Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Race-day Recap
Tempted (Street Boss {USA}) completed her season in style with an impressive victory in the G2 Percy Sykes Stakes, her previous run was when she placed third in the G1 Golden Slipper, and her class prevailed on Saturday for trainer James Cummings and Godolphin.
Nick Olive-trained 2-year-old filly Spicy Lu (Tagaloa) was too quick as she dominated from start to finish in the Listed Fernhill Mile. She became Tagaloa's first stakes winner, and capped off a great day of results for the young stallion.
Amy and Ash Yargi-trained 2-year-old filly Petit Artiste (Earthlight {Ire}) went on a mission to Morphettville to get important black type and was successful. The talented filly was dominant and became the first Australian stakes winner for her sire Earthlight (Ire).
Bona Sforza (Written By) became trainer Samantha Finnegan's first winner at Riccarton and she did it in style at Listed level, The Written By filly had a great turn of foot when it mattered, and won with ease.
Castle Road (Safeguard) won impressively and was simply too fast, he led all of the way and won by a big margin in the Listed Perth Stakes at Ascot.
Talkanco (I'm All The Talk) picked up her first stakes victory with success in the G3 Gimcrack Stakes at Ascot. She gallantly held off the fast finishing Yes Queen (Yes Yes Yes) who had previosuly beaten her home at her previous two starts.
Tempted ends her season on a high
The victory of 2-year-old filly Tempted (Street Boss {USA}) in the $1 million G2 Percy Sykes Stakes provided a fitting finale to what has been an exceptional juvenile campaign for the brave, tough, and classy youngster.
In a six-start season, Tempted has collected a maiden win at Warwick Farm, Group 2 victories in both the Reisling Stakes and Percy Syke Stakes, and placings in the G1 Golden Slipper and G3 Widden Stakes. Her efforts have already banked her just over $1.4 million in prizemoney.
After travelling just in front of midfield but wide, her jockey James McDonald peeled out early in the home straight, and Tempted ran on strongly, finishing too strong for Savvy Hallie (Hellbent) who was prominent throughout. Within The Law (Lucky Vega) ran a very good third, charging home late to only narrowly miss placing second.
Trainer James Cummings was delighted with the fillies efforts and the record she has compiled this season.
“She’s an outstanding 2-year-old filly. She got another opportunity to prove it in the Championships this afternoon, so I was most pleased she got the chance to show that, and she got a lot more clear air than she faced three weeks ago.
“Golden Slipper form is great form.
“She proved it despite the wide run. We did feel on paper it was inevitable, but we took our medicine as far as covering ground and facing the breeze goes, and gave Tempted the opportunity to show her class—which she did just that.
“... we took our medicine as far as covering ground and facing the breeze goes, and gave Tempted the opportunity to show her class—which she did...” - James Cummings
“Her 2-year-old career is going to read very well. She is bred to be a 2-year-old, out of a good 2-year-old, by Street Boss—another good example of what he’s able to achieve with a young horse.”
Champion jockey James McDonald echoed the sentiment and was full of praise for the filly and her team.
“She’s a good filly and ridden like the best one, and she was too good. She always felt it too. She paraded really well today with the earmuffs on—a real credit to James (Cummings) and his team. He’s kept her up, and he said she would win today.”
Tempted is the fifth foal from Calliope (Exceed And Excel), a high-class juvenile herself who won both the G2 Magic Night Stakes and the Listed Gimcrack Stakes. She has now produced three winners, including Kallos (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}), a dual Group 2 winner who also succeeded at Group 3 and Listed level.
Since producing Tempted, Calliope has delivered a yearling colt by Pinatubo (Ire) named Zambales. After slipping to Brazen Beau, she was subsequently served by the Champion son of Street Boss (USA) in Anamoe—therefore carrying a future three-quarter relation to Tempted.
Spicy Lu dictates and dominates
The unbeaten Spicy Lu (Tagaloa), trained by Nick Olive, maintained her perfect record with a bold, front-running display in the Listed Fernhill Mile, Day 2 of The Championships opening race at Royal Randwick.
The speedy daughter of Tagaloa became the first stakes winner—and, for now, the only winner—for her Yulong Stud-based sire. Her path to black type success may not have followed the traditional route, with earlier victories coming at Cowra and Albury, but she proved up to the task when it counted.
Ridden by Rachel King, Spicy Lu enjoyed an unchallenged lead and was never seriously threatened, drawing clear to win comfortably by 1.89l. In an on-speed dominated race, Tupakara (Trapeze Artist) closed off well for second, while Lady Pankhurst (Capitalist) tracked the leader throughout but lacked the sharp turn of foot needed in the straight, and picked up valuable black type in third.
Trainer Nick Olive was understandably ecstatic with his filly’s effort, who he purchased from the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale Book 2 for $30,000 from the draft of Vinery Stud.
“Bloody thrilled, thrilled for all of the team back at home. We got such a good team at home now, and they have done such a good job with this horse.
"We have always thought she has had good ability but you win two country races, and it’s a big step coming up to a stakes race, but she stepped up and got the job done, fantastic ride from Rach (Rachel King).
“I was just saying to Rach earlier, we thought that they might underestimate her you know, we drew the one, get to the front and she could just dictate, if you can get going from the 600 and they have left you alone, she will be hard to run down.
“She’s three from three now, a stakes winner, good stuff.”
Spicy Lu is the fifth foal of All Salsa (Charge Forward), a two-time winner who also ran fourth in the Listed Mona Lisa Stakes. Since producing Spicy Lu, All Salsa delivered a yearling filly by Victor Ludorum (GB) before she sadly died in late 2023.
Adelaide spoils go to Petit Artiste
Meisho, (Tagaloa) the heavily backed favourite for the Listed Without Fear Stakes at Morphettville on Saturday, arrived in Adelaide with strong Melbourne form and dominated the betting. But in a surprise twist, it was another Victorian visitor who stole the show.
The Amy and Ash Yargi-trained Petit Artiste (Earthlight) produced a stunning performance, storming down the outside to claim victory by a widening 3.46l over Meisho, with Oakley Miss (Shooting To Win) filling third.
In doing so, Petit Artiste became the first Australian winner—and stakes winner—for Darley’s former shuttler Earthlight (IRE), a Group 1-winning son of Shamardal (USA). Earthlight shuttled to Australia from 2021 to 2023, covering an average of 94 mares per season. The filly is now his second stakes winner overall across both hemispheres.
“I said to everyone, that's the only time we've taken one over to Adelaide apart from Rebel (Rebel Racer) in the Adelaide Cup. We were confident, and I mean that,” said Amy Yargi.
“We were confident with Rebel, and we were confident with this filly and the market sort of intimidates you a little bit, but I'm really proud of Ash (Yargi) and our whole team.
“We've got a great team of people behind us, and I only paid $15,000 for her at Inglis Premier last year, and we've now got a stakes-winning filly. We're absolutely thrilled.”
Petit Artiste was a value $15,000 purchase by Yargi Racing from the Collingrove Stud draft at the 2023 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale. She is a half-sister to Miss Albania (Magnus) who has been a four-time winner and Listed-placed.
Since producing Petit Artiste, Little Artist has delivered a weanling colt by Royal Symphony and was most recently served by Atomic.
Listed glory on debut for Bona Sforza
Bona Sforza (Written By) caused an upset on debut, winning in dominant fashion in the Listed Welcome Stakes at Riccarton. The filly who was making her debut stormed home to put 2.5l on the well-performed Zelia (Fierce Impact {Jpn}).
Trained by Samantha Finnegan, Bona Sforza also delivered her trainer a milestone moment, becoming the first winner she has ever saddled - achieving it at stakes level. The filly travelled kindly just ahead of midfield before pouncing in the straight and putting the race away with ease. Zelia, who had set a strong tempo, boxed on gamely for second, while Alottago (Tagaloa) ran a sharp race to finish third.
Francis Finnegan was on course at Riccarton and was thrilled with the performance—both from the filly and his wife.
“It’s a pity Samantha isn’t here but we came down expecting it to be off the back of a win, but the races got called off when she was saddled up and ready to go on the track,” Finnegan said.
“She had won a trial and a jump-out since, and Sam has always been a pretty good judge and she has had a great opinion of her.
“It’s hard to win any race on debut, let alone a stakes race.
“It’s hard to win any race on debut, let alone a stakes race.” - Francis Finnegan
“I’d like to say a big thanks to the owners, as they have let us go and buy a nice filly and hopefully she can progress from here.”
Finnegan also hinted that the filly may return to Riccarton in November with a possible tilt at the Group 1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600 metres).
“The view was that even if she could only place here on debut, we just wanted to get her here before November,” he said.
“She has had a look around and hopefully we can get back here.”
Jockey Ace Lawson-Carroll was equally impressed by Bona Sforza’s performance and offered a cheeky comment to connections post-race.
Bona Sforza | Image courtesy of Ajay Berry (Race Images South)
“She is a really nice filly and Mr Finnegan gave me a lot of confidence before the race, and you saw why,” he said.
“She got taken back a little bit at the start when she was between horses, but once the runs appeared (in the home straight), she burst through and hit the line well.
“They did say to me they were looking at the 1000 Guineas, so I said you’d better keep me on then.”
Bona Sforza was purchased for $65,000 by Highline Thoroughbreds, Catheryne Bruggeman, and Paul Moroney Bloodstock from the Widden Stud draft at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale. She was later offered by Highline Thoroughbreds at the 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale, where she was purchased by Mrs Samantha Finnegan for NZ$150,000.
Her dam, Thwayya (Snitzel), has since produced a yearling filly by Supido and was most recently served by Jacquinot last season.
Castle Road runs them ragged
Ascot trainer Paul Jordan looks to have an exciting juvenile and potential 3-year-old sprinter on his hands with Castle Road (Safeguard), who claimed his third victory from five starts in dominant fashion in Saturday’s Listed Perth Stakes.
Ridden by Craig Staples, the gelding controlled the race from the jump, showed an abundance of natural speed and powered away to win by 3.42l over the Luke Fernie-trained colt Just Too Fly (Justify {USA}), with Mitchell Pateman’s gelding Exceed The Boom (Exceedance) finishing third.
Castle Road is by Safeguard, and is the ninth live foal from Clarecastle (Tribu), a talented four-time winner who was twice Group-placed during her racing career. Remarkably, all nine of her runners to race have been winners, including stakes performers such as Royal Strata (Stratum), Specialism (Safeguard), and More Special (Safeguard). Castle Road became her first stakes winner.
Since producing Castle Road, Clarecastle has delivered a yearling full sister and a weanling colt by Marine One.
Gimcrack glory for Talkanco
After an eye-catching debut win at Ascot in November last year, Talkanco (I'm All The Talk) had turned in two strong placings—first behind Yes Queen (Yes Yes Yes), and then at Listed level behind Luana Miss (Bivouac).
On Saturday, the Daniel and Ben Pearce-trained talented filly turned the tables on both rivals with a determined victory in the G3 Gimcrack Stakes, becoming the third stakes winner for I’m All The Talk, who sadly passed away three years ago.
A frantic early tempo played perfectly into Talkanco’s hands, with the filly storming home from the rear of the field to hold off the fast-finishing Yes Queen, while Loves Talking (I’m All The Talk) stuck on gamely for third.
Talkanco is the third foal from Calianco (California Dane), a five-time winning sprinter in South Australia. Calianco is a half-sister to nine-time winner Hurrara (Hussonet {USA}), who was placed in the Listed Maurice McCarten Stakes. This is also the extended family of Blur (Flying Spur) and Shrewd Rhythm.
Since producing Talkanco, Calianco has foaled a weanling colt by Marine One and was subsequently served by Rich Enuff.
