Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Regulated Affair an easy watch for favourite punters
It all went to plan for the Chris Waller-trained Regulated Affair (Wootton Bassett {GB}) at Warwick Farm, as he proved a soft winner and produced a pleasing result for favourite punters, breaking his maiden with a widening 1.5l victory.
The eye-catching Fernweh (NZ) (Turn Me Loose {NZ}) was brave in second, while Tyrone’s Power (Yes Yes Yes) stuck to his task well to finish third.
James McDonald showed early intent from a good gate, positioning Regulated Affair in a perfect trailing spot behind a strong pace set by Bombay Boom (Spirit Of Boom), who was pressed by Tyrone’s Power working outside the leader. With the genuine tempo in his favour, all McDonald needed was a run at the top of the straight and once it presented, Regulated Affair loomed ominously before powering away late to win with authority and a touch of class.
The win adds further momentum to the encouraging form of Wootton Bassett’s (GB) first Australian-bred crop. While he is yet to sire a stakes winner with his Australian juveniles, he’s already produced eight individual 2-year-old winners, with several showing clear stakes ability, plenty of class or have earnt black type, among them are the quality Group 1 performers Wodeton and State Visit.
Wootton Bassett (GB) | Standing at Coolmore Australia
“It was a lovely set up, he used his barrier and there was good speed, he came off their heels and quickened really well,” said Chris Waller.
“It was good to see.”
“It was a lovely set up, he (Regulated Affair) used his barrier and there was good speed, he came off their heels and quickened really well.” - Chris Waller
When asked if the promising colt would head north for a winter campaign, Waller was direct with his answer; “He's definitely going to Brisbane, we just gave him a chance to catch his breath (after his first start), there weren’t the right races around, we picked out this race and thought it would be a good stepping stone.”
As for what distances may suit Regulated Affair best, Waller replied thoughtfully
“Not sure, he's got a different sort of action. He's a small, compact horse. He gets his head down and really likes to work. From his action 1200 metres or 1400 metres, but hopefully we get to 1400 metres and give him a chance to go to a JJ Atkins or something.”
Regulated Affair winning the Champion Sire Maiden Plate | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Jockey James McDonald was also upbeat about the colt’s progression:
“He’s taken plenty of improvement from the first-up second, after a gap between runs. But he’s a horse that will progress really nicely as he stretches out in distance.
“He’s got good quality.”
Regulated Affair was a $200,000 purchase by Hermitage Thoroughbreds and Chris Waller from the Supreme Thoroughbreds draft at the 2024 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale. He is the first foal out of Sei Stella (Not A Single Doubt), a five-time winner and full sister to Single Style (Not A Single Doubt), winner of the Listed Keith Mackay Handicap and the dam of the five-time winner Miss Hipster (Star Turn) who has been successful at Listed level.
Regulated Affair as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Since foaling Regulated Affair, Sei Stella has produced a weanling colt by the exciting Ole Kirk, and was subsequently covered by Toronado (Ire).
Agarwood impressive as she doubles up for Wootton Bassett
Following the stylish debut win by Regulated Affair earlier on the card, fellow Wootton Bassett juvenile Agarwood stepped up in Race 2 to complete a quickfire double for her sire. The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained filly was impressive, posting a time of 57.56s over the 1000 metres, over half a second quicker than her paternal half-brother, charging home under Tim Clark for a dominant 2.55l victory.
Her win continued the strong momentum for Wootton Bassett, who is now the sire of eight individual Australian-bred 2-year-old winners. With that kind of form behind him and the potential quality of his progeny, he's expected to be in high demand this spring when he returns to stand at Coolmore Australia.
A strong early tempo was set by Litigate (Bivouac) and Penpel (Written By) on the outer, who shared the pace up front. Meanwhile, Agarwood enjoyed a perfect run just behind them. When the gap appeared at the top of the straight, she was quick to pounce between the two mentioned and sprinted sharply clear to win with real authority.
Despite her on-track composure, Agarwood showed signs of greenness and immaturity behind the barriers, something co-trainer Adrian Bott expects will improve with the experience.
Agarwood winning the Maiden Plate | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
“Off the back of that, I think she will improve sharply, naturally just settle down off the back of today, and the positive experience will do her the world of good,” Bott said.
“Also in running I think she will learn plenty from that as well.”
“Off the back of that, I think she (Agarwood) will improve sharply (...) and the positive experience will do her the world of good.” - Adrian Bott
Asked about future plans for the filly, including a possible trip north for the Queensland winter carnival, Bott was very much open to the idea. “Potentially. Whether Scone sort of comes up a little bit too quick for her or not, but we could look at Queensland for her.
“Obviously any valuable black type we can get is a benefit, but we do want to do the right thing by her. I think there’s plenty of benefit of being patient to date.
“I like the way she ran through the line there, the way she opened up, and once she got into stride, she really put them away late.
“She has plenty of upside. I think she will keep on improving as we get over further.”
Adrian Bott | Image courtesy of Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Racing
Clark also noted some post-race greenness as the filly hesitated to return to scale, something not totally uncommon in lightly raced juveniles, but still a surprise given her usual temperament.
“It was very much uncharacteristic for her as she's such a sweet filly to do anything with and obviously just having her first start, so I'm sure she will iron those things out,” he said.
“She got away well, took up a nice position from a good draw and let the speed go and was able to pop out when we wanted to.
“She (Agarwood) got away well, took up a nice position from a good draw and let the speed go and was able to pop out when we wanted to.” - Tim Clark
“She always travelled really well and it's good to see her put a gap in them late and win like the really nice filly that she is.”
On whether Agarwood would be better suited over further, Clark was confident.
“Yes, she will definitely. I guess a little concern was that she had trialled over further and was coming back to 1000 metres. She was still very sharp and has a really good brain on her, which caught me by surprise with her antics a little bit.
“She (Agarwood) was still very sharp and has a really good brain on her, which caught me by surprise with her antics a little bit.” - Tim Clark
“I think she is going to be a really nice filly going forward.”
Agarwood was a $420,000 purchase by Gai Waterhouse, Adrian Bott and Kestrel Thoroughbreds from the Coolmore Stud draft at the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. She is a half-sister to Lilac (Justify {USA}), winner of the G3 James HB Carr Stakes and Listed Jim Moloney Stakes.
Agarwood as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
She is the third winner from as many to race out of Paulownia (Fastnet Rock), she was Group 2 placed in New Zealand and is a full sister to Group 1 winner and sire Foxwedge, as well as Listed winner She’s A Fox (Fastnet Rock).
Coolmore sold a Home Affairs colt out of Paulownia at the 2025 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale for $180,000 to Archibald & Neasham Racing and William Johnson Bloodstock, a purchase highlighted as a Thoroughbred Report “Value Buy.”
Paulownia is currently in foal to Justify (USA) after travelling to the United States last year, that expected foal will be a full siter to the talented Lilac.
McEvoy: 'Small fillies with big attitudes, I like them'
The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained Sisstainable (I Am Invincible) delivered on her strong form lines at Eagle Farm on Wednesday, showing a touch of class in the 1000 metre juvenile maiden to break through impressively at start four.
By I Am Invincible, Sisstainable had been knocking on the door, having placed in the top-four in all three prior starts, including at Listed level twice, she looked a standout on paper. Backed accordingly, she never gave supporters a fright.
The race was run at a genuine tempo, with Bellove (Love Conquers All) and Odin’s Mount (Russian Revolution) taking up the early lead. That pair carved out solid sectionals before dropping out, Sisstainable in the hands of Andrew Mallyon who had initially taken the trail decided to push up and hold the rail to take bad luck out of the equation.
Travelling sweetly into the straight, she took control at the 300 metre mark and quickly put the race beyond doubt, cruising home by 1.99l over Smexy (Pierata) and Provoker (Encryption), who both produced eye-catching runs and look close to maiden wins of their own.
“She's a lovely, sweet filly, very small filly. She didn't grow much, but she's fast and she thinks she's good,” said co-trainer Tony McEvoy.
“She (Sisstainable) didn't grow much, but she's fast and she thinks she's good.” - Tony McEvoy
“She's been a little bit stiff at home, she's run really well in a couple of stakes races and was quite unlucky last start in Adelaide.
“This was a lovely race for her and then she'll go to the million-dollar race (Magic Millions National 2YO Classic) that we were lucky enough to win last year with Arabian Summer.
Tony McEvoy | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
When asked whether the filly will get a little bit further, McEvoy commented
“I think 1200 metres will be okay for her. She's from a speed family, Sunlight and Sisstar, her mother, who I bought as a yearling. I think we'll keep her in her zone at the moment, but we'll let her do the talking, but she should run 1200 metres.”
And McEvoy added with a grin:
“She's very sassy, I can tell you that. Small fillies with big attitudes, I like them!”
“Small fillies with big attitudes, I like them!” - Tony McEvoy
Jockey Andrew Mallyon was equally taken with the daughter of I Am Invincible and praised her race sense and professionalism.
“She gave me a really good ride out there, she began well. I went through her tapes and saw that she gets her head in the air, so I wanted to stay off her mouth as much as I could,” Mallyon said.
“I gave her an extra-long rein, she found a really nice rhythm and travelled very nicely into the straight. Probably she was looking for a bit of competition, but I’m sure we will find some in the next couple of weeks.”
"Probably she was looking for a bit of competition, but I’m sure we will find some in the next couple of weeks." - Andrew Mallyon
Sisstainable was a $450,000 purchase by McEvoy Mitchell Racing and Belmont Bloodstock Agency from the Widden Stud draft at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Sisstainable as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
She is the first foal out of Sisstar (Zoustar), a winner of the G3 Red Roses Stakes and Listed Bel Esprit Handicap. Sisstar is a full sister to three-time Group 1 winner and Champion 3-year-old Filly Sunlight (Zoustar), as well as Group 3 winning filly Clean Energy (Zoustar).
There’s no shortage of early speed and black-type quality in this pedigree, and a city maiden win adds further value to what’s already a high-class page. However, luck hasn’t been on her dam Sisstar’s side at stud so far. Since producing Sisstainable, she has slipped to I Am Invincible, missed to both I Am Invincible and Justify (USA), but pleasingly is now safely in foal to Anamoe.
