-24 The outstanding Private Harry (Harry Angel) is one of Classic’s great success stories, sold there for $115,000 in 2023 before winning his first five starts and more than $2 million in prize-money, taking in The Galaxy (Gr 1, 1100m) and a buy-in from Yulong along the way. And now - not only at the same sale but out of the very same box - his breeders Rheinwood Pastoral are offering the star sprinter’s half-brother. The colt by Widden Stud speed sire Zousain (Zoustar) was born in November, but you wouldn’t know it, says the southern highlands farm’s stud manager Dee Foster. “A lot of people are surprised to find out he’s a November foal,” Foster says. “He’s actually quite forward for a November foal. He’s a good size, with good scope, nice muscle and good bone. “I think he’s strong enough, mentally and physically, to go early - a typical jump and run colt. “He’s a really nice colt with a great attitude; very easy to do anything with. He’s pretty easy on the eye and he moves well, and he’s been well received so far. “We thought about taking him to the Easter sale, but we wanted to present him ourselves, and he was forward enough to bring here. ” Part of Rheinwood’s eight-horse draft, the colt also has elite-level winner Arkady (Myocard) in his family, and already has a strong omen about him. “It wasn’t intentional that he would have the same box at the sale as Private Harry,” Foster says with a smile, “but hopefully it’s a good sign. ” Lot 138 b/br c Too Darn Hot - Light Up The Room (So You Think) Newgate Farm DOB: 22-09-24 Newgate is offering two highly rated yearlings - the filly Lot 233 and the colt Lot 621 - by its sizzling hot sire Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt), whose offspring have been the top two sellers in Classic history. So it speaks volumes for Lot 138 that insiders consider this colt possibly the pick of Newgate’s 15-horse draft. Offered on behalf of Ridgmont, the powerfully built colt is by one of Australia’s other most in-demand stallions, Darley’s champion first and second season sire Too Darn Hot (Dubawi). And the female family is high on quality, with stakes-placed dam Light Up The Room (So You Think) a half-sister to Group 3 winner Mare Of Mt Buller (Dundeel). Fourth dam Savana City (New Regent) won the AJC Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) to become joint top filly on the Australasian 3YO Classification in 1987-88. “He’s a very strong, athletic son of Too Darn Hot with plenty of size and scope, out of a really good racemare,” says Newgate managing director Henry Field. “He’s was raised at Ridgmont, and they wanted to bring a horse of his calibre to... Port Macquarie’s Jenny Graham - back in her second coming as a trainer with just a quintet of horses - admits she’d be lost for words if her two-year-old gelding Royal Exile (King’s Legacy) wins Saturday’s $2 million Inglis Millennium (RL, 1100m) at Randwick. In fact, she’s already lost for words just thinking about it. “I wouldn’t even be able to describe it. I really wouldn’t,” Graham told ANZ News. “I guess I think about it and how good that would be. It’d be a wonderful dream. “Realistically, it’d be a pretty big task, but you can’t win it if you’re not in it. ” Royal Exile, a somewhat accidental $70,000 Inglis Classic buy for Graham, will be one of two sons of Coolmore sire King’s Legacy (Redoute’s Choice) contesting the feature. The other also packs a punch for lovers of the romance of the turf, in that he’s from the small - though not as small as Graham’s - stable of Randwick-based octogenarian Les Bridge, in the colt Audit. This pair in fact ran the quinella in a five-runner 1200-metre two-year-old handicap at Wyong’s Saturday metro meeting on January 10, with $21 debutant Audit coming from the back to lead in odds-on favourite Royal Exile by 0. 17 lengths. Despite that finishing order, and the fact Audit has gate 11 for Andrew Adkins and Royal Exile barrier 20 for Sam Clipperton - with both to move in three sans emergencies - bookmakers have Bridge’s chestnut at $61 for Saturday, with Graham’s bay at $18. “I thought that was odd,” Graham said of the odds. “People must have reasons for it - I don’t really know what they are - but I’m happy enough with my horse. ” Graham has had big city successes, most notably with Victorem (I Am Invincible) taking Randwick’s Country Championships Final (1400m) in 2018 - when it was “only” worth $600,000, short of the $1 million it carries now - plus a Group 2 and two Listeds in Brisbane. But she is eminently happy staying in Port Macquarie, where she’s part of the town’s most famous racing family. One daughter, Melinda Turner, is an ex-jockey turned presenter on Sky, while another, Angela Graham, is a former trainer who now works with her mother. Former brother-in-law Peter Graham is a famed country jockey, now also with a trainer’s licence, while his daughter Cejay has forged a surging career in the saddle in Brisbane. Jenny had built herself up to become one of rural NSW’s most recognisable trainers, with her 16-box stable always full, and with many country features coming her way. But she quit all of that and sold up in 2023 to care for her elderly father Jack Avery. After he moved into a care home, Graham found the lure of horses irresistible, though in a far smaller fashion than before. “I don’t want to go back into full-time training again. It’s now more of a hobby,” she said. “I’ve bought another truck and bought... A fresh Calamari Ring (Street Boss) is ready to fry her Inglis Millennium (RL, 1100m) rivals according to her owner Leo To, who is hoping to net a $1. 15 million payday with a filly he sourced for just $140,000 as a weanling. To, who partnered with bloodstock agent Shane McGrath to purchase the daughter of Street Boss (Street Cry) at the 2024 Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale, recouped nearly twice his original investment when the Ciaron Maher-trained filly landed the Inglis Banner (RL, 1000m) at Flemington on debut at Flemington last November. Once the provisional plan to target the Inglis Nursery (RL, 1000m) had been shelved due to a minor setback, Calamari Ring was instead diverted to the spelling paddock for a brief summer holiday before returning to Maher’s Sydney stables to commence her preparations for Saturday’s $2 million juvenile feature at Randwick. Having witnessed the filly return to semi-competitive action with an eye-catching trial win at Warwick Farm in late January, To’s expectations naturally soared but his excitement was perhaps tempered at the barrier draw on Tuesday morning, when she was assigned the outside alley. However, the Hong Kong expat remains quietly confident that Calamari Ring, whose half-sister by Rubick (Encosta De Lago) will form part of Two Bays Farm’s draft at the upcoming Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale as Lot 45, can preserve her unbeaten record and launch firmly into calculations for the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m). “Of course the barrier draw isn’t ideal but the filly looks like she has come back very, very well,” To, who named Calamari Ring after his son’s favourite seafood dish, told ANZ News. “It all depends on how she jumps: if she isn’t quickly away then she’ll probably have to go back because there’s usually a fast early pace in Sydney, especially in these two-year-old races. So that could make it difficult for her, but we’ll leave that to Jason , who is a very good jockey. Jason knows her well because he rode her in her trial two weeks ago, I was there that day and to me she looked fantastic. “You always worry how two-year-olds are going to come back after a spell, so I was a little bit nervous but she was very impressive at the trial. Ciaron and his team have always liked her, so we did expect her to run well on debut. Her last jump-out leading into the race was very good, so even though I would have been very happy with a placing, it wasn’t a big surprise to us that she won that day. “She has come back a bigger and stronger filly, so that’s a good sign for Saturday. A bit of rain would be nice before the race because she probably doesn’t want it too firm, but she won her jump-out on a good track so I don’t think it will matter too much either way. ” To will be accompanied at the races by some friends visiting... Trainer Lloyd Kennewell is growing excited about the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) prospects of Eternal Warrior (Extreme Warrior) as the stallion sons of Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) continue their encouraging early steps in the stud world this weekend. Eternal Warrior, an ultra-impressive long odds winner of Caulfield’s Merson Cooper Stakes (Listed, 1000m) at his only start in late November, resumes among the favourites in Saturday’s colts and geldings’ Blue Diamond Prelude (Gr 3, 1100m). That his sire Extreme Warrior (Extreme Choice) can boast a stakes success among two winners from six runners represents a brilliant start to siring life for Rosemont Stud’s seven-year-old. And he’s put himself in the centre of discussions as the Australian breeding scene eagerly watches to see the extent to which Extreme Choice’s red hot siring power will be passed on through his sons. Four of them are at stud in Australia, with Extreme Choice’s Newgate Farm barnmate Stay Inside also off to a flyer. The Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) hero has two stakes victors among three winners from six runners. Michael Freedman’s Incognito took Randwick’s Breeders’ Plate (Gr 3, 1000m) on debut. He disappointed on resumption in Saturday’s Canonbury Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) at Rosehill, but another Stay Inside - Eviction Notice - took third to become the stallion’s third stakes horse, in a race incidentally taken out on debut by Extreme Choice’s second-most expensive yearling, $1. 7 million colt Hidrix. Meanwhile, Andrew Forsman’s daughter of Stay Inside, Lassified, has won two of three in New Zealand, including Trentham’s Wellesley Stakes (Listed, 1100m), and is nominated for Saturday’s $2 million Inglis Millennium (RL, 1100m) at Randwick. Another Stay Inside daughter, Shy Miss, is nominated to debut for the Moody-Coleman team in Saturday’s fillies’ Blue Diamond Prelude (F) (Gr 2, 1100m) at Caulfield, after winning two of her four barrier trials, all at Pakenham. Newgate’s other son of Extreme Choice, Tiger Of Malay, has had eight runners including fillies Momentslikethese - who’s run second in a Tasmanian Listed - and Tigroni, who’s been placed twice in Sydney and ran third at the Gold Coast behind Gimcrack Stakes (Gr 3, 1000m) winner Shiki (Too Darn Hot). Despite awaiting his first winner, Tiger Of Malay sits atop the Australian first season sires’ table, thanks to Tigroni’s earnings. Although she only finished ninth in the Gold Coast’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m), she scooped a $330,000 Racing Women’s Bonus for being the first all female-owned runner home, which somehow gets considered in stallion standings. In any event, Australia’s first season sires’ table now features the above three sons of Extreme Choice in its top five, with Stay Inside third and Extreme Warrior fifth. The fourth Extreme Choice at stud, Don Corleone, standing at Eureka Stud in partnership with Newgate, has his first crop of foals on the ground. Subfertile sensation Extreme Choice’s yearling prices continue to spiral upwards. His eight sold lots at Magic Millions Gold Coast last month averaged $822,500, and included... A week to remember Not too long ago (2019) the scene at Cambridge Stud was somewhat bleak, the stud having lost three stallions: Tavistock (Montjeu), Roaring Lion (Kitten’s Joy) and Burgundy (Redoute’s Choice), within months of each other. At the time it was difficult to imagine how the legacy of Sir Patrick Hogan might recover from such devastating blows but recover they have and it is a testament to the drive of Sir Brendan and Lady Jo Lindsay, in combination with great guidance from Henry Plumptre, that Cambridge Stud is back where Sir Patrick left it. Scott Calder and Cameron Ring can also take a bow as loyal staff members at the coal face. Fittingly, the 100th National Yearling Sale has seen Cambridge Stud in the same position it held for 33 years (32 consecutively) under Hogan, as the leading vendor by aggregate. Hogan’s first title took place in 1978, before the Trentham and Karaka sales were dominated by Sir Tristram (Sir Ivor) and Zabeel (Sir Tristram). On this occasion their star sire is Sword Of State (Snitzel) who sired the sale-topper and was fifth among the top ten sires by average, at $260,250 for 20 lots sold. The other nine on the top ten list all stand in Australia. Sword Of State’s stock are making a great impression within the industry with his first crop showing so much promise. There is a strong buzz around Sword Of State and it is going to be most interesting to see how his future unfolds. Under the Lindsays, the stud led the aggregate in 2021 largely due to Almanzor (Wootton Bassett), then represented by his first crop. Almanzor provided the launch pad for Cambridge Stud’s return to the top and the stallion continues to sire quality winners. Within five weeks late last year he added four new stakes winners to his growing total and one, First Five, bagged Trentham’s Telegraph Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) on January 3. Stakes winner number 30 was achieved this past Saturday when Manzor Blue put up a true stayer’s performance when scoring the Wellington Cup (Gr 3, 3200m). Almanzor is proving to be highly versatile. His premier performer is middle-distance star, recent Breeders’ Cup Fillies & Mares Turf (Gr 1, 11f) and Prix de Diane (Gr 1, 2100m) winner Gezora. Four of Almanzor’s stakes winners have been successful over 3200 metres yet December-January stakes winners Qali Al Farrasha, Lux Libertas, Mary Shan and First Five are sprinter-milers. Manzor Blue had the entire field in front of her with a lap to run and was still last at the 1600 metres as well as last at the 1000 metres. Kate Hercock sent the mare forward from the 800 metres but ran into a brick wall near the straight entrance. Forced to look for a run near the fence, with a weaving run they had four to beat at the 200-metre mark. Fully wound up, they caught the leaders near the 100 metres and their momentum carried them to... A surge of results in his fourth campaign of runners has Widden Stud tipping demand for their stallion Trapeze Artist (Snitzel) will be on the rise as the next breeding season approaches. How appropriate, given the name, that Trapeze Artist should swing back into prominence this season, with his five stakes winners the equal seventh-highest number among Australian stallions by that metric. And how fitting that the latest - Chilly Girl - is a homebred for the stallion’s owner Bert Vieira, and that her victory came in the race sponsored by the stud with which he’s so entwined, the Widden Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m), at Rosehill on Saturday. “I was excited because it’s the Widden Stakes,” Vieira told ANZ News. “And this horse being a homebred, I actually had butterflies before the race. “I can use the win to stir them up too, at Widden, because I got their money. But it’s alright, because they get plenty off me. ” Vieira has stuck by Trapeze Artist, the horse he bred and watched win four Group 1s to become the highest-rated son of the many greats sired by the late Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice), with a WTR peak of 123. The millionaire financier knocked back offers from Coolmore Stud in order to stand the sprinter at Widden, where Vieira keeps most of his “80 to 90” mares. While the jury was out after his first season of runners went stakes winner free, the three in his second term, and the two in his third - among 80 winners from 166 runners - sparked hopes of greater success. This season is delivering, with Trapeze Artist’s five black-type victors helping him to a career-high current spot of 26th on the general sires’ table. He sits fourth among two-year-old sires, and Inglis Nursery (RL, 1000m) bolter Where’s The Circus and now Chilly Girl give him the equal highest number of two-year-old stakes winners in the land, alongside no lesser stallions than Too Darn Hot (Dubawi) and Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt). These results are helped by the fact Trapeze Artist’s current two-year-olds represent his largest crop, of 148 live foals, conceived in 2022 in his fourth year at stud after his service fee dropped to $55,000 (inc GST), from an initial $88,000 (inc GST). As breeders waited, that fee fell again last season, to $33,000 (inc GST). That didn’t spark the hoped-for increase in bookings, however, with latest studbook figures showing only 52 mares covered, down from 95 at $55,000 (inc GST) in 2024. However, Widden expects the 11-year-old to gain a boost in popularity next spring. “He’s running hot, with three really nice, big race winners in recent weeks,” Widden owner Antony Thompson told ANZ, adding four-year-old Spywire to the list for his victory in the $1 million but non-black type The Syndicate (1100m) at the Gold Coast. “Chilly Girl is now third-favourite for the Golden Slipper, Where’s The Circus is a big chance for the Inglis Millennium, and the stallion has some... Powerhouse stable Lindsay Park will saddle up two exciting fillies in Saturday’s Chairman’s Stakes (Gr 3, 1000m) at Caulfield, with blue-blood La Gitana (Home Affairs) and Godolphin homebred Mirador (Brazen Beau) set to attempt to make their mark ahead of bigger autumn carnival ambitions. The Chairman’s Stakes boasts an honour roll of elite juveniles, including Redoute’s Choice (Danehill) and Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt), both of whom used the race as a springboard to Blue Diamond (Gr 1, 1200m) success. La Gitana demonstrated her precocity when she appeared at the first official two-year-old trials of the spring at Caulfield in October. She finished third and was sent back to the paddock. “At those same Caulfield trials was Torture and Free flying, so she's actually done a really good job,” Will Hayes, who trains in partnership with brothers Ben and JD, told ANZ News. “She was up and over that day and we freshened her up. ” The filly has returned in strong order, winning two recent Pakenham jump-outs, both of which she jumped impressively and won with ease under a hold. The caller used phrases like ‘bolt in’ and ‘brain them’. “She's come back and she's certainly a bigger, better version of herself,” Hayes said. “I thought her two trials so far have been nothing but pleasing and we are very happy with how she's come out of them. ” La Gitana was meant to make her debut in last week’s Blue Diamond Preview (F) (Gr 3, 1000m), but was scratched after being unable to get to the track due to freeway closures. Hayes is hoping for better luck this weekend. “It was just a shame last week, she was due to kick off in the preview,” he said. “It was just completely uncontrollable. It was actually two 16-year-olds who stole a car and flipped it. That's the reason we missed the race, so she's going for a take two. ” La Gitana will jump from barrier four with Damian Lane aboard, and Hayes said the stable will allow her to use her natural pace without locking into a rigid plan. “As a two-year-old on debut, the plan will just be to bounce, squeeze, travel. You don't want to take away early speed, which she looks at plenty of from her jump outs and trials, but you also don't want to make that your only game plan,” Hayes said. From the first crop of Coolmore Stud’s Home Affairs (I Am Invincible), La Gitana has a pedigree worth boasting about. She is out of Group 2-winning mare Hips Don’t Lie (Stravinsky), making her a half-sister to Inglis Nursery (RL, 1000m) winner turned Coolmore stallion Acrobat (Fastnet Rock), Listed-winning Group 1 placegetter Lake Geneva (Fastnet Rock) and Ennis Hill (Fastnet Rock), winner of the 2018 Chairman’s Stakes. Ennis Hill has since produced Champion 2YO Filly of 2022-23 Learning To Fly (Justify) and La Gitana’s stablemate Free Flying (Snitzel), who placed second in the Debutant Stakes (Listed, 1000m) in October. La Gitana... A strong Godolphin draft, a yearling by first-season sire Anamoe (Street Boss) and a deep mix of racing and breeding prospects headline the 361-lot catalogue for the Inglis Digital February (Early) Online Sale. Godolphin will offer a draft of seven three-year-olds, including two fillies, catalogued as Lots one to seven. The group is headed by stakes performer Chergui (Frosted), who was beaten less than two lengths by the stakes-placed Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) runner Gallant Son (Written Tycoon) at Flemington earlier this month. Recent Godolphin drafts sold through Inglis Digital have gone on to produce stakes winners Barber (Exceed And Excel) and Alegron (Teofilo), along with last weekend’s Carrington Stakes (Listed, 1400m) winner Sandpaper (Snitzel). Another standout entry is Mount Bona (Night Of Thunder), offered as a racing and breeding prospect. The mare has won her past three starts and four of her eight career outings, and represents a rare opportunity to acquire a daughter of European champion sire Night Of Thunder (Dubawi), who sired 32 individual stakes winners worldwide in 2025. The catalogue also features a number of notable breeding prospects, including Velours Bleu (Nicconi), one of a limited number of mares in foal to elite American sprinter Cogburn (Not This Time), and Be Optimistic (Blackfriars), a dual stakes winner with earnings approaching $750,000. Other highlights include Avila (Written Tycoon) – a daughter of three-time Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) winner Makybe Diva (Desert King) – offered in foal to Russian Camelot (Camelot) with a Russian Camelot colt at foot, unbeaten The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice) three-year-old Blackthorn, Group 3 winner Duchess Kate (Savabeel) offered in foal to Henry Longfellow (Dubawi) and Layton Abbey (High Chaparral), three-quarter sister to Group 1 winner Nakeeta Jane (So You Think), offered in foal to Jacquinot (Rubick). In total, the catalogue comprises 179 racehorses (including 86 race fillies), 79 broodmares, 77 racehorse shares, 24 yearlings and a pair of two-year-olds. Also on offer is a five per cent share in Sovereign Hill (Written Tycoon), a last-start metro winner by 4. 8 lengths. Bidding for the February (Early) Sale opens from 10am on Wednesday. Meanwhile, two supplementary lots have been confirmed for next weekend’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale. Newgate Farm will offer an Artorius (Flying Artie) colt out of Kiss The Daddy (Scat Daddy) (Lot 799), while a Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) colt out of Word On The Street (Street Boss) has been added as Lot 800 in the Tyreel draft. The Classic Sale will be held from February 8-10, with inspections officially beginning at Riverside on Tuesday, although close to 100 yearlings will be available for inspection from Monday. Mick Price looks to have a big chance of landing a third career Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) after Big Sky (Bivouac) created another hugely favourable impression when easily taking out Saturday’s Chairman’s Stakes (Gr 3, 1000m) at Caulfield. The colt was lining up for just his second start after having bolted up by 2. 8 lengths on debut in a 1000-metre maiden at Flemington earlier in the month, and was even more impressive this time round, scoring by three lengths under an almost motionless Ben Melham. Taking on six rivals in Saturday’s Group 3, that was also over 1000 metres, Big Sky was sent off the strong $1. 60 favourite to double his winning tally and the pre-race confidence from punters would prove well placed. Jumping well from barrier two, the son of Bivouac (Exceed And Excel) showed plenty of early speed to gain the lead under Melham and was allowed to roll on throughout the contest. Rounding the home bend with plenty of his rivals at work, Big Sky came down the home straight with ease and was barely extended at the finish to defeat debut Magic Millions VIC 2YO Classic (1100m) placegetter Invincible Son (Farnan). There was a further half-length back to La Gitana (Home Affairs) in third place, with Melham left impressed by the winning effort of his mount. “He’s always shown really good ability, he just does things on feel a little bit,” the winning rider said. “He’ll sort of spook at something and get running, but he certainly looks more awkward than he feels out there. He couldn’t have been any more impressive today. I didn’t really get too stuck into him and he won with a bit in hand. ” Price, who co-trains in partnership with Michael Kent Jnr, has won the Blue Diamond on two occasions with Samaready (More Than Ready) (2012) and Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) (2016), while Roedean (Flying Spur) (2003) was disqualified after returning a positive swab, felt his colt improved for the benefit of his debut. "I think he lost a bit of nervousness ," Price said. "He was a bit unsure of himself , but today he was a bit cooler. "He's a colt that is learning. He's not an alpha colt, he's a quiet colt and if he has a good three weeks, he should turn up . "I wanted to run him in this because I thought the three weeks would be good for him. "A two-year-old, having his first prep, you can't get too many runs out of them but hopefully he can get to the Blue Diamond and then maybe Sydney. " The burning question for Big Sky now will surely be the extra 200-metre distance of the Blue Diamond on February 21, a race for which he is now the $5 co-favourite for alongside his debut-winning Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) stablemate Guest House, but Price is confident that the higher tempo in that feature race would be a... Another high-profile juvenile race market to get a shake-up on Saturday was the Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) after the Chris Waller-trained Hidrix (Extreme Choice) made a stylish winning debut in the Canonbury Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) at Rosehill. A trio of trials prior to his competitive debut had thrown up mixed results, with well-beaten fourth and sevenths at Rosehill and Warwick Farm followed up by a much better effort when a close third over 799 metres back at Warwick Farm on January 22. Sent off a $13 chance in Saturday’s six-runner contest under Zac Lloyd, the son of Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) was tapped for a little toe at entering the final 400 metres but, after finding top stride, came home very strongly inside the last 200 metres to run out a comfortable 1. 7 lengths scorer over his stablemate Confederation (Wootton Bassett). The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Eviction Notice (Stay Inside) finished a further 0. 2 lengths back in third, while odds-on favourite Incognito (Stay Inside) could only manage fifth. “They've both got bright futures,” Waller, who has a share in the ownership of both the first and second, said. “I said, 'ride them to finish off' and that's how they were ridden and they finished off very well. “Hidrix is a lovely horse. Ricky Surace and his son, they're smart and astute judges of horses and they liked him and we liked him. “We joined up and got some good people into the ownership. We're going to have some fun. "We have given him two educational trials. We haven't asked him to do anything. What you saw today is more than what I've seen. " Lloyd, who was having his first ride aboard Hidrix, was also impressed by the winner. "He's a lovely colt. He's just bombproof, he does everything right,” the winning rider said. "In his trials, it has looked like he has improved with each trial. The last one he had a good hitout which mentally did him the world of good. “He travelled really well today, he was extremely push-button. It's good to repay the owners of this expensive colt with a nice win first-time out. '' Speaking of expense, Chris Waller Racing, Mulcaster Bloodstock, and Ricky Surace’s B2B Thoroughbreds went to a hefty $1. 7 million to purchase Hidrix at last year’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. “We knew he went pretty good but it was about giving him a run today and see how he ran home,’’ Surace said. “Chris was confident he’d run well and then progress to his next race but he was pretty impressive there, especially at the end, he was eased down that last 50 or 75 metres and the jockey said post-race that he had plenty left. “He was a nice colt at the sale, there was obviously plenty on him for us to have to go to $1. 7 million to get him but he wasn’t always going to be a Slipper type.... A ‘quality filly’ is the way co-trainer Sterling Alexiou described Chilly Girl (Trapeze Artist) after she made a successful debut in landing Saturday’s Widden Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) at Rosehill. A daughter of Widden Stud’s Trapeze Artist (Snitzel), the filly had made promising strides in two 900-metre Rosehill trials ahead of her competitive debut, winning one and running second in the other. Ridden by Tim Clark, the filly moved her way up to an $11 third-elect for March’s Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) with an all-the-way victory from barrier two. Sent forward by her rider, Chilly Girl grabbed the fence from her inside draw and, having looked slightly vulnerable approaching the final 400 metres, found plenty under pressure to turn away the late challenge of Miss Chanel (Tagaloa) by 0. 4 lengths. Hardanger (Pinatubo) finished a further 2. 3 lengths back in third place. Interestingly, the fillies ran 1:03. 82s, which was narrowly faster than the time of the Canonbury for colts and geldings one race earlier that was run in 1:04. 03s. "I don't think she could have done any more," Alexiou, who trains in partnership with Gerald Ryan, said. "That was really impressive. I was hoping she'd get it a bit softer than that but 'J Mac' pressed the button on coming out of the gates and applied quite a bit of pressure throughout. "She was good enough and seasoned enough to kick away and hold a bit of a margin late. I'm really happy to see her do that at her first start. "She's bombproof. You wouldn't think she is a two-year-old filly having her first start at her home track. She is a little gem. ” Alexiou confirmed Chilly Girl would be aimed towards the Golden Slipper, via the fillies' races, provided she continues her upward curve. "As long as she keeps going the right way," he said. "How far she goes, I'm not sure, but we will give her every chance. "We haven't got a lot of autumn two-year-olds. A lot of ours are going to be end of the autumn into the winter. She would be top of the tree at the minute, more so because of her professionalism. " Clark, who had rode Chilly Girl for her trial win on January 13, was pleased to keep the partnership. "She trialled up well, I was really impressed with the feel she gave me. Today she was just really relaxed before the start and I had to 'stoke' her up early to hold my position,” he said. "She's a really sweet filly to ride, she has a great mindset and that will take her a long way. '' Chilly Girl is the tenth winner and first stakes winner from ten foals to race out of the stakes-winning General Nediym (Nediym) mare I Got Chills, who was retired from stud duties after Chilly Girl was born. Trapeze Artist, who was siring his tenth individual stakes winner courtesy of Chilly Girl’s success, stood the 2025 breeding season... Arrowfield Stud are thrilled to have landed a coup with Britain’s Juddmonte Farm in shuttling a new stallion John Messara says is the most exciting sire prospect he’s seen on pedigree since the legendary Danehill (Danzig). Lead Artist (Dubawi), the five-year-old winner of last year’s Lockinge Stakes (Gr 1, 1m) at Newbury, will begin standing at Arrowfield this spring under an intended long-term arrangement. Following the miler trail blazed so spectacularly here in recent seasons by another British shuttling son of Dubawi (Dubai Millennium), Darley’s Too Darn Hot, Lead Artist will stand at a fee Messara promises will be “very attractive”. He’ll start serving mares at Juddmonte’s Banstead Manor Stud next month for £12,500 (AU$24,390). Winning four of 11 starts to achieve a peak World Thoroughbred Ranking mark of 118 and a top Timeform mark of 124, Lead Artist packs a pedigree of rare quality and depth. He has one of the world’s two most expensive stallions as his sire in the all-conquering Dubawi (Dubai Millennium). And he has the other one as a damsire in the great Frankel (Galileo), who’s starting to echo his mighty stallion deeds with his broodmare sire results, with 22 stakes winners from 398 runners at 5. 5 per cent. Frankel also brings into Lead Artist’s pedigree not only his exalted sire Galileo but second and third sires Sadlers Wells and Northern Dancer (Nearctic), and his damsire, the breeding-shaping Danehill. Two more outstanding progenitors are present in second damsire Oasis Dream (Green Desert) and his father. Second dam Responsible (Oasis Dream) was unraced but produced a stakes winner in Lead Artist’s mother Obligate (Frankel), who also excelled at 1600 metres, winning two French black-type events over the trip. But the third dam puts a huge cherry on top. She’s Hasili (Kahyasi), the 1991 throw who became one of the great blue hens of all time, Britain’s 2006 broodmare of the year and mother of no fewer than five elite winners from six Group 1 performers, with the odd one out among that half dozen being outstanding sire Dansili (Danehill). Hansili’s descendants are responsible for no fewer than 59 Group 1 performances, which has helped stoke the enthusiasm for Lead Artist in the seasoned Messara - the man behind such Australian siring sensations as Redoute’s Choice (Danehill), Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) and Danehill himself. “I haven’t been more excited about a stallion since Danehill,” Messara, who has been involved with some truly great stallions in his time, told ANZ News of Lead Artist. “I haven’t seen a pedigree like this, with that level of pre-potency on both sides, anywhere. “He’s by Dubawi, who’s one of the hottest stallions in the world, he’s out of a Frankel mare - it’s a pedigree from heaven. “He’s an extraordinarily well-bred horse, from a pre-potent female and male line. “You can get horses who are great but can’t pass on their genes. But there’s a history here of enormous pre-potency in this family. The fact he’s got a pedigree like that... A pair of exciting unraced prospects won their prospective trials at Rosehill on Thursday morning. Heat four was taken out by the Peter Snowden-trained Short Sea, a colt by Ole Kirk (Written Tycoon), who showed maturity beyond his years to beat his elders in a 1030-metre trial. Ridden by Sam Clipperton, the colt crossed the line 0. 4 lengths ahead of Ourgan (Yes Yes Yes), while Quadria (American Pharoah) finished a further length away in third. A $170,000 pickup for his trainer from the North Bloodstock draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale last year, the youngster is out of dual-winning mare Steamboat Sally (Snitzel), herself a three-quarter sister to Gunnison (Not A Single Doubt), with the pair out of Group 2 scorer Colorado Claire (Hussonet). The John O’Shea and Tom Charlton camp look to have a smart filly on their hands in the shape of Coco Affair, an unraced daughter of Coolmore’s first-season sire Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) who landed her second trial win over 900 metres. The filly defeated Chris Waller’s $500,000 Magic Millions graduate Campione D’Italia (Snitzel) by 0. 1 lengths, while his stablemate, Siumai Knight (Toronado), was another 5. 2 lengths away in third. Coco Affair was bought by her trainer and James Bester for $260,000 from the Mill Park Stud draft at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. She is out of three-time winner Cocoa Doll (More Than Ready), a half-sister to stakes winner Modern Wonder (Snitzel) and Group 2 winner Away Game (Snitzel), who landed the 2020 Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m). Mill Park Stud will offer the filly’s Zoustar (Northern Meteor) half-brother as Lot 562 at the Inglis Premier Sale, which gets under way in Melbourne on March 1. Meanwhile, the Brad Widdup-trained Tenenbaum (Snitzel) who finished sixth in the Max Lees Classic (900m) on his debut in November, also landed his trial on Thursday morning, beating Attorney General (Snitzel) by 0. 8 lengths. Tenenbaum is a brother to Hong Kong Derby (2000m) winner Cap Ferret, and another full-brother will be offered by Arrowfield at March’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale. He is catalogued as Lot 241. The final juvenile heat of the morning was taken out by the Terry Croft-trained Kirkham Plate (1000m) winner Thrill Hunter (Ole Kirk), who finished tenth in the Golden Gift (1100m). The filly, who was a $280,000 at the Easter sale, looked impressive when beating Lorax (Zoustar) by 0. 8 lengths. Unbeaten Group 1-winning two-year-old Return To Conquer (Snitzel) has been retired from racing and is set to embark on a stud career. Purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis for $1. 3 million from Blue Gum Farm’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft, Return To Conquer remained unbeaten in four stakes appearances. His perfect record boasts victories in the Counties Challenge Stakes (Listed, 1100m), Colin Jillings 2YO Classic (Gr 3, 1200m), Matamata Slipper (Gr 3, 1200m) and a highlight win in the Sistema Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m). “We thought he was the best Snitzel colt in the sale when we bought him,” Ellis said. “He turned out to be a terrific colt. Unfortunately, he’s not been able to race at three, but he’s by the right sire and has the right pedigree to make a stallion. There are a few parties interested in standing him. ” Co-trainer Mark Walker praised the colt’s talent and professionalism. “It was the first time in my 30-year career I started a two-year-old in a Listed race,” said Walker, who trains in partnership with Sam Bergerson. “Every one of his starts were in stakes races and to win them all shows the calibre of horse he was. We thought he was well up to Melbourne class, hence we took him to our stable at Cranbourne, but he injured himself in his first jump-out in the spring. “He has an unbelievable temperament and is very clean-winded. I think he’ll make a high-class sire; he reminds me of Sword Of State. ” Return To Conquer is out of unraced Lonhro (Octagonal) mare Vaujany – a sister to dual stakes winner Ghisoni (Lohnro). The colt’s granddam is three-time stakes winner and Group 1 placegetter Portillo (Red Ransom), making him a relative of last season’s Creswick Stakes (Listed, 1200m) winner Renosu (Exceed and Excel) and Group 3 scorer Larkspur Run (Shamardal). The final session of NZB’s 100th National Yearling Sale was held at Karaka on Thursday, highlighted by a strong first edition of the Karaka Summer Sale. A total of 112 yearlings sold for more than $3. 4 million, averaging $30,612, with six lots reaching $100,000 or more and a clearance rate of 82 per cent. NZB managing director Andrew Seabrook said the week delivered outstanding results under the new format. "To sum it up, this week we've turned over $9. 6 million more than last year, with 79 less horses catalogued,” he said. "We're just over the moon, seeing these results from the new format. "The Karaka Summer Sale today was one of the strongest sessions, almost matching Book 2 results from last year. It's just been a phenomenal week all around, celebrating such a big milestone in New Zealand thoroughbred history, and returning almost $96 million back to breeders. "Our vendors have done an incredible job presenting their yearlings, our buyers supporting the sale so well and our whole NZB team who have all contributed to its success. "We're looking forward to the demand for our yearlings continuing to our Online Yearling Sale, where of course the outstanding filly Well Written was purchased from. " The top lot of the day was Lot 958, an Armory (Galileo) colt out of Hanako (Satono Aladdin) offered by first-time vendor Stew McGregor and purchased by John Foote Bloodstock for $130,000. “We’re so, so thrilled,” said an emotional McGregor. “To have that amount of people and trainers come through and inspect him, it’s really neat. We hope he’s got an exciting future for us to follow. ” McGregor also acknowledged the support of nearby stud farms: “Dean Hawkins, Windsor Park Stud and others around me have been instrumental in helping me along the way. It’s a team sport, alright. ” Queensland-based agent Foote was active across all three Books at Karaka, purchasing 14 lots in total and he said he was taken by Thursday’s session topper. “He's a lovely big three-year-old type,” he said. “He’s a lovely moving horse with plenty of him. His pedigree's quite good when you go back into it, being from the family of Zirna and the three-time Hong Kong winner Super Football. “I just took to him, so we bought him. ” Foote has been impressed with the progeny of Armory, who also had a pair of colts sell for $65,000 each on Thursday and had progeny sell for up to $625,000 at the Ready To Run Sale in November. The Mapperley Stud stallion’s oldest progeny are two-year-olds, and he has already been represented by early winner Silhouette. Foote added: “There was one sold earlier for about $65,000 that was with Little Avondale, which was a nice horse and I saw a few last year that I liked as well, so I have liked a good few of them. Foote’s other Summer Sale purchase on Thursday was Lot 951, a Redwood (High Chaparaal) colt from the draft of... 2 c Alabama Express - Rowsthorn, by Written Tycoon O: Mr K M Keys, Mrs L A Keys, Mrs G F Miller, Mr G G Miller, Mr G March, Mr L W Warner, Mr D J Kelly, Ridgeport, Mr J A Mcleish, Mr M McNeil B: Yulong Investments, Vic T: Ken & Kasey Keys S: 2025 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale V: Yulong P: Ken Keys Racing, $115,000 W: Sportsbet Blue Diamond Preview (C&G), Listed, 1000m, January 24, Caulfield Ken and Kasey Keys’ juvenile Alibaba (Alabama Express) announced himself as a colt of considerable promise at Caulfield on Saturday, shedding his maiden tag in style when landing the Blue Diamond Preview (C&G) (Listed, 1000m). Ridden by Craig Newitt, the son of Alabama Express (Redoute’s Choice) produced a strong finish to score by 0. 4 lengths over Milsons Point (Blue Point), with Invicto (I Am Invincible) a further 0. 2 lengths behind in third. While the win carried obvious Group 1 implications, a start in the Blue Diamond Stakes remains undecided. Alibaba is not currently paid up for the $3 million feature, meaning connections would need to lodge a late entry, with an alternative Sydney option also on the table. “We’ll wait and see how he pulls up; obviously with two-year-olds you can’t plan too far ahead; it’s one race at a time,” Kasey Keys said. “There’s the option of heading up to Sydney for the Inglis Millennium in a fortnight. We’ll just keep our options open and let him tell us. ” Keys said the win was the culmination of steady improvement behind the scenes. “He seems to have really settled down this prep and we’re really with him. Full credit to our team at home, he wasn’t the easiest to deal with early on,” she said. Alibaba was having just his second career start, having finished a creditable third on debut in the Merson Cooper Stakes (Listed, 1000m) at Flemington on November 29. “We’ve always known he’s had a motor; it was just a case of when he would put it together,” Keys said. “That was the beauty of Craig coming down to trial on Monday, he could feel the gears he had under him, so he was full of confidence. ” Newitt was equally impressed with the colt’s professionalism on race day. “He handled it like an absolute professional. That horse that played up was right beside him and he never batted an eyelid... He’s a proper colt,” he said. “I reckon next time we ride him more conservative, and you’ll see the big booming finish he’s got. ” Bred by Yulong, Alibaba was a $115,000 buy for his trainers from his breeders at the 2025 Inglis Classic Sale. He is out of the winning Written Tycoon (Iglesia) mare Rowsthorn and a brother to the stakes-placed Strideaway. Yulong will offer a yearling colt out of Rowsthorn by Lucky Vega (Lope De Vega) at Inglis Easter as Lot 52. The mare produced another colt by Lucky Vega last spring and... Trainer Michael Kent Jnr is seeing boundless horizons for a “very exciting” colt who’s shaping as a chip off the old Bivouac (Exceed And Excel) as he takes his next step this Saturday en route to the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m). Big Sky (Bivouac) will seek black type in Caulfield’s Chairman’s Stakes (Gr 3, 1000m), sticking to that shorter trip after his ultra-impressive debut victory in a handicap over the distance at Flemington on January 17, following two barrier trials. Sporting Rupert Legh’s familiar navy with the gold lightning bolt - carried with distinction previously in the stable by dual Group 1-winning Yulong sire Grunt (O’Reilly) among others - Big Sky started a $2. 90 co-favourite in that first start up the Flemington straight. He had to be restrained by jockey Jordan Childs while racing off the leader’s rump amid a slow early tempo, while showing some signs of waywardness. But once asked to sprint at the 200 metres, the colt exploded to win by 2. 75 lengths from his fellow joint-favourite Mirador (Brazen Beau), Team Hayes’s Godolphin filly who he’ll meet again this weekend. Such dynamic acceleration had Kent Jnr looking for superlatives as he previewed Big Sky’s second start - and for comparisons to the two-year-old’s sire Bivouac (Exceed And Excel). The Darley stallion won two of his three Group 1s up the Flemington straight 1200 metres in the Newmarket Handicap and VRC Sprint Classic, along with a second up the same course and distance in the Coolmore Stud Stakes. “Big Sky was very much like his old man on debut,” Kent Jnr told ANZ News. “Bivouac was dominant when they didn’t go overly quick, and his superior turn of foot won him races in very impressive fashion. “Big Sky’s debut was very akin to that - a big change up, a big turn of foot. He sat there on the bridle and then exploded away, and that’s what Bivouac could do. He was awesome on his day, when he had the right race shape. “Our colt looked like he was inclined to do a bit wrong early the other day, but when you review the sectionals, they went at a very slow gallop early. It was barrier trial speed. “All the work was done late, and that’s what was impressive. He travelled to the 200 on the bridle, and when Jordan asked him he put three lengths on them very quickly. It was his superior turn of foot that won the race. ” Price and Kent Jnr snapped up Big Sky from the draft of breeders Eureka Stud for $140,000 on day one of Magic Millions Gold Coast last year, which is emerging as a bargain now. At the time, Bivouac was largely unproven, midway through his initial season of runners. Dam Zoom By (Red Dazzler) won four times from 1000 metres to 1200 metres, three of them at the Sunshine Coast, and is related to six Group 3 winners from the unraced second dam... Breeder David Digney could be excused for feeling some seller’s regret as the unbeaten Well Written (Written Tycoon) forges what’s shaping as a spectacular career, capped off most recently with her six-length romp in Saturday’s Karaka Millions 3YO Classic (RL, 1600m). But he’s not taking it too badly. For overriding any misgivings about offloading the filly as a weanling for $32,500 is the knowledge this Australian-bred, New Zealand-based budding superstar - now with five wins from five attempts including a Group 1 - has been in the best of hands since he sold her, with the reasons for her cheap price prompting a slowly, slowly approach. Digney, a Melbourne logistics businessman who’s been in the game for 25 years, has hit the jackpot by breeding his first stakes winner after sending his Sebring (More Than Ready) mare, Mozzie Monster, to the seemingly ageless Written Tycoon (Iglesia) in his first season at Yulong in 2021, when he stood for $165,000 (inc GST). It was a well researched mating, tapping into a couple of Written Tycoon’s better nicks, but the type it produced wasn’t, shall we say, all that obvious. “She was pretty plain, medium-sized, didn’t have a lot of bone, wasn’t overly pretty and wasn’t really muscly,” says Megan Kirsopp-Cole, who reared the filly at her Lemrac Lodge farm, west of Geelong. Well don’t gild the lily there, Megan. “It’s what I love about this game,” she continues. “If you went to our paddock back then and looked at the ten or 14 foals that were there, no way would you have said that she was the one. But she’s just incredible now. I’m loving watching her. ” As the future Well Written arrived, Digney was in the course of downsizing, and the filly was offered as a weanling at the Inglis Great Southern Sale of 2023. She was bought for that figure - $32,500 - that’s becoming cheaper and cheaper by the start, by Foxhill Thoroughbreds. Behind that enterprise are Benji and Harry King, sons of Nick and Anne-Marie King of New Zealand’s Brighthill Farm. Harry’s now best known as Yulong’s sales and nominations manager, and his intimate knowledge of Written Tycoon heavily influenced the purchase. “Written Tycoon is a great sire, but he can throw all sorts of types, including pretty plain ones,” Kirsopp-Cole said. “This is where Harry had the insight, being at Yulong. He knew to ignore the type with Written Tycoon. ” The King brothers decided to send Well Written across the Tasman to be pinhooked, via their parents’ farm. She didn’t get to Karaka but was sold at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Online Yearling Sale in 2024, bought by trainer Stephen Marsh and Dylan Johnson Bloodstock for NZ$80,000. She’s now won NZ$1. 42 million, with her dizzying five wins - all since debuting in September as a three-year-old - including the New Zealand 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m), her first start after Yulong bought 50 per cent of her. Digney has been thrilled to watch... A share in recent Magic Millions The Debut (1000m) runner-up Say You Will (Pierata) has been snapped up for $30,000 by one of the country's leading racehorse owners via Wednesday’s Magic Millions Digital. The 20 per cent share offered by Munce Racing, as agent for an international client, was purchased by Neil Werrett of Werrett Bloodstock, who held off seven other bidders. "Absolutely thrilled with the results we achieved on the Magic Millions Digital platform this week," trainer Chris Munce said. "The support from Magic Millions Digital was fantastic and the results really do speak for themselves. A great outcome for our owners and our stable. " Another Munce Racing offering, a 20 per cent share in Saxon Spirit (Saxon Warrior) sold for $13,000. The top seller by price in the sale was Lord Momo (Contributer), a Western Australian maiden who sold to Perth trainer Brandon Fiore for $50,000. The son of Contributer (High Chaparral) was second at his only run to date at Bunbury in December, when he steamed home from tenth at the 400-metre mark to finish under a length behind winner Chino Bay (Maschino). "The platform is great," Fiore said. "I love buying tried horses and the platform is so easy to use. Charlotte is a big reason why I purchased the horse. “She originally contacted me and pitched him to me and that was probably the difference between me pushing hard to buy him or not. The team behind the platform is sensational. " Other vendors who successfully sold horses in the sale include Ciaron Maher Racing, Roll the Dice Racing and Mt Hallowell Stud. Entries for the next Magic Millions Digital Sale (6-11 Feb) open on Thursday and close on February 4. To learn more about Magic Millions Digital or to lodge an entry click here. Cambridge Stud stallions dominated Book 2 of the New Zealand Bloodstock (NZB) National Yearling Sale as Embellish (Savabeel) achieved the highest price one of his daughters was knocked down at the business end of proceedings for $200,000 to Busuttin Racing, while his near neighbour Sword of State (Snitzel) continued his inexorable rise with 11 lots fetching six figures. As with Book 1, NZB were once again rewarded for the change in format, reducing Book 2 to one session. New benchmarks were set on Tuesday where a condensed session saw 188 yearlings sell at a clearance rate of 77 per cent for total receipts of $12,247,000, a 25 per cent rise on last year’s results. There were improvements in all other metrics, with the average jumping an incredible 80 per cent to $65,145, while the median finished at $60,000, up an extraordinary 124 per cent. NZB’s managing director Andrew Seabrook was understandably over the moon with the results. "As we had expected, putting the Book 2 horses in front of the international buyers has been key," he said. "To see a $2. 5 million increase in turnover from a catalogue with 146 less horses, the results are just extraordinary really. "The Australian spend has more than doubled compared to this session last year, and while the Kiwis were stronger too, there were plenty who missed out so we hope to see them active at the Karaka Summer Sale on Thursday. " Despite standing for a modest service fee of just $5,000 (plus GST), Embellish produced stakes winners on both sides of the Tasman Sea from his first crop of yearlings and the training team of Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young will be hoping that upward trajectory continues after they splashed the cash on the Cambridge Stud-offered sale topper. The bidding had originally stopped at $170,00 when the filly passed through the sales ring, but Busuttin was quick to strike a private deal with farm’s proprietors Sir Brendan and Lady Jo Lindsy at of the back of the auditorium for the daughter of Queen of Wizardry (Not a Single Doubt). Given that Queen of Wizardy was a winner at two and her half-sister Coco Sun (The Autumn Sun) won her first two starts as a juvenile before landing the South Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) as a three-year-old, there is every chance that her second foal will possess an abundance of early precocity. That is certainly the hope of Busuttin and Young, who also purchased a Best of Bordeaux (Snitzel) colt for $70,000 from the Wentwood Grange draft. Their sale topper sealed a stellar auction for the team at Cambridge Stud, who took leading vendor honours at the NZB Yearling Sale for the 33rd time. Fresh off the back of being crowned leading vendors by aggregate during Book 1, the farm enjoyed an equally impressive day’s trade on Tuesday, selling 14 yearlings for $1,195,000. The Lindsays opted to sell all the farm’s yearlings at the centenary edition of the sale, and their... In the pantheon of modern sporting greats, rugby league icon Billy Slater sits front and centre. His lengthy list of team and individual honours includes, to name but a few, two National Rugby League (NRL) premierships with the Melbourne Storm; a brace of World Cup triumphs with Australia; eight State of Origin successes with Queensland, who he has gone on to coach to three series wins; a Golden Boot Award, and a Daly M Medal for Player of The Year. He was duly inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame in 2024. Interestingly, the man many consider to be the game’s greatest ever fullback credits a spell working for iconic trainer Gai Waterhouse as having a profound impact on his rugby league career. “I left school at 16 then went to work for Gai for six months,” he says. “It was seven days a week, I lived and breathed it. I loved it, and it actually taught me a great work ethic that helped me when I went on to play rugby league professionally. ” He also reveals that he toyed with the idea of going down the racing route before rugby league took over. “I loved the track work but I was always going to be a bit too big and heavy to be a jockey,” he says. “Training was probably an ambition at certain points, but once I set my mind to giving rugby league a real shot, I was all in on that. ” Slater's game was founded on a blend of speed, skill and strength. Although he never made it into the weighing room in a professional capacity, his post-playing career has featured an increasing amount of time in the saddle, showing that his soft hands and natural athleticism remain very much intact. He is a key part of Channel Nine’s headline racing coverage, conducting heat-of-the-moment interviews while on horseback with winning riders like Jamie Melham after she landed last year’s Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m). Slater has also utilised his horsemanship in his role as a Magic Millions ambassador. This link up has seen him ride in the iconic beach gallop on the Gold Coast as well as taking part in a celebrity polo match backed by the auction house. He was on the winning side during this year’s renewal of the latter event alongside royal family member Zara Tindall. He and his wife, equine artist Nicole, also run their own racing and breeding operation, Slater Thoroughbreds. The couple’s three-strong broodmare band is based just outside Melbourne, where the 42-year-old remains as hands-on as he was during his teenage spell with the Waterhouse stable. “Obviously while you’re playing rugby league professionally it’s a bit hard to dive into because if you want to be good at something, you’ve got to be all in – and I certainly was with my footy,” he says. “But probably halfway through my career I started thinking about how can I do both, and not necessarily the racing industry, just... There were four heats run at Tuesday's Randwick trials that were won by juveniles, with the Bjorn Baker-trained Profitabelle (Profiteer) landing her second trial from as many attempts. Having scored in a Rosehill trial over 900 metres last month, the filly made her debut with a third-placed effort in a 1000-metre maiden at Randwick on January 3 behind Knightsbridge (Farnan) and proved her wellbeing on Tuesday with a half-length success over her year-older rival Divine Secrets (Deep Field) in the 1050-metre heat. A $100,000 Inglis Classic purchase, Profitabelle is a half-sister to four winners being out of the unraced Host (Hussonet) mare Mrs Vanderbilt, who herself is out of the stakes-placed mare Brillanti (Slavic). Local trainer Michael Freedman sent out a pair of juvenile heat winners, with the Emirates Park-bred and-owned Naadra (Tassort) going two places better than her third placing at the Randwick trial meeting on January 15. The daughter of Tassort (Brazen Beau) made all the running in the 740-metre heat under Tommy Berry and defeated Verismo (Blue Point) by a half-length. She is a half-sister to the stakes-placed Naifah (I Am Invincible) being out of the winning Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) mare Najmah, herself a half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Charm Stone (I Am Invincible) and stakes scorer Najmaty (I Am Invincible) and out of the Group 3-winning mare Najoom (Northern Meteor). Freedman's other juvenile trial winner was Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) filly Celestial Charm, who ran out a 0. 3 lengths scorer over Screen Icon (Nicconi) under Sam Clipperton - going one place better than her runner-up finish behind Coco Affair (Home Affairs) in a trial also on January 15. A $400,000 Magic Millions purchase by Anthony Cummings Thoroughbreds out of Newgate, Celestial Charm is a sister to dual winner Esha being the fourth foal out of the Group 1-winning I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) mare I Am A Star. The other juvenile heat was won by the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Jourama (Frosted), who defeated Helldeeva (Hellbent) by 0. 3 lengths over 1050 metres. Cambridge Stud’s burgeoning young sire Sword Of State (Snitzel) delivered the defining moment at the 100th New Zealand Bloodstock (NZB) National Yearling Sale, taking centre stage at Book 1 when his colt out of Las Brisas (Shamardal) realised $1. 1 million on Monday. NZB’s decision to offer a more refined Book 1 offering over two days was richly rewarded on Monday as the premier sessions delivered record numbers. Over the two days of trade, the auction house reported 422 yearlings sold at a clearance rate of 81 per cent. Book 1 reached a record average of $187,257, a 14 per cent rise, while the median of $140,000 also set a new benchmark and was up 27 per cent on 12 months ago. The aggregate finished at $79,022,500, a five per cent increase on last year’s figure. NZB’s managing director Andrew Seabrook said he was delighted with the results. “I am really thrilled. The turnover has gone up $3 million with 94 less horses catalogued. The sale has gone from three days to two days so to exceed the turnover by $3 million is huge. “The support we've had from Australian in the last couple of days and a lot of people returning that haven't been for a while to support the 100th sale was fantastic. It's just gone so well from the race meeting on Saturday night with that wonderful atmosphere. “The crowd yesterday for the opening day on Sunday was amazing and it's just continued today and to have a clearance rate of 80 per cent on sale day, that'll continue to go up, but we haven't done that for a number of years. The average being well up around $185,000, it's all gone really well. Regarding the change in format, Seabrook said: “We were very conscious of wanting to make sure that the Australians stayed here for Book 1 and 2, and we couldn't do that under the old format. They haven't got the time to spend away from Australia, especially with the Magic Millions sale being so close this year. So it's worked really well. We've sold more horses each day, but Book 2 horses have been all available there for everyone to see, and I think that's been a huge help for the sale, and the response and the feedback we've got from Australians in particular is that they love the new format. ” Despite the healthy results, one figure that might be cause of some alarm was the dramatic drop in spend from New Zealand buyers. Twelve months ago, the home team bought 224 yearlings for an aggregate of $32,407,500, while this year they bought 166 lots for total receipts of $26,377,500. On the other side of the coin, spend from the Australian contingent rose by around $3 million to over $41 million. Seabrook said that he expected New Zealanders to be active during the one-day Book 2 sale on Tuesday and during the inaugural Summer Sale on Thursday. He said: “The domestic spend was... The powerful buying combination of Guy Mulcaster and Chris Waller were active over the two days of Book 1 trade at Karaka, combining to purchase ten yearlings for $3,715,000 and the most expensive of the cohort was a well-related Justify (Scat Daddy) colt who they bought for $950,000. Bred by Coolmore, the colt boasts an elite international pedigree. He is out of the Zoffany (Dansili) mare Heart To Heart, a juvenile winner in Ireland and a half-sister to Camille Pissarro (Wootton Bassett), France’s champion two-year-old of 2024 who has since joined the Coolmore Stud stallion roster in Ireland. Bred by Cn Farm, Heart To Heart is out of Entreat, a winning Pivotal mare, and alongside Camille Pissarro she is also a half-sister to Group 1-winning sprinter and stallion Golden Horde (Lethal Force), as well as stakes winners Exhort (Dutch Art) and Line Of Departure (Mehmas). The Justify youngster is the second foal out of the mare, with her first, a colt by Frankel (Galileo), having sold to Busuttin Racing for $100,000 at the last year’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale. Bidding opened at $400,000 before accelerating rapidly in $50,000 increments, with Mulcaster, positioned in his customary spot, ultimately outlasting bloodstock agent Peter Twomey and the Waterhouse and Bott axis to land the prized colt. “He’s a lovely colt, a real typical get up and run sort of Justify,” Mulcaster said. “The dam is a half to a current stallion who was a champion two-year-old in France. Fingers crossed, he can be another Learning To Fly or Storm Boy. We thought he was a beautiful horse and stretched a little bit, but we bought him for a lot of good clients, and fingers crossed, he turns out to be a good one for us. ” The colt will join the Chris Waller stable, with Mulcaster confident the Justify youngster profiles as a sharp, early type. “Justify is an international sensation and it's only a matter of time when we get another Storm Boy or something like that,” Mulcaster added. “He looked like the type to get up and run for us. He's going to be trained by a great trainer, and we're going to have a lovely group of owners. ” Landsdowne Park owners Dave Duley and Jude Latimer said they had long held high expectations for the colt, whose popularity was evident well before he entered the Karaka ring. “We knew something was up when we started parading him at the farm,” Duley told ANZ News. “He was the most popular and that carried over to here where he has thrived. He never took a backward step. “It was as if he owned the joint. He just handled everything like a professional and he is certainly among the best yearlings I have prepped and presented. “His x-ray hits were huge and all the internationals were keen, on type, plus he has a stallion's pedigree. In the ring we knew he was going to sell well. ” Alabama Express (Redoute’s Choice) delivered a powerful statement at Karaka on Monday, producing two major results inside a ten-minute window as demand for the Yulong Stud sire peaked in the ring. The headline act of his five sellers came in the shape of Lot 383, an imposing colt consigned by Elsdon Park who was knocked down to KPW Bloodstock for $850,000, marking the most expensive sale-ring result to date for Alabama Express. Purchased by Kevin ‘Millie’ Walls on behalf of prominent Australian owners Ron and Judy Wanless, the colt is the first foal out of the winning Tivaci (High Chaparral) mare Diva Carolina and hails from the family of Listed winner and Group 1 placegetter Ombre Rose (O’Reilly). “He stood out. He’s a very nice horse,” Walls said. “We buy purely on type and I rated him one of the best types in the sale. And once Ron starts, he tries hard. “We’ve paid a bit more for one or two before, but loves the game, loves the racing - it's his hobby and his passion. They love their horses, love their racing, he's been in the game a long time and most other games too. “This horse will definitely end up in Australia. He has the VOBIS bonus, so no doubt he'll go to Melbourne. ” Yulong Stud’s COO Sam Fairgray said the result reflected Alabama Express’ growing commercial appeal, following strong demand across both sides of the Tasman. “He’s had some fantastic results,” he told ANZ News. “We saw it at the Gold Coast too, he’s in high demand and he leaves a very nice type. ” The timing of the result added further momentum, coming just days after Alabama Express’ son Alibaba captured the Blue Diamond Preview (C&G) (Listed, 1000m) at Caulfield. “He had the two-year-old stakes winner at Caulfield on Saturday, so he's doing a great job,” Fairgray added. “He leaves a good physical and it's great to see the results that he's achieving in the sales ring. ” Elsdon Park general manager Kerrie Cox was delighted with the outcome, praising the colt’s physical presence and professionalism throughout the sale. “On type, the colt simply blew potential buyers away,” she told ANZ News. “He’s a jaw dropper, you’d struggle to find a better mover, plus he has a good brain and he knows his job. “He was never in his box as he did so many parades but never missed a beat. He may be a first foal but in the end buyers are looking for an athlete, a racehorse. “All the credit for his appearance is due to our yearling manager Yvonne Shanks. Yvonne has bags of experience and is at the coal face of our operation, she taught me well when she was my boss at Waikato Stud. ” Alabama Express had also featured prominently earlier in the session, namely when Elsdon Park’s filly out of Daniela’s Magic, an unraced daughter of Per Incanto (Street Cry), realised $490,000 after a successful bid from Suman... Carlaw Park enjoyed a standout pinhooking success on day two of Book 1 when Lot 341, a filly by Darly’s rising international sire Ghaiyyath (Dubawi), was secured for $360,000 by a powerful buying team led by Henry Dwyer Racing, Sam Haggas of Hurworth Bloodstock and Glentree Thoroughbreds. The filly represented a significant return on investment for Carlaw Park, who purchased her for just $40,000 at last year’s Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale in partnership with Sullivan Bloodstock, Bevan Smith Bloodstock and emerging Victorian stallion farm Lovatsville. Carlaw Park principal Nick Fairweather, who runs the operation alongside partner Nicole Brown, admitted the result exceeded expectations for the filly. “She’s an absolute queen,” he told ANZ News. “We spotted her at the Great Southern Sale in Melbourne and really liked her style. She is a well-bodied filly and has a striking walk. When she parades she almost goes into auto-pilot. She knew what it was about and never put a foot wrong. “Friends of ours also liked her so instead of bidding against each we formed a partnership. Her sire, who was under the radar at the time, has come on strong since then so we had a lot of interest both locally and from Australia. We weren't about to give her away but her reserve was $150,000. ” The timing of the sale proved ideal, with Ghaiyyath’s son Opera Ballo adding to a second elite-level winner to his sire’s CV with an stylish win in the Jebal Hatta (Gr 1, 1800m) at Meydan on Friday night. Sam Haggas said he was keen to secure the filly given Ghaiyyath’s growing profile as a sire on both sides of the globe. “Ghaiyyath is one of the few stallions who's going really well in both hemispheres,” Haggas told ANZ News. “In Australia, he's had a great start. I'm a huge believer in the stallion, ever since he's had his first runners and I've been very keen to get as many of them as I can. “I think he's got a massive future as a stallion. He was obviously a brilliant racehorse himself and I think he could have a massive 2026 which was kick- started by Opera Ballo winning a group one on Friday. He could be a real top horse for the sire. ” On the filly, Haggis added: “This filly was a very nice, good-looking sort. I just loved the way she moved. She's got a great action and she used herself really well. She looks like she could be quite sharp, which is encouraging for a Ghaiyyath, but equally, she's got loads of scope to go on and improve as she gets older. Hopefully she’s got a nice future ahead of her. “I think she should be running at two for sure, but she's got plenty of scope to be a really nice three-year-old. She might stay in New Zealand for a little while, and then long term, she'll go over to Henry’s place in Ballarat. ” Ghaiyyath shuttled to Darley’s... Moments after Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress) forged into Hong Kong racing history with a record-equalling win in Sunday’s HK$13 million Centenary Sprint Cup (Gr 1, 1200m) at Sha Tin, trainer David Hayes predicted the world’s best sprinter could potentially break a course record at the track next month. After the gelding’s effort to post a 17th consecutive victory – matching the winning streak of Silent Witness (El Moxie) from 2002 to 2005 – Hayes said he believes the superstar can threaten Sha Tin’s 1400-metre record of 1m 19. 92s when he contests the HK$13 million Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (Gr 1, 1400m) on February 22. “Last year, he worked a bit and won it , and I think he’s a stronger, better horse this year,” Hayes said. “I think he will handle the 1400 metres beautifully. I’m really excited for the next race. It’s another dimension for him. Last year, he nearly broke the course record at 1400 metres, and I think if the conditions are right, he can go close again. ” Ridden by Karis Teetan in last year’s Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup in the absence of regular rider Zac Purton, who was injured, Ka Ying Rising clocked 1m 20. 33s. On Sunday, the five-year-old clocked 1m 07. 66s (outside his own 1200-metre Sha Tin turf record of 1m 07. 20s) after being allowed to coast to the line in defeating Helios Express (Toronado) by a length and a quarter, with Fast Network (Wrote) a further two lengths back. Moderately away at the start, Ka Ying Rising quickly mustered speed to lead before Matthew Chadwick drove Beauty Waves (Starspangledbanner) to the front. Aware of Luke Ferraris and Lucky With You (Artie Schiller) lurking to his outside, Purton ensured Ka Ying Rising had clear running before unleashing the gelding from the 300 metres. Exploding clear, and with the race at his mercy with a four-length lead, Purton eased up noticeably over the final 200 metres, clocking a modest 11. 47s. “The winning margin wasn’t probably the greatest, but it’s probably the most Zac has ever eased him down,” Hayes said. “So, he had a very easy last 200 metres and he dominated as the market suggested he would. just nice to see him do it. ” Ka Ying Rising improved his record to 18 wins from 20 starts and is unbeaten since February 12, 2024 with career prize-money of HK$129. 8 million (approx AU$24,129,820). Celebrating his fourth win in the race after victories with Aerovelocity (Pins) (2016), Lucky Sweynesse (Sweynesse) (2023) and Ka Ying Rising last season, Purton said: “What can I say? We’ve said it all with the horse. “I just had to make sure my bloke was in a rhythm. I’m surprised he ran the time he did because it didn’t feel like he ran that quick sort of mid-early in the race. He is just different class. “I never thought I would see it , to be honest. It’s very, very rare what Silent Witness did and... Romantic Warrior (Acclamation) vanquished the field to claim a first victory in the HK$13 million Stewards’ Cup (Gr 1, 1600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday, launching his bid for the Triple Crown in scintillating style. A 12th Group 1 success for Romantic Warrior began to look like a foregone conclusion as early as 400 metres out, as a stock-still in the saddle James McDonald eased up alongside early leader Lucky Sweynesse (Sweynesse), with defending Stewards’ Cup champion Voyage Bubble (Deep Field) three-wide and treading water in his attempts to get after Danny Shum’s eight-year-old, and Mark Newnham’s My Wish (Flying Artie) stuck in traffic further back in the field. After eye-balling Lucky Sweynesse for 100 metres, McDonald released the breaks and quickly sent Romantic Warrior clear. Lucky Sweynesse boxed on gamely to finish second on his debut over the mile course, but the Acclamation (Royal Applause) gelding continued to pull away, passing the post a length and three quarters clear. Voyage Bubble was further back in third, with My Wish in a dead-heat for fourth with Sunlight Power (Capitalist) after a torrid run in transit. Regular partner McDonald long ago ran out of superlatives to describe “the horse of a lifetime,” but was thrilled to claim the Stewards’ Cup at the second attempt. “His demeanor, his courage, his will to win, it’s just in spades,” McDonald said. “It’s incredible. I say it every time, but when he steps out, it’s a privilege to ride such a horse of his calibre. “He began really well, and I thought it was going to be pretty smoothly run. But a few picked up, which was quite surprising, and he was always in a nice rhythm. “Gate seven out of nine gave us that opportunity to not force our hand and wait until it settled down, and I knew Voyage Bubble was three deep, and I wasn't going to give him a cart. He’s been unlucky in the past, but bumped into a very good horse. But he’s a warrior. ” Romantic Warrior, who last week was ranked seventh in the 2025 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, has now won 21 of his 28 starts. The Stewards’ Cup win took his record-extending prize-money haul to a staggering HK$247. 38 million (approx. AU$45,987,942). Earlier this season, he triumphed for an unprecedented fourth time in the HK$40 million Hong Kong Cup (Gr 1, 2000m). After campaigning overseas for much of the 2024/25 season, connections switched their focus to domestic domination in 2025/26, and the bid to match Voyage Bubble and River Verdon’s (Be My Native) feats in becoming the only horses to sweep the Triple Crown is now underway. The next assignment is back at Romantic Warrior’s favoured trip in the HK$13 million Hong Kong Gold Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) on 1 March. The HK$13 million Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (Gr 1, 2400m) completes the Triple Crown on May 24. “I’m so proud of Romantic Warrior,” said Shum, expressing his delight at the performance.... Snitzel’s (Redoute’s Choice) sale-ring dominance came to the fore during the opening session of the New Zealand Bloodstock (NZB) Karaka Yearling Sale, with a colt by the late Arrowfield Stud stallion out of dual New Zealand Group 1 winner Amarelinha (Savabeel) topping trade on Sunday. Knocked down late in the session, Cambridge Stud’s offering became the day’s headline act after a spirited two-way bidding duel, with the hammer eventually coming down in Chris Waller and Guy Mulcaster’s favour at $850,000, with the agent bidding from his customary position in the buyers’ box above the ring. The colt is the second foal out of Te Akau’s 2020-21 New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Amarelinha, whose career featured victories in the New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m), David and Karyn Ellis Classic (Gr 2, 2000m), Eight Carat Classic (Gr 2, 1600m) and Sunline Vase (Gr 3, 2100m). His extended family also includes Group 3-winning stallions Sweet Ride (Deep Field) and North Pacific (Brazen Beau), as well as triple Group 1 winner Metal Bender (Danasinga). “He is a beautiful colt by champion sire Snitzel out of a New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year, Amarelinha,” Mulcaster said. “I had a really good client who wanted to buy a good colt today, and he's hopefully going to buy some good fillies tomorrow, so fingers crossed. “He was a horse we saw early, and he just stayed in my mind. We were lucky enough to take the man to see him today, and he behaved really well. Buying off Cambridge Stud, you can't go wrong. ” Reflecting on the day’s trade, Mulcaster said the market allowed buyers to be selective. “We have been able to pick and choose what we've been buying today and we've done pretty well. I think we've got half a dozen so far, and we've got quite a long list, so we'll see how we go tomorrow. ” For Cambridge Stud, the result carried additional emotional significance, with Amarelinha - who they bought for $1. 1 million on Gavelhouse Plus in 2022 - having died shortly after foaling this colt in November 2024. Scott Calder said: “It is an awesome result for our stud, which equals the highest price we have achieved since Brendan and Jo bought Cambridge Stud from Sir Patrick . “By Snitzel from a Classic winner, the bidding was crazy but exciting. Some have asked if the Lindsays might keep him since he is the last foal from Amarelinha but they race fillies so they were happy to sell. ” Mulcaster and Waller were busy during the first session of trade in New Zealand, buying five lots for $1,710,000, an aggregate bettered only by Te Akau supremo David Ellis, who spent $3,150,000 yearlings. At the close of trade, NZB reported 207 yearlings had found new homes at a clearance rate of 77 per cent. The day one aggregate finished at $38,197,500, a 43 per cent increase year-on-year, while the average rose 13 per cent to $184,529 and... Rubi’s Choice (Rubick) delivered one of the more unexpected results among the juvenile ranks this season when she claimed the Blue Diamond Fillies’ Preview (Gr 3, 1000m) at Caulfield on Saturday, scoring on debut for Greg Eurell. Sent out at $26 in a race dominated by more experienced fillies, the daughter of Rubick (Encosta De Lago) was quietly ridden by Beau Mertens, tracking the speed and travelling comfortably before being brought to the outside upon straightening. The debutante showed a good turn of foot to reel in the leaders by the 100 metres and extended further to score by 0. 8 lengths over fellow first-starter I Am Aria (I Am Invincible), with Gin Twist (Home Affairs) just another 0. 1 lengths behind in third. The winning time of 58. 38 seconds was faster than the colts’ preview run earlier on the card. Eurell said that Rubi’s Choice – despite having entered the race off jump-outs and without a nomination for next month’s Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) – had shown enough at home to warrant stepping her out at stakes level. “She couldn’t have led into this better than she did – I felt she was super well and we were going to get a really good guide on where she sits,” Eurell said. Connections now face a late entry fee should they elect to continue down the Blue Diamond path. The Blue Diamond Prelude (Gr 2, 1100m) for fillies comes up at Caulfield on February 7. “She’s not nominated for the Diamond at this point, but if she pulls up well the natural progression will be the Prelude, and then we’ll take it from there,” Eurell said. “It’ll be something that will be very comfortable to sit down and have a good think about. ” Out of the winning Haradasun (Fusaichi Pegasus) mare Redasun, Rubi’s Choice comes from a family Eurell knows well, having trained the mare and all of her progeny, including city winner Lincoln Square (Rubick). “Oh, tremendous, mare,” he said. “I mean, everything out of her just keeps winning, no matter who she goes to and we had another two-year-old, Lincoln Square, who was a full-brother to this filly and that recipe worked. So it was the right decision to go back and it's worked again. ” For Mertens, the win continued a strong return to riding after a farm accident that sidelined him last weekend. “It was a pretty serious wound to the face... they could’ve fixed me up a bit more than they did,” Mertens joked. “I didn’t want to be out too long knowing there were good horses around. It’s a pleasure to get straight back into it with some good winners. ” The race did not go to plan for heavy favourite Angel’s Fury (Harry Angel), who weakened sharply to finish last of the nine runners, beaten almost 17 lengths. Jockey Ethan Brown said the Ciaron Maher-trained filly never regained her confidence after an early mishap. “She may have lost a... Part 3 of Lloyd Jackson’s three-part series to mark a century of selling for New Zealand’s auction house The sires Through until 1990 the history of the National Yearling Sale, the leading sires, especially by average, had a profound influence on vendor statistics. Kotatanui Stud’s Limond (Desmond) was the most popular at the early sales and Beau Pere (Son-In-Law) was prominent in the late 1930s, but only stood in New Zealand for three seasons, yet made a huge impact as twice Champion Sire. He was sold to Australia where he was Champion Sire three times and later sold again to stand in California. Trelawney Stud’s Foxbridge (Foxlaw) was the clear sales leader until 1950 as he racked up 11 successive New Zealand Champion Sire titles. As a broodmare sire he added a further 11 titles, such was his impact on the racing scene as well as the breeding scene. In relation to the National Yearling Sales, Ra Ora Stud’s Gabador (Pharis) was the leading sire by average three times during the mid 1950s. The next sire to lead the averages multiple times was Kinross Stud’s Summertime (Precipitation) with four in succession. Between 1967 and 1976 Trelawney Stud was again prominent due to six titles by Alcimedes (Alycidon). Te Parae Stud’s Oncidium (Alcide) led back-to-back in 1974 and 1975, then returned again in 1977 when his last crop averaged four times the overall sale average. Phenomenal sire Zephyr Bay (Biscay) suffered fertility issues so his stock were rare meaning that buyers were extra keen to secure one his yearlings. With so few, this led to his topping the sire average in 1978, 1980 and 1982, his run interrupted by Zamazaan (Exbury) in 1979 and by Sovereign Edition (Sovereign Path) in 1981. From 1983 through to 1995 saw the complete and utter domination by Sir Tristram (Sir Ivor). Within that period Imposing (Todman) headed him twice (1983 and 1984) while Australian-based Bletchingly (Biscay) was the leader in 1991 and 1993. From that point is when the sire industry changed dramatically as shuttle stallions and transporting yearlings from one country to another became commonplace. Despite the fact that Sir Tristram’s son Zabeel sired ten lots that fetched $1 million or more, Zabeel topped the average just once, in 2011. Zabeel still holds the record as sire of the most expensive lot ever sold at the National Sale. Don Eduardo (Zabeel), the Group 1 Australian Derby winner, fetched $3. 6 million at the 2000 sale. Zabeel had large numbers of yearlings through the ring making it practically impossible to match high-profile sires such as Danehill (Danzig) and Redoute’s Choice (Danehill) who may have been represented by as few as three lots. Danehill led from 1997 until 2005 and he was superseded by his son Redoute’s Choice from 2006 until 2010. High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells) led in 2013 but since 2014, except for 2021, every average was led by Australian-based sires. Fastnet Rock (Danehill) was successful from 2013 to 2015. Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) and I... New Zealand Bloodstock is set to mark a significant milestone as the National Yearling Sale celebrates its 100th anniversary, offering a refined catalogue of quality yearlings to be offered across three days of selling, beginning on Sunday at Karaka. The centenary edition follows a solid 2025 renewal, when five days of trade across Book 1 and Book 2 delivered encouraging results. Across the two books, 751 yearlings were sold for an aggregate NZ$86,321,500, with a combined clearance rate of 80 per cent. The average price was NZ$114,942 and the median NZ$80,000. International buyers accounted for 54. 5 per cent of turnover, while New Zealand purchasers also contributed significantly, purchasing 435 lots for a total spend of $39,242,500. The sale topper was Lot 345, a Savabeel (Zabeel) filly out of Symphonic (O'Reilly), purchased for NZ$2. 4 million by Guy Mulcaster and Chris Waller on behalf of New Zealand owner Glenn Ritchie. Offered by Haunui Farm, she became the most expensive filly ever sold at Karaka. The second-highest lot was secured late in Book 1, when Kingsclere Stable trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood paid NZ$1. 1 million for Lot 564, a Proisir (Choisir) filly out of Donna Marie (Don Eduardo), offered by Hallmark Stud. David Ellis led the buying bench with 27 purchases totalling NZ$4,757,500, while Haunui Farm was the leading vendor by aggregate, selling 37 yearlings for NZ$7,343,000. NZB managing director Andrew Seabrook believes the centenary edition is shaping up strongly, with a diverse mix of international and domestic buyers present at the Karaka complex. “We've been planning for the hundred year sale for a couple of years now,” Seabrook told ANZ News. “For the last few months, it's been the talk of the industry, not just in New Zealand, but overseas as well. I was over at the Gold Coast a couple of weeks ago and got a really good vibe there and about people wanting to come over and attend the sale. Our bookings are fantastic, and walking around the sales ground it is really busy and there is a nice atmosphere. ” Despite wet conditions early in the week, Seabrook said the resilience of the industry meant little could dampen enthusiasm. “Everyone's in a positive frame of mind, despite the horrendous weather on Wednesday. This is our 100th continuous sale - we've survived World War II, COVID, and the flood three years ago - so the rain on Wednesday wasn't going to dent our enthusiasm for the next few days. ” Fresh from a successful Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, which recorded an increased clearance rate of 86. 70 per cent across both books, up from 80. 44 per cent in 2025, Seabrook is hopeful that momentum will flow into Karaka. “The success of the Ready To Run Sale gives us confidence. The sales season seems to have started well in Queensland, and the fact that it's our 100-year celebration allows us to get more support from our vendors, resulting in a better catalogue. ” A... Queensland-based trainer Liam Birchley continued his remarkable record in the Karaka Millions 2YO (RL, 1200m) when Dream Roca took out the Ellerslie feature on Saturday, bringing up another stakes winner for her Westbury Stud sire El Roca (Fastnet Rock) in the process. Sent out second favourite at $4. 80 after breaking her maiden on her second start in a 1000-metre Eagle Farm juvenile handicap on December 13, Dream Roca jumped well from gate one of 14 under Ben Thompson, and travelled just behind the pace. A huge upset threatened when leader Magill (Farnan) - the Hastings-trained longshot who started at $151 in some markets - maintained his advantage long after turning for home. Dream Roca had trouble extricating herself from a pocket for the first half of the straight, but once clear at the 180 metres charged hard after Magill. The bolter was not to be easily denied, boxing on hard on the fence, but was finally overhauled late on as Dream Roca scored by 0. 2 lengths. Team Hayes’s Caulfield Debutant Stakes (Listed, 1000m) winner Torture (Sword Of State) took third at $5. 50, while odds-on favourite Kinnaird (Home Affairs) came in last. Birchley - who has 35 named horses on his books at his Sunshine Coast stable - isn’t known as one of Queensland’s largest trainers, and counts three Group 2 victories as his career highlights on the black type scale. Yet he has now crossed the Tasman to win New Zealand’s lucrative NZ$1 million feature three times, having also scored with Sister Havana (General Nediym) in 2010, and gelding Hardline (Showcasing) in 2015. Dream Roca’s success also brought up a hat-trick for fillies in the race, with La Dorada (Super Seth) successful last year, and Velocious (Written Tycoon) taking the honours in 2024. Asked for the secret of his success in the event, Birchley told Sky: “Just to get an athlete. That’s what you need here. “It’s tremendous to get it three times. I know how hard it is. The standard of two-year-olds here has improved markedly over the last ten years. ” Dream Roca - one of 13 stakes winners from 315 runners (4. 1 per cent) for El Roca (Fastnet Rock) - was bought for $75,000 last year at Karaka from Westbury’s draft by Bloodstock Solutions. Raced by a large syndicate, she showed talent with a 0. 9 length second on debut at Eagle Farm before her breakthrough win, and looked ultra impressive with her dogged finish when stepped up to the 1200 metres on Saturday. “We were lucky enough to draw number one, which saves you a lot of work in the run. We could take it easy and save the best for the end,” Birchley said. “From barrier one, you’re going to get the best run no matter what if you’ve got the right jock. He’s an emerging superstar this jock . ” He added: “I’ve got a lot of really close friends in this horse, going back a long way. One of... “Bring on Australia” was the message from winning jockey Matt Cartwright after Well Written (Written Tycoon) lived up to her exciting reputation with a breathtaking fifth win from as many starts in Saturday’s Karaka Millions 3YO Classic (RL, 1600m). The Stephen Marsh-trained sensation went into the NZ$1. 5 million feature as a prohibitive odds-on favourite, having built an ultra-impressive CV through her first four starts. That included a 2. 5 length romp in her one elite-level attempt, the New Zealand 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) in November, in her first start bearing Yulong’s colours after a 50 per cent buy-in from the stud that stands her sire, Written Tycoon (Iglesia). Marsh admitted he’d been nervous before Well Written’s last start in the Auckland Guineas (Gr 2, 1400m), when a troublesome parade left her trainer “a shade of green” before his charge managed a 0. 3 length success. But there were no such misgivings on Saturday, and far less doubt about the verdict. Well Written settled in midfield from gate three of 13, found clear air at the 300 metres, and veritably exploded away from her rivals to score by six lengths. Te Akau Racing pair He Who Dares (Snitzel) and La Dorada (Super Seth) took second and third. The NZ$797,500 first prize took Well Written’s earnings to NZ$1. 42 million, and had Cartwright almost lost for words as the expat Australian reflected on what fate had brought him since his brave decision to move from Melbourne to New Zealand for better opportunities in 2024. “Wow - I think we’ve seen a very, very special win today,” Cartwright told Sky. “The best horse I have ever ridden. This thing is an absolute weapon. It’s so exciting. “We got the right run, I got through, and wow - I nearly fell off the back of her. “The job was on today with her - she was very keen today. But I’ve always just wanted to ride her with a bit of cover. Every time I’ve ridden her, she drops her head and relaxes, just so she can show that great turn of foot. “She’s a very, very good horse. I think she’s right up to it with Australia’s best. ” Marsh indicated he wouldn’t charge into an Australian mission with the filly without a good deal of consideration, saying her next major target would be the $4 million slot race, The Kiwi (1500m) at Ellerslie on March 7. “We’ll just play around with her. You’ll see her in The Kiwi,” said Marsh, a mixture of relief and ecstasy. “Everything went good early. We probably got a length further back than I thought, but then you see her come up underneath Matt, and gee. “I just thought she paraded so much better today. I was a shade of green before her last start, but I was relatively relaxed today. “What have we just seen? We’ve seen something very special. I’m absolutely over the moon. “People have said, ‘How good is she? Is she... Having failed to score in two-and-a-half years before rattling off a hat-trick last spring, born-again seven-year-old Jigsaw (Manhattan Rain) is now an elite-level winner. The gelding - trained by Cranbourne’s Cindy Alderson and bred by her mother Lynne - raised his most important triumph among 13 career victories in Saturday’s Railway Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) at Ellerslie. His prior winning hat-trick had included Moonee Valley’s McEwen Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) followed by Cranbourne’s $1 million slot race The Meteorite (1200m), but the NZ$700,000 Railway was easily the most impressive of his now four-race streak. Jumping from barrier ten of 13 under Logan Bates, the Kiwi apprentice now based in Melbourne, Jigsaw speared across to sit outside leader and short priced favourite Alabama Lass (Alabama Express) as a solid pace ensued. Jigsaw went to the lead at the 250 metres as Alabama Lass weakened, and Bates braced for challenges from behind. But while another well fancied Australian - the Hayes brothers’ Arkansaw Kid (Harry Angel) - emerged to threaten to his inside, Jigsaw kept finding towards the line and scored by 0. 8 lengths. Sweynesday (Sweynesse) was the same distance away in third for the Roger James and Robert Wellwood team. After Jigsaw’s Meteorite success, Alderson said she couldn’t point to any reason for his resurgence other than “a lovely spell” and the fact he’d regained his confidence. He looked the very picture of confidence as he staved off Arkansaw Kid on Saturday, in a win which shot his earnings well past the AU$2 million mark. He also set emotions flying for Alderson - the daughter of famed Cranbourne conditioner Colin - as she celebrated her first Group 1, and for the young rider she has so richly supported since his move across the Tasman. “It means everything,” said Bates, also revelling in his first elite-level triumph. “I remember before I even started riding, Cindy and I had a conversation and she said one of her greatest achievements would be to see me win a Group 1 and the comment at the end was that it would be even better if it was in her colours for the Alderson family, and we have done it. ” Bates, 24, has formed a dynamic partnership with Jigsaw, having ridden him in all four wins of his current streak after initially partnering him for the first-up fourth at Caulfield which preceded it. “What a beautiful horse,” he said. “You wouldn’t think he was a seven-year-old gelding to come back like this and get better and better. Every day I rode him going this way and all the work that we have done with him I just grew in confidence. “The plan was either to lead if it was there or if they were rolling along at a tempo where he was happy in his rhythm. When I gave him a squeeze and he ranged up to Alabama Lass, he grew with confidence and gave me an unbelievable kick. “There are so many people to... Tuxedo (Tivaci) made up for a heartbreaking second on Ellerslie’s feature raceday last year and pushed his earnings into seven figures with a determined win in the NZ$1 million Aotearoa Classic (Gr 3, 1600m) on Saturday. Ridden to perfection from a sticky gate nine of 16 by comeback jockey Opie Bosson, the Shaun Ritchie and Colin Murray-trained Tuxedo settled midfield one off the fence as the field strung out under a strong pace. Bosson bided his time in the middle of the ruck, found clear air at the 300 metres, and his $8. 50 chance settled into a beautiful rhythm to gradually mow down Andrew Forsman’s brave leader Hinekaha (Savabeel) and win by 0. 3 lengths. The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained visitor Knobelas (Belardo) took third, 0. 7 lengths further away. From humble beginnings, Tuxedo has now won five of his 12 starts including two Group 3s and a Group 2, the latter being last February’s Waikato Guineas (Gr 2, 2000m). A son of former Waikato Stud stallion Tivaci (High Chaparral) - whose lack of success led to his exportation to China in September 2024 - Tuxedo was bought from Waikato’s draft for $70,000 at the Karaka sale in 2023 by co-owner Grant Barnett. He now ranks second-best among Tivaci’s seven stakes winners from 277 runners, after Group 1 victor Never Been Kissed, and Saturday’s NZ$500,000 first prize took his earnings to NZ$1. 04 million. The win, which came with the benefit of newly added blinkers, also made up for Tuxedo’s one length second on the same day last year in the Karaka Million 3YO Classic behind the outstanding Damask Rose (Savabeel). “He’s always shown us plenty of ability,” said co-trainer Ritchie. “I thought the blinkers would help a little bit. ” Ritchie paid tribute to Bosson, who returned to riding last August after only six months in retirement. “You just don’t give Opie Bosson instructions on Karaka Million night,” he said. “I did just say one little thing - that when you go for him he’ll be a little reactive, because the blinkers will probably switch him on like they did in trackwork last week. But he’s one of the best, Opie, isn’t he? ” Tuxedo is named for his dam Ball Gown (O’Reilly), and has inspired his owners - and consequently his trainers - to stand out from the crowd in their formal dinner wear when he races. “I’m delighted for my clients,” Richie said from behind his black bow tie. “They’ve been with us for years and years and they’ve put a lot of money in, and days like this is what it’s all about, so I’m thrilled for them all. “They really get a kick out of it and they enjoy every moment of it. It’s a fantastic game to get people together and I’m glad to be a part of it myself. “I just hope they don’t buy a filly and call it Mini Skirt, because I won’t look that flash. ” Ritchie... The Milan Park barn at Karaka is missing a familiar presence this year, after the death of long-serving friend and colleague John Jeffs, who died of cancer in November aged 83. Affectionately known as ‘JJ’, Jeffs was a much-loved figure at Milan Park, remembered for his remarkable affinity to recall names, his infectious positivity and his deep knowledge of racing and breeding. Tony Rider - owner of Milan Park - said his absence has left a noticeable void within the team. “We are missing JJ big time,” he told ANZ News. “JJ could have 3 or 4 drafts going on at any one time, and at the same time, he could spin and talk to you. He knew where everything was. “He got on well with my farm manager, Grant, and with Grant out the back, and him out the front. It was just bloody awesome. He became a very good friend. Just about like an old man to me in some ways, he was very good. We used to talk often. ” Milan Park has honoured Jeffs’ contribution by placing an image of him on the wall of the barn he once managed, a daily reminder of his lasting impact on the operation. “I get a bit emotional, I don't know how many years he's been working for me, but he didn't see it as work, and I don't see it as work. It's just, it's what you love. It's what you do. ” Rider also reflected on the loss of another close friend, Group 1-winning trainer Tony Dennis, who died in September last year, acknowledging the enduring relationship between their families. “We lost another very good friend of ours, Tony Dennis, the family's been so loyal to me. The Dennis Brothers and we've got a photo up there of him too. “For many years, they wouldn't do foal shares or anything, they kept it to themselves and eventually, I tried to buy one of the mares and I got up to a $1 million I've offered Tony and he said ‘it's not for sale’. He came back a day or so later and he said, I'll tell you what, we'll go 50-50 in a foal share. Ever since then, we've done a lot of business with them. They became very, very great friends, the Dennis Brothers. ” Highview Stud supremo Brent Gillovic is hoping Kinnaird can turbocharge a big weekend for the family farm when the exciting Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) colt bids to keep his unbeaten record intact in the Karaka Millions 2YO (RL, 1200m) at Ellerslie. Kinnaird had the distinction of becoming his esteemed sire’s first Group winner when, despite showing signs of waywardness in the home straight, the colt claimed the Eclipse Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) by just over a length on New Year’s Day, with that victory seeing him instantly installed as the favourite for Saturday’s $1 million juvenile feature. On the advice of his regular rider Opie Bosson, co-trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergeson have applied blinkers for the first time and the new headgear has seemingly had the desired effect, as the colt reportedly completed a slick final gallop in midweek. In conjunction with the Hong Kong Breeders Club, who have been partners in Highview for the past two decades, the Gillovic’s Waikato operation sold Kinnaird for NZ$340,000 at last year’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale to Te Akau Racing, whose astonishing stranglehold on the Karaka Millions 2YO has seen the ‘Tangerine Army’ win eight of the last nine editions. Twelve months on from that trade, which would now appear another astute acquisition by Te Akau chief David Ellis, Gillovic will be trackside at Ellerlise to see if the final foal out of the farm’s proven producer Orinda (O’Reilly) can make it three wins from three outings. Given Kinnaird’s half-brother Jon Snow (Iffraaj) won the 2017 ATC Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) and his half-sister Princess Rhaenys (Iffraaj) - now a resident broodmare at the Huddy family’s Peachester Lodge - signed off her racing career with victory in the 2024 Tattersall’s Gold Crown (Listed, 2143m), it is a touch surprising that the classy colt is sharp enough to be contesting New Zealand’s richest sprint race for juveniles. While in no way downplaying the lofty opinion he holds of the Highview graduate, Gillovic readily concedes that he has been pleasantly surprised by the rapid rate of progress shown so early in his career. “I really liked the colt but to be honest I wouldn’t have said back then that he would have been able to do what he’s done at this stage of his career,” he told ANZ News. “The scary thing is that he’s still got a lot of improvement to come, physically and mentally, so he’s only going to get better as a three-year-old. It’s a big occasion and the biggest test of his career on Saturday, because it looks like a very strong field as you would expect for a $1 million race, but from what we’ve seen so far I do think he will handle the pressure no problem. “He’s obviously done a terrific job so far for our farm and also for Coolmore, being Home Affairs’ first Group winner. He wouldn’t want it too wet but the Ellerslie track drains particularly well now, so unless we... Big Sky (AUS) 2 c Bivouac - Zoom By by Red Dazzler O: R & C Legh Racing Pty Ltd, B & C Thoroughbreds Pty Ltd, Mr D F Matthews, Miss K A Smith, Mr W J Ouston, Mr H A Bentley, Martec Racing, Mr D P Tyler, Mr S J Rutherford, Sb Racing, Mr S J Perry, Mr D M Placella, Mr J Armitage, Mr E Campbell, Mr K F Cronan B: Eureka Cambooya Thoroughbreds Pty Ltd, Qld T: Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) S: 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale V: Eureka Stud P: Mick Price Racing & Breeding Pty Ltd, $140,000 W: TAB We're On, 1000m, January 17, Flemington Exciting colt Big Sky (Bivouac) kicked off his career in perfect fashion with a dominant debut win down the Flemington straight on Saturday, launching himself into Blue Diamond (Gr 1, 1200m) contention. The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained colt was too strong in the TAB We’re On (1000m), overcoming the widest draw to score by 2. 8 lengths under Jordan Childs ahead of Mirador (Brazen Beau), with Boridi (Profiteer) a further 0. 7 lengths away in third. “It worked out pretty well, really,” Kent Jnr said. “He did a lot wrong in the first part of the race but I thought Jordy rode him perfectly. “The plan was to ride the horse first and the race second, just keep it smooth. He got across relatively easily, the horse has got natural speed, and I suppose the impressive part was the way he travelled deep into the race, and then the acceleration was instant when he went for it and he really ran right past the line. ” While the stable stopped short of ranking their Blue Diamond prospects, Big Sky and last month’s Cranbourne debut winner Guest House (Home Affairs) are now likely to meet in the Blue Diamond Prelude (Gr 3, 1100m) (C&G) at Caulfield on February 7. “We haven't matched them up,” Kent Jnr said. “We don't let them off the bridle until race day, and all you can do is go and win like that. He's won very impressively but it's only going to get harder from here. “If you didn't go to the 1100 Prelude, you'd go to the Chairman's Stakes , but the 1100 metres is a nice stepping stone to the 1200 metres of a Blue Diamond. ” Purchased from the draft of Eureka Stud at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $140,000, Big Sky is the third winner from three to race out of the winning Red Dazzler (Red Ransom) mare Zoom By. A half-sister to Big Sky by Spirit Of Boom (Sequalo) will be on offer out of the Eureka Stud draft at the upcoming Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, catalogued as Lot 607. Quality hailed as Inglis Easter Sale catalogue is revealed Winx’s (Street Cry) second foal will no doubt grab the main headline, but the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale is also shaping as a showcase for another superstar of the Australian thoroughbred scene - sire sensation Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt). The catalogue for the sale trumped as the “best of the best” and the most important in the southern hemisphere is now out, with a high quality selection of 472 yearlings assembled, up from 421 last year, and down from a modern peak of 500 in 2024. An expectant hush will befall Riverside’s auditorium when Winx’s colt by Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) goes under the hammer, though no one expects him to match the $10 million the wonder mare’s co-owner Debbie Kepitis paid in 2024 for her filly by Pierro (Lohnro), the as-yet unraced three-year-old Quinceanera. But much interest, not to mention business, is certain to centre on the 11 lots by Newgate Farm’s Extreme Choice, in an auction that could mark his ascension into a bona fide sales superstar. This year’s yearlings are the subfertile star’s first full crop after he entered the stratosphere of service fees at $275,000 following his stunning first few years of runners. The 12-year-old, now boasting 11. 6 per cent stakes winners to runners - and six individual elite-level victors of races as diverse as the Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) and the Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) - is now the most expensive stallion in Australia, having completed his ninth book last spring at $330,000. Already, the quality of this crop has been borne out at Magic Millions Gold Coast, where Extreme Choice had comfortably had the best average price among stallions, at $822,500 for eight lots sold, which included the equal sale-topping $2 million colt out of Hazlebrook (Hinchinbrook), sold by Kingstar Farm to Yulong. And Inglis’s bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch believes the stallion’s entries this Easter reflect how Australia’s leading breeders clamoured to send some of the finest mares in the country to the stallion in the spring of 2023. Not only does Hutch describe the Easter catalogue as the finest he’s seen in his seven years at Inglis, he says it contains “the best group of Extreme Choice yearlings ever to go to a sale”. “The credentials of each of them are outstanding,” Hutch told ANZ News. “This is a proper group of horses by what is a generational stallion. His record is nothing short of extraordinary. “It’s the first time his mare quality is commensurate, or close to commensurate, with his quality as a stallion. “In the past he’s had early crop mares. But this crop, after a massive fee hike, you look at the mares who have yearlings by him and all of a sudden there’s far less guesswork required on the likelihood of one of these, or multiple of these yearlings, being really good. “For people who want to go to a sale and give themselves the... The show must go on A significant milestone is about to take place this week, namely, the 100th New Zealand National Yearling Sale. For 99 unbroken years, auctioneers, buyers, vendors and yearling thoroughbreds have shown up at either Trentham or Karaka as the display window of the New Zealand breeding industry. Any number of reasons could have interfered with the 99 consecutive years of sales yet every one was conquered. From the beginning, the National Sale confronted a variety of hurdles starting with the The Great Depression which severely impacted sales of the early 1930s. The escape from the depression’s clutches was brief as the globe was soon plunged into World War II. Along the way events such as fuel rationing, finance restrictions, Australian government purchase quotas, changes of governments, weather bombs, floods, dust storms, the stock market crash of 1987, the Gulf War, the global financial crisis and, most recently, a world pandemic, not one was able to derail the sale from being staged. Twice the sale was delayed. In 1936 the death of King George V pushed the sale back a few days while the country mourned. In 2022, the pandemic set the sale back by five weeks. The latter came closest to breaking the sequence and very nearly succeeded but it is a testament to the auctioneers that they somehow found a way to keep the show on the road, much to the relief of breeders and vendors. When the first sale was held the auctioneers could not have imagined that 100 years on, the event would maintain its status as the showcase of the New Zealand breeding industry. An innocent question New Zealand studs bred thoroughbreds long before the first National Sale but sales were held regionally, at studs or at race meetings. Among the more prominent breeders was George Currie and his Koatanui Stud near Wanganui who imported and stood highly successful stallions Absurd (Sundridge) and Limond (Desmond). He also imported New Zealand Hall of Fame broodmare Eulogy (Cicero). Currie was ahead of his time and by rail and sea sent a high proportion of his annual draft to the Sydney Easter Yearling Sale. His involvement with the New Zealand National Yearling Sale was a huge factor behind its foundation and subsequent success but it was an innocent question by Wright, Stephenson & Co’s Feilding stud stock representative Harry Toose which may have been the catalyst for the sale’s existence. At a private yearling sale at Waikanae (near Wellington) he turned to his boss, Charlie Robertson, and asked: “Why can’t New Zealand have a national sale? ” Whenever Robertson raised the idea with breeders the feedback was positive. Currie, along with WG Stead (Flaxmere Stud), TH Lowry (Okawa Stud), JD & F Ormond (Karamu Stud), IG Duncan (Elderslie Stud), JF Buchanan (Kinloch Stud), AF Roberts (Seadown Stud) and J Donald (Westmere Stud) agreed and the first sale was staged on Friday, January 21, 1927. The Trentham racecourse birdcage served as the venue for the first... Preparing to chase Stewards’ Cup (Gr 1, 1600m) glory with champion Romantic Warrior (Acclamation) on Sunday, Danny Shum clocked up his 900th Hong Kong win as a trainer at Sha Tin’s all-dirt meeting on Wednesday night. Shum, 65, is the seventh-most prolific trainer in Hong Kong racing history behind John Moore (1,735), John Size (1,632), Tony Cruz (1,583) Caspar Fownes (1,196), Ricky Yiu (1,083) and Francis Lui (1,003) after combining with Zac Purton for victories on Hong Kong International Sale graduate Forever Folks (Tavistock) in the Class 4 Po Shek Wu Handicap (1800m) and Blazing Wind (Deep Field) in the Class 3 Shui Chuen O Handicap (1200m). “I always say, the first ten years of my training, I was not that good, but the last ten years I'm doing much better because I'm more concentrated on my job," said Shum, the mastermind behind Romantic Warrior’s record-breaking career. “You can see the last ten years, my results tell you a lot and I've had a lot of good horses to help, too. ” The winner of 11 Group 1s and a world record HK$240,105,697 (approx. AU$45. 47 million) in prize-money, Romantic Warrior will clash with Voyage Bubble (Deep Field) and My Wish (Flying Artie) in the Stewards’ Cup, the first leg of the Triple Crown. New Forest (Justify) continued an impressive rise with a clinical victory in the Class 2 Tin Chak Handicap (1650m) as Mark Newnham extended his lead in the 2025/26 Hong Kong trainers’ championship and Andrea Atzeni posted a treble. The Justify (Scat Daddy) gelding led all the way for Atzeni to defeat Gorgeous Win (Press Statement) by a length and a half in 1m 38. 25s with Talents Ambition (Into Mischief) a further neck away in third placing. Sent straight to the front by Atzeni, New Forest slotted his third win of the campaign – his fourth course and distance success – as Newnham slotted his 33rd victory of the season to lead Fownes (30), David Hayes (27), Shum (27), Manfred Man (21) and Size (20). “In a small field, he got control of the pace and he's always hard to beat when he does that,” Newnham said. “He had a very easy time of it, which made it harder for Talents Ambition, but it helped New Forest. ” Newnham confirmed Talents Ambition would not travel to Dubai and instead be aimed at local targets. “We can build on this season with both of them - there will be other races for them. Talents Ambition has been running consistently well but he needs a pace on as he gets back,” Newnham said. Atzeni said: “He’s a very uncomplicated horse, who likes to go forward. In the small field, with the light weight, he was a nice ride to pick up. It was a nice win. ” Atzeni twice teamed with 13-time Hong Kong champion trainer Size, scoring with Noble Deluxe (Toronado) and Sight Dreamer (Almanzor), to have 19 wins for the campaign. “I came here tonight with... Here, in lot order, is a look at six likely head-turners at Karaka’s 100th National Yearling Sale, starting Sunday. Lot 94 br c Proisir - Ruqqaya (Van Nistelrooy) Trelawney Stud DOB: 18-09-24 From one of Trelawney’s finest families comes this imposing looking colt who’s a half-brother to two of the farm’s star exports - Grunt (O’Reilly) and Zayydani (Savabeel). Grunt scored two top tier victories over the Flemington 1600 metres in the Australian Guineas and Makybe Diva Stakes en route to his current Group 1-producing stud career at Yulong, while Zayydani took the VRC’s Matriarch Stakes (Gr 2, 2000m) along with two Listed events. While dam Ruqqaya won twice up to 2100 metres, the line revolves around second dam Sayyida (Zabeel). She was set to be euthanised after a race accident, but Trelawney’s Cherry Taylor - “heavily pregnant and near hysterical” - begged for her to be saved. That wasn’t easy, but Sayyida has rewarded Trelawney in spades, becoming New Zealand’s Broodmare of the Year in 2013, thanks mostly to bearing Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) hero and stallion Ocean Park (Thorn Park), plus the dam of two other Group winners. Her family has been extremely successful, and Taylor has high hopes this colt - part of Trelawney’s “really even” 22-horse draft - can live up to that rich history. “He’s the colt that is most like Grunt at the same age that we’ve sold out of that mare,” Taylor says. “And that is the one comment people make when he comes out. “He’s just an athlete. He’s got a great head on him - like the whole Sayyida family - and a good, relaxed walk, with a good overstep. “He’s just a really balanced horse - not overly big, not small, just a really good even type that walks well and looks like an athlete. ” Lot 138 b c Super Seth - Sombreuil (Flying Spur) Milan Park DOB: 14-11-24 Sombreuil may have managed only one country win but so far she’s making an extremely good fist of broodmare life. Her three runners have all won, and they include the outstanding Savabeel (Zabeel) pair Provence and Damask Rose. Provence has won three Group 1s - with a timely page update coming through her Captain Cook Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) victory last month - while Damask Rose has reaped NZ$2. 2 million in prize-money earnings after taking the Karaka Millions 3YO Classic (RL, 1600m) and the inaugural NZB Kiwi (RL, 1500m) back-to-back early last year. Yet this colt’s family doesn’t stop there. Second dam Te Akau Rose (Thorn Park) won four stakes races up to Group 2 and threw two stakes performers. Third dam Straussbridge (Straussbrook) won in Listed class and also threw the Group-placed dam of Brutal (O’Reilly), the Doncaster Handicap (Gr 1, 1600m) hero who’s now standing at Newgate Farm, as well as the dam of Group 3 winner Cavalry Rose (Charge Forward). While Provence and Damask Rose have excelled over the mile, Milan Park owner Tony Rider... Some neat pieces of numerical symmetry surround Hallmark Stud’s presence at next week’s Karaka Yearling Sale. As New Zealand’s most famous auction celebrates its 100th edition, Hallmark raises its own half century, with its 50th successive draft following its first, at the old National Sale, in 1977. And how fitting that Hallmark is able to kick off the entire sale with Lot 1, a well bred colt by Harry Angel (Dark Angel) whose second dam was three-time Melbourne stakes winner Dama De Noche (Snippets). While presenting the first lot of a sale can be something of a poisoned chalice, with many potential buyers watching and waiting in those early stages, the Hallmark team will be delighted to take “the honour” in what is a landmark sale for them. Not that they’d stopped to think about it, but Mark Baker - who owns the stud south of Auckland with his father Denny - was chuffed when his chat with ANZ News this week turned up the fact that this would be their 50th straight draft at New Zealand’s most important sale. “The first thing I’d say is - I don’t know where the time went,” Baker said. “But you look back and you realise we’ve had some great times, though there’s highs and lows, like everything with horses. “But it seems like yesterday that I went down there with my father with our first draft back in the 1970s. Time goes pretty quick. “It’s a nice milestone, though it’s not something you’d think about that much. But like all of us Kiwi breeders, we’re small, we’ve all got each other’s backs, and we’re just proud to be a Kiwi breeder given what we produce in this country. ” Hallmark can boast some glowing history, with its recent highlight being the breeding of Prowess (Proisir), the dual Group 1 winner whose sister is in the Bakers’ draft next week, as Lot 387. In tandem with close associate, Taranaki-based breeder Trevor Hurley, Hallmark also bred the elite-level winning half-siblings Katie Lee (Pins) and Banchee (Oratorio). They were New Zealand’s Champion 3YO and 2YO in 2009-10, making their three-time stakes-winning dam Miss Jessie Jay (Spectacularphantom) the only Kiwi broodmare to have left both such champions in the same year. Katie Lee, in turn the only filly to have won New Zealand’s double of the Two Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) and One Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m), is the second dam of Hallmark’s Lot 93 on Sunday, a colt by Super Seth (Dundeel). Other graduates from the farm include top-tier winners Humidor (Teofilo), Bonny Lass (Super Easy) and Wyndspelle (Iffraaj), along with a host of other black-type victors. Fittingly, Baker rates Hallmark’s 50th straight New Zealand draft as one of its finest of the past decade, with ten varied yearlings promising “something for everyone”. It’s been forged out of a recent change of strategy at the 260-acre farm. After phasing out their breaking business more than a decade ago, Hallmark also stopped standing stallions... A quality catalogue comprising 412 lots has been assembled for the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale, which begins its two-day run at Morphettville on March 19. The sale where the likes of multiple Group 1-winning globetrotter Asfoora (Flying Artie) and Private Eye (Al Maher) were unearthed, will once again present a plethora of opportunities for buyers and vendors alike. “The Adelaide Yearling Sale is so highly regarded by all industry players,” Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch said. “From our vendors to our buyers – whether trainers, owners or traders – it’s the sale that keeps producing. “The reigning European Champion Sprinter Asfoora could have been yours in Adelaide for $30,000. The $12. 8 million earner Private Eye was a $62,500 buy, while crack Hong Kong star Galaxy Patch, a $50,000 buy, has already earned HK$34. 8 million . “Last year’s graduates are already up and running and include unbeaten stakes winner Eternal Warrior,” Bowditch added. The Adelaide Yearling Sale each year presents a diverse catalogue of future racetrack stars. This year stock by some 107 individual sires are represented – among the cohort are the progeny of 15 freshman stallions. Bowditch continued: “The sires represented present prospective buyers with so many opportunities. From the established stars to an exciting group of first seasoners. “All yearlings offered are eligible to be nominated for the incredible $20 million plus Magic Millions Race Series – the world’s richest race series – a series that delivers that complete windfall every year. “Last year the Magic Millions SA 2YO Classic saw Ole Dancer win on debut for the Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman stable. The untapped filly returned in the spring to score a brilliant win in the Group One Thousand Guineas. All eyes will be on Murray Bridge again in February to see what the race will unveil in 2026. “We know how much our vendors and buyers love getting to Adelaide. From Morphettville to nearby Glenelg and with world class food and award winning wines – South Australia has so much to offer. ” The printed catalogue for the sale will be combined with the 2026 Gold Coast March Yearling Sale. Click here to view the catalogue for the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale. Fresh from another successful shopping trip on the Gold Coast last week, Astute Bloodstock’s Louis Le Metayer is hoping his 2025 Magic Millions graduate Angels Fury (Harry Angel) can deliver a devilish display in this Saturday’s Blue Diamond Preview (F) (Gr 3, 1000m). Le Metayer departed the Boondall complex with a trio of yearlings, headlined by his purchase of a $320,000 Farnan (Not A Single Doubt) filly from the Kenmore Lodge draft, with all three set to join Ciaron Maher’s mammoth operation once they have undergone their initial education at the breaker’s yard. While his immediate attention now turns to inspecting yearlings at Karaka ahead of the centenary edition of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Sale, which gets underway on Sunday, there is no doubt that Angels Fury’s eagerly anticipated debut at Caulfield is already occupying his thoughts. The juvenile’s eye-catching jumpout jaunt at Southside Cranbourne two weeks ago was hard to ignore, with her trial pilot Ethan Brown set to retain the ride for her competitive bow in the fillies’ Preview, for which she holds early favouritism. Indeed, the Maher stable have been so taken by her progress that they teamed up with David Redvers Bloodstock last week to buy her half-brother, a bay colt by Queensland’s leading sire Spirit Of Boom (Sequalo), for $200,000 from the Bell River Thoroughbreds draft. Despite being impressed with the colt’s innate athleticism, Le Metayer’s prudent strategy of sourcing fillies with residual value as broodmares for his clients - partly as is he unable to compete financially with the bigger farms on their voracious hunt for future stallions - precluded him from placing a bid on Lot 69. However, he is certainly hopeful that his half-sister can provide a significant pedigree update by registering a first stakes win for their dam, Ashra Jahre (Headwater), whose breeding career is firmly on track to exceed her moderate racetrack record. “We’re getting pretty excited about this filly,” the French native told ANZ News. “She won her last trial by about seven lengths so it was hard not to be impressed by her. “We generally tend to hold our two-year-olds back and not run them until March or April at the earliest, but with this filly she’s so electric that we couldn’t find any reasons not to press on and kick her off in the Blue Diamond Preview on Saturday. We’ve been counting down the days for a little while now, so it’s good that the big day is almost here. “She ran good times in her trial and Ethan was very keen to stick with her for Saturday, so that’s always a good sign. Raceday pressure is another thing but she’s been a very tractable filly from the very start, she’s been very easy to train and has done everything the team have asked of her. She’s very push button so hopefully she can put it all together on raceday. “If she runs up to expectations on Saturday the plan would be to take her straight... A “steady to strong” forecast for the rest of the Australian yearling sale season according to a range of industry figures, based on the results of Magic Millions Gold Coast. Book 1 of the first sale of the year was hailed as an emphatic success by Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch. The sale’s average of $270,468 was up by around $1000 on 2025 - fulfilling some vendors’ projections of a similar sale to 12 months ago. The clearance rate of 87. 35 per cent - up from 83. 05 per cent a year earlier - was what had several observers particularly impressed, leading to mostly upbeat projections for the sale season ahead. Bowditch noted 45 buyers had spent $1 million or more, which “shows there’s a great thirst for yearlings in Australia”. With the catalogue streamlined this year, Magic Millions was also buoyant over a Book 1 gross of $204 million through 753 lots sold, close to 2025’s figure of $207 million from 16 more yearlings. Book 2 was markedly up, with an average of $51,466 over $44,198, and a clearance rate which on Monday - a day after the auction ended - stood at 84. 04 per cent, up from 73. 29 per cent year-on-year. Furthermore, Book 2 had grossed $9. 2 million from 179 sold lots, compared to $10. 9 million from 247 sold lots in 2025, confirming most judges’ views that the bottom end of the market was the scene of robust trade. That has spurred widespread expectations of pleasing results for vendors at Inglis’s two lower-end sales - Classic and Premier. And industry figures canvassed by ANZ are also tipping a bumper outcome at Inglis’s marquee Easter sale. That assertion is based on the middle market having been strong at the Gold Coast, and the fact that only 15 lots reached seven figures there - down from 22 in 2025 - suggests a relatively large number of elite yearlings have been saved for Easter. Three lots sold for more at the Gold Coast in 2025 than last week’s peak price of $2 million. “I thought the sale was sensational,” said Peter O’Brien, general manager of Segenhoe Stud, the sale’s fourth largest vendor by aggregate, and third-highest by average. “The clearance rate was great, and overall the sale was buoyant all the way through. “I was always confident about the top end of the market going in. All the main players were there and that was very strong. “The middle market held its own. But the biggest surprise for me was the bottom of the market was stronger than expected. I thought the lower end of the market would be very difficult, and that the clearance rate would drop from last year. “So that part really surprised me, and it’s very encouraging leading into the likes of Classic and Premier. ” He added: “Overall it’s very encouraging for the rest of the year. “I think Easter will be very strong. That’s middle to top end, and... Tony Ottobre was delighted to have acquired his latest “Jenni” horse after buying Magic Millions Gold Coast’s Book 2 topper for “a lot more than I expected” on a robust closing day of trading on Sunday. Ottobre’s Cape Schanck Stud had to go to $270,000 to acquire Lot 1113, a filly by vendor Yulong’s young stallion Tagaloa (Lord Kanaloa) out of a full-sister to dual Group 1 winner and siring sensation Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt). The well-proportioned filly had obviously caught the eye of several other keen shoppers - taking their lead from a reasonably strong Book 1 sale - on a day in which a more streamlined Book 2 performed well, especially in comparison to 2025’s flat results. A reduction from 380 catalogued lots last year to 241 this time, with the sale halved from two days to one, helped Book 2 return results that had Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch beaming over a “solid” outcome. With attendances and interest perhaps also aided by the absence of race meetings in Queensland on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, Book 2 boasted an average of $51,466 late on Sunday night, up from 2025’s figure of $44,419. The clearance rate of 84. 04 per cent was substantially up from the 70 per cent at the same stage after last year’s sale, the median had leapt from $36,000 to $42,500, and the gross - with 56 fewer lots sold, was $9,212,500, compared with $10,673,000. Ottobre, who targeted Book 2 exclusively and became its biggest buyer, was thrilled to emerge from a spirited bidding duel with a filly who’ll continue to carry the torch for his fleet of horses named after his late daughter Jenni. “I loved its swagger, the way it walked, the way it paraded, and it was extremely smart; you could tell that from the back parade ring,” Ottobre told ANZ News. “While all the other horses were jumping around and carrying on, this filly was just looking at them and going about its business. “Demeanour is the number one important thing in a racehorse. This is obviously a smart horse, and she’s very well put together. ” The filly’s pedigree also made a compelling argument. While dam Mightily (Not A Single Doubt) won only once - at humble Balranald - in six starts, she hails from one of the hottest families in Australia, in that her full brother is Newgate Farm’s sub-fertile star Extreme Choice. The 12-year-old’s stakes winners to runners ratio of 11. 6 per cent has helped make him the most expensive sire in the country, at $330,000 (inc GST). Mightily’s only two runners are country winners, with one placed in Adelaide city class. And third dam Going To Extremes (Nasty And Bold) was a stakes winner in Canada. “The pedigree was very attractive. The mother’s a full-sister to Extreme Choice. That put her pretty high on my list,” said Ottobre, adding he wasn’t sure which of his regular trainers would be handed the filly. “To... Via Sistina (Fastnet Rock), Yulong’s multiple Group 1-winning champion, has been retired and will return to the UK to be covered by Darley's leading stallion Dubawi (Dubai Millennium). The mare’s trainer, Chris Waller, confirmed the news on Sunday, bringing an end to an illustrious career that yielded 16 victories, highlighted by 12 Group 1 wins and more than $19. 4 million in prize-money. “Via Sistina has performed consistently well across many seasons and has become a talking point around the world, not only within racing, but sport in general,” Waller said in an extensive statement released on social media. “We feel that following her second Cox Plate win and her impressive victory in the Champion Stakes, she hasn’t come back this preparation as her normal, highly energetic self. ” Bred by Laundry Cottage Stud, Via Sistina was originally purchased for a modest 5,000gns from Book 3 of the Tattersalls December Yearling Sale in 2019. She went on to win five races in the UK for Joseph Tuite and George Boughey, including the 2023 edition of the Pretty Polly Stakes (Gr 1, 1m 2f) for the latter trainer. Later that year, she was sold to Yulong for 2,700,000gns at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale. The daughter of Fastnet Rock (Danehill) exploded onto the Australian scene with an impressive victory in the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) and went on to dominate the country’s middle-distance ranks, winning a further ten Group 1 races, including back-to-back Cox Plates (Gr 1, 2040m) at Moonee Valley. Waller continued: “I would like to thank Via Sistina for the journey she has taken us all on, from her first-up wins over short distances to her back-to-back Cox Plate victories, which is something we will always remember. She is tough, determined and a beautiful mare to work with. “I would like to congratulate Mr Zhang, Jun and April Zhang, Sam Fairgray and the team at Yulong for their support, and congratulate them on the success of Via Sistina’s racing career and her management. “We look forward to seeing what the future holds for Via Sistina in the breeding barn and beyond. ” Yulong described Via Sistina as “a horse of a lifetime” and confirmed she would embark on her second career as a broodmare. “The closing of one chapter leads to the opening of another, and while there is a tinge of sadness that we will not see her on the racetrack again, we are excited to follow Via Sistina’s journey as she embarks on motherhood,” the statement read. “In the coming weeks, she will return to the UK and be prepared for a date with Darley’s pre-eminent global sire sensation, Dubawi. “To say she has been a horse of a lifetime for Mr Zhang, his family and the entire Yulong team would sell the daughter of Fastnet Rock short. From the moment she stepped onto Australian turf for the first time in the 2024 Ranvet Stakes at Rosehill, Via Sistina has been nothing short of phenomenal, carrying... Intrepid Australian trainer Henry Dwyer is planning to increase his presence in British racing, with returning champion sprinter Asfoora (Flying Artie) set to be campaigned out of Newmarket alongside two new recruits. The Group 1-winning handler saddled Asfoora to land the King Charles III Stakes (Gr 1, 5f) at Royal Ascot in 2024, and the El-Fahkri family’s homebred duly returned to the northern hemisphere to annex last year’s Nunthorpe Stakes (Gr 1, 5f) and Prix de l'Abbaye (Gr 1, 1000m). Dwyer was active at the latest renewal of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale, with Synners Kid (Ten Sovereigns), a two-time winner for Joseph O’Brien, picked up through Sam Haggas’s Hurworth Bloodstock at 110,000gns, while Skiathos (Wootton Bassett), a Redcar novice scorer for Karl Burke, was knocked down to Jamie Piggott and Harvey Williams at 150,000gns. However, before the three-year-olds make their way down under, Dwyer is hoping races like the Britannia Stakes (1m) or the Golden Gates Stakes (1m 2f) at Royal Ascot will figure in their respective programmes. “Asfoora will likely be running at most of the major festivals, as per last year, so we’ll try and find some three-year-old handicaps for these horses,” he said. “They both come back into work this week with Asfoora, so they’ll be up and going by the time we get back over there. It’ll be nice to think we could have three runners at Royal Ascot. ” Dwyer reported that both Skiathos and Synners Kid had already been syndicated among a global ownership base. Skiathos is set to run in the silks of Australian Tim Porter, whose past runners include notable talents Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) and Honey Girl (Mayson), while Synners Kid will sport the colours of Lady Bowthorpe’s (Nathaniel) owner Emma Banks. While European horses are routinely purchased with a view to targeting lucrative prizes in Australia, Dwyer said this project was about the sort of experiences “money can’t buy. ” “It’s not all about prize-money, I’m certainly of that opinion and so are the owners,” he said. “The dyed in the wool racing fan would pay any amount to have a winner at Royal Ascot. It’s an experience money can’t buy. “I’ve got some good friends that I’ve met along the way over there in Europe involved, and some great friends and clients from Australia who’d saw their right arm off to have a horse running at Royal Ascot. This gives them a chance to do that. Who knows, it might become a regular thing. ” The two new recruits will be trained out of Lemos de Souza’s Newmarket base alongside Asfoora. While Dwyer will send staff member Chenelle Ellis to oversee the string, Skiathos and Synners Kid are set to reappear for De Souza, for whom they would need to reach a rating of 90, before transferring to Dwyer’s care. He stressed that Royal Ascot was far from the be all and end all, with his experiences at other British tracks proving equally memorable. “A lot of... Zac Purton lauded Manfred Man’s horsemanship after Patch Of Cosmo (Super Seth) successfully returned from injury to stake a claim for the Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) as Akashvani (Alpine Eagle) and Emblazon (Zoustar) also showcased Four-Year-Old Classic Series credentials at Sha Tin on Sunday. Sidelined since March, 2025 after suffering a tendon injury, Patch Of Cosmo eclipsed a classy group of rivals to win by a neck from Aerodynamics (Royal Mo) and Pope Cody (Showtime) in 1m 34. 53s after jumping from barrier nine. Rated 77 pre-race, the Super Seth (Dundeel) gelding deserves his place in the Hong Kong Classic Mile, according to Purton, who will ride Sagacious Life (Put It Back) in the first leg of the Four-Year-Old Classic Series, which also includes the Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) on March 1 and the Hong Kong Derby (2000m) on March 22. “First of all, it was a really good training performance. This horse has been off from ten months with a tendon and he’s come back at the top of Class 3, carrying a lot of weight, first-up at a mile and he’s won,” Purton said. “That’s not easy to do. “So, they want to take their place in the Four-Year-Old Series now and he’s not going to be out of place. He’s a relatively lightly-raced horse, he’s got plenty more there. ” David Hayes was similarly positive about Akashvani after an emphatic all-the-way victory in the second section of the Class 3 Fencing Handicap (1400m) under Brenton Avdulla. Unlucky at his previous start, the 72-rater was well supported before forging clear in the straight after angling away from the fence and winning by three lengths in 1m 21. 30s from Super Express (Ten Sovereigns). “I thought going towards the Classic Mile, it was a very, very good run. I think he'll get eight or nine points and that will probably get him in the big race,” Hayes said. “That was his best win in Hong Kong and that was over 1400 metres and I would say he has a mile written all over him. If you look at his pedigree and racing style, I think if he draws well - he'll run a good race. “He's very fit and he's got a nice gap now with two weeks to the race. We're very excited. " Emblazon made it three wins from six starts for Cody Mo and Chau when the 64-rater overhauled Flash Current (Derryn) in the first section of the Class 3 Fencing Handicap (1400m). Fresh from reaching the 1,000-win milestone in Hong Kong last Wednesday, Francis Lui posted a running treble with Lucky Twin Stars (D’Argento) in the second section of the Class 4 Swimming Handicap (1400m) for Jerry Chau, Hot Delight (Too Darn Hot) in the second section of the Class 4 Cycling Handicap (1200m) under Vincent Ho and Amazing Partners (Pierata) in the first section of the Class 4 Swimming Handicap (1400m) for Ho. Both Lui and Ho were impressed with the effort... Ciaron Maher once again proved himself an exceptional trainer of juveniles when exciting colt Unit Five, a son of Widden Stud sire Supido (Sebring), claimed Saturday’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) at the Gold Coast, becoming the first horse to land the race on only his second start. Bought by Maher for a mere $80,000 at last year’s Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Unit Five went into the $3m scamper after only one previous race - a debut 2. 5-length win in Caulfield’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1100m) on December 20. Such a light preparation was unprecedented for a winner of the Gold Coast’s two-year-old highlight but Unit Five - who won a tune-up barrier trial at the Gold Coast 12 days before Saturday - validated Maher’s judgment in emphatic style. Unit Five was expertly ridden by renaissance jockey Thomas Stockdale, jumping from gate seven in a field reduced to 13 by three scratchings - including the race morning vet-enforced withdrawal of favourite Warwoven (Sword Of State) due to lameness. Stockdale eased his mount back to settle fourth-last on the fence as an even tempo was set up front by Itchintogo (Sun City). Entering the straight, Stockdale followed stablemate and $4. 40 second favourite Tornado Valley (Too Darn Hot) and his rider Ethan Brown as they made a move two horses off the fence. But when switched into ample room on the inside, Unit Five burst powerfully to the lead to have the race in his keeping at the 100m. The bay sprinted home to score by 1. 11 lengths as fellow colt Tornado Valley gave another glowing endorsement for the Maher touch by taking second. The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott team’s third-stringer from a three-horse contingent, filly By Choice (Written By), was 0. 03 lengths further back in third at $11 ahead of $61 outsider Double Cool (Cool Aza Beel). Tulloch Lodge’s other two runners Knightsbridge (Farnan) and Shiki (Too Darn Hot) were fifth and seventh at $11 and $6. 50 respectively, while $3. 30 favourite Zip Lock (Hellbent) split that pair. It was an emotional Maher who spoke to the media after his third win in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic in seven editions, following the successes of Away Game (Snitzel) in 2020 and Coolangatta (Written Tycoon) in 2022. While Tornado Valley was having his fourth start and Unit Five his second, mega trainer Maher agreed the key to individually training two-year-olds was “not giving them too much but just enough”. “That’s the trick. They’re not conditioned to racing much,” he said. “Myself and the whole team were quite confident that Unit Five, after one start, we were going to bring him up, give him a look at the track, trial this way around, and go in fresh. “You want them still improving rather than getting there and not being able to do it. “I was pretty confident with both of our runners. I was leaning towards the other one, to be honest. ” Maher, who has... Torque To Be Sure (Shamus Award) broke his maiden with a welcome feature race win for his Rosemont Stud sire in a dramatic victory in Saturday’s Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (RL, 1400m), surviving a protest to beat hot favourite Ninja (Farnan). The race became an intriguing study between the Matt Dunn trained $13 shot Torque To Be Sure - who entered the contest winless after ten starts - and $1. 60 hotpot Ninja, Michael Freedman’s burgeoning star who’d won three of five. With Torque To Be Sure and Ben Melham starting from gate 15 of 17, and Ninja from the widest gate, the latter followed the former in a three-wide line just worse than midfield. Torque To Be Sure took the lead at the 200 metres as Ninja came after him to his outside. Melham’s mount lurched outwards under pressure and impeded his rival’s progress, before shooting away to score by 0. 76 lengths. Ninja’s rider Tommy Berry fired in a protest and alleged the interference had cost him more than the winning margin. But chief steward Josh Adams said his panel found that while the level of interference was “significant”, they could not be satisfied it would have made the difference between winning and losing considering the margin. The protest drama cut the post-race comments from the winning trainer and jockey to a minimum. But Melham was able to report Torque To Be Sure had considerable ability, despite his maiden status before Saturday which came alongside five placings, four of them in city class. "He's not an easy horse to ride," Melham said of the gelding, who was a 0. 31-length second last Saturday in the Sunlight Consolation (1100m). "He went off the track a little but he was pretty good today. I ended up in a sweet spot and the back-up really helped me over 1400 metres. "He was pretty dominant. Not a bad effort for a maidener. The ability was never the issue, but it is good to see him break through in this race today. ” Thanking Torque To Be Sure’s owners for their patience, Dunn said starting him over 1100 metres eight days earlier had helped him settle for Saturday’s 1400-metre assignment. “He’s been a frustration,” the Murwillumbah trainer said. “I’m lucky I’ve got a very patient owner's group in him. But when you look at what he did today, he’s certainly always had the talent. “The sky’s the limit for him. Who knows what he can do. “It was always the plan to go to the 1100 metres last week. Ben rode him perfectly today. ” Bought by Dunn and Neil Jenkinson for $260,000 from Attunga Stud’s draft at the Gold Coast in 2024, Torque To Be Sure mixed some handy unplaced runs with his placings en route to Saturday’s breakthrough. At Brisbane’s winter carnival last year, he was fifth in the Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) before running a fair eighth in the JJ Atkins (Gr 1, 1600m). Dunn said his confidence... Newgate Farm-based stallion Tassort (Brazen Beau) and young trainer Paul Shailer could have a ready-made star on their hands after Toorak Jewel showed up the boys in streaking away with Saturday’s The Debut 2YO Plate (1000m) at the Gold Coast. In the 11-strong field of first starters, bargain buy Toorak Jewel was sent out a slightly easy $3 favourite after a scintillating 9. 8-length win in her only barrier trial at the same track on December 30. And, with champion jockey James McDonald securing the ride for her first start in Saturday’s $500,000 Debut, she emphatically lived up to that performance. Toorak Jewel was slightly wayward on jumping from gate two, but soon mustered to the lead, led by two lengths around the turn, exploded to a five-length margin at the 250 metres, and won easing up by 1. 44 lengths. The filly’s time of 56. 31 was just 0. 64 seconds outside the Gold Coast’s overall track record for the 1000 metres - a fair effort for a juvenile debutant filly eased up near the post - especially considering that track record has stood for 22 years and McDonald rode a kilo overweight at 56kg. Bred by Queensland’s Lourdes Park Stud, Toorak Jewel was a $36,000 purchase from Book 2 of last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for mega owner Mike Crooks, he of the “Mishani” squadron of runners. She now looks destined to be a stable star for Shailer, who has some 62 horses on his books at his Gold Coast base, having spent 12 years with Chris Waller, including heading up the gargantuan trainer’s operation at the same track. That tenure came to an end when Shailer paid the price for a party at Waller’s Gold Coast stable that infamously got out of hand in 2021, but he has been building his solo operation impressively in the past couple of years and, with Toorak Jewel showing abundant potential, his immediate future looks rosy. Saturday’s victory will also be welcomed by the team behind Tassort, who stands at Newgate for $38,500 (inc GST) in a partnership with his owners, Emirates Park. The nine-year-old stallion began with a bang in season 2023-24, with his first crop hatching two stakes winners including ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) queen Manaal and Group 2 victor Ameena. While Tassort’s second crop has yet to provide him with a third black-type victor, he now appears to have another star filly to his name, as Shailer reflected post-race. “He had to go early in the race to cross the horse that kicked up inside her. She sustained a strong gallop but when James asked her to quicken she responded really nicely and looked like a filly with a fair bit of talent,” Shailer said. “Not going to get carried away as, obviously, they’re all first starters but certainly had respect for the race with Gai and Adrian having runners. “It is a big thrill. She has shown us a bit and... A switch back to shorter trips has led to a bumper summer for Poster Girl (Alabama Express), the Chris and Corey Munce-trained mare who claimed her second feature in eight days at the Gold Coast on Saturday. After taking last weekend’s $250,000 Rising Stars 3YO & 4YO feature over 1300 metres for fillies and mares by 0. 45 lengths, Poster Girl backed up on Saturday to scramble home in the $1m Magic Millions Fillies & Mares over the same trip. Backed late to start at $7. 50, Poster Girl was impressive in doing it the hard way in what developed into a two-horse war from a long way out. She crossed from gate 12 of 18 for Martin Harley to sit outside the leader, the Lucy Yeomans trained $4. 80 favourite Jenni The Fox (Too Darn Hot), who had the advantage of barrier two. The pair were in front on settling and were able to dictate a moderate pace. Let loose on straightening, they then fought an epic battle down the straight. Jenni The Fox looked beaten at the 200m but fought back tenaciously on the inside to force Poster Girl to dig deep as the two hit the line locked together, with Poster Girl prevailing by 0. 02 lengths. The John O’Shea and Tom Charlton-trained Countyourblessings (I Am Invincible) had loomed on the first pair’s inside near home but had to settle for third, 0. 15 off the leader, at $21. Group-placed via her second in Storm Boy’s (Justify) BJ McLachlan Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) in 2023, Poster Girl has now won six of her 17 starts and four of her past five - two over 1200 metres and two over 1300 metres. A $160,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast purchase for senior owner Gerard O’Toole and Arthur Hoyeau, Poster Girl has added $718,000 to her coffers in the past eight days, her earnings having soared past $1. 3m. The four-year-old’s career surge has come after her father-son training team was moved to rethink her distance targets, following an ignominious end to her last campaign with a ninth in Doomben’s The Roses (Gr 2, 2000m) and a 14th in the Queensland Oaks (Gr 1, 2200m). “Gee she was tough. She fought back and she was a sitting duck there for a while but she’s done nothing but improve this preparation. She is best kept fresh over the shorter trips,” Corey Munce said. “The way the race was going to work out, we probably needed to be closer today from the draw. I didn’t expect him to be outside the lead but he had a pretty nice time there. ” Chris Munce added: “The thing about this mare is that we tried to train her as a stayer last time and I think she runs a strong mile but I think she got hampered by wet tracks which she hates. A firm track like today suits her. ” Harley was equally impressed with Poster Girl’s fight, especially having raced on successive... King Of Roseau (4 g Capitalist ex Dominica by Choisir) relished the step back up to 1400 metres in Saturday’s Magic Millions Cup (RL, 1400m), producing a rapid late surge to claim the $2 million race by a narrow margin over Boomtown Boss (Spirit Of Boom). The Peter Snowden-trained gelding was a good winner of the Aurie's Star Handicap (Gr 3, 1200m) last August and after a break had been building towards the Cup with good efforts over 1200 metres, including last time out when fourth in the Canterbury Sprint (Listed, 1200m). The $95,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase needed every part of the extra 200 metres to reel in eventual third placegetter Moravia (Snitzel), with Boomtown Boss making his run alongside the winner and going down by 0. 1 lengths. Saturday marked a decade since Snowden saddled King Of Roseau’s sire, Capitalist (Written Tycoon), to win the Magic Millions 2YO Classic. Snowden cut an emotional figure at the track and said it was a deserved win for a large group of everyday Australians within the four-year-old’s ownership group. “It’s a super day,” Snowden said. “It’s fantastic to see him win and win a race worth this sort of money. “There wasn’t much between five horses in the last 200m but he was tough. He’s been working towards a peak performance and he did today. “It’s good to have nice horses. You never get tired of this and when you do you should probably give it away. ” King Of Roseau was bought by Pulse Racing Thoroughbreds and Pinhook Bloodstock International from the Ashleigh Thoroughbreds draft for $95,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast. The gelding is out of Dominica (Choisir), herself a daughter of Coolmore Classic (Gr 1, 1500m) winner Danni Martine (Danzero). The four-year-old was winning a stakes race for the second time having taken out Aurie’s Star Handicap (Gr 3, 1200m) last August. Snowden bought six yearlings in Book 1 at the 2026 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sales, including two fillies by Capitalist. A diverse buying bench and a deep catalogue combined to ensure the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale concluded on Friday evening with a decidedly healthy set of figures. A smaller offering meant turnover was always liable to dip year-on-year, but after four sessions of lively Book 1 trade aggregate sales were just two per cent behind 12 months ago at $202,597,500. The average price, underpinned by 15 seven-figure lots, increased by a marginal 0. 2 per cent to $273,410, while the median held firm at $200,000. The clearance rate was up close to three points at 85. 96 per cent as 741 yearlings found a new home. “I’m delighted,” said Magic Millions’ managing director Barry Bowditch. “$200 million was a real goal leading in, but to have 40 less horses catalogued, and there were 20-plus more withdrawals, and some significant withdrawals in recent days, it was pleasing to get close to last year’s gross. To increase the clearance rate, which is closing at 86 per cent, and an average that’s up on last year, all the key numbers are reflective of what we believed leading in was a strong catalogue. “We worked hard to get the best buying bench we possibly could. There were a lot of trainers here, a good diverse bunch from a lot of the regional areas, be it Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland, the buyers from New Zealand and throughout Asia were fantastic. It was a diverse buying bench but we really made sure we marketed the sale so people could come over here and have a great selection of horses within all budgets. ” He added: “What pleased me was the spread of buyers. There were 45 different buyers who spent a million or more, which is a big spread. That shows there’s a great thirst for yearlings in Australia and a great thirst for the Magic Millions product. It’s been busy from the moment we turned the lights on at 11am on Tuesday. ” Sale statistics - Book 1 2026 2025 Catalogued 980 1021 Offered 862 926 Sold 742 (86%) 754 (81%) Aggregate $202,697,500 (-1. 5%) $205,470,000 Average $273,180 (+0. 2%) $272,505 Median $200,000 $200,000 Top Lot $2,000,000 $3,200,000 Chris Waller and Guy Mulcaster topped the buyers’ chart with 14 new recruits costing a combined $8. 685 million. The two priciest members of the group were picked up during day four, led by the session-topping Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) colt who fetched $1. 5m late in the piece. The Coolmore-consigned youngster is the first foal out of Vangelic, the second-highest earner sired by Vancouver (Medaglia D’Oro). The dam had plenty of talent on the track, winning the Golden Pendant (Gr 2, 1400m) and reaching the podium in the Surround Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) and Flight Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m). Vangelic joined the Coolmore broodmare band when purchased by Tom Magnier for $1. 5m at the 2023 edition of the Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale. “He looked really sharp and he did really well through the prep,” said Mulcaster. “He looks like an early runner and moves beautifully. I think what we paid for him is pretty well on the mark. It’s a helluva lot of money but that’s what they seem to cost. When you get good colts that return to stud then they look cheap, but if they don’t, well, whatever will be will be. He’s a beautiful horse though. The mare ran in a lot of good stakes races and acquitted herself very well. ” Earlier in the day the team bid $1. 25m for a well-bred daughter of I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit), also from the Coolmore draft. The filly is out of Qafila, a daughter of Not A Single Doubt (Redoute’s Choice) who landed the South Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) during her time in training. The dam was sold as part of Shadwell’s Australasian dispersal at Magic Millions in 2021, where Dean Hawthorne signed the $2m docket on behalf of Jonathan Munz of GSA Bloodstock. “The thing that really got our attention was the fact mum was so versatile,” said Mulcaster. “She ran in the first two-year-old race of the season and ended up winning an Oaks, so we’ve got a few different paths we can take with her. “We always thought this filly was just an athlete, she’s beautiful and comes off a great farm. We actually thought we were going to struggle to buy her but it’s ended up alright for us. I don’t think we’ll bustle her too much , we’ll just let her do the talking and see what transpires. ” The seven-figure filly was the team’s second notable signing during the opening stages of the session, having also paid $700,000 for the Anamoe (Street Boss) colt out of Listed scorer Pretty Fast (Not A Single Doubt) just a few lots earlier. “Two starts, two wins for the morning, it’s not too bad! ” joked Mulcaster. “It’s a long day ahead though. ” Snitzel finished the sale as the leading sire by aggregate with 29 of his yearlings selling for a combined aggregate of $19. 980m. The late Arrowfield stallion’s average (with three or more sold) of $688,966 was only bettered... Anamoe’s first-crop yearlings have been all the rage on the Gold Coast, and Darley’s young gun passed a significant milestone on Friday when supplying his first seven-figure lot. Widden Stud’s colt is out of Listed scorer Secret Trail (Denman), making him a half-brother to the Ciaron Maher-trained Spywire (Trapeze Artist), who was last seen claiming last Saturday’s Magic Millions The Syndicate (1100m) on the Gold Coast and will back-up in the Magic Millions Snippets (1200m) on Saturday. Maher will also take charge of this youngster after bidding $1. 1m, although the stable’s head of bloodstock Will Bourne explained the purchase was inspired by more than simply family ties. “On paper it might look obvious, but it was the horse in front of you that really took Ciaron’s eye and made him want to buy him,” said Bourne. “Obviously the Spywire factor is there but the fact that he’s a big, strong, imposing colt is the main reason. We’re not being geniuses by finding him at the sale, he was very obvious. He wasn’t missed by anyone. We first saw him at the farm at Widden in late November or early December and he was just a classy animal with a bit of presence about him. ” The Maher stable went back-to-back on lots by Anamoe having also partnered with Mystery Downs to secure a filly from Bell River Thoroughbreds at $600,000 just moments before Spywire’s sibling took to the ring. Bourne explained the team had conducted their due diligence on not only the sire’s yearlings, but the stallion himself. “Funnily enough we’ve seen a lot of Anamoes we liked and there are a few traits that Ciaron was querying,” said Bourne. “Myself, Ciaron and Andy Makiv went and checked out Anamoe in between parades in the Hunter Valley. That was the first time we’d seen him in a while and there are a lot of similarities. He’s a heavy horse, he’s big and strong. “If you’re being critical about this colt, the one negative is how big and heavy he is. But when he moves his athleticism really makes up for it; he doesn’t move sloppy or heavy, he keeps it upright. Those proper Group 1 weight-for-age horses have that strength and that imposing muscle. So although it’s in the back of your mind as an issue, you need to have that to be a proper horse. I’m hoping he’s just that. ” The colt was the most expensive member of the Widden draft, which generated receipts of $11. 335m from 34 sold lots. The stud’s owner Antony Thompson reacted to the transaction by saying: “It’s a fabulous result. He was an incredibly popular horse; I think he had 280 inspections here, so he was never in his box. He never turned a hair. The team did a fantastic job with him. He was just a star all week. “I think Anamoe has been a really well received first-crop sire, but this was the one that looked most like his... Snitzel show continues at Magic Millions with $1. 6 million session-topper By James Thomas Four more seven-figure lots and another session of spirited bidding, particularly for the progeny of the late, great Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice), ensured a third buoyant day in succession at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Auctioneer Grant Burns introduced the daughter of Snitzel out of Madame Andree (War Emblem) by saying “One of the star fillies of 2026, in my humble opinion. ” Plainly plenty among the packed auditorium were in agreement, as the bidding reached a hefty $1,600,000 by the time the gavel came down. The Arrowfield-consigned youngster went the way of Eugene Chuang’s Hermitage Thoroughbreds. The well-related filly is now a sibling to six winners and five black-type performers, with her three-year-old sister Caffe Florian shedding her maiden since the catalogue was released, and then going on to claim a Gosford Listed contest. The filly is also a sister to the Group 3-placed Satin Love and is closely related to the Group 3 scorers Ostraka (Pariah) and Anders (Not A Single Doubt), who stands at Widden Stud. The various names involved in this trade have combined to good effect before. The Hermitage Syndicate races another daughter of Snitzel in three-time Group 1 heroine Lady Shenandoah, while the outfit also campaigned The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice), who is now making waves from the Arrowfield roster. Moreover, Arrowfield and Hermitage jointly own The Autumn Sun’s highest earner, the unbeaten Epsom Handicap (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Autumn Glow. “There was a lot of competition but she was our top pick for the sale,” said Hermitage manager Shannon Clarke. “We’ve had a lot of luck with a Snitzel filly recently and that’s probably guided us on this filly today. That was our limit, my heart was pounding hoping that we were going to secure her. We’ve had a lot of luck with Arrowfield. It’s a great partnership that we have and long may it continue. ” She added: “There’s over 100 on the books at the moment, and 50 of those would be racehorses. We’re slowly building up. We’ve always had a small team but in the past few years we’ve really built the stable up. ” On Autumn Glow, who trialled at Randwick earlier in the day, Clarke said: “She’s an exceptional mare and we’re just happy to be along for the ride. ” By the close of trade, gross sales had reached $146,142,500, a marginal one per cent increase despite around 30 fewer lots having been offered than at the corresponding stage 12 months ago. The average price was $281,045 (up one per cent year-on-year) and the median remained the same at A$200,000. The clearance rate was a notably solid 85. 39 per cent as 520 yearlings had found a new home. “I thought it was consistently strong and genuine across the board,” said Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch. “I had a quick debrief with the auctioneers at the end of the day and... The 12th seven-figure lot of this year’s Gold Coast Yearling Sale arrived late in the session when James Harron, acting with Tony Fung, bid $1. 2m for the Snitzel colt out of the New Zealand-bred Showcasing (Oasis Dream) mare Play That Song. The Newgate Farm-consigned colt is the first foal out of the Eclipse Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) scorer, who in turn is a half-sister to fellow Group 2 winner and Group 1 placegetter Wild Night (Vanbrugh). Snitzel, who accounted for the top two lots on Thursday, has been the highest-grossing stallion across the three sessions, with 21 sold lots generating receipts worth $15. 97m. His average price of $760,475 is second only to Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt). “They’re not making any more by the stallion,” said Harron. “This is a really good, strong, purposeful colt. He’s a lovely medium size and his mother was a sharp two-year-old, so he profiles up really nicely. He comes off a fantastic farm in Newgate, they’ve got a great record in producing really good horses. That’s a big part of our thought process, that gives us confidence investing in these horses. ” The signing moved the Harron-Fung colts partnership to the head of the buyers’ chart, with seven purchases made for a combined $5. 475m. The group have cost an average of $782,145 and includes three sons of Snitzel. “I thought it was an incredible line-up of Snitzels in the catalogue, I was really pleasantly surprised there’s so many nice ones,” said Harron. “We’ve been able to pick up three now so we’re really happy. Every weekend he’s in the headlines and it’s a great loss to the industry that he’s not with us anymore, but it’s brilliant we still have the opportunity to pick up these beautiful colts. ” Reflecting on his week so far, Harron said: “It’s been great. Once we got through our inspections and went through the shortlist, we were pleasantly surprised by how many were still on the list and with how deep the catalogue was. Horses have vetted out well and handled the sale super, so that’s given us the confidence to go in and invest alongside our partners and, of course, TFI . ” International sire on fire Frankel (Galileo) supplied his second seven-figure yearling of the sale when Harron, once again bidding alongside Fung, went to $1. 1m for the colt out of Miss Alacrity (Munnings) from the Newgate Farm consignment. The dam is a stakes-winning daughter of Munnings (Speightstown) from the same family as Kentucky Derby (Gr 1, 10f) hero Nyquist (Uncle Mo). She was purchased at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton November Sale, where Harron signed on behalf of Morningside at $350,000. “We’ve been delighted with what we’ve been able to pick up so far and we’re delighted to get a Frankel into the portfolio,” said Harron. “He’s out of a very fast American mare, she won her maiden as a two-year-old by over ten lengths, which was very impressive. And he comes from the family of Nyquist, who’s one of the leading stallions in North America. We were really pleased to see the speed coming through the damside and then the class of Frankel. It’s going to be interesting to see what sort of horse he shapes into but he’s a beautiful athlete. He’s a colt we loved, he’s a colt TFI loved, so we felt like we had to have him. ” He added: “It’s incredibly hard to breed that sort of animal and you have to go to a lot of effort. The mare’s come from America, stopped off in Europe to be covered, come down here, foaled down and has had a good specimen. Everyone respects and appreciates what these horses are worth, and if they’re successful on the track, that’s when the real fireworks happen. ” Earlier in the day a Frankel filly with another blue-chip international page made $825,000 to the bid of agent Sheamus Mills. “I loved that stat they kept giving yesterday that Frankel has had 14 stakes horses from something like 70 runners,” said Mills. “I thought to myself that’s close to 20 per cent, even I’m smart enough to do the maths on that. Our system at the moment is running at 30 per cent stakes performers to purchases. Now, I don’t know how to do the maths on that, but if he’s 20 per cent and we’re 30 per cent, we must have some chance of getting a black-type horse. If you got a black-type horse by Frankel from that family, she could potentially be worth a lot of money. ” The Three Bridges Thoroughbreds-consigned filly is the first foal out of Lolloping, a winning daughter of War Front (Danzig) and New Zealand champion Bounding (Lonhro), who gained her Group 1 laurels in the Railway Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m). In turn, Bounding is out of Believe'N'Succeed (Exceed And Excel), who is best known for breeding star-crossed Derby (Gr 1, 1m 4f) hero Anthony Van Dyck (Galileo). “A lot of the Frankels that come out here come in utero from European or American families,” said Mills. “It was definitely an extra little dig that if she puts black type up in the first... Highclere Stud’s John and Lady Carolyn Warren were among the breeders toasting a big result at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale on Thursday after their half-brother to Group 1 performer Tannhauser (Dundeel) sold for $850,000. The youngster, who is set to sport the My Racehorse silks for trainer Michael Freedman, is by Darley’s red-hot first-crop sire Anamoe (Street Cry). The nine-time Group 1 scorer is tied with Rebel’s Romance (Dubawi) as Godolphin’s most prolific elite-level winner. “We had huge regard for the sire when he was racing, you couldn’t not,” said John Warren. “Such a phenomenal horse who did it at two, three and four, and he even placed in the Golden Slipper. We went to see him at James Cummings’ while he was in training because we wanted to use him and we were very impressed. “We have four or five mares here in Australia and it’s just great fun to dabble and be able to use horses of that calibre. A little bit of diversification is part of our business plan and it's such a strong and broad market here. ” Warren said the team from Milburn Creek deserved all the plaudits for producing the six-figure colt. “From the day he was born we’ve had great reports,” he continued. “We came to see him last year as a foal and were impressed with him back then. Milburn Creek deserve all the credit. It’s the most beautiful farm, an hour and a half south of Sydney in the southern highlands. “They’ve got a phenomenal team, headed by Scott Holcombe, who’s an outstanding horseman. Living so far away, it’s always difficult to get a handle on your stock, but he treats them all, every horse he rears, like they’re his own. The feedback is fantastic, so we’ve enjoyed the journey. ” The Anamoe colt had been the subject of some positive whispers among the judges on the ground, and Warren said confidence within the camp had also been high leading up to the sale. “When we arrived two weeks ago and saw him at the farm, he fulfilled all that we’d heard about him,” he said. “We saw all of the Anamoes when we came to the sale and were very impressed, but we sensed he was right up there physically. He ticked the boxes and we’re grateful to Milburn Creek for doing such a great job. ” Warren described his annual trip to the Gold Coast as “a busman’s holiday”, praising the Magic Millions team for orchestrating an event where business and pleasure go hand in hand. “This place is remarkable,” he said. “Magic Millions, their promotional team, the energy behind it, it’s very impressive. This is the equivalent of the summer holidays for children, everyone’s migrated down here and there’s such a buzz and atmosphere. It’s a really good experience to witness how it unfolds. “These things don’t happen lightly and they put a huge amount of effort into it. Barry Bowditch is really on the... 2 f Home Affairs - Gracie’s Lass by Redoute’s Choice O: Coolmore (Mgr: T V Magnier), P Shanahan, Westerberg (Mgr: M Ryan) & Wynaus (Mgr: D Smith) B: Greg Perry T: Ben, Will & JD Hayes S: 2025 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale V: Vinery Stud P: Tom Magnier, $300,000 W: Seymour Toyota Maiden Plate, 1100m, January 15, Seymour The Ben, Will and JD Hayes-trained Jacaranda (Home Affairs) turned plenty of heads at Seymour on Thursday when producing a memorable debut with a 5. 8-length success in the Seymour Toyota Maiden Plate (1100m). Ridden by Mick Dee, the juvenile filly - who was becoming the fourth individual winner for Coolmore's first-season sire Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) - proved much the best in the three-runner contest as she extended smartly to beat South Yarra Miss (Maurice). There was a further half-length back to the third-placed Insolence (Street Boss). “I’ve got to thank the Hayes boys, I believe this is their first winner since the devastation up there on the farm,” Dee told Racing. com. “I think their spirits are pretty high, but hopefully this lifts the spirits even more. I was just a pilot today, she did everything of her own accord. " Jacaranda has an entry for both next month’s Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) and March’s Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m), and Lindsay Park's Flemington assistant trainer Rahis Baig believes the filly could go a long way. “She’s been really good. All throughout, she’s shown a lot of ability and talent, and it’s good to see her translate what she’s done at trackwork and her trials,” Baig told Racing. com. “I think we’ve got a good horse on our hands, and connections will be very happy with that. She’s definitely shown us above-average talent, and in her trials, she looked very sharp, so we were very confident coming into the race today. “The way she won, she looked really good, and the way she stretched out towards the end, it looks like she’s got a lot of talent, so these sorts of races will probably be the ideal targets for her. “The horse will tell us, in the next couple of days, how she’s pulled and then the plans will be made, but the logical options would be heading towards the big races in February and March. ” A $300,000 Inglis Easter purchase for Tom Magnier from the Vinery Stud draft, Jacaranda is a half-sister to both dual Group 1 winner turned stallion Artorius (Flying Artie) - who won the Blue Diamond Stakes – and Group-winning three-year-old Sixties (Flying Artie). Bred by Greg Perry, she is the sixth winner from as many foals to race out of the unraced Redoute’s Choice (Danehill) mare Gracie’s Lass, herself a half-sister to Group 1 winner Delectation (Shamardal) out of US stakes winner Grace And Power (More Than Ready). A half-brother to Jacaranda by Pinatubo (Shamardal) sold to Anthony Freedman Racing and Julian Blaxland Bloodstock for $120,000 on day one of... Yulong Investments claimed the most sought after offering on day two of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale when Zhang Yuesheng’s outfit bid $2,000,000 for a well-related son of sire sensation Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt). That price equaled the figure Coolmore’s Tom Magnier paid for day one’s session-topping son of Frankel (Galileo). Agent James Harron was consigned to the role of underbidder, while teams from Te Akau Racing and Newgate Farm were also involved in the protracted seven-figure tussle. The colt, who was offered by Matthew Sandblom’s Kingstar Farm, is a sibling to three winners, most notably his sister Wollombi. The Yulong-owned daughter of Extreme Choice enjoyed her biggest result when landing the 2023 Vanity Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m). “He’s one of the most special colts in the whole sale, especially today, and he’s the only target we definitely needed to buy,” said Jun Zhang, Yulong’s general manager. “We can see some stallion potential in him, and we own the sister as well. She’s in foal to Diatonic, so we’re trying to create our own family. This is another reason why we had to get him. Extreme Choice is a very successful stallion and could be an important stallion in the future, which is why we are trying to get into the bloodline. ” Despite subfertility preventing Newgate’s Extreme Choice fielding big numbers, he has still punched out a high concentration of significant talents. He is the sire of six Group 1 winners, including Devil Night and Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) winner turned Newgate stallion Stay Inside, both of whom were bred by Kingstar Farm. His 25 black-type performers mean he is operating at an impressive stakes horses-to-runners ratio of 17 per cent. Yulong are among those who have enjoyed elite-level success with the stallion as Devil Night claimed last year’s Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) in the familiar green and white silks. Devil Night was bought by Yulong for $1. 4 million at the 2024 edition of the Gold Coast sale, Kingstar’s previous best result in a sales ring. Extreme Choice’s previous record was provided when Chris Waller, Guy Mulcaster and B2B Thoroughbreds paid $1. 7 million for the brother to Group 1 winner Apocalyptic at last year’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale. “It’s very rewarding because a lot goes into getting this horse here,” said an emotional Adam Cook, manager of Kingstar Farm. “A lot has to go right, especially with a son of Extreme Choice. You’ve got to get the mare in foal, and then she’s got to have a nice foal. Fortunately all the stars and moons aligned with her and this horse got here safe and sound. “It’s been a very nerve-wracking three months and the guys at the farm have made sure everything’s gone right to ease my nerves and stresses as such as they could. It’s been a rollercoaster of emotions getting this horse to here. ” Cook added: “It’s impossible to get a full-relation to a Group winner... The confidence surrounding the first yearlings by Darley’s Anamoe came to the fore on day two of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale when two fillies by the nine-time Group 1 champion each fetched $800,000. The first of those came early in the session when astute judge Sheamus Mills stretched to $800,000 to secure a youngster from a family he knows well. Offered by Greg and Jo Griffin’s Lime Country Thoroughbreds, the filly is out of juvenile winner Eawase (Sebring), whose two wins were headlined by a score in the Bill Carter Stakes (Listed, 1200m). She in turn is out of Group 3 winner Karuta Queen (Not A Single Doubt), who landed the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) in 2011. It is the second time Mills has made a play for a member of the family, having bought Karuta Queen’s fifth foal for $1. 5 million from Strawberry Hill at the 2020 edition of the Magic Millions sale. Now known as Queen Of The Green (Written Tycoon), she won on debut and had six career starts. “We paid a lot of money a couple of years ago for the Written Tycoon out of Karuta Queen and we thought she was a star filly,” Mills said. “She’s now got a lovely I Am Invincible filly on her, so we’re already in the family. She was a big, beautiful chestnut by Written Tycoon and I just thought this filly was very much in her mould. “It’s a good fillies’ family. If you look down the page, funnily enough there’s a good couple chestnut fillies on there so there wasn’t much not to like to be honest. ” The filly proved extremely popular in the lead-up to the sale, attracting heavy inspection from prospective buyers. “I just heard Jo say that she had had 46 hits on x-ray and that’s just unheard of,” Mills said. “I don’t think it took any genius to find her, it was really just a matter of where they valued her. Gai was the underbidder and I guess anytime you're going to beat her you’re going to have to pay fair money. ” The result represented a strong pinhook success for Lime Country Thoroughbreds, who purchased the filly for $340,000 from Alma Vale Thoroughbreds at last year’s Inglis Sydney Weanling Sale. Mills said Anamoe’s first crop of yearlings had left a lasting impression on him. “I ended up with about four or five of them on my list. I just thought, from a first-crop stallion, I think he’s certainly the best-credentialled horse to go to stud for a long, long, long time,” he said. “Then to back that up, the types that he’s put on the ground, I think you need to do that in order to get that wildfire, to get fever pitch . I don’t want to overplay that, but obviously they’ve been extremely well received by lots of people. ” Later in the day the $800,000 mark was reached again when Victorian trainer... Francis Lui soared into rarified territory with Speed Dragon’s (Darci Brahma) spectacular January Cup Handicap (Gr 3, 1800m) victory at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, becoming only the sixth trainer in Hong Kong racing history to saddle 1,000 wins or more in the jurisdiction. Renowned as the ultimate quiet achiever, Lui joined John Moore (1,735), John Size (1,629), Tony Cruz (1,583), Caspar Fownes (1,196) and Ricky Yiu (1,082) in one of the city’s most exclusive clubs when Speed Dragon charged from last on the home turn under Lyle Hewitson to score by half-a-length from Huge Wave (Vadamos) and last year’s January Cup victor Helene Feeling (Sioux Nation) in 1m 48s. Hong Kong champion trainer in 2023/24 and famed as the horseman behind ten-time Group 1 winner Golden Sixty’s (Medaglia D’Oro) supreme career, Lui has been involved in Hong Kong racing for more than 50 years, graduating from The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Apprentice Jockeys’ School and riding 36 winners between 1975 and 1982, and later becoming an assistant trainer before receiving his own licence to train in 1996/97. Cap Ferrat (Snitzel) last season gave Lui a second Hong Kong Derby (2000m) trophy, five years after Golden Sixty prevailed in 2020, adding to a stable honour roll which includes the Group 1 achievement of Lucky Bubbles (Sebring) and a string of other prestigious races. “I feel very happy. It’s a big number and it’s not easy. Golden Sixty is special, but every winner to me is very important and for the owners,” Lui said. Referring to Speed Dragon’s win, Lui said: “Always these races, a light weight is favourable. It all depends on the programme, but I think he’ll race at both Happy Valley and Sha Tin. ” Needing two winners entering the meeting to reach the 1,000-win milestone, Lui struck with Winning Money (Deep Field) in the Class 4 Monaco Handicap (1200m) under Zac Purton before Hewitson’s unflustered display on Speed Dragon. Hewitson, who posted his first Group-race winner in Hong Kong, said: “I’m really happy that I could get it done. I’ve been touched off in a few Group races and most of them were for Francis, too, so to get the nose in front in such good fashion tonight, I’m thoroughly enjoying it. “I got shuffled back to last on the turn but thankfully that was the section where they picked up the speed and I got a track into it and he quickened so well, I had to wait for the gap and before it had any chance to close, he was through and he won with authority. “So, it was full of merit and a horse that is just thriving here. ” Jimmy Ting notched his 200th winner as a trainer when Blazing Beam (Reward For Effort) triumphed in the Class 5 Meteorites Handicap (1200m). Fresh from the Class 2 success of leading Four-Year-Old Classic Series contender Little Paradise at Sha Tin on January 11, Ting said: “Before the race, I didn’t think about the fact... If Shiki (Too Darn Hot) wins the Gold Coast’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m), it would serve not only as a major boon for the South Australian breeding industry, but a huge vote of confidence for how her breeders Cornerstone Park do business. The Waterhouse-Bott trained filly is on the third line of betting at around $10 for the $3 million sprint, and five years of meticulous planning will come to a head when she jumps on Saturday, albeit with jockey Tim Clark having to negotiate an awkward gate in ten of 16. Cornerstone, tapping into the choice livestock and winery conditions of the famous Barossa Valley, is one of the flagships of the South Australian breeding industry. And so it probably should be, having some daunting shoes to fill in that it’s the old Lindsay Park - the legendary breeding institution established by Colin Hayes. The SA industry has faced considerable challenge and change in the past several years, mostly with the impact of making it smaller, but victory for Shiki on Saturday would showcase how the state can, and often does, punch above its weight. Cornerstone used to stand stallions, but logistics and the reality of the shrinking local broodmare band led them in a different direction in 2023. That was around the time businessman John Frankhuisen - who made his fortune not in making wine but the labels that go on the bottles - bought out Sam Hayes, Colin’s grandson, to become the stud’s major shareholder. His fellow shareholder is general manager Sam Pritchard-Gordon, the expat Englishman who learned his craft at some of the most successful studs in the UK before branching into Australia, first as a trainer and later joining Hayes at Cornerstone. Pritchard-Gordon was moving to improve Cornerstone’s mares - who now number around 17 - when he bought Shiki’s dam Jest Excel (Exceed And Excel) at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale of 2021, for $120,000. Veteran SA breeder Steve Millar bought in with him, and is thus the co-breeder of Shiki. Jest Excel was a fast mare who’d won three south-east Queensland provincial races from 900-1000 metres for Tony Gollan. Her first owners for her stud career were renowned judges Sheamus Mills and Dean Harvey, who bred her first foal - a now four-time country winning six-year-old mare named Love My Louis (Capitalist) - before putting Jest Excel up for sale. A healthy sprinkling of black type dotted the mare’s page. She was a half-sister to Jiang (Testa Rossa), who won the VRC Maribyrnong Plate (Gr 2, 1000m) before going to Hong Kong as Blue Genes and winning. Third dam Elegant Shell (Deep Diver) won four stakes races in Perth before throwing another black type victor and the dam of Perth Group 2 winner Zabanella (Zabaleta). Pritchard-Gordon was drawn to the fact Jest Excel was by a noted broodmare sire in Exceed And Excel (Danehill). It also fitted his business model, and budget, that she was in-foal to Pride Of Dubai... No buyer had a stronger second half of the day than the Guy Mulcaster-Chris Waller axis, and they ended the session by snaring a well-bred son of Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) from The Chase at $1. 2m. The colt is the third foal out of Dame Giselle, a four-time Group 2 winner and Group 1 place-getter by I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit). In turn, the dam is out of the similarly Group 2-winning and Group 1-placed Ballet Society (Stravinsky). This means the dam is a half-sister to The Fairy's Kiss (Elusive Quality), who has in turn bred Ulanova (Santos), who was promoted to first in the Group 1 Sistema Stakes. “We were pretty happy with that colt, he looks sharp and comes from a beautiful family,” said Mulcaster. “We looked at him two days ago with Chris and he said ‘They all run out of that family’, so that was good enough for me. I thought we’d be hard enough to beat and we didn’t let on too much about what we were up to, so we probably got him at the right odds. He looks like a beautiful horse so let’s hope he’s back here next year. ” On the subject of Newgate Farm’s subfertile sire sensation Extreme Choice, Mulcaster said: “He doesn’t get many in foal and the less there are, the harder they are to buy. We’re pretty happy to have got him and we’ve got one with one of the best pedigrees, so fingers crossed. ” He added with a wry smile: “We started off really slow but we’ve sort of got the hang of it in the last hour and a half and we’ve got three days to go, so it should be good! ” Mulcaster and Waller signed for five lots that cost a combined $2. 47m, while a daughter of Waller’s former stable star Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) was purchased with the Champagne Fillies at $200,000. The second seven-figure lot arrived a short while after the session-topper when Glentree Thoroughbreds and Badgers Bloodstock combined at $1. 05m to secure the Coolmore-consigned I Am Invincible filly out of New Zealand champion Avantage (Fastnet Rock). The nine-time Group 1 winner Avantage joined the Coolmore broodmare band when purchased through New Zealand Bloodstock’s Gavelhouse Plus at NZ$4. 1m in 2021. This filly is the Fastnet Rock (Danehill) mare’s third consecutive seven-figure Magic Millions yearling after John Stewart’s Resolute Bloodstock gave $1. 6m for her first I Am Invincible filly 12 months ago, while David Ellis went to $2. 1m for the Wootton Bassett filly Avantaggia, winner of a Te Aroha maiden, in 2024. Those results mean Avantage has now generated $4. 75m in Gold Coast Yearling Sale receipts. “We’re here to buy fillies with residual value, and she’s got as good a residual value as any filly in the whole catalogue,” said Badgers Bloodstock’s Tom Pritchard-Gordon. “She topped the charts on all our pedigree stats. The cross works phenomenally well, there’s something like six stakes performers out of 11 fillies on that cross. “I’ve seen both sisters, they made $2. 1m and $1. 6m, and, for me, she was nicer than both of them. Time will tell, but she’s a lovely type. She’s as low-risk a seven-figure investment as you can get! ” The agent added: “She’ll be owned by Glentree Thoroughbreds, who have Lumbini in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic on Saturday; she’s the only horse we bought down here last year. Unfortunately she’s drawn a bad gate. We’ve had bad luck there but hopefully we’ve got good luck here. ” David Redvers and the Ciaron Maher team combined on five colts for a cumulative investment of $2. 9m. The most expensive recruit was the $950,000 son of I Am Invincible and Alassio (Foxwedge) from Silverdale Farm. The winning bid consigned Newgate Farm managing director Henry Field to the role of underbidder. The colt is the second living foal out of the mare. The daughter of Foxwedge (Fastnet Rock) was trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, with the highlight of her racing career coming with victory in the 2019 running of the Guy Walter Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m). “He’s a horse that Sheikh Fahad particularly liked, and we all loved him as well,” said Redvers, sitting amongst a crew that included Maher and his head of bloodstock Will Bourne, Hannah Wall and Mick Murphy. “We all know about the stallion and the mare’s a Group 2 winner, so he fits what we’re looking for. We have another very nice I Am Invincible with Ciaron at the moment called Invicto. As it’s nice and early in the sale I thought he was probably a bit of value compared to what the same horse tends to make halfway through day two. “He’s incredibly athletic and has a huge amount of presence. I love the fact that he was totally unflappable out there in the parade ring, so he seems to have a very good mind. For me, his action and the athletic build of the horse made him a real standout. They make fools of us all but there were some very talented underbidders, so let’s hope we weren’t all wrong. ” While Sheikh Fahad has scaled back his involvement in Britain, Redvers said the Qatar Racing chairman remains as enthusiastic as ever about his Australian interests. “He loves it down here,” he said. “He’s been here for nearly a month and he loves the racing out here. He’s had a lot of success with Ciaron and Chris , and we’ve had a lot of fun recently with the Roaring Lions we bred and sold shares in down here. We have some nice horses to look forward to with Ciaron that are two and three. ” Asked whether he felt the top of the Australian market continued to represent fair value, Redvers said: “It really does, particularly when you consider that a larger percentage of the top horses come to auction here than happens in Europe and America. “The Aussie dollar is weak, comparatively speaking, and we’re very lucky that we have a phenomenal stallion down here in Zoustar who helps fund it all. It’s great to be here. ” Fortune favours PR Thoroughbreds Another colts partnership to land a headline lot was Mark Player and Rob Roulston’s PR Thoroughbreds, with the pair going to $875,000 for the son of I Am Invincible and the Listed-winning Lonhro mare Calaverite. The Emirates Park-consigned youngster is a sibling to four winners, most notably Group 1 Caulfield Guineas hero Golden Mile (Astern). “He’s just a beautiful colt,” said Player. “Rob Roulston and myself had independently assessed all the colts in the sale and we both rated him our number one pick, which doesn’t really happen very often. He’s just a magnificent individual. He’ll go into our colts partnership, which is onto its sixth batch now. “He’s a horse we wanted to have so we stretched beyond our limits. As people in the auditorium will know, there was a bid after the hammer so we were probably very lucky to get him because we were at our limit. We were lucky to have it fall our way. There were good judges on him, which you always love to see when you look around to see who's against you. ” Training plans are still to be decided, with Player saying: “We’ll get together with our partners and have lunch and work out where they want these horses to go. We use Group 1-winning trainers from both Sydney and Melbourne and try to match up where the horse can be best placed. ” The partnership have already unearthed the likes of Grand Larceny (Zoustar), Run Harry Run (Written Tycoon) and Yorkshire (Snitzel), significant talents who have just fallen short of a berth at stud. Player added: “We haven’t had the home run we want yet but hopefully this is the horse. ” Harron and Fung play the Blame game James Harron and Tony Fung took home a four-strong haul, with the quartet of colts bringing receipts worth $1. 975m. The most expensive member of the bunch was the Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) colt out of the stakes-placed Complicit (Blame) presented by Segenhoe Stud who they secured for $825,000. “Obviously he’s a beautiful colt, Snitzel needs no introduction and he’s out of a Blame mare,” said Harron. “He’s running at nearly ten per cent stakes winners as a broodmare sire, which is huge. He’s one of the leading broodmare sires in the whole world. “He’s bred on the same cross as Switzerland, but he’s just a lovely colt in his own right. He showed a great attitude and he’s off one of the greatest nurseries in the country. They’ve gone to a lot of effort to produce this horse and we’re excited to see what he can do on the track. ” On the price tag, Harron added: “You’ve got to be expecting to pay that sort of money for a horse of that class and quality from such a good farm. I think that was a fair price. It’s been a good day. ” Another Justify for Waterhouse and Bott Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have already... Magic Millions certainly know how to put on a show. Festivities during the Gold Coast Carnival range from a quiz night to a celebrity polo match, sportsmans’ lunches, an exhibition gallop on the beach and a golf day. And that’s not to mention a feature race meeting with prize-money worth a colossal $13. 25 million. However, for the next few days this corner of Queensland will become the centre of the bloodstock universe as the more serious matter of the Gold Coast Yearling Sale gets under way. Intermittent rain replaced blazing sun for the final day of inspections on Monday as a global gathering of major players conducted the crucial final steps in their due diligence. The home team included the iconic Gai Waterhouse, who made her way between barns on her customary golf buggy, while the likes of Chris Waller and Ciaron Maher have also been busy working the beat in recent days. A host of major investors were also in town, not least Zhang Yuesheng. The principal of Yulong Investments’ growing empire had been a notable absentee from the Australian scene during the latter half of last year, but the Chinese billionaire quelled rumour about his whereabouts with his presence on the Gold Coast. With 69 entries in the catalogue, his Yulong operation also presents one of the largest consignments at this year’s sale. Coolmore was another operation with a sizeable delegation on deck on Monday, and Tom Magnier credited Magic Millions co-owner Katie Page-Harvey with developing a spectacle that not only drives momentum for the sale, but the wider racing and bloodstock industry too. “What Katie has created is phenomenal,” said Magnier, whose son Charlie took part in the Magic Millions showjumping event on Sunday. “It’s not just a horse sale, it’s not just a race meeting, it’s a carnival. They’re getting people here from all over the world. Prize-money here in Australia is very good at the moment and racing is very healthy; you only have to look at the crowds of people going racing here all the time. “Katie really has created a carnival that everybody wants to come to. This is on the front page of every paper during the week, you have families coming up here and that helps get the kids interested, it gets everybody involved. It’s a great week. ” At last year’s event Magnier signed for five Gold Coast yearlings at an outlay of $6m, while the Coolmore draft also contained the sale’s top lot, the Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) filly out of champion three-year-old Sunlight (Zoustar). Japanese trainer Mitsu Nakauchida secured the blue-blooded youngster on a bid of $3. 2m. Magnier is looking to get among the buyers during the four premier sessions of this year’s sale, as well as overseeing around 40 yearlings in this year’s Coolmore consignment, which is comprised predominantly of home sires’ stock. “We’re selling a lot of horses this week,” he said. “There’s some lovely Justifys around the place, Home Affairs is starting... The sole New Zealand stakes race last weekend took place at Ellerslie, the last meeting at the track before the big Karaka Millions night, set for January 24. Named after former New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Gingernuts (Iffraaj), the Gingernuts Salver (Listed, 2100m) provides a preview of Derby aspirants as it is not only run over a fairly testing 2100 metres but also staged at the same track. Sunday’s Good 4 surface also meant a fair contest with the winner emerging from an unlikely preparation. Thinking outside the square, trainer Stephen Marsh backed up Ammirati (Savabeel) eight days after running fifth, beaten three lengths (fifth), in Trentham’s Levin Classic (Gr 2, 1400m). Ammirati’s last run prior to Trentham was over 1600 metres, at Otaki in the Wellington Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m), a race he was handed when leader Road To Paris (Circus Maximus) dumped his rider strides from the line. Ammirati was severely hampered but managed to hold on by the barest of margins, the win achieved by pure good fortune. The Levin Classic is 200 metres shorter than the Wellington Stakes and Ammirati was seen putting in his best work late which set up Marsh’s plan to back up for the 700-metre further Salver. Although bold, the plan succeeded. Ammirati sat third past the 600 metres then moved out a lane entering the home straight. Rider Matt Cartwright was patient and waited until the 300 metres to level up. At the 200 metres they led but the connections would have been rapt to see the gelding lower his head and stretch out approaching the line, exactly what you’d like to see aiming for the Derby. In eight starts Ammirati has three wins for earnings of $140,805, so, some way to go to recoup the $450,000 outlayed at the 2024 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale. He is the only winner from Happily (Pins), a three-quarter sister to Anniversary Handicap (Listed, 1600m) winner Glad (Pins). Happily’s half-brother, Listed two-year-old stakes winner Exuberant (Savabeel) and Ammirati are three-quarter brothers. Happily’s granddam McHappy (Rory’s Jester) ranks as a half-sister to Scandinavia (Snippets), the granddam of unbeaten champion Black Caviar (Bel Esprit). Ammirati was bred by Waikato Stud who will offer his brother (Lot 467) later this month at the 100th NZB National Yearling Sale. Marsh Stable representative Dylan Johnson stated that Ammirati will now head towards either the Waikato Guineas (Gr 2, 2000m) or the Avondale Guineas (Gr 2, 2100m) in between now and the March 7 Classic. Johnson didn’t rule out racing in both Guineas as they are two weeks apart. Black-type bound A quiet weekend regarding stakes racing provides an opportunity to reflect on two runners which made substantial impressions during the holiday period. Sweynesday (Sweynesse) and Afternoon Siesta (Shamus Award) are clearly bound for bigger and brighter things judging from their recent form and their race records to date. The final race of Ellerslie’s two-day carnival saw Sweynesday put away a useful field in the open class Skycity 1200... Confidence high as the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale gets under way Australasia’s yearling sale season kicks off on Tuesday at Magic Millions on the Gold Coast, with prominent vendors expecting a similar auction to last year’s, with “satisfactory” outcomes despite expected softness at the lower end. The 2025 Gold Coast sale returned numbers slightly down on the previous year, with buyers showing caution, particularly in the early stages. For Book 1, the average came in at $269,000, down from $276,000, with the clearance rate of 83. 05 per cent down from 87. 88 per cent. That put many participants on guard for a difficult sale year, but while Karaka was also down on its previous year, those fears were largely allayed as later auctions progressed, with some observers linking the Gold Coast’s results to buyer caution at the start of the season. After inspections for this year’s first sale continued at the Magic Millions complex over the past few days, two prominent vendors - Widden and Arrowfield studs - forecast similar outcomes to 2025, with neither a dip nor a boom expected. “Inspections have been good,” Widden owner Antony Thompson told ANZ News. “There’s been solid interest, and I’m expecting the sale to be quite similar to last year. Numbers are tracking on a very similar sort of trajectory, and interest has been quite similar to last year. “At the start of Magic Millions last year, the sale was down a touch and that was something we were thinking might happen. But then when you look in hindsight, the rest of the sale season was pretty solid. Maybe it was the first sale of the year and people were were a bit cautious, and then after that they kicked in and it was business as usual. “I’m thinking this year, it’s got the same feel as last year. There’s similar sorts of players here and the same people, so at this stage I couldn’t see any reason why it would be up or down on last year. ” Widden has the largest draft (after withdrawals) at the sale with 62 lots, ahead of the 59 of Yulong, which originally had the most catalogued at 69. Despite its ten withdrawals, the Victorian farm has a far stronger presence at the Gold Coast this year than previously, having sold just 23 lots there last year. It’s also been boosted by the presence of its owner Zhang Yuesheng, who was a notable absentee from the spring carnival while he remained in China. Arrowfield has the third-largest draft at the Gold Coast, with 52 lots. Its bloodstock manager Jon Freyer concurred with Thompson, tipping a “solid enough” sale. “I’m pretty confident it’ll be satisfactory,” Freyer said. “I’m not expecting it to be up, but if it hovers around what it was last year, that’ll be a very good result. “The inspections have been satisfactory, very much on par with last year. “Probably by the end of today , our numbers will be... Good vibes ahead of the Gold Coast Yearling Sale translated into a lively opening session on Tuesday, with three seven-figure lots capping a decidedly solid and international Magic Millions market. The auctioneer described Segenhoe Stud’s son of Frankel (Galileo) as “a seven-figure colt all day long,” and that prediction proved spot on as the well-related youngster brought the hammer down at $2,000,000. Coolmore’s Tom Magnier delivered the winning bid with a determined nod of the head. The colt was bred by John Camilleri’s Fairway Thoroughbreds, the brand also carried by wondermare Winx (Street Cry). Camilleri cut a remarkably relaxed figure during the seven-figure bidding showdown, even carrying his grandson Harry around the auditorium as the bid board ticked over in $100,000 increments. “You’ve got to get your priorities right and my two-year-old grandson is more important than any horse sale! ” he said a short while after. The colt is out of Antibes, a daughter of Lonhro (Octagonal) who has bred the Listed-placed Chateau Eze. The older sibling was foaled in Britain and is also by Frankel. Although Antibes did not make the track herself, Camilleri said connections believed she possessed a level of ability that warranted sending her on the 20,000-mile round journey to Juddmonte’s Banstead Manor Stud in Newmarket. “It’s an expensive exercise and it’s risky, but I send a lot of mares over,” he said. “You normally only get one or two shots at the world’s best stallion and I thought I’d roll the dice. That certainly pays the bills, without a doubt. ” He expanded on Antibes’ backstory, saying: “She had a great pedigree and was a beautiful type, she had a lot of ability but got an injury so we didn’t race her. Anthony Freedman, who’s a good judge, told me she could run and because she was impaired we just put her to stud. “Her first foal is stakes-placed, she ran second in the Jim Moloney at Flemington, so I think the mare is going to do it. She’s by Lonhro and ticks a lot of the boxes, so I thought she deserved a trip on a plane to Frankel. ” Asked about the principles underpinning his high-end international breeding programme, Camilleri said: “I’m only interested in having a small broodmare band and breeding elite horses, I don’t want hundreds and thousands of animals. If I think there’s something available like a Frankel, and you’ve got the right mare for them, I simply don’t hesitate. Cost becomes secondary then. ” He added: “It appears to be getting tougher and tougher below . It’s a bit like waterfront land, it’s always in demand and tends to stay up, it doesn’t go through the troughs. I only have a small broodmare band because there aren’t that many elite mares, but that’s where I want to play. Others have been very successful playing at different levels but it’s a matter of choice. ” The colt became the most expensive Frankel yearling to change hands in the southern... There’s a new face on the block at Magic Millions Gold Coast this year, with Victorian boutique stud Balius Farm stepping up to present their own draft at the sale for the first time. Founded in 2014 by Tam Dieu and his wife Jacqui Sushames, Balius has been a familiar name for several years at a yearling auction closer to home in Inglis Premier. But while the west Gippsland operation has also previously sold horses at the Gold Coast through the drafts of their good friends at another boutique farm, the Hunter Valley’s Meredith Park, this year they’ve bitten the bullet to present a draft under their own steam. “We’re a small, boutique place. We initially bred to race but in the last five or so years we thought we’d take it more seriously, try to be more commercial, and hopefully it can pay its own way,” Dieu told ANZ News. “We’ve got about 20 mares, and we’re slowly upgrading or reducing numbers - because they eat too much. But whenever we can afford it, we’ll pick up a good broodmare and try to send it to a good stallion, and that’s the recipe for longevity. “This year, we thought we’d try to get our brand out there a bit more, and get a bit more recognised and more exposed, so we’d have our own draft at Magics. “Jacqui thought she'd been doing it long enough to do a yearling prep herself and be a bit more hands on. It’s harder work having your own draft, but also, as a smaller farm, we don’t have the logistics to do a big yearling prep at the one time. “We’ve got a draft going to the Premier sale in March, so we thought we’d prep a few to take the Gold Coast now. Our Gold Coast yearlings are the most precocious ones we have, so they go to the earlier sale. “It’s a big logistics challenge. We need staff at the sale and some staff to stay at the farm and run things, but I think it’s worth doing. We get to look after our own horses - though I should say Meredith Park always did a fantastic job for us - but also it was just a case of us growing up as a farm and having enough horses to make our own draft. ” Balius - named with fitting aspiration after one of the two immortal horses of Greek mythology hero Achilles - will offer three fillies bred by the farm. They were driven from the stud, near Pakenham, by Sushames, in the couple’s six-horse float, with an overnight stopover at Meredith Park. While their filly by Farnan (Not A Single Doubt) had to be redirected to Melbourne Premier’s supplementary list after striking herself while running, Dieu and Sushames are effusive about the remaining trio who, evenly spaced in the catalogue, will go on offer on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The first, Lot 363, is from the second crop of... On paper, first-crop sire Anamoe (Street Boss) appears to have everything going for him. And, on the evidence of chat around the Magic Millions complex in the build up to this week’s Gold Coast Yearling Sale, plenty of noted judges expect the top-class colt to deliver on that considerable potential. Godolphin’s homebred son of Street Boss (Street Cry) won nine Group 1 prizes during his time with James Cummings, scoring in elite company at two, three and four. He has, following withdrawals, 31 lots set to come under the hammer over the coming four sessions. No one was more effusive in their praise than Peter O’Brien, general manager of Segenhoe Stud, who bullishly claimed: “I will literally run naked from here to Sydney and back if he’s not a good stallion! ” The Hunter Valley-based Segenhoe offers five lots by Anamoe, two colts and three fillies, including a half-sister to three-time Group 1 heroine Joliestar (Zoustar) (Lot 407). Expanding on the traits being shown by Anamoe’s youngstock, O’Brien said: “Their minds are next level, they’re bombproof. The biggest issue we’ve had with our five here at Magics, we couldn’t exercise them enough – their constitutions are so good. The comparison for me, having had Danehills back in year one, they remind me of his stock. They’re great doers, great movers, and just have terrific constitutions. I just cannot see him not being a champion stallion. ” Anamoe retired to Darley’s Kelvinside operation in the afterglow of being crowned 2023’s Horse of The Year. His first crop was duly conceived at a fee of $121,000 (inc GST). His star-studded 149-strong debut book contained 74 per cent black-type performers, most notably ten individual Group 1 winners as well as the dams of a further eight elite-level scorers. Segenhoe was among the breeders who rowed in. “We’ve sent 44 mares to him in his first three years, of which 14 were in year one,” said O’Brien. “So after seeing those 14 foals, we’ve basically sent 30 mares to him. I’m enamoured! I’ve never been as impressed with a young stallion’s stock as I have with his. ” O’Brien suggested that Anamoe’s race record “speaks for itself”, and said that his exploits on the track are more than backed up by his movement and strapping physique. “He danced every dance as a racehorse and he’s a beautiful big scopey horse who’s all quality,” he said. “But the key for me is his action; he’s just a beautiful mover. We identified strong, short-coupled mares to go to him because he’s such a scopey horse, and every one of the foals we’ve had, including our five yearlings here, there’s only one out of about 25 that can’t walk. I’m a huge fan of him and we’ve got five here that are all well-bred, beautiful looking horses. ” O’Brien identified Lot 323, the filly out of the well-bred mare Goddess (Fastnet Rock), as being a particularly popular member of the stallion’s Magic Millions offering. “The dam had... ## Pages StallionStudState/Country2024 service fee (Aus inc GST; NZ plus GST)2023 service feeKobayashi (I Am Invincible)Aquis FarmQLD$15,000$8,800Lean Mean Machine (Zoustar)Aquis FarmQLD$13,200unchangedJonker (Spirit Of Boom)Aquis FarmQLD$12,500$16,500Officiating (Blame)Aquis FarmQLD$12,500newStronger (Not A Single Doubt)Aquis FarmQLD$9,900$13,750Invader (Snitzel)Aquis FarmQLD$8,800$11,000Glenfiddich (Fastnet Rock)Aquis FarmQLD$5,500$8,800The Mission (Choisir)Aquis FarmQLD$4,400$8,800Snitzel (Redoute's Choice)Arrowfield StudNSW$247,500unchangedDundeel (High Chaparral)Arrowfield StudNSW$88,000$82,500The Autumn Sun (Redoute's Choice)Arrowfield StudNSW$66,000unchangedMaurice (Screen Hero)Arrowfield StudNSW$55,000unchangedCastelvecchio (Dundeel)Arrowfield StudNSW$22,000$27,500Admire Mars (Daiwa Major)Arrowfield StudNSW$22,000unchangedHitotsu (Maurice)Arrowfield StudNSW$22,000unchangedFlying Artie (Artie Schiller)Blue Gum FarmVIC$16,500unchangedSejardan (Sebring)Blue Gum FarmVIC$13,750unchangedOxley Road (Exceed And Excel)Blue Gum FarmVIC$8,800newCape Of Good Hope (Galileo)Bombora DownsVIC$8,250unchangedSoul Patch (Shamus Award)Bombora DownsVIC$6,600unchangedDe Gaulle (Exceed And Excel)Bombora DownsVIC$5,500unchangedKa Ying Master (Snitzel)Bombora DownsVIC$5,500newDandino (Dansili)Bombora DownsVIC$5,500unchangedFrankel My Dear (Frankel)Bombora DownsVIC$5,500unchangedCliff's Edge (Canford Cliffs)Bombora DownsVIC$3,300unchangedD'Argento (So You Think)Bowness StudNSW$16,500unchangedSquamosa (Not A Single Doubt)Broadmarsh StudTAS$2,200$3,300Chaldean (Frankel)Cambridge StudNZ$35,000newAlmanzor (Wootton Bassett)Cambridge StudNZ$30,000$50,000Hello Youmzain (Kodiac)Cambridge StudNZ$30,000unchangedSword Of State (Snitzel)Cambridge StudNZ$15,000unchangedEmbellish (Savabeel)Cambridge StudNZ$5,000unchangedAlpine Edge (Better Than Ready)Clear Mountain FairviewQLD$7,700newWootton Bassett (Iffraaj)CoolmoreNSWTBC$93,500Home Affairs (I Am Invincible)CoolmoreNSW$82,500$99,000So You Think (High Chaparral)CoolmoreNSW$82,500$99,000Shinzo (Snitzel)CoolmoreNSW$55,000newPierro (Lonhro)CoolmoreNSW$55,000$82,500Starspangledbanner (Choisir)CoolmoreNSW$44,000$33,000St Mark's Basilica (Siyouni)CoolmoreNSW$38,500$44,000Pride Of Dubai (Street Cry)CoolmoreNSW$22,000$27,500King's Legacy (Redoute's Choice)CoolmoreNSW$22,000$27,500Churchill (Galileo)CoolmoreNSW$19,800$22,000Best Of Bordeau (Snitzel)CoolmoreNSW$19,250$27,500Yes Yes Yes (Rubick)CoolmoreNSW$19,250$33,000Acrobat (Fastnet Rock)CoolmoreNSW$13,750unchangedAnamoe (Street Boss)DarleyNSW$121,000unchangedToo Darn Hot (Dubawi)DarleyNSW$110,000$44,000Bivouac (Exceed And Excel)DarleyNSW$55,000$66,000Pinatubo (Shamardal)DarleyNSW$55,000unchangedHarry Angel (Dark Angel)DarleyNSW$38,500$33,000Native Trail (Oasis Dream)DarleyNSW$27,500newMicrophone (Exceed And Excel)DarleyNSW$22,000$33,000Triple Time (Frankel)DarleyNSW$22,000newAstern (Medaglia d'Oro)DarleyNSW$16,500$22,000Victor Ludorum (Shamardal)DarleyNSW$13,750$16,500Street Boss (Street Cry)DarleyVIC$66,000unchangedCylinder (Exceed And Excel)DarleyVIC$44,000newBlue Point (Shamardal)DarleyVIC$44,000unchangedBrazen Beau (I Am Invincible)DarleyVIC$33,000$44,000Ghaiyyath (Dubawi)DarleyVIC$27,500unchangedGolden Mile (Astern)DarleyVIC$16,500newKermadec (Teofilo)DarleyVIC$16,500unchangedPaulele (Dawn Approach)DarleyVIC$13,750$16,500Playing God (Blackfriars)Darling View ThoroughbredsWA$49,500$33,000Splintex (Snitzel)Darling View ThoroughbredsWA$11,000unchangedLightsaber (Zoustar)Darling View ThoroughbredsWA$6,600unchangedSpirit Of Boom (Sequalo)Eureka StudQLD$38,500unchangedDon Corleone (Extreme Choice)Eureka StudQLD$13,200newEncryption (Lonhro)Eureka StudQLD$11,000$13,200Winning Rupert (Written Tycoon)Geisel Park StudWATBA$7,700Hilal (Fastnet Rock)Grangewilliam StudNZ$7,500newThe Bold One (Fastnet Rock)Grangewilliam StudNZ$6,000$4,000Ribchester (Iffraaj)Haunui FarmNZ$10,000$12,000Divine Prophet (Choisir)Highview StudNZ$9,000$13,500Santos (I Am Invincible)Highview StudNZ$8,000$7,500Wrote (High Chaparral)Highview StudNZ$8,000$6,500Mr Mozart (Snitzel)Highview StudNZ$6,000newEmpire Of Japan (Snitzel)Hopetoun FarmQLD$9,900newWar Decree (War Front)Inglewood StudNZ$7,000$5,500Farnan (Not A Single Doubt)Kia OraNSW$55,000unchangedCaptivant (Capitalist)Kia OraNSW$22,000$27,500Prague (Redoute's Choice)Kia OraNSW$13,200$16,500Dubious (Not A Single Doubt)Kitchwin HillsNSW$15,400unchangedGraff (Star Witness)Kitchwin HillsNSW9,900unchangedLauda Sion (Real Impact)Larneuk StudVIC$11,000newImpending (Lonhro)Larneuk StudVIC$6,600$8,800Wandjina (Snitzel)Larneuk StudVIC$6,600unchangedWolf Cry (Street Cry)Larneuk StudVIC$3,300unchangedPer Incanto (Street Cry)Little Avondale StudNZ$50,000unchangedRoyal Meeting (Invincible Spirit)LovatsvilleVIC$22,000$11,000Fierce Impact (Deep Impact)LovatsvilleVIC$13,750$16,500Generation (Snitzel)LovatsvilleVIC$11,000newGold Trip (Outstrip)LovatsvilleVIC$8,800newBetter Than Ready (More Than Ready)Lyndhurst StudQLD$27,500unchangedBarbaric (I Am Invincible)Lyndhurst StudQLD$8,800unchangedBondi (Snitzel)Lynward Park StudWA$6,600unchangedGeneral Beau (Brazen Beau)Maluka ThoroughbredsVIC$8,800newContributer (High Chaparral)Mapperley StudNZ$18,000unchangedArmory (Galileo)Mapperley StudNZ$10,000unchangedExtreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt)Newgate FarmNSW$275,000unchangedCapitalist (Written Tycoon)Newgate FarmNSW$66,000$77,000Russian Revolution (Snitzel)Newgate FarmNSW$66,000$88,000Stay Inside (Extreme Choice)Newgate FarmNSW$55,000$77,000Ozzmosis (Zoustar)Newgate FarmNSW$44,000newMilitarize (Dundeel)Newgate FarmNSW$38,500newTassort (Brazen Beau)Newgate FarmNSW$38,500$11,000State Of Rest (Starspangledbanner)Newgate FarmNSW$27,500$44,000In The Congo (Snitzel)Newgate FarmNSW$27,500$33,000Wild Ruler (Snitzel)Newgate FarmNSW$27,500$38,500King's Gambit (I Am Invincible)Newgate FarmNSW$22,000newArtorius (Flying Artie)Newgate FarmNSW$22,000$27,500Brutal (O'Reilly)Newgate FarmNSW$16,500$22,000North Pacific (Brazen Beau)Newgate FarmNSW$16,500$22,000Cosmic Force (Deep Field)Newgate FarmNSW$11,000unchangedProfiteer (Capitalist)Newgate FarmNSW$11,000$16,500Tiger Of Malay (Extreme Choice)Newgate FarmNSW$11,000$16,500Mo'unga (Savabeel)Newhaven ParkNSW$27,500newCool Aza Beel (Savabeel)Newhaven ParkNSW$16,500unchangedXtravagant (Pentire)Newhaven ParkNSW$16,500$22,000Staphanos (Deep Impact)Novara ParkNZ$15,000unchangedSweynesse (Lonhro)Novara ParkNZ$10,000unchangedKing Of Comedy (Kingman)Novara ParkNZ$7,000unchangedPress Statement (Hinchinbrook)Novara ParkNZ$6,000unchangedIngratiating (Frosted)Oakland Park StudWA$9,000newSessions (Lonhro)Oakland Park StudWA$8,800$11,000Shooting To Win (Deep Field)Oakland Park StudWA$8,800$11,000Bellevue Hill (Pierro)Platinum ThoroughbredsVIC$9,900$3,300Jukebox (Snitzel)Platinum ThoroughbredsVIC$9,900$5,500Scorpz (Charm Spirit)Platinum ThoroughbredsVIC$7,700$4,400Top Ranked (Dark Angel)Raheen StudQLD$7,700unchangedHeroic Valour (Fastnet Rock)Raheen StudQLD$5,500$7,700Proisir (Choisir)Rich Hill StudNZ$80,000$70,000Satono Aladdin (Deep Impact)Rich Hill StudNZ$65,000$45,000Ace High (High Chaparral)Rich Hill StudNZ$15,000$10,000Shocking (Street Cry)Rich Hill StudNZ$12,500unchangedVadamos (Monsun)Rich Hill StudNZ$9,000$12,500Rommel (Commands)Ridgeport ThoroughbredsWA$6,600unchangedDucimus (Snitzel)Ridgeport ThoroughbredsWA$5,500$4,400Dissident (Sebring)Riverdene StudNSW$5,500unchangedSizzling (Snitzel)Riverdene StudNSW$5,500unchangedSuper One (I Am Invincible)Roselee ParkWA$8,800unchangedSuper Easy (Darci Brahma)Roselee ParkWA$5,500NZ$7,500Strasbourg (I Am Invincible)Rosemont StudVICprivate$8,800Shamus Award (Snitzel)Rosemont StudVIC$38,500$60,500Hanseatic (Street Boss)Rosemont StudVIC$16,500$17,600Extreme Warrior (Extreme Choice)Rosemont StudVIC$16,500$19,800Doull (Snitzel)Rosemont StudVIC$11,000newToronado (High Chaparral)Swettenham StudVIC$88,000unchangedRubick (Encosta De Lago)Swettenham StudVIC$27,500unchangedLofty Strike (Snitzel)Swettenham StudVIC$22,000newWooded (Wootton Bassett)Swettenham StudVIC$22,000unchangedI... Inglis 2025 Australian Easter Yearling Sale - Pinhooks LotColourTypeSireDamVendorSaleSale informationPricePurchaserPrice4BayfillyZousainJolie BriseCannon Hayes Stud2024 WI Sydney Weanling SaleFairhill Farm to Cannon Hayes Limited$160,000Passed In9Bay or BrownfillyFrankel (GB)Kapralova (USA)North Bloodstock2024 MM National Weanling SaleCoolmore Stud to North$450,000Griffiths Racing$225,00037ChestnutcoltPinatubo (IRE)Luminous Eyes (IRE)Segenhoe Stud2024 WI Sydney Weanling SaleFairhill Farm to S McGrath$210,000Hermitage Thoroughbreds Pty Ltd$160,00041BayfillyThe Autumn SunMadam TracySledmere Stud2024 MM National Weanling SaleElement Hill (Unreserved Dispersal) to Sledmere Stud/Cangon Stud Farm$180,000Passed In42Bay or BrowncoltSo You Think (NZ )Madeleina (NZ)Sledmere Stud2024 WI Great Southern SaleBhima Thoroughbreds to Ampulla Lodge$70,000Fabio Martino Racing$110,00054ChestnutcoltSnitzelMembers JoyNewgate Farm2024 WI Great Southern SaleBell River Thoroughbreds to J Carey$575,000Passed In59BaycoltToo Darn Hot (GB)MillionTwin Hills Stud2024 WI Sydney Weanling SaleToolooganvale Farm to M Staunton$130,000Passed In64BaycoltZoustarMiss CanadaNorth Bloodstock2024 MM National Weanling SaleMilburn Creek to North$350,000Passed In83ChestnutcoltZoustarNews GirlCannon Hayes Stud2024 WI Great Southern SaleTwo Bays Farm to Cannon Hayes Limited$250,000MG Price Racing & Breeding Pty Ltd$500,00088BaycoltToo Darn Hot (GB)Nothin' on Me (NZ)Coolmore Stud2024 WI Great Southern SaleCrossley Thoroughbreds to Cavgill Station$150,000Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott / Kestrel Thoroughbreds$350,00093BaycoltFarnanOne More TequilaAlma Vale Thoroughbreds2024 WI Sydney Weanling SaleFairhill Farm to Alma Vale T/breds$180,000Passed In95ChestnutfillyHome AffairsOrchidia (IRE)Lime Country Thoroughbreds2024 MM National Weanling SaleVinery Stud to Lime Country T/breds$360,000Passed In98ChestnutfillyExtreme ChoiceOutsider Art (USA)Widden Stud2024 MM National Weanling SaleNewgate Consignment to Redwall Syndicate Ltd$290,000Passed In101ChestnutfillyWritten TycoonPassarelleLyndhurst Farm2024 WI Sydney Weanling SaleWillaroon Thoroughbreds to Lyndhurst Farm / Kaha Nui Farm$350,000Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock$650,000113Bay or BrowncoltToo Darn Hot (GB)PsychicSupreme Thoroughbreds2024 WI Sydney Weanling SaleSledmere Stud to Supreme T/breds$150,000Passed In121Bay or GreycoltSt Mark's Basilica (FR)ReverseCannon Hayes Stud2024 MM National Weanling SaleWidden Stud to Cannon Hayes$95,000Passed In126BayfillyFastnet RockRoebuck BayNorth Bloodstock2024 MM National Weanling SaleCoolmore Stud to Badgers B/stock$150,000YLP Racing$350,000128BrowncoltWootton Bassett (GB)Rose Memory (IRE)Coolmore Stud2024 WI Sydney Weanling SaleRathmore Lodge to Tasman B/stock$70,000Chris Waller Racing / Mulcaster Bloodstock$300,000133BayfillyWootton Bassett (GB)Sacred ValleyNorth Bloodstock2024 MM National Weanling SaleCoolmore Stud to North$130,000Passed In141ChestnutcoltStay InsideSchwesterherz (FR)Silverdale Farm2024 WI Sydney Weanling SaleSledmere Stud to Silverdale Farm$120,000James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership / Tony Fung Colts$650,000147BaycoltHome AffairsSecret DoubtCarlaw Park2024 MM National Weanling SaleMorningside to Carlaw Park Ltd$220,000Passed In166BaycoltZousainSilk TrailSledmere Stud2024 MM National Weanling SaleGlastonbury Farms to Bimbadeen T/bred & Performance Horses$140,000Hong Kong Jockey Club$260,000178BayfillyToo Darn Hot (GB)Sort AfterRidgmont2024 WI Great Southern SaleBurnewang North Pastoral to Ridgmont$130,000D Springfield / Kearney Racing$180,000182BayfillyAcrobatSpicedSledmere Stud2024 WI Great Southern SalePonderosa Park to Hallmark Stud / M Kirwan$170,000Andrew Williams Bloodstock (FBAA) / Michael Freedman Racing$280,000183Bay or BrowncoltToronado (IRE)Spin Me a Kiss (USA)North Bloodstock2024 WI Great Southern SaleTwo Bays Farm to Bevan Smith B/stock$140,000Passed In203BaycoltDundeel (NZ)Supriym StoryGlenbeigh Farm2024 WI Great Southern SaleShadow Hill Thoroughbreds to Glenbeigh Farm$82,500Legend Racing / Avenue Bloodstock$260,000269BrowncoltSo You Think (NZ )AcouplamasHP Thoroughbreds2024 WI Sydney Weanling SaleDavali Thoroughbreds to Avesta B/stock / HP T/breds$240,000Griffiths Racing$240,000274Bay or BrownfillyToo Darn Hot (GB)AlnaasSledmere Stud2024 MM National Weanling SaleKenmore Lodge to Sledmere Stud/Cangon Stud Farm$175,000Sutton Racing / McKeever Bloodstock$360,000287BaycoltToronado (IRE)Atomic PulseAlma Vale Thoroughbreds2024 WI Sydney Weanling SaleLustre Lodge to M Patel$320,000Equine Growth Fund$400,000293BaycoltTassortBareeqSledmere Stud2024 MM National Weanling SaleEmirates Park to Sledmere Stud/Cangon Stud Farm$40,000Sutton Racing / McKeever Bloodstock$140,000303Bay or BrowncoltPinatubo (IRE)Bo BardiCoolmore Stud2024 WI Great Southern SaleBurnewang North Pastoral to Bastille Trust$260,000Australian Bloodstock Pty Ltd$475,000343Bay or BrownfillySo You Think (NZ )Delectation... 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